Issue 22, Vol 141, The Brunswickan

The Brunswickan

Volume 141 Issue 22 • Canada’s Oldest Official Student Publication • UNB Fredericton’s Student Paper • March 12, 2008

The UNBelievable Gnome Adventures Voting underway now!

News, page 3

Lady V-Reds CrashatNationals Sports, page 13

The Love List Humour at a student discount

Arts, page 10

Drug problem on the rise: Counselor The prevalence of substance abuse on campus is more of an issue than most students realize.

by Naomi Osborne Substance abuse may not be something that many university students think about on a regular basis. The truth of the matter is that most university students, at both UNB and STU, have either tried or frequently use substances like alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine.

Dr. Reginald David Craft has been the Director of Counseling at UNB for 32 years, working with patients from both campuses with their addiction problems.

He says the biggest problem is the bad message that society gives.

“Our culture has been premised on the notion for some time now that if you’re not

happy, there is something wrong,” said Dr. Craft. “If you’re happy, then you are smiling all the time and everything is going well, but that’s just not the way life works. We have to make people think differently about the ups and downs in life.”

One of the most interesting aspects, in his experience, is that most of his patients do not come to him with substance abuse problems.

“Very few people actually come to counseling with drugs as a specific problem,” said Dr. Craft. “However, in my experience, drugs usually contribute to many of the things they are having difficulty with.”

Based on his experience over the last 32 years, Dr. Craft says there is definitely a drug problem on campus, but it stems from society as a whole.

“There is a drug problem on campus, but there is a drug problem in our society, period.

Campus is by no means immune from that,” said Dr. Craft. “Alcohol is the number one problem, marijuana is the second, and I’ve seen

see Drugs page 2

Sodexho storage broken into during ‘Rock the Hill’ Food supplier’s kitchen and storage area raided during ‘Rock the Hill’ in February Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

Rob Hennigar had two assists in UNB’s 3-2 overtime win over SMU on Saturday, including the helper on Hunter Tremblay’s game winning goal. The V-Reds will look to stamp their ticket to CIS Nationals in Moncton with a win over the Huskies on Thursday night at the Halifax Forum.

Lock In: V-Reds eye first AUS crown since 2003

by Brian Munn

After a convincing series against the Tommies and six days to prepare, the UNB Varsity Reds managed to come out on top against the St. Mary’s Huskies in game one of the Atlantic University Sport men’s hockey finals.

It was a huge night for UNB rookie Hunter Tremblay, who, aside from hitting nearly every Husky he saw, assisted on Dustin Friesen’s goal and later came through in the clutch to score the overtime winner for the V-Reds.

Although the Varsity Reds had dominated the fourth-ranked Huskies all season long, it was a hard fought win. The first period was scoreless, but it was a hard hitting quick period, one that had all 3,494 fans at the Aitken Centre on the edges of their seats.

Tremblay said that despite the slow start, it was a solid game all around – particularly between the pipes.

“I thought we were fairly sluggish for the first two periods and then turned it on in the

third. Ouzy [Varsity Reds goaltender Michael Ouzas] played excellent and made some big saves at crucial times in the game, and allowed us to stick around throughout the game.”

When the second period began the Huskies started to roll, scoring two goals early in the period. This didn’t stop the Varsity Reds though, who received a boost when they went on the power play with 40 seconds left in the second period. From there, Rob Hennigar, the leading goal scorer in the CIS, fired the puck to Tremblay, the leading rookie scorer and thirdbest overall in the CIS, who sent a bullet pass to Captain Dustin Friesen at the side of the crease.

Friesen tapped the puck past the Husky goalie Brandon Verge to bring UNB back to life.

“I think it was crucial for us to capitalize on that power play in the last minute of the second period in order to gain some momentum for the third,” said Tremblay. “It relieved a lot of pressure and kind of got the ball rolling for us.”

The Varsity Reds didn’t stop there, as Denny Johnston fought off two St. Mary’s defenders to create and capitalize on a scoring chance at the 11:24 mark of the second. The teams held solid at 2-2, sending the game into overtime.

Thanks to a delay of game call against the Huskies with just a few seconds remaining, UNB headed into the extra frame with a power play.

“I was fairly confident we were going to get the job done,” commented Tremblay. “Our power play has been on fire all season and it was there again last night to bail us out.”

Tremblay’s confidence paid off just 1:29 into the extra frame, when a rebound came out in front of the net and Tremblay was able to capitalize. The goal sent the Varsity Reds and the entire Aitken Centre into a frenzy.

“You can’t ask for much more as a hockey player then to score the game winning goal in overtime, in the finals, with almost 4,000 fans erupting all around you.

It never gets old.

The V-Reds will look to end the Huskies’ season on Thursday at the Halifax Forum. Game three, if necessary, will be played on Sunday, March 16 at the Aitken Centre.

If the Varsity Reds win, not only will they win their first AUS league title since 2003, but they’ll clinch a birth in the CIS Men’s Hockey Championships in Moncton.

by Josh O’Kane While ‘Rock the Hill’, the ECMA concert held in the SUB last month, appeared to run smoothly, there were a few hiccups that occurred relatively quietly.

The storage room and kitchen area behind the former Selona Grill was broken into during the concert. One or more people took $300 worth of food from one of the freezers, and left a little mess behind as well.

“Somebody went in there and defecated,” says Martin Bayliss, General Manager of Sodexho at UNB. “It’s really too bad.”

Sodexho’s kitchens and offices are behind the public area of the cafeteria and atrium. The defecation occurred in a storage room where pots and pans are stored.

Bayliss explains “the offices were fine, but somebody got access to the kitchen. They took basically anything that could be deep fried from the freezers at the Selona Grill. They left hamburgers and stuff. They took several bags of chicken fingers, French fries, curly fries, chicken burgers. All sorts of deep-fried foods.”

He was made aware of the situation upon his arrival the following morning.

The thieves made a clean breakaway, but Bayliss says they were likely in a hurry, as one bag of frozen food was found lying in a back hallway.

A custodian was called in to remove the feces and sanitize the area. Bayliss says the items in the room were left untouched.

“It’s a big room with an offshoot that has shelves in it,” he says, but “it was right in the middle of the floor… There was no physical damage to anything.”

Physical Plant has since installed locks on the

refrigerators and freezers to prevent further incidents. It is still unsure how the thieves gained access to the kitchens.

“There’s a freight elevator back there,” says Bayliss. “If somebody had access to it, they could get to the kitchen, but I’m not sure how they got in. There have been times where we’ve had concerts and people have come through the kitchen somehow, or got access.

“We’ve never had a problem with damage in any of our areas, except for this one incident.”

James Brown, Executive Director of Residential Life, Campus & Conference Services, manages the Sodexho contract and oversees business involving the SUB. He says he was not aware of the incident until the time of interview.

“I know there were some incidents,” he says, using an example of a police officer attempting to taser someone being unruly.

“We’ve had similar incidences like that around residence,” says Brown.

At least two houses have had occurrences of defecations in common areas this school year.

“It’s kind of like the ‘Jackass’ phenomenon.

It’s just so interesting to be outrageously offensive, and what could be more outrageously offensive than that?”

Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

Martin Bayliss in the SUB Cafeteria.

D

News

2 • March 12, 2008 • Issue 22

by Lauren Kennedy

That was two hours and 37 minutes of my life that I will never get back.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m probably not the most knowledgeable or articulate when it comes to discussing the Bible, but I do like to think I know my dinosaurs.

Over the course of March break, I watched a DVD by Creation Science Evangelism titled “Dinosaurs and the Bible”, presented by Dr. Kent Hovind a.k.a. “Dr. Dino”.

Copies of this DVD were found posted on bulletin boards around UNB for anyone walking by to take.

I was very sceptical going into this because, like I stated earlier, I don’t know much about the Bible. I was hoping not to be too confused while watching this, although luckily, I noticed about three minutes in, I had nothing to worry about.

Dr. Dino stands up on a stage and starts to make his argument about dinosaurs. He pulled an original statement from a January 1993 edition of National Geographic magazine in an article called “The Geo Guide Age of Dinosaurs”.

The first sentence in that article said, “No human being has ever seen a live dinosaur.” Now this is where the fun begins. Basically, throughout the entire DVD, he tries to rip this theory apart.

First, he talks about Adam and Eve and how they were the first people on Earth; since they were the first people to arrive, they must have seen all the creatures that lived, including dinosaurs.

Then Noah came and God told him to build an arc because a great flood was coming. As soon as I heard this, I don’t

inosaurs

and the Bible know about you, but pop culture had me think of Steve Carell and Evan Almighty jokes that I could throw in here, because most of the background I know about the arc story comes from that movie. But that’s beside the point.

So Dr. Dino takes the theory that a great flood came and Noah had to take only land animals on the arc and two “basic kinds of animals” – not species (he takes things very literally, by the way). So because he takes two kinds of animals, Noah must have had two baby dinosaurs on the arc. Not fully grown ones, because they would have taken up too much space, just babies. Then, after 40 days and 40 nights, the great flood came to an end and the arc landed, but what happened to the dinosaurs? He says it’s not a question of dinosaurs going extinct, but figuring out if they actually did they go extinct?

After the flood, he says dinosaurs faced a harsher climate and people started living shorter lives, as did the dinosaurs and all other animals. Dr. Dino says that man was the greatest killer of the dinosaurs and offers up six reasons why. The first being for meat as they had to eat, the second for menace, the third was to be considered a hero to the people, the fourth goes along with the third to prove superiority, fifth for the competition of land, and finally the sixth for medicinal purposes. But despite all of these reasons, he says some dinosaurs have survived and still do today.

According to Dr. Dino, the term “dinosaur” wasn’t invented until 1841 and before that, those animals were known as dragons; he talks about many stories in the past involving dragons. Around 300 BCE, Alexander the Great was scared by something he called dragons; in 275 CE, St. George killed a dragon.

Beowulf was famous for slaying dragons as well, so Dr. Dino’s explanation that

dragons or dinosaurs had to exist and humans have had to see them, comes from all of these legends of heroic people killing dragons.

One of the more awkward moments in his explanation was when he kept arbitrarily stopping in his arguments to make, in my eyes, some pretty offensive “jokes”, like calling out public schools, telling children that everything they have learned is wrong, and my favourite awkward moments was when he paused and said “By the way, do you know why so many Italians are named Tony? They were being shipped to the States and they had ‘To: NY’ stamped on their foreheads.”

What the hell does this have to do with anything? Please Dr. Dino, don’t quit your day job.

Oh, and I should also mention at this point that periodically throughout his lecture, the camera kept panning back to the audience and I noticed some were yawning, some were playing with their phones, and most looking like they didn’t have a sweet clue what was going on.

Back to the debate. After he went on the dragon kick, he started talking about sea monsters and how pretty much every country holds their own legends of great sea monsters living deep in the water.

He believes that what he sees dinosaurs or great lizards that still exist today, he can make the claim that in the past 50 years, there have been over five sightings of a stegosaurus-like creature, and over 11 people have seen “pretty factual” evidence of what he calls sea monsters.

All in all, it’s a pretty one-sided debate.

Whether he refers to them as dinosaurs, dragons, sea monsters, or whatever, at the heart of his debate is the Creationism-Evolution positions – a debate that has been going on since the days of the dinosaurs. He argues a completely one-

sided argument, and in all honesty, I’m not even sure why he is referred to as a doctor, as he never mentions what credentials he actually holds.

I’m all for freedom of expression and believe that anyone can voice their opinion and probably make an argument out of it because a healthy debate has never really hurt anybody.

After all, if 200 people in the world claimed to have seen a dinosaur exist today, all 200 couldn’t be wrong, could they? But maybe they should do a bit more research and understand what they are looking at instead of jumping to quick conclusions and filling the bloated heads of people like Dr. Dino.

Drugs: The highs and lows from Drugs page 1 more cocaine cases than I would have seen 10 to 15 years ago.”

However, not everyone shares Dr. Craft’s opinion. Some students on campus don’t see drugs or alcohol as a major issue.

Corey Gaudet is a third year civil engineering student at UNB, and in his opinion, he says there doesn’t appear to be an issue of substance abuse on campus.

“I don’t see drug use as a problem.

It’s not like I see random people walking around strung out on drugs all the time,” said Gaudet.

Even though it may be hard to spot students who are under the influence of drugs, it doesn’t mean there isn’t an abuse problem or even that no one practices them.

Gaudet is familiar with drugs, but not longer uses them. To him, there is no difference between students drinking alcohol or smoking marijuana, and everyone has the choice to do them or not.

“I consider it all the same. I really don’t see much overuse of the substances going on,” said Gaudet.

The question of whether or not there is a drug and alcohol abuse problem on campus can be looked at in many different ways. Chances are that most students will not have the same perspective as a counselor or an addiction specialist who works with people with substance problems may have.

Dr. Craft says there are two ways to look at the issue.

“On the one hand, if I look at our own records and look at the number of

individuals who have presented specific substance abuse problems, it is a small number. So from that point of view, no there is no problem,” said Dr. Craft.

“From the other point of view, a lot of people come in here with a number of problems from anxiety to relationship issues. Usually, I see really excessive drug use as being part of that and then I think there really is a problem.”

He also says the main problem lies

“Alcohol is the number one problem, marijuana is the second, and I’ve seen more cocaine cases than I would have seen 10 to 15 years ago.”

- Dr. Craft with students who practice the drugs.

In almost all of the cases, the person addicted fails to see there is a problem.

If people aren’t willing to admit they have a problem, it is that much harder to help them.

Usually, referrals to the counseling center are based on cases of alcohol abuse, but very rarely is there a case involving marijuana. Dr. Craft referred to marijuana as a “gateway drug” and a “hidden problem”, indicating that it is used so frequently that no one really sees it as a problem anymore.

“A student may be smoking marijuana two to three times a day. As a counselor and a person, that strikes me as problematic. Unfortunately, I can’t always get them the help they need because they don’t see it as a problem,” said Dr. Craft.

Third year St. Thomas student, Ryan Gallen, says he uses drugs like marijuana, mushrooms, and acid – but keeps them in moderation.

“In moderation, drugs can do great things for creativity and the expansion of human thought,” said Gallen. “In excess, unfortunately, they will kill you and your mind.”

The problem occurs when people overuse the substances and are unable to stop. Gallen has known many people who have been so addicted they have had to go to the methadone clinic.

When asked to choose between alcohol and marijuana for the most dangerous substance practiced amongst university students, Gallen was quick to answer. “No one has ever died from smoking natural marijuana, by natural, I mean nothing added. You have to smoke three times your body weight to kill yourself, but you would pass out before then,” said Gallen.

According to Dr. Craft, substance abuse is the highest among people 18-25. One reason is because drugs are becoming easier to obtain, and the media is making them more of an epidemic, explained Dr. Craft.

When it boils down to it, it is all a very seductive habit that is difficult to escape.

“There is no drug for recreation that I think is safe. It is all an illusion, and it is basically giving up your life to a substance,” said Dr. Craft.

Internet

News

Issue 22 • March 12, 2008 • 3

No need to market residence: Executive Director Despite declining occupancy, Executive Director of Res Life says there is no need to increase marketing

by Josh O’Kane

The past two years have seen the nearclosure of Aitken House, the half-closure of Bridges House, and the temporarythen-permanent closure of Jones House.

As university enrolment continues to decline across the Maritimes, UNB Fredericton’s residences have seen a matching decline in occupancy.

Even when facing fewer filled beds each year, James Brown says that there is no need to market the residence system any more than already is being done through traditional recruitment.

“We haven’t been able to identify how they could do more or do better,” says Brown, the Executive Director of Residential Life, Campus & Conference Services. “We don’t approach students separately from the general recruitment campaign of the university, nor would that be a good idea. We need to market residence to people who are coming to UNB.” UNB is promoted to high schools through the school’s “U First” recruitment program, which offers presentations that give insight into the benefits of going to UNB, discussing the teaching, research, campus, and residences.

Brown explains, “U First’s major marketing has always been the visits to high schools in the province and beyond… They devote a third of the presentation to the residences. It’s extremely good.”

He says that upon his arrival to UNB

in 2005, he believed he could add to the marketing scheme, but after seeing several run-throughs of the presentation, believes it is more than adequate.

Students interested in applying to UNB Fredericton are always made privy to information on the residence system, says Brown.

“People who are outside of Fredericton, who could become students in residence, are fully informed about residence. Everybody who asks for an application package [to UNB] also gets an application to the residences; all the forms have a tie-in to our website.”

Using television ads in the fashion of the new “Only One U” campaign would not be effective in marketing residence, says Brown, as he believes it is ineffective to ask potential students to choose UNB based on its residence system.

“We know how people choose universities. They choose first on available programs. Then, at the point when they choose to come to that university, comes the question of ‘Where will I live?’

That’s the effective point of contact. I don’t think we’re in any way deficient,” says Brown.

Last year, when Aitken House was proposed for rededication to a Student Services building, a group of Aitken residents and alumni proposed several ideas to Brown and the university governance to bring occupancy back up, including through new methods of marketing.

Brian Beaudette, outgoing President of Aitken House, was a member of that group. He believes that student leaders within the residence system may be the key to bringing potential students to UNB and into its residence system – and keeping them there.

“Try to take the student leaders and give them roles as recruiters,” suggests Beaudette. “They would take on that role. A lot would do it for free, including myself. Who better for recruiting than people our age?

“When I was in high school and someone my age was talking about a

school, I’d listen a lot more intently than someone in their ’40s,” he says of typical university recruitment officers. “They can’t give the same experience. They don’t have the same ideas or ideals. I imagine if they were to send us anywhere in Canada, we’d be more than willing to put our hearts on our sleeves.”

Beaudette, who is exiting his role as President of the house, will be returning next year as a proctor, continuing his leadership within the residence system.

He also offers other options – such as a DVD with an information pamphlet, where each house could show their true colors. This would also assist incoming students with choosing the house that is right for them.

“The pamphlet they give out for residence doesn’t capture what each residence is in the little blurb they have there. They could have some sort of DVD or CD-ROM, and give each house the responsibility of trying to sum up their house in seven minutes or so. They would go through all their traditions, show the history, show the charities “Give the houses that responsibility.

I know that each house would be so egotistical that they would put so much work into bringing more recruits to their house. I know people applying to the school would want to watch that.

They’d be intrigued for what place they want to go.

He touts that UNB residence is unique in its clusters of 100-person residents, and that this would help show the pride that this residence system instills in its students.

“How many other schools do that?

They have apartment systems where they’re all the same. We have a totally different system.”

As the school year draws to a close, Res Life’s 2008-09 budget is being drawn up. The proposal, should it go through, will add $1M to its existing deficit without closing any houses, provided that occupancy mirrors that which has been projected.

Literacy rates falling, education rates rising

by Sarah Millar CUP Ontario Bureau Chief TORONTO (CUP) -- While more Canadians than ever before are furthering their education, literacy rates among adults are falling.

Recently released research from Statistics Canada used data from University of British Columbia economics professors between 1993 and 2003.

While education levels were rising throughout those years, they found literacy rates were falling. In fact, the average literacy of a 35-year-old in 2003 was the equivalent to the literacy of a 25-year-old in that same year.

According to W. Craig Riddell, a coauthor of the paper, the biggest changes in literacy skills are defined by those who are at the very top of the spectrum and at the very bottom.

At the bottom of the spectrum, the changes are positive — more people who had lower literacy skills in 1993 had higher literacy skills in 2003. However, those at the top spectrum of literacy skills went down substantially in the 10 year span.

“In the middle distribution there is

not much change,” Riddell said, noting that the majority of adults fall into the middle range.

There are many possibilities for this trend, said Kathryn McMullen of Statistics Canada.

“Perhaps schools were doing a poorer job at imparting literacy skills, but there is a possible another explanation . . . over that 14-year period, the school system of all levels — elementary, secondary, and post-secondary — have become more inclusive in terms of the school population,” she said.

McMullen cited the fact that 30 or more years ago, not as many people were attending post-secondary institutions because the schools were more exclusive.

But in the past 30 years, due to governmental and public support for the institutions, post-secondary education opened up to a much wider segment of the population.

“We also see at the university level it’s a much broader, more diverse population . . . we do have much broader range of people part in the post-secondary system,” she said.

Another surprising result from the research shows that high school dropouts today have more literacy skills than their university-educated counterparts.

This leads the belief that education systems are doing more for those at the bottom end of the education system than those at the top.

Riddell said the fact that more people are attending post-secondary institutions but literacy rates are falling could call into question the kind of education being received at these institutions.

While the quantity of education is up, the quality, he said, can be argued might be going down.

Declining literacy rates are most prevalent at the post-secondary level, where class sizes are increasing and less one-on-one exists between students and professors, Riddell explained.

The report should be alarming to Canadians because, the authors say, literacy affects the earnings one can make in their lifetime — no matter what their educational background may be.

The report also pointed out that once out of school, previously learned lessons can easily be forgotten if they are not used in day-to-day settings.

McMullen said that the next step is to examine the reasons why this is occurring.

“The next part of the analysis would be to look at the reasons why [this is occurring],” she said.

Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

Gnomes like this one, in front of the SUB, have been seen around campus since the UNBelievable Gnome Adventure began.

Voting for UNBelievable Gnome Adventures underway

by Mitchell Bernard

A gnome from UNB is about to be selected to travel across the world with current students and alumni. Students can have their say as to which gnome it might be that will represent UNB. UNBelievable Gnome Adventures gives students an opportunity to create a gnome character and give it a personality, while the rest of the student body votes on which one they like best. The Alumni offices at UNB are hosting the event.

“This year’s gnome is already spotted to travel quite a bit,” said Shannon McNutt, Students and Young Alumni Coordinator at UNB. This is the second time for the Great Gnome Adventure. Last year’s winner was Oedipus, a submission by the UNB Psychology Society.

This year, nine entries have been submitted for the competition.

“They can take the gnome and dress him. They can paint him, or they can do whatever they want to him to create this character and personality to go along with it. And they take photos. It is really fun for the students and they get to watch him afterward,” said McNutt.

One of this year’s entries is Sir Horace Wellington, an entry from Tibbits House. Born in Stonehedge, England, this mythical creature claims its favourite food to be apricots and David Hasselhoff.

The team from Tibbits posted a number of photos featuring the gnome in different places around campus, some

of which include eating lunch at McConnell Hall, studying at the Harriet Irving Library, and relaxing for buckets at the Social Club.

All submissions can be viewed at the UNBelievable Gnome Adventures website. Each submission includes vital statistics and interesting facts about the gnome.

Along with the statistics, each of the contestants was asked to submit photos of the gnome around campus and beyond. Some of the entries have even included Facebook groups for their gnomes.

A few of the other entries include Cellar Dweller by the Cellar Pub and Grill staff, Colonel Tucker by UNB Saint John, and Gee Gnome by the Student Union Executive.

Why did the Alumni offices choose a gnome?

“It was Annette’s [Wetmore, last year’s Student and Young Alumni Coordinator] idea. She just had a thing about gnomes. She got a little gnome as a gift from one of her work-study students in the summertime. She loved the idea of the traveling gnome,” said McNutt.

“There was an article in the newspaper, I believe in Australia, about someone who had kidnapped a gnome.

They wrote to the newspaper in the local area as the gnome. It was done in first person like, ‘I was traveling to…’ They had sent photos along and the gnome traveled all over the world. I think she [Annette] had read the story and she liked the idea,” said McNutt.

The competition has now turned into an annual event. Last year’s winning gnome has finished its travels. Pictures from the gnome’s travels are available on the Gnome Adventures website.

Once this year’s winning gnome is selected, it will begin its travels around the world with various UNB Alumni. The gnome is already scheduled to visit the Calgary Lobster Boil in May, Kelowna in the summer, and Beijing during the Olympics in August.

“Our alumni are all over the world.

We do some really fantastic events and so people are really excited to have the opportunity to take the gnome with them or have the gnome attend some of their events. It was a really good idea and the students love it,” said McNutt.

The event creates awareness for the Alumni Services offered at UNB. Although the event is fun for both students and alumni, McNutt stressed the importance of getting to know the folks at the Alumni offices, before they graduate from university.

“We want to let students know about who we are before they graduate. We are working really hard to get our message out there and to let them know that we are here for them if they need any help.”

McNutt added, “We give a lot of scholarships and we do a lot of stuff [for] students. We support some of the activities around campus. We work really close with the Grad Class. We want them to know that we are here before they get out.”

All of the entries in the competition have been submitted. Now it’s up to the student population to vote on their favourite gnome.

Voting is currently available at http:// alumni.unb.ca/students/GnomeAdventure.html. Polls will stay open until 4:30 pm on Tuesday, March 18.

Students are able to vote as many times as they wish.

4 • The Brunswickan

March 12 • 2008

Comments & Letters A microcosm for Campus services mediocrity should still go on during reading week

by Josh O’Kane

Given I’m in my fourth year, it’s about time I adequately put my spring reading week to good use. Not just to go home and slack off, but to actually catch up and work. This semester, I’d been looking forward to trying to finish off the major work for my honours thesis, and so I stayed behind on campus to get work done.

However, I’m not even sure there was a point for that.

Saturday was the day I was to begin my work. I had already been inconvenienced because residence dining hall hours didn’t begin until 10:30am all week – which held me back from my plans of working 9-5. Regardless, I just tried to look at it as an excuse to sleep in – which is probably something I didn’t need.

I went to grab a coffee at Tim Horton’s at 1pm, only to find out it was closed. That’s fine, I thought – Starbucks tastes better. But when I went to the HIL to get some liquid effectiveness, it turned out to be closed as well.

I had to go for my last resort: the SUB store. However, upon going back to the SUB, I found out that it, too, was closed. What?

My trip to the HIL had also led to the discovery that all libraries on campus would be closing at 5pm. That was fine, because the impending storm looked pretty blustery. The sign also said, however, that it would not be reopening until 1pm the next day. On a normal school day, however, students would be uninformed of such changes until the next morning. What’s to say that the weather wouldn’t get better?

I spent the afternoon doing work at the science library, once I went home again and brewed my own coffee. When I got back after the library, I met with some friends and headed to the DKT dining hall for some supper, since McConnell was closed.

We were greeted by a not-so-pleasant cafeteria worker who impolitely told us the place was shut down and we couldn’t eat.

It was 5:55, and to my best recollection, the hours were supposed to go until 6:30. I argued with the gentleman until he said we could go down and pick through what was left. In the end, it turned out I had misjudged the hours by reading the wrong date, but I was not a fan of being sternly told I was not allowed to eat a meal I had already paid for, when I still had a couple minutes of time.

When I got down to the meal hall

itself, the workers were desperately pulling food items and condiments from the shelves. One kind chef stayed behind and cooked some chicken burgers and French fries for us stragglers, but by the time they were ready, the rest of the workers had pulled any other food and condiments from the shelves. It was a pretty plain burger. By the time I had left the kitchen, one worker was shutting the doors as fast as he could behind me, leaving a friend of mine with no cutlery to eat with.

Why was everyone so desperate to leave?

This all took place at the beginning of reading week. From the student perspective, this can be just as much of a time to work as it is a time to take a break. From the university’s perspective, however, this should not be a ‘March Break’ by any means.

In three separate scenarios, I was greeted on the first day of reading week by declined campus services, and in one case, disgruntled staff members.

Just because fewer students are on campus does not mean services should suffer. The first week in March is set aside as a reading week, and as such, students should be able to access all the services they would normally have available. A lot of us need this week to catch up on much-needed work. I haven’t been able to work on my thesis for two weeks because of other work, and as such, I need the full week to be on my game and get it done.

But how can I do that if the library doesn’t open some days until 1pm?

Had it not been reading week, the campus wouldn’t have been preemptively shut down the day before. The weather would not have been judged so far ahead of time. I know UNB has adequate plowing and snow removal services, and the staff available to do it, because I hear them outside my window at 3am when they get campus ready by 7 on snowy evenings.

The ‘break,’ if it is to be called one at all, is for students to use. This is still in the middle of the semester, so our tuition should not stop paying for all of the services we require as students.

University staff should by all means be allowed to bask in the fact that there are fewer students’ whims to attain to, but they should not revoke the students of their basic needs.

The fact that I almost could not eat, or even get a snack, and that my library services were limited, is more than just disheartening. I really needed this time to do my schoolwork, as I am sure many others did. UNB should be assisting students, and not holding them back. I haven’t been this disappointed by UNB in a long time.

AUNBT can represent part-time faculty To the Editor, Students at UNB will be glad to hear of the decision by the NB Labour Board that the academic union, AUNBT, can represent part time teachers as well as full time faculty. They certainly should be, because without that representation teaching by part time faculty has been severely affected.

When teachers who are employed full time by UNB agree to offer a course they are able to devote months or years of work preparing their lecture notes - because they can expect to teach the same course for many years. Part time teachers, on the other hand, are at the mercy of full-time faculty who may at any time to take over a course. Supposedly this arrangement is to permit mentoring of graduate student teachers, but there is nothing but good manners to prevent the same arbitrary action being taken against experienced teachers. Unfortunately, good manners are not universal. Faced with that reality, part-time teachers have little incentive to develop their courses.

No less destructive of the teaching potential of part time teachers is the insistence of the College of Extended Learning, which hires most of the part-

time teachers, that teaching contracts can be rendered void on the first day of classes if not enough students have signed up. It is reasonable to ask whether a part-time teacher can be expected to devote any time at all in preparation to teach a course that may be canceled at the last minute.

The inclusion of part-time faculty within the UNB collective bargaining unit will not automatically correct these faults. The attitudes of some full-time faculty may be hard to change. Some will cling to outdated privileges that have nothing to do with good teaching, shoring up a weak ego, and covering an awareness of their own inadequacies.

But the falling enrollment at UNB, as at other universities, means that there must be a down-sizing of the full-time faculty, and more dependence placed on part timers who bring with them expertise from off campus. In the absence of any leadership from the Academic VicePresident, or the President, it may be up to the union to recast academic life so that full-times and part-timers can forge a true partnership for the future.

Sincerely Nicholas Tracy

Rousing the Rabbles by Nick Ouellette

My friend just told me she voted again.

The funny thing is that I’m not at all surprised. She had to vote again in the Board of Governors election because when voting first opened, the ballot listed a candidate who had dropped out of the race. All ballots that had been cast in the first several hours were destroyed, the ballot was changed, and voting was restarted. This is old news for UNB, though; the Student Union has experienced a string of electoral problems over the past few years that have been well publicized in this newspaper.

The fact that the election is even happening this week is further evidence of this. Normally it would happen at the same time as the Student Union elections, but because proper notice was not given to graduate students, the election was delayed two weeks until after the March Break.

But this is not about whether the UNB Student Union can run elections without error. It’s not even about the Student Union in general. It’s about the way we have lowered our standards to such a level that we readily accept a run-of-the-mill finish because it is better than a failure to complete. Think about it. When the ballot error was discovered, the machinery to fix the problem worked seamlessly and within hours, students were voting again. We are so used to responding to problems in the original process that we have perfected the way to fix the problems. It’s too bad we couldn’t perfect the way it works to begin with.

Mediocrity is all around us. UNB offers more scholarships to top students, but it has lowered its admission averages.

“C for credit!” the beleaguered student exclaims, but he will likely graduate with a degree that somebody will accept, but just barely getting through a degree program is evidence of little more than an ability to fly under the radar. Movies don’t generally offer anything more today than a claim that you’ve been to the movies, but still box office sales climb. Complaints abound about the responsiveness and effectiveness of the US Congress, but 96% of its members

are re-elected when their time comes up again. Here in Canada, we accept an opposition party that denounces the government as “wrong for the country,” but routinely and complacently allows it to continue in office, even when the opposition party itself is the one rejecting the chances that it created—on its own, mind you—to defeat the government. New Brunswickers applauded the Shawn Graham government last month for announcing it would keep UNBSJ open, forgetting that just a few short months ago, was the Graham’s government failure to respond immediately to the suggestion that the campus be converted to a polytechnic that caused all the uncertainty to begin with. Even the media that reports these things has lowered its standards. Pick up a newspaper or watch CNN for an hour to see what I mean—journalism no longer exists; it is now simply commentary from biased editors, usually at the whim of a corporate owner. Tune in to CTV Newsnet and see the same “news” looped over and over again every 15 minutes, or take a twirl on the “No Spin Zone” Bill O’Reilly serves up on Fox News. It’s all so unsatisfying.

The skeptic in you will want to respond with examples of great things that are accomplished—of Nobel Peace Prizes, new economies, and an improved social standard of some sort another.

I agree that we sometimes see hints of a fresh change, but when their rare appearances excite us and we latch on to them like nothing else, something is wrong. They normally aren’t new ways of thinking, either, and we end up accepting less than our best because we know that in an absence of that, we are left with something no less uninteresting than the middling sort, no more passable than a scraping by.

Standards have changed, and not for the better, which is ironic given our self-proclaimed eternal search for something better. The problem is not with the source of the solutions alone, though. Change needs to begin with an audience that demands better and refuses to accept less than the best. An expectation of half efforts is bound to elicit half-hearted responses, and while a half-hearted result is better than nothing at all, it simply is not good enough.

Nick Ouellette, a UNB law student, has served on the UNB Student Union Council and the UNB Board of Governors, and now serves on the UNB Fredericton Senate and as an Assistant Don in UNB’s Residence Community.

Potential budget cuts not in students’ favor Mugwump by Tony von Richter

In last week’s edition of this column, in the midst of praising Stanford University for their innovative plan to eliminate tuition and housing expenses for students in financial need, I commended the New Brunswick government for their attempts at reducing the financial barriers to attend university.

Unfortunately, it seems as though I may have spoken too soon.

Next week, the Liberal government will present their budget for the next fiscal year and while Finance Minister Victor Boudreau told the CBC the budget's focus will be on education, rumors abound that one of the programs about to be cut is the $2,000 a year given to first year university students.

As of press time, this is just a rumour – but if it does turn out to be true, it will be a big blow to the accessibility of postsecondary education in New Brunswick, just when UNB is seeing a rise in applications at both the Fredericton and Saint John campuses.

Currently, the UNB administration is crediting their “Only One U” marketing campaign for the increase in applications, but how many of those potential students are counting on the $2,000 from the government to be able to pay their tuition?

In addition to the budget focusing on education, Boudreau stated this will be a balanced budget and that it also places an emphasis on economic development.

Okay, so in a budget that emphasizes education and economic development, the government – the same government that instituted the program as an election promise in 2006 – is going to eliminate a program that benefits both education and economic development in the province?

Now granted, I don't have the keenest political mind, but at a time when many are frightened about the province's economic future, eliminating a program that could lead to a more educated, and therefore more productive, workforce seems like a bad idea.

This program clearly came at a great expense to the government, probably so much so that cutting it makes sense in the short term, as its removal would be a big step towards presenting a balanced budget. While a balanced budget is an important goal, the government should be taking every step possible to improve the economic future of the province.

Removing this tuition grant to first-year students will do just the opposite.

Hopefully, when the budget is released next Tuesday, it will turn out that this was just an unfounded rumour, and that first-year students can still count on receiving money from the government this fall.

If this turns out to be true, and the government is cutting this program, than while it might seem like a good idea in the short term to help balance the budget, it could end up costing the province far more in the future than what it saved in the present.

eic@unb.ca • March 12, 2008

Photo of the Week

T-Shirt Canon Man

Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

Speedway 660 brings the real firepower to the V-Reds playoff push. On Saturday, March 8, this guy was pelting fans with T-Shirts from his canon.

High velocity cotton was streaking through the crowd.

Comments & Letters

6 • March 12, 2008 • Issue 22

The old man rant an opinion from Dave Evans

S

ome people like to “stick it to the man” by writing sternly worded letters and some do it by holding public protests (although I don’t understand how they get away with it; my tax dollars go to pay for police, don’t they? It’s not the damn ’60s anymore). Me? I eat cheeseburgers. That’s right. I’m tired of the media, government, and some doctor telling me that leading a “healthy” lifestyle is the way to go. You want to know what I had for dinner last night? Three grilled cheese sandwiches, two eggs, and half a package of bacon. Sure, I spent a good while in the bathroom afterwards, but I was able to use that time wisely by catching up on current events in the newspaper. I just really don’t see how going on one of these diet fads is going to keep me slim and trim. Remember how the media was trying to tell everyone how that low-carb Atkins diet was the way to go? They seemed to shut their damn mouths when Atkins himself turned up dead of a heart attack. I eat whatever the hell I want. You know why? I get out for a walk every once and a while, and I sure burn some calories when I chase kids off my lawn. Damn kids try to steal my rhubarb... What the hell kind of kid wants to steal rhubarb, anyway? A very disturbed or a poor one; I do live in Devon. So, to sum things up, the next time some quack tries to tell you you’re not eating right, ask him if you can see his diploma in Jackass-ology from Screw U.

Comments & Letters The Brunswickan Editorial Board

Editor-In-Chief • Jennifer McKenzie Managing Editor • Tony von Richter Co-News Editor • Josh O’Kane Co-News Editor • Lauren Kennedy Arts Editor • Ashley Bursey Photo Editor • Andrew Meade Sports Editor • Brian Munn Copy Editor • Alicia Del Frate Production Editor • Ed Cullinan Staff Advertising Sales Rep • Bill Traer Delivery • Mike Lee Contributors Christian Hapgood, Brad Conley, Alison Clack, Jordan Gill, Doug Estey, Dan Hagerman, Sean Horsley, Dave Briggs, Melanie Bell, Naomi Osborne, Mitchell Bernard, Ed Bowes, Jason Henry, Nick Ouellette About Us The Brunswickan, in its 141st year of publication, is Canada’s Oldest Official Student Publication.

We are an autonomous student newspaper owned and operated by Brunswickan Publishing Inc., a nonprofit, independant 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 10,000.

Letters Must be submitted by e-mail including your name, letters with pseudonymns will not be printed. Letters must be 200 words maximum. Deadline for letters is Friday at noon.

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 Editor-in-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 • bruns.editor@gmail.com

iewpoint V

Issue 22 • March 12, 2008 • 7

Canadian cinemas The need to show more Brunswickan homegrown films Q : What is your biggest time waster? uestion

by The Charlatan editorial staff, the Charlatan (Carleton University)

OTTAWA (CUP) -- Canadian filmmakers David Cronenberg, Bruce McDonald and Denys Arcand should mean something to Canadians, but to most of us they're just names.

That's because Canadians rarely see the country's films on the big screen.

With the Canadian Radio and Television Council enforcing content quotas for our local airwaves, Canadian cinemas should receive the same treatment.

High-calibre Canadian films are made every year but without the ability to get the films out to a large audience, they seldom receive critical acclaim.

Cineplex Entertainment LP, the largest exhibitor of films in Canada, operates Cineplex Odeon, Galaxy and Famous Players theatres, among many others.

The company’s website says their cinemas represent 90 per cent of Canada’s box office and as such, the Torontobased company should have to show a certain number of Canadian films.

An example of a great Canadian talent is Atom Egoyan. He is an internationally-recognized and celebrated filmmaker and is the executive producer of Away From Her, which was nominated for two Oscars this year. The director, Sarah Polley, is also Canadian.

Canadian stories and Canadian talent should be recognized on Canadian screens — this way Canadians can have an appealing alternative to screen gems such as Cheaper by the Dozen and Norbit.

Shaving my balls because I never get laid Andrew Williamson

Going to class Bill Dowling

Growing my beard BJ Taylor

Shaving Jeff ‘Babyface’ Bartels

South Park Jeremy McLaughlin

Facebook Laura Higgins

Andrew Meade Rob Bowie

Homework Scott Driscoll

Viewpoint Vanessa MacDonald

“None of the above” should be on student election ballots

by Adam Filiatreault, Intercamp (Grant MacEwan College) EDMONTON (CUP) -- When I go to vote in my student union's election, one choice will be absent from my ballot — the option to declare that none of the candidates are qualified to represent me.

In fact, the only options I have if I don't like any of the candidates is to vote for the “lesser of the evils” or not

March 26, 2008 Knocking out Landmines Crowne Plaza Lord Beaverbrook

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Lawyers Against Landmines initiative The event will begin at 6:00 pm. Tickets for the event are $125.00 and are available by calling Gavin Cosgrove at 506-292-5435. Ticket price includes a three-course meal from the award-winning chefs at the Crowne Plaza and admission to the nine-bout card. A $50 tax receipt will be issued. http://www.knockingoutlandmines.com.

vote at all.

But if I don't fill out a ballot, instead of saying “I don’t like these candidates,” I'm actually saying “I don’t care enough to vote”, and if I choose the person I think is least unqualified, I'm just supporting ineffectiveness.

As a responsible, informed voter, I should have the right to vote "none of the above."

When a candidate runs uncontested, I can vote "yes" or "no" so why can't I have a similar vote for positions with more than one campaign? As a member of the electorate, it's only fair that the candidate I vote into office didn't get there because they were better than the others, but that they were the right person for the job.

Military ad Already sent up

Arts & Entertainment

bruns.arts@gmail.com • March 12, 2008

Spicy sushi and a big yellow school bus: Wassabi hits Freddy

by Ashley Bursey

With their own special blend of reggae, electronica, and driving bass beats, the Wassabi experience is not to be missed.

The Brunswickan called up guitarist and vocalist Brent “Gisto” Hongisto to talk about the new album and all things Wassabi.

The Brunswickan: I have to ask: Why spell wasabi with two ‘s’?

Wassabi Collective: I think we didn’t want to confuse Google’s search engine (laughs). I don’t know, actually. I don’t even know if the Internet was invented back then. That was Stone Age stuff. I guess they ate sushi and stuff, they all hung out around a sushi bar. I wasn`t in the band at the time. I don’t know where the extra ‘s’ came from, but it was smart.

B: What do you think about the east coast?

WC: We love it out there. It’s awesome. We get treated so well out there, we have kind of a special relationship with the fans. It seems they like the further you get from home...there’s something special about going out east. It’s like a long lost love affair or something, because you never get to see them... I think they definitely respond to the more high-energy stuff. I think the east coast audience has something that they should never let go of, it’s kind of like a true appreciation of music, this kind of a humbleness, and I think sometimes the west – maybe they’re just, what’s the word, just too cool for it sometimes.

B: So what is Wassabi up to right now?

WC: I’ve been working in my home studio. We’ve been building up our own studio here so when we get in the creative process we can capture it better.

We have a reputation of being a good live band, and as for our studio recordings, they need to be improved...so to have our music studio in our own home

should merge the creative spontaneity of being on the road and being live, and being comfortable at home and not spending everything on studio time... we’re trying to put money back into the what the source of our inspiration is.

B: Does that mean your new albums are going to be more organic, more home-grown?

WC: I think it’s going to sound however we feel like sounding. I think we’re always going to have our sound, but it’s going to translate into different palates.

I think that taking control of our own musical creations in our studio, we can gauge that by whatever means we want.

Certainly, by sitting in the producer’s chair, suddenly all the sounds are up to you. We’re all sharing that experience right now...figuring what sound we hear and how to translate that onto tape. I think it’s gonna be great.

One thing that Wassabi needs is some stuff that’ll stand strong on the airwaves. Wassabi does great live but they haven’t had that same intimate experience on their airwaves. We have yet to write that hit song that MuchMusic and the radio stations want to play...we want to broaden the audience. It’s going to take a couple of catchy hit songs.

B: Most bands are afraid of going too mainstream, but you`re kind of the opposite.

WC: I’m not afraid. I don’t think any of us are afraid of the exposure.

We’re musicians, that’s all I’ve ever done – play music. I get turned on by all kinds of different music, whether it’s African drums or a really flashy Gwen Stefani tune. To me it’s all music. It’s true there are lesser integral forms of it, and it’s true things are out there to be candy for the population and make money. But if it makes you sing along to a nice melody or dance, that’s cool with me. The integrity of someone based on whether they’re on the radio or not is of no interest to me.

B: So what are you listening to right now?

WC: Amy Winehouse I love right now. Adam Shake is a producer/DJ

Submitted

“I appreciate the realness with any music, whether it’s strung-out druggie music or tribal beats or something from a small place,” says Gisto of Wassabi Collective. They play at Nicky Zee’s on March 17. who’s around the area and does a lot of world beat kinda stuff. Of course, I listen to Jamaican artists like Sizzla. I like Amy Winehouse because she’s got some really catchy poppy songs, but it seems as though she came about that place on her own, she wasn’t crafted like Britney Spears. I did catch the Grammy’s the other day, which I thought was pretty captivating...(Amy) was like, “You guys are really giving me more Grammies?”

B: Amy`s being celebrated despite the fact she can`t keep her personal life together. What do you think of that?

WC: Isn’t that the way of life? We have these incredible attributes but on the flip side of the coin, we obviously have to pull a little more responsibility...I

Internet

Canadian singer/songwriter Jessica Rhaye is becoming known for something other than her musical talents

A one-woman show

by Naomi Osborne

Nothing is out of reach for this talented Canadian singer, songwriter, and artist.

Jessica Rhaye exceeded even her own expectations when she won Graphic Designer of the Year at this year’s East Coast Music Awards.

“For me, as a one-woman show, it was a thrill,” she says. “I work equally as hard on my music as I do my graphics, so it was awesome to get recognition for it.”

But for Rhaye, it didn`t just stop there. The artist also received a nomination at the ECMAs this year for Female Solo Recording for her self-titled release, which came out in 2000. Although she didn`t take home the award, she said it didn’t discourage her, since it was refreshing to be recognized for her graphic design.

Rhaye does a combination of visual, logo, and promotional designs for many companies in Saint John, where she now lives. She grew up in Hampton, New Brunswick, but has been living in Saint John since 2004 when she graduated from the College of Craft and Design in Fredericton.

Rhaye originally went to the college to do pottery, but while she was there

her passion for graphic design shone through.

“When I first went to the Craft College, it wasn’t for graphics. However, it turned out that pottery wasn’t easy. It is a skill or technique that you are either born with or not. And I certainly don’t have it,” said Rhaye.

From pottery she quickly moved straight into graphic designs, and it became her hidden talent.

“When I started I didn’t even know how to turn on a computer,” said Rhaye.

“I realized later that I had always done graphics and just didn’t know it.”

Since she graduated, Rhaye has been working with various bands and companies on their graphics. She is currently working with the band Hot Toddy on their graphics for their newest CD. Rhaye gets her inspiration by simply looking through other material. She is constantly browsing through websites, magazines, and books to see what other people are coming up with.

“Usually I have a vision and I try to create something from that,” said Rhaye. “I always make the creations from my head.”

She also created and designed everything on her personal website, www. jessicarhaye.com. The site is easy to access and use, and she says this is key for allowing the proper exposure for her music. She has found that her website has increased both her CD sales and

her fame.

She has been playing guitar since she was eight years old, and she writes all of her own music.

Rhaye’s success has grown since the release of her debut album. She was awarded the privilege to perform at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa and also traveled to Niger, Africa, to perform at the Francophone Games.

Her exposure at the ECMAs has only increased her fame amongst the public and other artists.

“Since the ECMAs this year, I have been getting a lot of random calls from different artists,” said Rhaye.

Her passion and talent with graphics allows her to enter a whole new genre as a musician. She understands both the musical side and the creative and publicity side as well.

Being able to produce and create her own graphics has given her a unique personalized style, as well as benefited her career.

“Since I am able to do all my own stuff, it allows me creative control over all my promotional material,” said Rhaye. “I don’t need to hire someone to do all that stuff for me.”

Rhaye is currently working on her next album that is due to be released this fall. So far she has finished all the graphics for it herself, and is about half way through the process of recording and producing.

appreciate her on a musical level more than anything. As a role model, I wouldn’t necessarily vouch for that.

She’s real with it, that’s what impresses me about music. Britney is all fucked up because she was designed. She was a little kid trying to be that pop star for Disney...I appreciate the realness with any music, whether it’s strung-out druggie music or tribal beats or something from a small place.

B: What`s next for Wassabi?

WC: Well, things have been going pretty smooth lately. We haven’t had too many vehicle breakdowns, that kind of thing. I think we’re making...enough money to at least maintain our vehicles on the road now, at least from show to

show. In the past, we were in a situation where our vehicles weren’t reliable and would go into debt by the end of the show...I think it’s been a long time where we’ve ever missed a show.

Lately, I think we all dream to advance to another – I guess it requires another pay bracket, but it would be cool to travel in a biodiesel bus. We used to have our own school bus, our yellow school bus with a little extra paint on the side... everyone would say, “Where’s Wassabi?”

It was more fun that way, more of a party. It can be really challenging on the road with that kind of situation, but we’re just...throwing out the bait, tying to reel in some kind of money so we can keep doing what we’re doing.

If we were to keep staying at this level, we’d probably get burnt out and upset... so we’re trying to advance. It does take a lot. This I pretty much our main thing.

I think all this is a push towards...at the least, having a nicer vehicle to drive in and lie down in.

B: What can people expect from your upcoming show?

WC: Four or five new songs, maybe even more fresh songs, some total dance numbers, a couple of sing-along tunes that people will get used to. I’m looking forward to it. Definitely some songs the east coast will respond to, hyped up high-energy songs.

Wassabi Collective play at Nicky Zee’s in Fredericton on March 17.

Arts & Entertainment

10 • March 12, 2008 • Issue 22

Perfection in an imperfect world?

by Ashley Bursey

Sometimes, the perfect woman might just drive you crazy.

That’s the idea behind Norm Foster’s play. “The Love List”, the side-splittingly funny tale of two bachelor chums, Bill and Leon, who decide to put together a list of the top-ten attributes in the ideal female. But when Justine, a bombshell who happens to fit a little too neatly in the parameters of their list, shows up at the door, Bill begins to wonder if hoping for perfection is a little bit too ambitious.

Foster, Canada’s most-produced playwright, actually got his start in theatre years ago in New Brunswick.

He has returned to jump into the role of Leon in Theatre New Brunswick’s production of The Love List alongside veterans Marshall Button as Bill and Ginette Mohr as Justine.

“It’s a terrible experience, really,” Button jokes, laughing, reclining on a couch on the set. “To work with two actors like this is fantastic. I first saw Norm in a play...playing Elwood Dowd in a play

called ‘Harvey’, and he was a person who had experience being characters on the radio. But I saw this man onstage and saw him bring the house down...

And Ginette, who I hadn`t met except on the Internet on these pornographic sites – no, I`m kidding. She`s a delight.

She`s a comedienne, and she`s one in a million. I don`t know why she’s stuck with us in Fredericton.”

The cast works tremendously together, hitting all the right notes with impeccable comedic timing. And the play – which is clever and subtly sexual without being overtly raunchy – is a breath of fresh air for New Brunswick theatre and enticing for audiences of all ages.

“It`s interesting because you know, people tend to think of Norm’s plays as being gentle comedies or whatever, but this play sort of breaks all the rules that I thought TNB had established ten years ago,” says Button. “When I was being interviewed for a position here one time, one of the questions that came up was, ‘What do you think about bad words in a play?’ I said, ‘What do you mean?’

They said, ‘Well, bad language.’

“I said, ‘I don`t know, I look at a play, I don`t necessarily think about the words’... Eventually, if you pro-

Ashley Bursey / The Brunswickan

Marshall Button and Ginette Mohr in Norm Foster’s “The Love List”, running from March 12-16 at the Playhouse with discounted student tickets.

gram your works to try to not offend anybody, you’re not going to please anybody, because they`re going to be so watered-down and so bland that it`s not theatre anymore. Is that what we want to do? To have things watered down to the point where we`re so worried about making everybody happy that we please nobody?”

Foster, sitting next to him, jumps in.

“That whole thing about pushing the envelope, I’ve heard that so many times.

Years ago, Malcolm Black was here [at TNB] and did ‘Equus’ – that was pushing the envelope. Four or five years ago, I acted in a show here called ‘Art’, where every other word was the f-word. That was pushing the envelope.

“This whole thing about doing safe plays – that`s crap. Whether it`s pushing the envelope or not, people want a good story. They want a good play.

They want good performances. It`s not a case of, ‘New Brunswick audiences aren`t ready for that,’ because they are.

They totally are. They just want some quality work.”

The Love List is certainly an example of that, with witty, rapid-fire dialogue, vibrant characters, and a plot that any average Joe or Jane can relate to: finding the gal or guy of your dreams. The monkey’s paw adage of being careful what you wish for just makes it even funnier.

“If you’re an athlete and you pitch a perfect game or you score seven goals or you`re a hockey player, then you reach a moment that may never quite occur in that way again and it’s something that you know is within our realm,” says Button. “It`s these little moments of perfection in an imperfect world. I think that’s what happens, and these characters begin to think it’s possible because there are two or three moments that happen in the story, at least for my character, that are perfect, and then getting obsessed with trying to keep it perfect. I`m never going to score seven goals again or pitch that no-hitter again, or I`m never going to have that moment with the audience like I did that night, but by being obsessed with trying to recreate it is where you get into trouble.”

Poetry in motion, if poetry were 50 stories tall The Final Score by Dan Hagerman

Shadow of the Colossus (PS2) Every once and awhile, a game comes out that puts most other games to shame. Shadow of the Colossus is one of those games.

I should probably qualify such a grandiose statement.

When first booting up the game, you are greeted by a haunting melody and the vista of a canyon with a bird being tracked by the game’s camera. As the camera moves, you see the bird pass by a lone figure riding a horse alongside a ledge in the canyon. The camera now follows the two characters, the boy Wander and the horse Agro, through a series of gorgeous environments. Finally they come to an incredibly large bridge, which leads over a valley to a large stone temple.

Upon entering this temple and descending a circular staircase, the pair arrives at an altar. Wander steps down from Agro and the boy removes a previously unseen, blanket-wrapped bundle from the horse. Wander carries it to the altar and lays the bundle on it gently before throwing the blanket away, revealing a beautiful but completely still girl. A voice, eerily mixed with both a male and female voice speaking in unison, demands to know what the boy is doing there.

Wander explains to the god that this girl has died because she had a “cursed fate,” and says that he has heard that this god has the ability to restore the dead.

The god at first claims that this is impossible to achieve, but upon witnessing a special sword that Wander has obtained, changes his statement to say that it may be possible after all, but it will come at a terrible price. Wander simply replies: “I don’t care.”

Why did I bother to explain all of the exposition? Because that’s essentially all the exposition you’re going to get from this game. From here, you must do the god Dormin’s will by destroying 16 Colossi scattered throughout the land, in the hopes that Dormin will follow through on its promise.

From here on out, the game is almost nothing but you, your horse, your

sword (which reflects light in the direction of your enemies’ weak points), and your bow. That’s it. That’s the whole game. You also have a health bar, and a strength bar to tell you how much longer you can hold onto the Colossi before you’re thrown off.

You will need all of these things and a fair bit of cunning to defeat these Colossi. Each of the 16 beasts are totally unique, with different environments to fight them in, different attack patterns that they follow, and different weak points to strike at.

If you think this sounds easy, all it will take is to even look at the first Colossus and you’ll see that you have your work cut out for you. In terms of scale, the first monster you face is something like 20 feet wide and about 50 feet high. Oh, and it also has a really big club with your name on it. Later Colossi might be even bigger (or smaller!), so you can’t just choose one tactic and run with it.

In terms of the Colossi themselves, they’re also very well realized in terms of their creation. In addition to scale, these creatures look as if they could actually be some sort of mythic defenders of a barren wasteland. Some are covered in ornate rock patterns and fur, others are flying winged beasts, and the last Colossus defies description.

To compliment the excellent looking Colossi, the game itself is extremely beautiful. As the game goes on the main character looks increasingly sallow and worn. The horse is the most detailed and lifelike I’ve ever seen in a game. Even simple touches like the doves that appear

by Wander’s loved one appear gentle and gorgeous at the same time.

By now, you may have noticed that I may not have been calling much at-

tention to Wander’s horse, Agro. The reason I’ve done this so far is because I haven’t had to. When I said Agro is the best horse ever, I meant it. If he’s able to make it to you when you fall off of a Colossus, he will faithfully be by your side.

You need to use Agro to get to many of these Colossi in the first place. And in some of the battles, you’ll even need to attack the monsters while riding Agro and the artificial intelligence powering him will keep you out of harm’s way.

That’s just freaking awesome.

I think the game’s main draw, in addition to its technically superior visuals and gameplay, is its presentation. Aside from the cinematic sequences at the beginning and end of the game, the game uses minimalism in both its gameplay and presentation elements. People often ask me “Why would this kid go through all of this hell just for one girl?”

To which I always reply that he clearly loves her more than anything else. Even if the relationship between the two is not made clear in any way, Wander chooses to risk everything for her. Even when he starts being attacked by something other than Colossi, he never focuses on them, but only on her. That kind of love doesn’t show up in most media I’ve seen (or a lot of the time in real life, for that matter), and the same goes for Wander’s faithful horse Agro.

Shadow of the Colossus is one of those games that people mention as an argument for the idea of videogames being able to be considered art, and I admit that it’s hard to argue, with the majestic soundtrack, awe-inspiring Colossi, and a simple story about a boy trying to save a girl that he loves. And hey! It’s fun to play, too!

16 out of 16 Colossi

Monday Night Movie Series Caramel

LY sh N a O B E r T e I t ONE N Pre Eas

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every thursday nite

9pm - Midnite

Check us out on Facebook at “Sweetwaters Rockin Rodeo-Official”

444-0121 www.sweetsrodeo.com

March 17, 2008 8 pm Room 102, Tilley Hall “Caramel” “Caramel”, a hit at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, also triumphed at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, where it wowed audiences as a Gala Presentation. Nadine Labaki‘s directorial debut truly manages to stir the senses and emotions in this enchanting story, set in and around a Beirut beauty parlour.

Layale, (Nadine Labaki) is the owner and lifeblood of the salon. We soon learn

just how complex her life is as we discover she is having an affair with a married man with whom she is hopelessly in love. While Layale awaits the secret call of her lover, Nisrine (Yasmine Al Masri), a spirited bombshell, is on the verge of marrying a conservative Muslim. Not only must she deal with the upcoming wedding, but also reckon with the fact that her fiancé might discover a secret he won‘t like on their wedding night.

Meanwhile, Jamale (Gisèle Aouad), is an aging actress and client struggling to embrace her body as she desperately tries

to hold back the hands of time. Rima (Joanna Moukarzel), hardworking and rough around the edges, has her anomalous desires awakened when her ideal client walks through the door. Nearby, seamstress Rose (Sihame Haddad) stifles her desire by deflecting the attentions of a long awaited gentleman suitor as she cares for her elder sister.

The ensemble cast on display here has such raw charisma that the film takes on an almost improvisatory quality; the touching and poignant performances generate enormous warmth and wit.

Arts & Entertainment

Issue 22 • March 12, 2008 • 11

The road to Nimbin: An alternative tour Ed Bowes continues his misadventures in Australia with Jim’s Alternative Tours

by Ed Bowes The tour bus picked us up at the hostel at 10 am. A crazy-looking hippie man named Jim came off the rickety old bus and welcomed us on his tour most enthusiastically. After we picked up the rest of our passengers from various hostels around Byron Bay, the bus climbed through the hills until we reached a plateau, which had an amazing view of the seaside paradise that is Byron Bay,

Byron Bay. This was probably the coolest bar I have ever seen in my life but I had the feeling we only stopped there because Jim wanted to have a drink with his friends.

The bar was full of some of the most intense Aussie characters you could ever meet. My buddy and I sat down with an old man who had a huge beard, aggressive ponytail, and a tooth pick pierced through his nose. This guy told us a little bit about the legacy of the Byron area and way too much information regarding his upbringing. I would like to tell you what he said, but most of it was inaudible – just mumbles and yelling. He did tell us that he's been sticking things through his nose since he was young, which is kind of weird.

After a few beers and some more creepy chat we boarded back up on the bus and began the drive to Nimbin.

The only explanation I got for what the town of Nimbin was all about, was

Ed Bowes / The Brunswickan

Nimbin, a town in Byron Bay, Australia, is a throwback to the 60’s.

Australia. The town looked like one big green valley, no skyscrapers, no McDonald's – just local businesses, miles of beach, and a great Kebab shop.

Jim told us that his tour is known as “the tour with the tunes,” and he wanted us to sit back and enjoy the ride and music (this will become very important later on in the story). The first real stop on the way to Nimbin was an old country pub on the outskirts of

that it was the Amsterdam of Australia and one of the only places in the world where the '60s counter culture was still the dominate way of life. The drive was long but we knocked back a box of wine on the way – $7 for five litres, and for some reason the Aussies call it “goon”.

Just as the bus was pulling into Nimbin, Jim came over the loud speaker and told us that we would be stopping here for an hour and that before any

of us bought any of the local delicacies, we had to make sure we asked if the “salesperson” was a cop first. He warned everyone on the bus that if we bought any cookies from the street vendors, we should eat half first, wait 30 minutes, then finish the other half it we felt we needed it. Everyone on the bus cheered.

The town of Nimbin was, well, unbelievable. It was basically one main street full of weed vendors, head shops, and dope cafes. Everyone you passed asked if you needed weed or cookies. The entire town was painted in bright murals and there was an abundance of old vans, beards, and dreads. It was crazy hot and everyone was sweating up a storm. As we walked down the street, we stumbled upon a museum. It was a dilapidated building that had an old Volkswagen van full of painted mannequins and other weird paraphernalia parked in the entrance. Obviously we had to go in, so we paid a small donation to a couple of guys who may or may not have actually worked there and entered.

Inside, the walls were covered with trippy artwork, sculptures, old vehicles, and more mannequins; huge pot leaves hung from the ceiling, and some walls were sculpted to look like you were in a forest. This may have been the strangest thing I have ever experienced, but pretty damn fun at the same time.

All of the cafes were just big hot boxes that I think served food but the waiters were too high to pay any attention. I asked one of the locals if weed was legal here, to which he replied, “No man, the cops just leave us be and we do the same.” The mayor's office was known as “The Hemp Embassy” and in one of the shops, there was the world’s largest joint hanging from the ceiling. Apparently, the townspeople march with it when they’re fighting to legalize. After a quick (organic) bite to eat, we got back on the bus and were ready to get on our way. I heard a huge British guy beside me complaining that he ate three cookies and didn't even feel anything (this would quickly change.)

Jim told us that he hoped we enjoyed Nimbin in moderation and that the next stop was Paul Recher's hippie heaven.

Ed Bowes / The Brunswickan

Two friendly characters Ed met outside one of his many stops.

What in the hell were we in for next?

OK, I want to mention this before I go any further. Jim has been doing this tour forever and has found a way to sync the music he plays with the route he takes. The music of Jimmy Hendrix, the Beatles, and Janis Joplin matching the hills, bumps, and turns to every note.

Clearly intense after a trip to Nimbin.

We took “roller coaster road” (exactly how it sounds) to our next destination.

Our British friend in the seats next to us was starting to take a turn for the worse.

His head was down and he is starting to tell people on the bus he needs a hospital because he had too many weed cookies.

My three friends and I were really trying not to laugh too much at him, but it was kind of his own fault.

So this guy’s trippin' hard and I'm pretty wine drunk, so I decide to start video taping him. We are flying through the woods and seriously, the music is synced up perfectly; this guy must be in drug hell right now. He is telling everyone he needs an ambulance and people (us) are actually taking pictures of the poor guy. He started crying and kept asking us to pour water on him because he was hot. Jim eventually stops the bus and assures the guy that it's going to go away, he just had a little too much “fun”. He said that he has seen someone trip out like this before and that it just takes time.

We reach the next stop on the tour:

hippie heaven. It was down a long dirt road lined with old scrap vans and what looked to be old ovens and toasters. A crazy wild man emerged from the trees and introduced himself as Paul. We were in his hippie compound. The place was actually quite beautiful – there were amazing trees and flowers everywhere.

Paul took us on a tour of his acreage and showed us his house, which was an old farm house without walls decorated with pictures of Jesus and dismembered Barbies. The one-bedroom dream home was painted bright purple, pink and yel-

low, and overlooked a huge lily pond.

He told us it was his swimming hole and welcomed us to take a dip.

It was 100 degrees out, so of course I went into the leech-infested pool. It was full of old tires, which made great floating seats. If you tried to stand up, you would sink into a foot of mud and get stuck. After our quick cool off, we were given a feast of fruits and nuts harvested in Paul's own back yard. My friend burned a leech off me with his cigarette. We all thanked our gracious host and made our way back onto the bus and set off for Minyon Falls and the world heritage rain forest.

This leg of the tour was just as unforgettable as the earlier portions. The falls were 124 meters high and we stood out on a viewing platform above a 105 metre cliff. I went to the bathroom and noticed a huge snake in the ceiling slithering closer and closer to the urinals. This was enough to scare me back on the bus.

By the end of the tour, everyone was tired, hung-over, hungry, and strung out, and it was only 6 pm. Our British friend had finally calmed down and the final stop was a munchie run at a place named Federal Village. I had ice cream, beef jerky, a chocolate bar, chips, and a beer. What an enlightening day.

Ed Bowes / The Brunswickan

Hippie heaven and Janis Joplin make for the tour to end all tours.

Punk rock yoga begins at Boom! nightclub on Thursday nights

by Ashley Bursey

Anyone who ever thought the Horrorpops and the Misfits wouldn’t go well with the downward-facing dog might want to think again.

Punk rock yoga has arrived in Fredericton, and instructor Erin Ball says it’s a whole new way to look at the traditional art of self-realization and inner peace.

The classes, which are held at Boom! nightclub in downtown Fredericton, are fresh and innovative, billed as “Hatha yoga with a twist, in unconventional places’. Ball, who taught previously in Toronto, said the class was a huge hit in Ontario after beginning in Seattle in 2003.

“I like that it challenges anyone who

says that there is only one ‘right’ way to do things,” she says. “The way that I teach has been pulled from so many different teachers and traditions and to me it just doesn't make sense that there would be only one right way. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says to find whatever works for you and I think that punk rock yoga is just another option... and one that encourages people that might not walk into a yoga studio for whatever reason to check it out.”

The tunes – which aren’t all head bangers or mosh-pit-ready – offer an alternative to the new-age music that’s often stereotypical fare for a yoga class.

Songs like Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” or “Reach for the Sky” by Social Distortion are played throughout the class, complemented by quieter periods of breathing, meditation, and stretching exercises.

The class also focuses on group and partner work, which Ball says are comfortable and relaxed, even for the most inexperienced yogi.

Kimberlee Jensen Stedt, who created the class in 2003, says the experience developed from something basic into a global phenomenon, with classes across North America.

“The class attracted crowds of all ages and what started as a small community service project has evolved into a nascent movement with numerous yoga teachers joining the fold,” she says on her website, www.punkrockyoga. com. “The more I taught and the more I immersed myself in the professional yoga community, the more I carved out

a mission for punk rock yoga: I want to scrub the elitism and rigidity out of modern yoga.”

For Ball, it’s much the same. She focuses on self-realization as opposed to the physical benefits of yoga, which many fitness gurus have been crowing about as of late.

“The other thing that I like as a teach-

er is that I get to be really creative with the music and with the class in general,” she says. “I try to make it a place where people can breathe, relax, learn more about themselves, and have fun. I really enjoy the laughter that often occurs in punk rock yoga classes.”

For more information, check out www.squeakychinchilla.com.

12 • The Brunswickan

March 12 •2008

Classifieds

Classifieds are a FREE service for members of the university community. Please try to limit submissions to 35 words or less. Your name, student number, and phone number are required at submission, but will not be published. We can accept them at Room 35, SUB, 453-5073 (Fax), or e-mail: bruns-ad@unb.ca. Please do not submit by phone. We reserve the right to edit or refuse publication. All classifieds are subject to available space. For display advertising contact Bill at 447-3388. Classified deadline is Monday at noon.

WANTED

Eric e-mail: erichard@unb.ca.

Looking for weight bench and weights – freestyle or other type of system considered. Call Cleve at 260-0932.

Attention Part-time Students: Prof. couple looking for babysitter for evenings, weekends and occasional days for three year old girl. Please forward resumes to: newriver@nbnet.nb.ca.

Wanted to buy: hard to find game of Bandu. No missing pieces please.

I am driving to Ottawa on March 18 and back on March 23, if anyone is looking for a ride to Quebec, Montreal, and Ottawa, contact me at taics1@gmail.com. You just need to share the gas.

FOR SALE Solid Tiger oak computer table for sale, paid $320 at Staples, asking for only $180, excellent condition.

Phone: 206-0281.

Single bed complete $99, double bed complete $125; Child’s sleigh for hauling child (wood) spring rocking horse $45, large armchair $35.

Ph: 455-6450.

Large cedar (hope) chest. “Art Deco” in good condition. Best offer.

Call 454-4550.

TANNING SPECIALS

3 LOCATIONS 530 Queen St. 458-9771 1113 Regent St. 454-8267 154 Main St. 472-5048

ONE FREE TAN

20% OFF

Dell Dimension 2400 Desktop $400 OBO. Includes: HP Lightscribe DVD burner, DVD reader, LogiTech webcam, 80 gig hard drive, 512k ram, Pentium 4 2.8 GHz pro-

cessor, optical USB mouse, keyboard with volume controls, etc. XP Home Edition, floppy drive. Front USB and audio ports, total 6 USB ports.

15” Dell Monitor, All the original disks (WordPerfect, Encarta 2004, drivers and utilities disks, application disks, colour monitor user documentation disk, Norton Internet Security [if you want it...], and OS Reinstallation CD). It’s in perfect working condition, but has been replaced by a MacBook. Formatted for your convenience. Has two stickers on the left side of the monitor. Has original certification sticker. Will send pictures if requested. For an extra $20, we can include an HP 3420v inkjet printer.

Also has original installation disk, etc.

Doesn’t have original speakers, but if small set of speakers are needed, can include a pair from another computer, which have never been used, so are in excellent condition. Contact y6jh1@unb.ca.

Spacious three bedroom upstairs apartment. Hardwood floors, washer, dryer, beautiful deck. One year lease beginning in May. $1200, hot water included. 515 Albert Street.

Call Francis: 470-5422.

1978 Kawasaki KZ400 Motorcycle, in great shape. Includes complete 2nd bike for parts or repair, four spare motors and many other parts. Great starter bike. Asking $1100 obo.

Phone 476-4245 or 455-0399.

Sunny one bedroom apt on University Ave. large deck, hardwood floors, coined laundry; $525 + utilities. Call 260-9397.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Need someone to sublet your house for the summer? Four mature girls looking to sublet a three or four bedroom house from May 1st to end the of August. Please email: hbbbn@stu. ca.

Rooms to rent: Now taking deposits for rooms for the college year 2008-2009 commencing Sept.

1/08 and ending April 30/09 – serious, mature male students only, furnished bedroom, separate kitchen, bath, laundry and entrance. Utilities included. Cable and internet available. Five minute walk to UNB. Five rooms available on Kitchen St. Phone 455-1979 or 451-2979.

Available immediately. Furnished room in a quiet home. Heated, lighted. Kitchen and bathroom priveleges. Non-coin laundry, parking.

On bus route. centrally located. Nea r campus. Students or working persons. No smoking. Call 454-4550.

03/31/08

Main Street Bowl-A-Drome 301 Main Street 472-2361

1 FREE GAME

• Shoe Rental Included • Birthday Parties a Speciality • Restaurant – Licensed Lounge • Air Conditioned • Student Rates

Student I.D. Required.

Valid Until April 15/2008

Limit 1 per person per day. During public bowling times.

Cannot be combined with other offers. Not valid with group booking. No cash value

Renting for Sept 08: Closest location to campus as possible. Four bedroom house directly across from Head Hall. 12 month lease, Sept1/08-aug31/09. Contact Matt at 471-7973 or mda@unb.ca for details.

Sublet May 1st- August 31st. 401

York Street. Old Hartt Shoe Factory Two bedrooms, two bathrooms.

Furnished (but it doesn’t have to be).

Cable and internet included. $500 a month. Call Tobin at 471-8036.

Skyline Acres. Available April 1st.

Three bedroom upper level house.

Large living room dinning room and kitchen. Fridge stove dishwasher washer dryer. Walk out deck and huge storage barn. Big back yard.

Damage deposit required. $1200 per month utilities included. Call 454-3500 to view.

A nice spacious four bedroom apartment on Graham Avenue available for rent until the end of August, 2008. Three minutes to campus.

Laundry, parking and air exchanger.

Please call 459-5465.

Room to rent: Intersession and summer session – May to August – serious, mature students only— furnished bedroom, separate kitchen, bath, laundry and entrance. Utilities included. Cable and Internet available. Five minute walk to UNB. Five rooms available on Kitchen St. $90 per week. Phone 455-1979 or 451-2979.

Spacious two bedroom apartment, available May 1, 2008 and/or September 1, 2008, Montgomery Street, heat, laundry, parking space.

Please call 454-0282.

Nice, spacious two bedroom apartment, available May 1, 2008, Montgomery Street, heat, laundry, parking space. Please call 454-0282.

PSAs The Fredericton Fiddle Orchestra and Leo Hayes High School String Ensemble will be presenting an evening of Celtic music on Thursday March 13th. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the Charlotte St. Arts Centre located at 732 Charlotte St. Donations to the Leo Hayes High School Music Department will be accepted at the door.

For more information, please contact Katherine Moller at 366-2829.

Singers Peter Barrett, baritone, and Michael Barrett, tenor, perform Wednesday March 12, 8:00 p.m. at Memorial Hall, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton. The Barretts, accompanied by pianist Peter Tiefenbach, will perform a variety of songs that celebrate spring, the beauty of love and the heartbreak of love lost, drawn from the classics, opera and music theatre. This concert is part of the Music on the Hill 50th anniversary concert series. Tickets, $23 for adults, $21 for seniors, and $7 for students, are available at Westminster Books, Gallery 78, The Paper Trail and at the door. For more information visit cel.unb.ca/music or call 453-4697.

Sex, Lies & Economics. Why is the market economy all that counts?

Why is “women’s work” - especially unpaid - ignored or undervalued?

Why do “oil spills and war count as contributors to economic growth, while child-rearing and housekeeping are deemed valueless.” A free Lunch & Learn with Professor Joan McFarland Department of Economics/Gender Studies at Saint Thomas University Monday April 7, 2008, 12 noon to 2:00 p.m. Wilmot United Church, Corner of King & Carleton St., Fredericton, N.B. Attention all Ex-RCAF Airwoman : RCAF Airwoman’s 9th Reunion.

June 5-7, 2009, London, Ontario. www. rcafairwomen.ca or e-mail: glen@rcafairwomen.ca.

Sports

brunswickansports@gmail.com • March 12, 2008

Dramatic ending to CIS Women’s V-Ball Nationals

by Mitchell Bernard

A thrilling finish in the championship game capped off an eventful weekend at the CIS Women’s Volleyball Championships, hosted at UNB from February 29-March 1.

The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds came back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Université de Montréal Carabins 3-2 in Saturday’s final.

The win marked the first CIS championship for the Thunderbirds since 1978.

UBC’s Liz Cordonier led the way for the Thunderbirds with 17 kills, while Laetitia Tchoualack, the CIS Player of the Year, finished with 29 kills for Montreal.

Set scores were 21-25, 25-21, 20-25, 28-26, and 20-18 in favour of the Thunderbirds.

The finals weren’t the first comeback of the tournament by the champions, as UBC fought from behind to knock off the defending champion University of Alberta Pandas 3-2 in their semi-final match.

After dropping their first two sets against the number one seeded Pandas, the Thunderbirds bounced back, win-

ning the following three to advance to the finals.

Like the championship game, the bronze medal match-up also featured a nail-biting finish. The Calgary Dinos knocked off top-seeded Alberta 3-2 in a five-set marathon. It was a bittersweet revenge for the Dinos, as Alberta knocked off the Dinos a week earlier to claim the Canada West title.

Tournament all-star Holly Harper of the Dinos finished the match with 24 kills. Jocelyn Blair, a fourth-year outside attacker, had 22 kills for the Pandas.

Set scores were 24-26, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19, 17-15.

It was a disappointing weekend for the host UNB Varsity Reds. After dropping their first set by only a two-point margin, the Reds lost steam as the Carabins rolled over the AUS champs 25-19, 25-11 in the following two sets.

Erica Hay of Sussex, NB, finished with 15 kills for the Reds. CIS Second Team All-Star Melanie Doucette finished the match with 10 digs and 27 assists.

For Montreal, Marie-Pier Murray Methot was given player of the game honours. She finished with nine kills and two blocks for the Carabins.

In their second match of the tourna-

ment, the Reds dropped a 3-1 decision to the sixth-ranked McMaster Marauders.

Set scores were 25-16, 25-22, 24-26, 25-20 for McMaster.

Hay continued her strong play for the Reds, as she finished with 15 kills and 13 digs. Jennifer Holt of McMaster led the way with 40 assists in the

match.

Carla Bradstock of UBC was named tournament MVP. The fifth-year setter from Richmond, BC, capped off her CIS career in great fashion, saving her finest performance for last.

Bradstock was also named Canada West Player of the Year

prior to the tournament.

Bradstock’s mother, Christine, was a member of the last Thunderbirds championship in 1978.

The Tournament All-Stars included Liz Cordonier and Jamie Broder of UBC, Laetitia Tchoualack and Janie Guimond of Montreal, Holly Harper of Calgary, and Daryll Roper of Alberta.

While the result was not what the host Varsity Reds were looking for, they will have another shot at the national title next season. With the 2009 edition of the CIS Women’s Volleyball Championships returning to Fredericton, UNB will be poised to make a strong effort their second time around.

3

Montreal UNB

UNB Stat Leaders Game One Points: Erica Hay (16) Kills: Erica Hay (15) Blocks: Tanya Paulin (1) Digs: Melanie Doucette (10) Assists: Melanie Doucette (27) Player of the Game: Erica Hay Game Two Points: Erica Hay (15) Kills: Erica Hay (15) Blocks: Barb Vriends (1) Digs: Erica Hay (13) Assists: Melanie Doucette (37) Player of the Match: Erica Hay

0 Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 27 25 25 25 19 11

3

McMaster UNB

1 Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 25 25 24 25 16 22 26 20

Doucette’s career-year highlights UNB season

by Mitchell Bernard

It was a career-season for the UNB setter. Punctuated by a CIS second team all-star award, Melanie Doucette’s play this year was her finest performance yet. For the third consecutive season, Doucette, a native of Fredericton, led the conference in assists with 10.05

per game.

After helping the women’s volleyball Reds win their 18th AUS conference title, Doucette was named the MVP of the AUS conference, the second time she had been selected for the honour – her last coming in the 2005-2006 season.

Since her rookie season, where she picked up AUS Rookie of the Year honours (2004-05), Doucette has continued to work hard on and off the court. And it shows – she has accumulated many prestigious awards over her tenure at

UNB. Now, fresh off her fourth season with the Reds, Doucette looks forward to her final year at UNB. Already looking ahead to next season, she will attempt to raise the bar one step higher to close out her UNB career.

Doucette and the Reds are already guaranteed another shot at the CIS championships, which return to the Aitken Centre in 2009. But rest assured that she will still be working hard in the off-season to help the Reds earn their

spot in the tournament.

The Brunswickan’s Mitchell Bernard caught up the all-star setter to talk about her past, present, and future years here, at UNB. The Brunswickan: You have recently been named CIS second team all-star; you’ve won numerous awards in the AUS conference, and won the Colin B. MacKay Shield as UNB’s top female athlete. Which of the award you’ve won means the most to you, and why?

Doucette: I thinking winning a CIS second team All-Canadian meant the most to me. It’s probably just because you are being recognized across Canada.

It’s a difficult award to get. I think that one is the one that meant the most to me.

B: How did it feel to play in front of a hometown crowd at the CIS championships?

D: It was awesome. There was so much support from everyone. Anywhere you would go in Fredericton people would be like, “I can’t wait to come watch. Can’t wait to see you play.

I hope you guys win!” It was just a really good atmosphere. I liked it a lot.

B: You appeared in all 79 sets this regular season. How did you manage to stay focused, game-in and game-out,

Submitted

Melanie Doucette throughout the entire season?

D: It can get difficult juggling school and volleyball and a life. But, I just like it so much that it doesn’t really affect me.

B: You’ve had a great career so far at UNB. How have you changed, as a player, since your rookie season here at UNB? D: I’m definitely less shy. I never use to talk at all. I was so nervous, I didn’t know what to expect or what I should.

[I worried] if I was even going to play well. Now, I’ve definitely learned some

leadership skills. I talk a lot more on the court, and I lead the team better then way back when I started.

B: What’s the great lesson you’ve learned in your volleyball career thus far?

D: I don’t really know if it’s as much a lesson as learning something. But, the thing I learned most was to work in a group – to work with your teammates towards the same goal and to try to cooperate together. To be friends with everyone and learn to appreciate everyone who is on your team. And the fact that everyone is in it for the same reason.

B: Like I said before, both you and the Reds have had an awesome season.

How are you going to top it off next year?

D: I guess next year I’ll try to help [our team] win another trip to the CIS championships. Just to keep winning again and to hopefully win a few games at CIS. B: What are your plans for after you finish at UNB? D: I don’t know yet. I don’t know what I’m going to do. Volleyball has just been such a big part of my life since I was in grade seven. I don’t know what I’m going to do when it’s over.

V-Reds Athlete of the Week

Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

Hunter Tremblay 1st Year, BBA Men’s Hockey Hunter had the over-time game winning goal in UNB's 3-2 win in the first game of the AUS final series against the Saint Mary's Huskies. The rookie forward from Timmins, Ontario also assisted on UNB's first goal of the game by Dustin Friesen. Tremblay finished third overall in CIS scoring (50 pts) in the regular season and was the top scoring rookie in the country with 16 goals. He is in sixth place in the AUS for play-off scoring and is tied for first place in the goal scoring with three.

Sports

14 • March 12, 2008 • Issue 22

Meet Canada’s Jerry Maguire

by Marc MacDonald The Brock Press (Brock University)

ST. CATHARINES (CUP) – It’s 7 am, and Jason Harshaw — dressed in his Sunday best — is up and off work. But he isn’t headed to an office building like most of the suits in Southern Ontario.

He’s off to a hockey arena. And his clients aren’t fellow businessmen, but rather 15 and 16 year old kids with dreams of making it big.

If the notion of a 25-year-old working for someone as young as 15 seems a little far-fetched, welcome to the life of a hockey agent, where it’s a reality.

Having been associated with Uptown Sports Management, Inc. for the past two and half years, Harshaw has seen his role change within the company, starting at the bottom and slowly climbing the ladder.

“I started about two and a half years ago, doing an internship,” said Harshaw. “I was responsible for developing some talent and bringing some new clients to the company.

“Today, my role is to work as an agent for some of our younger players, so basically I represent ’92 and ’93 birth years.”

A graduate of the Brock University Sport Management program and former Badger hockey standout, Harshaw has developed a keen eye for player potential, and the talent and business savvy necessary to secure these players as clients.

“We tend to work mostly with the younger players,” said Harshaw. “But that isn’t to say that we don’t keep our eyes open for guys playing in [the university systems in Canada and the US].”

“We represent a player from the

Brock team, but it is harder for the guys who are older to [attract as much attention].”

By noon, Harshaw has already been to one game and is en route to another, trying to spread his day amongst as many clients as he can. However, he makes sure that his time is not spread so thin that he loses focus of the reason he got into the business.

“Each relationship with a player is different,” said Harshaw. “I pride myself on how well I can provide service for my guys.

“I want to be able to properly look after my players and give them the attention they need, but at the same time you can’t pass on a really good player just because it might mean you might miss a phone call or two from another player.”

By 6 pm, Harshaw has been to four games and has meetings with two other clients. Most people’s day would be coming to a close, but Harshaw’s is far from over.

At this stage in the day, he’s sent about 50 text messages to players and made or answered five to ten phone calls — all part of the business.

“At one point I was helping a player with his geography homework. I sent him a 12-question quiz to help him study. It’s not mandatory, but it’s one of those things that help make the relationship stronger. Geography I don’t mind, but there will be no more calculus for me.”

The only numbers he will have to worry about in the future is those found in a contract. Yet a truly significant number in Harshaw’s business is his age. All of 25-years-old, he and fellow Brock graduate and co-worker Kyle Dubas, who is only 22, are two of the youngest in the trade, which at times makes luring clients to work with them an arduous task.

“We’re probably two of the youngest in the business, at least that I know of,” said Harshaw. “I hear a lot about me

being too young and not knowing what I’m doing, but it’s not necessarily true.

“At my age, I can relate to these players on a level that someone twice my age wouldn’t be able to. Again, my pride and security in the fact that [our company] takes care of players as good, if not better, than anyone else, helps us build relationships and trust with the players we’re trying to recruit.”

However, a bonus to being young in the business has allowed him to view the kind of agent he doesn’t want to be when he is older.

“Some guys don’t do business the right way. There can be a lack of integrity and character in the business and people forget it’s about the players, not them.”

“Don’t get me wrong, this business can be cut-throat, but I would never try to steal a player or tell them another company won’t do them any good. It’s just not a good business practice.”

Harshaw, much like any Canadian kid growing up playing hockey, had aspirations of making the NHL. Staying close to the game was the next best thing for him.

“I wanted to be a hockey player, but I realized as time went on that I wanted to stay in the game in some capacity.

“I’ve met a lot of great people through hockey and it’s been good to me. Getting paid to go to the rink is a nice bonus.”

Lucky to make it back to his hotel by 11 pm, Harshaw will spend another hour or two returning e-mails and checking the scores of games his clients have played in via the Internet.

If he’s in bed before 2 am, he considers himself lucky.

Turning in for the night, Harshaw sets the alarm for 6 am again, knowing that tomorrow's endeavours will quickly be upon him. But he would not have it any other way.

“I love what I do. There are long days and weekends, but if you love what you do, it isn’t really work.”

This was Dodgertown

Internet

The Fifty Mission Cap by Brian Munn

Baseball has almost managed to miss growing up. Not a whole lot has changed over the past hundred or so years – the bats are wooden, the gloves are leather, and the players are still big kids. Yeah, contracts are larger and certainly, the steroid era has caused us to question the innocence of the game, but it’s still a game of tradition and has gone largely untainted.

That is, until now. While you could argue that the tradition has long since faded, it finally seems that the whole league has finally sold out – literally.

The CEO of the Chicago Cubs has said that the naming rights to Wrigley Field – one of the last cathedrals of baseball – are available to the highest bidder.

And don’t try to argue that Wrigley is a corporate name anyway (Fenway Park was originally named after a corporation – Fenway Real Estate, Inc.), because it is now synonymous with the team.

And while Wrigley Field could soon become Bank of America Coliseum, it’s not the biggest travesty of the spring.

Ever heard of Dodgertown?

Each year, big league teams flock to Florida for Spring Training and the Grapefruit League. The Pirates hit Bradenton, the Blue Jays head to Dunedin, and the Red Sox and Twins share Ft. Myers. But no team has a hold on its spring home like the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Vero Beach has actually been the home of the Dodgers longer than Los Angeles has. The Brooklyn Dodgers opened camp at the tiny Atlantic coast town in 1948, and have slowly converted a WWII-era Air Force base into a fully functioning town – complete with full time residents, a world-class conference centre, and even an elementary school.

Jackie Robinson hit a home run into the segregated bleachers in 1948. Vin Scully, Tommy Lasorda, and Sandy Koufax have all spent most of their adult springs in Vero Beach. And this year, when the Dodgers pack up their bags and head west, they’re not coming back.

That’s right. This was Dodgertown.

Now, Dodgers ownership has constructed a multi-million dollar state-ofthe-art complex in Glendale, Arizona. In

2009, the Dodgers will officially finish severing ties with the east coast, and will begin play in the Cactus League.

Frank McCourt, the principle owner of the Dodgers, has stated that the Dodgers need to “be closer to their fans,” implying that the move to Glendale is necessary to give fans in LA a chance to catch Spring Training.

Last time I checked, Glendale/ Scottsdale/Phoenix had a team. Arizona Diamondbacks, anyone?

And let’s get serious – the real Dodgers fans are in Vero Beach.

McCourt is a native of South Boston, and grew up as a Red Sox fan. In fact, he has expressed interest in the past in joining Red Sox ownership in the past.

You would think that a guy like ol’ Frank would have a great appreciation for baseball tradition – especially when he owns the Dodgers, one of the most storied franchises in history. But alas, the Dodgers are leaving. Dodgertown, in about three weeks, will be no more.

The Orioles have expressed interest in moving into Dodgertown for next year, but nothing has been finalized yet. And to be honest, Orioleville doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.

So to pull a line from Don Henley, baseball may have finally reached “the end of the innocence.”

Sports

Issue 22 • March 12, 2008 • 15

Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan

GAME 1

GAME 2 @ STU

GAME 3

1

5

5 1

4 5

3-2 OT WIN

AUS SEMI-FINAL RESULTS

SAT. MARCH 8 VS. SMU AUS FINALS GAME 1

Second Period 1. SMU – Justin Munden (Cody Thornton, Marc Rancourt) EV 0:36 2. SMU – Kyle Doucet (Colin Power, Scott Hotham) EV 5:52 3. UNB – Dustin Friesen (Hunter Tremblay, Rob Hennigar) PP 19:32 Third Period 4. UNB – Denny Johnston (Nathan O’Nabigon, Kevin Henderson) EV 11:24 Overtime 5. UNB – Hunter Tremblay (Rob Hennigar, David Bowman) PP 1:29

1 2 3 OT Tot. Shots on Goal 8 8 19 3 38 UNB 3 15 7 0 25 SMU W: Mike Ouzas (23 saves) L: Brandon Verge (35 saves) Player of the Game: Hunter Tremblay (1G,1A) Attendance: 3494 @ Aitken University Centre

NASCAR: It’s like a 500 lap family reunion

by Ed Bowes

With the recent running of the Daytona 500, I am sure NASCAR is on everybody’s mind. Just kidding – but seriously though, I am going to talk about auto racing this week so it's fine if you want to stop reading right now.

For us “normals”, the concept of watching cars race in a big circle really doesn't make much sense, but the sport of auto racing has an unbelievably dedicated following.

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is the largest sanctioned body of motor sports in the United States and is currently the second most popular professional sport in terms of television ratings in the US, with only the NFL in front of it.

NASCAR races are broadcast in over 150 countries and have approximately 75 million fans worldwide. Long story short, it's pretty huge.

I come from a long line of racing fans

on my father's side, and my uncle is an ex-stock car driver himself. Growing up, every Sunday was the same – my mom would drag (and I mean drag) my sister and I to church while Dad parked himself in front of the TV and began his weekly tradition of enjoying all-day NASCAR coverage.

I mean yeah, church can be boring, but I would rather suffer through an hour long sermon then a three or four hour long car race. Or would I? Anyway, one day I decided I would give this “sport” a chance and try to sit through a full race – I mean my Dad is a smart guy, so there has got to be something to it. So we sat down in the living room and prepared for some non-stop, high-octane redneck entertainment.

At first it was terrible. For the first hour and a half I watched as a bunch of southerners drove in circles, but for some reason, my dad was lovin' it. My mom and sister came in and laughed at me.

“Your ADD is way too severe for NASCAR,” said my sister.

“Whatever, I'll show them,” I thought to myself. So I continued to watch.

The cars kept going in counter-clock-

wise circles and I kept yawning. The only ray of light in this seemingly bleak sport was the shots of the infield, the circular part in the middle of the track.

It’s where all the hillbillies park their trailers and get shit-faced, and it sort of looked like my family reunion.

Then, all of a sudden, something amazing happened. Cars started to nudge other cars; tires began to touch; dad started to yell.

“Oh man, I am going to see a crash,” I said to myself. Then, nothing happened. The cars straightened out and everything was fine. Damn. I sat back in my seat and slipped back into my unexcited state.

“Jesus, that was close,” says dad.

“Yeah, I know,” I respond, angry at the lack of twisted metal and explosions.

We settle back in and continue to watch.

Time was passing slowly.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to leave the room and jump on the computer. Not two minutes after I left, though, I heard my dad yelling.

I ran into the living room just in time to see one car begin to lift off the track and fly up into the air. Another car swerved to miss the first car, which

Wrestlers shine at Nationals

Submitted Photo

Vince Cormier and Krista Betts show off their medals with coach Don Ryan in front of the LB Gym. UNB’s wrestling team fared well at the CIS Championships at the University of Calgary, with Cormier (Robertvile, NB) winning gold in the 57kg men’s division and Betts (Bass River, NB) taking bronze in the 48kg women’s division.

was now in a barrel roll towards the rest of the pack. Cars were swerving everywhere and all I could see was smoke.

Cars were literally smashing into other cars at 100 mph speeds. My dad and I were both on the edge of our seats watching as lives hung in the balance.

Even mom came in to catch the action, and she doesn’t really like watching car accidents.

In total, there was something like 17 cars involved in the crash. But the best part was after the smoke settled, when

two drivers jumped out of their cars and went at each other.

Apparently the one guy thought the other guy had started the whole crash, so he was pissed. He threw his helmet at the other guy, and then they got in a really awkward fight – like two little kids that haven't learned to fight, and so they just wave their arms around until they make contact.

I guess the whole point of me writing this is to say that NASCAR sucks.

Well, not completely. It’s more like 92%

suckage and 7% awesomeness. The 1% missing is the hilarity of the infield.

My suggestion, if ever confronted with the daunting task of sitting through a NASCAR race, would be to just watch the highlights the next morning on SportsCentre. It's like in high school (or university), when you have to read a book and instead you just use SparkNotes. You cut out the crap and only see the important stuff, like crashes, fights, and the final lap.

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