Issue 13, Vol 143, The Brunswickan

ARTS // A LITTLE CHAT WITH THE PRESIDENT OF INDIE ROCK >> pG. 9 Volume 143 • Issue 13 • December 2, 2009

thebruns.ca

brunswickan canada’s oldest official student publication.

Tuition to be frozen again

HOW THE BRUNS STOLE CHRISTMAS...

Sarah Ratchford The Brunswickan

The holidays are upon us, exams will soon be over, and it’s time to take a well-deserved break. Check out each section for holiday related articles on everything from last-minute holiday shopping, holiday safety, and tips to avoid looking like Santa. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

Strategic planning to shape UNB’s future Hilary Paige Smith The Brunswickan The University of New Brunswick administration is looking for feedback for the future as UNB moves into its 225th year in 2010.

The strategic planning initiative aims to place UNB among the top universities in Canada. The feedback the strategic planning committee receives from the university community will be compiled and considered for implementation in the coming years.

The next round of strategic planning sessions take place at the Wu Centre on Dec. 4 and Dec.5, and all community members are welcome. Topics that will be addressed include the student experience at UNB, academic programs, research, graduate studies and relations between the university and the province, among others.

The strategic plan for building a better UNB has four themes: enhancing student success, fostering research and

graduate studies, building a better UNB and building a better province. “[The themes are] more or less what you’d expect. Our students first, research and graduate studies, building a better university, building a better province. What we’re essentially trying to do is think hard about each of those topics and what we can do to improve in each of them,” UNB President Eddy Campbell said. Campbell is also a member of the strategic planning steering committee.

“For example, a lot of the conversation that’s taking place with respect to our students is not just (enrolment and finance), but also, what is the student experience at the University of New Brunswick and how can we make that better?”

The strategic planning steering committee is made up of 30 members from both the UNB Fredericton and Saint John campuses. It includes administration members, faculty and staff, as well as students. The steering committee holds

primary responsibility for taking feedback from the community and drafting it into a strategic plan that will be circulated in the community and eventually brought to the senate and board levels for approval.

Campbell said that strategic planning is extremely important for the future of UNB. “What I hope we will do is generate a whole lot of good ideas about the next version of the University of New Brunswick, and universities are full of smart people with lots of really good ideas, so it will be great just to hear from folks,” he said, adding that it is a great opportunity for him to get to know his “new university community.”

The UNB President said that the committee is hoping to receive feedback about students in the community and about how UNB can move forward financially.

Though not all suggestions will be possible to implement, Campbell said that the committee will be taking all feedback into consideration.

“We take all of the input to the steering committee and the steering committee decides what to do with it.

Sometimes they decide that we should respond to what we’re being told and in other instances, we, for example, say that it would be nice to undertake the initiatives that are suggested but we simply don’t have the time or responses such as that,” he said.

Campbell reiterated that strategic planning is important to the university and will help shape the university for the next decade and beyond.

“The administration of the university will be working very hard once the plan is complete to implement it, to find the resources needed to put it into effect and to allocate the resources needed to make sure the plan is realized,” he said.

For community members who wish to offer their feedback or are unable to attend the upcoming strategic planning sessions email Melissa Dawe at mdawe@unb.ca or visit www.unb.ca/ strategicplan.

For the third year in a row, there will be a tuition freeze in New Brunswick.

Finance Minister Greg Byrne officially announced the freeze at the 2010-2011 budget speech on Dec. 1.

Donald Arsenault, Minister of Post Secondary Education, Training and Labour, excitedly hinted at the freeze over Twitter on Sunday, Nov. 29.

“Doing some early Sunday morning work at the office preparing for budget week!” he tweeted. “I encourage the students to attend!”

The next day, he let the news drop.

“For a third straight year, government will fund a university tuition freeze!”

Jon O’Kane, President of the UNB Student Union, is excited about the freeze. He says it’s a good sign that the government is able to freeze tuition costs even in difficult economic times.

“This sets a precedent for when we’re in better economic times,” he says. “I look forward to post-recession New Brunswick.”

The fact that universities are faring so well through financial struggles is a good sign, he says. O’Kane views the freeze as “momentum building” for the state of post-secondary related debt reduction in the future.

The university operating grant will also be increased by three per cent. Prior to the release of the budget, the SU had lobbied for an increase of 10 per cent, but O’Kane says he’s happy with the increase that was given.

The UNBSU had also asked for the tuition freeze prior to the announcement of the budget.

O’Kane acknowledges the fact that the SU was opposed to the freeze this time last year. He says that opposition was due to the financial aid crisis at the time.

“New Brunswick had the highest debt in the country,” he says, and indicated that that had to be dealt with first.

“The operating grant increase and tuition freeze signal the continued importance of universities to the current Government. It is encouraging to see that the New Brunswick Government has decided that universities are important to the future of this province and worth supporting in these tough economic times,” says a recent press release from the SU.

SEE TUITION PAGE 3

LAST CLASS BASH You’ve Been Waiting For It All Term Happy Holidays

Monday Dec 7 Thanks For A Great Term Good Luck On Exams

brunswickannews

2 • Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143

A Movember to Remember Sandy Chase The Brunswickan Over the past month, there has been a significant increase in the number of moustaches on campus.

In particular, law students at Ludlow hall have seen a large number of students with more facial hair than normal. These students are all participating in Movember and are sacrificing their upper lips to raise awareness about and funds for Prostate Cancer research.

As of this week, the team has raised over $4,000 in support of the cause.

Justin Wies, one of the members of the team, said that they didn’t plan much initially, as the idea occurred while having a beer in the cellar. But after the first week the events took off.

“After the first week, we established a rough goal of about $5,000.

It was really fly by the seat of our pants,” said Justin, adding that some of the team members got really cre-

ative with their fund raising ideas.

“One of the guys sent a message out that if he was able to raise 500 bucks, he would get his driver’s license picture taken with the moustache, to have it immortalized for the next four years. And he got the $500.”

Although the guys are enjoying raising awareness for prostate cancer, they said that they now understand why growing a moustache is considered a sacrifice.

“This moustache is a real pain in the ass,” said Wies.

Chris Samuel, another member of the Ludlow team, added that their moustaches haven’t been hugely popular with girls, noting that although they appreciate the spirit and the effort behind it, they don’t want to come close to the area.

Team Ludlow also decided to take things a step further and lay their pride, and their ‘staches, on the line.

On Tuesday Dec. 1, team Ludlow held a competition to decide who had

the best moustache, with Dean David Townsend as head judge. Townsend, who has had a moustache for the last 40 years, shaved his in order to judge the competition in a fair and unbiased manner. Samuel and Wies also added that there has been great support both on campus and around town for the event.

Samuel recounted one of the odd situations faced by a Movember “mo” grower. “One of the guys was sitting in the food court for dinner, and the guy sitting across from him has a moustache. So it’s a weird social situation where you know that the other guy is probably doing the same thing that you are, but you don’t want to ask just in case it’s his normal moustache.”

The Ludlow team is currently in the top 300 in Canada for fundrasiing, and across the country almost 6 million dollars has been raised so far.

Donations are accepted up until Dec. 9, and you can donate directly to the UNB Law school team at www.ludlowmovember.com.

SU bylaw discussion continues Lee Larrett The Brunswickan Student Council Bylaw Amendment recommendations are beginning to move through council. The 26 recommendations are broken down into three categories to be discussed by council in order of chronological need. This is to ensure the spring election can run smoothly.

Council will debate the spirit of each recommendation in a category, and in subsequent council meetings move to a first, second and third reading of each bylaw.

This gives time for the policy committee to change the wording of the bylaws to best suit the will of council.

Seven recommendations were brought to council, and only three met with any discussion. Council entered into debate about the recommendation that a network of nonvoting members with speaking rights be created on council. This recommendation would change the International Student Councillor position from a councillor with a vote, to a liason with speaking rights and no vote. Law Representative Dave Steele raised the issue that international students are a large group on campus, pay double the regular tuition rate, and have unique issues that warrants giving them a voting position on council. Arts Representative Tom Cheney echoed Steele’s comments and stressed that international students are a minority group and so there is value in their vote. Later in the debate VP External Ryan Brideau pointed out that their voice would still be at the table, and they could sway everyone in council if their point is valid.

Residence Liason Brad McKinney said that he can represent the residence community without a vote.

VP Academic Shannon CarmontMcKinley said that other marginalized student groups are currently not represented on council. This bylaw recommendation would create the flexibility to bring more voices to the table in liason positions, such as a student-parent liason, aboriginal-liason, GLBTQ-liason etc. She said that this recommendation is about creating consistency, fairness and flexibility, not about removing voting rights. Brideau called council to vote before the speaker list was exhausted, and the recommendation passed with 14 councillors in favour and Cheney and Steele opposed.

Council also debated changing the time council is run from Monday night to Sunday evening. Debate centered on if this would discourage students from running if they worked or valued their weekends highly. Kinesiology Representative Alicia Chaisson said that she supported this motion because currently the entire faculty of education is restricted from being at council as all education students have a practicum Monday nights. Computer Science Representative Ash Furrow pointed out that by advertising the council time during elections, elected council members will have six to seven months after the election to clear their Sunday evenings for council, and the recommendation passed.

Council debated the recommendation that councillors hold one office hour per week. Debate centered on two issues: what space would be used for the office hours, and how effective they would be considering the low turnout constituency meetings have had. The think tank would be made available for these office hours, and it was suggested that office hours would be a more informal and immediate venue for constituents to raise concerns.

Following the bylaw discussions, VP Finance Lisa Solte brought to council a motion that the SU approach Residence Life on behalf of International students who are either made to leave residence or forced to pay large amounts to stay during the winter break. The SU plans to suggest that students be allowed to stay in Residence for no cost when they are without alternate living arrangements for the holiday. Council was supportive of this motion and suggested that further talks center on improving the process of extending check- out dates after spring exams.

Passed without any discussion was the recommendation that the Vice-President Academic be re-named VP-Internal and expand their portfolio to include student advocacy in the university. Council also passed the recommendation that council continue to hire and not elect the VP-Finance. It was passed without debate that the distribution of faculty seats at council be changed. The amendment suggests that council expand to have 20 seats for councillors; each faculty would get one seat and the remaining seats would be distributed in a way that best matched the proportions of the student population in each faculty.

brunswickannews

Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143 • 3

UNB BRINGING THE HOLIDAY CHEER

news briefs.

H1N1 Clinics on Campus Clinics for the H1N1 vaccine will be running on campus this December.

All UNB faculty, staff, and students as well as family members who have not been immunized and wish to do so are encouraged to go to the clinic. Held in the SUB Blue Room, the clinic will run on Friday Dec. 4 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., on Saturday Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and on Sunday Dec. 6 from 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.

STU will have an H1N1 vaccine clinic which is open to UNB students, faculty and staff. That clinic is running on Thursday Dec. 3 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. in St. James Dunn Hall.

Clinics are free but make sure you bring your Medicare card and be prepared to stay at the clinic for at least 15 minutes following vaccination.

CIBC Business Plan Competition

The UNB Student Council float paraded along Main St on Fredericton’s North Side Saturday Nov. 28.

Varsity Reds were on hand to bring some festive cheer. Nancy Ward / The Brunswickan

Staying safe this holiday Hilary Paige Smith The Brunswickan Before you slug back a sixth glass of rum and eggnog at a holiday party this December, stop and think before you drink.

The holiday season is meant for spending time with friends, family and loved ones.

This means parties and social gatherings where alcohol is often involved. According to a 2006 study conducted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), 1,000 people die between Thanksgiving and New Year’s each year in the United States as a result of drunk driving accidents.

The Brunswickan sat down with both UNB Campus Security and Traffic and the campus chapter of DrinkSmart to get advice for students on how to safely enjoy themselves at parties this December.

Randy Mahoney, acting director of Security and Traffic, said that safety is often overlooked in the excitement of the holiday season.

“Obviously during the Christmas season there is probably an increased amount of alcohol that’s consumed by people and unfortunately there is still too many people that think it’s okay to drive when drinking,”

he said, adding that this is not only an issue throughout the holiday season.

Mahoney’s advice to students is never to drive home after drinking. He said that taking a taxi is the best solution to getting home safely.

Despite the atmosphere of holiday cheer, Mahoney said that the general rules of nighttime safety still apply. He warned students against walking home alone from parties in poorly lit areas or with their headphones in.

Shannon Noonan, a coordinator with DrinkSmart, said that she doesn’t discourage drinking this holiday season.

“I don’t encourage people not to drink.

If people want to go out with their friends there is a safe way of doing that and everyone kind of knows the typical things, like ‘Don’t drink and drive’ and ‘You should eat before you drink’ and ‘Don’t binge drink’ and stuff,” she said. “The best thing to do is just to pace yourself while you’re drinking. It’s having fun with your drinks.”

Last week, Noonan led a mixology session to show people how to mix fun cocktails and shots to impress and enjoy.

“You’re kind of more concentrating on savouring your drinks and having fun instead of just downing a bunch of rum and cokes.”

With last class bash and post-exam parties around the corner, students are still encouraged to consider SafeRide and SafeWalk to get them safely home at night. SafeRide will be running until Dec. 18. They operate Monday to Friday, 6 p.m. to midnight and on Sundays from 2 p.m. to midnight.

SafeWalks hours have been lengthened to compensate for the extended hours at the Harriet Irving Library. They operate Sunday to Thursday, 8 p.m. to midnight, and Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Safewalk will be operating until the exam period finishes.

Mahoney said that holiday safety does not end with night time precautions.

“If people are out shopping during the Christmas season I would encourage no one to leave anything, any valuables, in the vehicle that’s visible. Always lock things up in your trunk. Always ensure your vehicle is locked,” he said.

Students must also take care to ensure that their residence rooms have been properly locked up for Christmas break. This includes shutting your window completely so the early winter weather doesn’t damage your things or freeze pipes, lock your rooms completely and ensure that all electronic items have been unplugged.

Provincial budget is student friendly FROM TUITION PAGE 1 The SU, in its pre-budget submission entitled “Towards a Truly Public Education,” asked for “a matching fund of $1 million for donations made towards student financial aid” as well as “the creation

of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Post-Secondary Education,” and “a four-year, fully funded tuition freeze” along with the increase in operating grants.

At press time, full details of the budget were not yet available. A detailed version of the provincial budget is available for viewing at www.gnb.ca.

The UNB CIBC Business Plan Competition took place the final weekend in November. Started by the International Business and Entrepreneurship Center (IBEC) at UNB in 2003, the competition has attracted teams from across Canada, largely from the Atlantic provinces, and from the United States as well as Trinidad and Tobago.

Teams competed in a variety of events at the undergraduate and graduate levels over three days. They participated in networking sessions, gave practice presentations and on the final day, presented their business plan to a panel of judges who are all accomplished in the fields of marketing, finance and entrepreneurship. Practice presentations gave competitors feedback that they used to better their presentation for the final judging. The weekend ended with a wine and cheese reception, and gala awards dinner when the winners were announced.

Cash prizes and a unique learning experience provided incentive to participate. This year there was over $30,000 worth of prizes, thanks to support from CIBC, ADI, the J. Herbert Smith Technology Center, Management and Entrepreneurship Center and LifeofSports.com.

This year there were five winning teams from UNB in all categories.

The first place team for business plans in the Graduate track was ARC Technology, a team from UNB. Second place team in the graduate track was Cuts 4 Cancer, and third place went to GenLink, another UNB team. Placing first in the business plan Undergraduate track was EduCard, followed by Kipedal in second place and E-ceipts in third.

brunswickanopinion

Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143 • 4

editor@thebruns.ca

Politicizing the Christmas tree

the brunswickan

Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief • Sarah Ratchford Managing • Alex Duncan News • Lee Larrett Arts • Doug Estey Sports • Colin McPhail Photo • Andrew Meade Copy •Nick Howard Production • Christian Hapgood Online • Alison Clack Staff Advertising Sales Rep • Bill Traer Delivery • Dan Gallagher Contributors Zaheer Abbas, Stephanie Allen, Danielle Bodie, Chris Cameron, Kathryn Chase, Sandy Chase, Alison Clack, Maggie DeWolfe, Dave Evans, Sarah Farquhar, Josh Fleck, Kennie Gathuru, Dan Hagerman, Ayat Abed Isiad, Cody Jack, Jacques Landry, Brandon MacNeil, Cameron Mitchell, Matthew Murray, Sam Perlmutter, Jon Salmon, Brian Savoie, Hilary Paige Smith, Ysabelle Vautour, Alex Wickwire & Valerie Woodman.

The Christmas tree is a central part to the holiday celebrations of many people. Simply switching its name to “holiday tree,”however, does not make it inclusive for all cultures. Flickr CC

Take My Word For It Sam Perlmutter December’s arrival brings exams, colder temperatures, a trip home for many of us, and of course, the Christmas, er, ‘Holiday’ season.

Stores are decked out with Christmas decorations, annoying Christmas carols have begun to serenade me at the grocery store, and a few of our neighbours have begun their annual ‘who has the best Christmas lights’ (a.k.a. who can run up the highest electricity bill) competition.

Of course, this Christmas season wouldn’t be complete, as has become the trend in recent years, without a big unhealthy overdose of political correctness.

In Kentucky, a furor has erupted over Governor Steve Beshear’s decision to call the Christmas tree on Capitol hill a ‘holiday’ tree. The director of communications for the Finance Cabinet said that “holiday tree

is not a new expression for us. It is there to celebrate the holiday season”. Of course, it just so happens to be the religious symbol of only one major holiday, and isn’t actually representative of Chanukah or Kwanzaa, but I digress.

Last year in Quebec, the provincial government took a similar approach, although in typical form managed to bungle it a bit.

The provincial government originally made a press release referring to the legislature’s Christmas tree, but quickly retracted it and made clear that it was a holiday tree instead.

Ontario has also seen its fair share of controversy over the issue, as schools and public places like city hall have been a evergreen battlefield for years.

It’s a good thing all these politicians are so worried about being inclusive. I mean, heaven forbid we call a Christmas tree a Christmas tree. After all, we might exclude those who do not celebrate the holiday. And what about our secular institutions, surely they cannot have religious symbols in them.

So the consensus in many places, to relive discontent and be politically correct, is to call Christmas trees in public places ‘holiday’ trees. What a brilliant solution.

This is, in a word, ludicrous. Calling a

Christmas tree a holiday tree, especially for the reasons given, is downright foolish.

Simply changing the name of the tree does nothing to address any of the legitimate concerns or issues that arise from the presence of Christmas trees in public places.

In fact, if anything, this ridiculous attempt at political correctness only makes people more upset.

After Quebec decided to go with a holiday tree, Claude Bechand, then Minister of Natural Resources, said, “For me, it’s a Christmas tree, but for others it’s a ‘holiday’ tree.” Actually, Claude, for others it’s a Christmas tree too.

The fundamental issue here is that simply changing the name of the tree to remove the religious component does nothing to change the meaning or symbolism of the tree. It is still a Christian religious symbol, no matter what name you want to call it.

The Kentucky Governor’s Deputy Communications Director, Jill Midkiff says, “I think the idea of calling it a holiday tree instead of a Christmas tree is to be all inclusive.”

Newsflash Jill, changing the name doesn’t make it any more inclusive. I am Jewish, and no matter what you want to call it, it will always be a Christmas tree for me.

Changing the name does not make it any more representative of any other ‘holiday’ or faith. When I return home for my Christmas break, many places in Greater Toronto Area will be prominently displaying Chanukiahs, the prominent religious symbol for Chanukah. It is not a ‘holiday candelabra’, and calling it that will not make it any more inclusive, or any less associated with the Jewish faith.

You could call a Christmas tree a ‘nondenominational conifer’, but if you decorate it and put it up at city hall in December it is still going to be a Christmas tree.

Simply changing the name of a religious symbol does nothing to change its meaning or what it represents. Christmas trees are not there for the holiday season, or in any way representative of any holiday other than Christmas. Calling them holiday trees does not address concerns around inclusiveness or displaying religious symbols in secular institutions.

You cannot make a religious symbol secular all of a sudden by changing its name, nor can you make it representative of multiple faiths. If people or governments want to put up Christmas trees that’s great, go ahead. It is an important holiday, and lots of people will be celebrating. Just don’t call it a holiday tree.

Embracing the joy of the holidays: try it The Looking Glass Sarah Ratchford The holidays are upon us once again and with them comes the same old grumblings: the Christmas season is overly commercialized, there’s no real meaning to it, etc.

I must admit that these grumbling Grinches have a point. Malls, grocery stores, and other retail outlets start up the Christmas carols ridiculously early— sometimes are early as Nov. 1—in an attempt to get us to consume even more than usual.

It can be sickening if you let it. The worst part about the commercialization is that people really do buy it. All one needs to do to prove this is throw a Wishbook at a child and watch him or

her compile a list of hundreds of items that they “need”. The list will end up as long as the child’s body.And the parents give in to it, piling up mountains of gifts beneath the tree in order to…what? Convince their children to believe in magic? Magic is possible without extremity. There is no need for parents to strain their pocketbooks the way they do.

Couples are obsessed with the buying aspect of the holidays as well. I have friends who spend hundreds of dollars on one another every year, and let’s face it, they really can’t afford to.

What does all of this spending prove?

Not much. Buying uber expensive gifts for someone does not prove you love them, or even that you know them that well.

That said, the holidays can be a nice excuse to give to loved ones. There’s nothing wrong with gift-giving, only greedy over-consumption. Finding a homemade, or locally made, gift for someone you care about that you know

they will love is a nice gesture, and I know lots of people who do this who aren’t even religious, myself included.

Try heading to the Fredericton market to pick up some local goodies. Put your skills to work too: if you’re creative, use your brand of creativity to make friends and family paintings, jewelry, or whatever it is you do.

If you know your way around the kitchen, cook up baskets of goodies to give as gifts.

For the music lovers in your life, pick up a few vintage records or tickets to a show.

See? If you’re like most sensible people and get frustrated with holiday greed and crippling levels of spending, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to become bitter about gift giving altogether.

It can be fun to spend time thinking about the people you love and getting them a little treat that shows how well you know them.

People are entirely too jaded about the holiday season. Yes, tacky snow men are

a total eyesore, most Christmas cards are cliché, and people go way overboard when it comes to gift giving.

But the season is meant to be fun.

Whether you’re Christian, Jewish, Muslim, agnostic, atheist or have any other set of beliefs, you still have time off school or work so you might as well enjoy it.

The holidays are a time to spend with friends and family. If you take a second to look at how much time you usually get to relax and bond with the people close to you, the answer will probably shock you.

School is a time monopolizer, a lot of us work and have other extracurricular commitments, we’re all obsessed with technology and talking over Facebook chat and stalking each other on Twitter, and in the end, it’s hard to find time to actually spend with the important people in our lives.

So cheer up, stop being a grouch, and spend your time making a snowman or baking cookies instead of pouting about the downside of the Christmas season.

The Brunswickan relies primarily on a volunteer base to produce its issues every week. Volunteers can drop by room 35 of the SUB at any time to find out how they can get involved.

About Us The Brunswickan, in its 143rd year of publication, is Canada’s Oldest Official Student Publication.

We are an autonomous student newspaper owned and operated

by Brunswickan Publishing Inc., a non-profit, independent body.

We are a founding member of the Canadian University Press, and love it so. We are also members of U-Wire, a media exchange of university media throughout North America.

We publish weekly during the academic year with a circulation of 6,000.

Letters Must be submitted by e-mail including your name, letters with pseudonymns will not be printed.

Letters must be 400 words at maximum. Deadline for letters is Friday at 5 p.m. before each issue.

Editorial Policy While we endeavour to provide an open forum for a variety of viewpoints and ideas, we may refuse any submission considered by the editorial board to be racist, sexist, libellous, or in any way discriminatory.

The opinions and views expressed in this newspaper are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Brunswickan, its Editorial Board, or its Board of Directors.

All editorial content appearing in The Brunswickan is the property of Brunswickan Publishing Inc. Stories, photographs, and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the express, written permission of the Editorin-Chief.

21 Pacey Drive, SUB Suite 35 Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3 main office • (506) 447-3388 advertising • (506) 452-6099 fax • (506) 453-5073 email • editor@thebruns.ca www.thebruns.ca

brunswickanopinion

The old man rant a satire from Dave Evans

Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143 • 5

Great sex could save the world Zorn Pink The Peak

C

write letters to editor@thebruns.ca.

hristmas. Humbug. The only thing Christmas is good for is leaching money from my wallet.

I’m sure that when I was a kid, I probably loved Christmas; now, all I see is commercialized joy.

There are a lot of things about Christmas that grind my gears. First, stop spouting all this crap about it being a time of peace and goodwill towards men. If this was true, the neighbourhood kids wouldn’t raid my rhubarb shed every Christmas Eve. I built that shed so I could enjoy the thrill of rhubarb year ‘round. Rhubarb is a wondrous thing; you can make jam out of it, pies, and most importantly, poison. Did you know that you can mix the leaves into soda and it makes a sweet treat that’ll have you sitting on the toilet for days? I sure do. Next Halloween, I think I might actually turn the porch light on; maybe I’ll give those little jerks a trick AND a treat. Er, where was I?...

Oh yes, big box stores and political correctness have turned the December holidays into a farce. You know why they call it Christmas in the first place? It has CHRIST in it. That’s right, it was originally supposed to be all about the Jesus. Then some Germans or somebody decided that instead of the generally accepted (at the time) son of God, they wanted to worship an old guy with an eating disorder. You know what else?

The Christmas tree? It’s a pagan tradition, but as usual, people put a star or an angel on the top of it and conveniently forget about being a heathen.

So, if you put two and two together, we can figure out who Santa Clause REALLY is. He dresses all in red, operates in the darkness, lurks in shadows because no one has ever really seen him, apparently has unlimited resources while employing pointy eared minions and surrounds himself in pagan tradition. That’s right my friends, rearrange the letters in “Santa” and what do you get? SATAN! Good ol’ “Saint Nick” is actually the prince of eternal darkness himself. Lucifer has finally hatched his centuries old plan of taking over the world by creating a “holy”-day which makes people forget about the good Lord and embrace secularism.

However, by carefully following the news, and scouring the Internet for crazy religious nuts and their conspiracy theories, I think salvation is finally coming. I’ve previously bitched about how too many people idolize Barack Obama, but now I think they’re actually on to something. Maybe he IS the second coming of Jesus. He’s come at a time where all this corporate greed is going rampant and Santa’s power is beyond measure. Obama will deliver us from evil with his heat vision and pretty red cape. Just you wait and see.

So to sum things up, don’t give in to Christmas. If you do, Satan becomes far more powerful. Oh, and for Pete’s sakes, don’t call it “xmas”. You just sound like a jackass when you do.

BURNABY, B.C. (CUP) – I think everybody should be allowed at least one bout of amazing sex. To qualify this, let me say that if you are asking yourself whether or not you’ve had great sex, you’ve probably never had it.

Don’t get me wrong, sex in most situations is good and – excusing some questionable fetishes – it’s completely natural.

But what I’m talking about is great sex. The stuff that puts you in Zen meditation mode, the stuff that’s better than drugs, the stuff that makes you talk porno. That’s great sex.

In terms of comparable experiences, there is very little that holds a candle to it. It is a life-changing experience, one which renders all other acts of copulation mediocre and lacklustre. It is the Fosbury flop that sets new standards in your love life.

Consequently, from the moment you have truly amazing sex, there is a schism between life before and after that event and all other sexual escapades now have something to live up to.

In light of this, I propose that the experience of great sex should be made an inalienable human right, like the right to clean water and fresh air. It should be in the UN Declaration of Human Rights as a fundamental need for all members of the human race.

There should be some kind of fund set up for this. The fund would find the most compatible partners based on million-dollar research studies and facilitate everything for the sexually unenlightened. Because, as everyone

who has had it knows, great sex is a birthright.

Aside from obvious individual benefits, there are larger issues of social improvement here. I would venture to say that if everyone in the world were getting fucked real good, we would see a marked increase in living standards across the globe.

Who doesn’t feel more generous after a good lay? I know that the only time my pockets are loosened for alms is right after some choice sexual intercourse.

The entire political scene would change overnight. Planning terrorist attacks and ethnic cleansing would seem like tedious work if you have more pressing conquests in the bedroom.

George W. Bush always looked sexually uneasy, so is it any surprise he started two wars? Clinton had the right idea; more fuck, less fight. Not to mention Stephen Harper, who just needs to get laid. Period.

Goodwill would reign supreme.

Love would flourish between those who fulfill each other and dopey smiles would spread from ear to ear. The enormous number of children brought forth during this period would be reared in an atmosphere of congeniality and bliss and thus would develop into well-adjusted individuals.

In the wake of this legislated sexual enlightenment, the obvious consequence would be that the massive consciousness raising would enact humanity’s glorious, self-fulfilling destiny and all would finally be well upon our good earth forever and for all time.

And to think that all it took was some great sex.

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brunswickanopinion

6 • Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143

CASA: admitting mistakes, and moving forward Union Update Ryan Brideau National organizations are a difficult beast to tame, and this is no less true when it comes to student politics. The combination of high delegate turnover, combined with the balancing act of members trying to work for national and provincial lobby groups, while still trying to focus on their role within their own cities, makes for an interesting - and not always easy to manage - dynamic.

Between Nov. 16 and Nov. 20 I had the chance to attend the Annual General Meeting for the national lobby group that represents UNB Undergraduate students: the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). Each year we give CASA about $16,000 of your hard earned dollars to ensure we are adequately represented in Ottawa, so it’s important for us to make sure that we are getting a good return on the money that we spend.

To say that everything was rainbows and sunshine at this gathering would be untrue. CASA is currently going through some growing pains when it comes to finding a governing structure that ensures a democratic approach, while also trying to guarantee that it can function and adapt to an everchanging political landscape. All of this is happening between the three conferences per year where all of its members can get together.

During the week a number of concerns were raised - particularly regarding certain aspects of the budget

- but in the end, I feel that the democratic process prevailed. Where it was felt that the executive overstepped their bounds, they were held accountable for their actions, and decisions were made to move forward. The $30,000 spent on a nation-wide survey that would give CASA ownership over data that they could use for primary research was accounted for, and it was agreed upon by a clear majority of constituents that that spending was in the best interests of CASA’s members. Where there were issues regarding communications between the Home Office and member schools, our governance officers were mandated to address them. Where there were concerns over the governing documents, we passed a motion to commission a professional governance audit. In short, democracy worked.

Issues aside, CASA is an excellent organization that provides us opportunities we would not otherwise have: last year we met with the leaders of the five largest political parties in Canada; this year we were invited to the roundtables regarding the future of copyright in Canada; and thanks to them, we’ll have a dedicated person to handle any issues that we have regarding our local Chief Returning Officer for the next election, among many other successes.

CASA plays an important role at the national level, and it’s our job at the Student Union to ensure that it’s doing that job in a way that is in the best interests of the students that we represent. That’s what we get paid to do, and that’s what happened last week.

And just as CASA is accountable to us, we are accountable to you, so as always, if you have any further questions, we’re just an e-mail away.

Ryan Brideau is the Vice President External for the UNBSU. He can be reached at external@unb.ca.

letters to the editor.

New Future for NB Power, New Opportunity for New Brunswick I welcome this opportunity to respond to your editorial of November 11 regarding the proposed agreement between the New Brunswick government and HydroQuébec.

At the outset, I think it’s important to look at the larger context in which our government decided to pursue this agreement. Since coming to office, we’ve led the country in job growth, improved our kids’ reading skills, increased our population and lowered taxes for New Brunswickers.

We’ve made significant investments in post-secondary education. We’ve removed the parental and spousal contribution from student loans. We introduced New Brunswick’s first two year tuition freeze at public universities, a doubling of the tuition rebate and a new timely completion benefit.

These achievements move us closer to our goal of self-sufficiency and the kind of opportunities that will allow you to work and live here in New Brunswick.

But there remain roadblocks.

As the world emerges from a global economic downturn, we need every advantage we can get to protect and create New Brunswick jobs. New Brunswick companies have long said that in order to do this, we need lower power rates.

Our current dependence on carbonbased fuels comes at a cost both environmentally and financially as we foresee carbon taxes or cap and trade system. In 2004, more than 40% of New Brunswick’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions came from energy generation.

NB Power’s $4.8 billion debt is simply not manageable in the long-term. As we look down the road at the costs required on refurbishment projects and carbon fuels, that debt would grow. Doing nothing risks our financial flexibility to fund projects and initiatives that are important to New Brunswick’s success.

Recognizing that the status quo in energy is standing in the way of selfsufficiency, early this year I began a conversation with our neighbours in Quebec to explore the potential for partnerships.

On June 23, those conversations had progressed to a point where Premier Charest and I launched formal discussions. At that time I was clear about our objectives: “I believe it is necessary to further explore opportunities for increased collaboration with Quebec in this sector, especially with regard to clean and renewable energy supplies at a competitive cost.”

Through the course of the discussions it became evident that the best way to achieve these objectives was with the proposed agreement unveiled on October 29.

The proposed agreement will deliver lower rates. The average family that heats with electricity would save $1,400 over the next five years. Of the $5.6 billion in rate savings, nearly 60% of those savings go to residential, commercial and wholesale customers. The rate savings provide industrial stimulus up-front, but more savings for families and small business in the long-term. For industry, lower rates combined with our plan for lower taxes mean more jobs saved and more jobs created.

This proposed agreement means lower debt. Almost 40 per cent of the province’s debt would be wiped off our books; the largest single debt repayment in the province’s history.

And this proposed agreement would lower our dependence on carbon fuels.

We would improve on our Climate Change Action Plan target, by reducing emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels. This means cleaner air and a cleaner province for our kids and grandkids. And we avoid the costs of carbon that we know are coming.

Lower rates and lower unemployment, lower emissions and lower debt – these are the reasons I believe so strongly that not only is this a necessary step, it is a good step.

The November 11 editorial called on readers to make their voices heard. Since the Memorandum of Understanding was signed, our government has provided and will continue to provide details around the agreement. There are many ways you can be informed and involved. Visit lowerratesnb.ca to read the full Memorandum of Understanding and learn more about what the deal really means.

Follow the upcoming legislative debates and the proceedings of the legislative committees or talk to your MLA. Our objective is for a final agreement to take effect on or about March 31, 2010. As we prepare the legislative framework to present in the Legislative Assembly, we are taking into consideration the feedback we’re hearing from New Brunswickers to ensure that the final deal is the best deal for our province.

I feel very strongly that we have an opportunity to move forward; an opportunity that presents real and lasting benefits for New Brunswickers. This is the single biggest step our province has ever taken towards self-sufficiency. I encourage you to be part of the conversation.

Shawn Graham Premier of New Brunswick

Speaking ‘out’ against discrimination

Discrimination is bad enough in this day and age, but it’s especially bad when it comes from a staff member in a public venue like a bar. Flickr CC Melissa Scanlan A letter to the Bruns My name is Melissa Scanlan. I am an open and proud lesbian; however, on Friday, Nov. 20, my rights as an open and proud lesbian were denied when I was kicked out of a local bar while

thebruns.ca

doing nothing wrong, except kissing my girlfriend.

After a night of drinking and dancing at the bar, my good time came to an abrupt end as I felt a hand on my arm and I was escorted off the dance floor toward the exit of the venue. The bouncer repeatedly pushed me. Inquir-

ing as to what I did to be kicked out, he responded that I was a “disgrace and that I had to leave”. I calmly offered to leave and apologized for offending him. While trying to leave, he continued to push me. I pushed him back and told him “You have no right to push me.” After he would not allow me to leave, my girlfriend punched him in the face and I finally got away.

I left the bar that night in tears, frustrated and angry that such behaviour occurred. I have never before faced such discrimination. I am writing this letter to attest that such discrimination is not to be tolerated. I believe in equal rights and, although not everyone may agree that homosexuality is acceptable, I believe that everyone should have the right to be themselves in a public venue without facing discrimination, especially, in this case, from a staff member.

I encourage anyone and everyone stand up to discrimination.

brunswickanopinion

Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143 • 7

Student

Viewpoint.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Let everyone know whats on your mind.

“Spending time with my family.”

Alyson Forbes

“Putting the star on the tree.”

Dan Arluison

“Opening a present on Christmas Eve”

Kara McKay

Josee Michaud

“Mistletoe.”

“Gingerbread houses.”

Megan Wilcox

Lacey Dingley

“Turkey Dinner.”

Pat Beck

“Caesars every New Year’s.”

“Play and such.”

“Going to see Santa in MacAdam.”

Tara Sullivan

Tyler Belyea

brunswickaninternational

8 • Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143

A journey from Africa to Canada Mara Silvestri The Cord WATERLOO, Ont. (CUP) – Yueu Majok spent much of his life in a refugee camp in Kukuma, Kenya, 100 km from the Sudanese border. While he endured many hardships while living in the camp, the ailing education system there only made life more difficult.

Due to large class sizes and a lack of resources, “We had to share everything,” Majok said. Textbooks were taken and sliced in half so they could be distributed between two people.

However, teaching supplies was not the only lack of resources; there were also very few teachers. Furthermore, Majok explained that there was no curriculum; instead, a policy of “survival of the fittest” took place.

Due to such structural difficulties, “I never had a chance to learn well because of the poor structure.”

It was this camp that Majok left behind to begin his journey to Canada.

On Nov. 19, as a part of the University of Waterloo’s International Education Week, Majok and fellow refugee Tariku Kebede, both now students at Waterloo, shared stories about their personal journeys to Canada. The event, entitled “From Africa to Canada,” was held at St. Paul’s Chapel at the school.

While sharing a glimpse of what the 9.2 million refugees worldwide have experienced, the two managed to keep the room in high spirits.

Some of Majok’s classmates in Kukuma were in the army or had been child soldiers. According to Majok, “They wouldn’t always do what the teachers said, so they ended up beating up the teachers instead, and schools were then governed by the students.”

Majok also said that there were times when his teachers performed the beatings, and he frequently received them.

With all of these trepidations, the appeal of school was understandably starting to wear off.

“When I reached grade five, I was getting fed up and no one was serious about it. I just wanted to play and then go back home when I felt like it.”

Although most of these hardships have been alleviated for Majok today, the transition into Canadian life was not easy. Recounting his first night in

Canada, Majok said, “I could hear the sounds of all the lights on. I wasn’t used to electricity.”

Beyond that, Majok explains other transitions that were difficult to make, such as adapting to the Canadian linguistic nuances.

“I don’t understand sarcasm at all. It exists in every culture, but when I try it, no one understands that I’m only joking when I say I will kill them,” he explained, inciting laughter in the crowd.

Once past the language barrier, tackling technology was Majok’s next step.

Majok was soon introduced to Google and quickly picked up the popular university catchphrase, “just Google that shit.”

Majok added that he often resorts to the search engine when he does not understand a certain Canadian custom.

One particular custom that Majok has had trouble adjusting to is the small talk that takes place at university parties.

“I’ve been to a few parties. When I party, people would talk to me about TV shows, and I am not experienced in these topics. In my culture, I would talk about cows, war, child soldiers, girls, but I don’t know what it means to talk about these TV shows,” said Majok.

“I start to look like a party pooper,” he said.

Instead, Majok has found entertainment in activities such as paintball and laser tag that don’t rely so heavily on verbal communication.

Although it appears that Kebede and Majok have found a place in Canadian culture, they still face challenges.

The two men openly pondered where their future will lead them now that they have had the experience of attending university in Canada.

“If I get a job here, I can work here, but I don’t plan on living in Canada forever,” Majok said.

Kebede, a second-year mechanical engineering student from Ethiopia, agreed.

“I have no places that I feel is my place.

My clan has land back home.”

The event was hosted by the World University Service of Canada, a nongovernmental organization that fosters human development in 13 countries by educating and advocating students. The organization has a mandate of helping refugee students who have been displaced in civil wars obtain post-secondary education.

Christmas all around the world

Christmas is celebrated in a variety of ways.The methods of celebrating the holiday differ with geography and cultural traditions. Internet

Danielle Bodie The Brunswickan The Christmas Season is a time that is filled with traditions and celebration.

The celebration of Christmas varies from country to country, with each country having its own way of celebrating this festive season. It is truly a season that brings together family and friends.

Christmas on the islands is truly a celebration. Being from a Christian country, the birth of Christ is something that is sacred and commemorated. Growing up it was a known fact that Santa did not exist. All gifts came from your parents or relatives and they were a blessing from God. A favorite Christmas tradition in the Bahamas is the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade. Junkanoo is a street parade with live music and colorful vibrant costumes.

Bahamians all come out late in the evening to support their favorite group and dance in the streets until the sun comes up. Like in the Bahamas, many countries have traditions that are all their own.

Paola Beneras, a third year student from Ecuador, has fond memories of her Christmas at home. “I love Christmas.

One of the first things we do is light a candle for advent. Nine days before Christmas, families start praying every day a prayer called Novena. Then we read

passages of the bible in order to explain how Christ was born. On Dec.15 we put up the Christmas tree and decorate it, but most importantly, we decorate the Nativity. We call it Nacimiento. In the Nacimiento we have figurines of Mary, Jesus and Joseph and the three wise men, and the donkeys and angels. This is one of my favorite traditions.”

Christmas traditions vary from country to country. Brazilian student Sabrina Fernandes Thomas saw a lot of differences after coming to Canada.

“In Brazil, we don’t put the presents under the tree. We put it by the bed of the person, because the whole tree thing is still new to our culture. We also don’t have stockings, because only kids and really special people from that year get gifts. Usually kids and grandparents-- you don’t need to get gifts for everyone like here in Canada,” says Fernandes Thomas.

In Romania, the annual Christmas dinner menu varies. Romanian student Sabrina Sotiriu shares the differences in menus in her country.

“Traditional food includes homemade cabbage rolls, pork steak or sausages, lots of pickled vegetables as side dishes. Instead of turkey we have pork for Christmas dinner.”

Other countries like Japan and China

find Christmas to be a western tradition that most people don’t celebrate. Japanese student Tomomi Omote finds Christmas to be a holiday that is more for couples.

“Most Japanese don’t practice any religion, but we still celebrate Christmas to be like the Western world. Cities will be full of couples and romantic western songs all around. Mariah Carey is a favorite of course, and extra attractions for shopping set you in the holiday mood,” says Omote.

In China the celebration of Christmas is something that is enjoyed only because of western influence. Yi Nuo Tao, a third year Chinese student who celebrates Christmas, feels that it is something that isn’t really acknowledged in her country.

“We are not a Christian country, but people do have the general knowledge of what Christmas is all about and we do celebrate it in a non-religious way. To most non- Christian Chinese, they see Christmas as a Western “Chinese new year”. There is the warm holiday feeling in the air. But it’s basically a taste of Western culture for us, so people do get very excited,” she says.

No matter where a person may come from or how they choose to celebrate Christmas, to most Christmas is still the celebration of family and friendships and the joy they bring to everyone’s lives.

Want to write for the Bruns next semester? Drop by story meetings on Wednesdays at 12:30.

brunswickanarts arts@thebruns.ca

Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143 • 9

Nobody’s paid the price like Wax has paid it

Chris Adeney, better known as his alter ego Wax Mannequin, has been creating a unique crossover of prog, folk and classic rock for over a decade. Stephanie Bell / Submitted Doug Estey The Brunswickan In a world of industrialized art, contracts, million-dollar signings and commercial restrictions, it’s not uncommon for a modern day musician to stick with a single style of music that pays the bills. Experimentation is cast aside, popular elements are favoured over self-carved creativity, and musical evolution as we know it dissolves into a downward spiral of auto-tune and digital remastering.

There are exceptions to the trend.

Hamilton, Ontario native Chris Adeney - Wax Mannequin as he is faithfully recalled by fans - is definitely one of them.

Take a look at his blog, for example.

“CBC 3 has been playing my music a

lot lately. Every time they play one of my songs, somewhere a fairy dies and turns into an indestructable zombie fairy.”

You might be inclined to agree that it’s improbable for someone with words such as these to even possibly produce music that isn’t - in the very least - highly entertaining and unique.

“Incarnations that I go after are perhaps a bit more flamboyant than what other artists attempt,” Wax reflects upon being asked about his former pursuit of a persona as The President of Indie Rock.

“It all began with a nylon string guitar and a track recorder in my bedroom. I started playing a bunch of shows in 2000 and had a very awkward stage presence at the time,” he recalls.

“Once I started touring, my music took more of a rock slant. You really build off the energy of the crowd.”

Playing off the crowd led Wax to become well known for his powerful yet adaptive stage presence, ranging from aggressive power stances associated with The Price (2003) to a more somber, acoustic, folk rock performance in his latest work Saxon (2009).

The Price, Wax’s third LP, is a formidable display of the raw passion that he channels through his music, with supporting live shows described at the time by the Globe and Mail as being “all-rockets-flaring, un-Canadian-like extravagant performances”.

Orchard and Ire (2007), a release representative of the transitional period of his music, lends itself to the subconscious inspiration that he draws upon through much of his songwriting.

“With that record, there was certainly an animals theme. It came up

repeatedly in the songwriting. I mean, animals are funny and mysterious creatures; at the same time, compelling, but they can make you laugh. I guess I was just thinking a lot about animals.”

One can almost hear him smiling on the other end of the telephone.

“I tend to write songs in twos or threes, and so a lot of the tracks ended up carrying one specific theme. It’s less of a conscious decision and more of something story-based.”

Wax Mannequin’s fifth (and latest) full-length Saxon continues on with the trend of tracks grouped by identifiable themes.

“A lot of the songs are pertaining to an impending imaginary flood. It kind of went with some of the other things I was writing. Maybe the animals from before.

My songs are very story-based. ‘End of Me’ is about my love and I traveling, and the impact that has on our relationship. Through the travels, I discovered that you don’t necessarily see [the great places across this country]. They’re beautiful.”

Through the constant evolution of Wax Mannequin, Adeney feels that his live performance has come full circle.

“At this point, where I’m so comfortable with the touring and the audience, I’m okay with being quiet again. I found a really great nylon string guitar that can really take a beating for the kind of more traditional folk rock that I play now.”

You can catch Wax Mannequin live at The Capital Bar on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 10 p.m. alongside local favourites She Roars! and Stereo Airing.

Creative gift ideas for hard-to-buy-for friends and family Alison Clack The Brunswickan As much as the holidays are supposed to be a time to relax with family, they can unintentionally bring about a lot of stress.

Gifts. While they are given with the heart and a fair bit of pocket change, they can end up being a nightmare.

Packed malls, lack of ideas, and a bank account running low on funds can all be mentally taxing obstacles to the average holiday shopper.

This holiday season, try and take a breather when embarking on your gift-giving journey.

While there is no way a visit to the mall will be a zen-like experience, there are ways to make it a little easier during those frantic last minute shopping trips.

To cut down on stress make sure you at least have an idea of what you want when you stand at the gates of Mordor – erm, I mean the mall.

If you have the chance, check out different shops’ websites beforehand so you have an idea if they will carry what you want.

However, if you’re still stuck on the what-to-get part then here are some hints.

If you’re shopping for an older woman, an aunt or grandmother for instance, buy something that will make her feel pretty. These types of items shouldn’t be too hard to look for. In the stalls of the market you can find beautifully scented candles and reed diffusers. At the Regent Mall, stores like Fruits and Passion as well as the Body Shop carry soaps, bath bombs, and lotions in a variety of scents.

For their male counterparts, gifts can be equally easy. If your uncle or grandfather enjoys the occasional pint or two look into getting him an engraved beer stein (most engraving places tend to have a good selection).

If you’re looking for a gift that seems a little classier, try and find a traditional shaving kit (one with a nice foaming soap and quality brush). It’s the male equivalent of a nice basket of body lotions and if your uncle or grandfather is a man who enjoys a good shave, it’s a great gift idea.

If you’ve been with your significant other for a while and are worried about

getting his/her parents something special think about preparing a nice gift basket.

Keep the basket simple. Only a few things like a bottle of wine, some chocolates or cheese samples are necessary. Walnuts or chestnuts also make a good addition to a basket of treats If you’re handy with an oven adding some homemade cookies or treats could also be a nice addition.

If you have any siblings who are new parents then the best gift you could probably give them is a ‘rescue-me basket.’ Diapers and baby food can get incredibly expensive, so think about making a little basket with all the necessary goodies for baby-care.

If you’re feeling extra generous, think about making a little gift card for the parents that’s good for xx amount of time where they can go out and you’ll take care of the bouncing new baby.

The holidays are supposed to be a wonderful time. So, instead of stressing over gifts this season be prepared, take a deep breath, and head into the dark void that is the mall during the holidays knowing exactly what you want.

When it comes to gift-giving this holiday season, remember that it’s the thought that counts. Flickr CC

brunswickanarts

10 • Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143

Web design 101: Making your site un-ugly Music on the Hill presents: Nadia Francavilla Doug Estey The Brunswickan

Let’s face it: a large number of websites out there are living in the past. Poorly designed websites can hurt the credibility of your product. Screenshot

From the Tubes Doug Estey As with all things in this illustrious age of technology, there are certain parties that have a hard time keeping up with the rapidly evolving (and ever-changing) standards that make up the tubes. The following rant is merely serving an educational purpose and is in no way intending to offend anyone.

Besides, I don’t like ostracizing anyone’s business, especially when I sincerely appreciate the fantastic sweet and sour chicken balls and - especially - the Beijing chicken dish that said business(es) may be known for.

But if right now, in December 2009, your website looks like www.diplomatrestaurant.com, we need to sit down and have a little chat.

First, a little background. The business used in this example is an excellent Fred-

ericton restaurant with a great atmosphere.

Further, it’s incredibly convenient in that it’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week -- and it delivers (ideal for university students tired of ordering pizza.) These reasons are the source of my frustration: it should have a stellar web site, because people need to know about this place.

It doesn’t, though, so let’s cut to the chase: tiled backgrounds are terrifying. Seriously. Make them go away. A neutral solid background colour is far less distracting and allows users to actually focus on the main focus of the website.

I’m not really sure what’s happening with the gold buttons with awkward edges, either, but they should certainly be addressed.

Another major issue is that there is no real defined colour scheme on this particular website. The faux-wood background, blue tiles reminiscent of a bathroom floor, and horizontally stretched ribbons all betray any sense of unity that might have once existed.

In order to restore peace to the webosphere, diplomatrestaurant.com needs to go back to its roots - perhaps the complementary green and burgundy used in its logo - as a source

of their colour palette.

Clicking over to the menus reveals some of the same symptoms seen in the rest of the site. Here we’re greeted by large, awkward, orange red and green text colours complete with inline frames.

Despite its appearance, this site serves its purpose -- to provide contact and location information and an idea of what kind of food is served at the restaurant.

The real point I’m trying to make here is that poor website design doesn’t discriminate. It’s everywhere, but you can avoid letting it get the best of you by getting opinions, consulting designers, and -- better than any of that -- talking to real, everyday people who would be making use of the website.

Try to keep it as clean and professional as a letterhead; remember less is more.

You don’t need a degree in astrophysics to deploy a great website. If you’re a web designer, or if you’re looking to have a website built for you, you might interested in reading more on the topic. I highly recommend a (slightly dated but still very relevant) guide put together by the folks at Firelily Designs. http://www.firelily.com/opinions/thumb. html.

Nadia Francavilla, UNB’s Artist in Residence, is straight out of Montreal.

Specializing in string-based contemporary music, she also does a great deal of commissioned work.

Her endeavours have taken her all over the world, giving her the chance to experience the rich musical culture of Europe, where she visits twice a year.

“I studied music, and I did my bachelor at McGill and then I studied in Boston as well. Since then I’ve been freelancing out of Montreal,” says Francavilla of her musical background.

“I always liked chamber music a lot.

I ended up playing in Moncton for a number of years before going back to Montreal, and I’ve been doing string quartets for about 15 years. “ And how does Fredericton fit in to the scene? With a group based out of the capital city called Motion Ensemble, which specializes in contemporary music -- something that’s right up her alley.

Francavilla has toured Canada, the United States and Europe.

“I’ve always been interested in con-

temporary music and as a result of that, I’ve had the chance to meet some wonderful composers. It’s really something, you can call them up and they’ll answer your questions. Sometimes they’ll even provide more commissioned work for you. It’s great.”

She accredits the many conferences that she’s attended for the network of connections that she’s made over her 15 years in the industry.

“A lot of the time, people start knowing you for what you do and you’ll be the first thing that comes to mind when they’ve written a new piece. The more you do this type of thing, the more people get to know you for what you do, for your type of repertoire.”

In a new digital age of media and communication, Francavilla makes constant use of the internet to facilitate her collaboration with composers.

“The internet’s been wonderful, and I email back and forth with different people I’ve met across the world.”

Nadia Francavilla performed at Memorial Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Featured composers included Shostakovich, Pärt, Gliere, Schnittke and Gubaidulina, all prominent Russians from the 20th century.

cd reviews by andrew olsvik.

As former front man of Pedro the Lion, David Bazan has been one of the primary figures in Christian-themed indie rock for quite some time. With his first solo album, Curse Your Branches, Bazan delivers a record with the expected sounds and themes but one that is surprisingly captivating. His powerful ability to minimize difficult questions and ideas about life and religion into small, easily digested stanzas and lines that characterized the lyrics in Pedro the Lion remains, and as a result, Curse Your Branches is a fine record to sit and enjoy; there are no cryptic messages to decode, and only sweet, soft indie rock to soothe your mind.

David Bazan Curse Your Branches Released Sept. 1, 2009; Barsuk

Animal Collective are the Radiohead of this decade. By which I mean that they could record themselves making fart sounds with their armpits over Culture Club samples and it would still rank highly on any influential year-end list. Fortunately however, they also share Radiohead’s famous standards for quality and it would be a difficult task to single out an Animal Collective release that hasn’t impacted music in some way. Not satisfied with mere Radiohead comparisons, the Fall Be Kind EP finds the band venturing further into the realm of Beach Boys-ism not only because of harmonic group vocals like the end of “What Would I Want?

Sky” (the first song to feature a sample from The Grateful Dead) but also their Wilson-esque talent for melody and arrangement.

Animal Collective Fall Be Kind EP

Released Digitally Nov. 23, 2009; Domino

brunswickanarts Ringing in the holiday season with a Christmas jingle Alison Clack Submitted to the Bruns Renaissance College Society invites everyone in the Fredericton and UNB communities to come out and enjoy some music, food, and good company to start off the holiday season.

This Friday the society will be holding a Christmas Jingle Coffeehouse in the Charlotte Street Arts Center’s Auditorium (second floor).

The night will feature both acoustic and non-acoustic sets being played by a number of UNB students.

Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and various treats (read: cookies) will be provided for all attendees and performers.

Be sure to bring some extra money for Christmas gifts to the coffeehouse.

In addition to the music and goodies the society will also be holding a silent auction in support of Fredericton’s Chrysalis House.

Chrysalis House is a place for youth in transition. The house supports young women between the ages of 16 and 19, an age where they are too old to be considered for child services but are not yet considered adults.

If you’re interested in donating anything to be auctioned for Chrysalis house you can send an email to rcs@unb.ca for more information. All performers are welcome, contact rcs@unb.ca if you are interested.

Other possible Christmas gifts like bags and scarves will also be on sale at the coffeehouse.

Admission for this Christmas celebration is $3. Show starts at 7 p.m.

this week in fredericton.

It’s a Wonderful Life @ The Playhouse Thursday, Dec. 3 to Sunday, Dec. 6

The holiday heart-warming classic, It’s a Wonderful Life is here in pure 1940s authentic form at the Playhouse, with shows running from Thursday through Sunday. Tickets are available at http://theplayhouse.nb.ca.

Indie Pop Night @ The Capital Bar Saturday, Dec. 5

DJ Bones is back to tear up the city with his danceable indie collection. If you’ve never been to one of his renowned Indie Pop Night events and you’re looking for something a bit different in Fredericton, this is it.

UNB Chorale & UNB Concert Band @ Mem Hall Wednesday, Dec. 2

A very special Christmas presentation by the UNB Chorale and UNB Concert Band. Tickets are $5, $3 for seniors and free for students.

She Roars!, Stereo Airing, Wax @ The Capital Bar Thursday, Dec. 3

See page 9 for an exclusive interview with Wax Mannequin, who will be appearing with She Roars! and Stereo Airing at the Capital Bar.

Coffee House @ Renaissance College Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.

The Renaissance College Society is extending a special invitation to UNB and all of Fredericton to the Charlotte Street Arts Centre for music and goodies all in holiday spirit.

Monday Night Film Series Monday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m.

This Monday’s event (put on by the NB Film Coop) will feature a special Japanese film entitled “Departures.” The film starts at 8 p.m. in Tilley 102. Tickets are $3 for members or $7 for non-members.

The Brunswickan is hiring an arts reporter. To apply, send resume and cover letter to editor@ thebruns.ca by Dec. 6.

Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143 • 11

Near extinction: arts gone astray Paul Stathakis The Concordian At the end of Jean-Luc Godard’s 1967 film “Week End,” a sentence appears on the screen in blue letters against a black background: “Fin de Cinema.” Godard, a notable French director and regular at the Cannes film festival, was telling his audience that the art of film had begun a gradual decline.

Indeed, it was the beginning of the end of cinema: fewer brave directors taking risks, stars no longer willing to commit to films for art’s sake and screenwriters slowly ceasing to write evocative screenplays. Sure the ‘70s, the ‘80s, and even the ‘90s had their share of good movies. But things have changed. Fast forward 42 years since the release of “Week End.” “Twilight: New Moon” is dominating the box office, breaking records for ticket sales. This past summer’s top-grossing films included “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” and “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” – movies that hope to entice viewers with sensational special effects, nothing more, nothing less.

The sad reality is that nuanced performances and thought-provoking plots have taken a back seat to loud computergenerated sequences. The task of generating special effects has become more crucial than the work of the director.

In Godard’s time, every detail was monitored by the director, every decision carefully thought out.

All signs seem to indicate that art is close to extinction. Gone are the days of movements, which gave birth to great pictures – movements like the French New Wave of the ‘60s and before that, the era of film noir.

Occasionally a little film will creep through the mound of blockbusters to essentially remind us that fine cinemat-

Jean-Luc Godard, a renowned French director known for his “newwave” film style, was the first among many to realize the death of the art of film. Internet ic endeavours are still achievable: “The Shawshank Redemption,” “American Beauty,” “Braveheart,” “The Usual Suspects,” “Man on the Train,” “Michael Clayton,” “Frost/Nixon” – to name a few.

But what does the future of cinema hold? Will we continue being subjected to grandiose productions, like “2012,” where populations are annihilated by the minute?

More comic book adaptations? Five more “Saw” films? Six more war dramas involving terrorism?

It’s time to get back to basics. We know for a fact that less is more. That’s why we appreciate the natural strength of “The Godfather” or the philosophical qualities

of the French cinema of the ‘60s.

Godard once said that to make a film all one needs is a girl and a gun. Today, we have a girl, a gun and the kitchen sink.

Cinema needs to take a step back. Let’s look at classic films and before judging on age solely, let’s ask ourselves why we categorize them as «classics.»

In John Huston’s “The Maltese Falcon,” Humphrey Bogart describes the falcon as, «the stuff that dreams are made of.» Could we ever say that about today’s cinema?

Marketing and profits have replaced art and storytelling and cinema is in bad shape.

It’s running out of breath and yet no one feels the need to put it through a workout.

brunswickansports

Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143 • 12

sports@thebruns.ca

UNB get first win in weekend split with UPEI

Reds guard Daniel Quirion goes hard to the basket against a UPEI defender during Sunday’s 96-74 loss.The loss left the Reds with a 1-6 record as they head into the break.The Reds now have the worst winning percentage in the AUS. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan Alex Wickwire The Brunswickan A home court opener in late November?

That was the case for the Varsity Reds men’s basketball team as they hosted the UPEI Panthers over the weekend. The Reds only managed a split and remain out of the playoffs as they head into the break.

When their 2009-2010 AUS campaign began, the team’s season opened up at Fredericton High School and the next “home” game was played in the Leo Hayes gym.

Technical issues at the Lady Beaverbrook forced the early season relocations.

Without stepping onto their true home court, the team took off on back to back weekend trips to Nova Scotia.

After four games on the road, the VRed’s had their actual home opener against the UPEI Panthers on Saturday night in front of 350 spectators.

In the first half UNB out shot UPEI 36-28 and kept the game close, heading into the locker room down 44-41. The team’s aggressive play and good offensive execution was summed up by their Head Coach.

“They had a sense of urgency,” praised bench boss Brent Baker.

Coming out at halftime and continuing

the sense of urgency, the team fought their way to a 71-70 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Reds dominated the final frame by outscoring the Panthers 30-16 to seal the win.

In 34 minutes of floor time, Mike Anderson shot 50 per cent and scored 32 while recording a game-high four steals. Alex DesRoches added 17 points, and Dustin Anthony scored 10 during his 21 minutes on the court. The final score of 101-86 is the first time the Reds have scored triple figures in an AUS game under Coach Baker.

Sunday’s afternoon match was a different story. Down again by three at halftime and

keeping the game competitive, the Reds’ play went in the opposite direction in the third and fourth quarters. Poor shooting and defence by UNB sent them into a point deficit they could not overcome. The 96-74 final set the Reds back to 1-6 on the season with the worst winning percentage in the AUS. “You’ve got to have selective amnesia,” said the coach about his team’s slump. As a team, UNB shot 25.6 per cent in half number two, and only scored 32 points.

“There was no sense of urgency today.” said Baker “It’s hard to win back to back games in this league.”

In the loss, Alex DesRoches pulled down 14 rebounds, seven of them offensive. Dan Quirion and Colin Adams both saw major minutes, and the rookies put up 15 points combined.

Baker elaborated on the second half meltdown saying “that’s our immaturity as a team.”

Team veterans Anderson and DesRoches scored 44 of UNB’s 76 points, each playing 35 minutes.

The AUS is now on Christmas break, the next home game being Jan. 15 when the Reds host the Saint Mary’s Huskies down at the pit.

Varsity Reds’ strong play too much for Panthers Colin McPhail The Brunswickan

Fourth year guard Jessica Steed blows past a UPEI defender during Saturday’s 80-54 victory. Steed tallied 10 points in the effort. Sandy Chase / The Brunswickan

After a slow start, the Varsity Reds women’s basketball team got the season back on track with a pair of home victories over UPEI, winning every quarter in the process.

“It’s important to defend your home court anytime you play at home,” said Head Coach Jeff Speedy. “It’s real important to get those W’s because it’s so hard to get wins on the road. I’m definitely pleased with the four points and the two wins and we should be able to keep a smile on our face through December now.”

The Panthers did their best to keep it close in the first quarter of Saturday’s match as it ended 16-14 in favour of UNB, but the Reds began to pull away scoring 30 points in the second and taking a 46-33 lead into halftime. The ladies didn’t let up cashing in 34 more point and holding the Panthers to just 21 in the second half. Amanda Sharpe had two game-highs in the 80-54 win with 14 points and three blocks. Alisha Sterling, Jordanne Holstein, and Jessica Steed produced offensively for the Reds by tallying 12, 11 and 10 points respectively.

Sunday’s match was the same story. At the end of the first quarter the Reds were up 18-14, but then outscored the Panthers 21-9 in the second. Tashina Van Vlack nailed one of her three three-pointers just

before the buzzer to take a 39-23 lead into the dressing room. The Reds came out and played strong defence and eliminated any chance of a UPEI comeback and strolled to a 72-47 victory.

Amanda Sharpe led the way again with 16 points, while Steed and Van Vlack chipped in 13 each.

The Reds played an aggressive style of defence tallying 34 steals and six blocks over the weekend compare to UPEI’s 11 steals and four blocks. This was a good sign for the Reds because after the first five matches, the Reds were not among the top defensive teams in the AUS according to Speedy.

“Our biggest weakness, I think, is defensively. I think we’re seventh in an eight team in our points-allowed defence. At times we don’t work hard enough defensively, at times we don’t talk enough defensively and at times the offensive team is a lot more physical then us.”

Van Vlack had a strong weekend posting 20 points, six assists, five steals in 41 minutes on the court. Even though she produces good stats, her strong work ethic on the court is always present and the bench boss had nothing but praise for his fifth year point guard.

“She’s doing what she should do,” commented Speedy. “She’s a good shooter.

She’s knocking down threes. She’s a very athletic player. She does a good pushing the ball on offense and harassing the other

team’s point guard. She’s really had a solid three-four weeks and with all the injuries she had in the past, I’m really happy for her fifth year is evolving into a very positive year.”

Jessica Steed was another major force for the Reds this weekend as she posted 23 points, three assists, seven steals in her 45 minutes of action. The fourth year Fredericton native was also named Sunday’s player of the game.

“Jess was awesome this weekend,” said a satisfied Speedy. “She struggled a bit last week and two weekends ago and she was really frustrated, but she put on her game face and shot the ball very well and was as good as she’s ever been.”

The Reds will work on their play over the break and play in the University of Calgary Invitational before restarting AUS play on Jan. 8 as they travel to Cape Breton for a couple of matches. Speedy has been quite content with his team and is looking forward to the second leg of the 2009-10 season.

“We’re 3-4 so we can’t be doing cartwheels at the moment, but this is a really close-knit team, probably the closest group I’ve ever coached, and they’re an absolute joy to be around. I’m really enjoying the experience and I think we can really use December to fix up some of our weaknesses and hit the ground running after Christmas.”

brunswickansports

Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143 • 13

the brunswickan presents

the panel

Who should be on the Canadian Olympic men’s hockey team?

voice your opinion

Chris Cameron, Colin McPhail, Tony von Richter and Alex Wickwire The date that every Canadian hockey fan has been anticipating is drawing nearer. Hockey Canada will name its 2010 Olympic men’s hockey team Dec. 31 and just like every angry, opinionated hockey fan, we feel that our feelings should be taken into account when naming the players. Naturally, Steve Yzerman will be racing to newsstands to see what we’ve written. So, instead of going to class and earning our degrees, we shut ourselves away from society and formed a gold-medal worthy team.

Goaltenders: A mix of experience, youth and Quebec should do the trick. Brodeur has been stellar and should be the starter – next. Luongo has not been on form so far this season, but the Montreal-native has been dealing with an injury and will be back in game-shape by the new year. We should see Pens’ netminder Fleury round out the trio. Fleury proved he can handle the pressure during last year’s playoffs and seems to have rid himself of that dreaded 2004 World Junior incident.

Defencemen: The three sets of defencemen are a balance of a big body, a smooth skater and tons of offensive ability. The big frame of Pronger and Sharks’ blueliner Boyle will not only be an even-strength force, but will be dynamite as they quaterback the Canadian powerplay. The veteran Niedmayer’s precision passing will be coupled with the big bodied Weber, who by no means is adverse to jumping into the rush for an offensive attack.

Flames’s d-men Bouwmeester and Phaneuf are quite adept offensively, yet possess the defensive qualities Team Canada needs. After having the first round of name-calling and hair pulling, we decided on putting Doughty as the seventh man based on his brilliant play so far.

Forwards: Canada just screams depth when it comes professional hockey players and this team

will be no exception. The trick is finding the right combination. A top line of Nash, Getzlaf and Crosby will have opposing goaltenders shaking between the pipes. These three big, strong bodies, who can skate, score and move the puck as good as anybody out there, should take the tournament by storm.

The second line should be made up of what I call “the San Jose connection”. Jumbo Joe centering Heatley and Marleau will prove to be an electric combination as the three stars are already quite familiar with each other. The prospect of Jumbo Joe feeding those two snipers coupled with the sheer force of that top line running the opposition out of GM Place is comforting to many Canadians, who still shudder at the thought of the 2006 performance. Three big bodies and veterans to the

Goalies Martin Brodeur Roberto Luongo Marc-Andre Fleury

Defensemen Dan Boyle Shea Weber Dion Phaneuf

Defensemen Chris Pronger Scott Niedermayer (C) Jay Bouwmeester Drew Doughty Left Wings Rick Nash (A) Dany Heatley Jeff Carter

Centers Sidney Crosby (A) Joe Thornton Vincent Lecavalier Mike Richards Jonathan Toews

sports briefs.

Varsity Reds hockey improve to 13-0 The men’s hockey tightened their stranglehold over the AUS as they picked up another couple of wins over the weekend against UdeM and St. Thomas. Friday night, the Reds traveled to Moncton for what would be a 12 goal shootout. Kyle Bailey opened the scoring for the Reds early in the game, but Moncton came back and tallied three goals in the last three minutes of the first. Bailey and Bretton Stamler scored two quick goals at the start of the second to square the match at 3-3. Fifty-four seconds later, UdeM nabbed the lead again, but the Reds equalized off Matt Fillier’s stick before the end of the second. John Scott Dickson gave the Reds a 5-4 lead with an early power play in the third and shortly after Hunter Tremblay made it 6-4 with ten minutes left. UdeM scored another, but that’s as close as they came. Alex Aldred added an insurance marker late to seal the 7-5 win. Saturday’s battle of the hill saw the Reds edge the Tommies 3-2 in an OT thriller. The teams traded goals during regulation with Dickson and Chris Culligan scoring for the Reds. Charles Lavigne, once again, stood on his head to take UNB to overtime, making 41 saves on the night. However midway through the extra frame, Bailey scored the winner to prolong the undefeated streak. The Reds will finish the first half of the season off against UPEI on Dec. 4 and Saint-Mary’s on Dec. 6. The UNB-SMU game is going to be the UNB Student and Teddy Bear night. Everyone is encouraged to bring a new teddy bear which will then be donated to charity. Admission to the game is free for UNB students with a validated UNB ID, and there will be deals on concessions at the event.

Red Blazers take second in the Sainte-Anne tournament The UNB women’s hockey club traveled to the Universite de Sainte-Anne over the weekend for the second tournament of a series of five in the Maritime Challenge Cup. The Red Blazers improved on their third place finish at the previous event by finishing second to Acadia. The ladies opened up the weekend with an impressive 3-0 shutout over Cape Breton University. Kayla Paynter led the way with a pair of goals, while Alysha Manderson picked up the shutout. UNB continued their strong play with a 3-1 win over Holland College. Katelyn Fitzhebert chipped a couple goals and Kristen Doucet picked up the third. The Blazers kept the good times rolling as they doubled USA 4-2. Janelle Cantafio’s pair of goals helped propel her squad into the final against Acadia. The Acadia squad was a little too much for the Red Blazers to handle they dropped UNB 5-2. This marks Acadia’s second straight tournament win and puts them in first spot of the Challenge Cup standings. UNB sits in second, CBU in third, Holland College is fourth and USA sits in fifth. The Challenge Cup will be on pause over the break and start again Jan. 8-10 as the five teams travel to Holland College for the third tournament.

Right Wings Ryan Getzlaf Patrick Marleau Jerome Iginla (A) Corey Perry

international stage should make up the third line. Staal, Lecavalier and Iginla will be an offensive force and produce an efficient forecheck. For the last four forwards, we decided to hit up the youth. Richards and Carter will be complemented nicely by Perry’s speed and skill.

Reliable faceoff man Jonathan Toews would be a good choice fort the thirteenth forward as he will be one of the leaders on future Canadian squads. Remembering the success of having Kirk Maltby and Kris Draper as defensive specialists in Salt Lake City, Richards and Carter would be a great asset to the squad in that same fashion as they had a combined total of 13 shorthanded points last season.

Notable Absentees: Shane Doan? Ryan Smyth?

If 2006 was any indication, Canada has to move to their younger stars for success. There’s just no room for these guys and by the sounds of it, Yzerman is not giving any free passes just because of your namesake. Simon Gagne? Injuries and inconsistent play this year will count against the skilled left winger. Jason Spezza? Marty St. Louis? Steven Stamkos?

Yzerman has been adamant in saying that Canada needs diversity amongst the player-types and there’s just no room for these guys. Duncan Keith? Brent Seabrooke? It was hard to say no to the Hawks top blueliners, but there were too many good defencemen and too little spot. Mike Greene? A brilliant offensive talent, but still lacks defensive skills needed to make this team. Steve Mason? Cam Ward? Mason is simply not ready and has been quite shaky this year, but he could easily be leading the pack in 2014. On the other hand, Ward was given some thought, but his inconsistency and current injury woes counted against him.

Icing these 23 gems would enable Canada to relive the same feelings from 1920, ‘24, ‘28, ‘32, ‘48, ‘52, and 2002.

brunswickansports

14 • Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143

THE OLYMPIC TORCH VISITS FREDDY

the brunswickan presents

not lookinglikesanta.

Ten tips helping you avoid the beard, the red suit and, most importantly, the belly after too much holiday fun.

1) When Great Aunt Marge shoves eleven tins full of sweets under your nose, indulge with caution.

2) Shovel your driveway for some exercise. If you want to avoid the inevitable heart attack that comes with shoveling, find a gym or jump on a stationary bike while watching Rudolph.

3) Good gravy! Yes, it’s fantastic, but keep it to a minimum. There’s no need to drown the turkey in gravy, it’s already dead.

4) Going to have a few brew? Stick to light beer. Getting frequently intoxicated, even though none of us would do it, could pack on some pounds. So suck it up and drink Alpine Summit - don’t worry, it all tastes the same after a few.

5) Hit up a local ski-hill for a fun-filled day of skiing, snowboarding or sliding. Worst case scenario - you hit a tree and end up in the hospital, but look on the bright side, you won’t be touching that hospital food.

6) Going south? You’re all set because you’ve been working on your beach-bod for weeks. However, it could translate into a basic rule of thumb: always keep yourself in a state of beach-bod readiness.

One of the many Torch bearers from community passed the Olympic Torch to a counterpart on Smythe St. in Fredericton last Wednesday. The NB capital is just one of the many stops for the Torch as it makes its way to Vancouver. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

7) Instead of lounging on the couch all break, go out and have fun with friends and family. A little social capital can do wonders and keep you active.

8) Eggnog obsession? Cut it with some milk to avoid the extra calories.

9) When exchanging presents under the mistletoe, indulge in each other not the box of chocolates.

10) Turn a trip to the mall into a workout. Power shop your way through the sales! Strap on running shoes and leave the carts alone - it’s workout time!

Behind the Red: Brett Watson

Christopher Cameron The Brunswickan The Varsity Reds men’s volleyball captain, Brett Watson, took time to sit down with the Brunswickan and talk about his experiences with the sport he loves.

Watson hails from Lethbridge, Alberta and is currently in his second year at the University of New Brunswick, studying in the faculty of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering. Watson has one year remaining in his program, but is in his last year of eligibility with the Reds.

Recent recipient of the Dirk Kiy Leadership Award, Watson discusses his venture to UNB and time spent with the Varsity Reds.

The Brunswickan: W hat broug ht you to U N B? Brett Watson: I ended up here strictly for academic reasons. I took a geomatics technology two year diploma in Alberta and then I worked for a year before deciding to finish my degree. There are only two options in Canada for a geomatics engineering degree, UNB and Calgary and this was the best option.

B: How did you start your volleyball career?

BW: I played volleyball all through high school years, played three years of post-

secondary in Alberta at a college out there and was not even going to play volleyball here, but ended up playing and here I am.

B: What do you do to balance engineering, volleyball, and other social activities?

BW: It’s time management. I mean I think it is easy to do poorly and make excuses, but it’s also very possible to work hard. I go to every class and when something needs to be done, I do it. I am not some kind of a genius, I just see myself as someone who uses their time wisely and gets done what needs to get done.

B: Being the team captain, do you believe your high level of academics plays a major role on such a talented team?

BW: Something our team really emphasizes is excellence in every avenue of your life.

If you can see a guy that is working hard in school and on the court, that is something that I believe our team holds up as a good standard and a good goal to strive for, and I try to do that.

B: What did winning the leadership award mean to you?

BW: It meant a lot. Dirk Kiy was a great player, and a great leader at UNB. To have my name held to such a high standard like his just means more than I can describe. It meant even more especially after not being sure whether I would come back after a tough season from an injury standpoint

last year.

B: So coming into the season you were not 100 per cent. Are you 100 per cent now, and do you think you made the right decision coming back?

BW: Physically right now, no I am not.

But we have players who can do just as good a job on the court as me if not better. Coming back it was more about feeling good about the relationships I had with Dan [the coach] and my teammates, because volleyball takes up a lot of time. I’m also a married man, so this is a huge time commitment for me to take time away from school, my wife, and to spend time with all these guys. But I’m glad I came back for sure.

Before ending the interview, Watson acknowledged his teammates and Head Coach as the main reasons for his return to Varsity sports.

BW: Dislocating my ankle last year was brutal and I am still struggling with that this year. It was an extremely tough decision for me to come back and play this year. I had to look and say is this a group of guys I want to spend a lot of time with for the next six months and is this a coach I want to spend the time with. The answer to both questions was absolutely yes. We have a fantastic group of guys and a great coach. Those reasons more than anything are what kept me playing this year.

brunswickanhealth

15 • Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143

H1N1: should athletes be a priority in line?

Jennifer Squires The Carillon REGINA (CUP) - Recently we’ve been hearing a lot about professional athletes in Ontario and Alberta that have skipped the H1N1 vaccination queue.

What gives them the right to do this?

What makes these athletes think they are more at risk than anyone else? Members of the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs are believed to have skipped the queue and gotten vaccinations when thousands of children haven’t received theirs yet. Are these athletes more important than highly vulnerable children?

Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews told the Canadian Press, I don’t care who you are, how rich you are, how famous you are, if you’re not in the priority group, get out of the line and let the people who are in the priority groups get their vaccination.

The teams are defending themselves, saying that the athletes are at high risk due to excessive contact with other players, fans and their heavy travel schedule. Clearly their spokespeople know more about those at risk than health professionals.

This also happened in Alberta when members of the Calgary Flames got the vaccine ahead of priority groups, resulting in the government of Alberta firing two health care workers.

A spokesman for the Ottawa Senators said that the team has not received the vaccine and their players are waiting, like other non-priority groups. We are waiting in line just like everyone else here in Ottawa, Phil Legault told the Canadian Press.

They’ll wait in line until it’s their turn.

Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath told the Canadian Press that it’s insulting that millionaire athletes received the vaccine while other people, including children, are dying in the province.

I thought that we were out of the ages where people with money get preferential treatment. Money doesn’t make people and non-experts shouldn’t be deciding who is at risk and deserves the vaccine.

Should athletes be a priority group for receiving the H1N1 vaccine? Some professional orgnizations, like the Calgary Flames, have already jumped ahead of the general public and received the shot. Flickr / CC Now Dr. Bob McCormack, the Canadian Olympic team’s chief medical officer is calling for Olympic athletes to be a priority when it comes to the vaccines.

He claims that the Olympic games are a breeding ground for the virus because the athletes are living so close to each other.

If the Olympic Games are a breeding ground for the virus, cancel them. If this really is a huge problem, we shouldn’t be encouraging people to live in such close quarters. If the games really are a breeding ground then all the fans that attend should be vaccinated also. It’s the same logic.

Whatever happened to women and children first? I know it’s a terrible double standard, but men, you’re dispensable.

I’m sure some people are complaining about those in the public service sector getting their vaccines next to first, but they encounter so many people from all walks of life every single day and are most at risk because of that. Not because they are in contact with the same few people every day like professional athletes.

Why are we giving preferential treatment to athletes? They already get more then they deserve, so why do we give them more? Is it because they can run and throw balls around? Wow. What a great reason.

Anyone I’ve talked to says that athletes shouldn’t be getting this vaccine before children, elderly people, and those who are deemed as at risk.

Exploring alternate ways to exercise Emily Laing Nexus VICTORIA (CUP) – Research papers, presentations, and exams are just a few of the many challenges students encountewr through the school year.

They can all cause students to experience high levels of stress – to put it mildly.

A little stress is okay, as it can boost the adrenaline, but too much can be detrimental to a person’s health.

Exercise is an excellent option when trying to cope and improve academic performance. The key is to keep the exercise interesting.

So how do students stay fit and reduce tension without being confined to just lifting weights and running on a treadmill?

Here’s one option: f inding instant gratification in hula hooping.

The hoop is a product from the 1950s but has returned to modern culture.

Regardless of age, weight, or rhythmic ability, hula hooping is a convenient exercise that almost anyone can enjoy; it’s also an affordable piece of equipment that can meet a rigid student budget.

People come to hula hoops through all different avenues. Randi Obenauer is a hula-hooping regular who became inspired with the hoop after spending a summer in Squamish, B.C. She met a group in Squamish who made heavy hoops for more extreme workouts and taught forms of dance while spinning a hula hoop. After just one lesson, Obenauer became hooked.

“I now own three of their heavy hoops in three different sizes and, yes, I can spin all three at once,” says Obenauer.

Not only do hula hoops bring back fond childhood memories, they primarily

target a person’s physical core, providing a cardio and strength workout through natural movements – so if students are feeling pent up in the classroom, and can pause for a brief break, they may find pleasure in devoting that time to having some fun inside the hoop rather than committing to long hours in a gym.

“I hate going to a gym,” says Obenauer. “It’s the most unnatural environment and the last place I want to go to try to get healthy.”

Another great way to explore other forms of physical activity is by getting involved with local outdoor community groups.

The Moonlight Midnight Mystery Ride is a group of bicycle enthusiasts who ride together on the second Friday of every month in Victoria. The group of riders meet under the moonlight for a whimsical journey through the city streets.

“Mystery Rides are definitely the cool-

est way to stay in shape,” says David Griffin Brown, a University of Victoria student and Mystery Ride participant.

“It’s a great group of people, and I have many new friends as a result of going.

We continue this pattern of riding and stopping several times, and often I don’t get home until 3 or 4 a.m.”

Being a part of groups like this can make for a great way to meet new faces, test a person’s endurance level, and enjoy relaxed-paced exercise at the end of a consuming week of tests, assignments, and everything else that comes along with being a full-time student.

Although the importance of physical exertion is nothing new, a variety of exercise is sometimes needed to maintain motivation. Students who set aside some time for exercise may feel more confident with their studies and gain a better sense of control over their hectic agendas.

Enyinnah Okere The Carillon R EG I N A (C U P) - T here a re many reasons that athletes but not their families should get prior it y for H1N1 vacci nat ion s.

First, they are at a much higher risk than the average human being. These individuals, by profession, spend more time with each other than they do their families.

In the case of NHL players, it is important to note that these athletes share the same facilities. We have all heard that athletes share simple things

such as water bottles.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. For four to eight months of the year, athletes will be sharing flights, team buses, and hotel rooms.

Now I have only spoken about the dangers that these athletes face from their teammates. It is important to address that they are in danger by coming into contact with their daily opponents. You may be able to control the conditions of your own locker rooms, but one has no control over the facilities of your opponents.

Fortunately, or unfortunately in this case, most professional athletes are mandated to interact with their fans. This entails autograph sessions, meet-and-greets, and other charitable activities. This means they are exposed to a wide variety of potentially dangerous agents that the average individual would never come in contact with.

There is also a business aspect to the issue of athletes receiving the flu shots.

Owners are paying these athletes an exorbitant amount of money to perform.

It would be negligent for an owner not to ensure that his commodities are performing at their highest capabilities.

The owner is at a competitive disadvantage if he or she refuses to do all they can to make sure that their players are healthy.

Finally, there is the issue pertaining to whether some individuals in society deserve priority over others. I understand that there is a lot of anti-athlete sentiment because they make X amount of money they are not any more valuable than any ordinary individual.

Let’s be realistic, folks: as much as everyone would like to believe in equality, we live in a society where not everyone is, in fact, equal.

Some people are more valuable in society than others. It is a reality that we all have to face. Professional athletes are a valuable part of our contemporary society and it is something we will have to accept.

thebruns.ca

16 • Dec. 2, 2009 • Issue 13 • Volume 143

brunswickanhealth