Issue 19, Vol 143, The Brunswickan

vinyl reviews//check out a new bi-weekly column >> pG. 15

Volume 143 • Issue 19 • Febuary 10, 2010

thebruns.ca

brunswickan canada’s oldest official student publication.

SU election has more seats empty than contested UNB may

be facing a strike

Lee Larrett News Editor

There are going to be many vacant seats at the council table next year if more candidates don’t join the race. A higher number of positions remain without nominees than those that are contested.

Nominations for the Student Union elections closed Friday Feb. 5 at 12 p.m., and at the all candidates meeting later that day the nominees were introduced.

Chief Returning Officer Catrin Berghoff explained that eight of the 24 races are contested, four out of 24 are filled, and the deadlines for 12 out of the 24 positions will be extended.

Only one position for the executive is uncontested. Running for UNBSU President are Shannon Carmont-McKinley, current vice president academic, and Stephanie Lord, current vice president student services. Running for vice president internal, the new title for the vice president academic position, is Cassie MacKinlay and Ashley Wile. Running for vice president external is Bradley James McKinney and Megan Glenwright. Nominated for vice president student services is Julia Coleman and Lauren Vail. Vice president finance is currently uncontested, with only Jordan Thompson nominated.

Presidential candidate Carmont-McKinley said that she has spent the past year as vice president academic, “gaining a well balanced perspective of both the services and the lobbying that the union does for students, and I believe that I am the best candidate to steer this organization as we continue in these efforts over the next year.”

She said that she is excited for this campaign period and encourages students to check out her campaign website, www. voteshannon.ca.

Stephanie Lord, current vice president student services, is also running for president, and she says her three years involved with the SU lend her a definite edge.

“Running for the position of UNB Student Union President is very important to me simply because I love this school, its students and the improvements the Union has achieved. However, there’s still a long way to go and I want to be the President who leads the UNBSU to reach its greatest potential by listening and working with the student population.”

Many general councillor candidates currently have little or no competition.

For arts representative, only Derek A.J. Ness and Nathan Ashton have their names in for the four councillor positions.

Ash Furrow, current computer science representative, is running for re-election with no opposition. Rachel McKinley is

Sarah Ratchford Editor in Chief

The campaiging for the 2010-11 student council elections began Friday at the all candidates meeting.

Over half of the deadlines had to be extended. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan nominated to return to her seat as forestry representative, and no one is standing in her way. Elizabeth Stirling is the only person with her eye on the nursing seat.

There will be some hot debate between Kevin Beets and Matthew Webb, who are running against each other to be the Renaissance College representative.

Although council reserves two seats for science representatives, only Thomas Fraser Allen has shown interest.

There are no nominees for a number of general councillor positions. The position of business representative, which under bylaw changes was given an extra seat for the coming year, has had no nominations

for its three seats. No one was interested in taking on the role of education representative.

Engineering was also set to gain an extra seat next year to bring its total to three councillors, but currently has no students ready to fill those positions. Kinesiology and law both have one vote at council, but won’t have any next year if no nominees come forward.

Although council has spent much time this year discussing representation of marginalized groups including the creation of liaison positions, no student has entered the race to be international representative or residence liaison.

There is a completely uncontested twoyear senate seat available. Running for the three available one year senate seats are Cassie MacKinlay, John Boldon, Lauren Vail, Kevin Beets and Derek A.J. Ness.

Stephanie Lord and Shannon CarmontMcKinley are both running for the two Board of Governor seats.

Graduating students will be voting for their valedictorians as well this elections period. No one is interested in being Valedictorian for Ceremony A, where

SEE COUNCIL PAGE 3

March Break might be longer, and sooner, than students at the University of New Brunswick expected.

After a conciliation effort, the university and its full-time faculty union have not been able to reach a contract agreement. UNB and the Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers (AUNBT) have been in negotiations for a new contract since June 2009 when their last collective agreement expired.

AUNBT represents nearly 550 full-time teachers, researchers and librarians. If an agreement cannot be reached, there is the possibility of a faculty strike or lockout. Both the Saint John and Fredericton campuses would be affected.

In order to better facilitate negotiations, both sides have agreed to a complete media blackout, and specific details of the contract are not being made public.

The school is not alone in its troubles; college faculty in Ontario are poised to strike on Feb. 17 after rejecting colleges’ final offer of a new three-year contract on Jan. 29. Over 200,000 full-time students in Ontario could be out of school if a strike occurs.

And at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., conciliation talks broke down at the end of January, with the school’s faculty calling the final offer from the school inadequate.

In New Brunswick, UNB and AUNBT issued a joint news release on Feb. 8 to update the public on the situation.

“Negotiations have resulted in agreement on several issues while others remain outstanding. Both parties wish to continue discussions,” the press release says.

It continues to say that on Feb. 5, the AUNBT applied to Donald Arsenault, New Brunswick’s minister of post-secondary education, training and

SEE STRIKE PAGE 2

brunswickannews

2 • Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143

Potential for strike or lockout at UNB FROM STRIKE PAGE 1 labour, to appoint a conciliator to help the parties successfully negotiate a deal that works for both sides.

Jon O’Kane, president of the UNB Fredericton Student Union, says the media blackout is for the better. The SU is not choosing a side, he says, as it does not want to “mess with deliberations.”

He says if the student union gets involved and becomes vocal on behalf of one side or the other, it could frustrate deliberations and force decisions that may not be for students’ better interests.

“We don’t want to use students as emotional pawns,” O’Kane says.

“We’ve never had a strike or lockout situation at UNB, and the university is proud of that.”

While the student union is not choosing a side to support, he says it is definitely not in favour of a strike.

To bring students up to speed, Anthony Secco, UNB’s Fredericton vicepresident, and Robert MacKinnon, UNB’s Saint John vice-president, sent out a press release outlining details.

“Negotiations have been fruitful and positive, but by January 2010 there

Be resume ready for a tough hiring season Lee Larrett News Editor

In 2008 STU faced a strike. UNB students may have scenes like this one to look forward to. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan were still some outstanding issues,” the release says.

“UNB is still optimistic that an agreement can be achieved through the negotiating process and failing that, we hope the minister will appoint a con-

ciliation board to help UNB and the AUNBT reach an agreement.”

The ministry of post-secondary education is expected to make an announcement regarding conciliation by mid-February.

Although most students are only thinking as far ahead as their next midterm, now is a good time to start thinking about summer or postgraduate employment.

Although most students don’t start working full time until after their last exam, many employers are looking to hire students now.

“People who wait until after their exams and then start looking for a job have missed the boat,” Anne Soucy, manager at UNB’s Student Employment Services, said.

“There’s a cycle of hiring,” Soucy explained. Part of the cycle is that for graduating students, most of the hiring happens in the fall.

Soucy explained that last summer was a difficult work season for students.

“Not only was there a problem with not enough positions, people’s hours were cut, so there was a problem with not making enough money for the fall.”

She expects that this coming summer will be another difficult one, and suggests that students should respond by being proactive about looking for work.

“Get outside the box in the type of position [you’re looking for],” she suggested. Soucy said that with any job, students are gaining experience.

“It does matter if you can get career related work, it’s great, but if not you’re still getting valuable tools, transferable skills.”

Soucy suggested that students first decide what it is they would like to do for work, and then draft a resume. Students can make an appointment to get help building a resume at Employment Services, or use online webinars and resources to help draft their resume.

One of the resources available online is the program Optimal Resume, which helps students build a resume and cover letter.

In an effort to be more accessible, Student Employment Services is now open one night a week on Tuesdays, and is using more online tools to reach students. After using Optimal Resume

the click of a button will, “send [the resume] to our office to review it electronically so we can make the changes and suggestions and send it back to you so you don’t have to physically come in to this office,” Soucy said.

The next step is to find businesses that are hiring. On Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. a summer job fair is being held in the SUB ballroom. Graduating students are welcome at the fair as full time positions are available with some companies, and Soucy suggested a summer job can be a good way for a student to “try out” a company.

A list of the employers that will be at the fair is available on the Employment Services website. Soucy recommended looking at the employers and what kinds of students they are interested in, and using that information to decide which booths to visit at the fair. Soucy urged students to come well dressed to the career fair, bring their resume and ask intelligent questions.

The Employment Services website also has links to various job banks and programs that can help find job openings for students. Full time, part time, and internship positions are all posted.

Summer jobs at UNB are posted, and employers who want UNB students can post job offerings online.

The website has applications for government programs such as Student Employment Experience Developmen (SEED) and Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP), as well as information about the Canada Summer Jobs program.

Finding an interesting job and delivering a relevant and mistake-free resume is not all it takes to land a job.

“The resume and cover letter will get you in there, but once you’re in there you have to sell yourself,” Soucy said. Student Employment Services offers a wealth of resources for students to prepare for that next step in the hiring process. Students can attend workshops, or go in for more tailored advice including expected interview questions and advice on how to prepare visually. Student Employment Services has a video camera so students can be filmed answering a series of questions and take home a DVD of themselves to review their performance.

Students can make an appointment to visit Student Employment Services at Neville Homestead.There students can get resume, interview and employment advice. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

brunswickannews

Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143 • 3

Winter Carnival goes downhill at Crabbe

Spending cuts at UNB Hilary Paige Smith News Reporter

Students wait for the free bus to Crabbe mountain to participate in half price ski night as part of Winter Carnival. After hitting the slopes students warmed up with free Cellar chilli. Sandy Chase / The Brunswickan Sandy Chase Staff Writer Despite the warm weather during what was supposed to be Winter Carnival, the UNB Student Union’s Crabbe night was a great success.

About 30 students with snowboards and skis lined the SUB entrance last Wednesday for the free bus to Crabbe Mountain to take in an afternoon on the slopes. The event was one of the few unaffected by the warm weather, which

had previously cancelled the ice sculpture competition and the Bridges Polar Dip. “It’s one of the highlights of winter carnival every year ever since Crabbe discontinued the weekday bus. It’s really great and it’s already half price for students regardless,” said Stephanie Lord, vice president student services.

Lord, who helped organize the event, added that at this time of year it’s a nice break for students who are busy.

“This is one of the events that in the case of a snow storm it kinda helps...

so we’re definitely glad to get something up and running with such a positive turnout,” said Lord, announcing to the waiting crowd that the bus would be arriving shortly.

“It’s also a good way to bond with students on the hour bus ride there and back,” Lord added.

The students spent the rest of the afternoon and evening at Crabbe, returning on the bus at 10 p.m., where the Student Union provided free chili from the Cellar to warm up the participants.

UNB has plans to cut $2.5 million in spending for the 2010-2011 budget year.

President Eddy Campbell released a budget update to the UNB community on Jan. 19, briefly mentioning the university administration’s plans for spending cuts in the coming academic year. The update outlined reasons for the spending cuts, and reassured community members that the budget will attempt to minimize the impact on campus.

“We will protect core student services, including student financial aid, as we cut costs. We have made great strides recently in creating a welcoming student experience and new opportunities for our communities. It is important that we protect these advances,” the update read.

The update also briefly outlined UNB’s plan for a sustainable financial model.

Dan Murray, vice president of finance and corporate services, said that spending cuts will come from all areas of the Fredericton campus, as well as all over the Saint John campus where $400,000 will be cut.

“The $2.5 million will come from almost all areas of the Fredericton campus, including university-wide departments that reside on the Fredericton campus.

Areas that have been exempted from budget adjustments are student financial aid, including scholarships and student

services. In other areas, such as utilities, it may not be possible to make reductions in the short term,” he said. “$2.5 million represents about 2.6 per cent of expenses that will be subject to adjustment. Budget submissions from all units have been completed and will be reviewed over the next few weeks.”

Murray said the level of budget adjustments made in this academic year was $2 million, as well as reassuring students that the impact of spending cuts will be minimal.

“The University is attempting to mitigate the impact on students. Certain areas have been exempted from budget adjustments and budget units have been instructed to minimize impacts on students,” he said.

Though UNB has yet to be announce what exactly is being cut, Murray said that campus deans and the academic vicepresident will be responsible for assessing budget cuts for faculties.

The final budget for the 2010-2011 year will be presented to the Board of Governors on April 15.

Meanwhile, UNB will be holding open budget forums on both campuses later this month to allow members of the university community to ask questions related to the budget. Murray said information is forthcoming on dates and times for the forums.

For more information about spending cuts at UNB, direct your questions to financialquestions2010@unb.ca.

Council will have many empty seats if SU elections don’t ramp up FROM COUNCIL PAGE 1 business, kinesiology and education students graduate.

In the running to be valedictorian at Ceremony B, for arts, nursing and Renaissance College students, are Stephanie Lord and Oliver Gorman-Asol.

Three people are vying to be Valedictorian at Ceremony C, which is for law, science, engineering, forestry and environmental management and computer science students. Graduates will choose between

John O’Neill, Chris Samuel, and Jon O’ Kane for Ceremony C. Nine positions are currently without any nominees, and three positions don’t have as many nominees as seats available.

For these 12 positions the nominations period will be extended until Friday Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. These positions are: arts, business, education, engineering, kinesiology, law, nursing, science, and international representatives, as well as the residence liaison, the two-year senate seat, and the Ceremony A valedictorian. Candidates in the three positions that will remain open

for nominations were free to begin campaigning at the end of the all-candidates meeting along with everyone else.

Following the introduction of candidates, CRO Catrin Berghoff gave a thorough reading of the bylaws governing the candidates’ campaigns. Berghoff made the rules very clear, even giving her interpretation of some ambiguous bylaws to avoid future trouble. Council recently passed bylaw amendments that alter some of the rules of elections. Berghoff walked the nominees through these changes, which include the allowance of slates,

Coke choke out

and the removal of the restriction against campaigning near computers.

Berghoff said that as CRO she is less inclined to impose fines on candidates who break the rules. She explained that her strategy will be to equal the playing field when a candidate has given themselves an unfair advantage, and perhaps punish them a little for breaking the rules. The bottom line for Berghoff is that candidates cannot expect to, “buy indulgences,” from her.

“The goal is to have all seats contested because that’s the only way voters have

a choice,” Berghoff said following the all-candidates meeting. “I think that’s something that may take a few years. If you consistently have people who try really hard to get a lot of nominations there can be a change ... once you get a culture of more competitiveness out there it will be self-perpetuating,” she said.

To help fill the positions for which nominations have been extended, the communications team will be around campus with hand bills speaking directly to individuals and targeting the faculties that are still missing representation.

By Sarah Ratchford

At CBTGs, people would rather do blow than blow their cash on booze.

Sandy Chisholm, who owns the bar in St. John’s, N.L., says he’s noticed a significant increase in the use of the drug over the past five or six years — and as a result, his liquor sales have plummeted.

“People have been doing drugs for a long time,” the bar owner says, “but things seem to have escalated. That person drinking until they pass out is a lost member of the downtown scene.”

Chisholm says it’s gotten to the point where holes are being punched in the walls of his bar, and “people just trying to go for a piss can’t get into the stalls.”

How does he know that coke’s the biggest problem?

“The little baggies with white dust in them are kind of a giveaway,” he says wryly.

Other drugs like ecstasy and OxyContin are part of the problem though, too. “It’s a chemical thing led by coke, which is the most fashionable,” says Chisholm.

As a reason for this escalated level of drug use in St. John’s, Chisholm cites the heightened level of prosperity in the Newfoundland city.

He says people in the region’s oil business, who are regularly tested for drug use, opt for cocaine because it doesn’t stay in their systems for as long a period as other, more common drugs like marijuana.

If a person smokes a joint, it can take up to 30 days to leave his or her system. Metabolites of cocaine, however, are usually untraceable in urine after 48 hours.

“On their weeks off, (some of these) people do all the coke they want, and they have the income to afford it,” Chisholm says.

While more frequent cocaine use is proving detrimental to CBTGs’ business, it hasn’t significantly impacted business at other major bars in the Atlantic region.

Steve “Stevo” Gillespie is the bar manager at Baba’s Lounge in Charlottetown, P.E.I., and he says he hasn’t noticed a big problem. He says all the bar staff really has to do to find out if coke is an issue is check the backs of toilets.

“I don’t find it’s an issue that involves a change in our sales,” he says, but “you do notice a difference on your DJ nights.”

He says it’s impossible to control what people do at home before they come to the bar, but ecstasy use is “quite a big maybe.”

Gillespie says that, at least at Baba’s Lounge, levels of visible drug use depend on the genre of music being played. He says dance music tends to carry with it a stronger drug culture than, say, hard rock music.

On nights when dance music is the focus, he says the bar sometimes sees a slight drop in liquor sales that could be attributed to drug use.

Fergus Breen, manager of the Capital Bar in Fredericton, says cocaine doesn’t pose big problems there either.

“I’ve worked here for 10 years and I’ve been in the bar industry for a long time, and in Fredericton I’ve seen no upswing in terms of drug use.

“People obviously smoke pot. They go off our patio and have the occasional joint here and there, but we have zero tolerance in terms of drugs.”

Breen says once in a while bouncers will find people doing coke in the bathroom, but when they’re caught they’re banned from the bar.

Bartender Jake Cuming says that drugs aren’t a major problem at Gus’ Pub in Halifax either.

“I’ve never seen anything like that, but I don’t know what (patrons are) doing on their own time,” he says.

Chisholm says he brought his bar’s drug problems to the media to get people to pay attention to what’s going on around them and to start a discussion about drug use.

“I’m not Clint Eastwood here; I’m not going to singlehandedly stop it all,” he says.

“It’s just frustrating more than anything.”

Are Atlantic Canadians increasingly looking to drugs over booze to take their night out to the next level?

Flickr CC

brunswickannews

4 • Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143

Social innovation for change in Fredericton Hilary Paige Smith News Reporter Fredericton Social Innovation is asking city residents how they can change Fredericton for the better.

The organization, devoted to enhancing cooperation between the public, private and non-profit sectors of the city, is holding an open space forum from Thursday, Feb. 18 to Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Capital Exhibit Centre.

Tim Ross, a member of the Fredericton Social Innovation secretariat and head of communications, said the event is a way to start a community conversation about issues in Fredericton and gather suggestions that could make it a better place to live.

“Fredericton Social Innovation is an organization that wants to bring together all three sectors to do some comprehensive community planning in our community here, so that’s the government, non-profit and private sectors. We realized that the best way to get the ball rolling in bringing down organizational silos between these three sectors is to include everybody in a community conversation and one of the best ways we found to do that is using something called open space technology,” Ross said of the inspiration behind the event.

Open space technology uses methods of open discussion around the questions “How do we make Fredericton a better place to live, work, play and learn?” That question will be printed across a large banner on the wall of the Capital Exhibit Centre, along with space for forum attendees to print their answers. This is called “the marketplace” in open space technology.

“This is kinda where the exchange starts to happen and people can either post something in the marketplace or wait and see if something they’re interested in shows

up on the marketplace, and then they select what they’re most interested in or most passionate about and they join that discussion.

It’s really dynamic,” Ross said.

Conveners of each discussion group will fill out forms listing participants in each group, what issues were raised, what their key recommendations were and what their action plan for change is. The information and suggestions that come out of the discussion groups and forms will be published to the Fredericton Social Innovation website for other members of the community to access.

Ross compared the event to a conference and the discussion groups to seminars, except that in a conference you can’t stand up and leave if you lose interest in the topic. This is not the case with the Open Space Forum.

The organization hopes to have a diverse group of Fredericton residents at the event.

“We want people from all walks of life in order to make it a true open space event. The more diverse, the better. We are a relatively affluent community here in Fredericton, but certainly there are some ongoing issues we can’t seem to get our heads around…We need to come up with a more dynamic way of doing things and the only way of doing that is by making new connections and meeting new people,” Ross said.

Ross said that students are especially welcome to come and network at the event because the post-secondary education community is so vast in Fredericton and there is sometimes a gap between the student community and the remainder of the city.

“The Open Space event is going to be a tremendous opportunity to bridge that gap I think, so Fredericton can see what PSE students here have to contribute to the community,” Ross said.

To register for the event or for any additional information visit www.fsi-isf.ca.

Council aims to eliminate tuition Lee Larrett News Editor At the start of council, Jon O’Kane, UNB Student Union president brought council up to date on the ongoing contract negotiations between UNB and the Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers.

O’Kane has been communicating with both parties and, after fielding questions from concerned students, will be posting a brief about negotiations on the SU website.

He explained that talks have been ongoing since the summer. Both groups filed for conciliation and after six meetings with the conciliator they were not able to reach an agreement. The conciliator then presented a report to the Minister of Labour. His response will either send the parties to a conciliation board, or a no board report will put the faculty in a position to vote to strike and the school in a position to lockout.

O’Kane said that UNB has never had a strike or lockout, and this record is one that both sides are working hard to preserve.

Rachel McKinley, forestry representative, read to council a report of concern regarding last week’s guest at council, Shane Martinez.

In her report she was clear that she felt council’s decision to fund Shawn Brant coming to UNB was the right one.

“I also feel that it is important that we are able to make decisions in a nonhostile environment, where we can think clearly and rationally, without being bullied into decision making by being accused of racism and white supremacy,” she said in the report. She pointed out that Martinez broke four different Robert’s rules of order, some multiple times.

Council Chair Chris Samuel apologized and acknowledged that he bears a lot of the responsibility for making council run comfortably and smoothly.

He said he will take McKinley’s report as a suggestion to come down harder on violations of Robert’s rules of order.

A motion tabled at the previous council meeting, originally proposed

by Arts Councilor Tom Cheney, was revisited and debated at length during council. Of the four amendments the most significant was the one O’Kane had prepared prior to council. Cheney’s original motion called for council to use its lobbying power to advocate for the “immediate and unconditional elimination of tuition.” O’Kane’s amendment reworded much of the body of Cheney’s motion and altered the final resolution to mandate the union to advocate for, “the reduction of the up front cost of education including tuition,” and for the, “provincial government to investigate alternative cost-recovery models for funding post-secondary education.”

Cheney felt that the spirit of O’Kane’s amendment was contradictory to the original motion. Samuel felt that both motions said a lot of the same things, and although they differed in their end goals, they were similar enough for the amendment to be in order.

The debate that followed focused on the realism and effectiveness of lobbying for a zero tuition model. Dave Steele, law representative, cited the student revolt in Paris in 1968 and their slogan, “Be realistic, demand the impossible.”

Steele felt that council should take that same attitude to tackle such a large issue.

He said that “tuition is discriminatory,” and that council, “needs to be principled about this,” and aim to eliminate tuition.

Shannon Carmont-McKinley, vice president academic explained that the

amendment was about making the motion realistic. She said she loved the idea of having zero tuition as an end goal, but the idea of tuition reduction should be kept in the wording as a reasonable step in the right direction.

Ryan Brideau, vice president external, felt that the amendment does its best to deal with the current debt students are facing, and work long term to reduce tuition, one day to zero. Brideau pointed out that, “there are some politicians that if you walk in and ask for unconditional elimination of tuition, they will ignore you.”

Following these talks, Julia Coleman, engineering representative, proposed an amendment to add to O’Kane’s amendment. Council unanimously approved that amendment to make O’Kane’s amendment read that the SU Executive, “use it’s lobbying power, whenever possible, to advocate for the reduction of the up front cost of education including tuition, with the end goal of eliminating these costs.”

Steele then moved to strike from the amendment the clause that suggests that the province be encouraged to investigate alternative cost-recovery methods to fund post-secondary education.

“We have a progressive tax system that should be fully funding our education, there’s no need for an alternative,” he said, and speculated that this portion of the amendment could be a window council was using to introduce neoliberal policy. His motion failed.

In the end Cheney said that council does need to be pragmatic and viewed tuition as a problem that council will chip away slowly at. Cheney did want a more concrete plan for tuition reduction, which the external committee will look into creating. The amendment was carried, as well as the amended original motion.

brunswickanopinion

Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143 • 5

editor@thebruns.ca

the brunswickan

Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief • Sarah Ratchford Managing • Alex Duncan News • Lee Larrett International • Danielle Bodie Arts • Alison Clack Sports • Colin McPhail Photo • Andrew Meade Copy •Sam Perlmutter Production • Christian Hapgood Online • Doug Estey

Students of UNB who care: Where are you?

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 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

There will be different people sitting in these seats next year, and right now it looks like a lot of seats are empty. Right now there are 12 vacant positions. From left:VP External Ryan Brideau, President Jon O’Kane, and VP Finance Lisa Solte. Andrew Meade

The Looking Glass Sarah Ratchford

Half of the positions for the 201011 Student Union council are, as yet, not being vied for.

You have the capability to make a difference, so do it.

brunswickanopinion

6 • Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143

The future of alcohol remains promising

Football and beer: some things just go together. Whether you love or hate football, the latter seems to make the former more fun. Internet Jonathan W. Salmon Staff Writer Well this week was a little different.

This is the first time that I’ve actually been requested to write about an event that occurred around the campus.

Although I was a little conflicted about what to write—or if I should even lend my pen to such an event—I did come to the conclusion that I would support

UNB’s attempt to finance our future alcoholics.

Thursday night at the Social Club was a busy night for aspiring bartenders, and liver damage patients alike. The “Drinksmart” event was held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. that evening.

The name strikes me as odd, as smarts and drinking rarely go hand in hand, but I guess “Alcoholics Anonymous” was already taken.

Nonetheless, it is an integral part to every university student’s life to learn how to mix a drink properly. If you missed this event, you are doomed to a life of unevenly mixed drinks and mediocrity.

Now that I have fulfilled those duties, I can get on to the reason behind my being awake at this ungodly hour of 4:30 a.m. The sun remains in its cradle, still unseen by this portion of the world, and much like a child on the eve of Dec. 25, I am anxiously awaiting the festivities of the day.

You guessed it folks, the Superbowl is hours from kickoff, and I can’t sleep a wink. I take solace in the fact that I’m not the only one. But the fact of the matter is that many people are in the same situation for reasons other than excitement.

Stress looms over the ten billion dollars predicted to be bet on a single game, from wagers that begin at the outset,

such as the coin toss, to other, stranger ones like what colour the winning coach’s underwear is—if any are present.

It seems a fitting situation to find myself amidst the snow of the port city, awaiting the visions of the Miami warmth while I struggle to retain my frostbitten limbs, and survive another long, tempestuous winter.

O Lord, who would wish to settle in this place? What were our ancestors thinking as they planted their first roots here and stifled those that were already solidified in the permafrost? And yet, as the New Brunswick landscape blows past upon the wind-chilled breeze, it is difficult to loathe the beauty of it at all…. By Jesus, where was I going with that? Subconscious patriotism at its finest, folks.

What was I writing about?

Ah, yes, football… As for the betting, I have no advice, except that those who risk big, win big.

Enjoy the game, enjoy the bets, enjoy the advertisements, and most of all, enjoy the beer. This kinda thing only comes ‘round once a year, and that’s a long time to wait for a sport. Good thing we have the Winter Games in Vancouver—I knew this country’s frigidness would come in handy—and March Madness to keep us busy in the meantime.

Ciao.

letters to the editor.

Council should be paying more attention to minorities Dear editor, Lee Larrett’s article in last week’s issue (entitled “Student Council tackles sensitive issues”) addressed some peripheral elements to the Marie-Joseph Angelique Society’s request for funding to bring Mohawk community organizer Shawn Brant to campus, but unfortunately it failed to address the issues that made this request newsworthy at all.

UNB students are presently being forced to fight with our Student Union to have it pay attention to issues affecting marginalized students. This frustrating reality reached a new low with the most recent debacle, when it was necessary for us to persistently argue with Council to have it overturn its rejection of the aforementioned

funding request. It was disturbingly revealed at the Council meeting on Feb. 1 that this rejection was based largely on Councilor Sam Perlmutter’s “research” about Shawn Brant– research which included information from an anti-Native website run by a man who has the support of white supremacists.

Unfortunately, this newest incident is just one thread in an ugly patchwork of stubborn ignorance within Council.

At the last Council meeting members of the UNB Student Union Executive scoffed at criticisms made about their complete failure to acknowledge Black History Month. Just a few weeks ago students had to apply serious pressure to Council to force it to add voting positions on Council for a Native Student Liaison, LGBQT Student Liaison and International Student Liaison.

And, unsurprisingly, Council has still not acted on students’ requests for employees of the UNB Student Union

to receive mandatory anti-oppression training. All of this reflects a trend within Council to not represent the interests of marginalized students until they are forced to do so, and it is an unacceptable disservice to our campus community that should not be tolerated.

Finally, it should be noted that Larrett somehow managed to mistake my sarcasm for excitement when referencing the remarks I made to Council while leaving the last meeting. Although the outcome was a positive one, my remark that Council was “awesome” was purely tongue-incheek. While some individual Council members deserve credit for taking a stand in defence of Native rights, Council as a whole has a long way to go before anyone can legitimately characterize it as being “awesome”.

Shane Martinez LLB Candidate (2010)

brunswickanopinion

Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143 • 7

Leave the country, leave your rights

Take My Word For It Sam Perlmutter The Canadian government appears to be doing its best to send a very strong and troubling message to its citizens.

Last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon confirmed once again that Canada will not seek to repatriate Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen, from Guantanamo Bay. While this is very much maintaining the status quo for the Conservative government (they have maintained this position on Khadr since taking office), Cannon’s remarks are particularly troubling given a recent Supreme Court of Canada decision.

In January the Supreme Court stated that CSIS had violated Mr. Khadr’s charter rights as a Canadian citizen.

CSIS agents interrogated Khadr despite being aware that he had been subject to sleep deprivation while incarcerated in Guantanamo, constituting a violation of his right to life, liberty and security.

Khadr, the last remaining Western citizen in Guantanamo, was captured in Afghanistan in 2002 as a 15-year old.

Khadr allegedly threw a grenade that killed an American soldier in a firefight.

Allan Hutchinson, a law professor at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, when asked about the Supreme Court ruling and subsequent government response, said, “for a government to simply ignore the court and the Constitution strikes me as very problematic.”

The Supreme Court stopped short of ordering the Canadian government to repatriate Khadr, possibly wary of making a judgment they would be unable to enforce. Instead, they acknowledged the blatant violations of Khadr rights that CSIS had been complicit in, and threw the ball into the government’s court.

The Conservatives, in typical form, refused to budge. Never mind enforcing that thing called a constitution. For this government, charter rights appear to be like Tim Hortons - they don’t extend very far beyond our borders.

This is not the first time Stephen Harper and his government have attempted to run roughshod over a Canadian citizen’s charter rights.

Last spring, a Federal Court ruled that Abousfian Abdelrazik’s charter rights had been violated by refusing to allow him to return to Canada.

Abdelrazik, a Canadian citizen, was initially arrested in 2003 while visiting his sick mother in Sudan. He was subsequently beaten and abused in Sudanese prison. After being cleared of all charges by the RCMP and CSIS, he lived in a storage room in the Canadian embassy in Sudan for over a year. The government consistently refused to grant him the emergency passport he required to return home.

At one point the government told him it would issue him emergency travel documents once he had purchased a plane ticket to Canada and found an airline willing to fly him home. Abdelrazik had a ticket purchased for April 2009, but was subsequently refused a passport.

Only when the Federal Court intervened did the government finally allow him to return to Canada.

It would seem as though the Conservatives did everything in their power to prevent Mr. Abdelrazik from returning to Canada, even though our constitution dictates this as a right.

This past summer, Canadian citizen Suaad Hagi Mohamud was detained in Kenya after immigration officials determined her facial features did not match those on her passport. The Canadian High Commissioner’s first secretary told Kenyan officials that Mohamud was an imposter. Lawrence Cannon claimed “there is no tangible proof” that Mohamud was Canadian.

Mohamud presented her Canadian drivers license, along with other docu-

As soon as you grab this and go, it might be hard to get back into Canada.Your identity might be questioned. Is it really appropriate for our government to be doing this? Flickr CC ments and fingerprints to verify her identity. She spent over two months living in Nairobi slum hotels, and was imprisoned for eight days.

Mohamud was finally able to return to Toronto on Aug. 15, almost three months after her initial attempts, after DNA testing confirmed her identity.

These three examples paint a very troubling picture of the steps our government will take to protect Canadians’ rights abroad. Whether or not Omar Khadr is in fact a terrorist (and he very well may be, being the youngest child in a well known terrorist family) is irrelevant.

Part of the intrinsic value in Canada’s charter rights is that they apply equally

we’re hiring for 2010-2011 for the following editorial board positions:

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Arts Editor Sports Editor Production Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Online Editor send your cover letter, resumé and sample pieces (3-5 written pieces, 5-10 photos, or 2-3 design exdeadline: by email to: 4 p.m. Feb. 26 amples) editor@thebruns.ca

to all citizens. As citizens we have certain obligations to our government and laws we must follow; likewise, the government has obligations to all its citizens, regardless of where they are or what crimes they may or may not have committed.

The government is supposed to offer protection and support when its citizens’ rights, especially charter rights, are violated. Our government cannot simply pick and choose which rights and which citizens it will protect. Our constitution is meaningless if the government only enforces it when it is convenient to do so.

The government’s blatant disregard for some of its citizens’ rights and freedoms sets a very scary precedent. Both

Mr. Khadr and Mr. Abdelrzazik are entitled to a fair trial and due process.

Their guilt should be determined by the courts, not in advance on the whims of CSIS. Our constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms represent the foundations upon which our country is built. Ignoring the charter (and to an extent the Supreme Court) undermines our government’s legitimacy and moral authority.

Our government’s unwillingness to protect and stand up for Canadians outside our borders is simply appalling.

All of Canada’s citizens should know that when they leave the country, their rights will follow them.

brunswickanopinion

8 • Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143

Any students out there with opinions?

In defense of the iPad

Tell us. editor@thebruns.ca People seem to be freaking out about the iPad: they love it or hate it. Last week Doug Estey went over the down side of the iPad, here’s the plus side. Flickr CC Ash Furrow The Brunswickan You’ve all done it again. You’ve gotten yourselves worked up in the latest Apple product frenzy. You’ve gotten all wrapped up in the exciting cocoon of speculative anticipation, only to be let down when the latest Apple product doesn’t make you coffee, solve world hunger and run on rainbow power.

And now that you’re pissed at your own stupidity, you’re blaming Apple.

Well, stop it. The iPad isn’t all that bad.

The Name: “iPad” Everyone and their prepubescent cousin has made the connection between iPad and maxi pads. Come on people.

Seriously? This was funny for about five minutes after the announcement. Just imagine if I made fun of the Wii’s name: “Ha - wee - it’s like a penis!” You’d stare awkwardly at me before returning your attention to the amazing fun of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Everyone made fun of Nintendo when they released the name of the Wii. How has that worked out for the company? Oh, that’s right - they’ve made fat stacks of cash.

Multitasking If I hear one more person complain that the iPad doesn’t multitask, I swear, I’m going to stop whatever I’m doing and punch them in the face. News flash everyone: the iPad is not a computer.

Well, it is, but not in the mainstream

sense of the word. You can multitask on a device that doesn’t computationally do multitasking. I do it all the time on my iPod Touch. I love the fact that the iPad doesn’t multitask. When you “exit” a program, that program just saves whatever you were doing. When you re-open the program, it’s like you never left. So what’s the big deal? You can’t use more than one program at a time on a regular computer anyways; in technical terms, you only have one active window. The Ubuntu Netbook Remix works on this principle.

The iPad just takes it one step further; the results are more responsive programs and considerably better battery life, with no programs in the “background” hogging your precious resources.

The app store While most people are happy to satiate their hate-on for Apple by complaining about the lack of multitasking, the Brunswickan’s own Doug Estey made the astute observation that applications running on the iPad need to come from the app store.

This is an unfortunate truth. Yes, Apple controls the app store. No, I don’t really like the idea of DRM. But you know what? It is a small price to pay in return for what you get. Apple is the Gatekeeper. They are the Sigourney Weaver of the app store, and like Zuul, they mean business. Apple kicks out any App that doesn’t conform to their human

interface guidelines. While incredibly totalitarian-sounding, this is actually a good thing. By only allowing apps that behave nicely and look good on their platform, they ensure a consistent experience for the user. Anyone can pick up an iPhone and they instantly know how to use it. You’d be foolish to say the same thing about a computer, even a Mac. Users of the iPhone get an easy-to-use device that works consistently. The same thing is waiting for iPad users. This, of course, puts the onus on developers.

They need to make really good apps in order to make it into the app store. In return, they’re guaranteed to get paid. A lot of iPhone developers are small garage companies or individuals, like myself. We are not huge corporations who can eat the losses of software piracy. The app store, while distasteful, is a necessity for a consistent user experience and for guaranteed revenue for small developers.

Conclusion So, you learn all this and you still don’t think the iPad is revolutionary? Well, you’re right. It’s not. The technology has been around for a while, but never before has it been combined this way with easy to use software for this price.

It’s not revolutionary; it’s just a different way of doing things. If you don’t like it, don’t buy one. Just don’t prejudge me as a fanboy when I whip out my sweet new iPad in class.

brunswickanopinion

Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143 • 9

Student

Viewpoint.

Who would you like to be your valentine?

Let everyone know whats on your mind.

“Obv. Brittany.”

Ben Savoie

Brittany Saab

“My significant other.”

Christina Moore

Chris Cameron

“That guy.”

“Dawn.”

Ryan Joy

Dawn Wortman

“Michelle Obama.”

Justin Tallman

“Colin McPhail.”

“Probably Ben.”

“J.K. Rowling.”

Kyle Taboulsee

“Megan Fox.”

Eric Garland

brunswickaninternational

10 • Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143

EWB PUTS ON GLOBAL CAFE

the brunswickan presents

a poem.

Black Velvet Tears by Yasmin Glinton

Oft’ the question is asked.

If I’m mixed…why do I write so on the plight of my subjected half How can I so easily become the black discarding the white that obviously lightened my skin.

And, my response you shall find within.

You seethe white woman in me doesn’t seek Definition.

In fact, she sits high on her rocking chair as content As could be.

She looks over the glories of a world Conquered by the grace of the fingernail On her left pinky.

Thin lips curl into a smile as if the Secret to happiness lay there within.

She’s been the image of woman that defined me.

Defined me so well I could not see the woman looking in despair from her confinement desiring with all her heart the grace and beauty of a woman she would never be.

She stared with a longing at the definition of what I believed a woman should be.

The UNB chapter of Engineers without Borders put on a global cafe last week, where they sold fair trade coffee and gave information on it to students. Above is Brian Magee putting in his volunteer time.

Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

We’re Hiring!

Check Page 7 for more details.

That we were both looking to a woman so different so strange.

Her skin was porcelain; She was dark of the earth Her hair straight- beautiful; She with hair unusual...unacceptable Her speech held elegance; She tripped words over each other Her walk melded with grace; She with a hidden seduction She was the wrong that named her right.

The more I walked with her trying miserably to fit into her shoes, narrow tight shoes, even though they were my ‘own’.

I couldn’t see through her eyes even if I tried.

Her thoughts could not associate with mine And I was pinched by shoes squeezing my feet Making the journey taxing - impossible to complete.

So I took them off And found she.

In her, definition Was not complete I could be.

You may not understand but She lets me run free and the definition of my self’s journey starts with us walking bare feet.

brunswickaninternational

International News Briefs

UNB grad adds a little spice to Fredericton

Danielle Bodie International Editor Patrice Williams, a UNB graduate from Trinidad and Tobago, has always loved cooking. Williams recently decided to put her passion to use and share some international spice with the citizens of Fredericton.

Williams recently graduated from UNB with a bachelor in business administration with a concentration in marketing. Using the skills she acquired at UNB, she started her own catering and party planning business, the first of its kind in Fredericton.

“I always knew that I wanted to own and operate my own business, and I have always

Interlock unfriendly for Reds South African President Jacob Zuma apologized to the nation after he fathered a child with a woman he is not married to. Zuma is a member of the Zulu ethnic group, who practice polygamy. He has 19 children from his three marriages.

Women’s basketball sweeps UPEI The G7 nations promised debt relief to Haiti following the deadly earthquake that hit the country.

The world’s top industrialized nations have pledged to write off Haiti’s debts. The G7 group, which includes Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, have been urged to cancel Haiti’s debt following the earthquake.

Danton makes AUS debut this week Dinosaur footprint found in Zhucheng, China. Scientists have found more than 3,000 dinosaur footprints all facing the same direction. Scientists believe that the footprints belong to over 60 types of dinosaurs and could have been caused by migration.

Danton makes AUS debut this week Iran and Iraq have exchanged bodies of soldiers killed in war. Iran handed over the remains of nine Iraqi soldiers, after Iraq returned the bodies of seven soldiers to Iran.

The Iran-Iraq war lasted eight years from 1980-1988.

Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143 • 11

enjoyed hosting and being creative in the kitchen, but it took me a long time to make the seemingly obvious connections and create D’ International Kitchen,” Williams says.

After being prompted and persuaded by friends and visitors who came and tasted her food, Williams decided that a business would be a good idea.

“I hosted games nights and other simple get-togethers, where I featured various dishes from my home country and other islands in the Caribbean to a group of my Canadian and international friends. These friends proceeded to place paid orders for my dishes during the week and times when I wasn’t hosting.”

This encouragement prompted her to venture out into the wider Fredericton community, where she featured selected dishes at various outdoor summer festivals, university fairs and church socials.

However, being from another country, Williams dealt with some difficulties when she decided to start her own business.

“Being an immigrant and therefore unfamiliar with the culture and the way business is done here, it was very frustrating and discouraging at times. But I overcame it by praying lots, trusting God and putting him first in my life and at the centre of everything I do, building up my network, getting rid of negative influences, doing

lots of research and creating a circle of good people with a powerful positive energy and social influence.”

Despite the obstacles Williams has faced, she has overcome them and created an organization that encourages students and members of the Fredericton community to come together and try something new.

D’ International Kitchen’s next event is a culture party called Mardi Gras. It will be hosted in the SUB Ballroom, Feb. 13, 9 p.m. - 1 a.m.

“It is an event that people would not want to miss. It features strictly cultural music, so patrons should prepare to sweat and have a good time,” Williams promises.

brunswickanarts arts@thebruns.ca

Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143 • 12

Protesting Valentines Day in style

Try giving an untraditional gift when you go on your unromantic date. If your partner has a decent sense of humour give him or her a bouquet of condom roses or have a play fight with some marshmallow guns (toy guns that shoot marshmallows if you didn’t catch that). Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

Sarah Ratchford Editor in Chief Valentines Day, that crummy, sickeningly commercialized consumer holiday is on Sunday.

Sure, some of you may like Valentines Day, and why not? You get to have sex (hopefully), eat chocolate and cuddle.

What’s wrong with that?

To find out, refer to the first sentence of this article.

Just walking into Superstore right now gives me a toothache and a heightened gag reflex. There are cheesy heart-covered gifts from floor to ceiling: cheap pink teddy bears, boxes of mediocre chocolates and mass-produced, impersonal Valentines cards.

And I’m not saying this out of bitterness

either. I haven’t been single since I was about 10 years old, so I’m not a lonely old hag. I just don’t understand the appeal of cheesy, useless gifts and forced emotions.

Going out for a candlelit dinner and constructing the perfect evening in your mind, only to have it all torn down when things don’t meet your expectations, is not my idea of fun.

Further, I don’t think we should need to have a specific day to show we love someone. Have a crush? Don’t waste time by waiting ‘til Valentines Day. Confess right away, life is short. Already have a partner?

Make them feel loved every day, not just on Feb. 14.

This said, celebrating Valentines Day can still be fun, and you needn’t be senselessly unstylish and cliché by doing so. How is this possible?

Plan a distinctly unromantic date. That’s right, I said it. Be unromantic on purpose in order to keep it original.

As a favour to all you indie lovers out there, I’ve compiled the top five fun but unromantic dates.

Number 5: Video games. If you and your partner, or date, both like playing video games, this can be a fun date. Pull out any game or system which is at least moderately retro. Haul out your Nintendo 64 and play Mario Kart, or use your super old school Nintendo entertainment system and play Duck Hunt, which comes with the system. If you want to go for the truly unromantic try out a classic fighting game like Double Dragon, where you can play coop with your partner. If you don’t want to be so co-operative and have a Super Nintendo, break out Street Fighter and play versus.

Finally, you can’t go wrong with a classic like Donkey Kong. Just remember that the key to this date is to both be playing; don’t pick a one-player game or you’re bound to have a pretty boring date.

Number 4: Pizza and beer. Nothing like a good old-fashioned beer belly to bring on the romance. Grab a couple delivery menus or head to the grocery store and pick up your favourite frozen pizza. Break out your cruddiest, greasiest sweats, and accompany this classy combo with a season or two of Family Guy, The Simpsons, or How I met Your Mother.

Number 3: Sports. Hit up the Atlantic Motorcycle Expo on Valentines Day weekend. The show takes place at the Moncton coliseum. For added romance, there’s even a Ladies Night on Saturday. One couple I

know goes to this event every year and they love it. Or, if motorcycles aren’t your thang, pull an all-Canadian night and watch some curling. The two of you will likely become so bored that your attention to the game will dwindle and soon your night will end early in the best way possible.

Number 2: A stupid movie night. Break out the comedic classics of our time like Anchorman, Napoleon Dynamite, Meet the Parents, Zoolander. Anything with Will Farrell, Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler will do.

Number 1: A Valentines Trip. The Brunswickan does not endorse drug use by any means. Drugs are bad, mmkay?

That said, if you are an adventurous, drugsoriented individual who already indulges, consider going on a little trip. I have friends who do this in protest of the cheese ball day, and they have a great time doing it.

V-Day: “V is for victory, valentine, and vaginas” Maggie DeWolfe The Brunswickan Wouldn’t it be nice if Valentine’s Day was about more than candy, flowers and sappy cards?

Well this year, it is. The UNB Sexuality Centre is working with Making Waves and the V-Day Organization to present The Vagina Monologues, a play about the journeys women, and their bodies, undertake in finding themselves.

The Vagina Monologues, written by Eve Ensler, helps shed light on many different women’s issues. Almost 11 years ago, Ensler created the V-Day Organization, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.

V-Day also brings attention to the issues of rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation and sex slavery.

Since its creation, V-Day has raised a miraculous $70 million, which directly benefits women’s anti-violence

networks and many other women’s charities.

Each year, V-Day focuses on a different women’s issue, which is in turn turned into a “spotlight monologue” for the yearly performances of The Vagina Monologues. This year, the focus is on the women and girls of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Since 1996, sexual violence against girls and women in the eastern DRC has been used as a weapon of war, and is nothing short of femicide. Since the conflict began, hundreds of thousands of women and girls have been raped, tortured and killed.

A high percentage of the proceeds of this year’s performances of The Vagina Monologues will go towards the construction and opening of the City of Joy; a safe facility and community for female survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The City of Joy will provide support to

help heal victims, and training to further develop their leadership and life skills, allowing them to move on from the atrocities committed against them.

Sarah Olsen, coordinator of the UNB Sexuality Centre, feels that the annual production of The Vagina Monologues is helping to create awareness for women’s issues.

“By bringing up and highlighting these issues, and bringing attention to the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the V-Day organization is doing much more than just raising money,” Olsen says.

This year, the sexuality centre is also donating 10 per cent of the profits from the performance of The Vagina Monologues to Making Waves, a province-wide initiative that educates teens about dating violence prevention.

“Each performance of The Vagina Monologues is different,” Olsen says, “A new campaign monologue, new director and different actors make for a different show. Plus it’s a charity, so why not go?”

Something noticeably different in this year’s performance is its director Aiden Dewhurst, a male Sexuality Centre volunteer.

“My friends questioned it at first,” Dewhurst says, “But once they realized that it was such a prevalent issue, they understood why I wanted to do it, and saw how important it is to get involved.”

According to Olsen, having a male in a leadership role normalizes The Vagina Monologues and the V-Day organization and makes them more accessible to men.

“Don’t be afraid of coming [to the show] because of the vagina,” Olsen says, “Women and men together are the future. We don’t want to hurt each other, and encouraging men to learn more will show them how they can help.”

The show itself has already touched many lives. According to Olsen, the actors involved in the show learned a lot, not only about the issues they were representing, but about themselves. She also feels that you don’t even have to see the show to be affected by it; simply

the knowledge that it exists will make a difference.

“People will hear it and say it’s alright,” Olsen says, “The emotional response is like an awakening. It says that it’s okay to love yourself as a woman.”

Perhaps the most important thing to be learned from The Vagina Monologues is that these issues are incredibly prevalent, and forcing the issue of violence against women into the spotlight can be a catalyst for change.

“The only way to create change is to recognize the ugly truth,” Olsen says, “And then you can put energy into making change.”

The Vagina Monologues will be performed Thursday, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. at Marshall d’Avray Hall, room 143. Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for general public, and are available at the Student Union Building Welcome Centre.

For more information about the VDay organization or to find out how to get involved, visit www.vday.org, or the UNB Sexuality Centre.

brunswickanarts

Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143 • 13

Times they are a changin’

Have an idea for an arts story?

Let us know.

arts@thebruns.ca

((Indie Pop Night)) has always been packed, but the past few “events with Bones” have left some people feeling smothered out. Marc Leblanc/ Submitted Alison Clack Arts Editor

thebruns.ca

visit us on the tubes!

The bars in Fredericton exist in a precarious balance that has been threatened this semester.

Each bar in the downtown area offers its patrons something a little different.

For instance, Boom! offers all night dancing and fun without any of the greasiness that you feel after visiting a bar like Zees.

Dolan’s allows for a pub feeling while still providing some danceable music, and the Capital provides an awesome venue for indie music acts passing through the area.

Sweets, well, it provides the smut.

Sweets. Yes, that’s where the downfall of this precarious balance has begun.

It’s not the bar itself that is the problem, in all honesty it should be a really nice place; however, some of the bar’s clientele – in my mind - are less than savoury.

In what one can only assume is an effort to decrease the severity of that reputation, the newly named iRock has put an age limit on their Saturday night clientele that has affected the

atmosphere of a number of other Fredericton bars on those nights.

Maybe the most poignant and recent of examples is the Capital Complex’s monthly dance party, ((Indie Pop Night)), hosted by Moncton’s DJ Bones.

In an interview with the Brunswickan earlier this semester, Bones remarked on the changing face of ((IPN)). He realized that the crowd of traditional patrons of his event was being bolstered by a new group of unconventional ((IPN)) goers.

However, no one used to attending the event could have anticipated the gong show to greet them at last week’s dance party.

Having been a fan of the event since I started going earlier in my second year, I looked forward to attending this month’s ((IPN)). However, upon entering the Capital last Saturday night I started to wonder if I was in the right place.

I definitely wasn’t in Kansas anymore, Toto.

The Capital, which I used to consider my safe haven from the sweat rubdowns and ass grabbing of other bars in Fredericton, was overflowing.

The rail to the stage, where Bones

plays, looked like it should have broken from the giant game of sardines people were playing up there.

The acrid smell of sweat and puke was all I could smell. This was not at all like the event I once knew.

And I’m not going to lie. The event has always been sweatier and put me in a lot closer quarters than most Capital events, but it’s always tolerable.

I made my exit early in the night from the event, and the stories I’ve heard about the rest of it keep me from regretting my hasty retreat.

While fights at the Capital are very uncommon (personally, I’ve never actually heard of one) I was told numerous stories of fights breaking out that night. Even if I account for the hyperbole that is apt to happen in weekend gossip, it’s still more fights than I have heard of before at the Capital.

So, I wonder what the future of this event will be. I know a number of other ((IPN)) goers that have a similar sentiment to myself.

Personally, I think I may have to take an early retirement from the event, or at least a short break.

So, for now, it’s RIP ((IPN)). Let’s see what the new Fredericton bar scene has to offer.

brunswickanarts

14 • Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143

To love or not to love? Either way give these a listen Alison Clack Arts Editor There seems to be an unwritten rule that when it comes to Valentine’s Day, you either have to love it or hate it.

Everyone has an opinion about this over-commercialized holiday dedicated to one of the most basic (and yet strongest) of human sentiments.

Valentine’s Day is a holiday filled with heart shaped boxes of chocolate, half-naked babies with wings, roses and sappy love songs. However, despite the sentiment, some of these love songs just leave something to be desired.

While a ballad about love might seem fitting for whatever umpteenth season of American Idol is on now, it just does not seem to fit in the real world of love.

And what about the people who want to rally against Valentine’s Day’s season of commercial love and tacky combinations of crimson red and Barbie pink?

Angst-ridden drivel from screamo bands singing “I hate everything about you” are far too obnoxious for anyone to be able to sit and listen to for longer than ten seconds without wanting to rip out their earphones.

However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Every so often the music industry manages to turn out some decent love (and anti-love) songs that aren’t just insidious nonsense.

Whichever side of the coin you want, here are lists of the top five love, and antilove, songs you should have a listen to this Valentine’s Day. In no particular order here are the top anti-love songs: 1. Shaggy - “It Wasn’t Me” “Honey came in and she caught me red-handed / creeping with the girl next door / picture this, we were both butt naked / banging on the bathroom floor.”

Maybe the most obvious song on this list. Yes, it’s ridiculous. Yes, it’s obvious.

Yes, it’s even a little bit annoying, but God is it ever a classic. Don’t even try to say that you never had fun dancing to this song at your elementary and middle school sock-hops and dances.

2. The Roots - “The Seed 2.0” “I don’t ask for much these days / and I don’t bitch and whine if I don’t get my way / I only wanna fertilize another behind my lover’s back.”

Initially, this song sounds like a song that you could easily chill out and have a beer with friends to. Then, you catch the line “I push my seed in her bush for life” and do a double take. On a closer listen, the song is about a guy cheating on his girlfriend and impregnating the mistress.

And he doesn’t give a shit.

3. Tegan and Sara – Anything. Really.

“Where do you go with your broken heart in tow. / What do you do with the left over you / and how do you know, when to let go. / Where does the good go?”

Seriously, nearly every song by Tegan and Sara is a break up song. Not to say that I don’t like to listen to them, but I just have to face the facts: the girls have had some serious relationship issues and it’s reflected in their songs.

4. Soulja boy - “Tell ‘Em” “Soulja Boy up in this hoe / Watch me crank it / Watch me roll / Watch me crank dat Soulja Boy / Then Super Man dat hoe.”

Does anything else really need to be said?

5. Bon Iver - “Skinny Love” “Come on skinny love just last the year / pour a little salt we were never here / my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my. / Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer.”

This one is for the broken-hearted who want a sadder, more mellow song to listen to. Despite the beautiful vocals and acoustic guitar, one minute of paying attention to the lyrics and you’ll realize

Whether you want to celebrate an anti-Valentine’s Day or whether you want to embrace the holiday of love make sure that you give a listen to some of these songs. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan that Bon Iver is one embittered man.

And now for the more light-hearted choices, here are some love songs that single handedly redeem the style from all the terrible ballads Mariah Carey (et al) have produced.

1. Cat Power – “Sea of Love” “I want to tell you / how much / I love you.”

Whenever I hear this song it conjures the scene out of Juno where I first heard it. It’s hard to deny the overwhelming power of love when you see a mom as her baby is first born. And despite all the nasty things that go along with the birthing process I can’t help but get the warm fuzzies when I hear this song.

2. Etta James - “At Last” “At last, my love has come along / My lonely days are over.”

This song might just be the epitome of all love songs. Despite having previously stated how much I hate (read: loathe) cheesy love songs I can’t help but feel a

ridiculous pull whenever this song plays.

Maybe it’s the simplicity of the accompaniment, maybe it’s the understated power of Etta James voice, but something about this song gets me every time. True, pure, honest: it’s all you could really want.

3. Stars - “My Favourite Book” “How I know your face, all the ways you move/ you come in, I can read you / you’re my favourite book.”

This is a song that describes the strength of a relationship over time.

This is a song that describes the simple moments in a relationship that are the best parts. No grand gestures in this song. This song is about the comfort that comes with love and knowing someone else like you know yourself.

4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Maps” “Wait, they don’t love you like I love you.”

So, initially when I hear this song I think of Rock Band – not a promising beginning - then I think about why it

reminds me of the game. I fell so completely in love with the song when I first heard it and when my roommate bought the game we always played it. There’s something about the desperation of Karen O’s singing that tugs on the heart strings (and just try and watch the song’s video and feel nothing when she earnestly cries while singing). So, despite the initial connotation in my mind I have to say this is one beautiful love song.

5. The Beatles - “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” “And when I touch you I feel happy, inside / It’s such a feeling that my love I can’t hide.”

Okay, so I said I hated cheesy love songs and then I put this one on the list.

Well, every rule has its exception and this one is it. Maybe it’s the song’s light hearted innocence in the face of all the overt sexuality that assaults us in the day to day, but something about this song is just too cute to hate.

A good cup of java is Paradise Andrew Meade and Mike Erb The Brunswickan Jonnie Java Roasters is located in Paradise Imports, which sells exotic items from all over the world and has recently started selling coffee.

The store roasts and grinds its coffee beans every morning. By doing so, freshness is guaranteed, and the taste proves just that.

Mike’s order was the same as Andrew’s: a double espresso ran long for a reasonable $2.25.

Milk and sugar were added by our friendly barista, Jonnie. Andrew took his

black, as per usual.

In a delightful show of kindness, Jonnie filled Mike’s travel mug to the brim without question at the same reasonable price as Andrew’s disposable counterpart.

The barista’s mixture turned out fairly well, but could have used a little more milk as Mike found the coffee a bit bitter.

However, he does not hold this against Jonnie as espresso is a strongly caffeinated drink and tends to be bitter, and everyone’s preference towards added fixings differs.

Andrew didn’t have the same dilemma as his coffee lacked Mike’s fixings. His thoughts on the brew were solidified shortly after the first few sips. The espresso

was strong and bold with a bitter, yet pleasant aftertaste. The freshness of the roast was immediately noticeable and did not leave the stale taste of espresso roasted weeks before from large chain coffee shops.

The café lacks seating, as its single table that used to sit near the counter is now gone. It is apparent that the establishment is more of a take- out. While some might find this inconvenient, our pair of coffee connoisseurs were not bothered. Fortunately, the staff does not rush you out the door as they are courteous and like to make small talk.

Once, Mike spoke with Jonnie for about 15 minutes about coffee, as he provided me with helpful tips on how to better my coffee making at home.

The verdict on coffee at Jonnie Java Roasters was unanimous among our duo.

Both Mike and Andrew gave their coffees a venerable rating of 4 out of 5 beans.

Mike’s only qualm was the slight bitterness as he usually prefers his coffee strong but with a subtle taste, but he is basically just fussy and hard to please.

Andrew also thoroughly enjoyed his cup; he would have liked there to be slightly more subtle flavours in the espresso.

Personal preference aside, Jonnie Java Roasters is a coffee gem hidden in the center of downtown Fredericton; next time you decide to take a trip downtown, step into Paradise Imports and treat your taste buds to a fresh cup of the new black gold, (not oil that is).

Jonnie Java Roasters is located inside the Paradise Imports store at 95 York St.. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

brunswickanarts

Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143 • 15

I really can’t stay, but baby it’s cold outside!

8 Tips for keeping warm when the mercury drops.

Snowy White The Brunswickan Ohh baby, it’s cold outside.

There are no other words to sum up the terrible weather we’ve been having. In the past couple of weeks, the temperature has rarely climbed above minus 15 and according to the groundhog, there are still six more weeks of winter to weather.

My inspiration for the following list came when I was making my daily trip back up Regent Street from campus last week, dragging my sorry, frozen ass every inch of the way. I felt like my cheeks were falling off, my lips were frozen to my nose and my hair was whipping my face like iced leather. If these sensations sound familiar, you might also be desperate for ways to beat the cold.

It’s also February, in case you haven’t entered Wal-Mart recently and missed the display of Cupid-vomit, heart-splattered glory, and that means Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. If you believe in the hype and celebrate the holiday, some of these tips may also apply to you.

1. Light a fire.

If you have a fireplace and never had the guts to use it, now would be the time. Fire it up, snuggle in front of it

under the softest blanket you have.

You’ll be as snug as a bug in a rug.

Forget the bearskin rug though, this ain’t a ‘70s porno.

2. Do it Yogi-style.

The more you can tie the fireplace into a Valentine’s date, the better. Enjoy a picnic on the hearth.

Strawberries, champagne, a cheese tray, whatever sends your stomach rumbling. No fireplace? No sweat.

Crank the heat and enjoy a carpet picnic anyway.

3. Build a blanket fort.

Make it as comfy as possible with as many blankets/cushions/throw pillows as you have. Make it a prime piece of bedding-based real estate.

Make it a blanket mansion. Make it a shame to have to take down.

4. Kick it old Hollywood.

If you’re feeling really suave, build your blanket fort around the television. Play old romance films and hold hands with your Mr. or Mrs. I’m personally a fan of Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Gone With the Wind. If, frankly my dears, you don’t give a damn about romance, try an old Hitchcock film.

5. Have hot sex.

Sharing is good. So is body heat. So get naked and put the two together.

Besides, everyone knows that Valen-

tine’s day is more about having crazy sex in red underwear than true love anyway.

6. Make Magic Coffee.

Not familiar? Here’s the recipe.

Make a small pot of coffee and a small pot of hot chocolate. Mix the two together in your favorite mug with a shot of Bailey’s Irish Cream (Caramel is my favourite), a shot of Kahlua and a shot of Amaretto. Top it off with whipped cream, caramel, heart-shaped sprinkles. If it’s sweet and you have it, pile it on.

7. Deal with it.

It’s the most difficult option, but embrace the cold. Make a snow fort.

Make snow angels. Make a snow man.

Go sledding. Go skiing. Go snowboarding. Hit the snow with reckless abandon, whether with a group of friends or your valentine, and enjoy warming up in bathrobes later while you wait for your clothes to dry.

8. Combine.

If all of these fail individually, my best suggestion for you is to combine them all at once. Seriously, what would be better than coming in from the cold and getting buzzed on Magic Coffee and having hot sex in a blanket fort as you’re warmed by the fireplace?

Nothing.

Stay warm lovers!

The Mission: vinyl reviews

visit us on the tubes!

thebruns.ca

InThe Groove Ben Burnett & Christian Hapgood We had the aimless aspiration to write a column reviewing old records.

Enter Eric Hill, shop-keep of Backstreet Records on King St., whose wisdom and depth of knowledge when it comes to these things far exceeds our own.

Though CD sales are now dropping quicker than the Jonas brothers can drop teenage panties, vinyl is a re-emerging trend. While CDs are easily trumped by mp3s, which can be downloaded and traded on blank discs, vinyls have a sound that’s hard to duplicate.

Local record stores are still a wealth of older, harder to find albums. We asked Hill to recommend us something outside the “New Releases” stack, among the slush-pile of used records that is at times too daunting to wade through.

Ben: We wanted to review artists we’d never heard before to illustrate the depth of quality in Backstreet’s stacks. This week we borrowed Prefab Sprout’s From Langley Park to Memphis, their third record from 1988. The group is fronted by Paddy McAloon, a melodramatic and wry lyricist, whose songs are typically both extravagant and gawkish. On Langley Park McAloon’s croon switches between awkward and assertive, and details his troubles as a new-comer reconciling with America’s exhausting obsession with pop culture.

Christian: When we first sat down to listen to this album I was skeptical.

Ben mentioned that we were going to review a Brit-pop album and I have no experience listening to this genre of music. The first song, “The King of Rock and Roll,” was littered with what seemed like childish, nonsensical lyrics.

Case in point: the chorus was “Hot dog, jumping frog, Albu-quer-que” Also, I found the slap bass and synth parts to be very cheesy at times. After sleeping on it and giving Prefab Sprout a second

Cuddle up in front of the fire with your partner and have a lazy night getting warmed up from the cold. Sandy Chase / The Brunswickan

chance I let myself listen to the album as if this were a new album released in 1988, which allowed me to understand the context of the Brit pop album a lot better.

B: To be fair, Langley Park isn’t really Brit-pop, beyond being a pop record from Britain. Brit-pop is largely used to refer to the ‘90s scene figure-headed by Pulp, Blur, and Oasis – all (somewhat) worth their salt, but those groups are a less sophisticated breed. As a point of reference, “I Remember That” recalls the same grandeur and swank the Smiths manage to convey on “I Know It’s Over”. While “Cars and Girls” satirizes Springsteen’s Americanization of rock n roll, and almost works as a prelude to nerd rock (ala early Weezer).

This is a complex pop album that acts like an outsider next to North American rock music.

C: I would say From Langley Park to Memphis is a complex pop album, but only insofar as it has pop culture music references and an unconventional song structure. Although I am not an expert in ‘80s music, I feel that this album was not a great contribution to pop-rock

music, despite its commercial success.

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the album but believe that their previous albums would have had a greater impact (not to discredit this album’s production quality).

B: I think what really sets this record apart is the high quality production. Often “polished production” is shorthand for sterility in a recording.

But these songs were meticulously constructed, and the production really illuminates their intricacies. This is a cinematic record - often as big and operatic as a musical. Lyrically, it’s wrought with irreverent nods to pop culture, and this duality (McAloon’s love/hate relationship with showmanship) fuels the record.

C: All-in-all this album was a good listen, but maybe not something I would listen to every day. It’s a shame that a lot of the old vinyl in the stacks go untouched for years without anyone to listen to them. So, if you’re downtown and need to spice up your music collection, or just want to broaden your taste like myself, ask Eric at Backstreet. He can hook you up.

16 • Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143

Illustrating the fine lines of mental illness Brennan Neill The Concordian MONTREAL (CUP) — Mental illness is one of the few social taboos that is still completely ignored, misrepresented or flat-out denied by much of the Western world. Von Allan experienced the toll mental illness can take firsthand — his mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 11.

“It was when she starting having nervous breakdown episodes and being hospitalized that I realized ‘She’s not well at all,’ ” says Allan. “She was having problems, and the problems were such that I couldn’t help. There a really strong sense of powerlessness that goes with that. There’s nothing I could do.”

Reality paints a much different portrait of those suffering from a mental illness than many people see it. In fact, 20 per cent of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime, and schizophrenia affects one per cent of the population.

An illustrator and author, Allan translated his experience into his new graphic novel, the road to god knows…

Set in Ottawa during the fall of 1988, the road to god knows… is centred on Marie, a 13-year-old girl coming to terms with her mother’s schizophrenia. The novel opens with Marie returning to her family’s small, barren apartment following her mother’s release from a clinic after another mental breakdown.

While the graphic novel is fiction, many events and elements are based on Allan’s childhood. It’s deeply personal, and as the plot unfolds there are a series of increasingly stomach-churning

breakdowns. With each episode, Marie is forced to confront her mother’s mental illness and with the help of a friend, Kelly, begins to comprehend her mother’s struggle.

What is particularly interesting is that Allan has decided to tell his story through a girl in her early teens. It’s quite difficult for an author to develop a central character from across the gender divide, but Allan has succeeded in Marie. It’s also clear that Allan has planted some of his personality in Marie; take, for instance, her love of tag-team wrestling. The result is a well-thought out and completely likable tomboy that you’ll root for.

Allan’s art is simple, but fitting for the stripped-down storyline. What is most surprising is that Allan only began drawing just over ten years ago at age 25. Easily the most memorable panels come when Marie is visiting her mother in a mental hospital. Allan subtly bends the straight lines of the black-and-white checkered hallways, adding to the already unsettling atmosphere. It’s a nice touch that enhances his style.

When Allan set out to write the road to god knows… he approached the plot and theme with one simple guideline: “Don’t be up on a soap box, don’t be preachy, don’t be didactic, don’t try to be lecturing, or anything like that; certainly don’t say anything like mental illness is bad or the person who has it is bad.”

Allan has succeeded in every measure.

The road to god knows… portrays only a tiny slice of life for those with a mental illness. It’s gripping, dramatic and will leave you with a deeper understanding of the relationship between those who are afflicted and the people who love them.

brunswickanarts

cd reviews by andrew olsvik.

Team Teamwork – Vinyl Fantasy 7 [Released January 30th, 2010; Independent] The people behind the Ocarina of Rhyme remix album, which combined a diverse selection of US hip-hop tracks with the soundtrack to the N64 classic, Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, are at it again. This time their sights were set on remixing the soundtrack to the best game of all time, Final Fantasy 7. As was the case with its predecessor, the result for this record is largely hit or miss. Ultimately, the best tracks will come down to the ones that feature your favourite artists, although some of them are just plain annoying.

I mean, the music from the Gold Saucer probably shouldn’t have made the cut, and no Cid’s Theme? Come on. On the other hand, some tracks achieve the golden mean with perfect match-ups; Ghostface’s “Save Me Dear” from The Pretty Toney Album shines against the eerie City of the Ancients music from the game as does the team’s remix of Barrett’s theme with MF DOOM’s “Air”. Vinyl Fantasy 7 is available as a free download from the Team Teamwork website, so unleash your inner nerd and grab it.

Various Artists – Joan of Arc Presents: Mind Control [Released January 26th, 2010; Polyvinyl] As one of the fathers of math rock, Tim Kinsella and the countless acts associated with the Chicago math rock scene have generated a large cult following throughout the world. They have had a direct influence on many local bands, particularly in Halifax.

The Broken Social Scene of Chicago math rock and Tim’s band, Joan of Arc served as the roots from which would sprout countless bands and included members of Ghosts and Vodka, Aloha and Euphone. This compilation, organized by Tim Kinsella, brings together brand new songs from his brother Mike Kinsella (Owen), Ghosts and Vodka, Aloha percussionist Cale Parks and many, many more, encapsulating the vigorous sound of Chicago experimental rock all on one disc.

Postdata – Postdata [Released January 26th, 2010; Hand Drawn Dracula] If for some reason you’ve ever wondered what Wintersleep would sound like as a folk band, you’re in luck: Wintersleep singer/songwriter Paul Murphy has teamed up with his brother Michael to record and mix his first album under the Postdata moniker.

With an extremely stripped down sound consisting of mostly just Paul and his guitar, fans of Wintersleep’s loud and chaotic moments will find nothing similar here. But all obvious Wintersleep comparisons aside, this is an exceptional album showcasing Paul’s song writing at its best and proves that his voice is well suited to softer sounds.

A simple yet diverse collection of nine songs, Postdata reflects a variety of influences from Joni Mitchell to Nick Drake and is yet another landmark album for Paul to add to the list of incredible projects he has been involved with.

The Brunswickan is looking for writers and photographers!

check out story meetings wednesdays @ 12:30 SUB room 35

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brunswickansports

Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143 • 17

sports@thebruns.ca

Lady Reds deal CBU first loss of season

The Reds came out on top in Friday night’s overtime thriller handing the CBU Capers their first loss of the AUS season 87-86. However, the Reds couldn’t complete the weekend sweep as the Capers took Saturday’s match 84-65. UNB is still barely holding onto the final AUS playoff spot. Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

Christopher Cameron Staff Writer It was “Think Pink Weekend” at the Lady Beaverbrook Gym. Athletes warmed up in pink shirts and raffle tickets were sold off for pink themed prizes.

Specifically for the basketball games, every three pointer made meant a $5 dollar donation from coach Speedy or coach Richard to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The men’s team

made the most of the potential donations by hoisting up over 40 shots from behind the arc.

The walking wounded Varsity Reds men’s basketball team suffered yet another goose-egg weekend, going winless in a two game set against CBU. Game one on Friday night was a poor effort by the Reds. With two starters stuck on the bench in street clothes, the team fell into a double-digit point deficit in the first half. Mike Anderson and Colton Wilson were the statistical leaders for the

the brunswickan presents

the panel voice your opinion

club, taking 27 shots between them and scoring 27 points.

The Reds back court had to make do without its starting point guard Antwaan Parks, and the team’s premier rebounder and inside scorer Alex DesRoches was also on the sideline. The final score was UNB 65, CBU 84.

The only positive for UNB that came from Friday night was the added playing time for Reds guard Dustin Anthony.

Anthony made the most of his 21 minutes of floor time, scoring 13 points on

6-13 shooting. Most of his points came during “garbage time” in the fourth quarter, but his double-digit scoring earned him a spot in the starting five the following night.

Saturday afternoon’s game was much more competitive. The Reds ended the first half up 43-40, changing their style and building on the beat down from the night before. In the true spirit of “shoot for the cure” the Reds jacked up 11 three pointers in the opening two quarters, and hit on seven of them.

The Prorogued Panel presents: Do activists have a case when protesting the IOC?

Mary Zeidenberg

Pierre Pettingzew II

The Party Penguin

I’m too high for this. You think I work here?

What the hell? Protest the Olympics? It’s a chance to see hot girls in tight clothes sweat. Go protest The View!

I’m too busy to care. Look at me!

I’m the freakin’ Party Penguin - not a workaholic! Get back to work panel!

Munchies

After a strong first half, UNB ended the game in their usual fashion - down by 20 points and playing against the opposing team’s bench. Mike Anderson and Colton Wilson led the team with 30 and 18 points respectively. Point guard Andrew Wright added 11, including two deep three-pointers. Yet, that wasn’t enough to match the Capers play as the Reds were defeated 94-79.

The Reds are in action next week in Newfoundland at Memorial University.

UNB hasn’t won a match since Nov. 28.

Politics

Linux

Christopher Cameron Who Dat?

“Chris Cameron is unavailable at the moment as he is away on vacation. Please leave any questions or messages after the beep and he will attain to them when he returns... BEEP”

Sports Fans: Guess what happens when things get prorogued? It all goes to hell. Important issues are overlooked and pushed aside. So, let’s get back to work Stephen Harp-I mean the panel!

brunswickansports

18 • Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143

Men’s volleyball still a work in progress

Reds sweep Think Pink weekend Nancy Ward Staff Writer

The Reds were in tough against Dalhousie over the weekend, losing both matches. However, the Reds still proved they can play with the nation’s second ranked team. Nancy Ward / The Brunswickan the sets, but could not capitalize dropping Nancy Ward the first two 25-19 and 25-18. In the third Staff Writer set UNB was up by three points but service The UNB men’s volleyball team recently errors pushed the Tigers ahead, and they participated in the “Think Pink” weekend, eventually took the set 25-23. Player of the playing the Dalhousie Tigers in front of a match for UNB was Tyler Veenhuis.

The Reds played the weekend’s games large crowd in the Lady Beaverbrook Gym. Unfortunately, the Reds couldn’t appease using new line-ups that differed from their the hometown fans as the Tigers were too normal style of play. According to Head Coach Dan McMorran, the team was not much for UNB, winning both games.

Saturday’s match was a quick paced game competing as well as they need to and have with Dalhousie coming out on top 3-1. The some areas to work on before the end of sets were well played with UNB coming the season.

“We have some guys that are not perup from a nine point disadvantage in the first set, only to have the visitors prevail in forming when we need them to perform,” the end 25-21. The team maintained their said McMorran. “It’s going to be a dog high level of play to win the second set 25- fight, Dalhousie is second ranked in the 22. The Reds were unable to keep up with country right now and I firmly believe we Dalhousie’s intense play losing the third and can beat them.”

McMorran said that the team will feature fourth sets 25-17 and 25-14, respectively.

UNB’s Stephan Fontaine was named player many changes in the next few weeks. The team will look to take out some revenge on of the match.

Sunday’s game against the Dalhousie its AUS rival as the two will meet once again Tigers was another loss for the men’s team, in the league tournament beginning Feb. three sets to none. The men were played 19, before facing off in the best of three series strong and led at several points throughout for the AUS title starting Feb. 26.

The women’s Varsity Reds volleyball team were at home for the weekend to participate in the “Think Pink Weekend”.

The team sported pink jerseys and accessories to show their support for breast cancer research. Sponsors of the team pledged to donate $15 towards the Canadian Breast Cancer Society every time the girls won a point on a serve. The girls were able to hold the sponsors to their word by winning both matches and raising money for cancer research.

The fundraising initiatives over the weekend raised over $4000.

The weekend began with a win for the Reds against the Dalhousie Tigers on Saturday night. The match was nothing short of a thriller as both teams exchanged sets until UNB took the fifth and final one 15-13. Yet, Saturday’s match was not a great game for the women.

“Tonight I don’t think we played very well at all,” said head coach John Richard after Saturday’s win.

“For the second straight Saturday evening in a row we didn’t play very well and found a way to barely squeeze out the win.

Defensively we weren’t very good and that resulted in us hitting for a very low hitting percentage. I don’t know how but we found a way.”

Sunday was a much different story as the Reds defeated the visiting Saint Mary’s Huskies in a 3-0 sweep to wrap up their “Think Pink” weekend. Sunday’s game was better played then the one on Saturday, with a greater defensive presence on the court.

“For the second straight Sunday afternoon we came out and were a much better team,” added Richard. “It was one of our top efforts of the year for sure and I thought our two co-captains Barb and Jill were real strong for us.”

The women’s team are currently in second place of the AUS standings with only one weekend left before the AUS championships held Feb. 19-21 at Saint Mary’s University.

UNB swimming shows improvement Christopher Cameron Staff Writer After a disappointing performance in 2009, the Varsity Reds swim teams showed a 120 per cent improvement in individual medals in the 2010 AUS Championships.

This season’s final showcase of the team saw them win 11 individual and four relay medals for a total medal count of 15 (five gold, five silver and five bronze).

The men’s team finished in fourth place in team points (42) behind Dalhousie (328), Memorial (66), and MTA (45). The women’s team had more success finishing second with 118 points, second only behind Dalhousie’s 207 points.

Although they had such a great improvement this year, coach Daniel Monid was quick to point out how close they were to being even better.

“The weekend was a story of narrow misses and tremendous performances,” said Monid. “We had nine swimmers come 4th in their events. We also had one athlete miss qualifying for CIS by 0.3 of a second.”

UNB had five swimmers qualify for the CIS swimming championships at the University of Toronto February 18-20.

Danielle Losier, Danielle Merasty, Jennifer Acheson, Jacquline Murchinson and Stefan Mader will be the Varsity

The Reds swim team put forth a great effort at UPEI over the weekend by taking home 15 medals. Sandy Chase / The Brunswickan Red representatives this season, but coach Monid sees this as the first step in returning to where the program was in the past.

“This is just the beginning of a return to UNB glory,” said Monid. “Our goal is to once again be conference champions, and this year was a huge step towards that goal. We still have some work left to do as we get ready to represent UNB on the national stage in two weeks, but we have already shown this team is heading back in the right direction.”

Looking back on the meet and season, Monid was pleased with his athletes’ suc-

cess and their determination to succeed.

“As a coach, you live 24 athletes’ goals and dreams throughout the weekend,” said Monid. “It was unbelievable to watch this team compete the way that they did. I was so proud of each athlete.

Each one success or disappointment took every opportunity to show their heart, each one showed the team unity that we built and each showed the determination that made this team so amazing. This group of individuals have left a mark on this program and I know that they will pass on a legacy to future teams of how to be champions in the pool and as a program.”

brunswickansports

Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143 • 19

Doing the nasty is good for you Same old story for men’s

Sarah Ratchford Editor in Chief Obviously you know sex is fun, but did you know it’s also good for you?

Sex carries with it a number of psychological and physiological health benefits, and orgasms are particularly good for you. While most people enjoy having sex, few tend to look at the scientific side of intimate activity.

Regular sex can lead to better sleep, relaxation and enhanced feelings of connectivity with your partner.

Krystelle Shaughnessy teaches Human Sexuality at UNB, and she outlines some of the ways that sex is good for our general well being. She focuses mainly on the health benefits of orgasm.

“An orgasm is like a complete release.

Your muscles tense before and contract during an orgasm, and you get a complete release of all muscle tension as you return back to normal,” she explains.

This relaxation and release is part of what makes sex so pleasurable. There are two important hormones associated with orgasms: prolactin and oxytocin.

“Oxytocin is released no matter how you have an orgasm, but in a pair it’s much higher than if you’re masturbating. The suspicion is that it’s tied to the feeling of closeness [from sexual intercourse],” Shaughnessy says.

This finding has been linked to an evolutionary standpoint. The idea is that if we feel closer to our sexual partners, we’ll be more likely to mate and reproduce.

Did you ever notice that you tend to sleep better after sex, too? It’s because both oxytocin and prolactin are directly related to sleep.

Upcoming V-Reds Events Friday, February 12th Hockey StFX @ UNB 7:00 p.m. @ AUC Saturday, February 13th Women’s basketbal UNB @ MUN 6:00 p.m.

Women’s volleyball UNB @ Acadia 7:00 p.m.

Men’s basketball UNB @ MUN 8:00 p.m.

Hockey Dalhousie @ UNB 7:00 p.m. @ AUC Sunday, February 14th Women’s basketball UNB @ MUN 11:00 a.m.

Men’s basketball UNB @ MUN 1:00 p.m.

Women’s volleyball UNB @ Moncton 2:00 p.m.

basketball

Alex Wickwire Sports Reporter

As new health trends arrive at our doorsteps everyday, many will forget that sex also poses a fantastic workout. Flickr CC “Prolactin can induce sleep and help you to sleep more regularly,” Shaughnessy says.

One of the big inferences being made right now is that sex has all the same benefits as cardiovascular exercise. While Shaughnessy says there has been no direct research on this so far, common sense certainly points in that direction.

Sex gets your heart rate up, makes you sweat, and burn calories. It makes the body go through the same changes and, as Shaughnessy says, it has the potential to make you healthier.

While the physiological effects of sex are very real, Shaughnessy says a major component to sex lies in its psychosocial aspect.

“A lot of the feelings of satisfaction and pleasure after sex are more linked to the sociological,” she explains.

Recently, there have been studies on pair bonding and intimacy. These studies

suggest that perhaps a major reason why sex feels great is simply from being that close to another person.

“The other aspect is the touch,” Shaughnessy explains. “Right now there’s a lot of research around physical touch. Closeness with someone, especially someone you care about, releases chemicals that are related to pleasure centres.”

Although this article has probably made you want to put Shaughnessy’s claims to the test, remember to always use protection. The pleasurable feelings, positive moods, and health benefits of sex can be overshadowed if fears of STIs or unwanted pregnancy enter the mix.

Free condoms are available at the sexuality centre, the women’s centre, the student health centre and in all residences on campus, so don’t neglect to use one, especially if you’re not sure where your partner has been.

It was “Think Pink Weekend” at the Lady Beaverbrook Gym. Athletes warmed up in pink shirts and raffle tickets were sold off for pink themed prizes.

Specifically for the basketball games, every three pointer made meant a $5 dollar donation from coach Speedy or coach Richard to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

The men’s team made the most of the potential donations by hoisting up over 40 shots from behind the arc.

The walking wounded Varsity Reds men’s basketball team suffered yet another goose-egg weekend, going winless in a two game set against CBU. Game one on Friday night was a poor effort by the Reds. With two starters stuck on the bench in street clothes, the team fell into a double-digit point deficit in the first half. Mike Anderson and Colton Wilson were the statistical leaders for the club, taking 27 shots between them and scoring 27 points.

The Reds back court had to make do without its starting point guard Antwaan Parks, and the team’s premier rebounder and inside scorer Alex DesRoches was also on the sideline. The final score was UNB

65, CBU 84.

The only positive for UNB that came from Friday night was the added playing time for Reds guard Dustin Anthony.

Anthony made the most of his 21 minutes of floor time, scoring 13 points on 6-13 shooting. Most of his points came during “garbage time” in the fourth quarter, but his double-digit scoring earned him a spot in the starting five the following night.

Saturday afternoon’s game was much more competitive. The Reds ended the first half up 43-40, changing their style and building on the beat down from the night before. In the true spirit of “shoot for the cure” the Reds jacked up 11 three pointers in the opening two quarters, and hit on seven of them.

After a strong first half, UNB ended the game in their usual fashion - down by 20 points and playing against the opposing team’s bench. Mike Anderson and Colton Wilson led the team with 30 and 18 points respectively. Point guard Andrew Wright added 11, including two deep three-pointers.

Yet, that wasn’t enough to match the Capers play as the Reds were defeated 94-79.

The Reds are in action next week in Newfoundland at Memorial University. UNB hasn’t won a match since Nov. 28.

20 • Feb. 10, 2010 • Issue 19 • Volume 143

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