November 14, 2011

NEXT YEAR

November 14, 2011 | VOL. XCIII ISS. XXI

Three out of eleven SINCE 1918

Thunderbirds lose 62-13 in Calgary ending their best season since 1999

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P8

PLAYERS

THE UBYSSEY SURGE FORWARD

REMEMBER

P5

UBC pays tribute to its fallen soldiers

P6

CIRS

OPENS P4

MIKE JOHNSTON SLAMS P5

2 | Page 2 | 11.14.2011

What’s on 14 MON

Our Campus

This week, may we suggest...

One on one with the people who make UBC

KUNG FU >>

Kung Fu class: 4:30pm @ the SUB

Want to get fit and learn how to kick some ass? The UBC Kung Fu Association is holding a free class for beginners. The club also organizes numerous social activites for its members. More info at ubckungfu.blogspot.

17 THU

YOGA >> CHRIS BORCHET/THE UBYSSEY

Wayne Maddison, director of the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, and the moustachioed little guy he discovered in Ecuador.

Occupy what? An open discussion: 4:30pm @ the Global Lounge Itching to make your thoughts heard on the Occupy movement? The Global Lounge is hosting a civil forum to discuss the past week’s events.

Contributor

TALKS >>

Bill McKibben: Notes on the climate fight: 12:30pm @ the Chan Centre McKibben has been dubbed “the world’s best green journalist” by Time magazine. In this Terry Talk, McKibben will discuss climate change and global inequality.

18 FRI

Asher Ishbrucker

Flow yoga: 3pm @ the SUB $2 yoga! For less than a bucket of fries you can get stretched out and calmed down between classes. Membership for the UBC Yoga Club costs $7 for students, and a limited number of mats are provided.

NOMS >>

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

THE UBYSSEY November 14, 2011, Volume XCIII, Issue XX

EDITORIAL

Coordinating Editor Justin McElroy

coordinating@ubyssey.ca

Managing Editor, Print Jonny Wakefield printeditor@ubyssey.ca

Managing Editor, Web Arshy Mann webeditor@ubyssey.ca

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

Art Director Geoff Lister

art@ubyssey.ca

Culture Editor Ginny Monaco

Copy Editor Karina Palmitesta

CONTACT

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

Video Editor David Marino

video@ubyssey.ca

Senior Web Writer Andrew Bates abates@ubyssey.ca

webmaster@ubyssey.ca

BUSINESS

Senior Culture Writers Taylor Loren & Will Johnson

Ad Sales Ben Chen

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STAFF

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

LEGAL

The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Monday and Thursday by The Ubyssey Publications Society. We are an autonomous, democratically run student organization, and all students are encouraged to participate.

Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of British Columbia. All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of The Ubyssey Publications Society.

Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society.

The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press (CUP) and adheres to CUP’s guiding principles.

Letters to the editor must be under 300 words. Please include your

with jumping spiders has led him many places, from elite universities to tropical rainforests in Gabon, the Dominican Republic, and most recently Ecuador in the fall of 2010. It was in Ecuador that he made one of his most notable discoveries.

“The Ecuadorian trip of last fall was really special,” he said.

“We found this amazing jumping spider [in a cloud forest west of the Andes]… I was just so excited.

I knew within about two or three seconds after I saw it that it was something completely new.”

Maddison described the moment he found the new species.

“You see this [jumping spider], and you realize there’s a whole world here that we can explore, and it’s opened up to you just like that. That feeling goes through you in five seconds. Suddenly your world has changed.”

Upon further DNA research, it was confirmed that the little guy was a new species, and like all new discoveries, it needed

U

Gingerbread man decorating & candy apples: 10am-5pm @ SUB Concourse Student group Organizing Support for Charity is selling gingerbread men and candy apples to raise money for the Harvest Project. Stop by for some seasonal noms.

It’s hard to describe Dr Wayne Maddison’s career in only a few words. Just a little background research on Maddison came up with a daunting list of accomplishments—a list that includes a PhD from Harvard University and his current position as Canada Research Chair in Biodiversity, along with UBC professor and director of the Beaty Biodiversity Museum.

His CV may be awe-inspiring, but his true fascination lies with one small creature: the jumping spider.

“When I was 13 I found a spider that I just got entranced with,” Maddison recalled. The initial spark of his passion came from a youthful curiosity about wildlife and the outdoors. “This jumping spider just looked up at me, and there was almost a sense of empathy there.”

His long-lasting fascination

phone number, student number and signature (not for publication) as well as your year and faculty with all submissions. ID will be checked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office of The Ubyssey; otherwise verification will be done by phone. The Ubyssey reserves the right to edit submissions for length and clarity. All letters must be received by 12 noon the day before intended publication. Letters received after this point will be published in the following issue unless there is an urgent time restriction or other matter deemed relevant by the Ubyssey staff.

It is agreed by all persons placing display or classified advertising that if the Ubyssey Publications Society fails to publish an advertisement or if an error in the ad occurs the liability of the UPS will not be greater than the price paid for the ad. The UPS shall not be responsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value or the impact of the ad.

Contact Jonny for more info | printeditor@ubyssey.ca

16 WED

Wayne Maddison’s spider love

Volunteer for The Ubyssey and learn graphic design

OCCUPY >>

Learn next level design powers. Like how to place text sideways.

15 TUE

a name. Maddison and his colleagues decided to hold a naming contest for the new species, which was under the genus Lapsias. They asked people around the nation for a name for the spider.

“We pointed out [in our contest] that the face of this spider was unusual in that on the top part of its jaws there were a couple of little yellow bands of hairs. So the name that ended up showing up was ‘Lorax,’ so the name of the new species will be Lapsias lorax. The Lorax is Dr Seuss’s environmentalist character who spoke for the trees, so not only is there a resemblance, but it really fits the museum’s message.”

As director of the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, Maddison enthusiastically noted that students and faculty can access the museum for free and get a firsthand look at organisms from a blue whale to jumping spiders.

Now that’s biodiversity. U

News

11.14.2011 |

3

Editors: Kalyeena Makortoff & Micki Cowan

AMS >>

AMS too broke to pay for UBC Ombudsperson Office for Students WeiJia Qin Contributor

This year UBC’s Ombudsperson Office may not be receiving funding from the AMS, despite a previous verbal agreement. But now the student union is worried that without their financial contribution, the organization will be too closely linked to the university.

“The AMS has advised the university that they do not have the funds to provide the transfer that was expected this year,” said Janet

Teasdale, senior director of Student Development and Services.

The Ombuds Office was created in 2009 in partnership between the AMS, the Graduate Student Society and the university, and the costs of running the office have previously been shared between the three organizations. Last year the AMS contributed $42,000. Despite the current inability to provide funds, the AMS wants to keep the Ombuds service at arm’s length from the university.

“We get a seat on the oversight committee, and we don’t want just

UBC paying. The Ombuds Office is supposed to be a neutral space where people can bring any issues they may have and be treated in a fair and unbiased manner,” AMS President Justin McElroy said.

Teasdale and UBC President Stephen Toope have met with the AMS to negotiate their partnership on behalf of UBC students, but Teasdale doesn’t expect the office to face financial difficulty without AMS funding.

Regarding the service in its entirety, McElroy emphasized that it

is important that the Ombuds Office be funded, even if it means funding independent of the AMS. Since its inception, the office has grown from a single person staff to multiple staff members. UBC ombudsperson Shirley Nakata said that services provided by the Ombuds Office range from investigating student complaints to facilitating conferences that lead to student service excellence.

“We definitely do not want to see a reduction in these services,” McElroy said.

SUSTAINABILITY >>

CIRS paves the way for green campus Micki Cowan News Editor

On November 3, UBC opened its most sustainable building—a project 11 years in the making. But what makes the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) especially unique is that it also happens to be the most sustainable building in North America.

“The general idea of a lot of the sustainability agenda has been about doing less damage, being less bad, cutting back,” said John Robinson, director of the CIRS. “We’re interested in a slightly different approach we call regenerative sustainability. Can human activity actually make the environment better—not just less damaged but actually better—and human life better as well?”

Renowned biologist and environmentalist David Suzuki kicked off the CIRS opening as the keynote speaker for the associated conference, “Celebrating CIRS: Accelerating Sustainability.”

In his presentation, Suzuki focused on the effects of climate change, as well as Canadian politics.

“The impact of climate change is going to become more severe from year to year. Economists discount the cost of climate change on subsequent generations. They discount the future generations,” said Suzuki.

“You’re only one person but you can amplify your impact if you get involved.”

Suzuki’s presentation spoke to the nature of the CIRS building, encouraging change to happen now.

Robinson explained that the CIRS is net-positive on a number of fronts, which means the building actually improves—rather than harms—its surroundings.

The AMS plans to take Ombuds funding to referendum next January, which coincides with executive elections, according to meeting minutes.

The plan is to ask for a $1.25 or $1.50 increase in the AMS fee to go specifically to the Ombuds. If the fee does not pass in January, McElroy said it might be added to the U-Pass referendum in October 2012.

“This would mean that at least a portion of the office costs are paid by students, to ensure that there is still that accountability to students,” said McElroy. U DEVELOPMENT >>

University Boulevard to open to cars and buses

JOSH CURRAN/THE UBYSSEY

Ana Komnenic Contributor

David Suzuki was the keynote speaker for the associated conference following the opening of the CIRS building.

KAI JACOBSON/THE UBYSSEY

“We’re completely dependent on rainwater; there’s no water supply from the city and it’s all treated on site,” said Robinson about the CIRS. “We have full sewage treatment inside the building, and what that means is the water leaving the building after we use it—it’s been through everything including the toilets—it’s cleaner than the water landing on the roof.”

Aside from the rainwater system, the CIRS uses heat produced by the earth and ocean sciences building next door to heat both bulidings.

“Sustainability is not a buildingscale phenomenon. Don’t try and

do everything within the walls of your building,” said Robinson. “It’s a neighbourhood phenomenon. Look for opportunities to interact with your neighbours to make even bigger savings.”

Pani Pajouhesh, a third-year geography student majoring in environment and sustainability, was involved with the conference through her work-study at the University Sustainability Initiative.

“I hope to pursue sustainable architecture in the future, so it was great to see how different companies and organizations are tackling climate change in terms

of architecture and buildings, and how to change to a regenerative community,” said Pajouhesh about one session she attended, entitled “From Regenerative Buildings to Regenerative Communities.”

Robinson said CIRS is not the final project for sustainability at UBC. “CIRS is intended to be a living lab, so the idea is we’ll be continuously studying and improving it over its lifetime,” he said.

“On the other hand, I would like CIRS to be the worst performing building on campus [in the future], in the sense that every new building should be better.” U

Occupy movement comes to UBC

UBC Library digitizes newspaper history

UBC professor attended G20 in France

Wood fuel expected to trump corn ethanol, says UBC study

A new group called Occupy UBC has started meeting on campus in an attempt to create a campus group in solidarity with the Occupy movements in cities across the globe.

According to a tweet sent out by the @OccupyUBC Twitter account Tuesday afternoon, the group hopes to “use our academic perspective to bring attention to facts regarding social, economic and environmental injustice.”

Organizers have been holding daily 4pm meetings since November 7 in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and the SUB. They also have a Facebook account.

UBC Library’s Digital Initiatives unit has digitized more than 45,000 pages of BC newspaper history dating from 1865 to 1924.

Papers including the Abbotsford Post and the Phoenix Pioneer are now available to the public for free through the UBC Library website in their online archives section, either as JPEGs or PDFs. “UBC Library’s digital collection of British Columbia newspapers makes the exciting history of the province’s early development readily available to a wide reading public,” said Bob McDonald, an associate professor in UBC’s department of history.

UBC political science professor Yves Tiberghien was selected to join the world’s financial leaders at the G20 Summit held in Cannes, France in early November. Tiberghien, a leading expert in international political economics, listened and commented after the conference on the Canadian economy, the exclusivity of the G20 itself, and the European debt crisis.

Tiberghien will be holding a debriefing event on the G20 called “The G20’s Critical Juncture: Asian Roles and the Balance of Power in Cannes: Report from Our Special Envoy” on November 28 from 12–1:30pm at the CK Choi Building.

A recent UBC study suggests that fuel made from wood could become a competitive commercial alternative to corn ethanol fuels by 2020.

Researchers in the Faculty of Forestry found that wood based ethanol, also known as cellulosic ethanol, is a more viable and capital-friendly alternative than corn ethanol.

“As industrial production increases, cellulosic ethanol is likely to become more competitive with corn ethanol for a share of the renewable fuels market,” said Jamie Stephen, a PhD candidate at UBC and head author of the study. U

News briefs

Students wandering down University Boulevard will have to keep their head up in the near future; UBC is opening the area up to car traffic.

Joe Stott, director of planning for Campus & Community Planning, explained that renovations to the University Boulevard are part of UBC’s Neighbourhood Plan, adopted in 2003. Stott said the university is merely changing the temporary ban on cars on the boulevard, which runs in front of the Mahony and Sons pub.

“We still have people who come to our campus by car and we still run parkades on campus and in this case because it’s the front door to campus, it’s the gateway to the academic campus,” he said.

Stott also said that the road will be opened to increased trolley bus services.

But one UBC student, Kevin Chan, fears that as the road opens to cars and buses, inexperienced cyclists might find the route too daunting to use—a route which he considers to be one of the main entrances to campus for cyclists. “[It] doesn’t start where cyclists are coming from so when you’re coming from pedestrian campus, there’s a good section where there’s no bike lane,” said Chan. “It makes it uncomfortable for [cyclists] who aren’t as confident.”

Chan also believes that the lanes are simply too narrow to accommodate cyclists, cars and buses.

“The issue here is that this is a much narrower street than, say, Wesbrook. You’re really squeezing buses and bikes and cars into a fairly small space,” he said.

But Stott said the board has a “share the road policy,” and that opening up the road for traffic is necessary. “In some parts of the campus, bike lanes are shared with vehicular traffic. The idea is to make it safer and better.” U

4 | News | 11.14.2011 CLUBS >>

Too many clubs on campus

AMS tries to move out the old to bring in the new

JOBS >>

70000 Community and social service workers

60000

Malcolm Bailey Contributor

At UBC, students continue to make club proposals. But due to its limited accounting system, the AMS only has room for less than 15 student clubs before they hit capacity.

The student union’s current accounting system is limited to 999 accounts, 400 of which are reserved for AMS clubs—and with more than 360 clubs already in existence, the Student Administrative Commission (SAC) must be selective when considering club proposals.

But space is being made by deconstituting old or inactive clubs. Once cancelled by the AMS, the club account is frozen but can be reactivated after a year.

According to AMS President Jeremy McElroy, it’s simply a matter of looking for active clubs that haven’t been using their bank accounts.

SAC Vice Chair Alannah Johnson said that they do make sure to contact the clubs, but without a reply, the club gets added to a list for mass deconstitution.

This year’s list of cancelled clubs have included The Canadian Afghanistan Partnership Club, UBC Green Party, It’s Always Sunny in UBC, UBC Motorcycling Club, Roots and Shoots, and the UBC Post-Secret Club.

An overhaul and update of the AMS accounting system—which would ultimately make room for more student clubs—would cost $20,000–40,000, said Johnson.

“It’d be a nightmare. We’d have to retrain the whole staff,” she said.

The AMS accounting system is not the only hindrance to UBC

Nurse supervisors and Registered nurses

50000

Banking, Insurance and other financial clerks

40000

Managers in Construction and Transportation Sales, Marketing and advertising managers

30000

Policy and Program Officers

20000 University Professors

The AMS is deconstituting inactive clubs to make room for more.

clubs. The student union building, established in 1968, was constructed at a time when UBC was much smaller, with less businesses and clubs to accommodate. Presently, the building provides barely enough space for the school’s increased size.

Brooke Shaughnessy, social coordinator for the Ski and Board Club, said booking prime locations in the SUB can come down to endurance and competition.

“One day every year, booking starts at five in the morning,” she said. “Some people even sleep in the SUB just to get a spot in line… we always send our first year rep to do it.”

The restrictions on booking spaces will be diminished with the construction of the new SUB, which McElroy said will accomodate more club spaces.

INDIANA JOELTHE UBYSSEY

However, it doesn’t look hopeful that the AMS will be overhauling their accounts to make room for clubs anytime soon.

“The number of new clubs constituted every year is quite small, so we are not too concerned that this will become a big issue before we move into the new SUB,” McElroy explained.

“We feel that with more than 360 clubs right now, all of the club office and lockers accounted for, and our already overworked administrative staff, that any significant increase in the number of clubs is next to impossible,” said McElroy.

“We are confident that we can find enough room in the current system for most clubs that might come up along the way, but we are not in a position, financially or otherwise, to radically overhaul the system right now.” U

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2011

2012

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The graph shows which occupations there is a growing need for.

2015 GEOFF LISTER/THE UBYSSEY

Job Trend Tracker predicts career demand Andrew Bates Senior Web Writer

The BC government has launched a new tool that predicts career demand, but it may not be very useful for UBC students, many of whom are pursuing broad-based degrees.

BC’s Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation launched the Job Trend Tracker website this October.

The site uses the data from the ministry’s ten-year Labour Market Outlook document to create a number of charts and graphs to help people gauge employment demand.

“This model is a complex system that incorporates regional macroeconomic and regional occupational models,” Carolyn Heiman, communication manager for the Ministry of Jobs, said in an email to The Ubyssey.

According to UBC economics professor Thomas Lemieux, despite the province’s work, it’s always going to be tricky to make long term predictions.

“That tends to work reasonably well for the short term...But once you start looking at projection in five, ten years from now, then it’s a bit of a crystal ball. We don’t know what could happen at any time.”

The data currently projects one million job openings by 2020, two thirds of which will be to replace retiring workers, according to the ministry.

Of the openings, 61 per cent will require some post-secondary education, and the government predicts that by 2016, we’ll need more workers than are available.

Lemieux explained that projecting the labour market is mostly based on examinations of the past.

“By and large, what they tend to do is just look at prior trends over a couple of years,” said Lemieux. For example, “the health sector is growing because of all the baby boomers that need medical treatment. So you

predict that it’s going to be a sector in demand.”

According to Job Trend Tracker, sector growth is expected for carpenters, cabinetmakers, construction and transportation managers, spiking in 2011 and remaining high through the decade.

The numbers also consider major provincial projects and labour demand for them, said Heiman.

However, Lemieux said that there’s a lot of uncertainty, especially for the trades.

“Construction’s a very volatile sector. When you have booms and bust, it tends to be very much affected by that, compared to other sectors.”

According to Andrew Merida of UBC’s Enrolment Services, the fluctuations in specific careers doesn’t tend to affect UBC enrolment, as the university’s programs tend to be too broad.

“It’s not like BCIT, for example, where programs are very closely tied to certain industries,” Merida said. “Graduates from UBC with degrees in Arts, Science, even professional programs like the Commerce program, could end up in lots and lots of different areas.”

The larger movement of the market doesn’t tend to affect UBC either, said Merida. “I know that other BC institutions have said that they see demand increase as the economy is not as strong, as more people want to go back to school and increase their skills,” he said.

“Demand at UBC is always very high, so it’s not something that would register here as much as it would register in other places.”

Lemieux sees this as a difficulty for career-specific statistics like the Job Trend Tracker.

“These things are going to be a little less useful for your typical UBC student,” he said. “That’s the advantage of university education; you have kind of broader skills.” U

Culture

11.14.2011 |

5

Editor: Ginny Monaco

ARTS GRANTS >>

First 15, the music grant program brought to you by the makers of Grape-Nuts Catherine Guan Contributor

GEOFF LISTER/THE UBYSSEY

Mike Johnston, current co-president of UBC Slam, raps and rhymes about life—from working in the Chapman Learning Commons to how much time we spend on smartphones.

POETRY >>

UBC Slam brings poetic beats to campus

Catherine Guan

Contributor

UBC Slam is bringing spoken word poetry back to campus.

With weekly workshops, monthly slams and open mics, the student group aims to create a space where a community of students who are interested in writing, performing or just listening to poetry can meet and learn from each other.

Slams are competitive poetry events in which poets perform original works in front of an audience. The competitions are judged by the audience, and pretty much anything goes. The only rules are that poets cannot use props, costumes or musical accompaniment.

Nudity is also disallowed.

Mike Johnston and Alberto Cristoffanini, the current co-presidents of UBC Slam, share the view that the competitions are not really meant to be taken seriously.

“The motto of the poetry slam scene is ‘the point is not the point; the point is the poetry,’” said Cristoffanini. “It’s discrediting the very competition of it…it’s sort of a gimmick, almost, for getting people to watch poetry.”

“It’s a really fun scene,” agreed Johnston. “On the whole, the audience is there for a good time, and I think the poets are as well.”

According to Cristoffanini, poetry slams are more about the experience than competition. “Anybody can approach this thing, and it’s unfortunate that a lot of people have this stereotype of the slam or

spoken word poetry as this medium only for repressed voices and ethnic groups,” he said. “The beauty of it is that everybody can go up and speak.

It’s democracy and acceptance of everybody.”

However, Cristoffanini also feels that it’s this inclusivity that runs against the grain of academic procedure, which in part explains the neglect of slam within literature studies.

“A huge part of the academic community feels that it’s not literature… [but] this is a place where poetry is alive, and that rejection of such a powerful medium and not even taking it into consideration is just a waste.

“We hope to spread, partly through the creation of UBC Slam itself, the acknowledgement of poetry slam and spoken word in academia.”

Relationships to academia and the community are already being cultivated at UBC Slam. There are plans for a student-led seminar on spoken word poetry and a collaboration next term with The Passion Project that will involve UBC Slam poets going to schools and running poetry events with kids.

Johnston and Cristoffanini also plan on having their poets participate in collegiate and university slams as the UBC Slam community grows. “I think we’ve achieved the skeleton of a community,” said Johnston.

“We would like to see our community grow, but for the moment we are very happy with the people who are coming out, and there’s lots of enthusiasm and lots of fun—really nice, beautiful people.” U

MUSIC >>

Contemporary Players take music out of the concert hall Alanna Mackenzie Contributor

On November 4, visitors to the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery were treated to more than visual art. The Contemporary Players, an ensemble of musicians from the UBC School of Music, performed several pieces by local and international composers in a free event open to the public.

According to concert director Paolo Bortolussi, the venue seemed a perfect match for the Contemporary Players ensemble.

“The Belkin space is a very reverberant, open space that lends itself well to music,” he said.

Musicology professor David Metzer agreed, noting that the proximity of the School of Music to the gallery strengthens the relationship between the two institutions, which was initiated several years ago by Shelley Rosenblum, curator of Academic Programs at the Gallery. “Both institutions are strongly committed to new work, so it made perfect sense that the school would put on concerts at the gallery,” Metzer added.

The setting of the concert wasn’t its only innovative aspect; the first piece of music was unconventional, with the musicians positioned around the gallery rather than

arranged in front of the audience.

The result was music hitting the audience from all directions, playfully mimicking the visual art surrounding them, which was an exhibit of 20th century artist Luis Camnitzer.

Local Vancouverite Jordan Nobles, co-founder and artistic director of the Redshift Music Society, composed this piece three years ago for a variable instrumental ensemble. As Nobles explained to the audience, the piece involved the creative contributions of the musicians themselves, who were free to choose from various melodies to play alongside the main one.

The next three pieces were equally riveting. “From Nourlangie,” by Australia’s leading classical composer Peter Sculthorpe, vividly evoked the composer’s reaction to Australia’s wild coastline. The next piece, “Skitter,” was a subtle combination of harp, flute and viola

by Canadian composer Sydney Hodkinson.

The concert ended with “Jesus is Coming” by Jacob Ter Veldhuis, who is, according to Metzer, “an exciting young Dutch composer.”

The piece integrated an eclectic mix of recorded human voices—including incoherent baby noises and an evangelist preaching Jesus’s second coming in New York—with

GEOFF LISTER/THE UBYSSEY

From left to right: Jack Luang on clarinet, concert director Paolo Bortussi, Roderick Seed on flute, Katie Ho on the violin, Judy Lou on cello and Ian Meiman on percussion.

a saxophone quartet performed by the UBC ensemble, MASQ. Written in the aftermath of 9/11, the piece reflected a mood of anxiety and projected apocalyptic visions of the future. The result was the stretching of audience expectations and an invitation to step outside of comfort zones.

The concert reflected the mandate of both the Contemporary Players and the Belkin Gallery: according to Bortolussi, “to promote beautiful, thought-provoking, challenging works of art, and to demonstrate the variety of incredible work being created by composers and artists locally and around the world.” U

The makers of Grape-Nuts, Honey Bunches of Oats and Frosted Alpha-Bits are offering something too zany for the breakfast table.

With “The First 15,” a new music grant program, your first 15 minutes of fame could soon be brought to you by Post Foods.

“It’s a cool initiative,” explained Jay Manara, a UBC alumnus active in the Canadian music scene.

“The focus is on art and music and putting together a grant opportunity for artists to get a little bit of funding, to launch their career and be placed on a platform to market them, for artists to engage with other artists and to engage with listeners.”

A singer-songwriter with the Toronto-based crunksters Broken Sons, Manara knows all too well that programs supporting young independent artists don’t come by often. “I’m not a spokesperson by any means. I’m just a guy in the Canadian music scene trying to get the word out to other musicians.”

What made Post Foods venture beyond the cereal aisle? According to Manara, “The artist iSH and his song, ‘Can’t Get Enough,’ that was kind of the starting point on how Post Foods got interested in getting involved with music.”

The song samples from the classic 1960s Sugar Crisp jingle, “Can’t get enough of that Sugar Crisp...”

Instead of a record label, iSH decided to approach the cereal company. Post Foods happily complied.

After helping iSH reach his first 15 minutes of fame, the cereal company decided to help other emerging artists looking for the same big break.

The hunt for funding can create strange pairings. With indie music shying away from major record labels, snuggling up to Post Foods must raise a few eyebrows. “It’s not selling out. It’s being strategic.

Doing whatever you need to do to continue doing what you love to do,” said Manara.

“Selling out would be not doing it because you can’t find funding, and saying, you know what, I’m giving up because it’s so hard.”

The First 15 will be serving up some scrumptious prizes, including $5000 in cash and a trip to Toronto for free studio time at Girth Music with award-winning producers. Aspiring 15 minute famers can upload their track at Facebook.com/thefirst15 until the contest closes on December 7.

Sampling from the Sugar Bear jingle, while permitted, is not required. Facebook community voting will create a shortlist; the winner will then be selected by a judging panel including iSH, Post Foods and various music industry veterans.

Manara is confident that the winner will be “a great example of a Canadian artist that should be funded.” In the end, “It’s all about the song, all about the talent.” U

6 | Features | 11.14.2011

In Memory

War Memorial Gym hosts annual Remembrance Day ceremony Staff Sergeant Kevin Jones pays respect to fallen solders in the wreath laying ceremony.

Corporal Vliardi, Constable Bowsher and Corporal Feng of the RCMP and Canadian Military stand guard.

Tanner Bokor Staff Writer

For 60 years, UBC has invited the community to War Memorial Gym on the 11th day of the 11th month of each year to honour and remember those who served their countries.

One of the largest Remembrance Day ceremonies in the Lower Mainland, the traditionally sombre tribute was attended by approximately 500 members of the university community along with roughly four dozen members of the Canadian armed forces, RCMP and auxiliary organizations.

After members of the UBC Brass Quintet performed traditional selections in tribute to those who have fallen in the line of duty and those who are still serving overseas and at home, a procession of war veterans entered the gymnasium, followed by a delegation of dignitaries.

Following tradition, a lone trumpeter performed “The Last Host”

from the upper deck of the gym, followed by two minutes of silence at approximately 11:11am.

Speakers took to the podium to articulate what Remembrance Day meant to them and how important it is to pause and honour the veterans.

Louise Nasmith of UBC’s College of Health Disciplines spoke on the importance of honouring the contributions made by our veterans, and the memory of those who were lost in duty to allow those at home the freedoms they enjoy each day.

“Remember those who lost their lives, remember those still serving and remember those who have returned home,” said Nasmith.

Nasmith also said that Canada must look to assist those who are returning from war, as the long range health effects “claim lives long after fighting has ceased.”

UBC graduate Tim Laidler served in Afghanistan and is now the coordinator of the Veterans Transition Program at UBC, which helps

mentally and physically rehabilitate veterans. “[Soldiers] find themselves unprepared for civil casualties and the untold carnage of war,” said Laidler.

Groups representing the armed forces, those in civil service and community organizations came forward to present a wreath in front of a group of military members in remembrance of their sacrifices.

To end the ceremony, AMS President Jeremy McElroy read the poem “In Flander’s Fields,” a reference to the poppies traditionally worn on Remembrance Day, followed by a musical rendition performed by the UBC University Singers.

War Memorial Gym was opened in 1951 in testament to the sacrifices of all those who have fought and lost their lives during WWI and WWII. The gym was built with financial assistance from UBC’s student body, the provincial government and community organizations. U

Retired veterans from the Canadian Armed Forces sit in full regalia in tribute to those who perished in the line of duty.

The ceremony’s honour guard stands in remembrance.

UBC RCMP officers preside over the annual Remembrance Day ceremony.

11.14.2011 | Features | 7

Two members of the Girl Guides of Canada Mackenzie Heights District detachment lay a wreath honouring war veterans.

PETER WOJNAR/THE UBYSSEY

Sports

11.14.2011 |

8

Editor: Drake Fenton

PLAYOFFS >>

Game Notes

62

The amount of points Calgary scored on UBC in the Canada West final.

42

The amount of points Calgary scored in the second half.

36

The highest amount of points any team had scored on UBC before Friday’s game.

4

The amount of touchdowns Calgary’s quarterback Eric Dzwilewski rushed for, giving him the record for quarterback rushing TD’s in a playoff game.

4

The amount of interceptions UBC’s Billy Greene threw prior to Friday night’s game.

3

The amount of interceptions Greene threw against Calgary.

175

The amount of yards UBC gained through the air.

169 GEOFF LISTER/THE UBYSSEY

UBC’s Devin Kavanagh attempts to track down Calgary’s running back Steven Lumbala. Lumbala rushed for 198 yards in Calgary’s 62-13 thrashing of UBC in the Canada West final.

The amount of yards Calgary gained on interception returns.

After successful year, UBC melts down in Canada West final Moving the chains Drake Fenton “Really, what is there to say right now?”

Standing in the radio box at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, broadcasting the Canada West final between UBC and the University of Calgary Dinos, that is what I said.

What is apparent is that, one, I am not a skilled radio broadcaster, and two, UBC was in the midst of a beating worse than they’ve taken all season.

In a 62-13 blowout, Calgary put up 42 points in the second half to capture their fourth consecutive Canada West title.

Going into the match, no one expected a massacre. UBC had the recently crowned Canada West player of the year, quarterback Billy Greene, and the Canada West coach of the year, Shawn Olson. Yes, Calgary had the experience of two straight Vanier Cup appearances and the most prolific rushing attack in the conference and perhaps the country, but UBC split their season series with Calgary and only lost by five points in their last visit to McMahon Stadium.

What went wrong?

“We weren’t able to get enough things going offensively,” said Olson. “We didn’t make enough plays, whether it was tough catches or tough throws or run the ball consistently.”

“Nothing really worked,” said Greene. “They came out and they had a great game plan. They were able to confuse me...We made our

defence be on the field for about 40 minutes. We couldn’t sustain drives and we just weren’t crisp.

“The result was a 50 point loss.

We didn’t play well enough, and that’s what it comes down to.”

Greene threw three interceptions, just one less than he threw all season. He had a 34 per cent completion rating and only gained 175 yards through the air—both season lows for the UBC pivot.

“I just couldn’t get it going. It was probably my second worst game in the CIS and it is unfortunate it had to happen in an elimination game,” he said.

Yet the onus shouldn’t be placed exclusively on Greene’s shoulders.

After a relatively strong first half, one which included a spectacular 87 yard pitch-and-catch by Greene to receiver Jordan Grieve, the ‘Birds suffered a systemic meltdown in the game’s final 30 minutes.

The biggest issue for UBC was the play of opposing quarterback Eric Dzwilewski. UBC’s defence came prepared to shut down Calgary’s three-headed monster: running backs Steven Lumbala, Matt Walter and Anthony Woodson.

In the first half, they weren’t able to stop Lumbala—134 of his 198 yards came in the first half— but they were able to plug up the middle of the field and make key stops on second down.

The ‘Birds exited the half with the game in reach, only trailing 20-13.

Yet what killed UBC was their inability to contain the perimeter, and that is exactly where Dzwilewski hurt them most. With the defence keying on the running

backs, Dzwilewski took the ball outside on a variety of option reads and play-action bootlegs.

On one rush Dzwilewski sold the fake so perfectly that a UBC tackler not only took Lumbala to the ground, but the TSN camera stayed focused on Lumbala, completely missing Dzwilewski running up the field for 20 yards and a first down.

“They out-[muscled] us a little bit and at the end of the day this is a physical game and when you get beat up in the trenches, that is usually how the games ends up.”

In the second half, Greene and the offence fell apart. Receivers were dropping balls that could have been caught and the running game failed to gain any momentum.

GEOFF LISTER/THE UBYSSEY

UBC’s Mitch Shuster is gang tackled by Calgary defenders after making a catch Friday.

He rushed for four touchdowns, a CIS record by a quarterback in a playoff game.

“The big difference from this and what they have done all year is they ran the quarterback a bit more, which added a little bit of a different dimension to the running game,” said Olson.

Calgary’s interior lineman clogged up the middle and freed up space for their linebackers to track down ball carriers or put pressure on Greene.

With 3:48 left in the third quarter and UBC trailing by 14, Greene threw an interception in the end zone, his second of the game. The team mentally folded after that.

They didn’t stop competing, but you could tell they saw the writing on the wall. When the cameras panned to the sidelines, the players looked dejected and deflated.

With 9:28 left in the fourth quarter, Greene threw an interception that was returned 50 yards to the house by John Kadiebwe. It was an uncharacteristic throw by Greene, the type of play we haven’t seen from him all season. As the game got further out of reach, the ‘Birds got sloppy, stopped playing fundamental football and paid the price.

Calgary put up 35 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Yet the game wasn’t indicative of the season the team has had, and what they have built for the future.

After not winning a home game in more than two years, the ‘Birds went a perfect 5-0 at Thunderbird Stadium this season.

After not making the playoffs since 2006 and not winning a playoff game since 1999, UBC hosted and won a home playoff game.

But against Calgary, they were simply outplayed by a team with a winning pedigree and a program at a stage the T-Birds are working to get to.

“We got beat by a team that is a little bit further along than we are in our development,” said Olson.

“I don’t think [the loss] takes away from our season, I think this is a group of kids that play their heart out and just didn’t have it today.

“I’m proud of [the players], they worked really hard and they bought into what we were talking about…we got a group of guys coming back next year and they are going to have to use this as fuel for the fire.” U

11.14.2011 | Sports | 9 SOCCER>>

‘Birds hope to learn from experience after playoff exit Colin Chia Contributor

Following a 0-0 draw after regulation, the UBC Thunderbirds women’s soccer team had their season come to an end last weekend when they lost the Canada West semifinal in a 4-2 penalty shootout against the University of Alberta.

After the season we had, it was disappointing to go out that way...To lose on penalties was cruel.

Mark Rogers UBC head coach

The ‘Birds were forced to settle for a Canada West bronze medal after beating the University of Victoria 2-1 the next day. Though they left with a medal, UBC failed to qualify for the CIS national championship.

It was a real kick in the teeth for the ‘Birds after a season in which they lost only once and finished second in the league standings.

They also broke a conference record for clean sheets with a stingy defence holding the opposition scoreless on 11 occasions. Head coach Mark Rogers said the players were devastated after the loss to Alberta.

KAI JACOBSON/ THE UBYSSEY

After a 0-0 draw against the University of Alberta Pandas, the favoured UBC squad lost 4-2 in a shootout in the Canada West semifinals.

“After the season we had, it was really disappointing to go out that way. Part of the frustration is that the girls played very well and created enough chances to win that game. To lose on penalties was cruel,” he said.

Competition in the Canada West conference was always going to be tight, with Rogers commenting

at the start of the season that the toughest task would be to qualify for nationals and that certain critical moments in a game would make or break that objective.

“It’s not prophecy or anything like that, it’s the reality. Our conference is a very, very difficult conference, compared to the other conferences,” he said. “It’s

a real dogfight to get into this tournament.”

There were individual accomplishments of note for the team as well. Striker Janine Frazao, who finished the season as the conference’s top goal scorer (16), was named Canada West player of the year and goalkeeper Alyssa Williamson, who led the

conference in clean sheets, was Canada West rookie of the year.

Frazao and defender Kelly Cook were also named to the conference all-star team.

However, Rogers remarked that personal accolades did little to compensate for the team’s disappointment in not qualifying for nationals.

“That shows a real sign of how together they are as a team; they’re only interested in achieving a team goal,” said Rogers.

Next season, the team will lose graduating seniors Diane Rizzardo, Lisa Furutani and Natalie Hirayama, but with a young team that has much room for growth, Rogers is confident the younger players will respond well.

“You don’t replace a kid like Natalie Hirayama. I think it’ll take a bit of time to see how the team copes without that,” he said. “I think some of the young kids are going to step into that and grow when given that opportunity.”

The team will now have to attempt to take what they can from this season to push forward.

“Right now it’s time to reflect on the good things they did during the season. There are a lot of positives to build upon,” Rogers said. “A lot of young players contributed and there’s a good foundation to grow the program going forward.

“I think that the future looks bright.” U

Opinion

11.14.2011 |

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Editor: Brian Platt

Time to turn the page on campus planning Editor’s Notebook Justin McElroy

What BC’s job projection tracker looks like for university students.

BRYCE WARNES/ THE UBYSSEY

The Last Word Parting shots and snap judgments on today’s issues

On Remembrance Day, keep the focus on remembrance On November 11, we say “never forget.” In the decades following the establishment of Remembrance Day, there was no danger of that.

November 11 was a day where we observed the shared sacrifice of two world wars, and honoured those who had served our country.

But in the next decade, almost every living person who served in World War II or Korea will no longer be with us. Remembrance Day is becoming more of a national history lesson, and in some ways that’s a good thing. Yet we need to keep this day focused on honouring the memory of soldiers whose lives were lost in the service of Canada, then and now.

This day need not become politicized. Buying a poppy supports the Royal Canadian Legion, which helps veterans of all ages return to society.

Now many of them are our own age as they return from Afghanistan.

We give, we observe, we remember. The resonance is in its simplicity, and may it continue to be so for some time to come.

Niki Ashton gets set to take on the old boys The Canadian political class is led mostly by men who have been in the game for years; even Afghanistan has a higher proportion of women in its parliament than we do. Any democracy worth its salt needs to have strong representation from those who can challenge the old boys club.

For students, having a youthful voice in parliament is particularly important; it means issues like student debt will have be given fair play during policy debates.

For these reasons, and likely many more, we applaud the entrance of Niki Ashton into the federal NDP leadership race.

At age 29, she’s joining a very crowded nine-person contest dominated by Brian Topp and Thomas Mulcair. But as the only candidate born in the 1980s and only the second woman, she will be able to push those issues into the discussion.

While she’s not a top-tier candidate, hopefully Ashton, who was the

NDP’s critic for youth and advanced education in the last parliament, can make sure whoever is the next leader of the official opposition has a strong position on student issues. A bunch of old men aren’t necessarily going to do it on their own.

the university is insistent on getting cars back there, we hope there is a plan to keep a dedicated bike route open.

A School of Public Policy at UBC is long overdue UBC, in partnership with the Vancouver School of Economics, is planning a School of Public Policy.

And while the idea is still in the planning stages, it seems like the sort of initiative that UBC should be applauded for undertaking.

Too often, this university’s academic ambitions seem solely fixated on anything that has to do with sustainability, research or international students, to the detriment of other programs. A School of Public Policy is a must-have for any large and ambitious university, and it will increase UBC’s connections with the rest of Vancouver.

Frankly, some of us are a bit peeved we won’t be able to enjoy the classes.

Over the weekend, Ubyssey staff left for our annual retreat on Pender Island. Although this editorial was written before we left, we can tell you for certain that it was one hell of a weekend.

Many student organizations take their retreats at the AMS Whistler Lodge, which can be booked at a discount rate if you’re a student group.

However, we will never do this, and not just because we love Pender. The problem is that the Whistler Lodge really sucks for student retreats, which may be one reason why it’s hemorraging money.

Even if your organization books out the whole lodge, “quiet hours” begin at 11pm—for the sole reason that the lodge manager sleeps in the building. The hot tub closes at 8pm.

And if anyone from your group is 18, all alcohol is banned from the premises, even if the underagers stay sober.

Obviously the Whistler Lodge has many more problems on top of this that cause it to lose money. But here’s a tip for the AMS as it decides what to do with the place: make it more fun for students to book for a weekend.

What’s the rush to have cars on University Boulevard?

UBC is planning to do an overhaul of University Boulevard (the road that runs past Mahony’s and the outdoor pool) to make it car-friendly. There will be a small number of parking spaces added.

This comes after the university rushed to pave over the area in the run-up to the Olympics—otherwise the area would have looked like a giant mud pit during the time when thousands of visitors would be walking through campus. It was a patchwork solution then, and this feels like another one.

The University Boulevard area is going through massive changes in the next couple years, as a new SUB and Alumni Centre are constructed along with new shops and housing.

What is the point of allowing cars back on to the area now just to get a few more places to park? Why not wait until the other development is ready?

Furthermore, the area is currently a busy bike route into campus. If

Whistler Lodge might get more students if it loosened up

A Yukon university deserves federal support Stephen Harper’s Conservatives have made a big issue of Arctic sovereignty. And with global warming bringing enormous changes to the north, that type of push makes sense. But true dedication to our north means more than just spending on icebreakers and military exercises.

This year, the federal government cut funding to the University of the Arctic initiative by three-quarters.

But now the new Yukon government is looking to build a true university in our north. Supporting this would be an excellent way for the feds to demonstrate that the Arctic actually matters to them. U

Sometimes, a relationship, no matter how well-intentioned, goes sour. Mistrust grows on both sides.

Commitment to working together is thrown out the window.

This is the case with Campus and Community Planning (CCP). It’s the planning and development body at UBC, and it has a less-than-stellar reputation these days. Students believe CCP is trying to ram through a plan to put market housing next to the SUB. Campus residents are increasingly saying that CCP doesn’t listen to their concerns.

The university needs either students or residents (and hopefully both) to trust them whenever they go to Victoria with a new governance plan. Right now neither do.

Fortunately, there is one thing that UBC can do that would immediately help the situation for all involved. Unfortunately, it involves one person leaving their job: Nancy Knight.

Knight has been been head of CCP since 2005. She’s done a fantastic job in carrying out what she was hired to do. The campus has grown in a smooth, efficient and cost-effective manner—no small feat, when you consider the short time frame and large population involved.

But now that the campus has grown to a certain size and the permanent population of “University Town” has discovered a desire for self-determination, UBC needs to shift gears. They need to focus not on growing the population, but on ensuring residents feel that they have a real voice.

The current management at CCP is unsuited to carrying this out.

It is an open secret that student leaders haven’t trusted Knight for

years. She’s seen as not caring about student concerns, viewing them as impediments to be brushed aside on the path to her master plan for UBC. But while students are, as a rule, against development, the university is now also facing a growing rebellion from residents.

Last semester, the University Neighbourhood Association (UNA) faced harsh criticism of its legitimacy when hundreds of residents pointed out that they were powerless to stop UBC’s construction of a hospice next to an apartment.

Last month, UNA members elected Thomas Beyer, a firebrand who has continually denounced UBC’s lack of local democracy, to its board of directors.

Last week, a meeting between CCP and South Campus residents turned hostile due to some believing CCP outright lied to them about the size of their community.

This is akin to a hockey coach losing the trust of their players.

And while the GM (that’s the UBC Administration) can’t fire (or evict) the players, they can get a new coach.

Soon UBC will be embarking on a new governance plan that will set out how non-academic lands will be run for decades to come. The person spearheading those discussions will need a lot of personal capital to bring together the disparate groups on campus. Someone who is seen as an honest broker who listens.

Again, this is not a comment on Knight’s abilities, which, when it comes to growing a community, are to be lauded. She’s been in her position longer than nearly any other current vice-president or associate vice-president at UBC. But somebody needs to speak the uncomfortable truth. Sometimes change for change’s sake can help all parties.

UBC is about to start a new chapter of its development. And you can’t start a new chapter without turning the page. U

Dear Nancy Knight Letters As you are no doubt aware, there has been considerable public unease over UBC Campus and Community Planning’s (CCP) proposal to build non-student housing in the Gage South area. This unease has only intensified since the relevant working group was abruptly closed to public and the media.

Much of this concern stems from non-student housing being entirely inappropriate for this area. The concentration of a highly active diesel bus loop, student residences, sports facilities, and concert space at MacInnes Field makes this a lively, noisy, student-centric space. These existing uses would undoubtedly conflict with the quieter needs of non-student housing.

Any residents in this area would have to contend with the realities of late-night residence noise, licensed concerts, and unending diesel buses outside their bedrooms. To suggest that faculty housing should be crammed into this area not only disregards the conflicts that it would create - it presents a disappointing and uninspiring vision for faculty on this campus.

Faculty housing should not be shoe-horned into an area where the

result will inevitably be conflicts with existing uses and ongoing complaints. It is not in the best interests of the academic community, nor of UBC. Both students and faculty deserve better.

These concerns have been known to CCP for over a year. Be it through last year’s Land Use Plan consultations, the AMS, The Ubyssey, or the overwhelming responses received during public hearings, these concerns have been clearly communicated to CCP over and over and over again. These are not the objections of a radical few. These are widelyheld and reasonable objections to a stunningly poor idea.

We therefore expect to see an option at the November consultations that does not include non-student housing, and which retains the entire Gage South area as “Academic” land.

We expect this not only because it is good planning. We expect this because it is critical for the credibility of CCP that it be responsive to the concerns and needs of the academic community it is meant to serve.

—Organizers of the petition to keep Gage South Academic: Meg Anderson (Arts 4), Adrian Oruclar (Commerce 4) and Neal Yonson (Chemistry PhD candidate)

Scene

11.14.2011 |

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Pictures and words on your university experience

LIVING>>

Learning how to be a boyfriend not as easy as it looks Melodramatic Musings Will Johnson It’s not as easy as it looks.

For the last decade I’ve been a functionally single guy. I’ve had various entanglements with women, and had a number of shortlived and hopelessly misguided romances. But for the most part I’ve been left to my own devices, living my life as a single dude with no real attachments.

I’ve never had anyone monitoring my physical fitness or keeping tabs on my daily routines. I’ve never had to worry if I snore too loud or if I drink too much. In social situations I could flirt with whoever I wanted to, and my closest relationships were with my friends and family.

Really, the only person I had to think about on a regular basis was me.

For whatever reason, in the last ten years I’ve consistently ended up dating girls who weren’t interested in being exclusive. Maybe that says something about our generation. Or maybe that says something about my tendency to romanticize damaged and independent flail cases.

But the point is, I’ve never had to follow rules or perform the normal duties of a boyfriend. This role, as it turns out, requires an entirely new skill set.

I’m still in the early stages of a relationship with a beautiful brunette, but I’m already getting a crash course in the female perspective. There is a litany of verbal cues and an emotional shorthand that is completely alien to me. I’m learning

One lesson I’ve learned: if your loved one is upset, don’t just assume they want advice.

how to think as a pair rather than flying solo. And I’m starting to figure out how to shift my focus from myself to someone else.

I’ll admit it: I feel like a total amateur.

My roommates Sean and Maciel have been together for a few years, and watching their relationship unfold has been pretty educational for me. They’re like my parents.

INDIANA JOEL/ THE UBYSSEY

Entering a committed relationship means learning how to live for another person.

Sometimes I’m baffled by their ability to calm each other down, to anticipate when the other one is in a dangerously surly mood, and even their ability to collaborate on making dinner.

Now that I have a girlfriend of my own, I’ve been trying to learn their ways through osmosis. But I still make rookie mistakes.

One lesson I’ve learned: if your loved one is upset and complaining

about their day, don’t just assume they want advice. Chances are they just want you to listen, sympathize and say something comforting. If you try to hand them bumper sticker aphorisms or (heaven forbid!) accidentally take the wrong side of an argument, you’re probably not going to enjoy the proceeding conversation.

Trust me.

But for the most part, I’m hyped to have someone around who cares about me more than I do. My girlfriend keeps tabs on me throughout the day, reminds me of goals I made for myself and encourages me to stick with them. It’s weird to have someone around who is really invested in how healthy I am, and how I live my life.

I feel like a sap for saying this, but I feel like I have a newfound appreciation for every boyfriend and husband out there. It’s not easy to be in a relationship, and it takes a pretty big commitment to make it work. I may be fumbling around now, but I’m sure I’ll eventually figure it out.

And I think it will be worth it. U To read more of Will’s columns, check out his website at goodwilljohnson.com or follow him on Twitter @GoodWillJohnson.

12 | Games | 11.14.2011 Crossword Across

1— ____ _ lift?

6— Seine feeder 10— Attempt 14— Approvals 15— Heath 16— River in central Switzerland 17— High—speed separator 20— Monetary unit of Afghanistan 21— The Younger and The Elder 22— All there 26— Regain strength 30— Fate 34— Plunder 35— Writer Hentoff 36— Asian holiday 38— Become less intense, die off 39— DC bigwig 40— Subway turner 42— “... _ the cows come home” 43— Cry __ _ River 44— Taoism founder 45— Caution 49— Listener 50— IRS IDs 51— Considers 54— Freight weight

Sudoku Sudoku by Krazydad

56— Naive 64— Buenos ______ 65— Area of 4840 square yards 66— Musical drama 67— Actress McClurg 68— Norse god of thunder 69— Water vapor

Down

1— Big Apple school 2— Conger 3— Cornerstone abbr.

4— German article 5— Quickly, quickly 6— Beaten egg dish 7— Charged particle 8— Drunkard 9— Be human 10— Adventurous expedition 11— Lacking slack 12— Jason’s craft 13— Apians 18— Swearword 19— Rapper born Tracy Marrow 22— Herring type 23— Semitic language 24— Kathmandu resident

25— Prepare a book or film for release 27— Filmic 28— Son of Judah 29— Large container 31— Chemical ending 32— Inflammation of the ear 33— Wrestling hold 37— Ages between 13 and 19 39— Big rig 40— Pouch 41— Small children 43— Mire 44— Vive __ ___ !

46— Branching 47— Pointed end 48— Hogwarts attendee 51— Type of ranch 52— Children’s author Blyton 53— Actor Morales 55— Sgts., e.g.

57— Covering for the head 58— German pronoun 59— Hit sign 60— Appropriate 61— Driver’s aid 62— Baseball stat 63— Block up

Puzzles provided by BestCrosswords.com. Used with permission.