December 1, 2011

December 1, 2011 | VOL. XCIII ISS. XXV

Defending the king of Norway SINCE 1918

Chuck Davis: 574 pages of Vancouver history

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P5

PARKING TO

THE UBYSSEY BUS LOOP, SUBSIDIZE

IS PORN RUINING

BIKES P3

OUR SEX LIVES?

IKB 24/7 P3

First-year students petition for all-nighters

THE PANEL Ubyssey editors weigh in on fall sports

The Ubyssey’s annual sex supplement

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What’s on 1

THU

This week, may we suggest...

WRITING>>

Our Campus

One on one with the people who make UBC

Write for Rights: 10am-3pm @ the SUB Contribute to Human Rights Day by stopping by the SUB and writing letters to help release people who have been wrongfully detained. The event features music, food, good karma and great practice for speed writing your upcoming exams.

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FRI

POETRY >>

4

SUN

PHOTOS >>

Student Poetry Reading: 7pm10pm @ Project Space, 222 E Georgia Street A night of poetry from UBC students and professional writers, guaranteed to expand your mind and soul. Admission is by donation.

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SAT

PLAYS >>

Canadian Gothic and Faust is Dead: 7:30pm @ Dorothy Somerset Check out the closing night of these two student-directed plays.

Themes include independence and the prophesied death of mankind.

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MON

JOSH CURRAN/THE UBYSSEY

“When you see 800 people so stoked on something, seeing people so happy is basically why I do it.”

Ski and Board’s sober president

Hiroshima: Photographs by Miyako Ishiuchi: 10am-5pm @ MOA An exhibition of 52 photographs of clothing and personal items belonging to victims of Hiroshima, all day at the MOA. You know, that awesome museum on campus that you visit every week.

JAZZ>> The Music of Stan Kenton: A Centennial Celebration: 8pm @ UBC Recital Hall An evening with the UBC Jazz Ensemble and all that jazz, featuring the music of Stan Kenton.

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

THE UBYSSEY December 1, 2011, Volume XCIII, Issue XXV

EDITORIAL

Coordinating Editor Justin McElroy

coordinating@ubyssey.ca

Managing Editor, Print Jonny Wakefield printeditor@ubyssey.ca

Managing Editor, Web Arshy Mann webeditor@ubyssey.ca

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

Art Director Geoff Lister

art@ubyssey.ca

Culture Editor Ginny Monaco

culture@ubyssey.ca

Senior Culture Writers Taylor Loren & Will Johnson tloren@ubyssey.ca wjohnson@ubyssey.ca

Sports Editor Drake Fenton

sports@ubyssey.ca

Features Editor Brian Platt

features@ubyssey.ca

Copy Editor Karina Palmitesta

BUSINESS

CONTACT

Business Manager Fernie Pereira

Business Office: Room 23 Editorial Office: Room 24 Student Union Building 6138 Student Union Blvd Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 tel: 604.822.2301 web: www.ubyssey.ca

copy@ubyssey.ca

business@ubyssey.ca

Video Editor David Marino

Ad Sales Ben Chen

video@ubyssey.ca

advertising@ubyssey.ca

Senior Web Writer Andrew Bates

Accounts Sifat Hasan

abates@ubyssey.ca

accounts@ubyssey.ca

Graphics Assistant Indiana Joel

webmaster@ubyssey.ca

STAFF

Andrew Hood, Bryce Warnes, Catherine Guan, David Elop, Jon Chiang, Josh Curran, Will McDonald, Tara Martellaro, Virginie Menard, Scott MacDonald, Anna Zoria, Peter Wojnar, Tanner Bokor, Dominic Lai, Mark-Andre Gessaroli, Natalya Kautz, Kai Jacobson, RJ Reid

Print Advertising:

604.822.1654 Business Office:

604.822.6681 advertising @ubyssey.ca

ijoel@ubyssey.ca

Webmaster Jeff Blake

feedback@ubyssey.ca

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 of The Ubyssey; otherwise verification will be done by phone. 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.

Mike Dickson Staff Writer

UBC is a long way from Texas.

Texas is a long way from Norway.

Thus, Norway is pretty far from UBC, but distance doesn’t matter to Charlott Johansen, the current president of the infamous UBC Ski and Board Club.

The fourth-year international relations major was born and raised just outside of Oslo before moving to Texas, where she spent her teenage years. Though she has risen through the ranks from deputy social coordinator to head honcho of one of UBC’s largest student organizations, she ended up at UBC as a matter of second choice.

“My first choice was actually McGill,” said Johansen with a sheepish grin. “I didn’t get accepted there, but I’m really glad I ended up at UBC. I found really good friends here, great community and great people all around.”

Taking this mantra to heart, Johansen is also the director of sponsorship and social events for the UBC Model United Nations Assembly taking place from January 6-8 next semester. She

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Prepare to be spoofed.

Our biannual humour will be on stands next week

was also drawn to UBC for its proximity to two of her favourite things, the slopes and the sea, amenities which call her back to her homeland every summer.

“I love being in nature, watching the eternal sunsets in Norway during the summer, getting in the boat or going for hikes. My house in Norway is basically on a mountain, and the ocean is ten minutes away,” she said.

Despite chairing what is generally regarded as the hardest-partying and rowdiest club at UBC, Johansen doesn’t drink; instead, she lets the outdoors—and the indoors—get her endorphins going.

“I actually like sitting in Irving K. Barber late on Friday nights and studying; it’s what we’re here to do! I like to do the things which make me happy, which doesn’t have to involve getting drunk. As long as the club is happy, so am I. “It’s a bit stressful at times, doing coursework [Johansen is also minoring in economics], the Model United Nations and working a lot with the Ski and Board Club. But when you see 800 people so stoked on something, like the condo cram we had this past weekend, seeing people so happy

is basically why I do it.”

One of her great-grandfathers was part of the resistance movement when Germany occupied Norway during WWII. “He defended the king during the occupation and now that I can comprehend the gravity of war and what he went through, it would be great to talk to him about his experiences,” she said.

Future plans for the soon-tobe-graduate include a master’s program in human security or terrorism, a return to Norway in July, and working a job that challenges her. She hopes to find something within 100 miles of a ski hill. U

Charlott Johansen Occupation President of the UBC Ski and Board Club Hometown Oslo, Norway Area of study International relations major, economics minor

News

12.01.2011 |

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Editors: Kalyeena Makortoff & Micki Cowan

STUDYING >>

Students petition to keep Irving K. Barber open 24 hours all year Asher Isbrucker Contributor

Pulling all-nighters is a part of university life, but some students are concerned that the university isn’t offering enough study space during the wee hours of the night. And now students have started a petition to keep full libraries open.

Students Geoffrey Chu, Shane Galway and Igor Opacic are starting a petition to get the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKB) to extend its hours to be open around the clock.

“We believe [the library] should stay open an extra few hours into the night,” said Galway, a firstyear Arts student.

“We don’t really think there’s anywhere on campus that allows people to pull all-nighters.

“Midterms and papers are due throughout the year, and a lot of people find that the amount of work we have to do throughout the year means we need more study hours,” he said.

But there are challenges to changing the library’s schedule.

“From our experience with 24/7, cleaning and proper maintenance of spaces can be a major challenge,” said Simon Neame, director of IKB. “[For example], washrooms are also working over capacity, which has created some issues.”

But the largest obstacle is funding a 24 hour facility.

“There is a cost...we get our allocation, our funding, and we have to work within those means,” said Corey Sue, director of finance and facilities at IKB. Sue said the estimated cost of

increasing the operation to 24 hours for 32 weeks would be between $150,000 to $175,000 extra.

“This does not include longer term, capital replacement costs that are related to the accelerated wear and tear on the building.”

That would be on top of the current operating costs, which Neame said are difficult to estimate.

But he said that security alone has been costing IKB $340,000 annually. Other services would be affected as well, including attempts to bring libraries up to speed.

TRANSIT >>

UBC to reallocate U-Pass subsidy funds Andrew Bates Senior Web Writer

A $1.39 million subsidy from UBC meant to help reduce student U-Pass costs is being rerouted for alternative use. While it’s meant to be used for transportation, the money has yet to be locked in for any particular project.

The subsidy was introduced in 2003 to reduce the U-Pass price by $3 after the AMS capped student payment at $20, according to a 2009 Ubyssey article.

The subsidy comes from fees collected through Parking Services.

But when the program was replaced by a universal Lower Mainland pass, the province began providing their own subsidies to ensure the U-Pass was the same price at all institutions, explained communications director of Campus and Community Planning, Kera McArthur.

“The province stepped in and said, ‘It’s not fair for you, who can afford this, and Emily Carr, who can’t. We want to have equality in the program.’ So that’s where we’re at now,” said AMS President Jeremy McElroy.

Now, the money has been allocated to transportation spending measures.

“These funds will be reinvested in other university transportation priorities that benefit students through the annual university budget process,” McArthur said.

Half of the money has been set aside for the construction of a new bus loop in Gage South, while 30 per cent will fund the increased administration of the U-Pass BC program. The rest will go towards data collection and the Vancouver bike share program, McArthur said.

$1.39 MILLION

“The library has its funding envelope and we have to work within that,” said Sue. “Do you want all this technology, or do you want the library to stay open?”

But petition creators said they recognize the obstacles. “We know there’s a cost involved, but we think that will be marginal.

“The benefit is it would provide a place for students to study for the night,” said Galway.

Neame said the library is measuring traffic to see if the 24/7 option is viable. U CLUBS >>

New AMS club brings profs and students together

Where is the money from the old U-Pass subsidy going?

$695,000 Construction of a diesel bus loop

$417,000

Administration of the new U-Pass program

KAITLYN TISSINGTON/THE UBYSSEY

Professor James Vercammen talks with WeiYi Shen and Haoran Jiang, co-presidents of the Student Professor Association Club.

Chloe Bocker Contributor

$139,000

Data collection

$139,000

Bike share program ANDREW BATES/THE UBYSSEY

This year, the former U-Pass subsidy will be partly used to help fund bus loop construction and deal with new U-Pass administration.

According to McElroy, UBC plans to purchase 200 bikes for a bike share program “We understand that the majority of this money has been spoken for this year.

“But right now we’re trying to figure out what a more sustainable future investment strategy would look like,” said McElroy.

“We do see [a new bus loop] as a legitimate use if it means we get a more functional, more efficient bus loop, but again we have no timeline when that’s going to be.”

McElroy said there are pressing concerns while the bus loop waits.

“We do know that the bus loop is shitty right now,” he said. “There’s not enough undercover area, there’s not enough drainage, there’s massive puddles, it’s not very well lit and super safe in terms of pedestrian crossing.

“And there’s no reason why even if it’s for the short term we can’t put some investments into it.”

He also suggested creating an endowment fund, similar to how rental revenue funds student housing endowments.

“Right now, with parking services revenue being a little bit volatile,” he said, “instead of just

spending it left, right and centre, creating an endowment that could ensure future investment would be a good course of action.”

The AMS is currently working towards a formal proposal to recommend where the money should be allocated.

“The most important thing is that it still be directed at students.

It was a great show of force for the program, a goodwill gesture at the beginning,” McElroy said.

“If the university is still committed to supporting student-oriented transportation initiatives, that’s where the money should be.” U

Riot photo by UBC alum is Esquire’s photo of the year

Albertans’ grades boosted in UBC applications

Kwantlen students vote out directors

NewsWatch lists the underreported stories for 2011

Esquire Magazine’s photo of the year is the “kissing couple” photo by Vancouver photographer and former Ubyssey editor Richard Lam. The photo, taken by Lam while he was on assignment for Getty Images, occurred during the Game Seven riots in June. But Lam told The Ubyssey he didn’t immediately realize the photo would become the iconic shot it is today.

“I gave [Getty] my cards and it wasn’t until [another photographer] from Getty said, ‘Oh, nice frame of the couple kissing in the middle of the street,’” he said. “So I ran back and looked at it and my jaw kind of dropped.”

When evaluating grades from Albertan high school applicants, UBC is adding two per cent to their averages.

A study in 2010 found Albertans were graded harder in high school but performed better at university than BC students.

Numbers from recent years also show that just under 30 per cent of Albertan students manage a 75 per cent average in grade 12, but over 40 per cent of BC graduates consistently get a similar mark.

“An inequity had developed and we wanted to level the playing field,” said UBC registrar James Ridge to The Montreal Gazette.

Thirteen council members were voted out of the Kwantlen Student Association on Wednesday after a petition called for their removal from office.

The petition said that directors “have brought the Kwantlen Student Association into disrepute through reckless decision-making and the irresponsible use of student fund.”

During a special general meeting on Wednesday, a fire alarm was pulled and pepper spray was used near attendees. After reentering the building, students returned and voted unanimously, 325 to 0, to remove the 13 council members and place them in bad standing with the association.

NewsWatch Canada released its list of 25 stories that were underreported by media in 2011. The media watchdog group is part of the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University.

Top under-reported stories included Canada’s negotiations with the European Union for a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, and the human rights and environmental abuses committed by Canadian mining companies abroad.

NewsWatch Canada has conducted news-monitoring research for 15 years with a focus on identifying blind spots and double standards in the media. U

News briefs

A new club on campus hopes to bridge the professor-student gap by bringing the two groups together.

Founded by third-year finance students WeiYi Shen and Haoran Jiang, the Prof-Student Association Club connects students and faculty by hosting monthly events where professors talk about their research and career path.

“We want it to have an open, relaxed atmosphere,” explained Shen.

“They wouldn’t need to prepare a lot. They’d just need to talk about their personal things and students will raise their questions to the professor.”

The club wants to give students a chance to make connections with faculty, learn more about their professors, hear about potential research opportunities and expand their knowledge of other faculties.

“The reason we want to have professors from different faculties is so that if I’m a commerce student, I can sit there and listen to a science professor and his research, because I feel that every subject is linked in some way,” said Shen.

Shen and Jiang were largely inspired by Sauder professor James Vercammen, who teaches strategy and business economics in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and holds honourary membership in the club.

“It’s kind of awkward for a professor to just show up at the Gallery and strike up a conversation with a student...so it’s a good middle ground for students that want to engage the professors more, and for professors that want to engage the students more,” said AMS President Jeremy McElroy.

The club also plans to hold debate nights each semester with a panel of five to six professors.

“It’s a big challenge to get all the professors here together, but we are definitely working on this,” said Shen. U

4 | News | 12.01.2011 TRIMESTER SYSTEM >>

Summer semester redesign takes shape Changes less drastic than anticipated, not a trimester system

Natalya Kautz Staff Writer

Even summer might soon be hectic at UBC. Though not switching to a trimester system, UBC will be restructuring the summer courses session, with plans of keeping the university open more throughout the year.

The new summer session will standardize the dates courses are scheduled, explained Sean Heisler, a student representative on the UBC Board of Governors.

“It’s not going to be one fourmonth term, but there are going to be two or three times when courses could start and they’ll either run over the four months or they’ll run the first two or the last two months.”

Heisler said that allowing some courses to run over four months will give students the option to treat the new summer session as a full term.

Currently, summer courses do not have shared start or end dates. The availability and timing of courses is also determined on a yearly basis.

Heisler said the motivation to restructure came from difficulties with scheduling summer courses. “[Students] can plan ahead and know that classes will be ending by this date. It also helps structure the exam periods a bit more, so you don’t get caught with an exam when

you have other courses going on and have to really juggle.”

Jülyet Benbasat, a senior instructor in the chemistry department, has taught summer courses for the past seven years. She said the lack of consistency in course scheduling complicates academic planning for students. “The students need to know ahead of time, because that’s how they plan their next year as well.”

The changes will also combat the summer session’s negative reputation. “Summer in the past has been looked at as kind of a sub-par term,” said Heisler.

“We don’t believe that’s a good thing. So we’re looking to give the summer some more structure to legitimize it as a term.”

Samantha Tomicki, a fourthyear Science student, took a course this past summer. She agreed that restructuring would boost the summer session’s reputation. “It would be a good thing to promote summer school, because I think that if more people took it, people might not have that stigma about summer,” she said.

Though courses are allowed to run over the entire four months, Heisler said that the university decided against switching to a trimester system as it would hinder international students.

“There was a reluctance to move right away into a trimester system

A student kicks back on the beach, enjoying summer school. If only.

just because on the international side, that takes away their ability to go home and travel or go with their family, because that two weeks between summer and regular term isn’t enough time to make that worthwhile when you’re flying across the world.”

But Tomicki thought that restructuring summer school would have a small impact on international students. “I think summer still mostly applies to and attracts people that

AFRICAN STUDIES >>

Students lobby for African studies major Chloe Bocker Contributor

Students and faculty are lobbying for an African studies major, and while a minor program does exist at UBC, advocates say it’s not enough for a world class university.

“Right now it is totally clear that there is a demand from the students. AAI [African Awareness Initiative] has been proving this,” said Bahador Moosavi, chair of the AMS Education Committee.

“What would be interesting is for them to show us that there is an academic demand.”

AAI—a group of UBC students and faculty members dedicated to enhancing the UBC community’s understanding of Africa—currently helps maintain the African studies minor program, which it originally helped create.

Now, AAI is at the forefront of the campaign for the African studies major, trying to prove to the university that it would be an asset to UBC’s program offerings.

But enrolment might be telling; the African studies minor has grown in size considerably since its establishment in 2006. This year, approximately 150 students are enrolled in core African studies courses, filling class capacities.

The African studies major is not currently listed as one of the faculty’s initiatives on the Start an Evolution campaign, a multimillion dollar fundraising campaign to support UBC’s academic initiatives.

However, several departments in the Faculty of Arts as well as the Museum of Anthropology have been funding the African studies minor program since its emergence. AAI says that without a proper major/ minor program, it will be harder to maintain financial aid.

Gloria Onyeoziri is the co-chair of the African studies program.

“It’s really nice that we have their support, but it’s not sustainable,” said Mehak Tejani, a fourthyear student and the president of AAI. “We need to have a department of African studies to ensure commitment.”

AAI co-chair Robert Miller said a different approach will be needed to convince the university to fund the program. “I think that there’s a little bit of a danger in trying to convince the faculty or the university that there’s a need for more African studies,” he said.

COURTESY OF GLORIA ONYEOZIRI

“We could be working against ourselves. If we insist on the present program being inadequate, we are not doing much to attract students to take our classes and the minor.”

Nonetheless, Moosavi said that it shouldn’t be too difficult to move forward from here.

“The good thing with African studies is that they already have something tangible to work with: the African studies minor.

“Building up on that is not going to be hard.” U

GEOFF LISTER/THE UBYSSEY

already live in the area.

“People who leave for the summer would still end up leaving for the summer.”

Heisler said the two-term structure also allows students to build up prerequisites more quickly. “We didn’t want to take fully away the opportunity that exists to get two courses done in a slightly more compressed time period to really focus on them.”

In the new summer structure,

three-week courses will no longer be standard.

“We’re not completely removing the opportunity for that,” said Heisler. “We’re just saying that’s not a default, and that’s not an easy option to take.”

In summer of 2011, 111 of the 1000 summer courses were 3 week courses, and nearly 10 per cent were Japanese. Heisler said that language programs who make a case for needing the condensed, immersion experience will still have the option of running three week courses.

Benbasat said the loss of three week courses could result in difficulties recruiting professors.

“Especially people who are doing research, a six week commitment is very different from a three week commitment, so it may be an issue. ” The changes to the summer session are calculated to create a different atmosphere on campus during the summer. “After being on the campus for a summer, anybody will tell you that the place is pretty empty,” said Heisler.

Though the date for implementing the new schedule has yet to be set, Heisler said that students should expect more changes to the summer term.

“We’re really looking at beefing up our offerings of those over the summer to help people learn and grow and the course structuring is really just the first step.” U

Culture

12.01.2011 |

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Editor: Ginny Monaco

OPERA >>

Looking at Oppenheimer past through noh show

COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

Taylor Loren Senior Culture Writer

HISTORY >>

Writers come together to finish history of Vancouver The late Chuck Davis’ 574-page labour of love brought to life Bryce Warnes Staff Writer

After arriving in Vancouver during his youth, Chuck Davis lived with his father in a shack by the water.

Raised in poverty, the young Davis received no education past the sixth grade. Despite these early obstacles, he would grow to become Vancouver’s chief historian.

Davis would go on to make a name for himself in broadcasting, appearing regularly on local television and radio stations. For years, he wrote an items column for The Province , which gradually took on a historical bent. Over the course of his life, he would write 17 books about the history of Vancouver and environs.

But his magnum opus, The Chuck Davis History of Metropolitan Vancouver, would not be finished during his lifetime.

Last year, when the man who had come to be known as “Mr Vancouver” announced that he was

dying of lung cancer, the city that earned him his namesake wasted no time in coming to his aid.

“This guy had so much social capital in this city,” said Allen Garr, a veteran journalist and friend of Davis who helped write and compile the book after the author’s death in November 2010. “You just had to say—as I did—‘We’re doing this to finish Chuck’s book,’ and they said, ‘No problem. What do you want?’”

“They” were over 60 volunteers, as well as the Vancouver Public Library, the Vancouver Archives and Pacific Press. During his decades of investigating Vancouver’s people and places, Davis had made many friends.

“He was this really avuncular guy, and deeply loved because of it,” said Garr. Garr contributed to the project by rallying supporters, as well as completing entries for the years 2007 to present.

The History takes on a format similar to an items column in a newspaper. Starting with George

Vancouver’s birth in 1757, the city’s history is documented through a series of short blurbs, as well as photographs and illustrations.

From the late 19th century on, every single year is afforded its own section

COURTESY HARBOUR PUBLISHING

Chuck Davis earned the title “Mr Vancouver.” He hated the name.

“It’s like peanuts,” said Garr.

“Once you start eating them, you can’t stop.” For an information addict interested in Vancouver’s past, The History has a high potential for abuse. The short format encourages

readers to dip in at random, and while much of the text is devoted to historical events and persons, there is no shortage of strange and ridiculous events on record.

Such as the Vancouver City Council decision in 1933 that made it legal for men to go topless on beaches. Or Vancouver’s first mechanized ambulance, which ran over and killed an American tourist on its maiden voyage in 1909.

“If you look at this book, there’s no editorial slant,” said Garr. “It’s not like a conventional history book that has a thesis, that has a perspective, other than what’s interesting or funny.”

Harbour Publishing officially launched The History on November 21. The Vancouver Public Library will be holding a release event on December 6 at the central branch.

“This is Chuck’s last great gift to the people of this region,” said Garr.

“You can look at the book and get a real feel for what we’re about in this corner of the world.” U

If you’re walking by Oppenheimer Park, be sure to watch your step.

Once the centre of Vancouver’s Japantown, it is now a barren wasteland of mouldy leaves and the occasional discarded needle.

The park serves as the setting for Shadow Catch, a new chamber opera influenced by the medieval art form of Japanese noh theatre.

The opera centres around a runaway who spends the night in Oppenheimer Park, and encounters the spirits of four of the park’s previous inhabitants. “It’s all about people coming to face their fears and deal with regrets,” said composer and UBC professor Dr Dorothy Chang.

Shadow Catch follows elements of traditional noh, as it is comprised of four acts, each with a different composer and lead character.

“Each of us composers have some interest in collaborative art, we were interested in finding a new way of combining eastern and western art forms,” said Chang.

Benton Roark, a doctoral student in composition at UBC, is one of the show’s four composers. He drew his inspiration from a theatre course taught by Shadow Catch’s director, Colleen Lanki, who specializes in noh theatre.

During the writing process, Lanki needed a setting that would link the traditional four noh acts together.

“And we thought, what if we set it in this park, as it facilitates a lot of important things in this area? It’s really critical to Vancouver’s history,” she said.

Shadow Catch is part of Celebrate Vancouver, 125 cultural events held throughout the year to commemorate the city’s anniversary.

The show will be performed at the Firehall Arts Centre, mere blocks from the opera’s setting. “ Shadow Catch is a very unique way of experiencing some of these historical events. It’s not told like a history lecture; instead, you’re meeting characters. That in itself is very unique and exciting,” commented Lanki.

The pre-war history of Oppenheimer Park is recounted through four characters: a grove of ancient maple trees cleared for Stamp’s Mill in the 1860s, the ghost of a baseball player from the famous Asahi team, a Hastings Street madam, and a demon-figure ex-cop.

“We wanted to do something Vancouver based...the focus shifted from an emphasis on Japanese noh to more of a focus on Oppenheimer Park and the history of the area in general,” said Chang. U

6 | Feature | 12.01.2011

What if everything you knew about sex came from watching porn?

The Ubyssey’s look at the Porn Generation Georgia Rigg Guest Editor

Our generation is inundated with sex on glowing screens.

Whether it’s Internet porn on your laptop or the increasingly free standards of sex in the cinema, there’s no shortage of skin available if you’re looking for it—and even if you aren’t, you can hardly avoid it.

This year’s sex supplement looks at how porn has affected the way in which we “perform” in the bedroom, the rise of feminist porn in the male-dominated porn industry, and how the provincial film classification board deals with explicit sexual imagery.

One common theme is present throughout these stories: there’s no inherent reason that seeing more graphic sex should be a negative factor in our culture.

But it means we need to work harder at communicating with our partners about what we want in bed, and educating our children about what a healthy sex life means.

Enjoy! U INDIANA JOEL/THE UBYSSEY

Enjoy porn without being chauvinist Feminist movements turn their attention to adult entertainment Alexandra Downing & Veronika Khvorostokhina Contributors

Porn and feminism make odd bedfellows.

Mention pornography to feminists of previous generations, and they’ll likely shudder.

Porn at its worst is demeaning and sometimes even violent, which is in opposition to a movement that makes empowerment its goal.

But a new generation of feminists has transformed these anti-porn sentiments. Having grown up in an increasingly sex-positive culture, third-wave feminists began reexamining pornography in an effort to reform the industry. Thus, a feminist porn movement was born.

“The legacy of commercial straight porn is one of racism, heterosexism and

phallocentrism—none of which carries a positive, enriching sexual charge for female viewers,” says Becki Ross, the department chair of women’s and gender studies at UBC. “Men have controlled pornscapes forever because they’ve owned the means of production, as Karl Marx would say.”

Feminist porn tries to get more women involved in the production process. This in itself is empowering. By upsetting the gender divide within the industry, feminist porn can create better conditions for sex industry workers, and depict women as enjoying sex.

For five years, Toronto-based sex shop Good for Her has organized the Feminist Porn Awards.

The awards have celebrated works of feminist pornographers such as Erika Lust, Tristan Taormino and Anna Span. Men have been honoured as well; male pornographers Carlos Batts and James Avalon won in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

“Sex and porn are not inherently bad,” wrote Alison Lee, the organizer of the Feminist Porn Awards, in a 2009 article for

This Magazine. “It’s exploitation, unsafe working conditions, coercion and advocating violence that are never okay.”

The artificiality of mainstream porn body types are a big focus of feminist porn.

John Ince is a Vancouver-based author, lawyer and politician. In his 2005 book The Politics of Lust, he worried that “the only porn available to a young person [depicts] a narrow range of body types, such as only slim women with big breasts and no stretch marks, pimples, or cellulite… constant exposure to such a narrow range of porn could produce a sexual appetite only for few body types.”

Feminist porn rebels against this narrow range, to the point of having a “Most Deliciously Diverse Cast” at the Feminist Porn Awards. Their films show straight, queer, transgender and transsexual men and women of various races and body types.

“We need new kinds of porn that will allow everyone to have a healthy experience instead of restricting fantasies to a few stereotypes,” says Erika Lust, a pioneering writer, director and producer in feminist porn.

Ross agrees. “It’s time for lesbians, disabled women, fat women, trans women, elders and women of colour to seize opportunities to imagine sexual representation on our own terms—juicy, messy, hot and liberatory.”

“Traditional, male-dominated porn…shows a categorization of women into two groups: virgins or whores,” says Lust, “and in both cases it says that the role of women in society is sexual and tied to men. It denies women’s pleasure in sex and shows an artificial vision of sex based only on old stereotyped and sexist fantasies.

“Many men don’t feel they can identify to this porn either, since it has nothing to do with the women they know, the situations they’re in every day.”

“What’s been missing in male-dominated porn is the evidence of arousal of women, and they’re not particularly aroused often,” says Ince. “So much of the female response is not real and we can detect that. Really concrete stuff like an engorged vulva, an engorged clitoris, a flush on the chest. When women are really turned on they’re more likely to turn men on, and the failure of traditional male-dominated porn to give a lot of attention to female pleasure undermines its effectiveness.”

For those involved in the feminist porn industry, this adds up to a simple conclusion: traditional mainstream porn can be unhealthy.

“Most of us saw our first porn film when we were teenagers,” says Lust. “The lack of quality sex ed and the easy access to mainstream porn results in us having to learn about sex from adult entertainment.

“It’s completely normal to watch porn, but if traditional porn is the only kind of porn, there is nothing that shows another vision of sex, a healthier, modern vision.” U

12.01.2011 | Feature | 7

You don’t have to fake it to make it : h o w porn has turned us into performers

We’re watching more porn than ever. Is it replacing communication in our sex lives?

Cindy Gallop, creator of the know that not all women like “Make Love, Not Porn,” gav website being bound, e gagged, choked, spit on or this subject that quickly wen a TED talk on gang t vira l—i n part Lori Brotto, a UBC profess banged.” because of her raunchy sub ject partment of obstetrics and or from the deexplicitly described how her matter. She gyn sex ual exp erigests that the porn itself isn’ ecolog y, sugences with younger men hav e exp ose d to her problem. “It can expose peo t necessarily the the shocking ramifications ple to new and tha different forms of stimuli to porn industry has had on our t the hardcore enh culture. sex ual arousal response and it ance their In the video, Gallop talked can also be of hav ing to useful for couples wishing reg ularly decline an attemp to ted “facial” with, intensit y to their sexual exp add variety and “Actually, no thank you ver erie y Where the danger lies is in nces.” much rather you did not com much, I would e on my face.” standing what your partne misunderBut she is especially concer r wants in their Georgia Rigg ned about the sex life. “If one partner is opp you ng girl “wh ose boyfriend Contributor nog raphy and one in favour osed to poron her face, she does not wa wants to come , nt ate jealousy, resentment and then it can creon her face, but hardcore por him to come No other generation in hum deception,” says n has an histor y has tau ght her Brotto. that all men love coming on had so much sex around the m. From the in“Today’s porn is more than all women love having their women’s faces, creasingly graphic sexual con tion aid,” wrote Gar y Wilson a masturbaand therefore she must let faces come on, and TV to the endless depths tent in movies and him come on her of por nog rap hy Rob inson for the online magaz Marina face, and she must pretend online, sex is all around us to like it.” from an early age.

Men Project. “It replaces ima ine The Good In an interview with The Uby But despite the wealth of sex ssey, Gallop multiple tabs, constant sea gination with explains that porn has made ism, it’s possible our sex live ual voyeurrch s are worse than warding to the perfect scene, ing, fast-foreducation even harder. “Th the job of sex ever. a voyeuristic ere’s an entire perspective.” generation growing up tha Most parents spend more t bel The problem we’re now fac what you see in hardcore por ieves that our questions about sex tha time avoiding nog raphy is the n generation of performers. Wi ing is that of a way that you have sex.” them. Academic institution answering th s are increascen t of North American childre over 80 per Prior to porn, those parent ingly terrified of being politic s bra ally ve eno inc ugh orr ect . having watched hardcore por n aged 15-17 to take on the task of educat Meanwhile, porn dominates multiple occasions, and the nog raphy on dren about sex simply had ing their chilof all websites. It’s quick, it’s over 12 per cent average age of to first exposure being 11, ma log istics. Nowadays the con talk about the seconds, we can have the ansfree and within ny girls know how versation has to wer s to all of to give the perfect blowjob bef address what the Internet our questions. With over 86 is even seen a penis in the fles ore they’ve agers. As Gallop puts it: “Da showing teenper day, porn has become sexmillion visitors h. rlin g, we edu know cation for know what positions to get They also you’re online, we know you young people. into, what noises ’re to make and what they are awful lot of porn, so we just looking at an “supposed” to like need to let you and dislike.

But when it comes down to ing sex for real, will we tak actually have porn has given us? Gallop’s the cues that exp swers the question resoundin erience angly “We all feel enormously vul : yes! we get naked,” Gallop says. nerable when “Sexual egos Cindy Gallop are ver y frag ile, and people find diff icult to talk about sex wit it bizarrely Creator, “Make Love, Not Por n” website they are actually having sex h the people you’re terrified of hurting with because the feelings, putting them off you other person’s entire encounter. But at the , derailing the same time, you

want to please your partne r, your cues on how to do tha and you’ll seize t you can, and if the only cue from any where s from porn, then those are theyou have are ones you will take.”

Today it’s not uncommon for to be in a sexual relationship two people them particularly enjoying , neither of wh but both believing that this at’s going on, is the way they should be having sex. Due to posure to porn, even open-m our over-exaware people are struggling inded, sexually what genuinely turns them to figure out on. The lines are becoming blurred bet ween wh and what we think we should at we want, want.

This sense of inauthentic than any thing else, ver y deppleasure is, more the area of human experie ressing. “Sex is nce that embraces that vastest possible range of says Gallop. Everybody has proclivities,” diff desires, fantasies, wants and erent sexual is what makes sex such a bea needs, which utiful way to express yourself.

In the end, Gallop’s message is actually pretty simple: talk about it.

The way forward is sexual honest y. U —With files from Veronika Khvorostukhina

People find it bizarrely diffic about sex because you’re te ult to talk hurting the other person’s rrified of feelings.

you d n a t n e m n r e v e on Sex, the go much sex we se ow Who decides h film?

mitted it was just re-sub says Pelton, “and o, and it’s PG [Parental ag a couple weeks vas ” w.

Elba Gomez Na no use ] ce an id Gu ovinces generally Contributor gh Canadian pr assification, the difou Th . ed as le cl re ines for lled Calig ula was the same guidel rds between the American In 1979, a film ca Vidal and co-financed by da an st in es nc e re or nfusing. fe the life of Written by G d stems can be co less strict, it re sy ve an co it di e, na in Ca az d It ag . e an m us ar e s ic us rd an ho da m nt er Pe an stan r Gaius Caesar G Though Canadi ter.

Roman Empero explicit sex scenes, some of t mat n’ es do ry n te ve ed and classiof ed also featur ually first releas it the film to us e ar s . ilm ed “F at e only juthem unsimul , and they may ed bia was one of th fied in the Statesting down there,” says Pelton.

“British Colum not censor the film,” says ra nt re did get a diffe the one that risdictions that ctor of motion picture clasversion is usually d ite ed t re ha re di “T n, he n BC. “T Steve Pelto Canada. nsumer Protectio makes its way to that I always refer to is Eyes sification for Co ic reaction. We have pictures e pl am ex bl “The made to it to rewas a strong pu acards marching in front of It had some editse States, and that . ut Sh e pl id W ith is w th t that of people rating in th e sidewalk, upse ceive a different that came up to Canada.” the theatre on th n io rs ing ve e th g.” was rm of live stream film was playin nsumer Protection BC has nology in the fo a profound influence ch Te Co of gh s ou pe th ty t Bu “the has had requirements— and file sharing access to strongly graphic a list of removal e criminal code as obsceniy’s et ci phic” so r th ou d. in on rgely ende tion of what “gra things listed ose days have la ce a film t and the percep th en nt n— co lto Pe ys sa sin ty,” t 20 to 30 years constitutes. t fall outside of “It’s been at leas in BC.” es online conten ation boards, do ly on ot ed N or ns ic nce was has been ce of film classif nsorship ordina the jurisdiction ented accessibility of violent The first film ce more than a century ago. ed ec sopr un da e na but th es has rendered brought into Ca pacity to prohibit a movie’s ally explicit imag accept and interact xu se d ca of e an n th io ct gh jurisdi Althou ing to both still within the ciet y more will arged themes and images, public release is the practice of film classificach ly al and xu se t, with ox gender roles the governmen along with changes in comithin the orthod pression. w d th ve bo om ol fr ev s ay ha d aw tion sexual ex s and has straye newer forms of en in the diminishing role of munity standard of censor/pass to allow for a se be n ca is to cont rol em Th st ns classificatio ored initiatives xual the binary sy of ns po em st t-s sy en e m siv rn se c gove more comprehensual and thematic content. ies w ith graphi and classif y moving to its most recent anbased on both vi cture Act, the legislation for rd co content. Ac ion, Consumer in The Motion Pi film classif icat decline in as last updated w on , rt BC po in re n io al at nu p des, comfilm classific has seen a shar deo being back a few deca Protection BC film and vi t 1996. But going s have clearly become more ul ad e of e um the “vol proval under th munity standard r review and ap forecasts “a fo ed itt t bm ge su es metim tolerant.

Act.” It even ection BC will so Motion Pict ures the adult video sector by Consumer Prot itted for classification. “For in ro ze to e bm declin older films resu cky Horror Picture Show was 2014.” U example, The Ro ied in the 70s as Restricted,” originally classif

Sports

12.01.2011 |

8

Editor: Drake Fenton

The Sports Panel With the end of term approaching, The Ubyssey felt they had an obligation to answer the most pressing questions about this past semester in UBC sports.

Who was great, who wasn’t?

Our esteemed panel of scotchdrinking, chew-spitting intellectuals has the answers.

U

Drake Fenton

Bryce Warnes

Justin McElroy

Jonny Wakefield

Ubyssey Sports Editor

Ubyssey Stallion

Ubyssey Coordinating Editor

Ubyssey Print Managing Editor

Sports Knowledge: Washed up

Sports Knowledge: Ignorant

Sports Knowledge: Former sports

Sports Knowledge: Midway

athlete

whelp

editor and general man of knowledge

through season 3 of Friday Night Lights

Best team of the semester?

There really is no debate here.

The women’s field hockey team absolutely beasted this season.

CIS gold=UBC’s best.

UBC Fight Club. I’d go on, but you know the rules.

I’m going to go out on a limb and declare the women’s field hockey team—the only UBC team to win a national championship this semester—the best.

I recall running something like 2300 words on the women’s volleyball team. For some reason I agreed to that length, so I assume they are pretty important.

Worst team of the semester?

Other than the UBC Quidditch team? Unfortunately a winless season puts you in this category.

Women’s rugby.

Team Edward. That’s like a Harry Potter thing, right?

I would mention a certain rugby team that has no males on it, but then they would probably write more angry comments on our website.

Oh, why would we want to say that? It seems like everyone had a pretty good time, right?

While Greene lit it up this year, my vote goes to soccer star Janine Frazao. Fourteen goals in sixteen games is ridiculous.

Tiger Woods.

Must...not...blindly...give it...to...Billy...

Greene....Must....not...ah, screw it.

UBC’s first football MVP in over a decade, and richly deserved.

Wow, can we talk about Billy Greene? I’d love to have his season cast in bronze and placed in front of City Hall. One word: hero.

Of any story published in any section this term, our profile of esports and the Starcaft Club is our most read article online...

The entire AMS exec has a thing for Miami coke and boundarypushing S&M. The story’s out there, but no one is picking it up.

This was the first semester where UBC’s athletic program wasn’t in a state of limbo over whether they were joining the NCAA.

Billy Greene, Serge Kaminsky and Jordan Grieve drink The Ubyssey’s editorial staff under the table.

Women’s volleyball is a given, but men’s volleyball has gotten off to a strong start and could end up surprising some people in term two.

Construction. It’s everywhere, and loud as shit. What the hell, UBC. Just finish building yourself.

The women’s basketball team is first in their division and have a number of veteran stars. They have a better chance of hosting playoff games than the men do.

The debate team. Seriously. They are the only team that hangs their hat on their ability to make persuasive noises.

Drinking Canadian Club....during the week.

Generating and accumulating regrets.

Sneezing. I do it often, and usually in streaks of two or three.

Why is this question here? Frazao can probably kick a soccer ball through a steel plate. I have trouble waking up before 11am.

Continuing my path to one day becoming a contestant on The Biggest Loser.

Remaining stationary for long periods of time.

Playing Mario Kart after a few beers: Operating at a level few can match, and successfully evading linebackers/banana peels.

There’s really no comparison. I wake up every morning, look at the poster of Greene hanging on my fridge and remind myself that I will never possess his raw power.

When was the last time you heard anything about an SFU sports team? That’s right. You haven’t.

DEATH TO AMERICA.

The football team didn’t disintegrate due to massive turnover, allowing a banner year for the program.

Pedophilia scandals? I think the answer is pedophilia scandals.

Athlete of the semester?

Biggest story of the semester?

What team will make some noise in the Canada West next semester?

Janine Frazao is to scoring goals as you are to...

Billy Greene is to football as you are to....

This semester proved it was a good idea that we didn’t move to the NCAA because...

12.01.2011 | Sports | 9

Term one round-up: how did the Thunderbirds fare?

Drake Fenton Sports Editor

GEOFF LISTER/THE UBYSSEY

GEOFF LISTER/THE UBYSSEY

KAI JACOBSON/THE UBYSSEY

DAVID MOLL/UC ATHLETICS

JON CHIANG/THE UBYSSEY

MEN’S FOOTBALL

MEN’S SOCCER

WOMEN’S SOCCER

WOMEN’S FIELD HOCKEY

WOMEN’S RUGBY

The football team was reborn this season.

After a 2-6 record in 2010, there weren’t high expectations for the Shawn Olson-coached T-Birds. Yet the team defied preseason predictions and bought into Olson’s coaching philosophy.

Behind the big play capability of star quarterback Billy Greene, UBC finished the season with a 6-2 record, won their first home game in two and a half years, hosted and won a playoff game—the last time that happened was 1999—and made it to the Canada West final.

While the T-Birds got blown out in that game 62-13 by Calgary, the loss does little to diminish the success the program had this year. Greene winning the Hec Crighton Award [CIS MVP] doesn’t hurt either.

UBC’s season was articulated in terms of a single goal: win at nationals.

By that measure, the season was disappointing, not least for the players and staff of the men’s soccer team. Although it came down to the shocking 89th minute goal by Alberta in the Canada West final, the second half of the season was weighed down by an inability to secure results away. A 2-2-5 road record prevented them from seizing home advantage in the Canada West.

Still, UBC had a very strong season—undefeated for nine games, two deserving All-Canadians and a 6-0-1 record at home. But for a program as focused on silverware as this one, there’s one goal left. They’ll have to keep searching for it.

— Andrew Bates

If success was judged by the regular season alone, UBC would have garnered a five-star ranking.

The team finished second in the Canada West with a 11-1-2 record.

They had 11 clean sheets in 14 games. To cap it off, Janine Frazao scored an outstanding 16 goals en route to capturing the Canada West player of the year award.

But when things counted most, UBC couldn’t produce. In the first round of the Canada West playoffs, Alberta upset UBC 4-2 in penalty kicks. The T-Birds couldn’t score in regulation, disappointing for a team that averaged 2.28 goals per game.

On the positive side, the ‘Birds did manage to beat Victoria in the bronze medal game and Frazao and Kelly Cook were named All-Canadians.

When you are the best team in the country, there is no way you don’t receive a five star ranking.

After finishing first in the Canada West with a 8-2-2 record, UBC traveled to nationals as the top ranked team in the country.

They went undefeated in round robin action, including a 2-1 victory over the University of Toronto—the team that defeated them by the same score in the 2010 CIS final.

In the CIS final they easily handled the University of Calgary, winning 3-1. It was the ‘Birds 13th national championship victory, and their 2nd in 2 years.

To sweeten the pot, Robyn Pendleton won the Canada West MVP award and won her second CIS tournament MVP. She previously won the award in 2009.

Unfortunately for UBC, they were the worst team in the Canada West this year.

In a very short, four game season, the Thunderbirds failed to win a single game. They were the only team on campus that failed to make the Canada West playoffs, and by the end of the season they were outscored 147-20.

To make matters worse, Calgary beat them 34-10. It was Calgary’s first ever CIS women’s rugby victory.

While the team had little success this year, they are still a very young team with not one true senior on the roster. UBC does have talent on their roster—scrum half Meghan Hamm was last year’s Canada West rookie of the year­—and they have something to build on for next year.

Write sports

Take cool photos of sports

Drink beer, argue about sports Crush, dominate, be a beast

Opinion

12.01.2011 |

10

Editor: Brian Platt

Students will lose the Gage South battle Editor’s Notebook Arshy Mann

INDIANA JOEL/ THE UBYSSEY

The Last Word Parting shots and snap judgments on today’s issues Good on the mayors for supporting legalized pot The open letter by four former Vancouver mayors advocating ending the prohibition on marijuana hasn’t been greeted with giant fanfare in this city. Most people in Vancouver, either from direct or second-hand experience, know the effects of marijuana are in line with those of cigarettes and alcohol, not cocaine or heroin.

So public opinion on the matter may be essentially settled in favour of decriminalization. But it’s still illegal, carries heavy penalties and all it takes is a cop in a bad mood for a person to receive a punishment that definitely does not fit the crime.

It was a mere decade ago that Canada was seemingly turning a corner on marijuana laws. Dr Keith Martin, a longtime Reform/Alliance/ Conservative MP from Vancouver Island, championed decriminalizing pot for years. Jean Chrétien indicated that a private member’s bill could pass. It was even debated on the floor of the House of Commons.

But parliamentary turnover prevented passage of the law. The Conservatives were elected, and since then the laws surrounding marijuana have become more draconian.

Marijuana laws won’t change until public officials of high esteem are leading the charge, not Jodie Emery.

The letter from the mayors is a good start.

True flexibility comes from a trimester system A trimester system at UBC would mean there are three equal terms throughout the year. SFU uses this system. But it won’t be happening here anytime soon, according to the Board of Governors.

There are good and bad reasons for not moving to a trimester system.

Yet what we’re hearing right now is mostly of the bad variety.

Arguments premised on the notion that short summer courses give students more flexibility are badly flawed. The choice of courses is very limited, and the intense workload of

a condensed course makes it impossible to keep a decent job at the same time. Furthermore, most employers won’t hire summer students for anything less than four months.

A trimester system would allow students to complete degrees in far less time, and would also allow students to take a vacation term at any time of year, not just the summer.

Which brings us to another bad argument: the idea that international students would suffer from a trimester system because they wouldn’t be able to visit their families during the summer.

In a trimester system, not only could international students still take the summer term off if they wanted, they could also take a different term off if that was easier for them.

The only convincing argument we’ve heard about why a move to a trimester system can’t happen soon is because of the labour contract with faculty and staff. That contract would obviously have to be completely re-opened if the university moved to having three full terms, and a whole can of worms would be opened along with it. Any disputes that arise would almost certainly not be in the best interest of students.

What UBC really needs to do is implement a long term plan for switching over to a trimester system.

Everyone would benefit: students would have a wide variety of options of when and how to complete their degree, faculty would have the ability to do research in fall or winter terms, and the university administration would make significant progress toward having a year-round sustainable community.

It’s a no-brainer, isn’t it?

UBC should have more options for all-nighters on campus A group of students have started a petition to have the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKB) be open 24/7 all term. The management of IKB estimates this could cost $150,000 annually, which is admittedly a hefty price for a service that, outside of exam season, will likely serve a fairly small

subset of students.

Yet it does seem necessary that a university of UBC’s size should have more options available for late night studying than the relatively uncomfortable foyer of Woodward. As more study spaces are built in the coming years, UBC should plan from the beginning to have some space available for all-nighters.

Somebody make a good Christmas movie, please It’s December 1, which means that it’s now Official Holiday Time, the time of year where we celebrate Togetherness and Family and Presents and definitely not the birth of Jesus Christ.

Christmas is now very much an inclusive holiday, where consumerism has replaced religion as the universal principle behind everything. And while our staff doesn’t have much opinion one way or the other on that change, we do have one pet complaint—the decline in pop culture offerings.

Christmas is a time where we have nothing to do for days and days, so we listen to carols that date back centuries and watch A Charlie Brown Christmas along with whatever other Christmas specials are on TV. But how many great Christmas songs—that’s original songs, not covers—have been written in the last 30 years? What about movies or TV shows that aren’t remakes or homages to It’s a Wonderful Life or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?

There’s really nothing to speak of. Don’t try to argue that The Polar Express stands up to the classics, or that it ever will. Even Festivus jokes stopped being funny a couple of years ago.

And the problem isn’t that recent Christmas movies and songs are just new and we’ll grow to like them over time; the problem is that they objectively suck—or, at the very least, are boring and underwhelming.

So, to all the visual arts students and musicians who read this paper, make it your duty to spread some original Christmas cheer this year.

We’d all be in your debt. U

Gage South is the argument that doesn’t go away.

Like a niggling itch in the part of your back that you can’t quite reach, the question over what to do with the land around the bus loop has been driving UBC crazy for what seems like an eternity.

And in many ways, the debate about the future of this parcel of land is really a debate about the future of the university writ small.

Do the opinions of students, who are numerous but temporary, matter more than the concerns of those more permanently attached to the university—namely faculty, staff and residents?

The decisions on the Gage South area will shape the identity of UBC for decades to come. And the proposals on the table appear, at least to this humble observer, to have left students on the losing end.

All four of the options presented by the university include possible space for non-student housing, despite a petition that thousands have signed demanding the area be for student use. So it’s worth asking the question honestly: if faculty and staff housing were built in the direct vicinity of the Student Union Building, would that be such a terrible thing?

The big concern is that this is the area students will want to regularly use to hold events, and it will seriously hamper our ability to do that if there are families literally living beside a proposed outdoor beer garden.

But, as some will argue, faculty and staff are associated with UBC and know that the heart of campus can sometimes be a noisy place, right? And the university is assuring us that students will also be allowed to rent, so shouldn’t that help?

It’s true that faculty and staff will not be duped into believing that UBC is a quiet, serene place where students are seen and not heard, like so many residents who now live in market housing. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t going to get some families moving there with young kids. Once that happens, nothing can be done in that area without UBC demanding, “Won’t somebody think of the children?”

If the housing is meant to accommodate students as well, that will help. But unless it’s priced low enough that students can actually afford it—which means comparable to what it costs to live in residence— this new housing will be available to students in name only.

With pressure from faculty and staff who are in dire need of oncampus housing, the university will almost certainly decide to prioritize these groups for Gage South. Zoning the area as “academic”—which would mean that only students could live there—is by far the best option for keeping the heart of campus a student-centred environment. But it’s looking more and more unlikely that UBC will give up on putting faculty and staff housing here.

The student-led petition hasn’t moved the university off their position yet, so why would they suddenly change their mind now?

The battle for Gage South is likely lost. Students are just fighting for the scraps. U

Reforming the UNA Letters

The University Neighbourhoods Association (UNA) is a quasi-municipal council for the residents living on campus. A group of residents is calling for changes in how the UNA represents them.

For the preamble to this ten point agenda, see the full letter posted on our website.

1. UNA has an opportunity to create a community unlike all others. But first, it must abandon its slow-moving, inflexible bureaucracy seemingly set up for control, power and the convenience of hired staff and board members. It should respond more quickly to residents’ concerns and encourage discourse, not muzzle dissent by censorship of critical articles in its newsletter.

2. The number of elected UNA directors must increase commensurate to UTown’s population growth.

In fairness to voters, elected directors should step down if unable to perform their duties and not pass on their responsibilities to hired staff.

3. UBC reps in the UNA Board should not have voting rights and serve only two-year terms like the directors.

4. UNA needs to hold more town hall meetings where residents are heard on key issues. Expenditures of $100,000 and up should be announced for residents’ comments and not approved in camera.

6. UNA should lobby UBC vigorously to get the authority to pass bylaws on noise, animal control and parking.

7. UNA should lobby Campus and Community Planning (CCP) to mail notices for public hearings 21 days in advance; not just posted in websites, email blasts or newspapers. Furthermore, consultations should start at the conceptual stage of a development in cases where developments are within 30 metres from the boundary of a residential neighborhood.

8. UNA should strive to have residents represented in CCP Advisory Planning and Technical Advisory Committees, the Urban Design Panel and the Development Permit Board.

9. The Campus Resident must stop candy-coating UNA activities and window-dressing UBC’s feudal malpractices and focus more on public affairs. It should have an editorial board with an elected director and a resident rep and not be controlled by hired staff interested only in making the UNA look good with PR gimmickry.

10. Lastly, the UNA should negotiate with UBC to have authority and power to govern. It cannot function as a democratic local unit when major decisions are made by the UBC Board of Governors where the residents are NOT represented.

—Eleanor R. Laquian, on behalf of Residents for Change

Scene

12.01.2011 |

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Pictures and words on your university experience

LIVING >>

See you next Tuesday: elevating the cursing discourse Melodramatic Musings Will Johnson

I love swear words.

While I was growing up, my parents called them “jail” words, a vast category that included such innocuous insults as “stupid,” “shut up” and “dumb-dumb.” Basically anything I could potentially say when one of my little sisters stole my Ninja Turtles.

When I was eight years old I got grounded for two weeks for testdriving a new word I heard on the playground. When my Mom put me to bed early I mumbled “bitch” meekly under my breath as she left the room, barely loud enough for her to hear. She stormed back to my bedside and demanded I repeat the word.

Understandably, she threw a fit.

She even called my father, who was always the real disciplinarian of the household. This wasn’t a word I would repeat in her presence any time soon.

But it was also my first experience with the power of vulgarity. If you wanted to elicit an emotional response from someone, there were certain choice words that really delivered. At school we would toss them back and forth casually, taste them in our mouths, giggle after pronouncing them.

But in the post-Pulp Fiction era, swear words have been robbed of their power to shock. My vocabulary Sudoku by Krazydad

Comicsmaster by Maria Cirstea

these days includes a liberal sprinkling of profanity. Like most Canadians, my favourite is “fuck,” followed closely by “goddamn” and “shit.” But I’m entirely comfortable using all of these in almost any situation. Nobody gasps or cringes.

Nobody is offended anymore.

Racial slurs and homophobic slang still have the power to shock (and rightfully so), but it’s the hatred behind these words that gives them power—not the words themselves.

A year or two ago, Dr Laura Schlessinger, a famous American radio broadcaster who’s been on the air longer than I’ve been alive, ended her talk show career after a controversy surrounding her use of the N-word multiple times.

But as she pointed out, this word is used multiple times in every episode of the HBO show The Wire. So it’s not the word itself that offends people, it’s the person who is saying it.

The same goes for words like “fag” or “homo,” which queer people say freely these days to describe themselves. These words have been reclaimed.

But there’s one word that still makes people blush—“cunt.”

I should clarify: it makes North Americans blush. Maybe it’s leftover baggage from our Sexual Revolution, but the C-word still carries heavy connotations of misogyny. Elsewhere in the world, most notably in the UK, it has become a favourite play-word.

“Will, you, sir, are the biggest cunt

Awwwww c@#$s!

DAVID MARINO/THE UBYSSEY

“‘Will, you, sir, are the biggest cunt of all the cunts I know,’ a friendly Brit named Mike told me while we were traveling through Thailand.”

of all the cunts I know,” a friendly Brit named Mike told me while we were traveling through Thailand together. Mike used the word interchangeably for everything from “friend” to “dude” to “jerk.” And in this particular instance, he was using it as a compliment.

I watched one of my other British friends embarrass himself while he attempted to hit on a girl from Seattle. She said something inane

and he laughed, threw his arm around her and said, “Fuck off, ye daft cunt.”

She reared up like he’d slapped her. The poor guy had no idea what he’d done wrong.

I think, as a society, we need to give up this particular hang-up. The male equivalent of the word “cunt” is “dick,” a word no one hesitates to use.

I’m not suggesting it should be

used to hurt or offend anyone. I’m merely saying it’s a delicious word to pronounce, and will further add to our powers of expression.

And come on, the word describes a beloved piece of female anatomy.

Why should that be vulgar? U This column originally appeared in the October 28, 2010 issue of The Martlet, the student newspaper at the University of Victoria.

12 | Games | 12.01.2011

Crossword

(CUP) — Puzzles provided by BestCrosswords.com. Used with permission.

Across 1— Fissure 5— Reveal indiscreetly 9— Pursue 14— Hebrew month 15— Receiver Jerry 16— la vista 17— Richard of Chicago 18— Draft classification 19— Mary of The Maltese Falcon 20— Small bud—like unit grows apart from parent plant 22— Act of anointing 24— OPEC units 25— Recompense 26— Hire 29— Kyoto’s country 31— Chick of jazz 32— Whimper 33— RR stop 36— Spy org.

37— Hawaii’s largest industry 40— Baseball stat 41— “Slippery” tree 42— Dies 43— Freeze over 45— Meat option 47— Slithery beasts 48— Salty 51— Collar fastener 52— Calamity 54— Collection of weaponry 58— Picture puzzle 59— Author Seton 61— Pith helmet 62— Pitchers

63— Resembling a red, say 64— Not kosher 65— Martinique volcano 66— Neighbor of Cambodia 67— 3:00

Down 1— Sturdy wool fiber 2— Nice notion 3— Grange 4— Quiver 5— Umbrella 6— Queues 7— “ Ventura” was played by Jim Carrey 8— Boyfriend 9— Brownish gray baboon 10— Hurry 11— John of The Addams Family 12— Got up 13— Makes 21— Das Boot setting 23— Scruffs 26— Behold, to Brutus 27— Drudge 28— Baby carriage 29— Magistrate 30— That’s !

32— Free from contamination 33— Go after 34— Authentic 35— Sleeps briefly 38— Greased 39— Less 44— Member of the Girl Scouts 45— Numerical symbol 46— Actually existing

47— Wanders away 48— Throat problem 49— ___ having fun yet?

50— Trademark 51— Decline 53— Ship’s small boat 55— A Doll’s House heroine 56— Galoots 57— Hoist 60— Actress Long