Author: Neal Yonson

Neal Yonson is a native of Ottawa. He graduated from the University of Toronto with an Hon.B.Sc. in 2006 and will be happy to tell you about how things seemed to work more smoothly there. After traveling across the country for free (protip: strategically arrange grad school visits where they reimburse travel) he came to UBC to start a Ph.D. in chemistry. He was quite happy to avoid student issues until he found out how much it cost to go to the BirdCoop. Since then, he has been involved with a variety of advocacy projects.

Categories
Athletics Campus Life News

Yes, The Killers Killed the Liquor at Thunderbird Arena

Avid readers of this blog may recall a post from last summer entitled: “Did The Killers Kill the Liquor at Thunderbird Arena?”

The original post should be read in its entirety, but if you’re too lazy the synopsis is that in July 2009, UBC Athletics put an application forward to amend the liquor licence at T-Bird Arena. (Apologies to Doug Mitchell; T-Bird Arena is much simpler to write than DMTWSC.) At the time, campus RCMP had serious objections to the proposal based on a series of major infractions at previous licenced (and non-licenced) events at the arena and things were not looking good for Athletics.

In the fall, the Liquor Control and Licencing Board (LCLB) issued their decision on Athletics’s application and it didn’t work out very well. In short: Yes, the Killers killed the liquor at Thunderbird Arena.

Continue reading “Yes, The Killers Killed the Liquor at Thunderbird Arena”
Categories
AMS Elections 2010

Photos! January 20 Debate

Rabi Sun, the man behind the much-beloved Portraits of UBC project, and the Just Shoot Me blog was kind enough to help out UBC Insiders with some debate photography last week. This is a huge step up for us, as it means not only are the pictures in focus (something we struggle with), they are also really nice!

You can visit the entire album here.

Scary Mike Kushnir, looking quite non-threatening.

Continue reading “Photos! January 20 Debate”

Categories
AMS AMS Elections 2010

Why Frederick and Chu should not be fed to the wolves

This is an opinion piece by Bowinn Ma, EUS President 2007-2008; AMS Councilor 2006-2008; Former Hack, less so now.

[Cup of salt: I know both Chu and Frederick, but only in passing. I have spoken to both but have never spent any extended amount of time with either.]

Let me be clear: This is not a submission of approval of Frederick and Chu’s actions. This is about why I believe that they should not be condemned to hell as people…and a shameless attempt at eliciting responses from readers of the Insiders. I recognize the backlash this will generate from the public and even the Insiders team. I’d like to point out that their decision to post this on their blog is an illustration of their commitment to being open to public opinion. Vote UBC Insiders through VFM! The campus has been divided quite clearly between those who support the actions of Frederick and Chu and thus love them; and those who do not, and thus “disapprove” of them and would do anything to see them fed to the wolves, smeared in BBQ sauce, alive, kicking and screaming, and possibly in adult diapers to add to the disgrace.

Continue reading “Why Frederick and Chu should not be fed to the wolves”
Categories
AMS Elections 2010

Debate: Jan 25 Prez, VPAc, VPX

The following is a guest post by Bowinn Ma, EUS President 2007-2008; AMS Councilor 2006-2008; Former Hack, less so now.

We also took photos so don’t quit before the end of this post!

*********************

Couldn’t attend the debate?

The Ubyssey held a liveblog, as did The UBC Spectator.

*********************

Presidential Race

Natalie Swift
Bijan Ahmadian
Sean Kim
Pak Ho Leung

Continue reading “Debate: Jan 25 Prez, VPAc, VPX”
Categories
AMS AMS Elections 2010 Athletics

Referenda: CPI Indexing and Engagement Levy

These are the last two referenda that need to be covered for this year’s elections. They’ll be covered together because they are relatively straightforward so there is not a whole lot to say.

Continue reading “Referenda: CPI Indexing and Engagement Levy”
Categories
AMS AMS Elections 2010

Race Profile: AMS President

.

UBC Insiders Analysis

Click here to skip to profiles of the candidates in this race.

The President is the visionary and leader of the AMS. In the most fundamental sense, the job of the AMS President is to ensure the organization is fulfilling its mandate. This mandate is a set of eleven objectives which can be found in the society’s constitution, or holistically in the simpler AMS mission statement:

To improve the quality of the educational, social, and personal lives of the students of UBC.

Continue reading “Race Profile: AMS President”
Categories
AMS AMS Elections 2010

Past President’s Picks: Mike Duncan

As per UBC Insiders tradition, we asked this year’s president to make some endorsements. As Blake cannot due to slate rules, this is a guest post by Mike Duncan, the illustrious president of the AMS in 2008-09, and current Board member.

If you know me, you know that I care deeply for this school and for the AMS. I want to see the best for students and think that the AMS must play a role in improving this campus. It is with this in mind that I tell you who I think would be the best for the future of the AMS.

Continue reading “Past President’s Picks: Mike Duncan”
Categories
AMS Elections 2010

Debate: January 22 BoG, VPAd, VPF

The following is a guest post by Bowinn Ma, EUS President 2007-2008; AMS Councilor 2006-2008; Former Hack, less so now.

*********************

Couldn’t attend the debate?

The Ubyssey will be streaming and recording all the elections debates live! Archived debates and live streams can be found at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ams-elections-2010

*********************

The attendance at today’s debate was disheartening and frustrating—that is, candidate attendance, not audience attendance. Exactly 50% of all candidates in all three races did not attend the debates and only one of these missing candidates, Sean Heisler for Board of Governors, had bothered to send proxy representation. In two of these races, the total number of candidates running was two, which meant that there was a lot of leg and elbow room for the one that did show up.

Continue reading “Debate: January 22 BoG, VPAd, VPF”
Categories
AMS Elections 2010

Referendum: Voting Disability Seat

Before we start, this is important to note: Since this referendum proposes a bylaw change, the referendum needs 75% approval in order to pass.

Background

During the past year, a movement to get a non-voting seat on AMS council for students with disabilities had been slowly building. It was felt that there were barriers to participation by students with disabilities both in the structure of the AMS and the layout of the SUB. It was also felt that their councilors were not in touch enough with their issues, and because there was no one on council advocating for their issues, that change was not to come soon. It all came to a head on November 18, 2009, when the question was put to council about whether they’d like to create this seat. After an emotionally-charged debate, council decided 21-10 against creating the seat, causing advocates of students with disabilities to leave the room in disgust. Having been rebuffed by council, this set in motion a movement to bring this question to referendum, which brings us to where we are today.

Continue reading “Referendum: Voting Disability Seat”
Categories
AMS Elections 2010

Debate: January 21 VPAd, BoG, VPAc

The following is a guest post by Bowinn Ma, EUS President 2007-2008; AMS Councilor 2006-2008; Former Hack, less so now.

************

First things first: I am no longer an “Insider” of UBC. Having been “out of the game” for nearly two years now, my now antiquated and highly outdated knowledge of individual AMS politicians is proof of the impressively and depressingly volatile nature of student politics.

This has its benefits, however. Arguably, I will be able to approach all candidates with less pre-determined biases than the other writers on this magnificent blog. On the other hand, my analysis will be shallow—based mainly, if not only, only on the debates I attend. As with all political analyses, take this post with a grain of salt, or if you so choose, a cup of it.

While my final endorsements and impressions will be based on more thorough research, the aim of the game for now is to give you a pure and isolated impression of the candidates based strictly on their performance during today’s debate. For a full recap, look elsewhere. Anyone can transcribe or paraphrase.

*********************

Continue reading “Debate: January 21 VPAd, BoG, VPAc”

Spam prevention powered by Akismet