Critical Mass. Pg. 6

NEWS:Main Library falls...

And Irving K. Barber rises. Page 3

CULTURE:A bloody love storyUnderworld proves tasty. Page 12.

SPORTS:Hockey Birds signGough to join hockey Birds.Team gets a facelift. Page 2.

EDITORIAL:Canada gives up tobaccosponsorshipDebating the fate of arts and leisureevents across the 'country. Page 10.

THE BIKE KITCHEN is your campusbike shop! the SUB loading bay) Call82-Spe

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UBC SWING KIDS Lindy Hop dance`lessons begin on October 1st for an 8-week series with Lisa Jacobs! Emailswinging@interchange.ubc.ca, or cometo the first day to register in sub rm 214.

MARXIST-LENINIST STUDYGROUP meet this Wed, Sept 244:00pm, Buchanan B (room TBA).Topic: New colonialism in the era ofglobalization: the occupation of Iraq.Everyone welcome. Contactjamiesanne@yahoo.ca

BIRDWALK EVERY TUESDAY at 12noon. Meet at flagpole above rose gardenoutside Chan Centre. Contact: Christinaat struik@interchange.ubc.ca Or 604-438-6037

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EVENTSFarm Aid, UBC Farm, Fri., Sept. 19, 3-7pm

The UBC Farm, located at 6182 South Campus Road,is hosting a fair this Friday. Come for music, face-painting, barbecuing and more. A shuttle van will beleaving for the farm from the corner of WesbrookMall and 16th Avenue every 15 minutes. Admissionis free.

International Talk Like A Pirate Day, Fri., Sept. 19

Aye, mateys, 'tis true. Today is t' internationallyacclaimed day fer talking like a pirate. Shiver me tim-bers. For all t'details, see hap://www.taildikeapi-rate.com. Arrr.

Bqqr garden, SUB 214/216, Fri., Sept. 19, 7-llpm

Join Pride UBC in its first bqqr garden of the year,underway tonight. Cover. is $1.

SPORTSCIS football: UBC Thunderbirds vs. SaskatchewanHuskies, Thunderbird Stadium, Fri., Sept. 19 at7pm

Come down to Thunderbird Stadium this eveningand help cheer on the UBC football team. The T-Birdstake on the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, cur-rently ranked No. 2 in the country. Yes, there's a bzzrgarden. Admission is $3 for UBC students.

THEATRE"Twelfth Night," Presentation House Theatre, Sun.,Sept. 21 at 8pm,

A Cambridge University theatre troupe is in town thisweek performing this Shakespeare classic at thePresentation House Theatre. Concession tickets are$8.4.

SPORTS the ubyssey magazine PAGE FRIDAYFriday, September 19, 2003

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WHO CARES? A forum on education& citizenship with SFU presidentMichael Stevenson and UBC presidentMartha Piper. Thurs, Sept 18 7-9:30pin@ Morris Wosk Centre for Dialogue,580 W. Hastings. Fri, Sept 19, 9a.m-4:30pin. UBC Robson Square, 800Robson. To participate in the forum,contact Brian Smith PHILA Dialogue onCitizenship 604-708-0025. Emailbscoop@telus.net.

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ustby Jesse Marchand

SPORTS EDITOR

In his second season as a coach,Milan Dragicevic has made somedrastic changes to the men's ice-hockey team. After losing 21 of their26 regular season games last year,it was obvious that a new coachwasn't enough to bring the team tovictory—they needed a new outlook,new training strategies and newplayers.

"We've kind of revamped thewhole program and built the pro-gram with first and second-yearplayers," said Dragicevic. Althoughthere are many' returning veterans,there are 11 new players joining theThunderbird team. "We're a veryyoung hockey team,' addedDragicevic.

One of these new players is 21year old Mike Gough. Gough is a for-mer Ontario Hockey league player,

playing four years with the TorontoSaint Michael's Majors and onewith the Oshawa Generals. He hasalso participated in two NHL train-ing camps—the San Jose Sharks andthe Ottawa Senators. Recently hewas cut from the Senators team andis now a welcome addition to theThunderbirds,

'Mike is a power forward,' saidDragicevic. 'He's very good downlow in the corner and in front of thenet. His role on the team is to . betough on the net!

Although Gough has signed on,there are still three cuts to be madeto the team before the regular sea-son begins. Those cuts will be deter-mined in the next few pre-seasongames.

The Birds are slated to play lastyear's Canada West Champions, theAlberta Golden Bears, in a weekenddouble-header Friday and Saturday.The Bears are the three-time defend-

ing Canada West Champs and haveslaughtered the Oilers Prospects intheir exhibition game for the pastthree years—winning 7-2 in 2001, 4-0 in 2002 and 2-0 this year.

Being slated against the numberone team in the Canada-West divi-sion may be hard for the fledglingBirds, but they have an even tougherchallenge next weekend. On the 26and 27 the Birds fly off to ThunderBay where they will take on lastyear's Bell Canada Varsity Cup win-ner, the Lakehead UniversityThunderwolves.

s"It' a big weekend coming up,'.

said Dragicevic.And the Birds have been prepar-

ing. With up to five practices' a week,sometimes twice a day, the Birdshave been hoping to gather experi-ence and unity in the team.

Friday's game against Albertastarts at 7:30 and costs $2.00 forstudents. •3

Former OHL plaYer Mike Gough adds new experience to the young team

PREPARATION: UBC has to practice hard, if they want it to be a come-back year. MICHELLE MAYNE PHOTO

ANTI-COMMERCIAL WALLPAPER: Students take down their banner protesting aplan that would bring more commercialisation while others discuss changes withUBC VP External Dennis Pavllch. MICHELLE MAYNE PHOTO

commercial facilities to create a universitytown. The draft plans are steps towardsdevelopment prescribed by the OfficialCommunity Plan, a bylaw passed in 1997.

Linda Moore, associate director externalaffairs for University Town, said that theuniversity was responding to residents' andstudents' concerns. 'This is the fourth draftof University Boulevard. We received 481feedback forms, and you can see that wehave addressed or incorporated them into

this fourth draft,' she said.Since the previous draft the university

has eliminated the possibility of extendingUniversity Boulevard as a through road toSW Marine Drive, 18-story residential high-rises and market housing.

However, concerns about the tone of thespace to be created at the entrance to theuniversity have not been addressed, saidBill Umber, a professor of physics andastronomy.

1

PAGE FRIDAYFriday, September 19, 2003 the tbyssey mag i NEWS

pWri...:c011:IttoVerSyPublic meetings address concerns about, campus development

`SUB Plaza is where people get together.That's where demonstrations are held,that's where storm the wall goes on, that'swhere we have the rock bands on the firstday of classes,' he said. 'As good Canadianswe don't demonstrate around people'shouses. Building either student or faculty orcommercial housing right around that areawill mean that nothing happens any more.That would be a tremendous loss for theuniversity.'

Jack Taunton, director of the AllanMcGavin Sports Medicine Clinic, and JaneHutton, the associate vice president ofContinuing Education, both spoke in favourof the plan as it would see their respectiveservices brought into the core of thecampus.

'We've been honoured to be included inthe campus development plan, across thestreet from dentistry and with a direct linkto our partners in War Memorial Gym andthe new athletics commons. This would be atremendous asset,' Taunton said.

'Continuing studies is nestled in theTheology building, and is very hard to find,'Hutton said. 'This wall be better for seniorscoming to the bus loop.'

Anthony Dorcy 'of the school for regionalplanning and development agreed that theuniversity administration had been respon-sive, and called for a discussion of thethemes of commercialisation and universi-ty image for campus as a whole. "The planof today is Obits and pieces, a cut-and-pastejob. We want to hear the grand story. Asense of vision.'

Dorcy said he had hoped for moreprogress by now. "I'm deeply troubledwe've spent a year talking about this.' +

The AMS is holding a student summit onMonday, September 22 from 4-8pm onUniversity Town.

University Town public meetings erupted incontroversy this week when UBC professorsdemanded answers to six pages of ques-tions about the University Boulevard neigh-bourhood plan and students unfurled abanner protesting commercialisation.

At Monday's meeting for the UniversityBoulevard neighbourhood plan UBC profes-sors circulated a list of questions about thedevelopment that included concerns overthe economics of the plan, space for futureacademic buildings, pedestrian safety, theimpact of the proposed plan on Alma MaterSociety businesses, and the relocation ofthe pool.

"These are 100 questions that we thinkshould be answered by the Board ofGovernors and by the president of the uni-versity before this development should beallowed to proceed,' said GeorgeSpiegelman, a professor of Microbiologyand Immunology.

In Wednesday's meeting, the EastCampus neighbourhood plan proposalsbrought support from UniversityEndowment Land residents, but studentsattending the meeting hung a banner whichread, 'Commercialization over Education.'

"It becomes clearer and clearer thatthere is no commitment to keep commer-cialisation out of the academic core. This is

'meant to be an institution of learning. Keepdevelopments on University Town in theperiphery,' said student Quinn Omori whilethe banner was unveiled.

University Boulevard and East Campusare neighbourhoods in an overall scheme ofcampus development that would increasethe population living on campus by con-structing new housing developments and

by Jonathan WoodwardNEWS EDITOR

Demolition beginsPhase I:Construction of the $60million Irving K. Barber

Learning Centre will followby Sam Schroeder

NEWS WRITER

Main Library is being demolished—but don't expectcrowds of jubilant students anytime soon. It'scoming back.

Demolition of Main's north wing is now well underway. The project will make room for the new $60 millionIrving K. Barber Learning Center and will bring thelibrary up to seismic standards.

The north wing's reconstruction is the first phase ofthe project, scheduled to be completed by next fall. Atthat point the library—books, shelves and all—will moveback into the rebuilt north wing so that the south wingcan be demolished and replaced. The entire LearningCentre is expected to be open in the early monthsof 2006.

The flow of students into the parts of Main Librarythat remain open has not been affected by the sometimesnoisy demolition. 'We're pretty impressed with the stu-dents' resilience,' said Catherine Quinlan, managingdirector for the Irving K. Barber Centre.

"It is hard to get around the noise. It is going to hap-pen at some point,' said Amanda Patterson, a third-yearCommerce student. 'Maybe if they they did it later atnight when there weren't as many students around thatwould be a little better.'

"There is nowhere to buy coffee anymore,' saidCorine Sinengfield, a third-year international relationsstudent.

For students bothered by the noise there are ear plugsavailable free from Main's Chapman LearningCommons.

The completed Learning Center will measure 23,370square meters and will leave Main Library's original her-itage structure—built in 1925 as , one of the first threebuildings on campus—intact. The new space will have750 new workstations, three computer labs and newresearch, lecture and classroom space that will beshared by academic programs for both undergraduateand graduate students.

The Learning Centre will also offer more social spaceto students. 'We don't want to become the next StudentUnion Building...We plan to have a social element to itbut also have a learning focus,' added Quinlan.

Maintaining the old library was an essential elementof creating the new Learning Centre said Joe Redmond,VP of UBC Properties Trust. The historic core will bene-fit from seismic upgrades as a result of theconstruction.

'Currently, there is no earthquake stability at all,'said Redmond. Once the Learning Centre is complete thehistoric section will meet 75 per cent of seismicrequirements but Redmond says that the support of thenewer wings—that meet 100 per cent of earthquakerequirements—will hold the entire structure together inthe event of an earthquake.

The Learning Centre was made possible by Irving K.Barber's donation of $20 million. Barber is the foundingchair, president and CEO of Slocan Forest Products Ltdand received his Forestry undergraduate degree fromUBC in 1950.

The remainder of the funding will come from the $10million pitched in by the BC Government and the $30million UBC is dedicating to the project.

The new space is intended to expand the university'sresearch capabilities so that the academic reach of UBC'slibraries may be extended.

"The idea behind the learning centre is how do wetake the resources that UBC has had to build to supportits own community and make those availible to a broad-er community that needs them,' said Quinlan.

—with files from Megan Thomas

TILL THE FIVE O'CLOCK WHISTLE BLOWS: Workers getbusy on the demolition of Main Library's north wing.MICHELLE MAYNE PHOTO

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No. I think that it'schanging the defini-tion of marriage.

Vashti GarciaArts 4

You should haveequal status regardless of whether youchoose to marry ornot and regardlessof whether you'reconsidered an ab-omination by anoth-er religion. Youshould have equalstanding.

Mathew GoodArts 1

Panel and audience expressconcerns about secondary

schoolingby Robson Fletcher

NEWS WRITER

Students in British Columbia's public schools are suc-ceeding like never before, but`the education system isin danger of a major collapse according to a panelassembled by the UBC Faculty of Eduaction.

The system cannot sustain this level of perform-ance much longer, said panel member and formerDeputy Minister of Education Charles Ungerleider.

'I think we will begin to see a tailing-off in terms ofstudent success. I hope that's not the case, but condi-tions are not advantageous. I hope Canadians act withgreat dispatch,' he said in an interview before thediscussion.

The forum, held Monday at UBC's Robson Squarecampus, was packed with' more than 100 concernededucators, parents and citizens who came to hear theopinions of the panel and express their own views.

A key issue for both the panel and audience wasthat teachers and parents are having to pick up theslack because of diminishing resources and expand-ng curricula.

'We work in a system that is grossly underfunded,'said audience member Neil Worboys, president of theBritish Columbia Teachers' Federation.

Concern was also expressed over the increasingnecessity for school boards and parents to fill budget

OPINION

gaps. Money raised by parents for non-essential'extras' such as televisions and VCRs is increasinglybeing used to purchase course texts and library,hooks—basic needs once supplied by the government'panelists Said.

Reggi Balabanov, former president of the BCConfederation of Parent Advisory Councils, said manyparents embrace the opportunity to get involved intheir children's schools but she personally had begunto call fundraising the 'F-word.'

Carolyn Shields, panel member and head of theDepartment of Educational Studies at UBC, said thisentrepreneurial approach to school funding results ininequities because schools in affluent areas are ableto raise thousands of dollars from neighbourhoodsales while downtown schools are not.

Discussion also focused on the topic of teachers'working conditions. Ungerleider suggested that anindicator of healthy public schools is a working cli-mate that is free of conflict and conducive to produc-tive activity. The panel said this is not the case inmany schools because teachers often feel that the climate is unproductive, even hostile.

Judy Acres, a high-school teacher and counselor inBC since 1968, expressed a similar impression of thecurrent working climate. "In all the 35 years I'vetaught, I've never been in this difficult of a politicalscene,' she said in a telephone interview.

Ungerleider warned that if the problems are notaddressed Canadian unity could suffer.

'The responsibility of communicating toCanadians what it means to be a Canadian...falls tothe public schools,' he said just before the forum.'We are a fragile nation, deeply divided in so manydifferent ways, that if our public schools which com-municate what it means to be Canadian fail andthemselves become fragmented Canada willdisintegrate.' •

the ubyssey magazine rA9f.t.F2ReaPublic schools dissected

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4See the world your way

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Photos by Michelle Mayne

BC NDP leadershiprace heãthig.u.Candidates blow moresmoke than substance

at first debateStephen Hui

BRITISH COLUMBIA BUREAU

VANCOUVER (CUP)—Seven candidates hop-ing to lead the New Democratic Party intothe next provincial election took turns takingshots at British Columbia's Liberal govern-ment, but avoided attacking each other attheir first debate September 9.

Although the candidates were upbeatabout the party's chances of victory in 2005,they shared few details of their plans to gov-ern the province, preferring to stick to broadstatements about their platforms.

"People want change, the public wantschange, and our party members wantchange,' said Nils Jensen; a prosecutor andOak Bay municipal councillor, in his open-ing statement.

Jensen and the other candidates admittedthat the party needed to regain the trust ofthe public in order to become, a seriousthreat to the Liberals.

"There's a perception in this society thatwe can't govern well,' said Craig . Keating, aNorth Vancouver city councillor.

While most praised the achievements ofthe previous NDP governments, two candi-dates—Mehdi Najari and Steve Orcherton-were outspoken in their criticism of theparty's direction during and after its time inoffice.

Najari, the most unpolished of the candi-dates, said he was frustrated by what hecalled a lack of resistance to the Liberal gov-ernment. Orcherton, who is a former mem-ber of the legislative assembly, called for anend to 'middle of the road' politics.

One of the few . questions to divide theleadership hopefuls was whether to avoidvote-splitting within the political left by field-ing a joint slate of candidates with the GreenParty in the next election.

For Najari, the answer was yes. Jensen,

Keating, and Orcherton, along with PeterDimitrov, a proponent of decentralisationwho repeatedly plugged his website duringthe debate, clearly disagreed, while formerGreater Victoria school trustee Carole Jamesdid not make a firm commitment on theissue.

Leanari Krog gave a pragmatic response

"People want change,the public wantschange, and our partymembers wantchange.'

—Nils JensenNDP leadership hopeful

to the question. The former provincial legis-lator and self-proclaimed feminist said thatsuch an accord was impossible because theparty would never agree to run Green candi-dates over their own.

Later in the debate, Krog's closingremarks revealed his views on public-pri-vate partnerships and the sex trade. _

'Private-public partnerships remind meof prostitution, frankly,' Krog said. "It's gen-erally regarded as immoral, it should be ille-gal if it isn't, and the one thing you can guar-antee about it is one of the parties is beingexploited to the greatest degree possible.'

All of the candidates said they supportedincreasing access to, or the affordability of,post-secondary education, and would rein-state the Ministry of Women's Equality.Najari and Orcherton even said that tuitionfees should be eliminated.

The debate in Vancouver was the first of12 to be held around the province. The partywill select its next leader at its convention inNovember.

BC NDP LEADERSHIP CANDIDATE NILS JENSEN SHARES HIS VIEWS: while CraigKeating looks On. STEPHEN HUI/CANADIAN UNIVERSITY PRESS PHOTO

eI'M MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN YOU: Peter Dimitrov tackles an issue at the first BC NDP leadership debate in Vancouver.STEPHEN HUI/CANADIAN UNIVERSITY PRESS PHOTO

PAGE FRIDAYFriday , September 19, 2003 the ubyssey magazine NATIONALStudent getsMaster's degreein poker

by Cosanna PrestonTHE GATEWAY

EDMONTON (.CUP)—Taking a gamble on aMaster's degree in poker has proved to be awindfall for Darse Billings as he puts the finish-ing touches on the world's best poker-playingcomputer program.

The PhD student first came up with the ideafor the program when he came to the Universityof Alberta to complete his Master's in pokerin 1991.

Completing a Master's in poker may seemodd to most, but because of Billings' backgroundin computing science, it made perfect senseto him.

'Poker is fun, which is not to be underesti-mated, and it has a lot of interesting fundamen-tal issues,' said Billings.

"There were not a lot of people doing it, whichmeant that I could be at the frontier of theresearch in a week,' he added. 'It's one of theadvantages of being in computing science.'

Billings mapped out some of the basic frame-work and tactics to build a competitive pokerprogram during his Master's, but he left the U ofA after the completion of his degree. Unsure ofwhat he wanted to do next, Billings became a pro-fessional poker player for a few years to fine-tunehis understanding of the skills and strategies ofthe game.

It was not until 1999 and after a lot of con-vincing from the computing science departmentthat Billings agreed to return to the university asa full-time PhD student ready to create the bestpoker-playing program in the world.

The poker program has been in developmentsince: J991, , and, its creators hope that it willfnally be ready to challenge the world's bestplayers in less than a year.

Billings says that being the best is not the pri-

inrTall /1Says S Main goal is to complete scientif-

ic research and to learn special techniques fromthe' program that can be applied to the widerfield of artificial intelligence.

"We use games to explore research in artifi-cial intelligence,' explained Jonathan Schaeffer,Billings' PhD supervisor.

'A lot of the research had completed perfectinformation domains. So, for example, if you andI play a game of chess, that's called a perfectinformation game because there is nothing hid-

, den, You look at the board and you know whereall the pieces are. There are no secrets. If youplay a game like [poker], it's not a game of per-fect information. You can't see my cards. You canonly guess what my cards are.'

Schaeffer went on to note that computers arenow very good at solving problems in a perfectinformation scenario but "the real world,' asSchaeffer put it, does not operate under suchterms. Schaeffer likened poker to a negotiation,because one never knows what the other side iswilling to do. He said that creating a pokerplay-ing program capable of beating the best in theWorld is one small step in the right direction ofprogramming computers to negotiate and rea-son.

Thanks to Billings, the program has alreadyaccomplished a lot.

Aside from receiving media attention fromCBC; the Globe and Mail, and the New YorkTimes, to name a few, the research has beenspotlighted at numerous world-renowned com-puter science conferences and also won theInternational Joint Conference on ArtificialIntelligence/American. Association for' ArtificialIntelligence 2003 Distinguished Paper, Award.

Billings has become the crucial link in thedevelopment of the program. Schaeffer claimsthat without Billings, the project's progresswould be seriously endangered.

"The reality is that we couldn't be doing thiswithout him because he's the poker expert,'noted Schaeffer. .

"If we build a strong program he's the onlyone who can tell us. So we use him in so manyways, one of which is assessing the program.Only when it passes his very tough criteria ofexcellence do we try and test it against otherhumans. He's the key to the whole project.'

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Boy. Those dinosaurs on bicycles are sure funny lookin'! I thinkI'm going to have to write some features with cool cyclingdinosaurs in them...yeah...an entire feature on cyclingdinosaurs! It's gold!

Now to pitch my idea to Heather!

Yet another features meeting:Fridays at noon

room 24 in the SUB basement

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SUNWednesday,September24th, 7:00pmat SilvercityMetropolis.

OPENS INTHEATRES:FRIDAYSEPTEMBER 26

e roads, for: cyclisCyclists turned activists flood the streets of Vancouver by Viveca Ellis

FEATURES WRITER

the ub ssey azine

FEATUREFEATURE 01VOYsseY azitte.r17-4:79r Friday, September 19, 2003

PAGE FRIDAY

t was a lucky thing the engine dropped right out ofmy car. My beater made it to the far north, putteredaround Alaska and the Yukon without breakingdown once, and then, in the wilds of Kitsilano,

I dropped its guts out onto the street.Newly car-less and tired of rushing around in the relent-

less traffic clogging Vancouver everyday, I found my bikeshackled to a rail in a lonely corner of my parents' garageand dusted it off. After my_first spin around the city I took adecided turn from the irksome responsibilities of car own-ership back to the beautiful freedom of cycling.

Within a day or two of using my new mode of trans-portation to get around the city, I remembered why I'd aban-doned cycling for driving. It's not easy being a cyclist inVancouver (or anywhere in North America for that matter).As beautiful as the city looks from a bike, you get the feelingit doesn't want you there, pedaling along. You're not legiti-mate. You're not wanted on the road. If you're not an auto-mobile, you're in the way.

Frustrated and fed-up by what I felt was unnecessary,abuse from drivers, I wanted to do my bit for cyclingadvocacy.

At the end of July I went on my first Critical Mass ride.Critical Mass is a grassroots bicycle event where hundredsof cyclists occupy city streets in a fun, celebratory reclama-tion of public space. I wanted to check out the bike people ofVancouver. Where had they been hiding? You see a cyclisthere and there when you ride around Vancouver, butcyclists don't make much of' a show in this city. They are rel-egated to the meandering, inconvenient leisure" bike waysthat snake around the city, or lost in the honking din of auto-mobile traffic.

The Vancouver Critical Mass meets on the last Friday ofevery month behind the Vancouver Art Gallery. At the end ofJuly, I found hundreds of cyclists gathered calmly on thesun-baked grass.

It was an incredible ride. We rode down the middle of theBurrard Street Bridge, the Granville Bridge, and the GeorgiaViaduct, looping through downtown again and again.

Certain cyclists lined up at intersections wheel to wheel,called 'corking; forming a temporary fence against the on-coming traffic so that the ride could pass through the centre.A couple of people pulled their children behind their bikesin trailers. People waved and smiled from their cars ortalked on their cell phones. Some goofballs raced arounddressed like green dinosaurs, yelling about the "autosaurus-es." It felt more like a parade or a carnival than a protest ora demonstration.

Traffic stopped and then flowed again when we'd passed.

"Either someone doesn't lookand opens their car door, or Iget cut off and I almost have tobail.., this isn't a bike-friendlycity."

—Naomi MoyerCritical Mass participant

There wasn't a cop in sight. In the middle of the Granvillebridge everyone triumphantly lifted their bikes above theirheads and yelled. Most cyclists hollered the definitive chantof the event: "We're not blocking traffic, we are traffic.°

Often described as an 'organised coincidence,' thecycling Critical Mass started in San Francisco in 1992, andsince then it has spread to over 300 cities. It could be saidthat the movement began when Chris Carlsson approachedthe San Francisco Bike Coalition—an alliance of thousandsof cyclists who promote a more cyclist-friendly city—with theidea. The concept wasn't his alone, however, as it evolvedover time in conversation with many bicycle enthusiasts.

I did some research and found that the emergence ofCritical Mass in Vancouver was not the 'mind child' of anyparticular group or person. In the early 90s there was aloose group of people who started to have rides in downtownVancouver as a combination of political protest and a 'cele-bration of cycling. The rides tended to stay downtown—focusing on the Robson area. If 100 people showed up for aride it was considered a massive turn out. There was somehelp from a Vancouver cycling group called the "BicyclePeople,' who have since disbanded.

Now there are supposedly 22 rides in Asia, 18 inAustralia, 122 in Europe, 178 in North America and eight inSouth America, as well as rides in New Zealand, Israel, Indiaand Africa. It is not an organisation, and there is no centralplanning, official website or corporate sponsorship—simplythe collective effort of many cyclists that make it happen ina particular place.

Numerous participants I spoke with consider Critical

Wfs tigry pa,rchist evept., Somebody just photocopiessome i o and )then lets die word spread. The riders at thefront determine the route of the ride, shouting out sugges-tions to the other riders.

The Critical Mass is a concentration of bicycles that dis-places automobiles for a brief period of time. The WorldWide Critical Mass Hub website states that the Critical Massaddresses the invisibility of cyclists and the critical condi-tion of urban transportation. The tone and orientation of

every Critical Mass depends on the participants in thatparticular ride.

Graham Olds is a long-time cyclist, cycling advocate, andspoken word "bike-poet' He also works as a special needsassistant in the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program at theSunny Hill Health Centre for Children. He was active inestablishing the Critical Mass in Vancouver in the early 90s.I asked Olds what he feels Critical Mass is about.

"It's about joy. It's about discovering the incredible, ulti-mate joy of cycling without traffic with all the space youwant, without the fear of being killed by a speeding automo-bile. It's about, for a brief time, riding without fear.'

For many, Critical Mass is also about environmental andpolitical issues. Critical Mass is a way to reclaim publicspace and promote a means of transportation that doesn'tburn fossil fuels and create carbon monoxide pollution. Asthe popular sticker says, a bicycle is 'one less car.'

When Critical Mass first started in Vancouver only about45-50 cyclists participated. "It was kind of scary,' Olds said."We had confrontations—drivers getting mad. That defeatedour purpose. Now it is very different. People understand thebest way to do it, the safest way where everyone has themost fun.°

The Critical Mass that took place at the end of August2003 was supposedly the biggest one the city has ever seen,with over a 1000 participating cyclists.

Naomi Moyer, a Critical Mass participant, uses her bikeas her main form of transportation in the city. She feels it isimportant, as a cyclist in Vancouver, to attend the CriticalMass rides every month. Every time she gets on her bike,Moyer claims,a dangerous incident takes place.

"Either someone doesn't look and opens their car door,or I get cut-off and I almost have to bail. There's no space.There's always something. This isn't a bike friendly city'

Moyer attends the Critical Mass because she feels theride addresses the invisibility of cyclists in the city.

"The bike-paths are inconvenient for really gettingaround the city-, and just keep us off the road so the cars canhave it all. The Critical Mass means we're seen. I go becauseI'm frustrated. Everyday you're being pushed aside. Drivershave no patience and show no respect You're invisible onthe road. Without a loud engine or a hornyou have no voice. I've kicked cars, fin-gered people: pissed people, off. It'sterrible.'

The Critical Mass, Moyer claims,allows her to calm down and think -ofthings she can do instead of just gettingangry. Road rage, it seems, is somethingcyclists and drivers have in common. -

Prudence Christensen lives on OntarioSt where cyclists stream past her house onthe officially designated bike path that fol-lows Ontario to downtown. She drives hercar almost everywhere, and does not ridea bike.

I asked her what her experience of t.cyclists has been like recently inVancouver, wherever she drives.

"Just the other day,' she said, "I wasdriving on Ontario. I passed a cyclist and he went nuts. Iknew I had space but I guess he felt I came too close orsomething. I wanted him to see me. I wanted him to knowthat I saw him. After I passed him he yelled a string ofobscenities when all I did was pass him.'

Cyclists, in Christensen's opinion, are coming from aposition of fear. She described cyclists as 'the little guy'overpowered by the powerful automobiles that already havecontrol of the road.

"The anger is already there,' she added, 'Cyclists arevolatile—they're always yelling because they're always injeopardy.'

Christensen feels that the same logic that applies to thebuilding of sidewalks should apply to the creation of bikelanes. "There has to be some designation for them. Ten feetof a lane?'

"It's about. oy. It's about dis-covering the incredible, ulti-mate joy of cycling withouttraffic with all the space youwant..."

—Graham Oldscycling advocator

I asked Christenson about the cycling Critical Mass andhow she would feel if she were stopped in her car by acycling demonstration.

!Stopping traffic? I don't like that. When I get in my car itisn't just to drive around. I have to get somewhere, be some-where. It would be a pain in the ass.'

Critical Mass rides, in the past, have been much morethan a pain in the ass. They've exposed ass with their state-ment about the Molson Indy—a ride entitled the WholesomeUndy—when participants rode in nothing but their knickers.Additionally, they have twice made the international newsdue to mass arrests and altercations with police—in SanFrancisco in 1997 and Los Angeles in 2000.

On July 25, 1997, approximately 115 cyclists were arrest-ed in San Francisco while participatingin a cycling Critical Mass. The troublebegan when the police, who agreed toaccompany the bike rally, did not showup. Of the arrested, all but eight werereferred to traffic court or had thecharges dropped.

In LA on August 16, 2000, approxi-mately 35 of the 250 participatingcyclists were arrested for failing to stopat red lights and for cycling on thewrong side of the street.

Most participants I spoke with at theVancouver ride preferred to keep theride celebratory—a peaceful demonstra-

d tion where conflict with police or driversshould be avoided.

At the Critical Mass in July theresponse of people in their cars seemed

strangely positive. Blocking a road for ten or fifteen minutesand then letting the traffic flow is one thing; causing anextended grid-lock in a downtown core is another.Compared to other rides, the Vancouver Critical Mass seemsgentle. I like it that way. It allows me, for a brief time, toexperience some solidarity with other cyclists in the long,bitter battle against the domination of our lives by automo-biles. Critical Mass was my first taste of riding in a city with-out the oppressive force of traffic edging me off the road.Except for the chatter and laughter of the other cyclists, thestreets were quiet and calm, the smoggy air crisp and clear.

For the first time since my bike renaissance began, I wascycling without fear. We were something better than angry,something much more effective: a celebratory spectacle—aspontaneous eruption of colour and playfulness in the dull,grey atmosphere of downtown. +

41A MASTERPIECE OF OUR TIME" T

Everyone should write culture because, like,culture is so important, you know?

culture meetings: Wednesdays at 2 pmculture@ubyssey.bc.ca

SEPTEMBER 25, 26, 27 AT 8 PM QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE

VISIT TICKETMASTER CALL 604.280.3311 OR www.ticketmaster.ca

ENGAGEMENT SPONSOR

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NORTH CAMPUS NEIGHBOURHOOD CONSULTATIONThe University is about to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan for the North Campus and is providing anopportunity to obtain the community's views on planning issues before we draft a Plan.

The North Campus area is located north of Northwest Marine Drive and the Pacific Spirit Park andincludes lands from Green College to Norman MacKenzie House (the residence of the UBC President).

PLEASE JOIN USPlease join us for an Open House in the Green College Coach House (6201 Cecil Green Park Road)and give us your feedback on the future challenges for the North Campus:

Wednesday, September 24, 2003 from 4 pm and 8 pm

The Advisory Planning Committee for the North Campus neighbourhood welcomes your commentsand suggestions. This Open House consultation is prior to preparing a North Campus DraftNeighbourhood Plan, which will be the subject of further consultations in the Fall.

DIRECTIONSFor a map showing the location of Green College Coach House go to:www.planning.ubc.ca/waOnding/Finding/dbase.html and enter "Green College'or call (604) 822-6400 for more information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONLinda Moore, Associate DirectorExternal Affairs, University Town

Tel: 604.822.6400, Fax: 604.822.8102Email: info.universitytovvn@ubc.ca

www.universitytown.ubc.ca

CULTURE the tiby PAGE FRIDAYFriday, September 19, 2003

The Four SeasNati()1111 Ballet Cin-idac KEVIN GARLAND, EXECU

T-IVE

DiRECTODIRECTOR

JAMES IcUQELKA, ARTISIC

Mexican group amalgamates severalstyles of music to deliver tight unit

ueno!

.A Ballet,Rritis4 Columbia ,danceAlivel presentation . •

upright bass, keep you guessing andlonging for more. The cheesy syn-thesisers of 'Magic Finger' andLatin flutes have a 70s sound tothem, while 'Te lo Juro porMadonna (Si 'Ombe 'ta gueno)'mixes things up with a fast pacedrock n' roll beat and edgy guitars.'Alo' and "Grooveman' are cheer-ful, self-mocking songs that high-light the album's healthy sense ofhumour.

A personal favourite is"Naranjada' due in part to its work-in-progress free-style vibe, as wellas its up-beat optimistic lyrics. Sungin both English and Spanish,

"Naranjada"sThe contextual lyrics evoke an

From the moment that HolaChicuelos begins, you can tell thatthe eighteen tracks on the Mexicanduo's third outing are going to func-tion as a tight unit—much like thechapters in a novel, or better yet,like the songs on an album.

Now there's a concept.In a mainstream music industry

where musicians are placed underan enormous amountof pressure to churnout hook-laden,potential singles,Plastilina. Mosh'sHola Chicuelos is arefreshing experi-ence. While it is thework of two well-versed DJs—a mix ofinfectious beats andelectronic loops—thesongs on this CD pos-sess a certain candidcharm. Sung inSpanish. and Englishthe record is adelightful workreplete with cross-cultural refer-ences.

From the surprisingly catchyBrit-pop-style "Peligroso Pop'—aplay on. the. Fabulosos Cadillacs'Clash cover 'Revolution Rock"—tothe heavy electronic Underworldsounding "Decation,' HolaChicuelos is full of surprises. Justwhen you think you've honed in onthe central theme or essence of theCD, another song comes along tothrow you off. You find yourself ask-.ing, 'What is this?'

Who cares? It's good.Songs like 'Garret Club,' whose

schmaltzy disco string arrangementends in a symphonic, pastoral land-scape full of sampled naturalsounds, or the funky 'Pekin Jazz,'whose back beat is armed with an

urgent need tosing and dance.Feature singerAndrea Suarez'slighthearted cho-rus adds to aninnocent thoughpleasant songthat is inclinedto make onesmile.

Scatteredthroughout theentire record aresamples ofMexican and

American pop culture, Anyonefamiliar with either of the two willdefinitely enjoy the references. Thecontextual misplacement of politi-cal clips and commercial excerptsmakes for a kitsch or 'cutre' collageof sounds, colours and tones, wherewhat was once official suddenlysounds silly and grotesque. TheMonterrey duo doesn't evenexempt themselves from this gameof ridicule as is evident in songslike 'Groovenaan' or 'Ala' wherethey poke fun at the idea that musi-cian equals sexual icon.

Reminiscent of Manu Chao andMano Negra—and everything else,for that matter—Plastilina Mosh'slatest potpourri is postmodern sub-version at its best with (thankfully)asense of humour. •

PLASTILINA MOSHHola ChicuelosEMI

by Marc Miguel NelsenCULTURE WRITER

misplacement ofpolitical clipsand commercialexcerpts makesfor a kitsch or"cutre" collage ofsounds, colours,and tones..,

A Reference for the Rest of list

AMS MINISCHOOL AMS/GSS HEALTHPLANAMS MimSchool o irfers a variety' of life skills ataffordab l e prices. Try something new with ourhuge 'variety of McitSchool courses:

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For more information on MiniSchoel courses andinformation on hcii.v to registef visit them onlineit www.ams.ubc.caiservices/mini school or

contact minischoulgarns.ubc.ca.

Changes to the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan - beginning September, 2003:The maximum annual dental coverage has been reduced to $500 from $750.

Change-of-Coverage Period:Students can opt out or enroll their family during the following periods only:

• For students starting in September; Sept 2 - 23, 2003• For students starting in January: Jan. 5 - 26, 2004 (New Term 2 students only)

Blackout PeriodClaims processing is delayed during the first two months of Term 1 while studentcare.netlworkswaits for complete enrolment lists, after opt outs and enrolments have been processed. During thistime, you may submit claims, but reimbursement cheques will only be mailed once the BlackoutPeriod ends. Practitioners and pharmacists can't accept Pay Direct or assignment of benefitsduring the Blackout Period.

AMS VOLUNTEER FAIRWhen . September 23' - September 25-' • 10 cm - 3 pmWhere Student Union Building Main ConcourseVary? Because, you %Avant to get invoked, gain experiencerelated to your degree. or simply get work ex perienoe

For a des-cription of this year's fair check www.ams.ubc.ca.

VolunteerConnections

nt eractiComments? Questions? Concerns? Visit us on the web at www.ams.ubc.ca or email us at feedback@ams.ubc.ca.

AMS INTERNSHIP PROGRAMNew to AMS Volunteer Connections: The AMS is YOUR student society, so get in there andget involved! The AMS Internship Program offers project and office based positions which aredesigned to get you working within the AMS while gaining valuable and interesting experience.

As of September 1 4, 2003, the AMS Internship Program is officially up and running. Check outwww.ams.ubc.ca/ams jobs( for the latest listings of internships available.

STUDENT SUMMI OCAMPUS DEVELOPMENNTThe university is planning significant changes tothe university campus, as part of the "UniversityTown' planning and consultation process,The University Boulevard neighbourhood isone of the eight neighbourhoods on campus,which will be introduced in association withthe new University Town. The fourth draft planfor University Boulevard Neighbourhood wasrecently released this June, by the University(www.universitytown.ubc.ca).

If you are interested in having a say about theseplans attend the upcoming Student Summit oncampus development (September 22, 20034-8 pm) in SUB Room 214/216. The AMS andGSS have created an opportunity for studentparticipation through this Student Summitand dedicated focus groups. The event willbe student-organized, student-focused andinformative. The summit will include a paneldiscussion on campus development and focusgroups on the following topics:

New housing on campus;Transit and the underground bus

. loop;The participation/consultationprocess;New athletic facilities on campus;

• Shops and services.

For more' nformation contactvpacademic@ams.ubc.ca.

PAGE FRIDAYFriday, September 19, 2003 the abyss CULTURE

You can sing too, you dummyA beginners' guide for

tone deaf hopefulsSINGING FOR DUMMIESby Pamelia S. Phillips, DMA[Wiley Publishing, Inc.]

by Vampyra DraculeaCULTURE WRITER

Are you interested in learning to sing? Even ifjust to play around with your friends? Or if youalready (think you) know how to sing, are youinterested in brushing up on your techniqueor learning more about vocal health? If so,you'll find the following book interesting anduseful. Just don't be put off by the title: Singingfor Dummies, by Pamelia S. Phillips.

One of the latest in the For Dummiesseries, this book is pretty much what we've

come to expect from the series—tons of greatinformation covering almost every level fromrookie to accomplished singer. Just about any-one can learn a lot from this book, includingthose who think they already know it all. Evenmy voice teacher has expressed an interest—for his students' sake, of course.

Phillips, herself a vocal instructor at NewYork University, gives tips and exercises on awide range of relevant issues, from body align-ment and posture through breathing exercisesto resonance, articulation, different styles, howto make a great practise routine, projection,audition tips, tips on learning songs, tips forpicking a voice teacher, information on vocalhealth and much more. The book also comeswith lots of exercises for all different voicetypes and a CD to sing along with. The onlything it lacks, that I wish it had, is a bibliogra-phy—for example, some of the exercises in thechapter on alignment come from theAlexander Technique, and I think it would beuseful to have further references on this, aswell as in some other areas.

Singing For Dtunmies is organised in sucha way that a complete neophyte can start withthis book and work through progressively, orsomeone more advanced can just flip throughand pick out the bits most useful to them. I'mdoing a bit of both and I've already found a lotof new ideas that are helping tremendously.

For those of us with voice coaches, a differ-ent source can present information fromanother perspective and help to foster betterunderstanding. Phillips has a great talent forphrasing the same advice most singersalready know in new ways that make a Iotmore sense, with some explanations that I hadnever heard of before. She is able to clearlyarticulate technical information in a veryaccessible way, and combines this informa-tion with a fresh, informal, humorous writingstyle that makes Singing For Dummies anamusing as well as informative read.

So, if you love to Sing, check this book out.I'm willing to bet you'll find it well worth yourwhile regardless of your ability.

Psst I'd also recommend it as an (anonY-

mous) gift to persons you may know who onlythink they can carry a tune—it just might worksome miracles. 3

The lady in the hideous white swan-shaped dressBJORK: WOW AND FLUTTERby Mark Pytlik[ECW Press]

by Vampyra. DraculeaCULTURE WRITER

I am going to preface my commentson this book by saying that while Ilike the music by Bjork that I'veheard, I'm by no means a hardcorefan. I really know very little abouther other than that she's fromIceland and used to be in theSugarcubes. This information mayprove relevant to my comments.

In his book Bjork. Wow andFlutter, author Mark Pytlik attemptsto present a respectful and bal-anced portrait of Bjork withoutresorting to either the dumb 'she'sso elf-like' clichés that everyoneuses, or to invading her privacy tofind new information. The result isa well-written book that outlines thehistory of her career in detail fromthe earliest days before she waseven in the Sugarcubes up until thefall of 2002. I liked Pytlik's mix offlowing poetic language with thepublicly known facts about Bjorle.This Seemed particularly appropri-

ate since his focus was on Bjork'stheme of experimentation withblending natural and synthetic ele-ments of sound in her work. She isa character of overlapping worldsand mixed extremes, and so Pytlik'sstyle of writing and even the graph-ic design fit perfectly.

I also appreciated the Icelandicpronunciation guide and the exten-sive songbook appendix listingdetails and comments about everysong Bjork has ever recorded or par-ticipated in recording or writing

I can't be certain whether or notPytlik'S work really contributes any-

thing new for devout Bjork fans. Formyself, every tidbit of informationwas brand-new—and so I found thisbook very informative—but it alsoseemed to me that many of Pytlik'ssources were previously publishedinterviews, so I'm not sure how newthe content of this book would be tomore informed fans of Bjork's work.

Nevertheless, I was impressed,even if only for myself, and Ilearned a lot about Bjork's artisticvision and ideas. As a result of this,my interest in her work has beenpiqued, and I think I'll be payingmore attention from now on. 3 -

anDMI RaiMa ruzmial 6oz7120u5mv9va-ztto %owciimacy3 (§Acir azgafto

DlIW;atti% Nitn„

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Your mother doesn't love you as much as we do.She just gives you money.Write a letter to us instead.

FRIDAY, SEPTREMBER 19, 2003VOLUME 85 ISSUE 6

EDITORIAL BOARD

COORDINATING EDITORHywel Tuscano

NEWS EDITORSMegan Thomas

Jonathan Woodward

CULTURE EDITORJohn Hua

SPORTS EDITORJesse Marchand

FEATURES/NATIONAL EDITORHeather Pauls

PHOTO EDITORMichelle Mayne-

PRODUCTION MANAGERvacant

COORDINATORSVOLUNTEERSSarah Bourdon

RESEARCH/LETTERSBryan Zandberg

The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University ofBritish Columbia. It is published every Tuesday and Friday by TheUbyssey Publications Society.We are an autonomous, democratically run student organisation,and all students are encouraged to participate.Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are theexpressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect theviews of The Ubyssey Publications Society nr the University ofBritish Columbia. •The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press(CUP) and adheres to CUP's guiding principles.All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of TheUbyssey Publications Society Stories, opinions, photographs andartwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without theexpressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications SocietyLetters to the editor must be under 300 words. Please include yourphone number, student number and signature (not for publication)as wet as your year and faculty with at submissions. ID will bechecked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office ofThe Ubyssey, otherwise verification will be done by phone."Perspectives" are opinion pieces over 300 words but under 750

. words and are run according to space."Freestyles" are opinion pieces written by Ubyssey staff members.Priority wit tie given to letters and perspectives over freestylesunless the latter is time sensitive. Opinion pieces will not be rununtil,,the identity of the writer has been verified. -It is agreed by all parsons placing display or classified advertisingthat if the Ubyssey Publications Satiety fails to publish an adver-tisement or if an error in the ad occurs the liability of the UPSnot be greater than the price paid for the ad. The UPS shall not beresponsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do notlessen the value or the impact of the ad.

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Fruit Mee have dominion. Heather Pauls cries and die sky turnsgrey. Viveca Ellis makes cause of or correlates beyond belief ofGreg Ursic's tendencies. Where divine cleanliness ends, HywelTuscan° hides Like a pendulum we swing between the polarextremes of Jesse Marchand and Megan Thomas. Who can

= blame the death of music, except to fmd comfort in john Hualies? But it is in Jonathan Woodward where our faiths are shak-en, where Laura Blue shudders upon the blue. Do not nameSarah Bourdon, Sarah rung. It disappears of reappears as PaulCarr swerves within this Bryan Zandberg diasPora. VampyraDraculea's angelic hopes conquer Marc Miguel Helen doubts,Michelle Mayue'watChes in silence.

CanadianUniversity

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THE UBYSSEY10 EDITORIAL the ubys ey magazine PAGE FRIDAY

Friday, September 19, 2003

loss can be a winSince the first restrictions were placed on ciga-rette advertising five years ago, the air webreathe—and space we live in—has become lessclouded by the presence of tobacco companies.

With millions of dollars invested in countlessevents, their support was seen as integral to notonly sport funding but subsidising the arts anddonating to charities. Du Maurier alone hasgiven more than $80 million to arts groups inthe past 33 years and Imperial Tobacco gavealmost $10 million per year to various charities.Among other things, Vancouver benefitted formany years from Benson & Hedges' sponsor-ship of the Symphony of Fire.

After years of deceitful and misleading adver-tising it is completely clear now that cigarettesare extremely addictive, increasingly costly anddeadly. Why has it taken Canada this long todecide to stop the advertising of a deadly andaddictive product?

The numbers show that smoking rates godown without the constant advertising assaultWhen the first wave of advertising restrictions inCanada came down on October of 2000 bill-boards and retail displays were extinguished,and the rate of smoking in Canadian youthdropped 3 per, cent That is about 60,000 fewerteenagers smoking.

Even studies done by tobacco companiesshow that indirect advertising through eventsponsorship is extremely effective in hookingmore people on the Mc. Tobacco advertisingdoes more than change a cigarette company'smarket share, it increases smoking.

BM C-42 is an amendment to the CanadianTobacco Act that placed restrictions on advertis-ing and sponsorship for tobacco companies wasa giant step towards public health. The amend-ment was phased in gradually over five years to

give time for tobacco-sponsored events to adjust,and the final restrictions will be put in effect onOctober 1. On this day tobacco companies willno longer be able to use their name or displaytheir logo should they choose to sponsoran event

And it's about time.Still, The Alliance for Sponsorship Freedom

published an ad in the Globe and Mail claimingthat events that have relied on tobacco sponsor-ship in the past will not be able to survive: "Ourspirit will suffer. Our culture will suffer,' theysaid. With over 250 major events in Canadasponsored by cigarettes, it seems cigarettes havea chokehold on advertising spending. This maybe an example of tobacco companies using thevery same tactics it focuses on their primaryconsumers: making them reliant on cigarettes.Withdrawal will be painful.

But it will be doable. Here in Vancouver wegave up cigarette advertising for one of thebiggest tourist events of the year, the Symphonyof Fire. Contrary to what cigarette advertiserswould have you believe the removal of theirsponsorship did not paralyse the event In fact,the sponsorship was picked up by HSBC, BCHydro and local business. Last summer theevent was enjoyed by an estimated half a millionparticipants on any given night

Another reason to kick the habit of tobaccosponsorship in Canada is that it is usually not allit is cracked up to be.

It was found that in the same year ImperialTobacco spent $1.1 million promoting its ownsponsorship of photography, it only 'gave$39,000 to photographic arts. This is demon-strative of the self-promoting insincere philan-thropy that was tobacco sponsorship in Canada.

Montreal's Players Grand Prix_might be the

first major casualty of Bill C-42. The FormulaOne race may be dropped from the 2004 rosterbecause of Canada's new laws. Players might notbe so interested in generously sponsoring theevent if cars cannot display the logo and theirname can't appear in relation to the eventFormula One boss Bernie Ecclestone is lookingat new venues that have more lax laws on ciga-rette advertising like Moscow, Russia and SanAntonio, Texas.

Perhaps the Americans might be more recep-tive. In 1996 companies like Phillip Morrisbowed to pressure and lost $368 billion.American tobacco advertising limits are restrict-ed to banning outdoor signs and humanlike fig-ures. No comprehensive tobacco legislationsuch as the ones we are now seeing in Canada iscoming down the pipes, with only the faint pos-sibility of banning nicotine from cigarettesin 2009.

Americans have similarly been evasive in.joining the World Heath Organization'sFramework for Tobacco Control, signed onAugust 12 of this year. This international treatywould protect both the western world, wheretobacco restrictions are coming in force, but alsoAsian and African markets, to whom the tobaccocompanies have been marketing aggressively.The European Union is considering similar leg-islation to us by 2006. Perhaps Americans will,eventually bow to this peer pressure.

And as for Montreal's loss: Vancouver's Indy500 is supported by the beer company MolsonThe newly christened HSBC Celebration of Lightdrew enormous crowds. Surely, the next legalvice will step in and take up the slack. Andmaybe if things get even more liberal in Canadathe Medicinal Marijuana Indy might make adebut •

Letters to the editor must be under 300 words."Perspectives" are opinion pieces over 300 wordsbut under 750 words and are run according tospace. Please include your phone number, studentnumber and signature (not for publication) as wellas your year and faculty with all submissions. ID willbe checked when submissions are dropped off atthe editorial office of The Ubyssey, otherwise verifi-cation will be done by phone.

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PAGE FRIDAYFriday, September 19, 2003 the ubyssey ma CULTURE 11

Once upon a has-been

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO`Now playing

by John HuaCULTURE EDITOR

Once Upon a Time in Mexico is the third chapter in the ElMariachi saga which began in 1992, with the first install-ment by the same name. The premise of the films followsan ex-mariachi, whose life is ripped away from a path ofpeace and music, and is thrown onto the dark and dim pathof bloodshed and revenge.

In this third installment El Mariachi emerges from hid-ing to fulfill two missions. The first, to once again seekrevenge, but this time to bring peace to theMurdered soulsof his wife and daughter. And the second, to come to the aidof Mexico, whose president is to be assassinated during acoup d'etat organized by a rogue Mexican general anddrug cartel leader.

Returning to the role of the mysterious guitar-playinggun-slinger is once Spanish heartthrob Antonio Banderas-who once again dons the spurs, eight years after premiering

in the role in the second installment titled Desperado. Co-starring as his unlikely counterpart is actor Johnny Depp,who takes on the role of CIA Agent Sands, a maniacal psy-chotic ordained by the US to bring order to Mexico.

Although the film was indeed able to match the mass-destruc-Jive and bloody precedent set by Desperado, every other aspectwas painfully lacking.

Let's begin with the dull and shallow performance of AntonioBanderas. The forty-year old actor has unfortunately fallen awayfrom his prime, much like his Spy-Kids co-star Sylvester Stallone.The one-time sex-symbol literally portrays the role of the herowith fatigue and indifference, despite the fact that the maincharacter's family and one chance at peace are ripped from hisarms. Banderas loses all sight of a driving force, and becomes aninsignificant character who just so happens to be in almost everyshot The once mysterious character, which was nicely played byBanderas in the past, has now become nothing but the not-so-tall,dark, not-as-handsome, boring type.

Contrasting Banderas, and perhaps the only saving grace ofthe film, is sudden blockbuster actor Johnny Depp (no, notEnrique Iglesias). Following up on his highly-entertaining per-formance in Pirates of the Caribbean, Depp draws on the sameenergy and portrays the devious and cold-blooded Sands withmenacing accuracy. Depp, who flourishes in the roles of thementally-unbalanced, becomes the only interesting characterin the entire film and completely overpowers any hint of actingby Banderas.

The film does have potential, but unfortunately fails tobecome anything outside of an exaggerated clip of a gunfight seton repeat. The use of special effects are done to full capacity, andif you're interested in Mindlessly seeing bodies decapitated inevery which way, then I say skip a meal and check out the film.Other brainless calls to the box office offered by the film includeEnrique Iglesias (pre-mole removal), and a very, very shortappearance by Selma Hayek. Think about it, the last doeument-ed performance of Enrique's mole.

There's not much more to say about this film, because just

watching it lowered my intellect. I do apologize for this harshreview, especially if you're a Banderas fan. However, I do suggestthat you see him at his best in Spy-Kids, Spy-Kids 2, Spy-Kids 3-Dor whatever _other Spy-Kids film he has in the works. .3

old . poets, great new friendsA 81,ASÈRieREELEY READINGSdpt.11'

by Bryan ZandbergCULTURE STAFF

On the way out tO the Van East CulturalCentre, I wondered about the wisdom of mydecision to opt out of a midweek potluck infavour of checking out the Blaser/Creeleyreading. I mean, why was I choosing to listento the intonations of two old gappers at somebeatnik shindig over sampling Greek farewith friends—in the comfort of my own apart-

ment, no less? Three hours, reams of verse,and one rekindled friendship later I was welland glad I'd come.

Turns out there was equal warmth to befound at the reading, an endeavour celebrat-ing the 40 year correspondence between ven-erated American poet Robert Creeley andVancouver's own Robin Blaser, a professor atSFU. I've got to say it was pretty cool to min-gle with the folks who turned out:Vancouver's young and cutting-edge van-guard four decades later. Almost every poemappended some account or anecdote relatedto the vital and sometimes-zany West Coast

scene in the 60s; you could tell by the laugh-ter, sighs and energetic exchanges that manyin the audience had had a stake in theseevents.

I ran into Ken Belford there, an old friendand a successful BC poet in his own right. Wehad a coffee at Joe's on Commercial after-ward, and he related the impact Creeley hadon both his own poetry and that of manyWest Coast writers. We compared the wealthof the community of his generation—whichmet in the streets and at cafés—and mine,which seems to have retreated into the uni-versities. We contrasted the profundity of

Creeley's verse with the heavy and almostlumbering way he communicates his gener-ous sadness; then juxtaposed that with Blaserthe snowy-haired statesman, so at ease withhis audience, so fluid and musical in hismeditations.

Things crystallise in age, poetry being oneof those things that tends to get better as thepoet gets older. I think it's the same withfriendships, perhaps even more so whenthey revolve around a shared sense of thepleasure of language. And this is an ongoingdialogue, one I count myself lucky to havebeen privy to. •3

Feeling productive?

THE UBYSSEY needs a Production Manager for the

2003-2004 publishing yeat

Qualifications include:

-mastery of QuarkXPress

-knowledge of pre-press and computer graphics

-some knowledge of newspaper production workflow

-the clout to wrestle with a very moody, very heavy printer

1 CULTURE M9f„,,FE91,•

Buff vampire slays them all in latest flick

Doomed love is surely one of the few sharedexperiences of civilisation you would be hardpressed to find any culture that did not have arepresentative Romea and Juliet. Regardless ofthe reasons that these unions are frownedupon—religion, culture or creed—the argu-ments for love will fall on deaf ears, for whenhas logic ever triumphed over love? But whenyour tribes are age-old sworn enemies, and youbelong to different species, you just know thatthings can't end well.

Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is a death dealer:an elite undead warrior in the centuries-old warbetween the vampires and werewolves (akaLycans). Committed to the cause, she finds her-self distracted from her task when she fans forMichael (Scott Speedman), a human who, unbe-knownst to them, has a date with destiny. Tornbetween her feelings and a secret that threatensto tear her world asunder, she must give thereins to fate. But just in case, never rule outhigh tech armaments.

Vampire movies are generally straightfor-

ward affairs: undead monster preys on humans(usually a virgin for good measure) and is sub-sequently staked by obsessive vampire hunters.Underworld flouts the genre from the outsetHumans are, at most, peripheral characters inthe film, neither mentioned nor preyed upon.Indeed, it would more accurately be categorisedas an action/thriller rather than a horror film Conventions be damned.

Selene is decidedly darker than KateBeckinsale's earlier roles, both literally and fig-uratively. Her shorn hair is jet black, as is herskin-tight leather outfit. Selena is cold, calculat-ing and pragmatic—the qualities one needs in agenocidal zealot—which makes her change ofheart all the more shocking. Beckinsale creates

a dramatic action heroine who struggles to dealwith newfound emotions and is therefore large-ly unpredictable. Michael Sheen acquits him-self well as Lucius the shaggy leader of theLycans, -an apparent ne'er-do-well whose moti-vations remain hidden until late in the film.Scott Speedman is appropriately scrumptiousand tragic as the unwary hero of the piece.

But what would a vampire/werewolf piecebe without special effects?

Underworld takes advantage of all thatHollywood has to offer: one part Matrix, onepart American Werewolf in London, with a dashof morphing thrown in for good measure. Thevampires' transformation is minimal. They geta bit of overbite and ocular enhancement thatdistinguishes them from humans. The were-wolves meanwhile get the ribcage-expanding,jaw-lengthening, claw-growing transformationsthat we have come to expect, and the final prod-uct looks quite impressive. Thankfully the spe-cial effects are an integral part of the story andare not mere window dressing.

The action sequences are fluid and well cho-reographed, the sound editing is superb, theediting is tight and the cinematography isappropriately dark without obscuring every-thing. Most importantly, the pacing is even andthe film boasts a solid story with enough twists

and turns to captivate the viewer.Aside from a few dramatic moments that

drew guffaws from the audience, Underworld isan engaging and entertaining piece of cinemathat is perfect for a Tuesday brain rest And inthe event that it is well received at the boxoffice, they've also left it open for a sequel. +

E vpzoNE:I 2138 WESTERN PARKWAY VANCOUVER

UNDERWORLDnow playing

by Greg UrsieCULTURE WRITER

(on Campus, beside Bank of Montreal)

Large Selection ofDVDI VHS & GAMES

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