bathimpact issue 5 by bathimpact

Xmas lights

Professor Science

Student Fashion

News, page 2

Science, page 17

bite, pages 8-10

bathimpact The University of Bath Students’ Union Newspaper

Monday 29th November 2010

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Nic Delves-Broughton

Volume 12 Issue 5

Inside bathimpact You’re fired! Eight teams of students were competing recently in an Apprenticestyle student shop task. Each team was given an empty Southgate shop for a day and had to set up a retail business from scratch. Lord Sugar would be proud! To read the results of the shopping task, turn to page 3 of News

Don’t get me to the Greek The New Zealand All Blacks made a surprise appearance last week, training on campus for their match against Wales at the weekend

Students take over Britain as fight over fees continues Josie Cox & Gina Reay editor@bathimpact.com

housands of current and prospective university students from Strathclyde to Southampton took to the streets on Wednesday in a bid to quash plans by the coalition Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government to almost triple tuition charges to up to £9,000 a year - a sum unaffordable for tens of thousands of households nationwide. “I am very aware of the overwhelming anger and strength of opposition from students and their families to the Government’s miserable vision for the future of our education - but I am also aware that we need to win over hearts and minds to our cause and violence will not help us to do that,” Aaron Porter, President of the National Union of Students - who maintains that the protests were not organized or backed by the Union - told reporters.

The protests took place in various cities all over the country. A sit in/walk out day was organised by the Education Activist Network to encourage Students’ Unions everywhere to put pressure on Vice Chancellors. School pupils, students and even some parents then rallied together, organising events on Facebook to unite for the cause. The unrest - which, according to media reports, hindered Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg from his customary commute-by-bike - comes just weeks after 50,000 students marched on the capital, smashing windows and launching missiles at the Conservative party’s London headquarters, injuring dozens. Some cities saw peaceful demonstrations last Wednesday, Liverpool and Cardiff universities both staged successful protests, kept under control by a strong police presence. Manchester saw a mass walk-out as students and school pupils left their

lectures to join the march. Media focus was very much centred around the goings on in London. A protest in Whitehall soon developed and violence and vandalism became, once again, the main weapons of the passionate demonstrators. In a similar scene to the Millbank riots, marchers occupied a police van, completely destroying it from top to bottom. 32 people were arrested and at least 17 injured in the dramatic turn of events. Ironically, at the same time as the protest, a Sixth Form student was pleading guilty to throwing a fire extinguisher from the roof of the Millbank Tower in an attempt stifle police efforts to calm the angry mob after the NUS ‘demo-lition’ on 10th November. In the Southwest of the country Bath was spared from the protests, but in the centre and Clifton areas of Bristol there were several arrests as over 2,000 angry marchers caused

traffic gridlock. Bath University Student’s Union decided to abstain from the day of national protests. SU President, Daniel O’Toole, said: “collaboratively with Bath Spa, we chose to not protest locally on Wednesday. Like Cardiff and Liverpool, I am certain that any local protests organised by us would remain peaceful. However, we did not want Bath to be associated with other protests in the country that would inevitably end sour, with a few individuals spoiling the message for everybody.” “We are organising a local peaceful protest on the morning of Monday the 6th of December outside Don Foster’s office on James Street West (near the access to Sainsbury’s car park), and would encourage you all to be there for a couple of hours to hold your MP to account.” For more information on Bath’s plans, keep an eye on www.bathstudent.com.

In Comment this fortnight, David James gives his views on the Greek Economy. Is it really the economic equivalent to the Jedward twins? Are Greece to blame for their problems? Flick to page 4 of comment to read this and many other, opinionated articles

Godless Britain Last week was Interfaith Week on campus. As the main feature of our new supplement, bite, Deputy Editor Hannah Raymont discusses religion in Britain and tolerance of different faiths in today’s society. Get stuck into our new Magazinestyle supplement bite and see the front page for Hannah’s piece

Row your boat The Great British Rowing Team scooped up 4 golds, 4 silvers and a bronze at this year’s Rowing Championships, with many Bathletes in the team. See page 28 of sport for Joe Dibben’s interesting report

Monday 29th November 2010

Editor-in-Chief Gina Reay editor@bathimpact.com Deputy Editor Hannah Raymont deputy@bathimpact.com

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bathimpact editorial Gina Reay Editor-in-Chief editor@bathimpact.com

Chief Sub-Editor Sam Foxman subeditor@bathimpact.com News Katie Rocker news@bathimpact.com Comment David James opinion@bathimpact.com International Julia Lipowiecka international@bathimpact.com Science Sam Lewtas science@bathimpact.com Sport Joe Dibben sport@bathimpact.com

bite Editors Caroline Leach features@bathimpact.com Rowan Emslie ents@bathimpact.com Publicity Officer Julia Lipowiecka publicity@bathimpact.com IT Officer Jack Franklin it@bathimpact.com Secretary Nick Hill secretary@bathimpact.com Treasurer Rebecca Stagg treasurer@bathimpact.com Advertising Enquires Helen Freeman H.Freeman@bath.ac.uk 01225 386806

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t has been a crazy few months for bathimpact! We hope you’re enjoying all our improvements. Our team of editors, committee members, contributors and reporters have been working incredibly hard to ensure that the quality and quantity of content is on the up.

We’ve been working on individual sections to make sure everything we report on is of key interest to the student population. bathimpact’s all time news highlight was certainly the NUS demo and Millbank riots that we attended a few weeks ago. It was a great experience and a few of us even appeared on The Telegraph’s video footage of the event, and we didn’t forget to give Bath Student Media a bit of publicity! A huge thank you must go out to all involved in covering the event and we hope you all enjoyed our fourth issue, the demo special. This issue we have an early Christmas present for you all. The introduction of bite, bathimpact’s new pullout! We have changed the structure of the paper by putting the Features and Entertainment sections into a new magazine-like supplement. The Entertainment section has now been split up into

The opinions expressed in bathimpact are not necessarily those of the bathimpact editors nor of the University of Bath Students’ Union. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this publication is correct and accurate at the time of going to print, the publisher cannot accept any liability for information which is later altered or incorrect. bathimpact as a publication adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Conduct. Please contact them for any information.

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individual sub-sections and will now include fashion, beauty and technology content. If you’re interested in writing or taking pictures for these new themes, please get in touch at ents@bathimpact.com. It is also important to note that this is bathimpact’s LONGEST EVER ISSUE, at a relatively hefty 44 pages! A great achievement for the 2010/11 team, so to everyone who made this happen, thank you! We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoy putting it together for you. All feedback, good, bad or ugly, is welcome, so please get in touch at editor@bathimpact.com. Also, if you’re interested in getting involved with bathimpact or our new supplement bite, then come to our contributors meetings. These take place every other Tuesday at 18:15 in 4E 2.4 (30th November and 14th December are the last two before Christmas!)

ath University Students’ Union’s Think Week is taking place from Monday 29th November until Friday 3rd December. Throughout the week the Students’ Union’s volunteers will be advertising the support services that the Union offers on issues of sexual and mental health, housing and drug and alcohol awareness. The week combines issues that in previous weeks have been spread over whole semesters. It aims to engage students - particularly first years - with these issues with a variety of games and attractions on parade. These are intended to encourage people to engage with these issues and to promote the Union’s welfare services. Doing all of this in one week is expected to generate more interest than the Union’s previous structure of themed weeks on particular issues. On Friday 3rd December the Think Week team will be in Elements at the THINK fair (10:30 – 14:00).

Athlete and ex-Bath student, Amy Williams was welcomed onto the stage and interviewed by BBC Points West presenter Imogen Sellers. She admitted it was her first time at the Christmas light switchon in Bath but felt excited to be around the city for the festive season. At half past six, the audience became a little excited as Midge Ure entered the stage. Sellers mentioned to the crowd that if he didn’t look familiar we should have to ask our ‘mummies and daddies’ who he was. The musician was followed shortly by the Mayor of Bath, Cllr Shaun McGall, and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall took to the microphone to tell the crowd that she felt a bit apprehensive about controlling the plunger as she was a bit of a technophobe. She added that she felt extremely lucky to be in Bath and was honoured to be in charge of illuminat-

ing the city. Most shops on the High Street had opened until 9pm for the occasion and the Duchess mentioned them as well, saying “Bath is the best city in this part of the country for Christmas shopping!” The switch-on of the lights triggered the start of late night shopping in Bath. One Bath student said of the event “It was so nice to see Camilla turning on the lights. The city feels extremely Christmassy now and the lights do look spectacular. I enjoyed the Christmas carols, Bath Rugby seemed to be loving the sing-song!” For many students bogged down with coursework, presentations and revision Christmas 2010 will be a welcome break. Let’s hope that the festivities in the city, with the lights and the launch of the famous Christmas Market that took place last week, the light at the end of the tunnel has been revealed.

Bath gets turned on by a Royal Gina Reay Editor-in-Chief editor@bathimpact.com

ast week saw the beginning of Bath’s winter festivities as the Christmas lights were switched on in the City Centre. An interesting, if somewhat bizarre mix of famous faces were present at the official switch-on event which was sponsored by Future Bath Plus. The Bath Rugby team, Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams, Musician Midge Ure and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, all appeared on the huge stage constructed at the junction of Milsom Street and Bond Street last Thursday evening for the official illumination of the city. The event attracted a large crowd of over 3,000 adults and children as the street was closed from 6pm to 8pm. Entertainment from the

City of Bath College and singing group The Stockingtops ensured that Christmas was well and truly in the air during the build-up to the switch on. At 6pm Bath Rugby entered the stage to sing ‘12 Days of Christmas’ with the all-female band. When interviewed, Captain Luke Watson showed the crowd his injured ankle before having a bit of fun directed at his team mates. Watson brought two of the younger players to the front of the stage and revealed “These are two of our newest and most up and coming team members, and ladies, they are both now single and available.” As girls in the audience screamed with delight, the lads giggled to themselves in what was obviously a planned prank on the new players. A little later, British Skeleton

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News bathimpact

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Monday 29th November 2010

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News

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Domestic abuse awareness

candlelit vigil took place last Thursday, the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to highlight the campaign against domestic violence. Nearly 1,700 incidents have been reported to Bath and North East Somerset Council in 2010, and the counselling and help group Next Link are drawing attention to domestic violence in the area. The director of Next Link, Carol Metters, said: “We know that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Twothirds of incidents go unreported and many women and children suffer in silence. It is important that women know that if they are experiencing domestic abuse that it is not their fault and there is help available to make them safe.” At 4.30, Next Link met outside the front door of the Abbey, and provided tea lights and hot chocolate to those attending. Half an hour later, two large candles were lit, symbolising the two women that die every week through domestic violence and abuse in Britain. Supporters gave readings, paying their respects to people whose lives have been affected by domestic abuse. DI Dave Grimstead, of Avon and Somerset police, said: “A reluctance to come forward about domestic abuse is not a generational thing as some people may think. We carried out research and found that young people aged 16-25 frequently viewed domestic abuse as a private matter, and had concerns about offering assistance to peers

in abusive relationships as they were worried about being seen as interfering. “So we want to use this week as an opportunity to remind people that we can help and we can also signpost victims to a range of support services. It is very hard to tackle domestic abuse on your own but the police, along with a range of other agencies, can help put a stop to it.”

1,700 Number of domestic violence incidents reported in Bath and north east Somerset in 2010 It is not only women that suffer domestic violence. Suggested percentages vary, but between 20 and 40 percent of attacks are against men. A 2001 US research paper estimated that 1.5 million women and 835,000 men suffer domestic violence each year, at the hands of both men and women – violence isn’t just present in heterosexual relationships. There can often be stigma attached to coming forward as ‘an abused man’, as well as fear that they will not be believed or taken seriously. However, numerous helplines have been set up in the past few years that are specifically aimed at men, and awareness is gradually spreading that it is not just women or gay men that are affected by domestic violence. It can happen and does happen in all kinds of relationships, regardless of age, sexuality, wealth, lifestyle or anything else.

The NUS Hidden Marks Campaign, which produced a report into domestic violence against female students, found 1 in 7 women had suffered serious sexual or physical assault while a student at University, so students cannot afford to look away from potential domestic abuse. DI Grimstead added in his statement about the awareness week: “[Domestic abuse] has a higher rate of repeat victimisation than any other crime and every week two people are killed in England and Wales as a result of domestic abuse, so we want to encourage people to speak up as soon as possible about

“

Every week two people are killed in England and Wales as a result of domestic abuse

”

‘Apprentice’-style student shop is back in Bath

ight teams of students have each over the last two weeks spent a day in a shop in Southgate, setting up a retail business from scratch. The competition is organised by the SU, alongside the local council. Each team was given £200 as a start-up loan, as well as expert business advice from local business mentors. Siobain Hone, Student Enterprise Coordinator: “This is a really exciting opportunity for students to try out their entrepreneurial ambitions and to play a part in Bath’s retail economy... It’s a fantastic all-round entrepreneurial experience for the students and a good addition to their CVs.” Councillor Francine Haeberling, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “Bath & North East Somerset Council is

delighted to be supporting the University of Bath on this exciting project once again this year. Students make a huge contribution to Bath and this project gives them the opportunity to learn and develop valuable new skills.” Products on sale from the various teams included cupcakes, photographs from around Bath, tshirts with images of Bath printed on them, advent calendars and traditional Vietnamese tea and coffee with a twist. On Thursday 25th November the teams gave presentations on their experiences in a grand finale hosted by B&NES Council. As bathimpact goes to press, it has been revealed that the winners are Cuppy Cakes, who sold a whole host of baked goodies in their shop, turning over £500 which they will now get to keep.

DI Dave Grimstead this type of crime.” To report domestic abuse, call the police on 0845 456 7000. In an emergency, dial 999. Crimestoppers are also available, on 0800 555111. Victims of domestic abuse can call a freephone helpline on 0800 6949 999, and for more information about the police approach to domestic abuse, visit www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/ domesticabuse. Next Link is available on 01225 466989; alternatively call Women’s Aid on 0117 944 4411. Male victims are encouraged to call the ManKind national helpline on 01823 334244 for support specifically aimed at men.

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Katie Rocker News Editor news@bathimpact.com

V-Smile, one of the teams involved in the competition

Be alert this xmas Library achievements

n the run up to Christmas, Bath becomes hugely busy as tourists and residents alike attempt to get their Christmas shopping done. This often leads to increased levels of crime as criminals take advantage of the chaos. Pickpockets are often a problem, particularly in the busy Christmas market, so people are reminded to keep their possessions close and secure, and be aware of criminals using distraction techniques. Shoplifting also rises as the temperature falls. After the recent charge of one suspected shoplifter, Inspector Steve Mildren said “There is often an increase in shoplifting in the run up to Christmas so we want to make anyone who is considering it to

think again. Shoplifting is theft and it won’t be tolerated in Bath. It will ruin the festive season for you and your family if you end up behind bars.” Police are appealing for information on a racially aggravated assault in Bath. At around 5.30pm on Monday 15 November on a number five bus travelling along Whiteway, the offender made racist comments before another passenger told her to be quiet. In Twerton High Street, the offender was removed by the bus driver, but on the way out she hit the person who had asked her to be quiet. Anyone with any information about the incident should contact Avon and Somerset Police on 0845 456 7000 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

hanges over the last year have led to several improvements to the Library for staff and students alike, particularly regarding provision of textbooks and computers. Over the last year, there has been a near-doubling of the number of electronic books available as the Library made it a key strategy. Some discipline areas - including language and architectural studies – have fewer available than others, and this is something the Library may decide to focus on improving. Over the summer, 70 desk mounted power and plug-in points were installed for lap-top users, mainly in quiet reading areas. This has helped to meet the high demand for computer use.

The experimental introduction of allowing consumption of cold food and drinks in level two last year proved a failure – at the end of last semester, the decision was made to return to the original regulation, with only bottled water being consumed. This was for several reasons: students did not limit consumption to just level 2, where arrangements for cleaning and litter removal in place, leading to “food and drink litter and damage throughout the whole building”, and “as many as 50 bin liner sacks of rubbish were having to be removed from the building in each 24 hour period”. New printers have lead to minor changes – there now has to be money on your library card before

something can be sent to print. There will also be changes to the printing contract, helping the library to monitor printing habits and save on paper and cost. It will save the university money, and printing costs to students will not increase when the contract changes on 1st January. There have been many more hours of information skills training delivered by Library staff, including a course on ‘Academic Writing Skills’ and one on ‘Writing a Practical Report’. Several departments are now recommending these courses to first year students. The numerous achievements of the Library over the past year are going to continuously benefit students for years to come.

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My Big Fat Greek Riot The Greek economy is so bad, it’s soon to switch currencies from the euro to the gyro David James Comment Editor comment@bathimpact.com

ad news. The Greeks have confirmed this week that they are still strapped for cash and have failed to meet their debt-slashing targets. They’ve even started rioting in the streets because they can no longer afford their houmous and feta cheese. But whilst they may be getting a soft slap on the wrist by the IMF later this month, it’s not like they’re not trying. Even Nana Mouskouri earlier announced that the Greek government can have her EU parliamentary pension to help reduce its burgeoning fiscal deficit. In an open letter to Greek citizens, she wrote that this act was out of, “duty to my country”, and that she had wondered about Greece’s, “new injury and thought how to help.” I should at this point let you know that Nana Mouskouri is not your standard Greek grandmother; she was actually an internationally acclaimed singer (performing alongside stars such as Dolly Parton and Bob Dylan) as well as a former MEP. Her

Police are uncertain as to whether the riots are taking place in protest of the Greek government’s outrageous handling of the public finances, or because Stavros Flately were only won runners up in the last series of Britain’s Got Talent

pension from the state amounts to 14,500 euros each year; even with this generous act, Greece still has its problems. Greece still has a national debt of over 300bn euros (£254bn), the largest debts of all European nations. It has even been downgraded by City analysts to now just BB+; meaning Greece is now the financial equivalent of the Jedward twins. Greek officials, with help from senior executives from investment bank Goldman Sachs, masked the

full extent of Greece’s debt using creative accounting. When they sent their official debt figure to Eurostat (the European Statistics Commission), they had deliberately left out gigantic military expenditures and billions in hospital debts, resulting in the Greek government concealing over 70bn euros of unpaid debt in their recently published accounts. These civil servants were officially warned by the EU parliament about their unprofessional conduct - a naught naughty telling off all

concerned. Yet consider Bernard Madoff, who made $50bn disappear through his extensive Ponzi scheme. Quite the financial magician, but shouldn’t these Greek officials have gotten a prison sentence too? Anyway, I’m afraid to say Greece’s woes don’t end there, as it also needs to raise over 20bn euros to pay off maturing debt by the beginning of October. Because of their well-publicised financial troubles and the fact that they need the money quickly, the Greek gov-

ernment will have to offer an extortionately high interest rate to lenders, meaning that their actual debt repayments may be even bigger than first realised. This also indicates that the European Central Bank may have to stump up even more cash to keep Greece afloat, which is a big ask when you consider that Ireland has recently called in sick as well. No wonder, then, that Greece is turning the entire European economy into a Britney-Spearslike-state. Yes, it’s made a nice little comeback recently, but at any moment it’ll chug a Red Bull, shave its head, punch a photographer and we’ll be right back in recession. So sorry Nana Mouskouri, but I’m afraid your generous contribution just won’t cut it. Even if you gave up your rather large pension, you would have to live for another 20,689,656 years which, bearing in mind you are already 76, just doesn’t seem likely. However, I guess the biggest apology should go to all you students reading this, because as Nana can’t help, it’ll be down to our taxmoney to pay for this fiasco.

Please don’t listen to Kerry Katona

Why you shouldn’t copy those D-list jungle-loving celebs and their horrendous yo-yo diets Gina Reay Editor-in-Chief editor@bathimpact.com

pressed and under pressure from the press. She has since had a baby (and don’t get me started on tabloids who encourage the ‘race to lose weight’ post-pregnancy diet, it is despicable!) Yo-yo dieting should not be encouraged. It is a completely tem-

hen did it become the norm for a tabloid to criticise the weight fluctuation of celebrities? How on earth does putting a photograph of Victoria Beckham’s ‘cellulite’ on the front page of a trash magazine make them sell more copies? I think the media’s fascination with stars’ waistlines really needs stop. The impression this gives to the average female reading the damn thing is absurd. Not least because the odd bit of cellulite or an extra pound gained here or there is NOT front page news because it happens to all of us. It is just a little bit of reassurance for people that celebs are people too. Despite dieting on celery sticks and cabbage soup, they can still be snapped with a bit of overhang in their D&G jeans or a double chin below their huge Chanel sunglasses which, let’s face

Can’t lose the weight? You could always try a bit of dust, no? Dust, no? Dust, no? Or just listen to Kerry Katona, she switched Iceland’s chicken drumsticks for cocaine and look at her figure now!

it, are only there in the first place because they don’t want their face to be on the cover of Closer the next day with a big red circle around their ‘tired looking eyes’. The trend that really drives me up the wall is the media coverage of celebrities who have habits of yo-yo dieting. Kerry Katona, Mischa Barton, Janet Jackson, Sharon Osbourne and most recently, soap star Natalie Cassidy, have all fallen victim to the habit of on and off dieting which leads to massive fluc-

tuation in their dress sizes. These celebrities are photographed from month to month as the papers and magazines carry out their observance. Never has the term Weight Watchers been more appropriate. Natalie Cassidy, famous for her role as Sonia in BBC soap Eastenders, brought out an Exercise DVD in 2007, Then and Now, it was called. On the cover we saw the ‘old’ her and the ‘new’ her after losing two and a half stone, ‘thanks’ to the exercises shown on

the DVD. Celebrities are paid shed loads to put their name and face on an exercise DVD. Certain famous faces in the past have admitted that being part of the DVD was their motivation for losing the weight, because there would be a nice big pay cheque at the end. Natalie Cassidy, since the release of the DVD, proceeded to put most of the weight she’d lost BACK ON, making outspoken comments about how dieting had made her feel de-

Amy Winehouse’s meagre seven stone figure is not down to her love of Slim Fast milkshakes. porary way of shedding the pounds and, as Renee Zellweger (the actress who played Bridget Jones!) would be the first to tell us, it is not healthy. Also, let us not forget that behind the yo-yo dieting techniques of many A-list celebrities, there are hell of a lot of ‘dieting techniques’ that are not widely publicised, let’s just say that Amy Winehouse’s meagre seven stone figure is not down to her love of Slim Fast milkshakes.

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Careers Fairs: because life is complicated enough Deputy Editor Hannah Raymont continues the graduate careers debate, dispelling the notion that the Careers Fair was completely useless, no matter what you study.

he Careers Fair, held over a month ago now, gave an opportunity for all undergraduates and postgraduates alike to gain an insight into what kind of companies are on the hunt for all the hot talent here at our well-respected University; and I’m talking about talent from across the board, whether you’re a scientist, a linguist, mathematician, architect or engineer. Career brain-storming and job applications continue to be high on the agenda for finalists, with many deadlines for graduate schemes closing in November and December. Yes, the Fair largely consisted of blue-chip companies, and yes, was dominated by big names in the banking sector, but believe it or not, students from departments other than Business Administration and Chemical Engineering apply to these schemes, and I doubt all students that are studying these subjects work solely for banks and companies like BP. Large consultancies such as PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PWC), KPMG and Deloitte have friendly links with the University and sponsor some of our sports teams so it was inevitable that they’d

make an appearance on campus. For example, I know from personal experience that PWC definitely employ modern languages students and give them relevant training on the job; I know a fellow linguist who completed a work placement with them in Chile. The company also has one of the largest intake of all the graduate schemes (about 1000 vacancies; the average is a couple of hundred or fewer), so it was appropriate that they would seek bright minds from Bath to fill those spaces. However, as had already been made clear beforehand by the Careers Advisory Service, if you ask employers at the fair specifically “do you employ linguists/biologists/psychologists?” they will turn around with a “no.” By researching the company a little, you would already have known the answer to that question, and no one at all said to me “sorry, we don’t employ linguists.” I spoke at length with a German graduate working for RBS, an ex-French and management student working for United Biscuits (now that’s a tasty job), GCHQ were very interested in linguists indeed, as were Bloomberg,

Wincanton, Lidl (don’t laugh, you start on really quite a competitive salary) and InBev amongst others. It’s easy to get discouraged in a job search (and goodness knows I’ve been there), but the Careers Fair was a helpful starting point in that it allowed us to talk directly to people who work for these companies - though I wholeheartedly agree that it is not acceptable that a company sends someone who does not know what they are talking about to explain their graduate scheme to students - and it introduced us to a variety of industries to enable us to widen our search a bit more then to narrow it down to what best fits our ambitions, personal values and skills. It also gave an indication of what companies look for in their employees and which ‘soft skills,’ such as presentation skills, working in groups and general self-organisation you have developed as a result of doing your course (no matter what you study) are particularly held in high in regard by employers. This opportunity to meet company representatives also allowed us to get to know more about what their

Graduation’s great, but what about afterwards? Use all the resources at your disposal to help you forge your future main concerns are as a business, or and the company should be trying to more succinctly, what their values attract you, you amazing Bath stuare. If a company’s ideals are not in dent. However, although the Careers tune with your own (though some Fair was primarily an event for comprominent businesses always seem panies to advertise themselves to us, to be battling over who is the most it was also a completely two-way afenvironmentally-friendly, so that fair; to get the most of it, you had to at least that concern shouldn’t be a research first. Although it might not problem), you should not even think seem like at it at the moment, as Neil of applying for them. Career-hunt- Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys might ing is absolutely a two way road, you say, “there’s a lot of opportunities…if should be attracted to the company, you know where to take them.”

The Theory of awesomeness! Sam Foxman Chief Sub-Editor subeditor@bathimpact.com

The Union have been doing all they can in this newspaper and elsewhere to drum up a bit of interest in and support for their Friday night in Elements, Theory. Friday nights have been difficult for the Union for a while now - last year it was decided that Flirt should be free and essentially operate like a late-night bar because it was so difficult to get people through the door. For the first part of this semester Theory has encountered similar troubles, with ticket sales relatively low in comparison to the Union’s other nights out and with some unfavourable reviews. A change in approach - on drink prices and promotion - has done something to reverse this declining trend, but I don’t think it’s fair to blame the Union for the troubles that their bars have experienced. The Sabbatical Officers have taken a leading role in ensuring that Theory improves as a night out and that students, particularly freshers, take an interest in what they are doing. Theory’s higher priority is, in part, due to the fact that

all the money that they make there goes to fund Union activities. Since the Union have given control of all their other commercial outlets to the University, they have no significant income streams except their University grant. They seem to recognise the importance of Elements not only as a revenue stream but also as a way to engender a sense of the University as a community of students. So they have pulled out all the stops to draw people in. Consultation revealed that people wanted a cheaper night out; Theory is now the cheapest night in Bath. A wider variety of music was asked for; specific nights have been organised on specific themes (for example, the recent dubstep evening - which I imagine was delightful). Information is now regularly being circulated to reps on campus to help to make Theory relevant to its core fresher constituency. One of the problems is the space itself. To fill Elements and Plug takes around 1200 people. This is the highest capacity regular club venue in Bath, which means that more people need to be there for it to feel full. Clubs that aren’t full aren’t fun, apparently and aren’t

clubs that people want to spend time in, because what everyone wants when they go out is to be unable to get a drink or move or breathe. So when 400 people go to Theory it’s dead. When 400 people go to the Weir Lounge, half of them don’t get in. This creates a perception that Theory is less well-attended than it in fact is. It’s not as busy as it used to be, but that’s not because it’s less wellrun or less well-promoted. Theory

is fighting against trends that are much larger than just the addition of Friday night competition. More students now go out on weekdays - Thursdays and Saturdays between them presumably draw a fair amount of business away from the Friday night - and habits have changed in the last few years. Theory is well promoted by the Sabb team and by its own promotion team. It’s possible that all of this effort might be enough to do something to solve

Students enjoy themselves at Theory’s colourful dubstep night.

the shift away from Union nights to town, but practically, now that people have so many options it will be an uphill battle. A sense of identity and purpose could make Friday nights viable again. The days of heaving Union Friday nights are probably behind us, but on a Friday night, if you want to, you can get a pretty good and very affordable night out at Theory. And you’ll probably be able to get to the bar.

Monday 29th November 2010

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The rise and fall of anti-depressants Rowan Emslie Entertainments Editor ents@bathimpact.com

ritain’s use of antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the most common of which is known as Prozac, which make up the majority of prescriptions, is well documented to be at an all time high. Many say that the huge amount of young people on such medication is an incredibly worrying statistic in that there is a significant proportion of the emerging generation that has gone through its formative period in a medicated or depressed state. After the recession the amount of such prescriptions soared to a high of 36 million. Norman Lamb, a Liberal Democrat spokesman for health, described the UK as “a true prozac nation.” It is especially worrying that there has been a huge increase in the amount of under-16s taking antidepressants (631000 prescriptions in 2007 according to a Unicef report), children as young as 8 have been known to start their anti-depressant dependency, which is something that tends to

last for years and years. The reason this of particular concern is that there has never been a study that proves the efficacy of antidepressants in under-18s. Adult studies have often shown significant improvements in temperament as well as a drop off in the number of depression cases that end with suicides. Adolescents, it seems, don’t react in the same way – why would they, after all, seeing as the huge hormonal and chemical changes that happen

to adolescents are bound to make their brains react in different ways to adults – in fact, antidepressants are generally seen as little more than a placebo. With SSRIs in particular the only definitive study to show a real effect showed a trend for depressed adolescents on the drugs are actually marginally more likely to commit suicide. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is firmly against the huge amount of prescriptions doled out, often because they come before the suggested 3 months of therapy, so why is it happening? The cynic would point to what huge business these drugs are: pharmaceutical companies are, famously, quite often not the most ethical of entities; the fact that they can sell these pills as “happy pills” means that they can sell a hell of a lot of them. As Dr Mike Shooter, chairman of the Mental Health Foundation as well as YoungMinds (a adolescent focused mental health charity), made the observation that doctors have commented that a massive increase in demand puts a serious strain on GPs to prescribe. It makes sense: there aren’t enough psychiatric workers to give

Letters to the Editor-in-Chief Dear Editor, “How did you get me?” asked the little boy to his parents. “We bought you from a shop,” answered his embarrassed parents. “What about my sister then?” “We’ve bought her too.” “You’ve been cheated then, in that case.” “How?!” “She’s cracked.”

I heard this story a long time ago, and “NEVER HAVE I” thought it could be be true, or even if so, could cause any problem: until last week when I read the ‘article’ written by Gina Reay in bathimpact. Then I realised that the problem with the ‘crack’ is that, in few cases, one might lose all one has – like brains, shame, self respect, integrity, dignity, pride and ‘stuff like that’ … - out of or through this “crack” so that the

“crack” takes over and speaks for one! I would not continue working for a newspaper with such a “crack” as your ‘Editor-in-Chief.’ Yours, bathimpact “reader”

Dear bathimpact “reader,” bathimpact is a student newspaper and as such we tailor our content specifically to cover lively topics that are interesting and relevant to our readership. While we fully appreciate and take on board your comments, the ‘Never have I ever…’ column is a regular, entertaining feature and we have no intention of removing it. We at bathimpact are fully behind initiatives such as Think! Week which aim to bring issues like sexual health out into the open and believe it is better to have this attitude than not to discuss these aspects of life at all.

Sex: just one way to burn calories when you’ve eaten too much The article was meant to be amusing and suggested that sex, a natural human activity, can help you burn off excess calories without you realising it. In no way do we wish to discourage students from taking sex seriously. We agree that it is something that has to be undertaken with a great deal of responsibility and with considered thought to the potential conse-

quences. Above all, we did not mean to cause offence with this article. However, we do encourage different points of view so please feel free to respond to us with an article with your opinion. Yours truly, bathimpacter

everyone who claims depression 3 months of therapy and the average GP is under no real obligation to have a specialised knowledge in depression. It’s a recipe for disaster. In the interest of full disclosure my view on this doesn’t come simply from research, I have been very close with several people on antidepressants, especially as a teenager, and have watched them get worse and worse as these drugs have failed to have the desired ‘fix

me’ affect. They become more and more disillusioned with medical help as their problems don’t go away and the doses go up. Some entirely gave up on all of it, the drugs and the therapy because of this and have only gotten worse. Of course this emotional involvement fuels my anger directed towards the entire problem but it doesn’t detract from the facts: antidepressants don’t work and they don’t work on hundreds of thousands of children every single year.

Monday 29th November 2010

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Never mind the buscocks bathimpact contributor, Elias Nosrati, tells us why Bath buses certainly wouldn’t be her first choice of transport...

fter a tiring trip down to the city centre, I lined up at the bus station as always, naively optimistic about the prospects of getting home within the next half hour, a sentiment cruelly reinforced after a look at the bus route tables. After a series of slightly disconcerted glances at my watch, a fellow student standing beside me tapped my shoulder: “Don’t get your hopes up. I’ve been standing here for over half an hour.” Another forty minutes passed, during which the two of us shared our common grievances concerning the recent transport issue, before an orange bus finally approached. The ever increasing crowd that had gathered by the bus stop let out a little cry of joy, before despair struck again: the bus was now close enough for us to see the bulk of people filling the vehicle to the very edge, perilously distended, like a soap bubble at its limit. A further thirty minutes, wit-

nessing a whole series of buses suffering the same condition, were required before it finally was our turn. The devastatingly cold waiting process was firmly contrasted by the boiling heat inside the bus created by the non-optional physical

intimacy of a jammed crowd. Arriving at campus at last, my new friend and I decided to grab a coffee. And not just anywhere: at the new, £5.5 million Student Centre - “designed to be a social area and informal learning space where

students can relax and study in a non-commercial area. It has Wi-Fi and networking opportunities and over 40 information screens.” Sitting there, being accidentally reflexive about the financial choices linked to the making of this Centre, we couldn’t help discussing how life would be if the students could have confined themselves to 30 information screens instead of 40, perhaps allowing the remaining money to go to the local bus companies. There are indeed some dark pessimists who claim that the reason for homelessness (for example) is due to the lack of financial acumen of those sitting on the money bag: devoid of efficient priority-making, decision-makers frequently tend to neglect certain issues, resulting in an asymmetric distribution of financial spending. Some even say they are responsible for those who miss lectures every day since they simply cannot get up to campus on time.

But after some time had passed, we brushed such obnoxiously radical talk aside and focused our attention on the impressive HD quality of the screens, the multi-coloured lights on the building walls and windows and the eternally studentattractive “extended and refitted bar and nightclub venues”. In the end we came to the conclusion that we should thank God the decision-makers never thought like us - why on earth should they have spent their money otherwise? And on bus companies?! First had even had the means to generously sponsor the amazing fireworks evening on campus, raising money for charity - so those homeless were taken care of after all! (Nevertheless, these radicals claim that if money had been distributed fairly, they wouldn’t be there in the first place.) And hey - whatever the case, having 40 information screens is always better than having only 30.

Monday 29th November 2010

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Bath Mayor welcomes international students Julia Lipowiecka International Editor

international@bathimpact.com

n 23rd November, the Mayor of Bath welcomed all international students to the city at an official reception in the historic Bath Pump Rooms. The event was well attended by international students from the city’s three educational institutions, Bath Spa University, City of Bath College, and the University of Bath. Turned out in formal dress and colourful national costumes, the students enjoyed a reception in the impressive and spacious Pump Room and heard speeches from the Mayor and a student representative from City of Bath College. In his speech the Mayor of Bath, Cllr Shaun McGall, warmly welcomed the international students to the city and advised them to take full advantage of its historic sights and beautiful setting. The Mayor spoke of his theme for the year

‘town and gown’, aimed at improving the relations between students and the Bath community. In line with the theme the Mayor later told bathimpact that he was very happy to see so many international students choose to study in Bath as “the thousands of international students add a different dimension to the city, different cultures, different languages, making Bath a nicer place to live”. The students could also take part in a night-time tour of the Roman Baths. Wrapped up in coats to protect from the bitter cold the students huddled around the steaming baths, taking in the stunning torch-lit scenery, posing for photographs with the Mayor and conversing in various languages. “It was really pleasing to be received by the mayor, to receive a welcome like this and see the Roman baths at night,” Benedicte Derancourt, French exchange student, commented. Rebecca Bruce, International Student Advisor, said of the event:

“It’s a really beautiful welcome for international students and it says a lot about what an honour it is to invite international students to the city and what a beautiful city they have been invited to.” Students spoke positively of their experience of the city and universities so far, noting the great amount of support they had received from the University in helping them transition to life in UK and meet other international students in Bath. Jane Sproule, a Sociology exchange student from Australia, said: “The University has been really supportive. They offered us the Amity mentor programme when we first started and I know a lot of other people who took up this opportunity, and had a lot of great social interactions with their mentors and their groups.” All photographs by bathimpact photographer Micol Artom.

Monday 29th November 2010

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Behind the veil: the Burmese dictatorship

bathimpact contributor Eva Perrett gives us a rare insight into the political reality of the Burmese dictatorship.

ood press on Burma is hard to find. Under dictatorship since 1962 by the military Junta currently led by the General Than Shwe, a reported megalomaniac, Burma has made continuously negative headlines. Human rights abuses, opium cultivation and the inability to respond adequately to the cyclone “Nargis” in 2008 have ensured that Western liberal democracies look upon the regime with disdain. Even the recent release of Nobel laureate and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, is put into negative context by the fact that she has been held under arrest for

12 of the past 17 years. In addition to the political landscape, the regime has left Burma with a devastated economy. Although it has enough natural resources to be one of the richest countries in South-East Asia, a mixture of attempted socialism by the government, sanctions from the US and the EU and economic problems throughout Asia have made the population one of the poorest in the region. Arthur, who travelled around Burma in 2005, describes that especially in the countryside development seemed to miss out about 50 years. Pressures from human rights

The military has dominated the government since the 1962 coup

campaigners still lead many Western liberal democracies to demand even harsher sanctions by UN member states. However, the evidence of high poverty levels, often resulting in the cultivation of more rentable crops such as opium poppies, raises the question of whether this is indeed the suitable approach. There is a surprisingly good presence of international organisations and NGOs in Burma. Olivier, a former aid worker in Burma, explains that the regime is open to development, as long as the government maintains control. Much of this increased openness has to do with the destructive effects of the cyclone Nargis, after which a visit from UN General Secretary Ban KiMoon was necessary to enable foreign aid to reach the people. Until then, outside intervention was practically impossible. Arthur tells of a banner in 2005 reading “The people do not want foreign interference”. By contrast, Burma in some ways is very progressive in the region, for example when it come to HIV prevention. Contrary to our image of an everpresent military leadership, Arthur describes that many of the Burmese people “rarely see the government.

They are basically governed by the village chief.” Similarly, the people manage to avoid government restrictions and regulations. For example, the censorship on Internet activities is fairly easily bypassed. The blog Today in Myanmar writes, “almost all internet cafés provide some way to by pass this firewall. This is either in the form of proxy software or a proxy website.” Nonetheless, the penalty for illegal Internet activities appears high enough to keep blogs at bay. In 2008 blogger Nay Phone Latt, a “major source of information for the outside world” during the anti-government protests, was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Arthur explains, “The people could say quite a bit, but they were careful where they said it. When we walked out in the countryside, our guide was always careful where he could tell us what he felt like.” By contrast, Aung San Suu Kyi, proclaimed a hero of democracy and compared with Nelson Mandela, has not been so discreet about her calls for democracy. Despite having been kept out of political proceedings by arrest, she seeks dialogue with the government. Working with the government rather than rejecting it - she reprimanded journal-

ists who claimed she was ill-treated by the Junta - currently seems the only possible path for change. Transformations have occurred in the past. Perhaps by encouraging dialogue and by reducing the stigma surrounding the country, more progress can be made.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese pro-democracy opposition leader was finally released from house arrest earlier this month. The Noble Peace Prize winner had been detained for 15 of the past 21 years. Her realease was announced after the military-supported party won the the country’s first election in 20 years, which was widely condemned as a sham.

Sciences Po – the most political university in Paris Ivaylo Iaydjiev Foreign Correspondent

So you’ve heard about the wine, the cheese, the strikes. You know a bit of French (after all, you need to be able to order yourself a baguette!). And you might be interested in an Erasmus exchange in Paris or just curious about how the French equivalent of Oxford in the political field is organized. The first thing that strikes you when you research Sciences Po are the names of the alumni, which comprise a very respectable number of French presidents, prime ministers and top political leaders, as well as leaders of international organisations or foreign governments, CEOs, journalists. The list of speakers (Chilean president, commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan) and teachers (former French foreign minister, leading French specialists) is equally impressive. That said, the “elite” brand does come at a certain price – the workload is quite serious. Although you take roughly the same number of classes, but they all last for 2 hours each and you are graded by con-

tinuous assessment. This means no single assessment is worth more than 40% of the final grade for the unit (so no 100% exams for example), but the workload is spread across - you really work (fairly intensively) from September to January for example, and not just three weeks at the end of semester. Of course that is stressful, but also sharply improves time management skills and efficiency (and increases consumption of coffee). And it certainly makes you miss Bath’s 24/7 library - it is really a treasure which we take too often for granted. Another particularity is that you are controlled rigorously - for example, attendance (and late arrival) is taken for all seminars, which are most of your units and they run every week. Additionally, participation is actually part of the grade. Somewhat Darwinian approach is also present at the choice of units - it’s made online on a firstcome first-served basis and there is absolutely no add-drop period, something which has been a source of huge debates in Academic Council and SSLC meetings in Bath. The academic environment is

also fairly different than Bath. For example, it elevates the status of the lecturer and puts him firmly in control of the learning process - his word, even if unfair, is pretty much law. This difference in status is quite pronounced - you can almost never casually chat with the lecturer outside the room. Moreover, the whole teaching methodology is much less academic and much more geared towards practice. Thus, the format of the bibliography is of no importance, while the organization of the work and its flow and

internal logic are clearly prioritized over exhaustive reading and deep understanding. You are also asked regularly to make 10 minute individual presentations - completely different from the 40 minutes presentations in groups of 4-5 in Bath. What is particularly stimulating for Politics students, however, is that the whole university is overtly political - it is not uncommon to chat about the latest news, to read Wall Street Journal (provided for free!), or to join one of a dozen clubs affiliated directly with political parties.

Speaking of universities these days it is always interesting to have a look at tuition fees. For what is classified here as Home/EU students, Sciences Po has a meanstested, (truly) progressive fee ladder - so the fee you pay is directly linked to family income (even if you fall in the highest income range, you still pay roughly 6700 pounds, although international students from outside the EU pay significantly higher fees). The whole system of university is subsidized by the French state - and the state seems to recognize the importance of its higher education for its longterm success, but universities are also very much integrated with big business. In conclusion, we can see how Sciences Po academic culture reflects French culture in general. Centralization and formal control are present, while religion, Americanization, and cultural differences come up regularly in debates. Finally, if you are looking to improve academically, to network efficiently and you are ready to put in the necessary effort, Sciences Po could be a very rewarding experience.

Monday 29th November 2010

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Erasmus Students - They don’t bite!

Adam Winsland, Amity Mentor and former Erasmus student, talks to Italian exchange students about their experience of Bath University.

s well as the many international students who come to Bath to study full time, there are also hundreds of European students currently undertaking an Erasmus study period. I was lucky enough to find three of them who were happy enough to find a few minutes out of their heavy drinking schedules to have a chat about their experiences so far in Bath. Lara Stefanizzi and Valeria Tomasi are here from the University of Trento and are studying European Studies, and Carlotta is here from the University of Parma. All had positive things (more or less!) to say about their stay. Why did you choose to study in Bath? Valeria: I knew that I wanted to come to the UK to study, as the goal of the semester is to improve my English. After conducting some research online, I found that, between Bath and Kent, Bath was by far the best option for me. Bath has a very good reputation for the quality of its European Studies department and I wanted to take advantage of that. Bath also seemed like a friendly city, not too big, where I would be able to feel at home. What do you think Erasmus

represents? Carlotta: It doesn’t only represent a study period abroad, but also in student life and how that is in other countries. It is very much a life experience and gives you a great insight into different cultures and lifestyles. All are skills that will be useful for my future, and they will open up many doors for me, not just in terms of language proficiency but the fact that I will have experienced life in a country that is very different from my own. What does daily life in Erasmus entail? Lara: I would say that it is much more fun. The university does quite a lot for us in terms of organising international parties. This allows us to meet people from different backgrounds and it makes you appreciate the similarities as well as the differences between us, and of course how others perceive you. We come into contact with different opinions and teaching styles, which can only be a positive thing. What do you think are the positive aspects of life in Bath? Valeria: I like the campus. With everyone being in one place during the week, it is easy to see friends and friendly faces. There are bars and cafés, and the student centre gives

us a place to meet up. The international meetings mean the international students can easily stay in contact with each other, and there are plenty of opportunities for us to socialise. The city itself is the right size for both studying and living, and I feel safe and at home here. Are there any negative aspects? Carlotta: I don’t understand queuing for the bus. In Italy, nobody queues, and I guess this was a bit of a shock when we first arrived. Valeria: I would also say that it is quite difficult to make British friends in lectures and out. There seems to be very little integration between the home students and us on Erasmus and they can occasion-

ally seem quite cold and indifferent towards us. However, you can also find this between Italian students and those undertaking an Erasmus placement in Italy. What would you say are the main differences between university life in the UK and in Italy? Lara: We have more lectures in Italy; however, interaction between students and lecturers is much less frequent. Lectures are lectures, and the lecturer will say his bit and promptly leave. Also, with food being much more important, the student canteen is our social centre where everyone gets together, and the food is

much cheaper than here in Bath. Social life is, however, much better, with far more opportunities to get involved in extra-curricular activities, and the student discounts you can find in the town centre aren’t bad either! So there you have it. It is always interesting to get a foreign opinion of our university experience, and it is good to see that they have settled into life at Bath. Just a note for those who would otherwise be scared to talk to an Erasmus student in lectures: do so, they won’t bite, and you might find that you will each get a lot out of it.

World AIDS Day - an alternative celebration Rowan Emslie Ents Editor ents@bathimpact.com

n 1st December 2008 I attended an event in Luzira Upper Prison, the main prison in Uganda’s capital city Kampala. Choirs and acting groups from four of the nearby prisons had prepared songs and short plays to promote safe sex which they performed in a large, haphazardly covered courtyard space to all the other prisoners, selected officials and an uncomfortably overdressed group of British NGO workers of which I was one. As we were inexplicably ushered to the front and presented to the many prisoners I realised this would be my first experience of a World Aids Day celebration. It turned out to be fairly memorable. I was there with a charity that worked with the inmates of Luzira on rehabilitation projects but had only been in the country for a short time and this was my first actual visit to the correctional facility. Seeing about 1000 prisoners all in one

place at one time was a bit of a shock to the system. The fact that, skit on skit, the drama groups included an outrageously camp man in drag was also quite disarming – there’s nothing quite like seeing a convicted murderer with a mop on his head mincing around in a hastily fashioned dress just barely covering outrageously oversized fake breasts. Generally the themes were pretty spot on: don’t share razor blades, get tested, make sure the doctor changes the needle used to test your blood and all those good things. Condoms weren’t very popular in these performances (Ugandan prison populations are quite Catholic) but otherwise the information was pretty good. It was particularly impressive because prison authorities give virtually no money to facilitate any of these things nor do they show much interest in what any of the prisoners are actually planning or doing. The absolute highlight of the day was the performance from Luzira Remand Prison (where people awaiting trial are detained) which consisted of a hip hop double act named Black Je-

sus & Papa Condom. With no backing tracks, instruments or, quite often, lyrics the two managed to semi-improvise some remarkably medically focused rap while doing their level best to get people to put their hands in the air and wave them like they just don’t care. The prison and government officials looked quite confused

selected officials and an uncomfortably overdressed group of British NGO workers of which I was one. As we were inexplicably ushered to the front and presented to the many prisoners I realised this would be my first experience of a World Aids Day celebration. It turned out to be fairly memorable. I was there with a charity that worked with the inmates of Luz-

– the older generation in Uganda are solidly into their classic country, Dolly Parton and Jim Reeves mainly – but the crowd loved it. Every year when World Aids Day comes around I like to try and do something in honour of the cause as well as the memory of this strange, strange day. It is not all officious

sanctimony, it can also be hilarious, informative and memorable. 2010 World Aids Day will be celebrated on December 1st with the theme “Universal Access and Human Rights”. Join in on the day ar Bath campus, where LGBT will be out and about raising awareness and selling red ribbons.

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Thanks to Ctv’s Thomas Reis for all the wonderful photos. To check the rest out, head to Bath University Students’ Union’s Facebook Page. To reminisce on being a Minty Fresher, look for us on Facebook by typing in ‘Bath Impact’

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Britain, The World And You Lead Article:What is the role of religion in Britain today?

Monday 29th November 2010

EDITORIAL

Editor Gina Reay editor@bathimpact.com Deputy Editor Hannah Raymont deputy@bathimpact.com

bite Editors Caroline Leach features@bathimpact.com Rowan Emslie ents@bathimpact.com Publicity Officer Julia Lipowiecka publicity@bathimpact.com Chief Sub-Editor Sam Foxman subeditor@bathimpact.com Advertising Enquires Helen Freeman H.Freeman@bath.ac.uk 01225 386806

bathimpact Students’ Union University of Bath Bath BA2 7AY 01225 38 6151 Printed by Harmsworth Press Ltd.

Welcome to bathimpact lite - bite. This is the newest addition to our newspaper and it incorporates the old Features and Entertainment sections. They are both expanded and revamped to include more breadth of content, allowing writers (which could be you) more scope to write lots of fascinating articles. An especially important change is the fact that each issue bite will be centred around a theme which we will endeavour to look at from a multitude of different angles. The first theme takes a look at Britain from the global perspective: how has the ‘global village’ impacted the generation of emerging adults coming through Britain’s schools and universities? Our writers have taken a look at how tastes in fashion, television, film, music and literature have all morphed with relation to this change. In our lead article the role of religion in an increasingly multicultural and non-Anglican Britain is examined. These changes will go a long way towards shaping the challenges and oppurtunities that will face our generation. If you have any thoughts on such issues or would like to write for us please get in touch.

Contents Features

Is Britain in need of a prayer? pages 2 & 3 Foxy Knows - Britain’s biggest export and its biggest shame. Page 4 Made in Bath - A Bath engineering graduate 5 years on. Page 4 Getting Actionaid at XL. Page 5 Gender Roles. Page 5

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Is Britain in need of a prayer? www.bathimpact.com

Written by Hannah Raymont

ast week, the University of Bath became the first Higher Education institution to launch an Interfaith Week, in which the various faith societies hosted events across campus to encourage dialogue and integration between students of different creeds. Religion has of course recently made it back in the headlines after the Pope announced that condom usage could “promote more responsibility,” when it comes to sex but at the same time expressing concern about its increasing “trivialisation” in modern society. What are we to make of this as developing adults with strong and curious minds? And to what extent is the Pope’s advice, and religion in general, still relevant in 21st century Britain? As reflected in our Interfaith Week event, even if people seem to be primarily attracted to religious debates by the prospect of a free lunch, it is clear that religion is still very relevant indeed. Our University attracts talent from all over the world, but as Britain’s major religion, Christianity, a religion often associated with the West despite its origins in the Middle East, took a leading role during Interfaith Week with talks taking place in the Chaplaincy and seminars touching on various topics from religion to current affairs. Amongst these included several appearances from writer Roger Carswell, author of ‘Things God Wants Us to Know, The Dishonesty of Atheism’ and ‘Where is God In a Messed Up World?’, one of whose talks provoked a lively debate over the relationship between religion and science, particularly fitting given the academic bent of our University. However, Christianity did not entirely take centre stage: the screening of The Prince of Egypt gave students an opportunity to view a portrayal of a story which is sacred to the three major Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam): the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. Also, at the time of going to press, CathSoc and JSoc (Jewish Society) are expecting prominent guest speakers. Britain is a diverse nation, home to generations of immigrants from former colonies as well as an influx from Eastern Europeans. The two religions that continue to quite distinctly dominate the country (at least among the Britons who actually profess a faith) are Christianity and Islam, which, if you are to believe a lot of what you read in the press, are the two great enemies, synonymous respectively with West and East, who are in a constant ideological battle. The two religions may disagree on some fundamental issues, but share more similarities than we realise and have many opposing factions within themselves. This brings me to a particular denomination of Christianity that has often sparked controversy, particularly in recent years: Catholicism. Almost three months ago, Pope Benedict XVI visited our country in the first papal visit for 28 years, in which papers

Never Have I Ever... been risky about getting frisky. Page 6

The Guide Upcoming gigs, comedy, films and exhibitions near you.Page 7

Fashion Bath Style - Our intrepid photographer takes a look at fashion on Parade. Pages 8&9 Global invasion of British high streets only leads to good. Pages 8 & 9 Fashion is almost recession proof. Page 10

Music When fame travels abroad. Page 11 How world music has come to feel at home on British ground. Page 12

Film What’s all the fuss about Hollywood remakes? Page 13

Literature The unstoppable rise of foreign language best sellers. Page 14

Puzzles Crossword & Sudokus. page 16

One of the few who turned out in support at the Pope’s recent visit to the UK

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The worrying trend of ‘islamophobia’ is one of the most important issues to deal with as Britain increasingly becomes more diverse and less Anglican. ridiculed the ice-cream van-esque ‘Pope-mobile’, the extensive road closures and the whopping security costs to protect him. Interestingly, Catholicism has a unique place in Britain in that it continues to be somewhat discriminated against by the state. Even today, in accordance with the Act of Settlement, no Catholic can marry a member of the Royal Family without them losing the right to the throne and no Catholic can ever become King or Queen. This law does not affect followers of any other religion, only Catholics. This is a classically historical battleground; with regards to the ties that bind church and state (though it is notable that Jesus himself clearly advocated the separation of the two), Britain is still extremely concerned with the issues that arose from the late Tudor period which saw the country shift its allegiance away from catholicism and towards protestantism. The Anglican Church, or Church of England, is recognised as the most prominent denomination of Christianity in Britain, and her ‘state religion’ as put into law by Henry VIII. The monarch is enshrined within the institution, being “in communion with the Church of England,” plus 26 Anglican bishops still sit in the House of Lords. Obviously Catholics are at a disadvantage. But what do real, day-to-day Catholics in Britain really believe? The Pope has been known in particular to express some very conservative views with regards to sex and contraception and most British Catholics are at odds with what the mainstream Church teaches. Just 4% believe that it is wrong to use contraception while 71% believe it should be used more often. As for abortion, just 6% believe it should be banned in all circumstances, with the majority allowing it under many circumstances (in cases of rape or incest for example) other than solely when the life of the mother is in danger. Amongst Catholic journalists who have had their say on the Pope’s visit and the cost to the taxpayer, one has said that he would have paid for “his easyJet fare” and no more than that thus emphasising that many Catholics like him would think it more fitting to put the money towards different, perhaps more deserving, causes. Unsurprisingly, many Britons think that the numerous paedophilia scandals linked to Catholic ministers have permanently damaged the reputation of their Catholic Church. But what do students in Britain think of religion’s role in our society today? We ran a survey at bathimpact and found that despite most of you agreeing that religion is often at the root of many conflicts in the world (91%), over half of you (62%) concede that religion is very much relevant in the functioning of 21st century Britain. In addition, despite the furore in France over the issue, 62% of you maintained that it was important that Britons retained the freedom to wear their own religious symbols whilst in school, a sign that belonging to a religion is still regarded as part of our identity and the wearing of an appropriate symbol as an appropriate expression of that fact. In contrast with what could have easily been assumed to be prevalent thought at our University , 64% of you believe that the theory of evolution does not necessarily disprove the existence of God. In spite of this, over half of you (53%) agreed that religion is the reason behind many divisions in British society but 68% of you are completely against the banning of the

burqa or niqab in the UK, which leads us to the religion with the next biggest proportion of adherents in Britain, Islam. While a good 40 million of Britons claim to be Christian, that still leaves a sizeable group who follow other faiths, not to mention those who follow none at all. Islam and its increasingly fraught place in Western society seems to be constantly under attack by two warring factions;and the lines between racism and antiIslamic sentiment are constantly blurred. It is understandable that Muslims might feel that they are portrayed in a bad light by the British press; every other day seems to be filled with headlines documenting the actions of extremists who claim to kill in the name of God, or just spread a hateful message. Take for example, the recent polemic about Shari’ah weekend schools, which, according to BBC documentary Panorama, taught children how to hack off criminals’ hands for crimes such as theft, as well challenging them to list the “reprehensible” qualities of Jews. While the press has a responsibility to expose unpleasant stories, it is clear that blowing them out of proportion and conflate the actions of an extremist minority onto the entirity of the Islamic faith does nothing to help understanding of others and further perpetuates divisions between religious communities. While personalities such as Salma Yaqoob of the Respect Party speak out in defense of British Muslims (although they may not all align themselves with her politics, she did make some sensible and balanced comments regarding Dutch MP Geert Wilders’ recent banishment from the UK), others are rejecting religion altogether. In particular, prominent ex-Muslims speaking out in Britain include human rights campaigner Maryam Namazie and spokesperson for the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, an organisation which has welcomed and comforted many British atheists, whether they have left Islam or any other religion. While many Britons still identify themselves with Christianity and recognise it as a key part of Britain’s heritage, there is a sizeable proportion of atheists in the country and the UK has among one of the lowest proportion of church-goers in the world. In recent years, Eastern European immigration has bolstered congregration figures, with the Pope being warmly welcomed by this segment of the migrant population. It is clear that here in Britain religion still plays a prominent role in defining who we are and who we are not, which, unfortunately, as nearly all of you recognised, causes major divisions in society. These divisions are often down to misunderstandings. But, as is human nature, we tend to all too often seek out and only remember stories that agree with our world view. If you make the effort to look for a perspective from somebody who is unlikely to agree with you, you may not like what you read but it is certain that your eyes will be opened and your mind broadened in a way that you might not have expected. Having grown up with one religious parent and one non-religious parent I have learnt that tolerance and keeping an open mind is the easiest way to get by. Religion gives comfort to some but not to others, so it seems we’re better off just taking that on board to enjoy the short time we have here on Earth (no matter how we think we got here) and celebrating the joys of life together.

Monday 29th November 2010

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Foxy Knows: Britain’s biggest export and its biggest shame Written by Sam Foxman

ritain does television well. In some areas we even lead the field. Satire, comedy and reality television are all prime exports. National obsessions are a particular pastime in my house at the moment. These things come in waves, but at this time of the year there is nothing that more reliably occupies the media and the collective consciousness than the X-Factor. But I’m not going to write about the X-Factor, for all sorts of reasons, not least because it’s one of the most charmless pieces of television in the history of the medium. What I want to talk about is a genuine piece of British televisual gold, which reflects the state of the nation and is a statement of British values in the 21st Century like no other. While watching the X-Factor a few short weeks ago, my eye was caught by an advertisement for a show. This advert was so frequently repeated that I submitted to the inevitable and decided to watch the programme. What I discovered was a satire so powerful and so wonderfully engaging that P. G. Wodehouse and Jonathan Swift could not have produced a finer work of art. The Only Way is Essex is probably the best thing that has ever happened to television. One could watch this show as ‘reality’, which is how it is billed, and one would doubtless become unstoppably depressed and start bleeding from the eyes. The viewer should not despair. To treat things only as what they are is such a painfully literal way of approaching anything that I’m surprised that anyone who despairs at ‘Essex’ is able to function in the real world at all. A healthy sense of irony is the only reason I get up in the morning. Don’t think of this as reality. Think of it as the most wonderfully constructed piece of satirical

comedy that you will ever be able to witness, because that must be the way that it is intended. Essex tells a fascinating, interweaving narrative with one of the most perfectly conceived villains in the history of drama. The absurdity of the principals is highlighted by a few genuinely grounded characters and by the selfawareness of some of the supporting cast. Everything from modern romance to cultural aspirations is satirised by this group of characters who on initial inspection may all seem helpless, but whose characters grow and some of whom are even able to charm the discerning viewer. It is better than most things that have been on television this year, and it doesn’t have a script. It is beautifully composed, but no one could write the lines that these people devise.

Kirk is the Romeo of our little play: “Of course he was chatting you up. You’ve got fake boobs and you look really nice.” Unsurprisingly his Juliet does not reply, “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep. The more I give thee, / the more I have, For both are infinite.” Because for all that people say Shakespeare’s a great writer, his characters lack something of the simple, perfect honesty that Kirk’s quotation above demonstrates. This is the guide for the modern man or woman, struggling to find his or her way in the world. ‘The Only Way is Essex’ has transcended satire and has shown that reality TV can be more entertainingly composed than anything that fiction has to offer. Someone should probably tell the actors: make way for the idiots.

Made in Bath: a Bath engineering graduate five years on Some fine examples of British televisual exploits

Written by Siân Barnett

Name: Bijal ‘Bee’ Thakore Year of Graduation: 2005 Subject: Masters in Aerospace Engineering (M.Eng Hons) Favourite memory from your student days at Bath: There are too many to choose from! The ‘100 years of Flight’ social evening in which the entire department took part, in full fancy dress; curry nights, diwali celebrations and asian cultural nights, meeting my partner! Proudest achievement since graduating from Bath: witnessing the working tests of the rover I designed for lunar environment on top of Mauna Kea in Hawaii and being able to meet the then President of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. Favourite thing to do in Bath: Meeting close friends who have stayed on at university doing post-docs and walking around town soaking in the amazing history and heritage. Your time at Bath in 3 words: Wholesome growingup experience

What was your first job after you graduated and how did you find it? During my university course I worked for Airbus and Rolls-Royce (over 1 year) as a trainee. After graduation, I landed my dream job at the X PRIZE Foundation incubating new technologies for break-throughs in Space Tourism and Private Space Missions, Human Genome and Clean Water technologies. Following a 6 month term, I took a Researcher position at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France where I could build upon my robotics research. What advice would you give to someone wanting to go into an engineering– based career? Engineering is a very fulfilling profession, where you can take a design from a concept to a working prototype and have the satisfaction of delivering something functional and solving real challenges that impact quality of life today or in the future! It is a demanding degree and students sometimes find it hard to narrow it down to which field of engineering they think is their calling: I would advise students to take full advantage of the open research that is going on at universities and experience some of the areas in which practical problems are being solved on campus. I would highly recommend getting experience in industry through

traineeships and internships during the course as they teach you not only skills but also about what type of organisation you would be most satisfied working in. What does it mean to you to be a Bath graduate? It is extremely special to me to be a Bath graduate as it has forged strong friendships, without which I wouldn’t have grown in the ways I have. I really appreciate the strong mentorship and advice that I received from my tutors and department staff, along with all the opportunities that are available to be involved in university life and to contribute back to the local and international community. Why do you think it’s important to stay in touch with your university and be part of the Alumni Committee? I believe it comes back to the reciprocal contributions that helped to shape and nurture the environment I received so many opportunities from. We as alumni can help make university life better for students now and in the future. Also, as I work in the technology field, staying in tune with the latest developments of the University’s research gives me a springboard to work from in my professional life.

Monday 29th November 2010

bathimpact magazine

Feature: Getting Gender ActionAid at XL Roles

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Written by Eva Perrett with pictures by James Whitlock How do you make students aware of poverty and development issues when they are more interested in partying? You party with them, of course! That is exactly what Activista Bath, part of ActionAid’s youth network, did last Friday in XL. We all know that poverty and inequality are major problems in the world we live in. But unless we have the joy of studying these issues as part of our degree, we’re often more than a little lost about what to do. Especially as living on a student budget doesn’t exactly encourage starting another Bill & Melinda Gates foundation. Renée, the creator of Activista Bath at the University, explains that students can have a major impact by show-

ing support for campaigns and pressuring politicians into action. The current initiatives try exactly that: “Bollocks to Poverty” is demanding the world leaders keep their promise to halve hunger by 2015 and the related campaign against biofuels demonstrates the devastating effects of using food crops for fuel. Renée is happy: “Last night was a huge success for us as people were really enthusiastic and inquisitive about the campaign. We have so many photos and evidence that students do care.” So if you woke up the next morning and were reminded by a “Bollocks to Poverty” tattoo that you really do care, check out the Activista Bath facebook page and get involved!

Written by Caroline Leach

According to a recent article in The Guardian, it will take at least 60 years before men and women are paid equally. Women still fear walking alone at night. Men are still considered inferior at parenting and caring. In the media and in the way we are brought up, we are fed compulsory, uniform and gender-specific models for men and women. This is what the University of Bath’s first ever Gender Equality group is aiming to combat. It intends to be a forum for all students concerned with the cultural, political and social repercussions of gender stereotypes, and the lack of equality we still face. “This is why a Gender Equality group is vital to any university”, says Annette Behrens, a Gender Equality Rep and initiator of this new group, “and why we need students, as active members of the student community and of society at large, to join us.” They are proposing to be a really outward-looking group, with weekly meetings on a variety of topics; followed by a discussion. They are also intending to join nationwide campaigning once the committee is up and running in December. If you want to get involved in raising awareness and challenging the gender stereotypes that still shape our lives then join the group on bathstudent.com or email them at gender-equality@bath.ac.uk. Their meetings are every Tuesday at 8pm in 8W 2.28.

Monday 29th November 2010

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Column: Never have I ever… been risky about getting frisky www.bathimpact.com

Written by bite’s sex and relationship columnist

e’ve all been there. Things are heating up after a hot date or a wild night out. Saliva is being shared, lips are being bitten, ears are being nibbled, clothes are coming off, various body parts are being caressed, your heart is pumping, you know what’s on the cards. Then comes the inevitable moment of awkwardness. Whether you’re with a new lover or a regular partner, the condom conversation is never sexy, sometimes a moodkiller but ALWAYS necessary. There is also, the not so everyday situation where you and your lover encounter a problem. Maybe the condom snaps. Maybe you realise that neither of you have a rubber. Maybe the girl’s on the pill and says you shouldn’t worry. The important thing to remember in this situation is no matter how long it’s been since your last sesh, no matter how hot your sex-buddy may be and no matter how wet your knickers are/how stretched your boxers feel, don’t just think ‘F*** It’. Without a condom, one night of passion can become a whole lifetime of regret. At the very least it will mean an awkward trip to the doctors for you both or a few weeks of worry and guilt. The UK wears the crown for the highest teenage birth rate in Western Europe. As well as this, the spread of Chlamydia, the ‘silent infection’ and most common STI in the country, has risen dramatically over the last few years. Even though the British media have a field day with such

Think Week is taking place between 29th November and 3rd December

groundbreaking figures, it is important that our generation react to problems surrounding sexual promiscuity. Now I am not trying to put you off sex for life! All I am saying is PLAY SAFE! Condoms are ridiculously easy to get hold of nowadays too. I regularly pop over to the ‘Advice and Representation Centre’ to stock up (not ashamed to say it, 10 condoms for a pound is dirt cheap compared to what a pack of Durex will cost you at Boots!) Although after seeing the new JLS johnnies all over the press I may get me a pack of those! Don’t forget as well, that if you’re with a regular partner who you know well enough to TALK to about contraception, there are millions of other options that can relieve the pre-intercourse chat. The pill can be prescribed free from your G.P. and as long as you and your lover both get yourselves a sexual health check (also free and widely available) you can both have sensible, carefree nookie to your heart’s content! Think Week may be just 7 days. But if you’re having sex, you should always be thinking. Don’t wait until you’re caught out to get aware. For those of you who do have an unlucky experience though, there is a new a change to know about. The morning after pill can now be obtained for free from all large pharmacies. So if things do go wrong, get yourself down there and then head to your nearest Sexual Health clinic for a check up.

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The Guide

The original Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in the classic 1953 Marlon Brando (centre) film The Wild One.

Monday 29th November 2010

Music

Theatre/Comedy

Exhibitions/Film

The Human League - Colston Hall, Bristol - 3rd December The legendary synth act are back! To support the launch of a new album – we’re told it is surprisingly good, rather than simply a desperate attempt to get involved on the revival cash-cow of the last few years – the 80s stars responsible for the infuriatingly catchy hit “Don’t You Want Me” are back with their original line-up. Expect a curious mix of middle aged fans trying to reclaim their youth and 80s pop revivalists, after all La Roux was only working as a waitress in a cocktail bar before then. Singalongs guaranteed. Well, at least one singalong, and then some other singing from proper fans who know more than one song. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - O2 Academy, Bristol - 10th December Whatever happened to rock n roll? These three leather clad Californian rockers have been determinedly cranking out hard rock reminiscent of Led Zeppelin with inflections of early 90s grunge for the past decade. With incredibly tight performances, driving rhythms and somewhat Jim Morrison-esque vocals they are a fantastic live act. This is the kind of gig where you can get in the middle of a crowd of remarkably sweaty people and go nuts, it’ll be postively encouraged (a few of their gigs have started small riots). We expect that Big Jeff will be going hard front and centre in this gig. Pixie Lott - Colston Hall, Bristol - 10th December For a very different evening of musical entertainment the incredibly blonde, incredibly catchy pop princess is also playing in Bristol. She is probably the most remarkably sexually obsessed of the current breed of pop stars (for which, we understand, she has garnered a significant male following) so if the phrase ‘sex kitten’ doesn’t make your boyfriend cringe massively then he’ll probably enjoy being dragged along to this one. It is likely he actually quite enjoys the music but, you know, he needs to keep up that macho front.

Jimmy Carr - Colston Hall, Bristol - 11th December The dry, boundary pushing one-liner specialist continues to live up to his name as the busiest comedian on the circuit by appearing at hundreds of smaller venues across the country – and Bristol’s Colston Hall is no exception. With his penchant for sex-based jokes, many involving paedophilic references, his style of comedy is sure to draw a few gasps through clenched teeth. Yet, if this sort of humour makes you laugh till your lungs bleed then make sure you check him out. If not, you can probably catch him on television every hour of the evening, all week. Brendon Burns - Hen & Chicken, Bristol - 5th December This controversial Australian comic has bridled many a political correctness back with his taste for race based jokes and fiercely driven ideology. His brash, aggressive style will either have you hanging off his every word or spinning on your heel and storming out of the theatre, muttering wildly at being so horribly offended. If you can see past this elaborately constructed sherade, however, you will notice these jokes cleverly conceal a well rehearsed, well thought out agenda that will have you thinking, and laughing, long after the night has ended. Pierre Hollins - Moles Comedy Cavern, Bath - 5th December ‘The only other proper jobs he’s ever had were washing dishes in the House of Commons, labouring on a gas pipe line in Qatar, in the Middle East, and teaching drama to the mentally ill.’ This relatively unknown comedian is assured by the Comedy Cavern to be a favourite on the circuit. With his mix of song based jokes, eclectic guitar posturing and relaxed amiability he’s certainly one, without the backing of a DVD, you’ll have to take a leap of faith with. Yet, as with all comedians, there’s always the chance this leap will pay off and, judging by his reviews from the Guardian and Chortle, you won’t be disappointed.

Bath Christmas Market - 25th November to 12th December Every year Bath’s addition to Christmas festivities presents a bustling, cabin-based marketplace where you can peruse and purchase, at your leisure, anything from pointless bric-a-brac and poorly made wooden toys, to foul smelling candles, obscenely decorated journals and onion flavoured cheese wheels. If you can bare the garish displays, embellishing wares with the quality of a Tamworth car boot sale, you may find a few gems hidden away beneath the cathedral - such as some particularly delicious mulled wine. For this reason alone, it is worth every penny of the wooden dog on a spring you’re sure to come back with. Megamind - Odeon Cinema, Bath - 3rd December It has only been a few days since the last release of an animated comedy from the depths of Hollywood’s unoriginality, so it’s about time there was another. Featuring the increasingly money grabbing talents of Will Ferrell and Brad Pitt, this animated comedy stars the world’s most brilliant super villain whose lack of success is thanks to caped super hero Metro Man’s efforts to stop him. When his plans go wrong, however, and Metro Man ends up dead, a new, worse villain turns up on the scene and it’s up to Megamind to use his powers to save the day, The Tourist - Odeon Cinema, Bath - 10th December Whenever films include Johnny Depp in their title credits people’s ears prick up. The list of horribly scripted, poorly produced blockbusters saved by the performance of Depp is longer than the one of women who would happily face prison time for sexual assault charges if the opportunity arose. His latest flick The Tourist sees him as an American tourist travelling to Europe who unwittingly finds himself trapped in a web of lies and conspiracy by his co-star Angelina Jolie. It’s a trailer that promises smart writing, fast pacing and great visuals. The question remains whether it will be one more tick in the box of a film Depp has to save, or if he simply has to compliment an already brilliant creation.

Monday 29th November 2010

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Monday 29th November 2010

Fashion: Our brave photographer has a look at fashion on Parade www.bathimpact.com www.bathimpact.com

Photos and interviews by Harriet Tangney

Alex Travers, 2nd year Pharmacy student

Lily Lai, Final year Economics student

Kia Abbasi, 1st year BioChem student

Holly Narey, 1st year Biology student

Fashion icon? Rachel Bilson What will you be wearing this season? Sheepskin, geeky things such as brogues. Current obsession? Big rings.

Fashion icon? Asian top models, such as Tao Favourite shops? I love charity shops and vintage markets, I like digging out low budget pretty things that are my style.

Favourite shops? Zara, Topshop, Harvey Nicks. What will you be wearing this season? Brown! Wedge heels. Current obsession? I have an unhealthy relationship with Kurt Geiger.

Favourite shops? I love vintage fashion fairs, and raiding my mum’s wardrobe for relics from the 80’s What will you be wearing this season? I love winter because you can wear chunky knits and be cosy. Oh also a big hat! Current obsession? Playing synth.

Global invasion of British highstreets only leads to good W

e’re all aware nowadays of globalisation. Whether it’s ‘the world becoming a smaller place’ or simply that you can get Japanese food from your local supermarket, the four corners of the world are becoming closer than ever. The impact on everything from food to fashion is fascinating – and fashion is exactly where I want to start. In recent years fashion has evolved hugely from focusing on the main fashion capitals (London, Paris, Milan, New York) to the outlandish mix of everything our fellow countries have to offer. High end fashion saw a huge rise in the popularity of ‘world inspired’ clothing in Spring/Summer 2009 with Stella McCartney showing off palm tree silhouettes, Christopher Kane sporting animal prints and Etro basing their catwalk on Indian patterns. ASOS (along with the rest of the high street) picked up on this incredibly quickly and launched ASOS Africa in February 2010; a line of clothing made by workers who are all given training and fair pay. This has been extremely popular, not only for its Fair Trade roots, but also for its forward thinking and bang on-trend pieces which are still on sale now. The African vibe has been embraced by celebrities, musicians and anyone who knows what’s what in fashion. As Adiat Disu, organiser of the New York African Fashion Week earlier this year, put it, “The main reason people are now into African fashion is because well known occidental designers have decided to put it on the map. I feel like, with all the talented African designers, we should have been able to do it ourselves – we have adopted this ‘trend’ for centuries, it’s not something new!” This is why she is behind the ASOS Africa line, saying that it celebrates real African talent as well as rewarding the workers. The Fair Trade aspect of the ASOS line is important in terms of globalisation. Fair Trade clothing is a big feature of current fashion which has sparked an endless debate. It encourages many fashion houses and high street stores to not only ensure their manufacturers and

Written by Gemma Hazel Isherwood

workers are paid well but also to ensure that everyone knows about the brand and what they do for the ‘real people’ involved in fashion production. The popularity contest entered into by many brands can be seen as either good or bad – we are providing a better quality of life for the people that work to put clothes on our back, yes, but the companies in question are also shamelessly advertising themselves just to drum up interest and, most importantly, sales. There are, however, some people who choose not to exploit this lack of exploitation. Emma Watson has been seen in the Spring/Summer 2010 Burberry campaign quite famously, but less well-known is her side-project, Love From Emma. This is a Spring/Summer 2010 campaign for People Tree, a Fair Trade brand based in the UK. They work with 50 Fair Trade groups in 15 countries using certified organic cotton and safe, natural dyes which are all locally sourced. This means their clothing boasts an ecologically sound and communityenhancing history. Emma’s collection features clothing intended to “[use] fashion as a tool to alleviate poverty and... make a difference with” and donates all royalties to the People Tree Foundation, part of the Fair Trade company. This demonstrates perfectly how the ever-smaller world we live in can not only influence fashion, but also turn the concept on its head and use fashion as a way to give something back. Another designer who has chosen to go against the grain, Gloria Wavamunno (as mentioned in the last issue of bathimpact), takes inspiration from her home town of Kampala, Uganda, where she feels most comfortable at work. This trickling entry of other cultures’ fashion to our own market is another way that globalisation has affected and benefitted the world. An ever-expanding catalogue of design, inspiration and, ultimately, understanding can be gleaned from these fantastic cross-cultural ideas and collections. The vast range of fashions from the rest of the world means our understanding of other cultures is far more

advanced because we already accept the way they dress - a huge part of who they are. The way a person dresses is pivotal to the way they are seen by others: an integration of multiple fashion ideas from across the globe means, not only are more diversities accepted than ever before, but also that we are all able to be inspired by people from far and wide. Japanese culture is one of the furthest from us, but the influence of their dress sense on our culture is astounding. The ‘Lolita’ trend which is massively popular in Japan has seen worldwide recognition and popularity. Although I’ve not seen any Lolitas on campus here, I’ve seen plenty of people in London, Nottingham and even Whitby who seem to embrace the frilly cuteness in all its forms; gothic or otherwise. The popularity of Lolita in lesser forms is also apparent: thousands of ’scene kids’, emos and whatever else they want to call themselves have developed the idea of cute but added elements of punk rock, Goth and prep to culminate in a multicultural, unique way of presenting themselves which, surprisingly, works quite well. Of course, not all fashion interpretations are as extreme, but it’s important to note that the simple idea of taking a concept from a completely alien culture opens up a whole new world of what to wear and how to wear it. The impact of globalisation has been huge in fashion, and will continue to be so for may seasons to come: ELLE predicts an explosion of prints for the Autumn/Winter 2010 look as well as an extension of the military look – this time mixed with animal prints and tassels - showing the continuing influence of the wider world and how we as a country are developing, changing and inventing a whole new fashion based on the new world we now have to play with. And of course, with the wealth of options out there, there’s no chance we’ll end up all looking the same.

Calling all Bath Fashionistas Are you a budding designer? Are you addicted to hours of seeking out that perfact bargain buy? Do you despair at the sight of thousands of identical outfits crowding the lecture halls of our dear University? Then we want you.We want all of you creative types to come out of the woodworks and tell us all what’s in and what’s out (although, of course, in the bathimpact tower we consider ourselves to be pretty snappy dressers...). • Do you follow all the fashion blogs the rest of us are far too indolent to get through? Then you should be giving us your insider knowledge. • Anyone out there who personalises their clothes or who, even, makes their own should let us know so we can photograph your achievments and you can give us all tips on how to do the same. • Appearing in these pages will be quite an honour. Do you think you’ll make the cut to join our style luminaries on this double page? Or maybe you have a particularly swish friend - the public deserves to know! • We are desperate for photos all over this section so if you want to get involved in the photography/design side of things we’re also really interested in getting your input. • Maybe some of you are extra controversial and think fashion is a frivolous, expensive waste of time - tell us your reasons why. As ever get involved by dropping in to our office (Norwood Level 4), sending us an email (ents@bathimpact.com) or by accosting one of us in a public place if you happen to know what we look like.

Monday 29th November 2010

bite-bathimpact

Monday 29th November 2010

Fashion: Our brave photographer has a look at fashion on Parade www.bathimpact.com www.bathimpact.com

Photos and interviews by Harriet Tangney

Alex Travers, 2nd year Pharmacy student

Lily Lai, Final year Economics student

Kia Abbasi, 1st year BioChem student

Holly Narey, 1st year Biology student

Fashion icon? Rachel Bilson What will you be wearing this season? Sheepskin, geeky things such as brogues. Current obsession? Big rings.

Fashion icon? Asian top models, such as Tao Favourite shops? I love charity shops and vintage markets, I like digging out low budget pretty things that are my style.

Favourite shops? Zara, Topshop, Harvey Nicks. What will you be wearing this season? Brown! Wedge heels. Current obsession? I have an unhealthy relationship with Kurt Geiger.

Global invasion of British highstreets only leads to good W

Written by Gemma Hazel Isherwood

Monday 29th November 2010

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Fashion is almost recession-proof www.bathimpact.com

Vivienne Westwood was responsible for the punk look of the late 1970s, made most famous by The Sex Pistols

Alexander McQueen and Kate Moss are two British fashion icons who have helped out the UK on the map

Written by Gina Reay

ere in Britain we have a lot to be proud of when it comes to fashion. Vivienne Westwood, Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, Topshop, Burberry and the late Alexander McQueen. The British fashion industry is celebrated all over the world for being super chic, unbelievably creative and wonderfully popular. It is no surprise therefore that research conducted into the monetary success of the industry is claiming UK Fashion is doing spectacularly well, despite the ugly effects of the recession. The industry has seen a massive boost, not just in style and creativity but in economic value. According to recent figures published in The Guardian, the British fashion industry now generates £21 billion for the Britain. These figures come from a report commissioned by the British Fashion Council which sought to find the realistic economic value of this popular creative industry. The figures are a light relief after the harm cast by the world recession in recent years. According to The Times, 18% of British fashion retailers went bust, an unprecedented amount. During the crisis British shoppers changed their consuming habits, becoming more pragmatic and thinking about needs rather than wants. As a result, Primark, Next and Marks and Spencer’s have all boasted a rise in sales figures. This year also has seen a 12% rise in internet shopping, with online fashion retailer ASOS absolutely raking it in, among other popular shopping websites. Some designers have commented on the escapism that shopping provided to the worried global public. American Designer Michael Kors, famously said to the New York Times during the heart of the economic crisis: “Oh my god! What’s the point of fashion? Well the point of fashion is that when you put on the right garment suddenly you stand different. You walk differently. Your whole attitude changes when you put something on that’s right. So I think it’s in fact not a stupid investment. It’s a good investment.” Whether or not haut couture is a useful investment is a different matter. It does shed some light on the strength of character the fashion industry flourishes. The recent report carried out, however, is proof that the fashion trade is not just about shoppers buying high heals and designer handbags. Conducted throughout the wholesale, retail and manufacturing sectors of the industry, the phenomenally successful figures confirmed that the UK fashion market is now the 15th largest industry in the UK, out of 81. Behind the scenes, the fashion industry is an exceptional employer. According to the report, carried out in September of this year, it employs over 816,000 people, more employees than any other creative industry. This is also double the amount of jobs provided by the real estate industry. So for students looking for positions in this area of British chicness, it’s a popular job sector to get involved with. Prospects.ac.uk, the online job advice website, explains: “The fashion and textile industry has always recruited graduates for designer and production manager roles, but now recruitment is broadening. Business and technical skills and international business savvy are increasingly important.” The report has been extremely beneficial to Britain’s reputation and notoriety abroad within the world of fashion. The British style industry regularly impresses foreign editors but the concrete figures regarding the success of the sector have further enhanced the recognisability of our creative talent. As we exit a painful global recession, it is relieving to know that fashion sales in the UK are normalising and the industry is modernising. In an age where you can order your food and your couture all at the click of a button and do the entirety of your Christmas shopping without having to leave the house; and with a generation of graduates as amazingly talented as us, the UK fashion industry will continue to go from strength to strength.

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Monday 29th November 2010

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Music: When fame travels abroad Written by Holly Narey

Taio Cruz is one of the recent batch of British artists to have gained fame all over the world, not just the UK

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or years, British R&B and hip hop stars have stood at the sidelines while American artists took centre stage; artists like Usher and Rhianna top global charts while the UK’s beloved home-grown talents burn brightly in their own country, but fade to relative obscurity in the glare of the rest of the world’s attention. All ten of the highest selling R&B artists of all time have originated from the US; Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Prince, Beyonce... the list goes on. This comes as no surprise; America is the birthplace of the genre that has been the biggest growing musical phenomena for the last twenty years, but all of a sudden, the global music scene is undergoing a transformation; the British are coming. Over the last decade or so British artists have had a tendency of travelling off to America in a blaze of glory, riding on their UK success to the country that is considered to be the most difficult to conquer, before slinking back with their tails between their legs. This is no longer the case; artist after artist is travelling to that far off shore and for once, they’re finding success. Dizzie Rascal, Taio Cruz, Jay Sean, Leona Lewis, JLS, and many more are now known all over the world. The question is, why now? What are these musicians doing that all those that have gone before them have missed? Some think that it has to do with a worldwide shift in R&B and hip hop itself; the genres are becoming less distinct, artists such as the Black Eyed Peas are merging these with pop and dance to create a new style of music that it seems the world just can’t get enough of. In the bleak global economic situation people are beginning to reject the more serious themes of rock and other genres, instead turning to urban music for entertainment; creative lyrics or an original style no longer seem to be a prerequisite for a hit; people want a beat you can dance to and a theme they can relate to, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Slick productions by British artists such as Taio Cruz that followed this development have meant that they are not just mimicking American success stories like many British artists have done in the past, but are becoming part of the change themselves. This development, while being incredibly successful for the people leading and joining it, is raising some concerns with some people in the music industry; that music is moving away from true R&B towards a kind of “disposable pop”. It seems that artists brave enough to diverge from this and show their own individual style condemn themselves in the global market. By retaining their musical originality they may be excluding some of their audience, but at the same time they are preserving their artistic integrity. It seems as though even doing something as simple as singing with a British accent can turn international audiences away. Success within a country can be misleading; artists such as NDubz that sing about British culture are hugely successful in the UK, but areunable to reach a wider audience. Today’s chart-topping artists are churning out autotuned tracks following the same old templates at an incredible rate, but are they taking the soul out of the music industry to ensure the continuance of money in their pockets, or are they simply giving people what they want? Music, when it comes down to it, is a form or artistic expression, and so surely it should inspire its listeners as well as being catchy and entertaining. On the other hand it seems that currently the majority of the world audience is more focussed on having a good time than encouraging the global music scene to produce something groundbreaking to revitalise the industry and in that case what’s the harm? You’ll always have the underground scene who’ll surely prove to be extremely influential if less well known - following in the footsteps of Captain Beefheartor Afrika Bambaataa. It is the public that create the fame, not the performer, and it seems the world’s listeners like what they hear.

The surprisingly unknown face of Afrika Bambaataa, the man generally regarded to have invented hip-hop.

Monday 29th November 2010

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How world music has come to feel at home on British ground

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Written by Pardy Dhillon

ver the years, the music industry has adopted a number of identities which have given birth to the likes of indie, soul and even a tootle of jazz to the people who demand it. Concerts, festival and most importantly the radio have embodied the voice of music and allowed it to stimulate and unwind the ear that comforts it most. These beats, rhymes and melodies have entertained and invigorated billions around the globe and kept them swaying and humming to the institute that we call music. This definition of what music is and its power may appear somewhat black and white, however, in this day and age one might hear an unfamiliar beat from the dhol or the steel drum or even the ringing of belly dancing bells in the background. As a result of this, our definition of music becomes an entirely constructed and conflicted idea. Music is bold, innovative and has reinvented itself through a multitude of genres and has in many ways reflected changes within society and even around the globe. Immigration, mass globalisation and uniting with other countries have all contributed to what we hear today. Take for example, Punjabi MC’s ‘Mundian To Bach Ke,’ which blends the strike of the Dhol with the legendary Knightrider theme music in 2003. This refreshing sound not only reincarnated a familiar sound in which we would normally only hear (and watch) on ‘UK Living,’ but it represented the coalition between up and coming Asian artists with popular western artists. Another more familiar example would be the Pussycat Doll’s ‘Jai Ho,’ which modified the original to produce a bilingual mix of Hindi and English. So does this mean that the image of a gentleman walking through Hyde Park with his bowler hat and walking stick humming the latest Benjamin Britten tune just an image reflecting a

common stereotype? Sarcastic it may seem, however, ‘the logic of words should yield to the logic of realities,’ as Great Britain is increasingly changing due to our former Imperial history which has drawn in nationalities from every inch of the globe and where better to find evidence of this than in music itself. The recent debut album by Hiatus ‘Ghost Notes,’ has brought together Iranian and British musicians to produce an exceptional album which allows you to float across the Arabian Sea with a touch of British rain with the intention to truly appreciate the genre that is ‘World Music.’ One would define world music as an album you may purchase for your hippy Aunt to remind her of her bra burning and tree hugging days in the Amazon somewhere. The fragrance of world music can be smelt across every club and every festival all over Great Britain. For example, Hiatus’s song ‘Gentle Flame’ depicts our forever expanding awareness of the Arab states which is reminiscent of a region which is forever apparent in our newspapers today over political issues. It is often through such artistic mishmashes that lingering stereotypes about places and people are eventually erased. It is our generation who appear responsible for stepping back into the 1970s and 80s, reaching out to the world to adopt the adjectives cosmopolitan, diverse and attractive. Our generation has jammed to Fela Kuti’s Afro Beat, demonstrated the light bulbs with Punjabi MC and have wiggled our hips to Truth Hurts by Addictive featuring Rakim back in 2000 and it seems that we are never too far away from the unfamiliar as we’ve learned to adopt and appreciate what we do not yet know. You may agree that it’s almost fashionable to have another language uttered in the background of a rap or R&B song to give it some flavour. I’m not sure that really works with Cheryl Cole’s mediocre French in ‘Promise This’, but it certainly works

in more established artists such as Shakira who demonstrates her bilingual competence between English and Spanish beautifully (warning; clear bias demonstrated here). Is it to increase sales? I don’t know, but it sure is a great way of learning a new language if not anything else! This cross cultural revolution is not only heard through our music; it is smelt through our food and seen in our latest trends which include Arab scarves and sequined dresses which glitter through the night as one dances with the world. It’s as simple as taking one simple stroll through London’s Camden Market or the University of Bath itself to comprehend this diversity from numerous countries which include Argentina, Chile and China. In addition to this, the fantasy of travelling the world for enlightenment is become increasingly popular, especially among the younger generation who not only come back with braided hair and baggy clothes, but also a mind full of musical inspirations and styles. One might suggest that our political relations are drawing our world closer as the western world reaches out to eastern nations in the best interest of our fragile economic state which requires us to work collectively. Therefore, when 300 languages are spoken in London alone, it is only evitable that our multi cultural community will influence and inspire our definition of Great Britain today. As nationalistic (and cheesy) as I may sound, Great Britain is pretty ‘great’ because it’s unpredictable, ever-changing and fresh. Where better to reflect our new attitudes and values than through the power that is music. Those in favour of extreme conservatism may hesitate with these ongoing changes, however, all I can say is that ‘if music be the food of love, play on’ and on and on.

Shakira could be the new face of ‘world music’, her use of two languages and melding of styles is indicative of how far the stigma attached to the genre has come along.

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Monday 29th November 2010

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Film: What’s all this fuss about Hollywood remakes?

Noomi Rapace plays the infamous Lisbeth Salander in the original Swedish coneption of Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Written by Dave Langdale

ver the years it has become painfully apparent that modern filmgoers are more than ready to apathetically gargle on the formidable shaft of Hollywood, furiously gulping down the hot jets of poorly nourished filth, all the while utterly oblivious to the fact they have paid £7.50 for the privilege. In a decade filled with more remakes than an autistic child’s Lego set it seems that, barring a few Nolan exceptions, the originality has very much dried up. Indeed, only this last few years the list of remakes has included such titles as The Karate Kid, Clash of the Titans 3D, The Taking of Pelham 123, Fame and even King Kong. While most of these have been unmitigated flops, it is Hollywood’s foray into remaking successful European films that has arguably caused the most controversy. Films such as The Assassin, the American remake of French film La Femme Nikita, failed spectacularly in capturing the same popularity (not to mention artistic heights) as the original. Despite this, the drive to incessantly and shamelessly pounce on the faintest sound of crisp notes rustling in the wind has seen countless international films remade under the guise of providing availability to a ‘wider’ audience. Recently, however, the director of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the original version) Neils Arden Oplev has hit out at Hollywood for their remake of the Swedish hit film only months after it was released. Much of his anger is directed at the omittance of Noomi Rapace as the lead role of Lisbeth Salander, replacing her instead with star of The Social Network Rooney Mara. He

is quoted in The Guardian as saying “Noomi has captured this part and it should always be all her,” he said. “That’s her legacy in a way I can’t see anyone competing with. I hope she gets nominated for an Oscar.” It is a pattern that bares extreme resemblance to the recent rehash of Let the Right One In, another Swedish classic, called Let Me In which features replacement American actors and an English script. Interestingly neither of these recent remakes have performed particularly well in the box-office, a fact that could be connected to widespread critical backlash at the idea of remaking these perfectly good films. The argument from Hollywood’s point of view is that the foreign language restricts the accessibility for wider audiences, while fans and creators of these films argue that this is, in fact, the beauty of it, as you experience the unique nature of different countries. So who is right and why is it causing such angered debate? The answer is, as always, both sides have merit. The type of audience who revel in films created in European countries and displayed in their chosen language, especially those in England and the US, are restricted to a highly unique group of people, namely those who enjoy quilted slippers and dogging. Their rejection of anything not explained by English subtitles is as indicative of literature snobbery as calling your firstborn Mercutio. Yet, they do have a point. If something has been created for that outlet and is enjoyed by a particular group of people then what right do Hollywood types, with their attaché cases filled with the tears of innocents and cavalier dis-

regard for human morality, have to butcher the product purely for profit purposes? The answer is, of course, none. It’s testament to the American’s disregard for any culture not identified by overconsumption of copious amounts of processed food, that their movie production ethic resembles their decimation of American Indian culture. Conversely, the reverse can also be argued. Why should such classic tales as La Femme Nikita and Le the Right One In be relegated to formats only the select few who inject Worther’s Originals into their eyeballs can enjoy? If the idea of being forced to read dialogue while at the same time attempting to follow any on screen antics is as appealing as a romantic weekend with John McCririck, then the idea of an English remake might strike the right chord. Indeed, if it wasn’t the throat graspingly desperate policy of Hollywood to remake every successful book, movie and video game in modern history then we might look favourably on the odd, well made redesign for a wider audience. So is there a resolution to this dispute? At the moment, it would appear not. Hollywood it seems is increasingly replacing any creative features of filmmaking with hard driven, merciless remakes purely profits sake, while those who create films for the passion and enjoyment are resigned to throwing up their hoods, stuffing their hands in their pockets and trying to keep out of the way in the vain hope it isn’t their time for Uncle Hollywood to sneak into their room at night and steal their innocence about the world.

Monday 29th November 2010

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Literature: The unstoppable rise of foreign language best sellers Written by Fabiana Giovanetti

ulticulturalism is a strange word. It comes from an adjective (multicultural) and has only been common lexicon for a relatively short amount of time. “Multicultural” was picked up by education scholars in the 1980s and since the 1990s has been spreading all over the world in an incredibly wide range of situations – from food to cities to religion and much more beyond. It is often related to the wide spreading idea of globalisation and encounter of faraway cultures. Young people should not waste the opportunity of getting directly in touch with different realities. Travelling is becoming increasingly cheaper and more accessible - losing lot of its bureaucratic issues. Going abroad can be both seen as a cause and a consequence of this new foreign appeal, giving readers a broad range of reasons to go to a country in order to be real witnesses of the cultural ground they’ve met during their readings. Moreover, a memorable journey encourages people to get more involved with the other cultures by different tools, among the others literature. People are getting more and more interested in different traditions, stories and lifestyles. This can be perceived from both the music and from the movies (as has been mentioned in other sections of this magazine) but it is with literature that a particular and unprecedented change has arisen. This isn’t simply something for academics and bibliophiles but it is something that casual readers are also becoming aware of. The amount of transpositions and adaptations of foreign language novels released in the theatres or on DVD is a good indicator of the

popularity of such things – just to make an example the upcoming remake of “Let Me In”, originally a book by the Swedish writer J.A. Lindqvist. All over the papers in the last year or so has been coverage of the so called “Larsson phenomenon”. The massive success of his ‘Millennium’ trilogy is one of the posthumous achievements of the decade, with people still speculating about both Larsson’s books and life. His huge popularity is perhaps the most significant in a long line of authors who have taken the chance to write about their own countries – in their own languages - introducing readers to a completely different cultures, characters and histories. The Afghan writer Khaled Hosseini took the chance and with “A Thousand Splendid Suns” and “The Kite Runner” portraying his own society in the contemporary world, writing about a country which was previously known almost solely for its violent past. What follows is a touching portrait, which comes from the eyes and the ears of children and women – a far cry from the Taliban dominated country from newsreels. The books impressed both critics and the audience and the latter was, inevitably, converted into a film which also enjoyed enormous commercial success. This cultural encounter is fascinating people, getting them closer to realities that seemed so far from their own ones; moreover, this is bringing more and more foreign best-sellers onto the book shelves. The themes might well be familiar to British readers but the alien settings and fascinating other cultures are enough for the multitudes

to ignore bad translation and, often, extremely in-depth explorations of political scandals the histories of which the average British reader has little knowledge of. This multicultural shift has been observed and awarded during the last decade by the Nobel Prize Institution. Just giving a quick glance to the winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature a high amount of non-English winners is immediately obvious. This tendency is related to the contribution they gave to the diffusion of the cultural trends, social issues and historical background of their own countries. Since 2001 winners have come from such diverse countries as South Africa, Turkey, Peru and Romania. The reasons listed for winning are all connected to their ability of outlining the role of the foreigner and the complex nature of revolts and struggles occurring in their mother countries. The increasing interest in this kind of literature is the evidence of how much the multiculturalism and the influence of faraway countries are affecting people. This is the proof that trends are changing and with them even the society. Young people are discovering that a brand new reality exists just out of their home and they’re getting interested on it. It doesn’t matter whether it is literature or music that is the cause of it. This swing gives the ability for talented writers to be on the bookshop’s shelves which are representative of their own culture and history. Be brave, go to the library and search for some of them, I ensure you that a literary journey abroad can be more appealing that how it may seem.

The image of kite running has now become linked with Afghanistan in the minds of the many people who read Hosseini’s book or saw the 2007 film adaptation.

Monday 29th November 2010

Puzzles Corner

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Welcome to Puzzles Corner! Handily placed on the back of bite, ready for your emergency coffee break. Perfect for de-stressing between coursework or revision sessions, and will keep your brain working too! Sorry in advance for the very hard sudoku - just think of it as a challenge.

Puzzles by Katie Rocker

Across

38. 39. 40. 42. 43. 44.

Twice (6) Boratâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beachwear (7) Sign of disease (7) Eye makeup (7) Shade (4) Strike with open hand (4) 45. Hardwood tree (5)

2. Swear (5) 4. Sign (9) 6. Victory (7) 9. Crease (showing age) (7) 12. Able to move (6) 14. Radiating light (7) 15. Not sink (5) 17. Fire bird (7) 20. Big grey animal (8) 24. Copper and zinc alloy (5) 27. Ice formation (6) 28. Bowed, stringed instru ment, usually violin (6) 31. Wrong (8) 35. Study of plants (6) 36. Liquid food (4) 37. A unit of weight for gems and gold (5)

Down 1. Vertebrate animal with four limbs (8) 2. Remunerate (10) 3. American breed of horse (7,5) 5. Biggest UK shop (7) 7. Simple; computer pro gramming language (5)

Solution for last issue 1

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8. Mouth muscle (6) 10. Bulgarian capital (5) 11. Ineffective (6) 13. ----- May, Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lead guitarist (5) 16. Give in, yield (6) 18. Single (10) 19. Liquor made from fermented grain (6) 21. Torture (7) 22. Stealthily harmful (9) 23. Stimulant drink (6) 25. Religious ceremony (4) 26. Father (4) 29. Thorough, accurate (8) 30. Beginning (5) 32. American state, anag. EKSARBNA (8) 33. Careful, attentive (8) 34. Woodworker (9) 37. Small container; pill (7) 41. Equal (5)

M A T

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Very easy

Really hard

Monday 29th November 2010

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Science

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The invisible enemy – a few facts about flu Jess Bean bathimpact contributor

t’s that time of year again. Now that autumn is here, coughs and colds are rife with no one immune from infection. Over the first few weeks of term Freshers’ Flu has had a chance to get going, and along with common colds and seasonal flu, it seems that everyone has, or will have a chance of getting infected between now and Christmas (at which time we can all take it back to our families). We may feel terrible but luckily for our age group we are in the prime of life for our bodies to fight back. Despite this, flu must still be taken seriously as it can still be a deadly disease. Between 3000 and 4000 deaths are linked to influenza in the UK every year (the majority in over 65’s) and seasonal epidemics of flu, caused by antigenic drift (minor mutations of the flu virus), are even more serious as these can potentially kill millions (the 1918 flu epidemic killed 20-50 million people worldwide).

Beware of panda flu this winter - a choo! Colds and flu are caused by viral infection of the upper respiratory tracts by rhinoviruses, coronaviruses and influenza. These viruses are able to travel through the air in a virus-laden aerosol from coughs and sneezes; the infected saliva and

mucus then going on to infect others either directly or through contaminated surfaces. Cold weather dries out the airways enabling viruses to enter the body more easily. Their symptoms are well known and very similar, ranging from runny noses

and sore throats, to aches, pains and headaches. There is a common misconception that many people have flu when in fact they only have a common cold. A friend once told me that to tell the difference you need to imagine you have won the lottery. If you can bring yourself to get out of bed and brave the world to collect your millions then you have a cold. If you still feel so bad that even the thought of leaving your room gives you a bigger headache, then you have flu. University is the ideal place for viruses to spread as students have key characteristics that increase the chance of infection. More inter-continental travel means that different viruses from all around the world can be moved in a matter of hours and the cramped, warm, humid conditions of clubs, lecture halls and especially the morning buses are the perfect place for viruses to be transmitted and survive. The vitamin low diet of some students, as well as excess alcohol and smoking all contribute to a lowered immune system,

in turn lowering the body’s ability to fight infection. Flu is very contagious; influenza virus can survive on surfaces for up to 48 hours, so it is very important to minimise spread. If infected, good hygiene is the best way to go – wash hands and surfaces regularly, cover your mouth when coughing and throw away used tissues immediately. Also try and minimise contact with other people. The unfortunate reality is that there is no outright cure for colds and flu. Vaccinations and antivirals can be administered to target the most common forms of flu every year but these are most useful for those most at risk. For the larger population there are an inordinate amount of remedies on the market aiming to part you from your cash, however for colds and flu the treatment is still old school. Plenty of rest, water and fluids (alcohol and fizzy drinks do not count), along with paracetamol or aspirin for aches are the best. If symptoms persist or worsen contact your nearest doctor.

What do tigers dream of...

Gina Reay explains why there needs to be a lot more action still to help the tiger’s plight

discuss how to protect the stripey species. Representatives of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand

and Vietnam were at the conference, hosted by Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin. Named the ‘Tiger Forum’, the aim of the conference was to discuss the fight to save our Gina Reay

ast week saw the shocking news that tigers could become extinct within the next 12 years. 13 countries which still have tigers in existence, met last week to

furry, purry friends. A century ago, it was claimed there were over 100,000 tigers in existence. Now the beast, which was voted man’s most popular wildlife species in 2005, has only a meager 3,200 cats roaming the globe, a surprisingly fast demise. Hopefully, with the urgent measures discussed at the meeting, the number of tigers purring will double by 2022. The extinction of tigers is due to several problems with illegal trade and poaching. In 1998, two tiger cubs were found in a pet shop in In-

donesia; proof that the tiger trade is well and truly present. Tiger skins, teeth and claws are also being openly sold in countries where tigers still live. Another reason for the gradual extinction of the beast is habitat destruction, caused by forest fires and logging. Hopefully the predictions surrounding the extinction will be proved wrong, if the changes are put in place immediately. Though claims from the World Bank suggest that the preservation efforts will cost at least $350 million.

Quintessential Science Fact of the Fortnight Estimates of the speed of a sneeze vary but JFK Health World Museum in Barrington Illinois claim that it could actually be 85% the speed of sound, 630 mph. Sneezes acheive vast speeds because of the sheer amount of muscle involved, including the chest, throat, face and even eyes - hence why you have to close them. - That’s faster than a boeing 747 jet plane - Also faster than Beth Ditto getting to Burger King when the new Double Texican Whopper came out - More conservative estimates are around 100mph - A sneeze can produce upto 40,000 droplets “Getting it on for the species, you can’t be picky, love.”

Monday 29th November 2010

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I can’t believe it’s not sex! Declan Perry explains how to survive those long, dry spells

part from the immediate pleasure provided, sexual intercourse confers a whole host of physiological advantages. Sex is hard work, and during vigorous intercourse you and your partner could burn up to 200 calories each. British researchers have determined that the equivalent of six Big Macs can be worked off by having sex three times a week for a year. As well as muscular contractions during intercourse that tone up the pelvis, thighs, buttocks, arms, neck and thorax; sex also boosts production of testosterone, which leads to stronger bones and muscles. Because of this Men’s Health has gone so far as to call the bed the single greatest piece of exercise equipment ever invented. A study of depression produced similar results; it was found that women who had regular sex with their partner were less subject to depression than those who didn’t. Sex also boosts your immune system, which results in fewer outbreaks of cold and flu due to 30 percent higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A. The list of benefits continues and includes reduced risk of heart disease, improved sense of smell and better bladder control later in life. So, it seems that regular, enthusiastic sex is the answer to many of our health problems. This raises some interesting questions though. For example, are there any alternatives to sex? Or, is there another way to achieve the stimulation of sex, with all its health benefits, without the emotional drama of being in a relationship? Or without the awkwardness of being woken by someone whose name you don’t know after a one-night stand? Trying to completely replace the finger lickin’ goodness of sex is obviously an impossible task but, below, I have listed five alternatives that may go some way to recreating the ecstasy and health benefits of ‘doing it’: 1.

Competitive sport This is perhaps the most wellknown substitute for sex. Getting involved in competitive sport can produce some of the same physiological advantages as sex, for example, boosted testosterone levels and increased muscle tone. In fact, some competitive sports can

Science What do your dance moves say about you? Jess Bean bathimpact contributor

Jules Winnfield, Pulp Fiction. The self-proclaimed master of the foot massage. provide a higher degree of cardiovascular fitness than sexual intercourse. Sport provides the same high sensory input that is experienced during sex and also results in the release of endorphines, which stimulate pleasure centres in the brain, making you feel good. 2.

Foot massage The somatic sensory cortex receives sensory input that gives rise to sensations of heat, touch and cold. In the sensory cortex, the most sensitive parts of the body have a higher proportion of cortex devoted to them. The area of the sensory cortex that receives sensory input from the feet lies directly adjacent to the area devoted to genital sensitivity. When you receive a foot rub, the corresponding area of the sensory cortex is stimulated. Thus this stimulation is also received by the adjacent genital centre of the sensory cortex, resulting in the sensation of pleasure. 3.

Chocolate Eating chocolate can mimic some of the physiological effects of sex. For example, theobromine, a chemical present in chocolate, has been shown to reduce the risk of illness. The pleasure associated with eating chocolate is due to the chemical phenylethylamine, which is involved in releasing feel-good endorphines into the brain. These same feel-good chemicals are re-

leased whilst having sex. 4.

Meditation Meditation refers to any practice in which the practitioner trains his or her mind to achieve some sort of benefit. Yoga is a form of meditation that, in practice, consists of controlling the senses and the cessation of mental activity that leads to a supreme state of mind. There have been many studies into the effects of yoga on long term health and it has been found that regular practice can result in the reduction of stress and pain levels, as well as the lowering of blood pressure. Music There is no doubt that music is able to evoke emotion and cause pleasure but the reasons for this are still being debated by psychologists. Some believe that music has developed from sounds that are fundamentally pleasing or comforting so you therefore associate music with being comforted; causing pleasure. Other psychologists believe that music simply manages to ‘tickle’ the sensitive areas of the brain, causing emotion. Whatever the reason, it is clear that music is able to excite the senses. If all else fails, the classical techniques pioneered by Hugh Heffner, with the creation of Playboy and its extensive range of viewing materials, you need never feel too lacking.

ow much can you tell about a person from the way they dance? Scientists have recently looked into this puzzling problem and have finally reached some conclusions. As a self-confessed dance floor disaster (my dancing style has been likened to a drunken four-yearold), it would be infinitely helpful to understand how my ‘snazzy moves’ are interpreted by everyone else. I may love the ‘rave/robot’ but how do other people see it? Of course, anyone can dance how they like as long as they are enjoying themselves. Dancing is one of the best ways of expressing yourself, however as many people meet their future spouse on the dance floor, your dancing can be more important than you might think. Research at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland was carried out on untrained volunteers to see how they moved when played different types of music. Volunteers were first asked to carry out a personality test which gave them scores on five key personality traits: extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, open-mindedness and neuroticism. 60 individuals with a strong score in one of the traits were then tested for their “music-related movement” to a variety of different music. Motion-capture technology recorded

each volunteers dancing to 30 different tracks from six types of music (rock, pop, funk, Latin, techno and jazz), resulting in a vast bank of data. After analysis, strong trends were seen for each personality: • Extraverts move around a lot with exaggerated movements of the head and arms • Agreeable people dance smoothly from side-to-side • Neurotics are sharp and have jerky movements of the head and arms; also shuffling • Conscientious people move about the most • Open-minded people were found to make rhythmic ‘up and down’ movements It was also found that different types of music affected different people with a certain personality trait. Rock music, for example, was the only genre to get neurotic people out of their sharp, nervous dancing style and into head banging-type moves. Conscientious dancers were found to stop moving around the dance floor and instead adopted a more neurotic style when listening to techno. Future work of the team is planned with research into “how other genres of music, such as classical or world music, influence listeners’ spontaneous movements.” One thing though is for sure; next time you go out on the town you should have a closer look at the dance moves surrounding you.

Q & A with boff Prof. Science Why do leaves change colour in autumn?

When the summer is at its end, a small layer of cork is deposited in the leaf’s veins. This layer increases in size and reduces the amount of water and minerals that can get into to the leaf, causing the level of chlorophyll , the green pigmentation, to decrease. Chlorophyll then forms non-fluorescent chlorophyll catabolites, which are colourless, allowing nature’s rich palette to shine through; yellow colour being displayed by xanthophylls and orange by betacarrotene. Part way through the process, that characteristic autumn red shines through, as the leaf produces anthocyanins. Differing levels of these chemicals give the full spectrum of truly beautiful autumnal colours - I hope that answers your question!

If you would like to put Prof. Science’s noggin through a floggin’, email science@bathimpact.com

Monday 29th November 2010

bathimpact

Science

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The power of love Simon O’Kane bathimpact contributor

ack in my sixth form years, Reiki, a form of ‘energy therapy’, was offered to us an “enrichment” activity. Being the naïve person I was at that time, I already took an interest in such things and therefore grasped the opportunity to be taught in the art with both hands. About ten of us started the course, but only half achieved the first degree; and I was the only one to stay on to obtain the second. For a young person like myself four years is a long time; plenty enough to realise that there exists no physical mechanism via which any kind of ‘energy therapy’ can manifest itself. The placebo effect is a far more plausible explanation for the apparent effect of such treatments that agrees much better with evidence from clinical trials. The placebo effect refers to the phenomenon where a sick patient can be cured by giving them a fake pill known as a placebo; although

no medical treatment was administered, the patient’s health improved purely because they believed otherwise. I have no doubt that the placebo effect does go a long way towards explaining away any apparent benefits of energy therapy, although there exist other known scientific mechanisms through which these ‘treatments’ can improve people’s overall well-being. Richard Dawkins, biologist-turned campaigner against all things supernatural, rightly suggests that the simple act of taking time out for such activities reduces stress levels. Stress can be a root cause of so many illnesses that by the time I listed them all, another would have been discovered. He goes on to suggest that the human contact involved also plays a significant role. Talking to someone about your problems, especially with the physical and emotional closeness necessary for energy therapy, is also known to relieve stress. I will now offer my own further input, based on my own flirtation

with the idea of ‘healing energy’. The meditations involved were always relaxing and enjoyable; sometimes I still do them, despite my full knowledge none of it is real. The other component is the attitude to life that Reiki promotes; it is an extremely positive one, based on a few simple guiding principles. Healing energy may not exist, but mindset sure does. Literature on Reiki and associated practices frequently mentions the concept of ‘holistic healing’ – the belief that it can be made easier to prevent and remedy immediate health problems through leading a healthier overall lifestyle, both physically and mentally. There is no doubt this is true; as I have said before, stress and depression can be the root cause of myriad physical health problems, and vice-versa. As it is a clear-cut truth that our mental and physical beings are deeply intertwined, I do not think it right that this idea should be associated with practices that have no basis in fact.

Five ways to improve your life Robyn Brook bathimpact contributor

pend quality time with the people who mean the most to you. I’m sure most of us won’t need must persuasion to make this change. It doesn’t, however, just mean sitting in front of the TV together; really take the time to communicate with the people around you. There’s nothing like spending quality time with no mobiles, no computers, no distractions, just good old fashioned face-to-face conversation. After all, social psychologists have suggested that facial expression and body language contribute 55% to communication, tone of voice contributes 38% and our actual words just 7%. You may even find that the person whom you had nothing in common with turns out to be your soul mate. Having even a few close friends can do wonders for our state of mind. Humans aren’t made to be lonely and that sense of companionship is proven to lower stress levels and give you a completely natural energy boost. Enhance your diet. The saying is true, “You are what you eat”. The only source your body has to re-create itself is the food that you give it, so don’t give it junk. It would be ideal to get a large portion of your calories from fruits and vegetables instead

of booze and takeaways. It’s not just an old wife tale that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Simply eating something within 30 minutes of getting up in the morning will boost your metabolism, increase focus and fend off hunger pangs. Eating regularly keeps your metabolism in check and prevents you from getting too hungry, which could trigger bad food decisions. Aim to eat every four hours. Perhaps the easiest way to lead a better lifestyle is to carry around a bottle of water. Keeping yourself hydrated enriches your skin and will help you lose weight by making you feel fuller. Exercise! We’ve heard it time and time again that exercise is important but the fact remains that some people dread the thought of breaking a sweat. Getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day, however, is essential and easy. Working out improves your life expectancy, overall health, the way you look, and the way you feel about yourself. Just simple changes like climbing the stairs instead of taking the lift, occasionally walking to uni; the views from the hills are worth the extra effort. Take advantage of your Sports Association card - Bath has some of the best facilities in the country, use them! Grab a few friends and play some tennis, badminton or squash to keep active and sociable. If you’re already a fitness freak then try increasing the in-

tensity of your workout. Raise the incline on the treadmill, keep going for an extra 5 minutes. It will increase your calorie burn significantly. Break a mental sweat as well . Taking a break from your lecturer’s recommended reading list might seem like a waste of study time but reading daily from a variety of authors on different subjects is an excellent way to expand your mind and change your life. It’s not necessary that you agree with, or enjoy everything but you can enhance your ability to take-on new concepts, thoughts, and principles that stretch your mind to new perspectives. Then, after all that mental exercise, it might be an idea to find five minutes in your day to meditate. You can do it anywhere. It can be a major stress reliever, lower blood pressure, improve concentration and blood flow. Don’t hang onto the past and let life get you down. If you expect bad things in your life, you’ll always find them. A negative mind-set is like looking at the world through distorting, grimy glasses. You spot every blemish and overlook everything else. Keep practic++ing being optimistic. A lot of the anger, frustration, misery, and despair in this world are caused by people clinging to past hurts. The more you turn them over in your mind, the worse you’ll feel and the bigger they’ll look. Let go and move on.

Starschmucks - what are you putting in your body? Sam Lewtas Science Editor

t’s been a hard day; 3 lectures in a row and another 3 hours of labs or seminars waiting to finish you off after lunch. For many people this is a brilliant reason to have a quick break in Plug and get in some chemical stimulation. Coffee doesn’t always seem like a healthy option, rather an undesirable and undeniably delicious necessity for the over worked. Could it be, however, that it’s actually a highly beneficial espresso to good health? Well, the evidence isn’t all stacked against coffee, and the bad effects can often be avoided if you know how. Take for instance cholesterol. Coffee contains cafestol and kahweol, with regular consumption increasing your cholesterol by as much as 10%. But if you go for the classier brew, and switch to filter, the paper will take these nasty chemicals out, saving your arteries a battering and giving you that intense, smooth flavour. It also protects your brain from a high cholesterol diet, preventing the associated inflammation from creeping through your blood brain barrier - which is thought to be why drinking three to five cups a day can slash your chance of alzheimer’s by 60%! As any Red Bull fans will know, caffeine taken in large doses before bed it doesn’t just give you wings, but a kind of jittery nevous energy that will keep your anxiety levels sky high all night. The idea that drinking coffee means poor sleep needn’t be the case and if you abstain from it for just six hours before you hit the pillow (the time it takes for the caffeine to be used up), you’ll get a good

night’s sleep like any other. So, if you’re planning a late session until 4a.m., make 10 the last call for that dark, frothy, welcoming beverage. Coffee is also like a nitrous oxide boost for your nervous system. It revs up your heart and breathing rate, priming you for optimum physical and mental performance. It may, according to Dr Terry, Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Guelph, Ontario, increase calcium release within the cell, increasing the strength of muscular contractions. Coupled with larger releases of adrenaline and steroid cortisone, it’s going to turn you into one scary gym beast. Apart from general awakeness and alertness, extra mental benefits include increased short term memory and reaction time - great for Halo performance and possibly revision. Now, coffee always gets a bad press for matters of the heart. It does raise blood pressure, so for people in which it is already raised: get your kick elsewhere. However studies have shown that not only does it not increase your risk of heart disease, but for people who drink three to five cups a day, will actually have a 53% decreased chance of death from society’s biggest threat. So basically, feel free to drink your ills away. Also experienced users will be more tolerant of its artery squeezing effects. It’s fair to say that coffee is no angel and not completely without its problems. But when that freshly brewed smell hits your nose, and that sensuous, warming aroma rises its way up your nostrils, flicking the switch in your brain to unbeknown pleasure, there’s no denying that a hot cup of joe can only be a really good thing.

Monday 29th November 2010

bathimpact

Sabbs Corner

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Bars and Entertainment: Happy ThanksWe want to hear from you giving from the T Students’ Union! he entertainment on campus this year started with a new look to the whole week. There were some familiar nights, like Score and Comeplay; we moved a few things round, like the Pub Quiz being moved to a Tuesday to make it open to more of you who live off campus; and there has been a number of new additions, like the Comedy Central Nights, Acoustic Night and acts like Example which was a sell out night last week. Of course, there was also the launch of our brand-new Friday club night, Theory. The positive feedback on the week came flooding in and first impressions of the package were great. The Students’ Union has always and will always value your input so we can continue to provide entertainments that you have influenced. Last year, a few of us promised in our manifestos that we would find a way for you to directly influence the entertainments on campus more easily. We obviously want to deliver on that promise. On Friday 10th December at 12.15pm we want you to come along to Elements and tell us what you want to see by way of the Entertainments we provide on campus. This will be your opportunity to tell us exactly what you like so we can provide you with nights that are exactly what you want to be going to next semester. A few weeks ago we held a forum with the Kitchen Reps to ask them what sort of things they were after on a night out. They told us we needed to promote the entertainment and activities in different ways, like an update on Sunday of what’s planned for the week ahead, so that’s what we did; they told us we needed to put more nights on that were focused around the music, like a bringing back the DJ and MC Carasel from Freshers’ Week; so that’s what we did; and we also got asked if we could make the drinks better value, and we have even managed to do that for you as well. Last Friday, all our usual promotional drinks on the

VP Comms, James Huelin, gives thanks to people who have helped BUSU make a difference

MC Carasel reappeared in Theory recently thanks to your feedback after Freshers’ Week best brands were £1.50! That’s better value than anywhere in town on a Friday night! Now that the first semester is almost over we want to start preparing for Semester Two. We want all of our entertainments to be even bigger and better than ever before, and that starts with us providing a way for

you to be having an input. Forums aren’t always greatly attended, but I hope this one will be, because unless you tell us what you want, we can’t give it to you and we really, really want to! So if you have an act you’d like to see, an idea for a feature night that you’d like to put forward or even if it’s just a type of beverage you’d

you to feedback to us on what you have thought so far. When we work together we can provide an entertainments package that everybody is enthusiastic about and happy to buy into. So far this year, we have shown that we have listened and acted on what the kitchen reps suggested, but it’s still not enough, we need ALL of

like to see behind the bar, please come and tell us. There will be free pizza available to all those who come along or you can bring your lunch and come and go as you please from 12.15pm in Elements, so please pop along put your thoughts forward. As you may know, every penny of profit from Bars and Events gets reinvested into your student activities. It makes sense for you to support the nights in your Students’ Union because the money comes back to you, so let’s work together to provide a range of nights that appeal directly to you. I know that in talking to students in passing there are some great ideas out there. I’ve heard some crazy ideas, everything from Reggae nights to Pop Corn Parties; we want to hear them all! Make sure you come along next Friday, 12.15 in Elements, pick up some free pizza and let us hear what you have to say.

realise it is not normally a holiday we celebrate in the UK, but across the pond last week it was Thanksgiving. I have two groups of people I would like to thank, so I thought I would share. A few weeks ago we officially opened the student centre in a ceremony attended by many members of University Council. Years before building work began we campaigned for the space by sending 3,500 signed postcards asking for additional social space. We were successful in our campaign and now have our brand new £5.5m building, which was generously funded by the University. To complete the cycle, this year’s Sabb team ran a similar campaign to thank the Vice Chancellor and all those involved in the project. The postcards were handed over at the ceremony. The Vice Chancellor seemed to be very appreciative of the gesture. I would like to thank everybody who signed a card. This was a really important to the campaign . We have an extremely collaborative relationship with our university, and gestures like the ‘Thank You Postcard’ campaign can help strengthen that link. The second group of people I would like to thank is all the people that have been involved in the ongoing campaign against the cuts

to Higher Education. I have seen overwhelming support for the campaign from the thousand or so of you that joined the Facebook group right down to the 170 Bath students who came on the buses. You have all helped in getting a message to government that we will not stand for these cuts. Although the protest was spoiled by the few who decided to turn to violence, I would like to thank those students who came from Bath for staying with the peaceful protesters and conducting themselves in a manner of which they can all be proud. The protest is just the beginning, we have a big up hill struggle to secure the future of our education, so hopefully everyone involved will stay on board with the campaign as we continue to lobby government in the coming months. Sometimes students can fall into that stereotypical ‘Oliver’-like role of always asking for more. I think that occasionally we need to reflect on the opportunities we are given and to be grateful for the positions we are in. So although Thanksgiving isn’t always a holiday we normally celebrate, maybe this year, in a time when we might not be quite as comfortable as we’d like, when there are always those that are worse off than ourselves, maybe we could give it a try?

Monday 29th November 2010

bathimpact www.bathimpact.com University

Bath

Students’

Union

STUDENT

University of Bath Students’ Union

Media

URB BLURB

14 4 9 A M

1449am URB tell bathimpact why they are so thrilled to have won two Gold Student Radio Awards...

m edia H

ere at 1449AM URB, we were extremely pleased to pick up two golds at the prestigious Student Radio Awards held at the o2 Arena on 11 November. The URB team were rewarded for their excellent Student Radio Chart Show; Jan Czerbak won an individual award for Best Specialist with Polished Music - a celebration of the music of Poland. The awards are held nationally and are supported by

BBC Radio 1 and Global Radio (Heart, Galaxy, etc.), so this is a real success for the station. Congratulations to Jan and to all who were involved in the Chart Show last year! If you want to get involved with URB and maybe collect an award of your own this time next year, then all you have to do is visit our website: www.1449urb.co.uk or pop in to the studio in the Student Centre.

University of Bath Students’ Union

Ctv Zap

C a m p u s Te l e v i s i o n

ere at Ctv we would all like to congratulate Darah Al Ghanem for her movie Louix XIV. It made its way to the finals of the This is Bath film competition.Unfortunately she didn’t win, but she told us that she was going to re-enter next year’s completion with a “I am legend” or “Paris je t’aime” type of film. Come Dine with Ctv was officialy launched last weekend in Nor-

wood House. The first evening was hosted by the Sabb team composed of James “Julie” Huelin and Matt Benka. The URB team formed by Nick Hill and David James, clearly stated they will not be beaten. The bathimpact team will be made up of Editor, Gina Reay and Treasurer, Rebecca Stagg who think their feminine charm will prevail. The show will be available on bathctv.

ac.uk from Wednesday. Make sure not to miss it. You might have noticed that we finally have access to the new Student Centre screens. At the moment the sound is currently not functional. We will be putting together weekly news, interviews and sports news. Make sure you don’t miss them. Though they are already available online at bathctv. ac.uk

WHAT’S HOT ON URB:

THE CHARTS URB contributes to the Student Radio Chart – your chance to hear all those tracks that have been a favourite for presenters and listeners across the world of Student Radio in the past week. It is compiled us-

ing airplay on stations and listener interaction such as votes via our Soundtrack Selector on the website. The latest Student Radio Chart was hosted by 1449am URB right here in Bath. Here it is….

Jan’s catchphrase was“You don’t know Polish music... yet!”

1Katy Perry 11 The Bees Firework Winter Rose 2 Crystal Castles 12 Alexis Jordan Not in Love (Ft. Robert Smith) Happiness 3 Mike Posner 13 Chase & Status Cooler than Me Hypest Hype 4 Rihanna 14 The Saturdays Only Girl (in the world) Higher 5 Cee Lo Green 15 Ellie Goulding Forget You Your Song 6 Foals 16 Jay Sean Blue Blood 2010 (It ain’t the End) 7 B.o.B 17 Duck Sauce Magic Barbra Streisand 8 Far East Movement 18 Example Like a G6 2 Lives 9 The Script 19 Kids in Glass Houses For the First Time The Best is Yet to Come 10 Florence and the Machine 20 Adrian Roye & The Exiles Heavy in your Arms The Only Poster Child

Monday 29th November 2010

bathimpact

Societies & Volunteering

Explain your society:

CathSoc

e are the University of Bath’s Catholic Society, and we are open to all. Anyone can join - you don’t need to be religious, and you definitely don’t need to be Catholic. We are just a lovely group of people that are very inviting and friendly, and who happen to cater for practicing Catholics at the University too. Usually we try to combine religious activities with non-religious ones, like walks, retreats and possibly the occasional pub trip! Recently we had a Ceilidh (a bar dance) at Claverton Community Hall, with over 40 people coming along and having a really great time. We also recently had our annual retreat to Nympsfield in Gloucestershire.

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Societies: keeping you healthy Societies Publicity Officer Simon Priestley gets us inspired yet again with all the local happenings

elcome to this weeks Societies section of bathimpact. As ever, the societies have been very busy doing pretty much everything you can think of and are planning even more. Also, since the last print a very productive Soc GM meeting was held with lots of issues discussed, hopefully streamlining the society’s area and improving the student experience! Off the back of last week’s Inter-Faith Week, the Cath-Soc also get a chance to ‘explain their society’. Here’s what’s been going on and what’s coming up: People and Planet Soc have got a fantastic presentation booked to inspire individuals to take action in order to reduce global poverty. The ‘1.4 Billion Reasons’ presentation, run by the Global Poverty Project is coming to Bath on the 1st December, and you can sign up right now at www.globalpovertyproject.com/events. The PSA (Pharmacy Student Association) have been very busy in the last few weeks. They’ve recently been on their ‘Pharmy Army’ trip to Oceana

in Bristol, had a talk from past students about the ‘pre-registration’ year for third year students who are off on placement next year, with students recently going on placement as far afield as Texas. 30 students also went to Portsmouth University to attend the British Pharmacy Student Association Conference, where valuable insight into possible future careers was given from the speakers and presenters. Just before print, the PSA also held a ‘Responding to Symptoms’ event, where students could use the skills they’d picked up by counselling and suggesting products to students role playing specific conditions, while being judged by lecturers from the department. The PSA are going to be even busier in the next few weeks, with a Quiz Night, Christmas Meal and a possible trip to one of Europe’s great cities, which society members are deciding on via a poll on Bathstudent. LINKS, the First Aid society, have been continuing with their weekly meetings and, as a unit of St. John’s

Prescriptions at the ready: Pharmy Army in action Ambulance, have been keeping busy, serving events across the university and the local community, with Freshers’ Week and the recent Fireworks display on campus as prime examples. So, if you fancy learning a bit of first aid, from the basics of bandaging, through to advanced topics like automated external defibrillation or spinal injuries, why not contact LINKS at bath-links@avon.sja.org.uk? LINKS can also offer first aid courses for societies, ranging from simple three hour refresher sessions to full day courses tailored for the societies' activities. If you think you may need

some first aid cover for an event you’re looking to run, why not get in touch with LINKS on the same email address? Finally, on the back of the recent student protest in London, why not air your views on another education debate with BUDS, the university’s debating society? They’re holding a public debate entitled ‘State vs. Private: What is the future of Education?’ which will be held from 18:15 to 19:05 on Tuesday 30th November in 1W 3.15. Attendance is free to all and wine and soft drinks will be provided. Make sure you go along and have your say!

Spread some Christmas cheer, volunteer! Naomi Mackrill, Volunteering Publicity Officer, returns with some great opportunities to give something back to the community this season.

ot sure what you're doing on Thursday 2nd December? Come join us sleeping out on Parade to raise awareness for the homeless in Bath! For more information email Ruth at sleepout@bathrag. com. Show-On-The-Go, a four-hour dance marathon organised by BodySoc featuring performances by various dancing societies, was a huge success on Friday 12th Nov, despite the best efforts of the torrential rain. The total raised was £176.57 for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Who would have thought how much difference one person can make

SOTG: Poledancing for cancer

in one day with one bucket and a smile? 'Raid' for a charity and you really get a sense that, no matter how cold your feet get, you are making a real difference. From local charities such as Julian House and Dorothy House to big national charities such as Children in Need, each raid gives YOU the chance to change lives by supporting invaluable causes. A raid is essentially a street collection, where we descend upon a city and ask people to donate, armed with buckets and the like. But raids also have a difference - come in fancy dress, be supported and surrounded by other enthusiastic, passionate and friendly students and then come celebrate with us afterwards! A lot more fun than you probably thought. Upcoming raids include the World AIDS Day street raid for Terrence Higgins Trust in Bristol on the 27th November. A couple of dates in December are currently under negotiation for the worthwhile 'Forever Friends Appeal' at the Royal United Hospital, raising money for the invaluable state-of-the-art medical equipment and facilities needed to keep teeny tiny babies alive and well. If you want to become involved and support causes such as these, no

Mellow yellow: An enthusiastic RAG ‘raider’ in action matter what your previous experience, raids at RAG will welcome you in. So what are you waiting for? Get in touch and email Alice at raids@bathrag.com and we'll get you involved! SCA (Student Community Action) and Bath RAG have done an amazing Nearly Naked Calendar - watch out for details of the launch as it will be on sale the week beginning the 6th December. SCA will soon be launching their 2010 Student Christmas Appeal, which is a great opportunity for you to get involved in some really fun and rewarding projects and get a look to

see what SCA is all really about! Fancy making someone's Christmas? Then get involved with our Shoebox Appeal. All you need to do is come along to the Volunteer Centre with a £2 deposit to collect a shoebox, fill this with presents and return it by 11th December. £1 will be refunded, and the other £1 used to cover the cost of transporting the box overseas, and if you don’t think you can fill a whole one yourself, get together as a flat! SCA are also organising an international event called Seasonal Celebrations Around the World with the idea of exploring "How do you celebrate?" This is going to be

on the Parade on the 2nd December, from 11-3pm. This is a chance for all international, cultural and religious societies to tell us a little about their background and beliefs. It will be similar to the Carnival Day during Freshers' Week, but this time societies will be showcasing what winter holidays are like in their country whether it be Christmas, Hanukkah or Eid. This event will reflect the diversity of our campus and the many different religious and cultural backgrounds present at Bath. SCA will have its own stall selling mulled wine, roast chestnuts and mince pies. All profits from our stall will go to Water Aid, an international charity dedicated to improving the lives for people of all nations and faiths. In the evening of Monday 13th November, we’ll be running a bingo night in Elements. This is a really fun evening and a great chance to spend some quality time with your friends before everyone heads home for the holidays (there are also some awesome prizes to be won!) And if all that wasn’t enough we’ve also got our Kids Christmas Party going on! December really is a busy time for volunteers while we spread our Christmas cheer.

Monday 29th October

bathimpact www.bathimpact.com

Tuneful Arts News Simon King Arts Officer

o now we’re onto the penultimate bathimpact of the semester. The Christmas lights have been turned on, the Christmas market has just opened and the stalls are buzzing with mulled wine and sausages. Time goes quickly, doesn’t it? We’ve had a little arts related stuff over the last week, but there is much more coming in the next two. First, on the 4th December we have the Chamber Choir’s Christmas Concert (alliteration galore!) in the Bishop’s Canning Church. It promises to be a tremendous show, with classics from William Byrd, Henry Purcell and Claudio Monteverdi. Second, on the 5th December, we have BUSMS yearly show, Encore. A great collection of songs from all sorts of musicals put together over a few short weeks, it always proves to be entertaining. This year, due to the high demand for tickets, they are running two performances on the Sunday; a matinée at 2pm and an evening show at half 7 in the Arts Lecture Theatre. Also in the coming weeks, we have BUST’s December performance of modern play, The Craving,

Arts & Events Sleep under the stars...

...and raise vital funds for Julian House. Ever wondered what it’s like to homeless? RAG urges you to find out by joining in the annual sleepout.

BUST and BUSMS set to put on their breast shows yet by Don Zolidis. It tells the story of a scriptwriter, whose dreams are fulfilled when a Hollywood studio asks to produce it. To his dismay, however, they transform his beautiful screenplay into a zombie slasher. It should be highly entertaining - I’ve read the script and couldn’t stop laughing! It is showing from the 9th11th December in the Arts Lecture Theatre. Also on the 11th, we have Ch&OS’ Christmas Concert, held in the Ascension Church in Oldfield Park, where you can celebrate Christmas led by the society ensembles and enjoy some carol singing too! Then,

on the 15th, make sure you don’t miss the University of Bath Carol Service, held in Bath Abbey; led by the Chaplaincy and the Chamber Choir. I think that’s everything for this issue, so I will sign off with a quick note: this Wednesday, the 1st December, is World AIDS Day. If you feel like you could spare even as little as 50p or £1, go to www.worldaidsday.org and donate to help people suffering with HIV. Finally, I will close with a quote from Albert Einstein: “Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school”

he annual sponsored University of Bath Sleep Out will take place this Thursday (2nd December). Students will be sleeping outside the University Library with just warm clothes, a sleeping bag and cardboard box shelters for warmth. This event raises money and awareness for Julian House, a charity for homeless men and women in Bath. To keep spirits up in the chilly weather, entertainment will be provided by a range of societies including BodySoc (dance society), Gravity Vomit (juggling and circus skills) and the Bath Jet Cheerleaders. Pizza is being donated by Domino’s and soup by Julian House. There will be prizes including one for best decorated cardboard shelter (art supplies will be provided) and most sponsorship raised. The event is being organised by Ruth Jenkins, a member of RAG at the University. If you wish to offer advice, prizes, food or just interested please email bathrag@bath.ac.uk.

Monday 29th November 2010

bathimpact

Sport

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Is this what boxing has come to? Jack Penrose asks whether the Haye v Harrison fight really deserved all that publicity?

Audley Harrison (presumably with a belt that isn’t his...)

oxing is quite a funny ‘sport’ really. First off, we have to decide whether beating people up for a living is a sport or not, but that’s for another time. The big bout on everyone’s lips over the last few weeks was the allBritish Heavyweight World Title fight between brash World Boxing Association Champion David Haye and former Olympic Champion Audley Harrison on the 13th of November at the Manchester MEN Arena. The fight failed to deliver on much of what it had promised. A couple of tentative opening rounds saw the two Londoners plodding around, with neither particularly looking for an entertaining assault. I don’t usually watch boxing, but even I knew this was a boring contest. It all changed in the third round, however, when Haye started to land some big punches on a shaken Harrison, before unloading a barrage of powerful punches to Harrison’s head, chest and face, causing the giant to go down for an eight count. After the referee had

bathimpact agrees website deal Joe Dibben bathimpact Sports Editor

athimpact is proud to have agreed to share its content with brand new website UniSportOnline. The objective of UniSportOnline (www.unisportonline.co.uk) is to provide a portal for students up and down the country to find out information about university sport, including fixtures and results, match reports and features. The website also provides the

opportunity for students to share video content and pictures, making the website a truly interactive experience. It is hoped that the website will give university sport the publicity that it deserves, while allowing students around the country to share their sporting experiences. The website, which went live just last week, currently has plenty of contributions from the University of Bath (such as our very own VP Sport Andy Crawshaw taking on the golf challenge!)

It is hoped that the website will also give students an opportunity to have a go at enhancing their sports journalism skills. So, if you are interested in contributing to the website, please get in touch with jcd22@bath.ac.uk or matt. brookland@unisportonline.co.uk to find out more details.

Maths continue good form in IDFC Joe Dibben bathimpact Sports Editor

eam Maths maintained their 100% record with another resounding victory. A thumping 10-1 drilling over Group B’s bottom side Electrical Engineering saw them take their third win from three games, and keep top spot in the table. There were some real humdinger contests elsewhere in Group B, as Biology came back from behind twice to inflict a 3-2 defeat on Coach Education, and Chemistry

recovered from 2-0 deficit at half time to beat holders Mechanical Engineering 4-3- although, despite the win, they remain just outside of the playoff spots on goal difference. In Group A, Chemical Engineering moved into fourth spot following a 3-3 draw with Architecture, a game which they had led 2-0 in. Management are up to third with a narrow 2-1 win against bottom side Physics. November 24th will have seen early Group A leaders MoLES take on Sports Science, while secondplaced Economics take on BUMS.

2008 winners Coach Education take on Electrical Engineering. The week afterwards will see Team Maths go up against Mechanical Engineering in Group B, with MoLES taking on Management and Architecture taking on Economics in Group A. Want to get involved in refereeing in the IDFC for £17.50 per game? Contact Patrick Balling (pb318@bath.ac.uk). To get your report featured in bathimpact, please get in touch with Joe Dibben (jcd22@bath.ac.uk).

deemed Harrison OK to continue, Haye continued his vicious onslaught, and the fight was stopped – a victory for Haye by Technical Knockout, with ‘Fraudley’ Harrison having landed a solitary pathetic punch on the World Champ. Boxing fans around the country have called this fight a joke, saying they knew it would be immensely one-sided. I was surprised about how much hype went into this fight. It was as though people were billing it as an even contest. There’s no way that Haye should have even given ‘Floored-ly’ Harrison the time of day. Sadly, I think this is what Heavyweight Boxing has come to: embarrassing, onesided, big money fights which get over-hyped by the media to the point that, after the bout, people want their £15 back from Sky Box Office. Not to mention the added insult that Audley Harrison allegedly made £2m from this disgraceful “performance”. This is my problem with heavyweight boxing. Back in the days of Ali, Marciano and even Tyson, there was a reason to get excited about the big boys hammering

seven bells out of each other, but not any more. The pre-match gobbing off was the prelude to a fight, but not the main event. In the days before Don King, they fought the best; they didn’t give title tilts to has-beens and then market and charge for it as though it is the fight of the century. Today, the quality of boxing is generally so poor, we end up with non-contests that fail to live up to the unnecessary hype, instead raising questions for the justification of their obscene payout . The only good thing to come out of this shameful bout is that the Klitschko camp has woken up and wised up to the fact that they will have to get rid of David Haye if they want their legacy to remain intact. So we could actually see the one exciting boxer in this division (Haye) bumping fists with one or both Ukrainian iron-skulled, powerful units within the next year, before he retires. Then we will know if Haye actually is worth the hype he gives himself. Then again, if you successfully beat people up for a living, you can be forgiven for being a touch arrogant.

RESULTS- 10/11/2010: Group A- Architecture 3, Chemical Engineering 3. Physics 1, Management 2. Group B- Mechanical Engineering 3, Chemistry 4. Team Maths 10, Electrical Engineering 1, Pharmacy P, Computer Sciences P. 17/11/2010: All games postponed due to adverse weather conditions. FIXTURES- 24/11/2010: Group A- Economics v BUMS, Management v Natural Sciences, Chemical Engineering v Physics, MoLES v Sports Science. Group B- Chemistry v Pharmacy, Electrical Engineering v Coach Education. 1/12/2010: Group A- Natural Sciences v Physics, BUMS v Chemical Engineering, MoLES v Management, Architecture v Economics. Group B- Team Maths v Mechanical Engineering, Biology v Computer Sciences. Group A

W D

GF GA

Pts

MoLES

Economics

Management

Chem. Eng

Sports Science

BUMS

Architecture

Nat. Sciences

Physics

Group B

W D

Pts

Team Maths

Mech. Eng

Biology

Coach Ed.

Chemistry

Pharmacy

Comp. Sci

Elec. Eng

Monday 29th November 2010

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Captains’ views

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A great 3-1 victory in a fiercely fought battle right to the whistle to go through to the next round of the Trophy Cup. All of the girls had a great game and it was a deserved win. We’ve had a tough start to the season so it was such a good win.

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Sophie Griffiths, Football, Womens’ 1sts

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Good hockey in a physical game led to a 3-2 victory by the mighty womens’ 5ths.

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Julia Holder, Hockey, Womens’ 5ths

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The netball 2nds played Southampton 1st team for the second time this season. After Southampton gained a four-goal lead in the first minute, at quarter time Bath were drawing 8-8 and the game was starting to look like the previous confrontation where Bath lost all 3 starting quarters and only won the game by 7 in the last 15 minutes. However, Bath dug deep and put into practice the thorough court tactical play that they had been working on. A stunning performance from Hannah Taylor resulted in her receiving player of the match and a Bath win of 39-21.

Mens’ Hockey 4ths voice training concerns Joe Dibben bathimpact Sports Editor

en Foulkes, captain of the University Mens’ 4th hockey team, recently spoke to bathimpact about his significant worries surrounding the lack of training provisions for his team at the Sports Training Village. The fourth XI, who compete in Western Conference 2B, the same division as the second XI, only have a 45 minute slot available to them on the astroturf on Monday at the STV - 9.15 to 10pm on only half a pitch. The side had also found themselves without a coach,

who was forced to leave due to budgetary cuts. The team, however, have only been able to train just once this year after their pitch was doublebooked on three separate occasions by the STV. The team has also been told by the Sports Association that they are not allowed to train at the same time as any football slot on the opposite half of the pitch, due to a health and safety ruling. “This is utterly absurd”, Foulkes told bathimpact. “I have been at university for three years and every year we have shared the astro with other users and never

has there been an incident of any kind.” Two months into the new season, as well as having no coach and seemingly no opportunity to train, the team also still has no team kit. “The result is that our team, through no fault of our own, look a shambles and a let down to the university image as a whole.” “The whole situation is a farce, a joke, and a let down to the university that prides itself on its sporting prowess, particularly in hockey.” The STV and the Sports Association have both said that they will further investigate the matter.

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Emily Nicholls, Netball 2nds

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Netball 1sts continue to dominate the netball scene. Another whitewash performance, keeping them on track for that BUCS gold!

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Mia Ritchie, Netball 1sts

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A bravely fought game, but Exeter just had the edge. A 23-13 scoreline didn’t really reflect the true nature of the contest.

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Andy Crawshaw on Mens’ Rugby 1sts

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The Bath fencing mens’ 1sts demolished the University of Southampton 135 to 63 away from home. Special congratulations go to the Epee squad for winning 45 to 17.

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Barney Williams, Fencing, Mens’ 1sts

Something to say about your team’s performance? Let impactsport know! (jcd22@bath.ac.uk)

The Mens’ Hockey 4ths have been left feeling a little bit disgruntled so far this season.

Home fixtures - support our teams! 1/12/2010: Badminton: Mens’ 3rds v University of Bristol Mens’ 2nds, Womens’ 2nds v Bournemouth University 1sts. Basketball: Mens’ 1sts v University of Southampton 1sts, Womens’ 1sts v University of Winchester 1sts. Fencing: Womens’ 1sts v Aberystwyth University 1sts. Football: Mens’ 2nds v University of Bath 3rds, Mens’ 4ths v UWE 2nds, Womens’ 2nds v University of Gloucestershire 2nds. Hockey: Mens’ 2nds v University of Bristol 2nds, Mens’ 4ths v Cardiff University 2nds, Womens’ 2nds v Cardiff University 3rds, Womens’ 3rds v Royal Agricultural College 1sts, Womens’ 4ths v UWE 2nds, Womens’ 5ths v University of Winchester 2nds. Netball: 3rds v University of Southampton 3rds, 4ths v UWE 3rds. Rugby: Mens’ 1sts v University of Bristol 1sts, Mens’ 2nds v UWE Hartpury 3rds, Mens’ 4ths v University of Winchester 1sts. Squash: Mens’ 2nds v UWE 2nds, Womens’ 1sts v University of Bristol 2nds. Tennis: Mens’ 1sts v University of Exeter 1sts, Womens’ 1sts v University of Exeter 1sts. 8/12/2010: Badminton: Womens’ 1sts v UWIC 1sts. Football: Womens’ 1sts v UWE 1sts. Hockey: Mens’ 1sts v UWE 1sts. Lacrosse: Womens’ 2nds v University of Exeter 2nds. Netball: 2nds v UWIC 2nds. Rugby: Mens’ 4ths v Bath Spa University 2nds, Womens’ 1sts v Aberystwyth University 1sts. Table Tennis: Womens’ 1sts v University of Exeter 1sts. Tennis: Mens’ 2nds v University of Bristol 2nds. Do you want your team’s match report to be featured in impactsport? Get in touch with the Sports Editor to find out more details (jcd22@bath.ac.uk).

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Bath denied after Cardiff late show »»Bath Gladiators 74-77 Cardiff University Ioannis Costas bathimpact Reporter

s the home supporters poured into the Founders’ Hall Colosseum ready for a showdown, they were greeted by the unexpected presence of Cardiff University’s hockey team. Needless to say, the atmosphere was ignited from the start for what was anticipated as a tough and vibrant test for both squads. Cardiff tore into the game, egged on by their fanclub; however, before they knew it, they found themselves on the receiving end of the one-two punch combo courtesy of the Gladiator’s ‘Spanish Connection’: game MVP Enrique García (28 points) and Marc Rovira (14 points). Unfortunately, the home team’s 12-9 advantage was short-lived as Cardiff retaliated by means of its three-point sharp-shooter and his two consecutive shots from beyond the arc. As time ran out, the first

ten minutes of play concluded 15-19. It was no coincidence that the Gladiators managed to stage a comeback during the second period and build a three-point lead whilst Cardiff’s marksman fired blanks. He was in desperate need of a time-out on the bench as he went on a 0-for-3 run from long range. Despite one of the visitor’s main offensive weapons losing productivity, the score remained tight as Bath walked away into the break up leading by one: 31-30. As the third quarter rolled on and both teams’ offences stagnated, Enrique García formally invited the Cardiff players to the block party, treating spectators to three tremendous swats. Obviously, the opposition failed to realise that there was some fine print when they RSVPed – it read: “get that weak stuff outta here”. With Bath down 36-40, Coach Wright’s time-out bolstered the team with renewed energy and inspiration: the Gladiators

went on an 11-2 run and, with 1:51 on the clock, were up 47-42. Smiles quickly turned to frowns, however, as Cardiff hit two successive three pointers, though García’s pair of free throws ensured Bath would start the final quarter leading 49-48. After trading baskets and three pointers, the Gladiators broke away again in the fourth by means of Rovira’s clutch two-possession play: a steal and a lay-up were followed by a threepoint shot which put Bath ahead, 63-59. 1:15 of regular game time left. After both teams took a couple of free throws, the score stood at 65-62. 13 seconds remained. Cardiff ball. Despite the full court press, the visitors managed to move the ball around and find the open man in the corner. He aimed, jumped, released, and sank the three-point shot on the buzzer. We were going to overtime. The buzzer-beater had damaged the Gladiators’ motivation whilst pro-

Enrique Garcia was Bath’s top scorer with 28 points. viding the visitors with wings. Whereas the home team struggled to score, Cardiff were riding on momentum and kept winning trips to the free-throw line (from which they were scarily efficient: 10-for-14). At 71-77 with 37 seconds left, Matt Blair refused to throw in the towel as he scored an emphatic three-point shot. 74-77. Bath recovered the ball – 9 seconds left. Wybe Blankvoort found a gap and attempted a three-pointer which rattled off the rim. García scooped up the rebound, scrambled to the three-point line, spun

in mid-air for a ridiculously tough shot as the clock winded down, released the jumper- and witnessed the ball bounce off the rim. Coach Wright, and the rest of the team, were disappointed with the 7477 score: “We allowed emotions to get the better of us and not focus on what we are good at: playing basketball.” Nonetheless, he showed eagerness to face them at Cardiff, by which time the Gladiators will have “worked on breaking down their [opponents] basic game”.

Monday 29th November 2010

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Bath Snowsports compete in BUCS dry slope event Lucy Saunders bathimpact Reporter

n the weekend of the November 5th, Bath Snowsports hit the North to take part in the annual British University Dry Ski Slope Championships at the Midlothian Sports Centre in Hillend, Edinburgh. In total, 70 universities made the trek over the border for the world’s biggest dry ski slope event, with more than 2000 students and 1100 competitors joining the fun on the longest dry ski slope in Europe. The uni’s ski club was amongst those tearing up all 900 metres of the piste offered by Hillend and braving the freezing Scottish weather. The weekend events were kicked off on the Friday with the ski slalom competition; an especially tricky course at Hillend requiring concentration and speed from all those daring to tackle it. Those from Bath who successfully completed the course and finished with both skis firmly attached all achieved respectable times of around thirty seconds. Particularly impressive was Bath race captain Simon Becket, who flew down the course in a time of 19.75 seconds. His time, less than one second behind the fastest racer, earned him qualification to the second round on Saturday where he completed the course in 28.96 seconds, placing him 13th out of the 26 racers

who had made it through. Bath racers not managing to reach the finish line at least impressed with some epic crashes, including a stirling effort from Chris Fossa, complete with John McEnroe celebration afterwards. Meanwhile, the Bath boarders were leaving their own mark on the Scottish turf, carving tight lines in both the women and men’s boarder giant slalom. In the women’s competition, Yvette Earley finished 13th out of 45 racers and, from the men’s board team, Rob Wagner and Andrew Barnes finished 21st and 23rd respectively out of more than 120 competitors.

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Bath racers not reaching the finish line at least impressed with some epic crashes...

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Racing recommenced bright and early on the Saturday morning with the promise of sunshine to accompany another day of top skiing events. In the first event of the Sno!zone giant slalom, Bath’s rivals Bristol clinched the top spot in the women’s race and, just eight seconds behind the fastest time, Bath fresher Robynne Smith earned herself a placing of 51st out of 125 racers - a nice effort in only her second time of rac-

ing for the club. In the men’s grand slalom Newcastle Uni came out on top, completing the course in 25.51 seconds. Following closely behind were ski race captain Simon Beckett and fresher Henry Carr on the thirty second mark, earning themselves the positions of 27th and 33rd respectively. Racers Tom Saunders and Jamie Batabyal, with times of 33.55 and 34.21 seconds, managed positions in the top 100 followed by Ed Ter Harr, Matt Franceschi and Jon De Beaux, all finishing within the top 150 racers. In the afternoon, the morning sunshine quickly made way to standard Scottish weather, whipping up spray on the slope and turning the sidelines into a muddy bog. The show went on though, and in the Liberty men’s ski big air event, a backwards somersault from Bath’s freestyler Tom Saunders resulted in him clinching the 24th spot out of 28 competitors. The uni’s final entry was in the ski team dual slalom and, despite qualifying for the second round by defeating Imperial firsts, Bath’s racers were unfortunately knocked out by their bitter rivals from Bristol. All in all, a great effort from Bath Snowsports, including some great racing experience that will no doubt be of use in the upcoming Kings races against fellow competitors from the Western league.

Action from the BUCS dry slope championships which took place at the start of the month in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Kiwis on campus! Joe Dibben bathimpact Sports Editor

here was great excitement in the bathimpact office last Tuesday when news reached our ears that the New Zealand rugby team, affectionately known as the All Blacks, were training on campus ahead of the final match of their Autumn tour against Wales in Cardiff over the weekend. Head coach Graham Henry and

his side were spotted in the STV before they moved out onto the 1st XV pitch. Although the training session, which was deliberately low key, was only attended by members of the associated press, an intrepid team of bathimpact reporters (myself included) did their best to get a unique glimpse of the mighty All Blacks on our campus! It may have only been a brief encounter, but it was a pleasure to see them in action nonetheless.

The All Blacks in training at our very own STV last Tuesday.

impactsport

Haye v Harrison: did anyone really believe the hype? Boxing, p24 Monday 29th November 2010

Inside impactsport Bath Snowsports in action at BUCS The University of Bath’s Snowsports athletes were in action recently at the BUCS dry slope championships in Edinburgh, Scotland. See page 27 to read the review and see the photos

Cruel defeat for Gladiators

Bath’s Marcus Bateman (first from left) took silver in the men’s double scull alongside crewmate Matt Wells (second from left).

Bath rowers excel at World Championships »»Bath-based athletes take back medals for GB Joe Dibben bathimpact Sports Editor

niversity of Bath-based rowers contributed to the Great British rowing team’s most successful performance ever at a world championships, with students Marcus Bateman and Heather Stanning both taking home silver medals from the recent event in Lake Karapiro, New Zealand. Bateman and crewmate Matt Wells took silver in a hard-fought race in the men’s double scull -the Brits had led through the 500m, 1000m and 1500m marks, but were hauled back in the final 250m by the New Zealand team who were being encouraged by a

buoyant home crowd. The duo, nicknamed the ‘Red Express’ due to both rowers having red hair, did however do enough to fend off the threat of the French team who finished in third position. Bath’s Heather Stanning also came back home with a silver medal, following a second-place finish in the womens’ pair alongside UWIC’s Helen Glover. The girls showed no fear in their first ever world championships, as throughout the race they doggedly hung on to the coat-tails of reigning world champions New Zealand while holding off the challenge of the USA behind them. Elsewhere, Victoria Thornley, who also trains at the Bath’s Minerva Rowing Club, was un-

fortunate to just miss out on the medals, as she and her seven crewmates finished in fourth position in the womens’ eight. This is an even more incredible achievement when you consider that Thornley has only been rowing for three years. Bath graduate Adam FreemanPask, alongside crewmate Chris Boddy, finished in sixth position in the lightweight mens’ pair. In a highly impressive showing, the British team topped the overall medals table for the first time ever, taking home a haul of four golds, four silvers and a bronze, as well as a gold and a silver in the Paralympic events. Things are certainly looking promising for rowing ahead of the Olympic

Games in London in 2012, and Bath athletes are right at the centre of the excitement.

Bath’s Heather Stanning took silver in the womens’ pair.

The university basketball team, the Bath Gladiators, suffered an agonising last-gasp defeat against Cardiff University last week, losing 74-77 despite Enrique Garcia’s 28-point contribution. See page 26 for Ioannis Costas’ report of all the action

Captains’ views Hear all of the news and views of last week’s games from the sports captains, as Bath continue to enjoy sporting success across the board. See page 25 to find out what they had to say

impactsport needs you! Do you want to write a match report for your team? Do you have something to say about sport at our university? Interested in sports journalism, design or photography? Or even just passionate about sport in general? Get in touch! impactsport wants to hear from people like you! Contact the bathimpact Sports Editorial Team (jcd22@bath.ac.uk) to find out more details about how you can get yourself involved and get your team, your views, your designs or your photography seen.