Document type : vocene
Date : 2012-02-01
Description : VOCene $43
Content :
VOCene #43– February 1st, 2012
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've got a big one for 'ya!
In this VOCene:
0. Deadline Feb 5th for Journal Submissions, Feb 7th for Photo Contest Submissions
I. Upcoming Events and Trips
1) Slideshow: Travels around Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Cambodia and Thailand · Wednesday, February 1st
2) Intuition Buy Night · Thursday, February 2nd
3) Sphinx Hut Beginner Friendly Ski Mission (if the lake is frozen) to celebrate Waitangi Day · Sat. Feb. 4th - Sun. Feb. 5th
4) Intermediate Friendly Powder Fest at Phelix · Sat. Feb. 4th - Sun. Feb. 5th
5) Sprouting Wings on Mt. Sproatt (Intermediate) · Saturday, February 4th
6) Beginner Caspar Camping Kiwi Adventure · Sat. Feb. 4th - Sun. Feb. 5th
7) Whistler Telemark Festival - Saturday, February 4th
8) MOVIE SCREENING - Adventure, Oil and Activism: The Pipedreams Project - Monday, February 6th
9) Full Moon snowshoe/ski trip to hollyburn or seymour (beginner friendly)) · Tuesday, February 7th
10) Kayak Polo in the UBC Pool - Tuesday, February 7th
11) Semi-Beginner Friendly Rohr Adventure · Sat. Feb. 11th - Sun. Feb. 12th
12) Reading week: Sphinx Ski Camp · Sat. Feb. 18th - Sun. Feb. 26th
13) Reading week: Red Rocks reading-week climbing road trip · Sat. Feb. 18th - Sun. Feb. 26th
14) Beginner friendly snowshoe daytrip to Eagle Bluffs · Sunday, February 19th
15) VOC Spring Gearswap · Wednesday, March 7th
II. Trip Ideas and Partners Sought
III. This week in the VOC
1) Past trips and events
2) From the Exec's desk
IV. Miscellaneous
1) Rewards and incentives for trip organizers
2) Call for Slideshow Presenters
3) 21 Mile Creek User Survey
V. Ms. Manners
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0. Deadline Feb 5th for Journal Submissions, Feb 7th for Photo Contest Submissions
Sunday, Sunday...SUNDAY!!! It's your last chance to submit that awesome story to this year's installment of the VOC Journal. For more information, see the message board: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,79263
And, don't forget to submit your entries to the annual Photo Contest by Tuesday the 7th. Information here: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,81700
I. Upcoming Events and Trips
1) Slideshow: Travels around Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Cambodia and Thailand · Wednesday, February 1st
Tonight, come hear Cora Skaien's slideshow on her Pacific travels! At 7:30 in the clubroom
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,82031.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=227
2) Intuition Buy Night · Thursday, February 2nd
So there's this awesome company based in Vancouver that makes ski boot liners. They're called Intuition, and if your intuition has any merit then it will lead you to come to our second special VOC only buy-night at Intuition, where they sell all their perfectly good dead-stock to us dirtbags at ridiculous prices. You can also buy their closed cell foam to use as backcountry yoga mat, or to make the whole floor of your apartment really soft, or maybe even something useful.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=220
3) Sphinx Hut Beginner Friendly Ski Mission (if the lake is frozen) to celebrate Waitangi Day · Sat. Feb. 4th - Sun. Feb. 5th
This trip is pretty full, but some folks are turning up to lead various groups. Pretrip tonight at 6.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=210
4) Intermediate Friendly Powder Fest at Phelix · Sat. Feb. 4th - Sun. Feb. 5th
Experience the Brian Waddington (Phelix) hut - the largest hut of the VOC. This will not be an instructional trip, but rather a powder-slaying adventure. Come help warm the hut!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,81750
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=223
5) Sprouting Wings on Mt. Sproatt (Intermediate) · Saturday, February 4th
If you like homophones, this could be the trip for you! This one is intermediate friendly.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,81999
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=230
6) Beginner Caspar Camping Kiwi Adventure · Sat. Feb. 4th - Sun. Feb. 5th
A beginner friendly weekend skiing trip to Caspar Creek. This one is kiwi themed: "Kiwi Soup, kiwi fondue, and kiwi-flavoured hot chocolate are all welcome. :)". Also, it will be a great opportunity to learn about back country camping and cooking.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=228
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,81965,81965#msg-81965
7) Whistler Telemark Festival - Saturday, February 4th
If a 50% discount on a Whistler Blackcomb ticket and nearly free telemark instruction sounds good to you, come free your heel(and your mind) in Whistler this Saturday!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=233
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,82022
8) MOVIE SCREENING - Adventure, Oil and Activism: The Pipedreams Project - Monday, February 6th
Faroe is one of us, a VOCer, so don't miss this! This will be a free film shown in the Norm Theatre at 7PM. From the description: "In May of 2010, Enbridge Inc. made an official application to build twined crude oil and condensate pipelines that would connect Alberta's Tar Sands to Kitimat, BC, and for the first time bring crude oil super tankers to BC's North Coast. In the fall of 2010, Curtis, Ryan and Faroe kayaked 900 km in opposition to this controversial pipeline." This film is a documentary about that journey.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=234
9) Full Moon snowshoe/ski trip to hollyburn or seymour (beginner friendly)) · Tuesday, February 7th
From the trip description: "It's full moon. and according to an ancient lunar calender, this is the beginning of spring. so let's take a break from study for a few hours and snowshoe/skin up our back yard."
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=208
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,81242
10) Kayak Polo in the UBC Pool - Tuesday, February 7th
Come practice your rolls and play kayak polo in the UBC pool! Kayaks are usually available, just make sure to confirm beforehand. 7:30 PM.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,77067
11) Semi-Beginner Friendly Rohr Adventure · Sat. Feb. 11th - Sun. Feb. 12th
This mountain is awesome!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=226
12) Reading week: Sphinx Ski Camp · Sat. Feb. 18th - Sun. Feb. 26th
As usual , we'll be having an informal ski camp at the Sphinx hut during Reading Week. From the trip description: "Back in the day, the VOC used to swarm up to Sphinx Bay for their annual Spring Ski Camp - this generally happened during exams, but it was a large event, often involving food drops by aeroplane to extend the party". We probably won't be having any food drops, but there will be plenty of skiing and merriment as the good times roll.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=219
13) Reading week: Red Rocks reading-week climbing road trip · Sat. Feb. 18th - Sun. Feb. 26th
From the trip description: "Some people like to ski during reading week, but some of us want to climb rock. This is a loosely organized road trip to Red Rocks near Las Vegas to get our climbing fix. The climbing there is world class with everything from short sport climbs to long multi-pitch traditional routes, all on some very cool and funky sandstone."
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=211
http://www.ubc-voc.com/wiki/Red_Rocks_Trip_2012
14) Beginner friendly snowshoe daytrip to Eagle Bluffs · Sunday, February 19th
Here is your sweet redemption, snowshoers!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=232
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,82015
15) VOC Spring Gearswap · Wednesday, March 7th
We'll be having another VOC gear swap; the last few have been a huge success! All outdoor-related gear is appropriate, and it's open to non-members.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/tripagenda/details.php?tripid=215
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,81464
II. Trip Ideas and Partners Sought
-Rich So wants to order some parts from Voile, check out the thread if you are interested in getting in on the order: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,82053
-Thanks to Paulo S. for this tip: "January 12th to March 15th Thurday night is student night ($19 4-10pm). And Monday night is ladies' night."
-Paulo S. is giving away some low-intensity car chains: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,82050
III. This week in the VOC
1) Past trips and events
-Johannes E. posted a TR of his Urban Workout: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,82121
-Roland went to Callaghan: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?3,82124
2) From the Exec's desk
How should we use "greyed-out" names on the trip signup tool? Join in the conversation here: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,82103
IV. Miscellaneous
1) Rewards and incentives for trip organizers
Woohoo, prodeals for VOC Trip organizers! In return for leading trips, you now get not only immense satisfaction, but cheap gear too!!
http://www.ubc-voc.com/wiki/Discounts_for_VOC_Trip_Organizers
2) Call for Slideshow Presenters
Have you been on some crazy adventure lately, or do you have some advice to share? Consider attaining instant fame by giving a VOC slideshow this semester: http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,80896
3) 21 Mile Creek User Survey
From Scott N: "The 21 Mile Creek drainage is a non-motorized zone and snowmobiling is prohibited. The Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC is conducting a user survey to measure the frequency of illegal snowmobile use in 21 Mile Creek. The results from the survey will guide compliance and enforcement actions by government conservation officers." Please take a brief moment to complete the survey, if you've been on a trip to 21 Mile Creek.
http://www.ubc-voc.com/phorum5/read.php?1,80729,80729#msg-80729
V. Ms. Manners
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Ms. Manners,
I was recently staying at the Snowspider hut, which is a fairly small (four or five official sleeping spots). Since there were two carloads of us and we also weren't sure if somebody else would be there, we all brought tents. There turned out to be nobody else there, yet nearly all of us slept in cold tents anyways (while the hut lay basically empty). It seems like everyone would have been better off sleeping in the warm hut, even if it would have been a bit crowded. But, I guess nobody wanted to be in there while their friends were outside shivering. I'm confused - everyone is trying to be nice but we all end up suffering?
Your's truly,
Nervously Ashamed To Sleep in Hut
Dear NASH,
What we have here is a classic case of the so-called Prisoner's Dilemma. Or, as we might call it in our context: the Hutmate's Dillema. Let me explain the situation thusly: we have two carloads of people, carload A and carload B. Each carload has a tent, and they need to decide what to do: sleep in their tents (T), or in the hut (H). The outcome where both carloads choose to tent is clearly worse than the outcome in which they both sleep in the hut. BUT, and now here's the real clincher: regardless of whether carload B chooses to tent or hut, carload A is always happier if they sleep in the tent rather than the hut. Similarly, carload B will always want to choose the tent, regardless of whether A chooses H or T.
How could that be so, you ask? Let me make it clearer with some numbers. Firstly, we have to pick a unit of "happiness" for each carload. Since the one thing that all VOCers can agree is intrinsically good is Voile straps, let's use those. In the chart below, we show the happiness of each car for each of the four possible outcomes. The notation will be: A's happiness, B's happiness. For example "4,1" means: "Carload A has four Voile straps of joy, while carload B has one Voile strap of joy". The Hutmate's Dilemma looks like this:
Carload B
T H
-----------
Carload A: T | 2, 2 4, 1
H | 1,4 3, 3
Consider carload A's decision problem. If carload B declares that they will sleep in their tent, then carload A will choose to sleep in their tent as well, because they would feel guilty if they were in the hut alone while the other carload suffered. In that case, they would only get one Voile strap worth of joy. If they instead tented in solidarity with B, carload A will be cold but they'll still feel better overall and get two Voile straps of joy. Now, what if carload A expects carload B to be in the hut? Carload A is still better off choosing to tent (4 Voile straps vs 3). After all, such a small hut gets pretty stuffy with 10 people in it, and there will be more room in the tent.
Note that if A were to leave the hut for the tent while B is in the tent, carload B is made worse off, because they are no longer the heroic car making a sacrifice for the common good. And similarly, if A were to leave the hut for the tent while B is in the hut, carload B is again made worse off, because now they are feeling guilty about being in the hut alone.
We've looked at this all from the perspective of carload A, but the decision for B looks exactly the same. So, in the end both carloads decide to tent, and end up freezing through the night! The interesting aspect of the Hutmate's Dilemma is that with each carload pursuing their own rational self-interest, we end up with a situation that is socially non-optimal. In particular, if a Hut Use Enforcer were to come in and move everyone from their tents into the hut, everybody would be happier. It's hard to argue with that.
Now, I know what you are thinking. There is a theorem to the effect that if the Prisoner's Dilemma is repeated an infinite number of times, and both players are patient enough, there exists a Nash equilibrium in which both players play the social optimum indefinitely (a so-called "trigger strategy"). And you're right. Clearly, we do in fact repeat this game indefinitely (every weekend). Yet time and time again we continue to observe VOCers sleeping in a tent meters from an empty hut. What gives? It could be a couple of things. For one, imperfect information. VOCer's may not be fully aware of their payoffs in the game (Was so-and-so a good spooner? Does Len snore?). Or, VOCer's may exhibit time-inconsistent preferences (I'll take two Voile straps today over three tomorrow, but I'd prefer three the day after tomorrow to two tomorrow). Or, VOCer's are not perfectly rational (homo VOCicus not homo economicus). As if we needed game theory to tell us that. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that something must be done to put this travesty to an end. I suggest Hut Use Enforcer as an exec position.
Sincerely,
Ms. Manners
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTRIBUTIONS to the VOCene are welcome. Please send all inquires or additions to: vocene@ubc-voc.com. To unsubscribe from the VOCene mailing list, sign in at http://www.ubc-voc.com/member/update.php and uncheck the "want VOCene" box. Or, send an email to majordomo@interchange.ubc.ca with the following command in the body of the email message: "unsubscribe voc-members"
UBC Varsity Outdoor Club
http://www.ubc-voc.com
Fatal error: Call to undefined function user_has_role() in /home/ubcvocco/public_html/wp-voc/modules/members/doc_view.php on line 19