bathimpact Issue 5 Vol 13 by bathimpact

Homesick?

Sprouting fumes?

Pucker up

News page 4

Science page 19

with bite

bathimpact The University of Bath Students’ Union Newspaper

Monday 5th December 2011

www.bathimpact.com

Sam Short

Volume 13 Issue 5

In this week’s bathimpact Gypsy homes Bath and North East Somerset council are undergoing a consultation process to accertain how they can accomodate Bath’s local traveller population. This comes at a time when the future of student multiple occupancy living is still under threat by the new Article 4 Direction. Find out how to have your say... Turn to page 6 of News

Sam Short

The problems of placement

Strikers marched across the city of Bath in protest against government cuts to pensions as part of a national day of action

This is the time of year when many students are starting to think about placements. For some, this is a case while others have to consider different priorities. Many students need to put the wages before the job spec, something which makes the process

Protest to protect pensions African unrest See page 9 of Comment

Tomos Evans bathimpact Deputy ovember 30th brought the largest strikes in the UK for a generation, bringing some parts of the country to a halt. An estimated two million workers walked out in protest over the proposed reform to their pensions. Bath was not immune to the biggest public sector strikes since the Winter of Discontent. Since coming to power, the Coalition Government has long argued the need for public sector pension reform due to the rising cost, for the taxpayer, of pensioners living longer. Pushed by the Government is the idea that the current system is unaffordable, complicated and out of date. Proposals from Whitehall which since receiving royal assent are due to be phased in over the next four years are seen as both unfair and unnecessary by trade unions. Although existing contributions to pension schemes will be protected, it

is widely accepted that public sector workers will enter retirement with a smaller pension than is the case currently. Along with an increase of contribution by workers, pension reforms

will be done using the Consumer Price Index (CPI), not the Retail Price Index (RPI) which has been consistently higher than its CPI, due to the inclusion of council tax and mortgage Although the Government and trade unions have been in talks since February they have been far from constructive. Trade unions such as Unison have accused the coalition of making them “accept that the pension plans are an economic necessity when in fact they are just another way of making public sector workers pay for the banking crisis”. Whereas Ministers accuse unions of having ‘jumped the gun’ as negotiations are still continuing. During the build-up to the strikes there was a ramping up of the

rhetoric, with condemnation emanating from the Government declaring it would “wreck” the economy but only slight disappointment being shown by the Labour party and Ed Miliband. The strikes had a dramatic affect in the South West. Schools, collages, nurseries and children’s centres were the hardest hit areas with almost 75 being closed in the B&NES area alone. Royal United Hospital, Bath also reported disruption to services, with a ‘handful’ operations being cancelled. Waste collection by the council was interrupted as some households rubbish was not collected. As part of the industrial action, trade union members marched on the centre of Bath. The march of about 1,500 people took in George Street, before returning to Victoria Park for speeches. The protesters were joined by Occupy Bath for part of their journey. The march in Bath was mirrored

across the West and UK with protests occurring Taunton, Birmingham and Edinburgh. Nationally, the effect of the strikes on airports and ports was limited, with the NHS appearing to have had the brunt of the strikes with thousands of operation and outpatient appointments being cancelled across the nation. Disruption to the University was partial. A small picket line near the bus stops on Norwood Avenue, did not cause many problems for students or non-striking staff. Inevitably, some lectures were forced to be cancelled, as expected. It should be noted that the amount of classes disrupted was higher than expected. Transport to campus was unaffected and the University was “pleased to have been able to maintain [their] normal opening hours for facilities across campus” due to “careful planalso ran as normal.

Kenya have invaded Somalia to overthrow the militant rule in the failed state. This latest development on the continent stricken with interabout international intervention and it’s legitimacy. Intervention in Somalia by various actors has failed dramatically in the past, will this case be any different?

See International page 17

A very merry student Xmas Nia Evans takes a look at how you can make your student house/halls Christmas meal extra special this season. So don’t give up hope and crack out the baked beans and Ben & Jerry’s just yet. Perfect roastie recipes will make you want a bite. On page 19 of bite

Monday 5th December 2011

Editorials

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Kylie Barton Editor-in-Chief

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The University of Bath Students’ Union Newspaper

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The Leveson Inquiry: where is the line?

he press have been doomed to the same fate that awaited politicians after the expenses scandal. The expenses scandal, however, was relatively limited to one catastrophic series of incidents, the hacking scandal and the resulting Leveson Inquiry, opened a can of worms that had been rotting for decades. You may say politicians have been ripping us off for decades too, but the sour taste left in one’s mouth is somewhat stronger when the betrayal is by those who usually oust exploiters, those who claim to be the cornerstone of democracy and tool to hold to account those of higher power. It is important to note, however, no good came out of the expenses scandal (well, except for the wildlife who were -

haps). When used properly, investigative journalism results in the uncovering of events that may otherwise have been left in the void of the unknown. Without investigative journalists, we wouldn’t know when those who govern us are screwing us over - but there are obviously some individual cases where the investigative principle is applied to irrelevant contexts, such as the world of celebrity or other nonsociety-changing content. There is a line, which some reporters obviously

yellow, so no one gets tripped up by it again. The Leveson Inquiry was founded in the wake of the hacking scandal, in which media mogul Murdoch and his company News International were at the centre. This itself was the result

of the investigative work carried out by other media outlets. The question raised was by what means can facts for a story be obtained, and the answer is obviously not by hacking into phones and paying policeman private detectives, that just devalues an already dying profession. The Prime Minister announced the inquiry in July this year to investigate the practices and ethical conducts of journalists and granted the inquiry permission to make recommendations for future regulatory policies in relation to the media. In recent months, the number of ures stepping forth to raise questions about the way they were treated has dramatically escalated to over 50, after names such as Sienna Miller came out of the process with considerable damages. The inquiry will deal with each

on a case by case basis in court proceedings that started in November. The problem here is that the media is for once becoming the victim of sensationalism as opposed to being the ones generating it. The hype surrounding journalistic conduct is being taken completely out of context, and is not relative to the large amount of good work that is done by the profession. Freedom of the press is an integral part of society, wrongdoings need to be addressed and prevented, but independence must be retained to facilitate the democratic functioning. As said by the man himself, Lord Justice Leveson: “The press provide an essential check on all aspects of public life. That is why any failure within the media affects all of us. At the heart of this Inquiry, therefore, may be one simple question: who guards the guardians?”.

2011: this was the year of the people...

istory looks back on any given year and highlights important events, shifts in thinking and how the moulding of the future took place. It also, with hindsight, highlights individuals; Single people who influenced more than most the way the world worked, either for that year or those directly succeeding it. News outlets often have a stab at who that person might end up being. The most famous of these is Time Magazine’s Person of The Year. At bathimpact we thought there was no reason why we couldn’t do the same, and so we sat for rather a long time and considered all the people who had done things this year which seemed to be, to some

degree, “important”. Aside from a shortlist which contained all of our names, because let’s face it we’re a big deal, we didn’t come up with much. Thinking about it more it’s perhaps because this was not the year of any single person. When history remembers 2011, it will not remember Zine Ali, it will remember the Tunisian Revolution. It will remember the ousting of a longtime leader who country was rife with corruption and unemployment, whilst devoid of the freedoms of speech and expression. It will not remember Hosni Mubarak, it will remember the Egyptian Revolution, led largely by non-violent civil resistance and disobedience. No doubt

it will remember Gaddafi, but probably only as the villain of the story. The Libyan Civil War will not slip from memory quickly. It was not led by one person. It was a populist movement, that gained support from around the world. Lest we forget the Syrian Uprising. Governments using tanks and snipers to force peaceful marches off the streets. Citizens holding their ground. I hope, if nothing else, that we can read back these events and be proud of the common man. The Arab Spring has seen people from almost every Arab nation stand up and ask fundamental questions about their own liberties. It has seen them openly ask each other;

“Do we deserve more?”. It was from these events that the Western World saw the Occupy Movement. Starting on Wall Street as a protest against the social and economic disparity now seen between the very wealthy and the “99%”, it has stretched across the globe, even as far as Bath. It is perhaps too soon to tell the impact of the movement but already it has started a much needed set of conversations at every level about where our respective countries are heading and ultimately if the people are happy with it. There is no doubt in my mind that this year was the year of the people, at for that each and every one of us should be proud.

...except for us apathetic students

t has been a year of change. There have been strikes, protests and deaths. There have also been fee rises, the Article 4 Direction and Sports fees that directly affect us all as students. The difference between these two areas of change? Apathy. The strikes on November 30th have received huge media coverage, caused many problems and involved several people who are passionate about what the strikes mean and what their actions stand for. Deaths of political leaders incited hundreds of people across the world to voice their opinions and let people know what they wanted and how they felt. In the student world, we had fee rises. Students will have to pay £9,000

tuition fees in September. In November last year we had a stunning protest in London to oppose this - we showed the world what we had to say. This year we had an equal chance to do that. We ended up with a poorly attended and incredibly violent ‘protest’ (for want of a better word) that did nothing but undermine the integrity we hold as students and as individuals. When it transpired that sports fees at this University were to go ahead, we didn’t seem too bothered. We pay it because we don’t really have a choice. If we don’t like it, we’ll complain to our friends about how we didn’t even have a say and the University are so awful for doing it but, at the time when we could have had all the say in the world, nobody stood up and said no.

There was a protest against the Article 4 Direction, which will massively affect and inconvenience all students present and future at the University if it goes ahead; it was poorly attended. We had the chance to show all the councillors, who were on campus, exactly what we thought and how much we opposed it. We didn’t. Is it because we don’t care or because we can’t be bothered? Are we predisposed to want to moan about it later and sit and do nothing right now? The student response to many of the issues faced this year seems to be one of little concern - the attitude that if it’s happened or going to happen, stereotypical student demographic of only really being concerned about the

here and now? Or have we become so disenfranchised with the government that we feel there’s no point trying to enforce change as nothing will come of it anyway? We seem to have lost sight education. One of the most important things in this country. bad parenting, youth crime and unemployment and a lack of skills across the labour market and blame it on a lack of education, they should be prepared to listen to those of us who are in Higher Education and have things to say about why it isn’t working and why we’re ending up in the situations we’re in. And at the end of the day, the biggest problem we face is forgetting what

Monday 5th December 2011

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Kylie Barton bathimpact Editor-in-Chief impact-editor@bath.ac.uk

The situation in the UK has now

per cent, with 21.9 per cent of young people unemployed. Many comnomenon as ‘The Lost Generation’

Forest Service

ast month, the NUS demanded urgent action as the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) surged. The Department for Education has stated that this year, the number of NEETs has increased by around 24 year olds), which demonstrates education of the UK’s under 18’s, argues the National Union of Students. President Liam Burns said, “It is a scandal that so many young people are being consigned to a grim future without any prospect of education, work or training.”

been axed, including the Future Jobs Fund which ensured that teen-

Young people are keen to take up new opportunities, but are there work places for them? long term problem in the UK, with

showing that the estimated lifetime cost of 16-18 year old NEETs in one year to be somewhere between £22£77bn. Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) was also axed by the

opportunities if they were not able to Youth unemployment has been a

in applications, many citing the de-

ing factor behind the reduction in numbers. emphasis on increasing the number of apprenticeships offered as a reto implement new measures to stop the trend from worsening.Research by the Institute for Public Policy Research showed that the apprentice-

ship system is not reaching its target demographic. Apprenticeships went and only 37,000 out of 126,000 places went to young people.The effects on society of a large number of NEETs is said to be widespread. With people who fall out of the education system and fail to gain employment in early life, more likely to earn lower wages later in life, experience more job insecurity and low

for focusing on number crunching, stating that, in fact, the number of young unemployed is 730,000 (which excludes the 300,000 students looking for employment), instead of tackling the growing crisis. This is also in a time where the duced by 10,000 and potential students are increasingly put off by the tending a higher education institution will incur. generates any news proposals to address the problem is yet to be seen. But for now, the unemployment rate for young people stands at more than double that of the rest of the population, and shows no sign of decreasing.

port for Early Career Researchers. The award ceremony took

Anthony Masters bathimpact Deputy listed for three awards in the prestigious Times Higher EduTeacher of the Year, Outstanding Contribution to Leadership De-

House Hotel and was hosted by comedian Rob Brydon and Keith Chegwin was the Master of Ceremonies. Dr Simon Inger, who attended

be shortlisted and it was great to gent at the award. Although we night.”

Maastricht is becoming a popular destination for British students searching for a cheaper alternative Clodagh McGuire bathimpact Contributor

fees rising to £9,000 a year, students are looking to study abroad in a bid to

at some US institutes are now similar to the upper limit of UK tuition fees, but the US has lower 4,000 students and parents attended an information day on US colleges organised by the Fulbright

Studying abroad does not necthe job market following graduation. It has been historically difficult for international institutions to entice UK students away from sands of them are opting out of the UK system. There has been a marked increase in interest in European

problem. There are more than 2,400 courses taught in English in non-English speaking parts of Europe. One such country that offers English taught courses is Holland, fers a non-repayable grant worth

£228 per month and a tuition fee loan if students work part time whilst studying. One Dutch institute attracting sity, which is on a par with some tuition fees work out at roughly ish students enrolled last year, there are expected to be more than 600 places for British students in 2012. Studying abroad may be a good nationally recognised degree and Park Lane in London, the perfect setting for the prestigious awards

employment.

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‘Scholarship arms race’ Boy’s home blues Sophie Sachrajda bathimpact Contributor

Bethan Rees bathimpact Contributor

tudents have long been accus-

for university places, but it could soon be the institutions themtition, as a recent change in government policy is predicted to cause a ‘scholarship arms race’ among universities, offering cash incentives to attract the highest achieving applicants. New government legislation means universities are now free to offer an unlimited number of places to students attaining two As and B or higher at A Level. This has provoked concern amongst middle-ranking universities, who - according to director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, Bahram Bekhradnia - are, ‘vulnerable to losing some of their AAB+ students to more selective, more prestigious, institutions’. Coinciding with the tuition fee increase to £9,000, from next September, several universities will ofof higher education for their applicants. City University London will be paying an annual scholarship of £3,000 to ‘AAB+’ students, while Northumbria will offer £1,000 per year, provided students pass their University assessments. Surrey has also promised £2,000 to candidates

who achieve three A grades, prochoice. Despite being ranked among the top 20 British institutions, Leicester is offering £2,000 annually, as well as departmental scholarships of £1,250 to help towards tuition fees if students meet more Middle-ranking universities will be competing with the older and more prestigious institutions including Bath, along with Oxford, Cambridge, Exeter, University College London, London School of Economics, Bristol, Durham and Warwick, who currently attract the most ‘AAB+’ applicants. These universities are already associated with enrolling a lower proportion of students from state education, however, and the merit-based cash incentive initiative has been accused

of disadvantaging the less privileged student further. Professor of Higher Education Policy at Birkbeck College, London, states: “All the research from the US which has a long history of scholarships which are purely merit-based shows that they are to the advantage of middle and upper class white students who are the ones who predominantly achieve the necessary test scores.” This said, a representative of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills has stated that the reforms are designed to free up places at the most desirable institutions and new access rules will continue to support He adds: “Beyond this, universities are free to use their own resources in any way they choose in order to attract new students.”

recent survey of 1,000 freshers has found that male students feel homesick more often than females with 70 per cent of them claiming that they feel ‘lost’ without being around home comforts or their family. The data collected by National Express shows that 20 per cent fewer females miss home than males, however, they travel home more often as almost a third of girls return ing at University. When looking at how students adjust to becoming independent it seems that gender is not the only variable, with levels of homesickness varying greatly throughout Britain. Students in Belfast, Southampton and Glasgow appear the most homesick while those in the Midlands and in Brighton seem to

as having their bed made or their washing and ironing done. Both sexes ford them to return home as often as they would like and as a result the vast majority can only travel home less than three times a term. One conclusion that can be drawn from all the information found by the survey is that homesickness is a problem that affects almost every student and is something which can make the process of settling into university exIf you have been affected by homesickness, there are many services and resources available to give you advice and guidance. The Advice and Representation centre located in the SU is always on hand to provide advice on student-run listening service Nightline is available from Wednesday to Sunday 8pm- 8am to help anyone who is -

of the home. It seems there are many different reasons that are given by students to explain why they miss home. The most common explanation provided by male students was that they miss their Mum’s advice and cooking, with a third of them even going as far as to say that they would travel home just for a cooked meal. On the other hand, the top reasons listed by females were that they missed home comforts such

Leeds looted Petrol station scene of tragic local suicide just savage there were so many people. There was nothing you could do - as soon as you lifted your head you. It was just horrible.” University security has been stepped up in the light of these offenses, along with increased CCTV footage and police patrol. Eleven teenagers have been arrested in connection with these attacks and the similar harassment of 16 people two weeks prior.

Bribery banned The University has developed an anti-bribery policy in response to the introduction of the Bribery Act 2010, which came into force on 1 July 2011. The policy is aimed at ensuring students are not victims of bribery or corruption, or are facilitators of it. In a press statement on the University website, an emphasis is put on how staff and students who choose to engage in such actions will be susceptible to ‘prosecution and severe penalties’ if convicted, and how

the University’s reputation would be put at stake if the above was to occur. The policy does not only apply to actions within the institutional constudents or associates of Bath are caught partaking in similar actions

bribery is broad”. The new policy can be viewed on the University website, along with adself in a potentially corrupt situation.

Sophie Sachrajda bathimpact Contributor n the evening of Monday 15th November a 55-year old woman died from severe burns in a tragic incident in Bath between the Homebase store and the Sainsbury’s filling station at Pinesway. The woman, who was from Bath but who has not yet been named, was found on fire after having bought a small jerrycan of petrol from two members of staff at the station. It was then that the woman, who it is understood suffered from mental health problems, moved away from the forecourt and began to pour petrol over herself. Two fire-engines were called and the victim was rushed to the Royal United Hospital with serious burns but later died of her injuries. The petrol station was closed and the surrounding area sealed off. The police have released a statement saying that they are not treating the death as suspicious but are

Sam Short

Innocent Leeds citizens, including university students, were attacked in a masked mass ambush last week. A group of youths aged 14-19 allegedly targeted the victims at night, working in groups of as many as 15 people at a time, stealing mobile phones, wallets and cash. Ten people were assaulted within half an hour of each other, with two needing hospital treatment. One student claimed: “It was

The Sainsburys forecourt that was the scene of the incident investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The paramedics present at the scene have praised the staff and passers-by that bravely used a fire extinguisher, blanket and bottles of water in an attempt to douse the flames and to ease the victim’s burns. The ambulance service has said they want to thank those members of the public who ‘attempted selflessly to extinguish this woman’. Lindsey Roughsedge, Sainsbury’s store manager, has reached out to those employees from the petrol station who might have been

left traumatised. She says ‘our focus now is to help and support colleagues who have been affected in whatever way we can’. Support is also being offered by the Great Western Ambulance service to reassure the paramedics that were present at the scene. If you have been feeling down or are worried about a friend, do not hesitate to seek advice or specialist knowledge. The Advice and Representation centre is available on level 3 of the SU to offer confidential advice to all students or the counselling service can be contacted on 01225(38)5538.

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News Nuggets Question Time visits Bath O

Christmas banquet Charlotte Lightowler bathimpact Contributor

Sam Short

University of Bath students are bringing a bit of festive cheer to Bath this year, by organising a Christmas banquet for the homeless. The meal is part of the “Future of Bath” scheme, set up by business administration students who aim to tackle various social issues in the city through working with local businesses, on this occasion, with the Genesis Trust. One of the students taking part, Will Moore, 23, explains the initiative: “We wanted to establish a so-

cial project in a social group where we could work with businesses in the city to raise awareness about particular issues. We really wanted to focus on homelessness.” The dinner, with an expected turn-out of 100, will also be advertising a skills workshops to improve employability amongst the homeless. The event takes place on Friday 2nd December from 4pm in the ballroom at The Forum, St James Parade. If businesses are interested in sponsoring the banquet, they can contact Mr Moore at wam24@bath. ac.uk or on 07873127201.

Students make a bed out of Big Issues to raise awareness

Taxing councillors A Freedom of Information Act request by the Taxpayers’ Alliance has revealed that eight Bath and North East Somerset councillors had to be reminded to pay their council tax in the last two years. The council has not released any of these councillors’ identities, including one in which legal action was required before they paid their

tax. Tim Newark, Bath Taxpayers’ Alliance spokesman, said that councillors should “lead by example, not delay or avoid paying their council tax”. The total amount owed from the reminder letters was £3,429.55. A response from B&NES council said that reminder letters were “extremely common”.

Global student protests Students across the world have been marching on their capital cities in protest. Dublin bore witness to 20,000 students, angry at the prospect of tuition fees in Northern Ireland being increased in the forthcoming Stormont budget, reneging on a previous election pledge. Rome too was awash with students

protesting both about a proposed rise in tuition fees, as well as the introduction of austerity measures by Italy’s new Prime Minister, due to their suffering economy. Whereas in Manila students united in protest against the perceived inequalities in international relations, the US and the Philippines.

In response to the question, “Is the coalition the ‘greenest government ever’?” King criticised the Government’s reduction in FeedIn Tariffs for photovoltaic energy (electrical solar power), which Huhne defended on the grounds of a fall in the cost of such energy. King, along with several members of the audience, emphasised that the controversy was not over the decision itself but the fact it was

taken before the end of the consultation period, which is likely to cause hundreds of job losses in the sector. bathimpact‘s Editor-in-Chief, Kylie Barton, and Students’ Union VP Sport, Chris Clements, were among the many who applied to be in the audience but were unsuccessful. This, and previous episodes are available to watch on the Question Time website.

It’s Christmas time again Cerian Jenkins bathimpact News Editor impact-news@bath.ac.uk

ath’s famous Christmas Market has once more been pulling in the crowds this year. With more than 130 stalls selling a variety of beautiful handcrafted gifts, people from all over the counChristmas shopping. The local council had anticipated its popularity, on Avon Street, as well as measures

to deal with the coach loads of eager tourists looking for that perfect present. The Christmas Market’s opening comes just one week after the unveiling of Bath’s Christmas lights. The lights in Bath town centre were lit by John Cleese and X Factor’s Lascel Woods amid much fanfare. There was a high attendance to the event which has become increasingly important in Bath’s run-up to Christmas. In recent years Bath has been

This year John Cleese switched on the Xmas lights in the city centre

Sam Short

A UK Charity, Blast, has claimed that an increasing number of young men at university are considering selling their bodies to help them pay for the rising costs of studying. Phil Mitchell, a spokesperson from the charity, said that Blast had seen a rise in calls and emails from students wanting advice and information about selling sex, under the assumption that “it’s the quickest, easiest way to make

some cash.” Mr Mitchell believes that the reason for the rising number of calls was due to the rise in tuition fees. Students with money problems are reminded that they should seek advice from their institution and Students’ Union.

Sam Short

Alice Oakley bathimpact Contributor

n Thursday 24th November, the iconic political panel debate show Question Time came to Bath. The panel consisted of the Energy and Climate Change Secretary and Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne, Conservative Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Daniel Hannan, Labour MP Liz Kendall, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and Justin King, Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s and probably the University of Bath’s best known alumnus. The discussion opened with a debate on the then-upcoming public sector strike on November 30th, before moving on to the Leveson Inquiry into media misconduct and a debate over the merits of a free press. Half an hour into the programme, the spotlight was turned on King with the question, “Are executive salaries out of control?” King replied that his company was open and honest with executive salaries, including his own £900,000 per year pay package. Former student, Andrew Seed was in the audience and joined in the discussion: “I agree that success should be linked to wage, but I don’t agree that there shouldn’t be a limit. Even £900,000 is immoral because it could make hundreds of people’s lives better, and I think they should be moderated by the consumers. The Government can help but it’s really in the power of the audience, who can choose to boycott companies who have big bonuses and really big wages.”

Sam Short

Simon O’Kane reports on a national treasure’s trip to the city

Bath Christmas market... festive trying especially hard to improve its attractiveness to shoppers, and become a top Christmas shopping destination in the UK. Currently it is ranked 8th in the top ten Christmas shopping destinations, beating both Cardiff and Dublin. The annual market is organised by marketing agency Bath Tourism Plus and runs until December 11, with a traditional Victorian carousel in Stall Street, and a list of all the stalls at this year’s event is available online at: www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk.

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University animal testing Clodagh McGuire bathimpact Contributor

fter being taken to an Information Tribunal, Newcastle University is being forced to reveal details of its research involving animal testing on monkeys. Researchers carried out brain where they implanted electrodes to measure brain activity, whilst they carried out particular tasks. They were forcibly held down by their heads and bodies, which most likely caused them high levels of stress. Whilst this research was fully reguUnion for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) thought the research unnecessary. They claimed one

scientist had been refused permission to carry out similar research in Germany because it was deemed unfering and the lack of applications to human health. BUAV disagrees with the strictest regulators of animal research in the world, using this as an

legal proceedings, but after a three year legal battle the tribunal panel sided with BUAV. They said “refusal to communicate with the public carries its own risks...creating the impression there is something to is understood to go to the Court of

from Newcastle University on these for this research under the Animal then submitted a Freedom of Inlicences on the research. However, Newcastle University claimed releasing this information would endanger the safety of the scientists involved and harm their commercial

decision is made by the Court of Appeals, the tribunal is allowing Newcastle University to withhold the licences. BUAV believes that the public has a right to know what happens to these monkeys, believing this research to be highly controversial and using invasive procedures. Following the decision made by the Information Tribunal panel, BUAV chief

Muhammad Mahdi Karim

are delighted with this ruling. Once again, the courts have dismissed

Do you know what happens to this fella behind closed doors?

Council seeks public opinion on travellers

ath and North East Somerset Council are seeking the views of local people on how they should accommodate for the needs of the local Gypsy and Traveller population. The Council state that they are “committed to meeting current and future needs of these communities,” as well as taking into account the views and wishes of residents. In order to do this, they have published as Issues and Options paper. This lays out the main issues relating to the Gypsy and Traveller population, such as how sites should be provided, and asks for citizens of Bath to come forward with information on potential sites. The 2007 Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assesment (GTAA) collected enough evidence to encourage the Council to plan to provide twenty-two permanent residential pitches, twenty transit pitches and one Travelling Showpeople yard across the District. The GATT evidence, as well as

information on the consultation document and contact details can be found online at www.bathnes. gov.uk/planningfortravellers This is your chance, as residents decisions in shaping how sites are selected and deciding what kind and size of sites should be provided. The Council stated that “early community involvement will help to ensure this document better reinterest in it.” Therefore, any comments or suggestions on the information on sites can be sent in using Response Forms. These will be available to download from dedicated webpages, or available, in all local libraries and at The Guildhall, Bath, The Hollies, Midsomer Norton, and Riverside, Keynsham. The closing date for consultation is 16 January 2012. For all the latest news from the Council, you can also subscribe to it's Twitter Feed: www.twitter. com/bathnes

This case may have an important impact in the way animal testing is carried out at all public institutions. In future, universities may be forced to be more open about their research, allowing the public to have a better understanding of what is happening to the animals and why the research is being carried out.

New housing strategy A

new housing strategy has been announced by the Coalition Government, which hopes to make it easier for people in England to buy and rent homes. It includes a mortgage guarantee er, new rules ensuring money from council house sales goes towards building more council houses, an under the “Affordable Homes Programme” and allow local councils to take over neglected homes that have been left abandoned. Prime Minister David Cameron said: “The housing market has got stuck. We are determined as a coalition government to unstick that market, to get the market moving.” In response to the leader Ed Miliband said: “These measures are too little, too late from the man who was responsible for choking off growth in the British economy when he came to power.” This new housing strategy is mul-

tifaceted, involving plans to consult on increasing discounts under the right to buy scheme, which allows social housing tenants to purchase their rented properties. A consultation on whether social tenants should pay market rents if they wish to remain in that particular property will also be conducted. The mortgage indemnity scheme, which involves the government posed to lenders, could help up to 100,000 prospective buyers in England. The majority of lenders have been typically asking for a 20 per

In a foreword to the new housing strategy, Cameron and Clegg say “By building rates had reached lows not seen in peace time since the 1920s.” Only 121,000 new homes were made available in 2010-11, which is barely to ministers. The number of new homes built each year in England by local authorities has nearly evaporated since council tenants were givprivate companies building new

2011.

Is this a sight you’re happy with? Go along and have your say.

Fine for landlord Bath and North East Somerset Council have successfully prosecuted a landlord from Bath over the condition of his rented property. Mr Hei Ting Cheung had a number of complaints brought against him for various breaches

unsuitable for the property, given

lems, which resulted in the Council prosecuting him under Section 30 of the Housing Act 2004.

to enter the housing market. Stewart property, which is located at The Oval and registered as a HMO (house in multiple occupation).

House Builders Federation, said: “In recent years, many people have been unable to realise their dreams of buying a home because of the It has been estimated by ministers that the average deposit for a home in the South West of England could

Sam Short

Anthony Masters bathimpact Contributor

Property ladder problems...

Housing Services Team inspected the house, discovering that the not work, there was no door to the kitchen and door locks were

Around 1,000 inspections by the Council are made each year, with for advice. For more information, email the Housing Standards Team at housing@bathnes.gov. uk or go to the website at www. bathnes.gov.uk/housing

Monday 5th December 2011

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Comment

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Meddling Association A testing issue strikes smokers again Anthony Masters bathimpact Deputy

“

To ban alcohol consumption across all public transport goes too far.

”

Dan Shenker smoked. According to the Office of National Statistics, the rate of smoking in men was 60 per cent in 1959, approximately 36 per cent in 1984 and 22 per cent in 2009, whilst the decline for women smoking has been from 42 per cent in 1959 and 32 per cent in 1984 to 20 per cent in 2009. This large decline in smoking predated the BMA’s anti-smoking campaign, but coincided with an increasing body of scientific knowledge that showed smoking was unhealthy and could lead to various cancers. This is in contrast to the latest efforts to “denormalise” smoking. Calls for legislation emanate from the medical establishment

on a regular basis. This latest idea to ban smoking in cars is just one in a long list, as the BMA also supports bans on boxing, online prescriptions, alcohol advertising and anyone under 18 years of age using a sunbed. The proposal for a “fat tax” came from the medical journal Lancet, which itself has a history of doctoral campaigning. The BMA conference in 2010 saw a motion by Dr. Christine Robison, an Edinburgh anaesthetist, to support a ban on drinking on all public transport, claiming it will “stop drunks annoying fellow passengers”. Dr. Robison herself had suffered such an experience in both directions on a return trip from Edinburgh to London. The issue of drunks on trains is clearly not a public health concern, but doctors desire to legislate regardless. Alcohol Concern, a group which campaigns to reduce alcohol-related harm, rejected this proposal, with its chief executive Don Shenker enouncing: “To ban alcohol consumption across all public transport goes too far”. The BMA has shown itself to be a vocal and illiberal organization, and is utterly addicted to banning things. Now, we are enveloped in a vicious circle, with each ban propelling the case for the next. Smoking, like many activities, is dangerous and potentially deadly to the participant. Smoking in front of children is especially deplorable, but we should seek to educate those who do this, not to criminalise a small minority. Doctors should not be infantilising the populace by removing our choices and making decisions for us. We should have some common sense each day, and keep the bans away.

Andrew Magill

he British Medical Association (BMA), the professional association and trade union for UK doctors, has proposed that all smoking in cars should be banned. This is designed to protect passengers, who may be nonsmoking adults or children, from second-hand smoke. It follows a ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces which became law in 2006. The BMA highlights research which claimed that the level of toxins in a car can be “up to 23 times higher than in a smoky bar”. A study by the Canadian Medical Association Journal was entitled ‘Second-hand smoke in cars: How did the “23 times more toxic” myth turn into fact?’ The study traced the genesis of this quote, which turned out to be from a local Canadian newspaper in 1998. Rozz MacKenzie, from the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney and the study’s main author, said: “[We] failed to locate any scientific source for this comparison”. Whilst the BMA also claims such a ban would be an extension of the 2006 smoking ban, which was limited to enclosed public spaces. It would criminalise an unaccompanied adult smoking in a car, which is clearly a private space. Smoking and drinking are two activities in which the BMA is desperate to see legislated against, and have been for a long time. In 1984, the BMA launched a major anti-smoking campaign and banned smoking on all its premises, including its meetings. This was also when it first proposed a ban on smoking in public places, and received a minor victory in the

form of the Protection of Children (Tobacco) Act 1986, which precipitated a voluntary agreement on tobacco advertising and promotion. It then supported a total ban on tobacco adverting in 1997, which reached the statute books in 2002. It now actively lobbies the devolved governments of Scotland and Wales, purporting policies which are either being carefully considered or outright rejected by the UK government in Westminster, such as minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland and smoking in cars in Wales. Smoking has been on the decline ever since records were collected in 1948, when 65 per cent of men and 41 percent of women

Smoking inside and near public places was banned in 2006, supported by the British Medical Association

Cerian Jenkins bathimpact Comment Editor impact-comment@bath.ac.uk

recent tribunal ruling saw Newcastle University ordered to reveal its animal research data, and once again brought the difficult issue into the media spotlight. The decision has, inevitably, drawn heated responses from across the spectrum, ranging from the delight and relief of staunch antivivisectionist campaigners to the concern and outrage of those who see such research as key to future scientific advances. As a self-professed ‘tree hugger’ one might expect my first

agents are released by another country. Much of this research works on the basis of ‘what if’, relying upon the ongoing agony of other creatures for the potential safety of our own race, not the immediate. What about life-improving drugs? Can we really justify the distress, pain and death of millions of animals in the pursuit of a better quality of life for ourselves? Millions of animals will spend their entire lives in captivity for the sake of human comfort, rather than human security. Finally, my personal bugbear; animal testing in cosmetics research. Where do we draw the

Is the cost of beauty about more than just monetary expence? reaction to be that of elation, but this isn’t the case. Instead, I am torn between what I feel should ethically revile me but what in actuality strikes me as a necessary evil, at least until we have technology that offers a realistic alternative. The question for me, therefore, isn’t so much whether or not animal testing should happen, but instead where to draw the line between ‘necessary’ and ‘unnecessary’, and between ‘medical’ and ‘cosmetic’. For the sake of argument and this article, let’s say we accept that the use of animal testing in the pursuit of saving human life is, whilst in my opinion not ethically sound, at least debatably justifiable. Indeed, many life-saving medical treatments have been made possible through animal testing; insulin, antibiotics, vaccines, antivirals and cancer drugs all have animal experimentation to thank for their existence. But how about research geared towards human protection? Military defence involves animal testing to simulate battle wounds and gauge reactions to exposures of agents used in war and is also an important part of preventing a widespread disaster if chemical

line between the medical and the cosmetic? We may not need that lipstick or hair gel that has been tested repeatedly on Thumper, but some could argue that something as simple as medicated anti-dandruff shampoo presents a qualm on how we define ‘cosmetic’. Still, the use and abuse of animals in the name of aesthetic vanity doesn’t sit right with me in any way, shape or form - though I remain a slave to my mascara wand. Of course, the entire premise of this article is based upon the assumption that human life is simply worth more than that of any other species, and that in itself is a controversial rhetoric gambit. We have decided that the suffering of an animal is more favourable than a human’s. This article can’t and won’t provide a definite conclusion, as I cannot even define my own feelings on the matter. A good friend of mine, however, recently pondered whether in the future speciesism will be treated much like slavery is now; an outmoded, barbaric and cruel practice which taints history textbooks and acts as a warning on how we must constantly revaluate what are considered societal norms.

Monday 5th December 2011

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Comment

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Amy Jackson bathimpact Contributor hen I was seven I cut the hair of my Barbie to make her a tomboy. I wanted her to be more like me and, thinking back, I am glad I did because it meant I didn’t want to turn into her. In June this year, the DFE released a report into the ‘Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood,’ and the Girls School Association President, Dr Helen Wright, has recently spoken of the ‘moral abyss’ that children grow up in. She condemned parents, arguing that, because the education system had failed them, they did not understand the problems with dressing girls in provocative clothing and make up and allowing them to watch television which may give the wrong message. She stated that only education could break the cycle. The idea of a ‘moral abyss’ is a very subjective one and I get the impression she is speaking from a sheltered position; she is Head of a private school where the parents are paying over twenty thousand a year for the privilege of sending their girls there. I wonder whether Dr Helen Wright has met other sorts of parents; parents who are dressing their children how

they dress themselves, because that is normal. Who don’t understand that make up may not be appropriate for a seven year old and who will relate to television like the X factor (which is the programme she condemned) because they seem like normal people achieving their dreams. These parents may be young teenage mums who are quite happy to ‘bond’ with their child on a Saturday night over television they may not have the money to do anything else. Dr Helen Wright talks about parents ‘losing track’ of what is right and wrong: what is wrong is that, as she says, these parents have no support networks around them to help them make the right choices on behalf of their children. The Government is cutting funding to places such as Sure Start children’s centres- places which teach good parenting skills such as how to read to your child, how to bond with them and how to cook for them. If places are teaching as basic skills as these, parents may not be ready to be told what they can and can’t do for when a parent should allow their child to wear makeup, to have a boyfriend or to watch television. It is a judgment call.

Richard Newton

Mummy, I want to be just like her!

Is the increased oversexualisation of children the fault of the parents or of wider society? There is a huge pressure to wear make up from a very young age, to wear short skirts and strappy tops: but who said that means it is provocative? A parent is unlikely to look objectively at their daughter and decide they look ‘too sexy’! Instead, they will look around the ranges of clothes for little choice in what to wear, particularly when you remember the peer pressure every young girl has from their classmates. There is an increas-

ing sexualisation of girls, but it is far more to do with the music they listen to, the books and magazines they read and the adverts they see. All things, to a certain extent, beyond the parent’s control. Girls love to feel part of something- I know I loved to - and when I wasn’t allowed to read ‘Bliss’ (remember that?), I borrowed my friend’s copy. Unless parents are going to be with their children 24/7 policing what they watch, what they see, what they hear and who their friends are it is

unlikely they will be able to stop the cultural shift. The way to stop the increasing sexualisation of children is to set an example as an adult community. If children see women dressing and acting in a way to please men instead of themselves, then that is what they do. Children copy adults because they look up to them. So until we change our culture to one which we are happy for children to replicate, children will continue to try and become adults.

The truth behind unpaid internships

Toshi Kawabata

Kylie Barton Editor-in-Chief impact-editor@bath.ac.uk

practice. The government have also been increasingly vocal on this issue. There have been many promises that industry will be encouraged to pay interns at least the minimum wage, something which started with the new social mobility initiative back in April, including a new all parliamentary group for mobility. There has not however, been any proposed legislation to ensure this is the case. In a letter to the Daily Telegraph Nick Clegg and Ian DuncanSmith said: ‘Our drive to open up internships is intended to prevent the lucky few grabbing all the best chances’, acknowledging that those who simply can’t afford to work for free are excluded from opportunities for which they are equally capable. Further into the letter it read: ‘More than half the people at the top of the legal profession, politics, business and journalism went to fee-paying schools, which can only be afforded by a few’ – who would have guessed! I’m guessing the issue was just another nice sound bite provided by the coalition to raise the

Is it worth having your dream job if you have to come home to a site like this every night?

especially in the eyes of every disenchanted students. A scheme to encourage companies to pay their interns will be implemented in 2012, headed by

t is coming round to the time when second year students start the process of placement applications. With multiple CV amendments and cover letter redrafts, the process is monotonous, pain staking, and the results are a large vat of unknown. To add to the stress of this time, many of the wonderful and exciting opportunities on offer are catastrophically and shamefully… unpaid. As a student of Politics and International Relations, I personally have found this to particularly be the case. NGOs you can understand, seeing as you would hope any revenue raised would go to the cause supported by the particular organisation, but this still means this cer-

tain type of opportunity is limited to those fortunate enough to be in a position where they can work for free, one which I for one most certainly are not.

number of journalistic or political placements that are advertised and unpaid. The NUJ have an on-going campaign called “cash back for interns” which approaches employers who have utilised unpaid interns and asks them to reimburse the intern at least minimum wage for their work, despite any terms and conditions running up to the internship. A number of employment tribunals have resulted in successful claims by the worker, recognising that the worker is entitled to the minimum wage whether or not they have agreed to work for nothing. If you feel you fall into this category, visit

the NUJ website for details. Recently I was head hunted by a company who could provide me my dream placement, it wasn’t until after I had agreed to attend an interview I was told it was indeed unpaid, my immense excitement instantaneously transformed into utter resentment for the fact that this is still allowed in a country that supposedly prides itself on human rights and equality. If I am good enough to write content for a website, in the same manner as paid employ-

be paid for my work otherwise it is just plain exploitation, how it looks on the CV isn’t really that important if you don’t have enough money to eat or keep a roof over your head. It is astounding that this matter is ever taken out of that perspective, which it must be to still exist as normal

Whitehall, but only states that companies could not would face legal action if they fail to pay interns. The government in cooperation with the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) have created campaign whereby the association is trying to get its member to sign up to appear on a list which showcases employers who pay – something to look for when considering your own placement. The University offers a lot of advice when it comes to selecting your placement, so make sure you use it in every way. If you use the University placement application system however, you are required you receive, which although makes not make sense for the applicant, whom you would think the whole idea of a year in industry is for. So doing your own research external of the university facilities is a good idea but get any offers checked through by university staff before accepting anything to make sure exploitation is kept to a minimum. Be a conscious applicant, and don’t be afraid to write to the NUJ, the NUS, your MP or any other relevant body if you feel you are being offered something that you perhaps should be paid for.

Monday 5th December 2011

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Students and protesting: a debate Julia Fioretti and Anthony Masters look at arguments for and against

... jolted the stagnating student body back to life

”

sharp cynicism befitting a disgruntled middle-aged adult more than anything. One need not be a bleeding heart liberal to protest in the name of a cause, nor are student protests all about getting high and engaging in social disobedience under the guise of some left-leaning political slogan.

Sam Short

“

The student experience is a wonderfully vague, all-encompassing concept which has been packaged neatly and marketed like a commodity across university prospectuses. This might smack of a left-wing political platitude, but there is no denying that the “student experience” has come to denote a certain standardised way of life which we are supposed to adhere to. Thus universities have been voted number one for “student experience”, when this is something that is intrinsically personal and cannot be crudely ranked. The student experience is fundamentally a learning experience, and learning is not something we can ever hope to achieve in the lecture room alone. Poring endlessly through books only serves to further entrench apathy; it is too easy to absorb ideas from books without having them challenged and moulding them to make them our own. Protesting is a way of asserting one’s opinions, engaging with peers and perhaps, at the end of it all, to emerge with a fundamentally different view. Education is more than a streamlined process of classroom learning, it is about building one’s opinions and sense of direction. To believe that student protesting will change the world is selfindulgent, however that is no reason to adopt a defeatist approach towards asserting one’s beliefs outside the classroom.

Sam Short

he protesting student has become part of popular culture, fuelled by a certain element of 1960s nostalgia. The current student generation, however, has been decidedly apathetic, preferring to lounge on the sofa watching the X-Factor with a can of beer rather than being out on the streets defending the values we believe in. A lecturer lamented last year that we were the most “unstudenty” students she had ever seen. The financial crisis and general social turmoil seem to have jolted the stagnating student body back to life. The resurgence in student protests over the past year has fuelled colourful commentary presaging a return to the golden days of 1968; all this seems a bit excessive, however it is endearing to see that the student conscience has not been stifled by a razor-

tudents have been taking to the streets in major demonstrations in London and Manchester, confronting the government policy of raising tuition fees and spending cuts. The Occupy movement has also had deep involvement from the student community, so it may seem that protesting is now becoming an integral part of the student experience. Apathy amongst students is still high, even when it comes to their dents’ Union was recently celebrating that they had achieved “the highest ever election turnout for a Students’ Union election in the UK”, with 7692 students voting, a meagre 29.9 percent turnout. The British Election Study survey conducted in 2005 shows that only 57 percent of students voted in that general election, lower than the overall turnout in the election. Many students’ unions run campaigns to encourage voting in elections, such as Warwick Students’ Union “Just Vote” program. Protesting cannot be a necessary part of the student experience because being political is not integral to being a student. Whilst some students remain politically comatose, many students do awaken politically after they arrive on campus. Protesting is a powerful form of political expression, but it is not the only valid one. Students can participate in political parties, blog and debate, unite in advocacy groups, stand for election and write for their student newspapers. Pro-

testing should not be [coroneted] as the pinnacle of student political activism, when there are many other methods of expression. Claiming that protesting is integral to being a student transforms the act of protesting into an empty ritual. Students who protested in London and other cities did so because they vehemently disagree with the government’s policies, not because they saw it as a rite of passage that completes their university experience. If protesting is truly a necessary part of the student lifestyle, then the reasons for protesting become diminished, lost in the ceremony of holding a placard and chanting slogans. To assert that protesting is somehow integral to the university experience, is to suggest that the reason all students must be political and that protest is the only valid form of

“

Some students remain politically comatose

”

political expression. Each individual is forged by their experiences, and it is up to each of us to decide what we participate in at university. Students should be not be made to feel inferior because they have not protested, that they have not lent themselves to a hegemonic stereotype, namely protesting for the perpetual revolution.

Racism video... prejudices entrenched B Alice Oakley bathimpact Contributor y now, I’m sure you’ve all seen that video ‘My Tram Experience’. And well, if not, I certainly think you should. In the online clip, Emma West, who has since been arrested, confronts several passengers by accusing them of not being British. She tells them to “Get back to [their] own fucking countries” and continues by claiming that “Britain is nothing now. Britain is fuck all” Moreover, this is all said with her young son sat on her lap. The video, which has now been viewed on YouTube more than 7 million times, created a storm on social media sites and a massive backlash on Twitter; Piers Morgan was calling for the woman to be deported, some asked for her to be locked up, while others said her child should be taken

away. And those are only the printable responses. The sheer volume of response to this video, as well as West’s swift arrest the following day, illustrates that the majority of British people are proud of our rich, diverse culture and are reviled by such attitudes. She does, however, represent the views of many close-minded, ignorant people who unfortunately still exist in every society. It sickens me, and I know it sickens the vast majority of my peers, that such ignorance and blatant racism still exists. How can someone in 21st century Britain, have these views, let alone the audacity to express them? What people like West seem to easily forget is that Britain, as a whole, was extremely racially diverse even before we had an open border policy with the EU. We have a Germanic royal family, and the majority of ‘White British’

heritage is Scandinavian, Dutch or central European. Moreover, a large majority of British, black people were born here after their ancestors were forced against their will to come over as slaves. Nevertheless, an international survey of eight European and North American countries found that the British are easily the most hostile on the question of immigration and immigrants. According to the research commissioned by US and European think-tanks, people in the UK are much more likely to say there are “too many” immigrants than comparable nations. Part of the problem is that the national debate about immigration encourages us to think the level is much higher than it really is. Asked to estimate the proportion of foreign-born people living in the UK, the average guess is 29.4 percent.

data is 10.8 percent, lower than Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Canada and the USA. There are still far too many reporters at tabloids who think their biased reporting doesn’t have an impact. It does, and this illinformed woman is a product of the opinions of extreme rightwing press. Granted, the ‘My Tram Experience’ incident may be an extreme form of racism that may not necessarily represent the day-to-day experiences of Britain’s minority groups. But the sad reality is that racism still very much exists in our society. In

Ireland and Wales were published. The statistics showed that in 2009 there were 43,426 reported cases of race-related hate crimes, with an additional 2083 cases of faith related

only provide a limited insight into the real level of racism. Hate crimes do not always go reported and it would be utterly naïve to assume that racism only exists in the form of violent attacks. Whether it be verbal, online, at the work place, in our hospitals, within our education system, or on public transport, racism exists in many forms. We are losing sight of what it means to be British. I can only hope that this video and the subsequent media backlash remind people of what it means to be British in the 21st century. Unfortunately, racism is not a thing of the past, despite what many Westminster commentators think. A shift in public thinking and popular culture, as was seen in the Rock Against Racism movement or the Anti-Nazi League, is needed today to eradicate these ignorant views from society, once and for all.

Monday 5th December 2011

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Media

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Lizzy Roberts URB Advertising & Marketing urb-admarket@bath.ac.uk

Hellos and goodbyes Goodbye... We at bathimpact are saddened this week as we say goodbye to one of our beloved team members. Cerian Jenkins has been your News and

Merry Christmas everyone! Christmas is coming to URB and we have loads of presents to give away. Make sure you tune in and keep an eye on our activity throughout the week for a chance to win one of over 20 tickets to top Student Union events for the end

half of our term as a team and has done a fantastic job at that. As this is

the way Christmas. And as if that wasn’t already enough, we have four tickets to the Green Gathering Festival 2012 - something that should be in all of our calendars for next year. So if any of this sounds like something you’d want (and who wouldn’t?), keep an ear out for how to win by tuning in to 1449amurb.co.uk hit ‘listen’ and don’t miss out on getting your present from URB!

been headed up by one editor, Ceri has managed to increase the link between the two by encouraging contributors to write commentaries on news stories. Something Ceri has also achieved this year is an increased volume of University, student and Bath related stories that are of genuine interest and relevance to our readership, strengthening the section journalistically. We at bathimpact understand her decision to step down, will carry on the wonderful work she has already started, Ceri has stated she is still very interested in being

an active contributor, and in ensuring the hand over is a smooth process. She said: “I have loved working with such fabulous contributors and with such a wonderful team”. Thank you so much Ceri, we will miss you and your face muchly (among other things). Keep an eye out on facebook for the announcement of who is elected to be your new News and Comment Editor. Jack Franklin, bathimpact’s IT guru, has also announced he will be stepping down in the new year due to another fantastic opportunity he has been offered. Thanks for all the hard work you have put into our new site, we will miss you! Hello! In other, slightly cheerier bathimpact news… our new website

we received several emails from readers and realised we had nowhere to publish them! The website will also be a great opportunity for Section Editors to put up content that couldn’t make it into the newspaper due to lack of space, and be an interactive platform for all media members to comment on pieces written for the newspaper. So head on over to bathimpact.com now and have a play with our new masterpiece and experience a new level of involvement like never before! Til next year! This is our last issue for you until after exams, so look out for us in of all of media, we wish you a merry Christmas, a drunken New Year and the best of luck in your January exams.

U n i v e r s i t y

STUDENT

Christmas at URB

Score and Fuzzy Ducks which may well be your best chance to get them as these events are always some of the best of the year and always sell out fast! We also have tickets to Comedy Central on Monday 5th December to make set you off laughing all

has been working behind the scenes to create a new look for bathimpact on the web. The site features a new ‘Letters to the Editor’ section after

o f

B a t h

S t u d e n t s ’

U n i o n

m edia

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Monday 5th December 2011

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Activities

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The Insider visits... LGBT Support the RAG sleepout B

screening and were fed by Domino’s

and given a cup of thick vegetable soup. Eventually, however, the inevitable move from fun to ordeal took place as the task of trying to get some actual sleep before lectures the next day in spite of the looming cold and wind. Between the weather and the hordes of drunken freshers returning from town, no-one slept much. MLES fresher Amy Jones proved that not all freshers were so vulgar when she took the trouble of offering everyone at the event a mug of hot chocolate. It was strong stuff, but the sentiment was far sweeter. When I asked why, it turned out she wanted to do the Sleepout but missed the deadline (the event was full!). Eventually I was awakened (health and safety regulations demand that the Parade is cleared before the start of lectures the next day) and my or-

deal was over. After packing up, I got to cherish the rare (for us students anyway) experience of seeing the sun rise. Imagine having to go through that every day. Imagine having no rights and no chance of even applying for a job (because you don’t have an address) and no-one to turn to. That’s the life some people live. Julian House exists to support homeless and vulnerably housed people in Bath, helping them to get off the streets and give them some hope. RAG exists to support Julian House and other local charities and I’m proud to be part of it. If you like doing lots of things and have a passion for writing, email impact-features@bath.ac.uk or any of the Sabbs expressing your interest in becoming an Insider.

trip to Bristol, on Friday 9th December; a prime example of the group helping to integrate students of all sexualities. Not only that but regular Sunday lunch and coffee meets are organised, helping you to meet other LGBT people within the university in an informal setting. The group are also active campaigners, with an annual LGBT Awareness week in semester two and several events throughout the year - perhaps you saw them during THINK week when they joined up with the THINK volunteers to promote World Aids Day? Meetings within the group operate under ‘safe-space’, meaning you’re free to be you without fear, and this is an integral part of the society. Issues of sexuality can be ment to privacy and support is a hallmark of the group. All welcome, please email chairs@bathlgbt.co.uk with any questions.

BUST panto fun

n the 8th, 9th and 10th of December, a magical spell will descend on the Arts Lecture Theatre. With jugglers, explosions, evil witches, beautiful princesses, dashing princes, stolen bloomers and an extremely long suffering horse called Dobbin, Bath University Student Theatre is well and truly kicking off the Christmas season with Sleeping Beauty - their The dashing Prince Braveheart - strong, courageous and with a great pair of legs - battles rival princes, disapproving parents and his arch nemesis, the evil witch Carabosse (boooooo!) to win the hand of his true love, the predict-

ably beautiful Princess Beauty. With a cast of just under 40, and a production team to match, it promises to be a real spectacle, so be sure you don't miss it! Student and other concession tickets cost £4, and adult tickets are £8. There is also the opportunity to buy a family ticket (two adults, two children) for £20. Evening performances (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) will start at 7:30pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2:30pm. So, prepare yourselves - it's time to dust off your best heckles and join in with the panto spirit. Now, all together... she’s behind you!

SCA appeal

nce again SCA are giving you the chance to get involved with the Shoebox Appeal, where small gifts make a big difference. The deadline for handing in your shoebox is the 9th December, so you still have a few days! Head to the Volunteer Centre in the 1 East SU corridor to collect your box and for some more information or search for SCA Christmas Shoebox Appeal 2011 on facebook. Remember, it’s for a good cause not everyone gets presents at Christmas but you can make a world of difference!

Evelyn G

their names and the words ‘RAG Sleepout 2011’, while others made signs saying what they would do for money. Participants were entertained by Bodysoc, Gravity Vomit’s display of

Ed Yourdon

leepout is one of RAG’s (Raise and Give, the SU’s charity fundraising organisation) annual events; on a Thursday evening (it’s always a Thursday, no-one really knows why) in November every year, a bunch of students sleep on Parade. This causes friends, colleagues and relatives of those students to make donations to Julian House, who run the Night Shelter for Bath’s homeless. First there was the Rush for Cardboard: there was more than enough cardboard around the compactor in the underdeck, but a couple of groups were using it up faster than the organisers could bring it up, causing them to eventually stop trying. To be fair, both of those groups opted not to sleep under the Library overhang and instead try “proper roughing it”; one of them was a Backstager who constructed a spacious dwelling with rostra for a roof and ‘curtain doors’ consisting of vertical strips of cardboard and a welcome mat for good measure. The lesser students (‘lesser’ of course meaning non-Backstage) had to make do with making wind blocks for themselves, but that didn’t hinder creativity. One group made an im-

ath’s active LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans) is one of your Diversity and Support groups supported by the Students’ Union. The group is there to support those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans as well as those who may be undecided about their sexuality, friends of LGBT students or even just people who are interested in LGBT issues. They achieve this through weekly meetings, socials and oneto-one support. It’s free to join so come along on Thursdays at 7.15 (please email chairs@bathlgbt. co.uk for room) and check them out on bathstudent.com and facebook! The group offers multiple events throughout the year, the most recent of these being a successful trip to London, co-ordinated with Imperial College. The next big social is the semesterly ‘Bring a Straight Mate’ clubbing

Shoeboxes all ready to go

Monday 5th December 2011

bathimpact

Activities

www.bathimpact.com

The wine society’s ticket to Australia

ising to the challenge comes naturally to the Bath University Wine Society team and last Tuesday was no exception as they scored a resounding win against the Bristol Wine society, defeating them 80 points to 30 in the University Wine Champions competition. The victory puts Bath a mere two rounds away from a trip to Australia. On the 24th November three hopeful Bath students made the long descent into a Wine Cellar in Bristol to compete in the Univer-

sity Challenge style Wine Champions competition. Paul Griffin, Tom Lake, and Will Butler had their eyes on the prize. A 14-day trip to Australia, tasting wine and reclining in the sunshine. A gruelling evening of supping wine and Paxman style grilling lay ahead of them. Their opponents were the Bristol Wine Society. Their team of three was composed entirely of PHD Chemistry students, all with a budding interest in wine and its chemical components. This got them a heady lead of 15 early in

ChaOS Christmas concert

ant to indulge in a little Christmas cheer? Want to sing along to carols and enjoy a good bit of cheesy Christmas music? Then come along to ChaOS’ Christmas Concert! It’s on Saturday

3rd December at 7.30pm at Ascension Church, Claude Avenue in Old-

Alley Barbers (a barbershop group), GASP (our contemporary choir), the Orchestra, Concert Band and our

From treasure to tinsel - the ChaOS lot in this year’s SIAW concert

newly-formed Big Band, we can guarantee there’ll be something that tickles your fancy. Pieces this year include a jazzy version of the theme from ‘Family Guy’, an interesting arrangement of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, The Snowman Suite, I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day and a whole lot more! Tickets are just £4 if you buy them in advance from the ICIA or on Parade and only £5 on the door! So wrap up warm, ideally with tinsel, and venture out to get all Christmassy with us! For any musicians out there who like the sound of this, it’s never too late to join ChaOS! Anyone, of any ability, is welcome to join any of our ensembles. Our annual recital next year will give the opportunity for soloists to perform and we will have more concerts on the way too. There may even be the possibility of going on tour in Europe formation on what ChaOS is about and how to join us, go to ChaOS’ bathstudent page, search for us on facebook or email su6caos@bath.ac.uk.

carol service

Kat Holland

the quiz with their knowledge of the composition of wine and its tartaric acid content, putting the Bath team on guard. This head start, however, would not stand. The Bath team, led by their team captain Paul, were quick on the buzzer, abruptly interrupting the quizmaster’s question in a performance that would have turned Paxman a shade of Merlot. This began a streak of flawlessly answered questions that pushed them far in front of the Bristolians, who were left floundering behind. Bristol didn’t get a look in as the Bath team smashed each starter for ten. Fast Fingers Tom Lake turned in a memorable performance showing off his knowledge of the TV soap Footballers Wives, and its lead character Chardonnay. Bristol’s resounding defeat at the hands of the Bath team puts us through to the semi-finals which are due to be held on the 8th December in London against Edinburgh. However they are not an opponent to be sniffed at. Rumour has it their team are all doing dissertations on wine and wine tasting. Come on Bath! Wine Soc is held every Tuesday at 7.15 pm in 4E 3.44. Just turn up and enjoy some wine, whether you’re a budding connoisseur or just fancy a bit of a tipple.

Carols to take your mind off work or get excited for xmas!

he University is currently split in two. There are those who have just come to the end of a huge final year (or any year) project and are winding down for the good old Christmas season with its T.V, food and quality family time. Then there are the poor souls who have deadlines in the last week of term and Christmas is still far from the front of their minds. But, having reached the start of December and with the Christmas market is in full swing, there is no excuse for not getting into the Christmas spirit for just a while at

the University Carol Service. With all the usual Christmas carols, led by the University Chamber Choir, and readings from students and staff to tell the story of Christmas, it promises to be a lovely evening to start that warm Christmassy feeling that we all love! This year’s Carol Service is on December 7th at 7.30pm in Bath Abbey. The event is free - no ticketed admission so no hassle with getting tickets! And after all the beautiful singing and feeling very Christmulled wine at the market to make the evening perfect.

Socs update

hristmas is coming, and so are the Christmas parties! Gravity Vomit had a meal last Friday, BUNNS had a Christmas film night, and Curry soc went to… eat curry. Also, ChaOS went to see Beauty and the Beast, Cheerleading attended a ‘Winter Wonderland’ competition and Cathsoc had a ceilidh. Other jolly, if perhaps less festive events, have included: a film night from the Lithuanian Society; a tea party from the Islamic society; a cookout by ACS; a bone marrow donation drive by Medsin; a football tournament hosted by Vietbath; and finally, the Hellenic Society and Cysoc teamed up to have, I quote, a ‘Greek Night, Downtown’. Don’t think that’s everything though – there are still plenty of Christmas meals coming up! CSS, ChaOS, Backstage and BUST all have a knees-up coming up, and BUNCS are making

Merete Veian

Isabel Bloedwater

Sipping wine down under Relax with the

Dig in at the Socs dinners theirs even more pleasurable with the addition of a LAN party afterwards! BLADES are having a murder mystery and PSA are having a pub quiz for charity. And finally, to really get yourself in that Christmas mood, why don’t you go to the BUST panto? Oh yes it is - it’s Sleeping Beauty! Running from the 8th to the 10th December, with a Saturday Matinée, there’s no chance you’re too busy. So go along, have a good laugh, and get ready for Christmas!

Monday 5th December 2011

bathimpact

Sabbs Corner

www.bathimpact.com

It’s a sabbs life What a wonderful year move forward on this issue early next year, please direct it to supresident@ bath.ac.uk.

o, it’s December, and so while many of you might be turning to thoughts of snow, family and festivities (or maybe just January exams), we the sabbs are already looking beyond to January and the start of the new year. Christmas day isn’t just an excuse for turkey, it also marks the halfway point in a sabb’s year, and so Let’s start with the big issues facing students over the last few months and what we’ve been representing you on. There’s been a lot of progress on the SU’s Top Ten, with key papers submitted to the University on housing, money, induction, recreation and sport and transport.

“

One thing above all was on student’s collective minds... money.

Communities Together, and as students representatives, we try to attend those in the areas where a lot of students live. They’re open to all residents, so you should look out for your next one - it gives you an insight into some of the problems an area

transport news, the University has pledged to investigate both shower facilities and lockers for cyclists, despite the Vice-Chancellor’s concerns over providing washing facilities for the entire students body (potentially at once!). We knew going into this year that one thing above all was on students’ collective minds: money. We are pursuing the University on clarifying the setting of international student fees. The sports pass has come in, and your

student societies to make sure it has everything you need. It’s not just activities and representation we’ve worked on so far either. The Union owns a bar (surprisingly), and in every way this year has been an improvement on the last. Our two club nights continue to be strong every week. Food sales have increased, showing we’re catering better to your needs, although I attribute the rise in breakfast bagel sales more to the sabbs’ own consumption of them than to students! And outside Wednesday and Saturday we’ve got a host of evening activities that are working well. Most of it is testament to the hard work of the SU’s bars and ents team and a fantastic remodelling of both the

working hard to ensure it delivers value for every student. Our research into hidden costs has produced interesting results. We knew students were expected to pay for a variety of things to get through their courses, but the amount some students need to fork out to get their degrees on top of fees is scary (looking at you, architects). We’ve had a lot of feedback already, but more is always welcome as we

There’s so much more that’s going on, such as University management getting involved in shadowing students to learn more about your daily lives, which is sure to have exciting results. I think all three of campus’ trade unions would join me in saying one thing we hope to see less of in 2012 is strikes. The future of higher education is no clearer than it was six months

Score has soared in popularity

Anthony Masters

- yep, there’s a meeting room on the first floor (makes you wonder what else is hidden in there...). Another, more informal meet-

halls of residence. I also can’t forget the various functions that we get invited to, from the ViceChancellors Christmas Drinks reception to the Student Comception. It’s always good fun when you have to “say a few words” at them as well. Just last week I was asked to say a few words at the Chairman’s’ Community Awards, needless to say I was not expecting to have to address a room of over 200 people and sit up on the stage for the event, but then I also didn’t expect to be so overwhelmed when a gentleman of a mere 102 years old was awarded for his services to the community and the Chairman’s special award was presented to a gentleman who would be bringing Christmas joy just five days later at the Moorland road Christmas light switch on as (dare I spoil the illusion?) Father Christmas! Being a sabb may mean various commitments past 5pm, but no two days, weeks or months are the same, and an experience like this is worth it every single day.

”

Looking at transport, buses reared their ugly heads (a yearly occurrence), and while there are still problems, many of the services have been improved. It couldn’t have happened without all the feedback you gave us, especially those of you we spoke to while out and about in mornings both

Caleb Wheeler Robinson

nitely not a 9-5 job and I’m going to use my turn at “It’s a sabb life” to give you an example of the all the work-related things I get up to outside of work hours. Firstly there are the fun bits, supporting the work of the student groups. Buzz on a Wednesday is URB’s flagship news show which as sabbs we regularly get interviewed on, last week myself and David Howells went to the gender equality themed pub quiz (which I’m sorry to say we did not excel at) and of course with the holidays fact approaching there are a few Christmas meals in the pipeline. On a more serious note, there are also quite a few community based meetings in the evenings. One of these is FoBRA, which is the Federation of Bath Residents Associations, whose meetings are usually held in the meet-

is facing that you may not have realised, and a really good opportunity to try and suggest solutions with a fresh set of eyes. Early evenings are also one of the best times of day to go and talk to people in the comfort of their own homes, either as part nership door knocking in Old-

Sam Short

Naomi Mackrill VP Community and Diversity sucommunity@bath.ac.uk

isn’t one we planned for, but one that emerged as we’ve gone along. The local Council’s pursuit of Article 4 Direction, much covered by bathimpact over the past weeks, still threatens the future of student housing across Bath. The campaign, spearheaded by Naomi, has only just begun, and just last week we learnt the Council have cision, so the goalposts are still moving. Some of next year will certainly be dedicated to making sure we score. Speaking of scoring, it’s also been a great start to the year for student sports teams; currently placing 3rd in the BUCS rankings. Student activities have moved from strength to strength; ished, the Student Enterprise 2011 Competition has once again been a success and hundreds more students are volunteering than last year. While it’s a shame I won’t be here to see it, the University is moving ever closer to a new arts complex, and David

Article 4 Direction campus protest

ago when the UK Government redents at the Heart of the System’. We still don’t truly know how competition will change our education in the long term. But there’s a lot to look forward to. As is often the case with academic representation, many of the things concerning your studies that we hope to tackle this year are still to come: Matt Benka is working on placement support and accreditation, digital learning and teaching and everyone’s favourite returning issue: assessment and feedback. I’m personally looking forward to seeing where we get in the world of student charters, and internally, to answering the tough questions about how the SU goes about giving students the chance to make key decisions. To end, there’s one thing I’d like everyone to look forward to amongst inter-semester ski trips, house-hunting or job-seeking and the looming beginning of semester two. As I look to the last six months of my six years in Bath I’m looking forward most to watching the contest for who’ll be taking up the reins at the end. Sabb elections are coming at the end of February, and there’s still plenty of time to consider running yourself. Who knows who’ll be writing this article in 2012? And in the meantime, if you have any questions or comments for any of the sabb on anything at all, email us on: sabbs@bath.ac.uk.

Buses are a recurrent problem

Money worries have continued from last year despite protests

Sam Short

David Howells SU President supresident@bath.ac.uk

The Plug and Tub refurbishment

Monday 5th December 2011

bathimpact

International

www.bathimpact.com

Centre-right victors in Spanish elections

n the 20th November, Spanish citizens were called to cast their vote in the general election and choose a government to steer the country through a looming debt crisis. The result was that the People´s Party (PP) led by former Interior Minister Mariano Rajoy achieved its biggest win since the end of the Franco dictatorship in 1975, meaning they won´t have the need to negotiate with smaller parties. On the other hand, the socialists slumped to 111 parliamentary seats from their 169 in 2008 for the worst economic crisis in generations - their worst result in 30 years. Thus, we can conclude that Rubalcaba has failed to persuade voters that he was any different from his long-time boss, deeply unpopular Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Voters voiced their rage on Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his socialist party for leading their country from boom to bust during their seven years in power. The PP won the biggest majority for any party in three decades given a chance to lead Spain after having lost twice in the general elections to Zapatero.

“A new era is beginning in which crisis and unemployment,” said PP campaign coordinator Ana Mato. Rajoy promised to govern with “hudivision”. During his victory speech at the PP headquarters he asked his supporters to keep helping him and When the socialists took power in 2004, Spain was riding a construction boom fuelled by cheap inter-

“The centre right is

the natural preference in times of crisis

”

Piotr Kaczynski

est rates, infrastructure projects and foreign demand for vacation homes on the country´s most popular coastlines. However, the surprise came in 2007 when the government, consumers and companies were immersed in debt leaving the landscape dotted with vacant housing developments, empty airports and underused highways. In 1.4 million households no one has a formal job, close to half of young people are without work and many of the rest are in contract jobs with low pay and

of the changeover in power could hardly be more daunting for Rajoy´s government. Some experts say he cuts or tax hikes which led him to ask markets for “more than half an hour” to be able to start putting the economy in place. He told his supporters there would be “no miracle” to restore Spain must come together in order to win back respect in Europe. “Forty-six million Spaniards are going to wage a battle against the crisis” said the 56-year old PP leader and claimed in his victory speech that Spain “will stop being part of the problem and become part of the solution.” Miguel Arias, the Popular Party´s (another name for the People’s Party) campaign coordinator, said Spain was “going to make all the past years Spanish people had been living as a very rich country. “People are used to a very high level of public services and it takes time to them to acknowledge the realization that we are now a poor country, that we have lots of debts and in order to pay them back we must reduce public expenditure and then we must kets”.

Roy Luck

Cristina Rodenas bathimpact Contributor

New priminister next to the party motto - you make the change The results from these general elections continue the shift to the right that has been taking place in Europe. When times get tough, political experts say edgy voters tend to seek comfort with conservatives. “The centre-right is the natural preference in times of crisis” said Piotr Kaczynski of the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels. “If you look at societies and how they make their preferences, they all tend to vote more conservative in times of crisis and more centre-left in times of economic progress.” With the new Spanish government turning to

the centre-right, there are now only four countries left in the EU that are more left leaning. This said, let’s not forget the main unemployed; the GDP growth remains at 0.3% and the Bank of Spain is forecasting zero economic growth for the third quarter of the year. won the general elections, but the real question is whether they will be help heal country’s economy.

Yemeni president steps down Y

emeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh signed a deal at the end of last month which will see him step down from power. He is the fourth leader of the Arab Spring countries to surrender to mounting pressure from protestors and the surrounding international community. The agreement was negotiated by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, leading Saleh to cede power to Abdurabuh Mansur Hadi. It has also been announced that presidential elections will be held in 90 days to allow the people to elect a new leader through democratic processes. The news has been welcomed across the international community, and on the face of it seems as though the active citizenship of the protesters has prompted leadership change. A BBC report has stated however, that protesters reject the

agreement, due to the fact that Saleh will now receive immunity from prosecution for any crime committed against the people during his reign, therefore adding an air of hypocrisy to the championed democratic outcome. It is

obvious this is the only reason 69 year old Saleh signed the agreement, on which apparently he has been hesitatively considering for many weeks before the event. Saleh ruled Yemen for 33 years, and spearheaded a crackdown on

Andre Pierre du Plessis

Kylie Barton bathimpact Editor in Chief impact-editor@bath.ac.uk

Brooklyn demonstrations in May against Yemeni President Saleh

anti-government protesters during the infancy of the Arab Spring this February, in which hundreds died and thousands were wounded. Saleh signed the accord in the Saudi Arabian capital, at a meeting with King Abdullah. Saudi Arabia is a key player in the international arena when it comes to Yemen, as the world’s largest oil exporter, it is of great interest to the West that the borders of Saudi Arabia are secure and free from threat of migrants that may be fleeing unstable polities such as Yemen. Therefore the agreement may seem to have evolved from regional players with local interests, but as with most events in the Middle East, the West have got their finger in the pie, or around the puppet strings somewhere. It has also been speculated that the increasing social unrest in Yemen has further attracted terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda, who wish to use the country as a base for the destabi-

lization of the surrounding region. If this is the case, the new accord may heighten threats, if the country’s dissatisfied youth continue to protest and feel increasingly disenchanted from the system. It is also not clear how Saleh’s successor will approach working with opposition groups, and Saleh's son, Ahmed Ali, is unlikely to easily let go of his commanding post over the elite Republican Guard. As is the case with Libya, Yemen is first and foremost tasked with recuing its people from a civil war like situation. There is an enormous gulf of mistrust between elites, politicians and civilians, which needs bridging under a new sense of civic community before the march towards democracy can really get underway. As the case with all countries of the Arab Spring, democratization is not a smooth process, and this is one very small step in a direction away from the norm, and into the unknown.

Monday 5th December 2011

bathimpact

International

www.bathimpact.com

they get off the plane, immediately decide that everything about their new home is wonderful. Remember not to try too hard to convince yourself that you’re in Nirvana rather

that’s special to you – it could be you arrived or perhaps the café that sells your favourite cake (guilty!) – and make some time to visit it. I’m chuffed to say that mine’s a happy ending: I feel at home again. Will tell you more in the coming weeks about life in the ‘Betondschungel... Where Dreams Are Made Of’. (catchy, eh?).

he ‘failed state’ of Somalia has had its fair share of international interventions. Most notably were the 1993 attempts by the US and UN which ended when a video of an American soldier being dragged behind a truck landed on the evening news. Almost two decades later, the international community is still at a loose-end as to what to do with Somalia. Not only is the ‘Horn of Africa’ currently suffering from a crippling famine which has killed thousands, but it is a victim of war lords, Islamist militants, factional armies and countless other terrifying forces. There seems to be little hope for Somalia; the US won’t touch it with a barge pole and the UN doesn’t have the means to make any real progress without them. Buffeting claims of self-interest, however, Kenya invaded Southern Somalia over a month ago. After getting stuck in the mud (due to it being the rainy season), they have made some progress in pushing back their

US Army Africa

Kenya invade Somalia Chloe Wittet bathimpact Contributor

declared enemy, the Shabab militants. And now they join forces with the almost 10,000 man strong African Union army (AMISOM), which has made substantial head-way in the capital, Mogadishu. What the Kenyans perhaps underestimate, is that the Shabab have been in the trade for a while, and are devilishly skilled in the art of propaganda. They have been sentiment for decades, claiming that outside forces are there to conquer. Dead bodies of Shabab militants have been dressed up as peace-keepers to scare soldiers off and their war tactics are barbaric.

Seven men have been arrested in Ohio for cutting off Amish men’s beards and women’s hair using scissors and electronic clippers. The men, lead by Samuel Mullet, aged 66, are part of a break away group from the same community. It is thought to be revenge for an incident six years ago where Mullet excommunicated eight families only to have his decision overturned. Humberto GE

turer from home, Renate Rechtien, who asked me how well I’d settled. Before I tell you my answer, here are my top tips for settling in on your placement year (out in hardback shortly): 1. Be honest with yourself Yes it’s a dreadful cliché and I’m sorry for using it, but give me a chance to explain myself. There are some students out there who pack

So today was freezing cold, the bus driver was a miserable old goat and the supermarket didn’t sell anything familiar. But remember that you got to wear your posh coat, practice your offensive foreign vocabulary and cook something new for dinner. In short, there’s usually a silver lining somewhere. If you do

Thomas Troyer

like that doesn’t last long. 2. Meet people and have patience No sense in hiding away and counting down the days until your next trip home, so go out and do anything you can: IT is worth getting up early or staying out late to meet up with new people. I say ‘meet’ rather than ‘make friends’ because it tends to take a few hellos before we we ‘click’. Don’t be upset if you don’t meet anyone promising straight away, just try again tomorrow. Go get ‘em, tiger. 3. Look on the bright side and

Ben gives us his top tips on surving your study year abroad

A Wad of World News

Yet AMISOM continues, and it is making more progress than any other outside forces have, to date. So the real question is ‘what does the African Union have that the UN and other forces do not?’ And perhaps the simplest answer to that is determination. The AU has seen the death of more than 500 soldiers, and yet they persevere. Cerencourage donor countries to contribute soldiers; each peace-keeping soldier can make $1,000 a month compared to $50 at home. And as more money trickles in from the West, the more soldiers they can send. But if the recent Kenyan invasion proves anything, it is that states will always have a more personal interest in the goings on of their neighbours than a country they are unable to pinpoint on a map. If AMISOM was to succeed in Somalia, we could see the start of a new interventionist programme for Africa: the West puts up the funds and the AU puts up the men; a perfect way that allows the rich to pay their conscious clean without having to get their hands dirty.

The Venezuelan army have been drafted in to the capital city, Caracas, become the most dangerous country in Latin America due to its high rates of kidnap, murder and robbery. The troops will be under a new command called the People’s Guard. Carlos Adampol Galindo

Benjamin Fyson

Ich bin ein Berliner

Benjamin Fyson bathimpact Contributor o I waved goodbye to my family outside the airport, and then I was alone. I probably looked perfectly serene as I walked towards Departures, but being well aware that I was moving to live somewhere that I’d never even visited, I felt anything but calm. Sitting on a plane full of people who were visibly delighted to be leaving Luton, I felt quite cheerless and can clearly remember saying to myself, ‘My God, I can’t believe I’m actually doing this’. That was a month ago. Today at my new university, I met with a lec-

A world record has been set in Mexico City, where almost 10,000 people dressed up as zombies and roamed the streets of Mexico’s capital. This smashes the previous record, where in 2010, 4,093 zombies marched through Asbury Park in the US.

Monday 5th December 2011

bathimpact

Science

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Sauna’s healing powers Clodagh McGuire bathimpact Contributor esearchers have found that saunas may not just make you feel good through the release of serotonin but could also

increasing their heart function. Heart failure affects more than 900,000 people in the UK, that’s

of the changes that usually occur to

The endothelium, the membrane lining the inside of the heart, releases factors that control blood clotting and the diameter of blood vessels. Ohora found that using a sauna improved the function of the endothe-

of an enzyme that regulates blood blood vessels. Heart failure is treatable. Sufferers can control the symptoms and lead a normal life. This research could lead to better treatment and

could become endothelial cells. the USA there are more than 5 million sufferers and 300,000 deaths a year. Heart failure leads to tired-

tigate saunas, Ohora and his team induced heart attacks in rats and then put them in a sauna everyday

Miika Silfverberg

heart cannot pump enough blood around the body, as the heart mus-

failure. Although it is not actually recommended that sufferers are exposed to heat so this may not become a common treatment option as it should only be carried out under medical supervision.

disorders such as chronic heart disease, heart attacks and high blood pressure. Takashi Ohora and colleagues at the University of Toyama in Japan investigated the effect of using a sauna on heart failure. They

Professor Science

Why on earth do brussels sprouts make you fart?

e’ve all been there.

small enough to pass through

and you’ve just had an enormous meal of turkey, stuffing, bread pudding, potatoes, gravy, pigs in blankets, broccoli, carrots, cabbage and

blood stream. Unfortunately, the bacteria that carry out this vital job produce gas. Most of the gas’ composition is nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen and

food but you’ve done it. You sit -

a classic Christmas movie on the beeb. Then you smell a little something. Oh, it must just be the lingering dinner smell,

rotten eggs and, the more you eat in a shorter amount of time, the more the bacteria have to feast

your nostrils again. Okay, so it

family members have broken

large amounts of sprouts, there is one other component that joins the mix. Sulphur. Brussels sprouts are full of the stuff. This

one looks innocent. Suddenly you get a massive pain in your side. You shift about in your

at a faster rate leading to a bigger population that releases gas on an even larger scale. Once all this gas has been produced, it travels through your gut system until it escapes from your anus. thus causing the recognisable

ket for 30 minutes to keep their body temperature 1°C above nor-

Saunas - a place close to many people’s hearts

To live or not to live Esther Osarfo-Mensah bathimpact Features Editor impact-features@bath.ac.uk

star and of a similar size and density to

he Earth is an incredible place.

dinner

looks at the surface of the planet, the availability of liquid solvents and if it

Bruce Irving

best set of prospects as, like the Earth, it has stable bodies of surface liquid,

have here on Earth are perfect for the Is there only life on Earth? mean that the other, more extreme

rated the planet Gliese 581g from the constellation Libra as having the high-

and outside our solar system and take

pletely different DNA make-ups or no

should head to Titan or Gliese 581g. Should be simple enough.

Christmas,

send it on to impact-features@ bath.ac.uk.

are sand dunes, coasts and mountains.

messages in a bottle. Ever since the 1969 moon land-

this

the bacteria in the large intesble into tiny nutrients that are

to carry molecules around our bod-

table

their sprouts, you’ll have an interesting conversation starter.

tain life.

cases, fantastic tans. Granted, only

didn’t deliver useful informa-

innocent, yet the only time of year most of us brave its green nether regions is at Christmas.

Mars and Mercury scored the highest, ranking astrological bodies in terms

quency Actuated Rectal Tremor.

Otic Slan

sauna improved their heart function and increased the amount of exercise they could do - their heart could pump blood better and in 6

massive fart lets rip out of your bum, and you curse those darn sprouts your mother had put on your plate because you haven’t been having your 5-a-day at uni. But do brussels sprouts make

Silent but deadly...

Monday 5th December 2011

bathimpact

Science

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What is Graphene anyway? A

flakes of it rub off at the slightest touch, hence its use in pencils. Each carbon atom has four electrons in its outer shell; three are used in the covalent bonds, while the fourth becomes delocalized, free to move throughout the structure. This makes graphite electrically conducting; hence its main use is in fact not in pencils but in electrodes for fluorescent lamps and other electrical devices. If just one of those honeycomb sheets was isolated from the rest of the structure, would it be thermodynamically stable on its own? It turns out the answer is yes and the resulting material is called graphene, the first two-dimensional material to be discovered. Well, almost; two-dimensional materials are thermodynamically unstable in principle, so graphene has to bend itself slightly in order to be stable. So it’s two-dimensional with some slight curvature into the third dimension. Graphene can be made either by isolating it from graphite or performing

chemical reactions with carboncontaining compounds. What is special about graphene, apart from it being very thin? The strong covalent bonds between the carbon atoms es-

sentially make graphene a twodimensional version of diamond, giving it mechanical strength and thermal conductivity rivalled only by diamond, not to mention a very high melting point. In addition University of Exeter

Simon O’Kane bathimpact Contributor t the Conservative Party conference in early October, Chancellor George Osborne announced £50m in funding for spin-off technologies derived from graphene. The University of Bath, having its own Centre for Graphene Research, will no doubt be a major recipient of this funding, although the details have not yet been confirmed. In the meantime, I thought I would provide a short briefing on what graphene is and why so much money is being thrown at it. Graphite (the stuff pencils are made of) is one of several forms or ‘allotropes’ that pure carbon can take. It consists of millions of two-dimensional sheets of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice; each atom is linked to three others by strong covalent bonds. The only thing holding the sheets together, however, are weak Van der Waals forces, making the material so weak that

The structure of graphene balls

to this, the delocalized electrons from graphite are still there, able to move across the entire sheet. So you basically have an atomically thin version of diamond that can also conduct electricity. Graphene is an incredible material with a myriad of possible uses. So what do you actually do with it? One possible use is for sensors. If graphene is ‘functionalized’ by bonding other chemicals to it, the functional groups can then bond with other chemicals in the environment. When this happens, the electrical resistance of the graphene is altered slightly and a small amount of force is exerted upon it, giving rise to the potential of graphene sensors able to detect a single molecule of a given chemical. The electrical conductivity, flexibility and near-indestructibility of graphene open up many other possible applications in high-performance electronics. The £50m grant is for researchers who want to develop commercial products based on graphene.

A spot-less complexion I

t’s been around for millennia, and it is known that the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all suffered, but there may be an end to the pimply eye-sores that affect 8090 per cent of adolescents and the rather unpleasant trend on Youtube of people unhygienically expelling the internal contents of zits. Yes, there is currently a vaccine against acne in the Sanofi-Pasteur pipeline (a collaboration with the University of California), and though it is in the early stages, it takes a very new approach to this old problem and has shown efficacy in animal studies. It’s long been known that the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes (does what it says on the tin) has played its role in the disease. Previous attempts to create vaccines have aimed to kill this bacteria. But with it making up 50% of our skins natural flora, these have never been savoury options and haven’t gone too far in the drug development process. This new vaccine, however, works by

stopping the good bacteria going bad, which usually occurs when it gets trapped under the skins own moisturising oil (sebum) and transforms under the anaerobic conditions. The vaccine works to neutralise an offending protein under such conditions called CAMP (or the Christie-Atkins-MunchPeterson factor) which damages local blood cells and ultimately leads to an inflammatory immune response, which could very well be the trigger for spot formation. Vaccines can work in two ways, the first is to introduce the offending organism, or parts of it, in a safe form to stimulate the body to produce its own antibodies. Alternatively, you can utilise other organisms to produce the antibodies for us and then administer these to humans, conferring a passive immunity. The vaccine being considered will be the latter of the two. Now, other animals don’t get spots, but it has been found that injecting mice ears with the bacteria causes an inflammatory response that makes their ears go red. The bacterial gene was first

inserted into a daikon radish plant, extracted, and then ironically inserted into a breed of mice that could produce antibodies. These were then extracted, and added to the bacteria on a petri dish. When the resultant culture was administered again to the mice, it produced a much stunted inflammatory response. This approach is also advantageous as by preserving the bacteria, there is much less chance of natural selection driven resistance (unlike antibiotics). If this exciting development can be mirrored in humans, this immunological approach could open up a whole new avenue into acne research. It would even be possible to use gene therapies to fight the same target or those involved in the same bacterial process. Although the vaccine is not far from being tested in human subjects, it will be many years before this hits the shelf. For all those suffering now, you’re still best off seeing your doctor for treatment, or if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you could offer yourself to Sanofi as a lab rat.

Saluda UdeA

Sam Lewtas reports on the bane of many a teen’s life

Could this be the beginning of the end of these tiny beasties?

Monday 5th December 2011

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Rollover of Credit Default Swaps? I

ance their investments to reduce risk by purchasing a CDS, and the other party can make money if no default has occurred, since CDS change with the risk of financial instrument they are protecting. This is exactly how insurance companies work, many people purchase insurance and pay a premium with the insurance companies hoping that no one makes a claim and pocketing the money in the process. For instance, the driver of the insuranced car doesn’t need to worry about finding money to repair their car, and the other driver’s car in case of an accident. In this case, the driver has ‘hedged’ their risks and the insurance company has sold a CDS. Returning to re-profiling, restructuring, soft restructuring, rollover and haircut. These are all ways that CDS sellers, and in this case the eurozone, are using to prevent the payout, just like those unkind insurance companies always find excuses not to pay out money. To further understand

these ‘excuses’ better, we have to know what constitutes a ‘payout’ by insurance companies, and in terms of CDS’ a ‘credit event’ (an event that results in the company crediting another party). The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA),

who set out the basic rules, say that when a default happens without the agreement of the investors, it implies it’s a default and as such it would trigger a credit event. The EU, in this case, has been very clever. They have somehow reached an agreement Atanas Kumbarov

Magali Calabressi bathimpact Treasurer impact-money@bath.ac.uk t’s beginning to sound ridiculous, with half these ‘terms’ only invented a year or so ago, they pretty much imply the same thing… Nothing. According to some economists and investors, it’s becoming a silly joke. The reason for this is simple; all these new terms are being chucked out, predominantly because of the euro zone crisis since it is important to prevent the following from happening: the default of Greece. OK, lets break it down; a CDS is like but not exactly an insurance against a default. Breaking it down further, it’s a derivative (basically an agreement/contract) that one party will pay the other party the value of the lost investment if the underlying financial product defaults (basically can’t pay back the money it owns). The benefits are clear, one party can ‘hedge’ or bal-

The EU has reached a clever agreement with European banks.

with the banks that held Greek bonds, and convinced these banks to accept a 50 per cent loss on their investment; and in addition to using the money they would get from the bonds whenever they matured to reinvest in longer lasting bonds. Since the banks have agreed to this, then the restructuring is seen as voluntary – so a credit event hasn’t occurred. This tactic might be ok for the time being, or at least whenever Greece decides to accept this agreement, but if it’s overdone, it could lead to a mass sale of Greek bonds. It would thus increase the interest that Greece has to pay to its bond buyers in order to buy/keep their existing bonds. In addition, the more CDS are manipulated, the more and more it will look like CDS are pointless, and this can have a dramatic effect on the entire financial system. Everything is a fine balance, and CDS are no exception.

Murdoch BSkyB bid Successful » Kylie Barton looks at how the Murdochs retain high power at Sky

businesses lately. News Corp owns 39 per cent of BskyB, an organisation of which James Murdoch is Chief Operating

of shareholders voted against him, and despite the growing criticism regarding his leadership skills in the wake of the hacking scandal. Shareholders that voted against the continuation of Murdoch’s reign have stated that they would prefer a candidate who was free from outside interests, and that could project alternative agendas onto their company. This is not surprising considering the plethora of bad press that has surrounded News Corp and the other Murdoch

been brought into question in light of the various events that have unfolded over the last year (at the very least). It seems that Mr Murdoch is spreading himself a little thinly over a wide range of organisations, it is no wonder some of the shareholders raise questions about his ability to do the job. This is a sentiment shareholders of News Corp also sympathise with, after protesting about his role in the company last month. Protesters calling for Mr Murdoch to step down from his

position at BSkyB gathered outside the meeting at the QEII conference centre in London, which was held at the end of last month. Murdoch junior however did

“

Sky will have dispensed with his services this time next year Chris Bryant

”

manage to strike a chord with a rather large majority, winning 75.4 per cent of the vote. In the world of business however, such support is never simple. Excluding votes cast by News Corp, only 55 per cent voted for Murdoch. Nearly a third of independent shareholders voted

against Murdoch. One must take into account the number of other interests shareholders have aligned with Mr Murdoch, and whether their decision was in the interest purely of BSkyB, or if individual priorities and concerns were also taken into account. Many were shocked by the large minority that didn’t support Mr Murdoch. In an interview for the Press Association, Labour MP Chris Bryant said: “It’s a stark result… I didn’t anticipate the vote against him to be anywhere near as high. Only 1.7% of independent shareholders voted against him last year… I still think, as this row goes on, the writing’s on the wall. I strongly suspect Sky will

have dispensed with his services by this time next year.” Murdoch is obviously not having the best of times at the moment, as he recently renounced his position as Director of News Group Newspapers who owns The Times and The Sun. It appears as though the man is keen to build up a reputation for business world of the media. However, if the younger Mr Murdoch is going to enter each job half-heartedly or be unable to decidate time and commitment to each role, then he is just going to become a laughing stock (one which no shareholders would bat a dollar at) and a shadow of his predecessor.

Surian Soosay

espite months of controversy surrounding the Murdochs’, James Murdoch, son of media tycoon Murdoch, has been re-elected as BskyB chair-

The Murdoch dynasty has been shrouded in controversy over the past year. Key players still claim to ‘Speak no evil, see no evil, and hear no evil’ - likely story.

Monday 5th December 2011

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Establishing a sale to Virgin Money at £747m, with a possibility of more money in the future, means that the trade has taken place at about 80% of its assets. Comparing that to many other banks at the moment, whose shares are trading at nearly 50% of their assets, this deal does look remarkably good. However, it must be remembered that this sale does not actually cover all of Northern Rock, the “bad” part of the bank, made up of the mortgages and various other assets, is still owned

Where’s the for sale sign?

No surprise then, when the investors learned the Thomas Cook Group went to negotiate the terms of the collosal debt, their share prices collapsed by 70 per cent. These figures frankly are too ridiculous in all respects. It’s almost impossible to see such huge declines in share value, especially in the period of one day. But no need to stress, the share price is on the rise again, making some people that bought low and sold high earn lots of profits.

exams themselves would have to be brought forward to Easter and results announced earlier. This shortened timescale has caused concern amongst schools and exam boards, as it would mean a cut in teaching time and could mean more mistakes during the marking process. Some universities are worried that this would be insufficient time for the admission tutors to consider the tens of thousand applicants. If the proposed changes be made, they will be introduced as early as 2016.

by the government, now part of UK Asset Resolution. It is still unclear how much, if any, money will be made from this particular section of the bank. The Shadow Chancellor has also commented on the sale of Northern Rock, suggesting that the Treasury should have held out for longer, for a bigger recovery in the markets. This would probably have ensured a better deal for tax payers, so why didn’t the Treasury wait? The most likely reason is that they don’t expect a late recovery any time soon. It may even be the case that they believe it is best to sell now, because another recession is on the way and being in possession of a loss-making bank will not help public finances as we struggle through another period of negative growth. With all the changes currently in the economy, I doubt that the sale of Northern Rock will be the cause of a recession, and it certainly was not the cause in the last, but it is an interesting point to ponder, that one bank could create a signal for the whole UK economy.

John S Turner

with less than 10 per cent of pupils receiving three correct predictions and a quarter being given at least one under-prediction. Those from poorer backgrounds are placed at a disadvantage in the current system, as they tend to have lower predictions and less guidance during the process. UCAS admitted that the existing system “is complex, lacks transparency for many applicants and is inefficient and cumbersome for Higher Education Institutions…” The proposals would, however, also mean that the A-level

Dominic Alves

orthern Rock has before hailed significant changes in the economy. In 2007, the bank made headlines, with a run on its reserves as depositors withdrew a total of £4.6bn. This incident and subsequent nationalisation of Northern Rock was seen by many as the first casualty of the recession. Now the government has agreed to sell Northern Rock to Virgin Money, does this change of hands, from the public sector to the private sector, signal another shift to the economy? Given that the Treasury has agreed to sell the bank now implies one of two things; either the economy has recovered as much as it’s going to, or that it will be a long time waiting for any greater recovery. The first of these implications may be true; it is quite possible that this was the best time to complete the trade. Although the government has injected £1.4bn into Northern Rock, its assets currently lie closer to £1bn, due to the loss-making nature of the bank.

homas Cook’s net debt at the end of September was £900 million pounds, which is just £100 million shy of one billion. To put that into context, Greece’s sovereign debt is rated at 342 billion pounds. This is We saw what a deletrious effect Greece’s debt problem is having on the world stage and that’s a whole country, which makes it all a bit worrying when a single travel company can rack up such a large debt by itself.

Northern Rock sold to Virgin Laura Tingle bathimpact Contributor

Thomas Cook has a bit of a rollercoaster ride

Thomas Cook, the travel operator, is in a world of trouble

Nokia Siemens cuts one quarter of jobs

ompetition from rivals such as Ericsson, Huawei and ZTE has caused Nokia Siemens to cut more than 17,000 jobs worldwide, approximately one quarter of its workforce. This has come at a devastating time for the job markets, where rising unem-

ployment rates are plaguing many European economies. The joint Finnish-German company gave the statement that the cuts were “regrettable but necessary”. After the announcement was released, it’s shares increased by 2 per cent to 4.70 Euros.

Rohit Rath

Robyn Chan bathimpact Contributor s the UCAS system changes, the it is hoped that of future graduates will be of a better standard and so will contribute more to the UK economy. On 30th October, UCAS published a report that proposed reforms to the current application system. Under the new system, students will no longer apply with their predicted grades, but rather with their A-level results. Their choices of universities will also be limited from the current five to just two institutions. This proposal comes at a time where the government is, supposedly, seeking to make university education more accessible to low-income students, despite the recent tuition fee increases. The current system has been criticised to favour wealthier and private school students, who are encouraged to apply earlier and receive much more guidance from their teachers or parents. Both factors have been shown to maximise chances of receiving offers from universities. The Predicted Grade System has also been called into question whereby, according to UCAS, research showed that only 52 per cent of predictions are correct

Andrew Schwegler

New UCAS: better graduates A bite of business

The Nokia Siemens buildings in Bangalore

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Everything is much Score bigger in the U.S.A. »

nyone who’s played sport at The University of Bath knows the drill: after a couple of la-

in there, it still feels busy and everyone has a great night. The fact that sports clubs have had it drilled into

watering holes in town, you take a relaxing and quiet bus ride up to campus. You then head towards The Tub for a night of innocent dancing. On many occasions so far this semester however, a Score ticket has been a rare commodity. Accord-

the SU has been important too. The cheap drinks deals probably don’t hurt either. However, for a better insight into what makes those Wednesday

outs. The fastest sell out occurring just three hours after tickets went on sale. So why has it been so popular this year? Chris thinks the refurbishment of the union has had a huge impact (no pun intended). Even when there aren’t that many people

“

You get to go out with your team, celebrate wins or commiserate losses

”

Kat Hawkins evenings so special, we spoke to someone with an incredible record.

Fourth year Sport and Exercise Scientist, Kat Hawkins has missed just two Scores in almost three and half years, including her year out on placement. Of those two missed, one was due to a funeral, and the other was due to her being out of the country. She says, “Score is the highlight of the week as you get to go out with your team, celebrate wins or commiserate losses, and enjoy a night with like-minded people who just want to have a few beers and a bit of fun.” The only problem she had was snack, so she can now be found outside The Tub selling a range of piping hot toasties to satisfy our athletes’ appetites on their way home to bed.

Owen Tonlinson

Owen Tomlinson bathimpact Contributor verything is much bigger in America. The cars, the shops, the houses, the bellies, and now university sport has taken things to a whole new level. Collegiate sport in the US has always been a big deal. Unlike the UK, nearly all professional athletes will attend university and play four years of college sport before entering the major leagues. The NCAA, the US equivalent to BUCS, enjoys a son university matches being broadcast around the world. The NCAA basketball season kicked off this month, with the University of North Carolina Tar Heels taking on the Michigan State Spartans in their season opener, a repeat of the 2009 Championship game. So where to do you stage such a big match? In the University sports hall? At a professional team’s stadium? On board an aircraft carrier? Well, that’s exactly what they did. The game was played on the

not only home to thousands of crew and around 90 aircraft, but was also the place where Osama Bin Laden’s funeral was held before he was buried at sea. Even President Barack Obama took time out if his busy schedule to watch a thrilling game with the UNC Tar Heels living up to their pre-season hype, coming out 67-55 winners. Imagine a similar situation here at home. The University football team playing on board the HMS Ark Royal with the Queen in attendsessment on that is going to have one hell of a headache.

is a total sell out

a 100,000 tonne nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. This battleship is

Nik’s Festive Fitness Corner out the year I aim to deliver you leading nutritional advice, cutting edge work out regimes as well as top tips from top international athletes. With Christmas less than three weeks away, it comes as no surprise that this segment is going to focus on keeping off those festive pounds. Rightly so, Christmas is a period where most of us have a tendency to over indulge in our guilty pleasures. Just because we all enjoy a mince pie however does not mean that we have to succumb to a festive belly. So here are my top tips to make sure it’s not you wearing the red suit come the Christmas party: - Running the ‘Turkey Trot.’ - Dog walking (winter miles bring summer smiles). - Cross country skiing on your nearest plateau. - Getting all the Christmas decorations out of the loft in just one trip. - Chasing that token drunk Uncle we all have around the garden after a few brandy’s too many. - A 24 hour, no carbohydrate diet

from 7pm.” So you’ve heard from Ireland’s best, you’ve heard from me. Now go and enjoy your festivities, just make sure that you’re the one pulling the sled this month. You won’t regret it when you watch those pounds drop off.

Before

After

Trampolining hits new heights Sarah Williams and Rebecca Haywood bathimpact Contributors

n the 11th and 12th November, The University of Bath held their annual Trampolining Competition. A huge number of competitors donned their leotards, many for the first time. Over the day we saw 130 competitors from nine different universities. Bath showed their strength in depth by fielding 33 of those competitors. Ignoring a hospital trip for one of the Portsmouth competitors, some incomplete and wrong routines, the day was a huge success. Bath saw a large medal haul from the individual and team events in a range of different categories. Third places went to Ryan Chan in the novice event, Heather Carver in intermediate and Megan Comber in Elite. The main organiser of the day,

Charlotte Broadhead finished in second place in the advanced women’s group. Tom Scullion dominated the advanced men’s group; winning by a substantial margin. Sam Eason and Rebecca Haywood also showed superiority in the elite grouping, winning their respective men’s and women’s categories. As well as the individual medals, many team places were also gained with third place team medals won by both our Novice/Intermediate team and Elite team of Nicola Bannister, Emily Purpuri, Sarah Goring and Sarah Williams. First place in that top category came from the great performances of the Bath A team: Rebecca Haywood, Sam Eason, Megan Comber and Charlotte Broadhead. Well done to everyone that competed. There were some brilliant performances and we look forward to next year’s competition showcasing just as much talent.

Rebecca Haywood

on December 25th. This week I caught up with Irish porter of the no carb diet. “As an international standard ness levels up over the winter. Balancing training with Christmas indulgences is not easy, but it is possible.” He added “I will also be giving ‘Turkey Trot’ lessons at the

Jonathan Gleave

Nik Simon bathimpact Contributor

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Mountaineering; without any limits Geoff Pyatt bathimpact Contributor

Gleaveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gripes Let your footballers get fat and drunk

It has long been an English footballing tradition, to have a host of

is that people that go on the trips since been a Gleave tradition to a freezing afternoon and going -

Bath University Mountaineering Club

to Scotland and the Easter trip to

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hockey firsts triumph over Cardiff Ashley Quinlan SA Sport Reporter n the coldest conditions of the -

Jordan Chapman bathimpact Contributor

then as part of his celebration,

Jonathan Gleave

Ashle yQuinlan

Archery on target

impactsport Monday 5th December 2011

Merry Christmas from impactsport

Bath win Grand Western Indoor Competition Archery, p23

Inside impactsport Nik’s Festive Fitness Corner Nik Simon offers you some novel ways on how to keep trim this winter break. With tips ranging from dog walking to snowball fights (weather permitting).

Jonathan Gleave

See page 22 for more

Bath Jets get an early present » Jonathan Gleave caught up with the SA’s newest club

the Sports Association from the next academic year. So rather than being a society within the University, they will My duty as a Sport Association Sport Reporter dictated I must go on behalf of impactsport more about cheerleading. So in the name of journalistic professionalism, and nothing else, I spent an afternoon

joining in with a Jets rehearsal session. Here’s what I found out. JG: “Are you excited about being a member of the SA from next year?” BJ: “Wooooooooooooo.” JG: “I’ll take that as a yes then. What made you decide to push to become an SA club now?” BJ: “We’ve been trying to get af-

JG: “A high court judge in America recently ruled that cheerlead-

haven’t had the facility space to accom-

normally have about three competitions a year, but the biggest are the nationals with the British Cheerleading Association.” JG: “What do you feel you can bring to the SA?” BJ: “It’s a chance to have a more female dominated sport involved with the SA. There are a lot of male dominated sports in there at the moment and it’ll be nice for us to be able to represent the girls. Oh and of course, more cheer.”

it’s been taken to the SA general meeting vote, and luckily we got through!” ing all about then?” BJ: “Being kicked in the face. No, but seriously though, it’s about dancing, performing stunts and cheers and generally having a good time. As well as being kicked in the face.’”

Laura Burt

Bring It On? Or Bring It On Again? Or Bring It on again again?” BJ: “Yes, except we’re less bitchy

Going above the call of duty

as hard, but are generally nicer.” JG: “I don’t see any pom poms though.” Laura Burt (Coach): “You can’t throw people into the air with pom poms in your hands. We’re gradually changing people’s perceptions of cheerleading, and people are starting to take us seriously as a sport now.”

do you have to say to him?” BJ: “That he should come and try it! Besides, George Bush and Barack Obama were both cheerleaders, bet he wouldn’t say that to them.” JG: “What competitions do you currently compete in?”

you drop one of the girls? Honestly now...” BJ: “We ‘drop’ them all the time, it’s a part of practice, but we always catch them.” do you ‘drop’ someone. And they have to go to hospital?” BJ: “Never.” Laura Bacon (cheerer): “Once a year...” JG: “Do you have a Merry

Christmas cheer for the readers of bathimpact?” BJ, after some thinking: “We’ve come to bring you some Christmas cheer; the Bath Jets are going to win everything this year.” man pyramid for the camera please? And can I be on top?” BJ: “Eeeerm...” STV Staff: “Time to go guys.” JG: “Damn.” So, my Christmas present to you, an interview with the lovely Bath Jets. From next year they will be a sport club here at the University and hopefully, a few years after that, when BUCS recognises cheerleading as a sport, they will be contributing to our BUCS points too. Bring it on I say!

Since the term started, Score has continued to prove popular with sporting and non-sporting students alike. With the most popular week selling out just three hours. Jamie Hosie caught up with VP Sport

Page 22

Mountaineering, what’s it all about? Geoff Pyatt gives impactsport the low-down on why he loves mountaineering and gives us a few reasons as to why it is one of the biggest and most exciting sports clubs at the University. See page 23 for more on climbing, abseiling...

Men’s Hockey First team beat Cardiff Our Hockey men’s first team took on Cardiff and managed a convincing 4-0 win, with goals from Dave Davey, Tristan Wike and a brace from Dave Sutcliffe. SA Sport Reporter Ashley Quinlan was in attendanec on behalf of impactsport and witnessed the thrashing firsthand. For a full match report, see page 23

Merry Christmas, everyone Jonathan Gleave

hey say that the best gifts come in the smallest of packages. Well, the gift that was bestowed unto the 177 members of the Bath Jets Cheerleading Society, 44 days before Christmas, didn’t even come in a package. It was by no means small how-

Score going strong

‘Twas the month before Christmas, when all through the campus. Not a student was stirring, not even an Angus. The notebooks were scattered on So come to exams, you shall likely despair.’

Charley1965

Monday 5th December 2011

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EDITORIAL

Occupy

Written by Holly Narey

Holly Narey bite Editor

impact-bite@bath.ac.uk

CONTENTS Student Lifestyle Occupy Christmas - Page 2 &3 Drinking leagues - Page 3 Overworked and underpaid Page 5 Crappy New Year - Page 7 Page 13

Sex & Relationships

aware that some of you will be reading this after Christmas and New Year, however, to be completely honest, I holiday season now that you’re under the pressure of exams, so sit back and relax, and let us talk at you about I know people say that Christmas has become too commercial, that it’s lost its meaning, but in my opinion it now my heart is quickening with excitement and it’s not because of the gifts, it’s more about the fact that it is a

Page 7

The Guide

truggling to think of the perfect gift for that budding young socialist in your family whose room already looks like a Che Guevara museum? An Anti-Flag album could work, but do you really want to expose your kids to the punk scene? You could go for something educational, but the pictures to words ratio in Chomsky books are far from the correct level to qualify for a fun Christmas present and, correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure they tion may seem dire but fear not, help is at hand from those bastions of the made famous by V for Vendetta and the Occupy movement, can be purchased

everyone is united in celebration, and it’s because of my

- Page 6 All I want for Christmas - Page 6

Written by Thomas Gane

of my advent calendar-esque book, A Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder, and every day would mean another

Page 8

Fashion

attempt to introduce that moral question that tugs at your trouser leg every time you browse Amazon or brave the real world in search of the gift that will make the perfect Christmas; has Christmas become a business? Do the family or religious values that used to optimise the holiday still ring true or are they clinging to a cliff face above the cavern of history while the cackling corporate

Secret Santa gift guide - Page 10 & 11 Page 11

dar in an old bookshop and behind each door is another -

Page 12 Dog is Dead - Page 12 Page 12 Have yourself an alternative Christmas -Page 13 Foster the people - Page 13

she sees a lamb run out from a pile of toys, and she chas-

ent materialism in Christmas is the Facebook explosion when the Coca Cola -

Another thing that I do is that no matter how hard I

of vodka and late night chats, but may I thank what seems to be all my friends

The Greatest Store in the World mum who can’t afford Christmas, and so sneaks into a huge department store with her daughters, and they have a gay old time and in doing so discover a burglary

of society as a whole is so effective that you may as well throw in the towel and admit that Christmas has become so perverted and distorted from the origi-

Music

Film

Christmas Classics - Page 15 Page 15

Arts

and emphasis with the occupy movement inhabiting the main commercial areas of many of the world’s major cities, it’s harder to justify spending £200 on

Page 16 &17

Literature Food

Page 17

Festive Feast - Page 19

Puzzle corner Page 20

For those who don’t celebrate Christmas, use this as an opportunity to learn about this most celebrated of brate it, it has for many become a time to spend with friends and family, and to of course, on occasion, indulge it’s one of the only times I get to see my family, so it’s

U n i v e r s i t y

o f

B a t h

S t u d e n t s ’

U n i o n

STUDENT

m edia

tic merit, the dodgy jumpers (I am the proud owner of two, and intend on going shopping for more very soon

Advertising Enquires Helen Freeman

been playing Slade since mid-November, so to be allowed to do so without sighs and rolling eyes is a big re-

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trode in the brain of the lab rat that is the general population and we all turn in formation to the nearest chain store, like Cybermen with full wallets instead of tive it is clear why many call for a return to more traditional values, but is a moral and family Christmas really what people want and if so, who will be our Doctor and release us from our cyber suits? It’s easy for people to say they’d like to be closer to family at Christmas and create memories based on sharing rather than gifts, but can you actually back it up? Can you imagine a scenario in which you speak to your family for days with no interruptions from television or a new toy to mess around with, withmas now so far removed from the modern mind-set that it’s just irrational to try and force it upon people? For example, can you really make homemade gifts rather than indulge in the world of major labels and corporate greed and keep everyone happy? I mean the only thing I have (or at least hope I may

you do and it explains exactly why I pretend to be asleep until what I deem to be a socially unacceptable hour pretending I live alone with a hundred cats

01225 38 6151 bathimpact are not necessarily those of the bathimpact editors nor

the buying of gifts is probably something we’ll have to accept, but perhaps we information contained in this publication is correct and accurate at the time of going to print, the publisher cannot accept any liability for

this isn’t such an odd concept from my point of view as it’s not unusual for me and my dad to play some classic rock together as, at least in a musical sense, we refuse to embrace modernity (Don’t worry, we don’t go as far as the 80’s costumes, except when Uncle Gary visited before he went away, -

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University of Bath Students’ Union Look, I got you that pony you always wanted

a nice bonding experience, but setting out to sing carols would surely be

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Christmas the equivalent of the moment in lectures when the dreaded question, “Does anybody have any other thoughts?” is asked. It would be about as awkward as accidentally pouring Mel Gibson a glass of mulled wine at a Christmas party and the result would probably be the same; rage, argument and Christmas Eve spent with the lovely people of your local police force, hoping Santa puts the bail money in your stocking. I’ll cut the gross over-exaggeration off at this point as I realise I’m not as funny as I think I am, but I feel the point still stands. If we took away the gifts and expense, are we as people in any state to embrace a traditional Christmas without wanting to systematically hunt and kill everyone unfortunate enough to cross our paths? We have taken it too far and efforts should be made to curb the materialistic tendencies of Corporate Christmas, but if you try to force family and morals down the throats of people instead of letting them find it naturally, the rebellion against it will be much more volatile. I’m sure pictures will emerge as we enter the season proper that depict the protestors gathered around a fire with an emphasis of a community feel and then have it contrasted against a one-per-center buying an iPad, perhaps with the caption, “This is the Christmas spirit, this is not” (feel free to use that idea as your own, bloggers of Bath) but we’re too far in to reject the system completely. We’re too old, it’s not safe to take the red pill, the rabbit hole is too deep and Neo would break his neck when he landed. It’s an evil we’ll have to live with, but that doesn’t mean you can’t control it. Ask for some money to be donated to charity as one of your gifts, or donate all the crap you never really used from last Christmas to a local shelter? Spend a bit of time with your parents to thank them for the new smart phone instead of logging straight into the Facebook app to tell all your friends about the new smart phone, you can get drunk with them tomorrow; it’s why God created Boxing Day. People appreciate the little things and in the end if you want to change things, you have to start somewhere. Of course all this reflection seems to be ignoring the simple fact that we all like getting free stuff and I can’t afford a new guitar on a student budget.

Has Christmas lost its magic? Photo from Santacon

Bath Drinking Leagues Written by Jonathan Gleave

aving just stumbled through my door from the pub, I stumbled upon something else; after having butchered the standard post-beer diet of beans on extra burnt toast that is. I found The University Drinking League. Yes, such a thing exists, and let’s be honest now, it holds a hell of a lot more sway than The Sunday Times University League Table... It essentially ranked 68 of the country’s biggest universites in order of how many units of alcohol are consumed by their ‘average’ students per week. No surprises to see that Leeds Metropolitan came out on top of the pile. I am proud to reveal though (or not so proud if someone in a position of authority happens to cast their eyes upon this article - shame on you boozy students) that we came sixth! Give your livers all a wonderful pat, although not too hard as they may well go from the foie gras pâté state that they are currently in to a completely useless pile of livery dust. We may have come sixth, but

guess who came fourth... our good old rivals at Bath Spa University. That I can handle. It’s very rare that they beat us at anything, let alone a university league table of some sort, be it academic or otherwise. As a city on the whole however, the boozy barrel. What did surprise me though was the amount of alcohol that our students are consuming. I was expecting a ludicrously high value; instead I was greeted with 21.9 units per week. Believe it or not this makes us distinctly average at drinking, as this is the recommended weekly intake for your average male anyway. Just three more pints a week on average would’ve projectile vomited us to the top of the table, not that excessive drinking is to be condoned in any shape or form though obviously. Another table I found (loving my tables), was The University Sex League, denoting the number of sexual partners per average student. This, we did not perform (cough) so well in. As we currently

sit in a fairly frigid 39th place. Unfortunately, Bath Spa don’t feature in the list so I cannot compare the two, presumably they were all too hungover to answer the question. Leeds Met feature highly in this tagenerating some simple correlation statistics I found that those universities who drank more had more sex. Well duh. This was true of a lot of the universities; however, Bath was not one of them. As we get drunker, we appear to have less sex. There is no obvious explanation for this perhaps we’re going so hard at the drinking during the night that we fail to go hard come the time in the bedroom. There are so many puns in that single sentence I don’t know where to begin. The most interesting thing about the sex league was the position of the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff, however, which managed tively. Social to Wales, anyone?

Monday 5th December 2011

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Is Santa to blame for the War in Iraq? Written by Ben Hooper

o this Father Christmas chap. Is he really for altruism or is it all just a way for him to perv on kids? Let’s face it; most of us haven’t seen him right? So... we’re told we’ll only have a visit from Father Christmas if we’re good and if we believe in him. I did both of those things just for presents at Christmas, not because I actually liked my parents, just that year on year they’d have to dish out the gifts lest I wake up distraught and have yet another grumpy day in the airing cupboard. I think Santa only ‘visits’ so to speak, the kids who don’t believe he exists, thus eradicating any chance of a lawsuit. In

Overworked & underpaid Written by Rowan Emslie

Please excuse me, I’m about to gush.

went to see a public lecture at LSE recently (check out their calendar and go to one if you can, they have ments in the Age of the Internet’. The speaker was Manuel Castells. He was introduced as one of the leading experts on the internet in the world today, a winner of a startling amount of academic He’s a pretty big cheese. The room was completely packed and, despite the lecture being held in some sort of internet resistant bunker, quite of lot of people excitedly tweeted the majority of what Castells said. I’ve put together a short summary of some of the responses on

New Year’s eve parties (not even on the appropriate date in the Julian Calendar – because he has

2009 called Communication Power (which I bought after the lecture so he

year, he claimed in an interview that he just did it for laughs and that it was a running bet he’d had with legendary Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne. Other reports suggest that he is now

how he saw the world: a world of interaction, of power struggles and technology. He describes the local/global modern world as ‘the network society’, where knowledge is no longer power; the ability to communicate knowledge is power.

So who is this Santa fella anyway? Mr CocaCola, Mr alliteration, Mr only does one day of work a year and is still getting his full fucking pension! Trying to convince us all that the risks of obesity aren’t as serious as the Department of Health

to survive escape from Lapland. A man who has, on numerous occasions refused to merge with FedEx’s worldwide circle of distribution outlets whose daily collection circuits would cut his carbon emission, which are comparable to those of India by HALF. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even speak Finnish. In conclusion, this man is an utter bastard. Which answers the question, this essay poses, YES! He should be forever entombed in ice, as the picture below depicts. Merry Christmas.

and communication is more than power. But power relies on the control of communication as counterpower depends on breaking through such control. And mass communication, the communication that potentially reaches society at large, is shaped and managed by power relationships, rooted in the business of media and the politics of the state. That ‘business of media’ phrase immediately made me think of the Murdochs, phone-hacking and, inevitably, Hugh Grant. Grant has been attacking tabloid journalists for years but even more so in the last few months. He hates them snooping on him and his famous chums – a standpoint that mostly made people shrug and mutter ‘your career IS hugely aided by being in the papers all the time’ until it turned out that Murdoch & Sons have been spying on other people as with horrible consequences. cial inquiry on ‘hackgate’ has resulted wringing in recent weeks. The problems people seem to be having with celebrity involvement with the Leveson inquiry are similar to the ones I have highlighted with regards to celebrity third sector advocacy. Basically, any time celebrities get tied into a news event more substantial than the Oscars people start navel gazing. Fair enough: the intrusion of entertainers into the moral/political consciousness of the every day world is both intensely disturbing and a pretty rich seam for comedy mining (all hail Marina

‘His grumpy hotness’Actor and anti-Murdoch campaigner Hugh Grant. Courtesy of The Smoking Gun

The mainstream media, now well established, has helped to create a network American entertainment stars. They tweet! They blog! They sing! The new triple threat. Why, then, hasn’t the Occupy movement or, for that matter, any of the various Arab revolutions picked, for instance, Justin Bieber to be the face of their movement? One of the most notable thing about the huge protest movements of 2011 has been the distinct lack of leaders. In his lecture, Castells made two points on this: one was that, particularly in dangerous, oppressive countries, if you promote a leader, you create a target. (It’s probably a good thing J-Biebs isn’t involved, I don’t think the world could handle his The fact that there are no leaders means that everyone is a leader and everyone is responsible. movements. Self-evidently, the majority of the Tunisians, Libyans and Egyptians supported the revolutions. A more fascinating statistic comes from America where almost 60% of the population Why isn’t that bigger news? Castells pointed out that the greatest danger facing freedom or counterpower, particularly in new media, is the vested interests of media conglomerates, big business and repressive governments. They have control and they will play dirty to keep it. Castells pointed out that, while the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt used the mainstream media, social media was vital – these movements, just like Occupy, are social much more than they to change the existing systems of po-

litical and public life. Social movements aim to change the underlying values of society – Women’s Lib wanted to change how gender was viewed, how men and women treated each other, what being a man or being a woman mean in your everyday life; these are huge, fundamental alterations to how society functions. Therefore, the ability for the revolutionaries themselves to discuss and spread their messages of subversion without the patronage of an outside media company meant the movements were much more likely to succeed. Not only do they exist outside of the existing political paradigm – something that puts governments on the back foot – but, also, they utilise non-traditional means of communication which takes their movement away from the existing structures of power that underpin the Luckily enough for them, that means they used the internet, and the internet is bloody fast. They were, in fact, too fast for the ruling powers to react to – in Egypt they tried to jam the whole domestic inter-

got around their jamming in a variety of ways. If power is the means of controlling communication then social media, mobile phones and the internet all make those Anonymous chaps are quite useful after all… http://storify.com/rowanemslie/governments-hate-the-internet For more go to: rowanemslieintern.wordpress.com/ Or follow me at: twitter.com/RowanEmslie

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Putting the X Factor back into Xmas Written by bite’s Relationship Columnist

ow, everyone loves Christmas, but everyone loves it for different reasons. For some it is the perfectly packaged presents, for others the copious amounts of lavish food, for many the variety of festive flavoured alcohol offered over the season (mulled wine, Crabbies Christmas orange ginger beer, or Malibu with snowflakes in it... yes it exists!). For some, it is the time off and the opportunity to enjoy all those other things with the people they love the most, who at the other times of the year are neglected due to the busy schedules of student life. Christmas has become increasingly commercialised, and is stretched out longer each year for companies to cash in on the festive spirit... why the hell were the BER?! It is only once you have spent Christmas in a completely different culture whereby it is not the receiving of the gifts that provokes joy, but simply spending time enjoying each other’s company, and for once not other instances of technological wizardry. Last Christmas I was lucky enough to be in a faraway place, a world away from the lights, the cards, the Christmas puddings and all the other gubbins that detract away from the real meaning of the holiday. I spent the day fishing for my supper with a group of friends and family, didn’t lay eyes on one piece of wrapping paper, and slept in a tent; until relocation to the front seat of a car became necessary, much to my loved one’s dismay. This was due to a very large insect that decided it

wanted to get in on the snuggle action with us, snug as a En route to the car, I stepped on a huge thorn, which my partner then spent the next three hours trying to pull out of my foot on the steering wheel. The other people on the site told us the next day they thought we were just trying out some new positions in the car due to the noises coming from it, when in fact I was just screaming in pain, and not even the good kind! As much as I missed the traditional aspects of the holiday I grew up with, I went back to basics and reassessed the meanings of Christmas. Aside from the religious connotations, Christmas is about community, connections and family, re-establishing relationships and embracing all of those close to you; it is about sharing the kind of happiness that can’t be bought. People are more important than presents. Community is more important than commodities. This year I pledge to take a leaf out of my parent’s book, and sneak upstairs for a bit of festive fondling after stuffing the turkey. The X factor is that special thing, a moment in time which is something you can’t have any other time of the year, you get presents on birthdays, food at functions, and alcohol... well most weekends. Seeing as Christmas is being stretched out to last for months, I think it is about time we stretched our imaginations and see past the glitz that is suffocating the true spirit of the festive season. Find that X factor in the people you love.

All I want for Christmas... Written by bite’s Sex Columnist

was sitting in Plug with my housemate a few nights ago, gorging on food and jabbering about sex, love, life and men when we were approached and offered pizza by a young man. The truth is I shouldn’t be eating any more pizza. Nor sausage for that matter… because it’s almost Christmas! God knows I’m going to need to look good in my sexy Santa we all know potential lovers are important for new writing material when it comes to sex columns. I just love Christmas. It incorporates the 5 vital F’s: Food, family, friends, favours and FUCKING. ‘Tis the season to shop for Jesus, but I imagine everyone is having trouble wondering what to buy their nearest and dearest for this winter occasion, never fear! I have found a solution! Everyone loves sex, right? And pretty much everyone has or will have sex at least a couple of times… So why not prepare them for some of the best nights of their lives? Lingerie, dildos, vibrators, nipple pasties, lube, pleasure lites for the special someone. And the best part? You’ll be able to hear how much they love their new presents from the moans and groans no doubt coming from their locked bedrooms. I guarantee your friends will love these gifts. And if they don’t? Hell, they probably need a good fucking anyway, which in my experience, has proven to loosen up even the ceiving these gifts a little daunting, it won’t be long before you all will be joining me on the dark side. Hopefully the recipients of your gift won’t get caught by

only was it off-putting, but also I have a sneaky suspicion hand, if I were a guy, my sexuality would be celebrated and certainly not regarded as shocking. It’s a sad fact that even in today’s society double standards exist between men and women, sure, as an attractive young woman I’m able to receive the odd free taxi ride here, maybe a free drink there but believe me, I’d give it up in a heartbeat for authentic gender equality. I am a self-proclaimed hedonist and sex-radical feminist, motivated by sensual pleasure and thus embrace sex in all its entity whilst openly communicating the opinion that sex is an essential component of women’s freedom, as people in their lives. In reality, if a man were to write a sex column in the same manner and with a similar enthusiasm I do, he’d be I might be labelled a ‘whore.’ From hence forth, I would rather be known as a sexual liberation activist. If that makes me a whore, then I’m a whore and I’m proud. My sex columns are thought-provoking and detailed and I intend to carry on writing in this style. If any readers are disgusted or offended by any of the issues addressed in any previous or future issues, I suggest you get a sense of humour. As long as the sex I have, or anyone else for that matter, is consensual, safe and not emotionally exploitative then there is no harm in the situation whatsoever. To really rile up my adversaries, however, I address to naked picture of me. Merry Christmas, and never forget: Haters gonna hate.

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Crappy New Year Written by Anna Vidos that distance didn’t scare the crowds off. What a mess! It’s a vicious circle; if there aren’t enough house parties, the crowd will be too big, but as long as the crowd is too big, nobody wants to throw a party. Clubs are a different matter. A friend of mine mentioned ‘matter-of-factly’ that someone got stabbed in the club in which they were celebrating not long after they left. Then again, that happens every now and then, hopefully not to you personally. But there is the price... Bath Komedia is throwing a New Year’s Bash for a mere £25, and while you Not to mention the queues, the cold, the crowd and the unhappiness that precedes the oh so waited enjoyment. Now don’t misunderstand me, I am not offering a solution. I’m not sure how exactly you can make the most of such a notorious night, should you not feel the mood, or just being sober compared to the rest. This year, again,

who have had one, know the consequences, and all those

year” programme, and hope that the hangover isn’t too bad. Then again, I might have the wrong train of thought here... What if it is just impossible for everyone to enjoy

the correct stance to take; we once had a house party a 100 miles from where we lived in a summer house, but even

Hey, it is 2012, who knows?

J.J. Verhoef Jan-Joost Verhoef

ew Year’s Eve is closing in, and the dread begins to grow; what will be on the plate this year? I see three options open to all of us: 1) you stay home and try not to feel too lonely 2) go to a club for a small fortune and enjoy the sweaty crowd for mile-high priced drinks 3) quickly scamper off to a house party, where mild alcohol poisoning and a trashed house awaits. Now I have done all of the three options listed above, and I think I’m starting to understand why I fear the day so much, and why most people I talk to seem to agree with me. It is a common conception that on New Year’s Eve you must have a great time, and you must do it with a crowd. You must feel good. You. Must. Feel. Good. If you don’t, then you are a sad, lonely, boring loser. If you stay home, you are all of the aforementioned automatically, even if that leaves you with the great satisfaction of not freezing in the cold, while queuing for some club. It’s like waiting for Christmas, with the greatest lists of presents for Santa, and then the disappointment when all it is, is useless plastic copies of the toys you really wanted.

TV: Christmas Highlights Written by Elena Ramsamy

1. Home Alone Sky movies, time and date tbc. It’s a classic, and it has to be done. Macaulay Culkin

2. Doctor Who BBC1 7pm Christmas day. nally here.

Top 5 Must-See Shows this Christmas

very year around this time I get a tingling feeling of excitement as the festive season and all that goes with it grows closer. A promise of decorations, the dinner, the presents and of course, Christmas television. I’m telling you now, Christmas would not feel the same without it. For some of us the build up starts as early as October with the cliff hanger that is doctor who and the promise of a season finale. Oh yes, it’s one of the many long awaited Christmas specials. Another cheeky bonus about the seasonal TV is the adverts, I know, the adverts! Christmas adverts seem to reach a distinctly higher standard. Take that controversial £6million John Lewis advert. In answer to the slightly more scroogy of you, yes it’s a ridiculous amount of money, but if you ask around I can guarantee you’ll know someone who cried when they first watched it. But that’s just the build up to it, on the day Christmas TV is definitely a family affair. In an age where there is a constant babble about the youth of today and all their antisocial antics, it’s comforting to know that on Christmas eve, Christmas day, boxing day and whenever else tradition dictates, families everywhere are eating together, laughing together, and eventually settling down for a bit of family viewing time. Christmas TV also provides that conversational safety net with distant relatives. After the standard greetings, thank-yous and Christmas wishes it acts as a handy topic to drop into conversation should the moment arise. So, in the words of the Coca Cola advert, remotes at the ready, the holidays are coming.

3. The Borrowers BBC1 7.30pm Boxing Day. Not the original but a hopefully new and improved version starring Stephen Fry. If it’s good enough for Stephen….

4. Michael McIntyres Comedy Roadshow BBC1 10.30pm Christmas day. For some post turkey giggles.

5. The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year Channel 4 TBC A little pick me up for that post Christmas comedown.

Oh and for the traditionalists amongst you, the Queen’s speech is a necessity. BBC1, 3.00pm, Christmas day

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The Guide Written by Tom Rookes

Music

Arts

On Campus

Ellwood + Gecko + King Tuts Revenge + Kenisia + Subversive Fire The Croft, Bristol 11/12 Ellwood, the new side project from Mad Caddies singer Chuck Robertson, are heading to The Croft in Bristol this December to bring a bit of their sun-soaked, Californian reggae and ska to brighten up our British winter blues. Support comes from Gecko, a superb, upbeat, acoustic band from London. Incorporating reggae and samba rhythms with catchy pop choruses and some brilliantly witty creative lyrics Gecko will not disappoint.

Wildlife Photographer of the year Photography exhibition Bristol Museum & Art Gallery 19/11/11 to 11/03/12.

Seen any pictures or photographs on the walls on your way to lectures lately? It’ll be ICIA’s doing.

Moles Showcase! Sign up by 12/12 Moles has always been proud of its historical record supporting young up and coming bands, as can be seen by anyone who glances around the walls of the upstairs bar, where names such as The Killers, Oasis and The Smiths make for an impressive résumé. Luckily for the any budding musicians or bands it would appear that Moles are trying to revitalise their commitment to local and new bands with their new Moles Showcase. The showcase sounds like it’ll be more than just another Battle of the Bands with Moles promising recording time in their studio and the possibility of long term support to take any act showing promise to the ‘next stage of their careers’. The deadline for entrants is Monday 12th December so get in quick! The Dums and Cloud Control Bristol O2 Academy 8/12/11 Drums released their second album, Portamento, in September of this year, and Cloud Control released their debut, Bliss Release, in May to critical acclaim. Two fantastic bands, one not to miss.

Ok, I know that says the words ‘Museum’, ‘Art Gallery’ and ‘Exhibition’ all in one sentence but hear me out. Since the PhotoBath competition results have been announced in this issue of bite I thought it a fitting time to mention the National History Museum’s touring exhibition of The Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year is coming to Bristol. The exhibition gives you a chance to see over 100 photographs from the 17 categories in the competition and some all round truly stunning photographs. If PhotoBath only whet your appetite for more, this is the place to go. The Wurzels Sexy Burlesque Christmas Party Komedia 7/12 I’m still reeling from the first time I stumbled across those five surreal words put together in such a fantastic sentence, ‘Wurzels Sexy Burlesque Christmas Party’. Now I’m not sure if I’m in a David Lynch film or if I’m dreaming (though that’s probably a dream I should only speak to a therapist about) but believe it or not this is happening and in our very own city! I’m not sure how a night of feather boas, dancing girls, farming songs and cider will proceed but I think we can all agree, it would be a night you’d never forget. (Oh yeah! By the way, the support act is a hillbilly, folkrock band that specialise in ‘banjo driven, hoedown ska’...you can’t make this stuff up.)

As this year is coming to end, the programmes offered by our very own arts institute are wrapping up as well. The last programme was Matthew Shipp’s jazz concert on the 3rd of worry! Next semester means new classes, new performances and plenty of new attractions for the student body! So keep checking in with Bite to see whether there is anything you might be interested in.Until then, Merry Christmas!

website at www.bath.ac.uk/icia

“The Santa Clause” Murder Mystery 10/12/11

event of the year. “The Santa Clause” takes place during body of a lawyer is found. So come along for dinner and a murder and see if you can work out the mystery. Members: £10 Non members £12 (Food included) For more information email: committe@blades.pencethren.org

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Listen Up

James Blake

Written by Matt Walsh Anson rooms 29th November Nominated for the Mercury Prize 2011 this strange young man seemed to come out of nowhere earlier this was Limit to your love a cover that was all about the smooth vocals and the thundering bass. For his bigger fans there is cmyk, a completely different hit that uses his high range and vocal manipulation to create a very feminine tone. However even those that are not huge fans of this small niche in the corner of the current music market, seeing him live is an excellent way to spend an evening. As soon hair and very, very skinny jeans, he sits at the piano and doesn’t move for the whole hour-long set (apart from a lot of bopping and swaying to the beat). With countless microphone effects and an amazing drummer backing him he has everything he needs to replicate the album perfectly, losing none of the heavy production. He provides so much more than this with his charming interludes of chat with the crowd, acting like a shy teenager until his huge voice reaches pitch perfect notes blasting through synth even without a microphone (technical issues). His constant remixes are very refreshing with an almost drum and bass feel, keeping the audience on their toes. If you get the chance to see this young man live, don’t miss out.

Dog is Dead Written by Holly Narey Moles 4th November We are a mess, we are failures and we love it. These catchy words, romanticising the disillusionment of youth, are delicious to scream at the top of your voice. For a few wonderful moments, you can imagine you are an impulsive, troubled rebel, even if you spend every other night at home doing coursework . This group of young boys from Nottingham is on the up and up. Emerging into the spotlight supporting acts such as Bombay Bicycle Club as well as doing a solo UK tour, these guys are busy. Their upbeat indie tunes are thoroughly danceworthy and even better live; the boys performed them to perfection when they ruled the with a horde of dancing, singing, pintclutching youths, and did a very good job at entertaining us all. With the lively tunes, happy crowds, and with the band offering prizes for the best dancer (I tried, honestly, I tried), the atmosphere was fantastic. Keep an eye (and an ear) out, and if you get the chance, see them live.

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URB’s Crouching Beaver, Hidden Squirrel give us an overview of recent releases. Live and online, 1449am URB, Mondays 1-2pm, Wednesday 7-9pm All videos available at: cbhs.tumblr.com

Singles Emeli Sande/Jessie Ware: Daddy/Strangest Feeling

EMA: Marked

Holy Ghost! (feat. Juan MacLean and Nancy Wang): I Wanted to Tell Her

Both artists here combine a love for trip-hop with a love for men that don’t deserve them. Sande paints the unenviable but all too common situation of loving a philanderer, while even better is Ware (the Katy B to SBTRKT’s Magnetic Man) soundtracking the consuming anxieties of love, with a great hook and attention to detail: the bass is Morse code for ‘SOS’.

‘I wish every time you touched me left a mark’ has a wholly alternate meaning when you hear it delivered in Erika M. Anderson’s affected croak. The centrepiece of an album focussed on the traumas of being American, a woman and/or an addict, a gentle but cathartic coda sweeps her plea off to warmer pastures.

The 80s have been back in for a while now, and with the charts full of electronic escapism a look back at how the artists of yesteryear managed to convey romantic anxiety whilst wiggling hips is certainly well timed. Originally a single by Ministry, Holy Ghost and guests drag it into the new millenium, DFA style.

Albums Kate Bush: 50 Words for Snow

Kate Bush rushes out a follow-up to 2005’s Aerial (relatively, our last wait between album’s was 12 years), and sweeps into dominate the best of the year lists. It’s boiler-plate Bush with a jazzy, wintery touch. Song topics include a yeti, sex with a snowman and on the title track; Stephen Fry (!) makes up words for snow. Legendary!

Most likely to: remind you to buy a woolly hat and gloves. Check Out: Snowflake.

The Who/The Rolling Stones/ The Smashing Pumpkins: Quadrophenia/Some Girls/Siamese Dream (Deluxe Editions)

are re-released, all very different sounding, but all united in how they take their bands aesthetic to its maximum. Quadrophenia is the Who at their most ambitious, Some Girl’s is the Stones’ sleaziest, pumped-up LP and Siamese Dream sees them taking the idea of sunlit melody and anvilheavy sonics to the extreme.

Most likely to: encourage the claim ‘they dont make music like they used too...’ Check Out: Love, Reign O’er Me; Miss You; Today

Bon Iver: Bon Iver (Deluxe Edition)

R.E.M./Gorillaz: Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982-2011/The Singles Collection 2001-2011

One of many surprises this year was an American indie artist, known for spartan acoustic pleas, rocketing to number 2 on the UK album chart. Constant touring and TV appearances with his new band have boosted his profile further, so sensibly the label has set up a re-release, packaged with 10 impressionistic music videos as full of wonder as the music.

As much as I love their albums, there’s no denying the attraction of their compilation - few alternative artists have stormed the singles charts as regularly as these two. R.E.M.’s comes with some choice albums tracks, while the Gorillaz disc includes the excellent Soulchild remix of 19-2000.

Most likely to: make you believe in the people that still buy music.

Most likely to: worry you that Gorillaz are about do an R.E.M. and split.

Check Out: Towers

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Foster the People

I Love Bob Written by Jonathan Gleave

Written by Esther Osarfo-Mensah Anson rooms 27th November

Bob Dylan may have released a Christmas album, but this is a very different Bob, with similar Christmassy sentiments

hilst out in Spoons catching up He returned. With a Christmas card! Com-

erry shopping trolley and a slightly dazed look -

graciously decided to let that go

fact be much more... stood by their myriad of musical -

speech. He began to use a very basic form of him! perform one random act of kindness before -

piece of paper and started to rummage around -

only be heard by normal sized folk

Have yourself an alternative Christmas

Christmas Album Bright Eyes Written by Thomas Gane When most people sing about Christmas it creates a sense of cheesey happiness and creates

Shrek or Chicken Run and sitting through the adverts even though you have it on DVD. Conor

Songs For Christmas Sufjan Stephens Written by Holly Narey

ately hooked and dreamed of one

happiness and maybe a tiny bit of lust.

Merry Flippinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Christmas Bowling For Soup Written by Thomas Gane

ple packed into the tiny venue sim-

haunting feel. over the holiday period suicide rates are at their

to almost every song. Despite the -

Christmas that make it okay to dance along to car-

tions. He also not afraid to cover the darker side of Our father yells/ Throwing gifts in the wood stove and Silent night/ Nothing feels right looking to do the almost unheard of thing for students and... buy -

makes you feel like your emotions have been vio-

One More Drifter in the Snow Aimee Mann Written by Holly Narey

Why helloooo there

Hey, do you like music? to the original feel and lyrics makes it seem like Whatever Happened to Christmas?.

like music you can go see music Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be Home for Christmas

impact-bite@bath.ac.uk and talk to me about music.

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Film: Christmas Classics Written by Holly Narey

hristmas is a time to spend quality time with your friends and family, but when this becomes more than you can bear, shut them up with some of the best

and enjoy. Look out for: “ I’ll give you the moon, Mary.” Wah. Most likely to make you get up and dance

Most likely to laugh till you cry: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation so if you’re feeling that yours is bad; get some perspective with this tale of the quest for the perfect family Christmas, and the disasters faced along the way. Chevy Chase is at his best as the overenthusiastic dad, with Beverly D’Angelo playing his beautiful, patient, forgiving wife, and with Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki perfectly cast as the sarcastic daughter and wrong, seeing my family in the character on the screen. You love and hate every character, just like your real family! Look out for: The underwear salesgirl. “Yes, it’s a bit nippley out”. Most likely to make you reassess your life:

The perfect amount of twinkly lights It’s A Wonderful Life It’s a classic. If you haven’t seen it, watch it. Ignore how long it is, curl up on the sofa with a hot chocolate and watch difference to other people’s lives, even if we don’t realise it. If you don’t know what happens every time a bell rings, you are a disgrace to the holiday season. Rent a copy this instant

Aww, look at all that love Holiday Inn Bing Crosby. Fred Astair. What more can I say? Perfection… apart from the weirdly patriotic scenes and the odd bits of racism… you can ignore those, after a few minutes of this you’ll want to be taken through life singing and dancing. Bing Crosby is the down-to-earth man tired of the bright lights, who wants to retire to the countryside, and so opens his all singing, all dancing Holiday Inn, but only on holidays. How this would ever be economically viable is never explained, but plot ously hugely outdated, but it’s a real classic, and I’m amazed at how many people have never heard of it, especially as the Christmas anthem White Christmas

Don’t let the tone throw you off into thinking this is some huge mope-fest though. This is the style of comedy in which indie beats Hollywood in, hands down, every time. The kind of situations that if you got presented with yourself you’d have to laugh, else you’d damn well cry. The comedy comes

Richard Attenborough IS Father Christmas

the man that can make it happen. Although I’m normally an

Most likely to take you back to your childhood The snowman There may be no dialogue in this animated piece of pure beauty, but if there was it would just be a waste of your earholes. With the iconic song Walking in the Air sung by Aled Jones (not the Radio One DJ) you will be whisked away to a wonderland of innocence and playfulness… and then get your heart broken. Such is life. Watch the version with an introduction by David Bowie, it’s simultaneously fantastic and extremely bizarre. Look out for: Racial stereotyping of snowmen. Obviously in Scotland all snowmen are dressed in the classics; a carrot, a couple of pieces of coal and a kilt

in my opinion, the 1994 remake is a little more entertaining If you haven’t seen it, the star is really the girl, and Mara Wilson (AKA Matilda) is super adorable, and super precocious. What

If you’ve got your own comments on any films you’ve watched lately, email them to impact-bite@bath.ac.uk, or post them on http://www.facebook.com/bathimpactbite

Look out for: The sparkly dress, never has black and white been so colourful Most likely to make you believe in Santa Claus Miracle on 34th Street

Film: 50/50 Written by Ron Morrow

ike a doctor delivering bad news, sometimes the blunt approach is the best: 50/50 is a comedy about cancer; which, to the best of my judgement, is some pretty ballsy ground to cover. Especially when you factor in that Adam (Gordon-Levitt) develops the rare spine tumour at the far from bucket-kicking age of 27. So far, so heart wrenching, but as bad as you’ll feel doing it, you’re going to laugh your arse off. All joking aside though, cancer, and any other debilitating illness, is a tender topic that needs approaching with care, and thankfully 50/50 handles the subject with affection. The bombshell gets dropped on Adam early, a normal guy with a normal life. Long term girlfriend who all but lives with him, best friend who he works with, over protective parents who he only talks to when he has to; the whole shebang. Over the next hour and a half though is a tale not just of how the patient deals with it, but the pressures it puts on everyone they

is sadder than a child that doesn’t believe in fairies, giants or santa? Never fear, because before long a friendly old man claiming to be the real father Christmas appears on the scene (this is not as creepy as it sounds) and then magic inevitably follows. And a law suit. A law suit also inevitably follows, but it’s not the sort you’re thinking of. It’s very American, completely ridiculous, but irresistibly charming. Look out for: the least likely wedding ever. No one would ever go through with it.

thick and fast in places, the majority of which coming from Rogen’s character Kyle (a stylised version of Rogen’s own experiences) playing off Adam. From using his friend’s cancer get a prescription for medicinal marijuana (yes, that’s really a thing in America). All the little quirks of the characters will keep you smiling throughout, even as the bad news piles up. able every character is; before you know it you’re emotionally invested, eagerly channelling that emotion into their development and story arcs. Adam has to be talked into Kyle’s antics while desperately trying to put off coming to terms with his illness; Kyle can’t talk to Adam about feelings because they both have male genitalia and it’s just not the done thing; the girlfriend who feels that to leave is abandonment but to stay is more than she can handle; the inexperienced therapist who teaches the patient just as much as she learns from him; and the parent who has to face the possibility of having to bury her child. No matter who you are, there’s someone you’ll resonate with, but you’ll feel for all of them. managing a pretty even split between its ups and downs. A odds than you’d get in any casino, and odds are that you’ll love it.

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PhotoBath: The Winners Written by Tom Rookes

ith over one hundred fantastic photographs entered into the Photo Bath Amateur Photography competition you’d be hard pushed to find someone who wouldn’t agree that Bath is one of the most photogenic cities around, however, this hardly detracts from the very impressive photography skills on show this year. Entries ranged from iPhone app snaps up to long exposure DSLR photos but the quality of photography remained high throughout.

Best Overall Photo:

Sam Short “An HDR from North Road”

The competition theme was “Bath from a different angle”. Sam and the other finalist definitely managed to achieve this, capturing shots that not only showed off the city we know and love but also showed that amateur photography is alive and kicking in Bath. Now, I wouldn’t claim that my humble opinion is anything to go by, but I do think the Royal Photography Society judges made excellent decisions in picking the winners this year. If these pictures don’t inspire the photographer in you to go out and get snapping, then I don’t know The main prize for the overall best photograph went to our very own Sam Short for his HDR photograph (High Definition Range, what will. Wikipedia it, I know I had to) of the Bath skyline from north road.

Alejandro Morales Frias: “Look Up” Category: Most Original

Hsien-Ming Ng: “Guy Fawkes Fireworks Night” Category: Most Technically Accomplished

Other winners included Alejandro Frias’ ‘most original’ photograph looking dizzingly up into the iconic flying buttresses of Bath Abbey

Hsien-ming Ng’s entry showing the Bath RAG and Rotary Club Firework display in all its glory managed to top the impressive “Most Technically Accomplished” category.

Monday 5th December 2011

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Lit: Jeanette Winterson

YO! Sushi Written by Matt Walsh

Written by Cordelia Brown

“

Why is the measure of love loss?” asks the opening sentence of Written On The Body. Over the years Jeanette Winterson has written at length about long-

novel, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, was published a young girl adopted by deeply religious parents. She is supposed to become a missionary; instead she falls in love with a woman. At sixteen she leaves home, and the parting words of her mother are, “Why be happy when you could be normal?” During her childhood Mrs Winterson banned any books that weren’t the Bible, so Jeanette began collecting her own. When her mother discovered her treasured stash of paperbacks she burnt them in the garden, and Jeanette thought, “Fuck it, I can write my own.” In a previous novel Jeanette says, “There’s no such thing as an autobiography, only art and lies.” Oranges was semi-autobiographical. Her recently published novel, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?, has only been labelled as a memoir, Jeanette explains, so that it can be categorised in libraries and bookshops. It is heart-

human extremes. Why Be Happy was written quickly, and as you read it you can feel it propelling you. There is a lack of control, an urgency, and emotional force that isn’t as apparent in her other novels. If you have read Oranges you will recognise some of the same anecdotes and observations cropping up in both novels. However, the repetition is not important. Jeanette explains that she wrote Oranges as a ‘cover version,’ a story that she could live with. She explains that she has not come to a compromise with life, but a settlement, and, at the book reading, a member of the audience spoke up, “So, are you happy?” Jeanette laughed and paused for a moment before replying, “Well, am I normal?”

coming of sorts, from growing up under the tyranny of her mother’s rigid belief system, to leaving home in the name of love, studying at Oxford, journeying into madness and out of it again, always on an endless search for an identity, a sense of place, and a mother. Last month Jeanette read extracts from her new novel ping in front of her audience was to create herself a makeshift platform out of four huge library books. Teetering on her stage, dressed in black and white, her hair wild, she looked bright, tiny, and when she spoke it was as if a described in so many certainties: brilliant, volatile, conShe will say so much herself, she acknowledges that she is impossible and, as she writes in Oranges, “The unknownness of my needs frightens me. I do not know how huge they are, or how high they are, I only know that they are not being met.” Jeanette does not do things by halves, and every novel she has written has been an exploration into

A young Jeanette

eople say to always avoid chains for good food, however for us students it’s hard to ignore the prices of the bigger chains, offering the cheapest food in town. Bearing this in mind I visited yo sushi expecting a gimmicky restaurant with rip off Japanese food. I was mistaken. Yo sushi is awesome, from the conveyor belt next to your table, the water dispenser built into the table and of course who can forget the glowing urinal. I would recommend the chicken katsu curry, or the vegetarian dumplings or really, let’s be honest, any one of the 64 sushi dishes prepared in front of you. The food is completely fresh, with the hot food only cooked to order and the conveyor belt dishes binned every couple of hours there is no need to worry about quality. Even if you’re on your own, the open plan, bar like seating means that you’ll never be a loner. The selection of vegetarian options is quite extensive with dishes ranging from the usual soups and salads to complex curries made with deep-fried tofu, there truly is something for everyone. To top all of this off, you (as YO! sushi student club members, see the website) get a whopping 25% off which means even the most expensive plates such as the deep fried octopus balls (lol) are less than £4.

Joey Helms: “Bath’s Sexy Curves” Category: Most Iconic

Niraj Vibhakar: “Tilt Shift Experiment” Category: The People’e Choice

Joey Helm showed off Bath’s ‘sexy curves’ of the Royal Crescent to come first in the “Most Iconic” category.

Niral Vibhakar’s won the peoples vote, with the most ‘likes’ on facebook for his impressive ‘Tilt shift’ photograph of Bath city centre at night.

Monday 5th December 2011

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A Festive Feast I

Written by Nia Evans, bite Deputy

t’s the time of year again when we hear nothing but Mariah Carey on the radio and everyone gets excited when they see the Coca-Cola advert on TV. But if you ask me what the best thing about Christmas is I think the answer is obvious – it is of course: FOOD! December 25th is the one day of the year when I don’t feel bad about eating so much that it actually hurts to move. From the turkey and cranberry sauce to roast spuds and those dreaded Brussels sprouts, I love everything about the Christmas feast. So why not bring Christmas a little early this year? Before everyone heads home, get in the kitchen, wack on the Christmas tunes and cook up an amazing festive feast. This is my simple guide to a very merry student Christmas! The Meat: Chicken Of course turkey is the usual Christmas bird but if you’ve never made a roast before then I would make life a little easier by using a large chicken. With a smaller bird you are less likely to give your housemates food poisoning and more likely to keep it nice and moist! Method: per into the skin. inside the chicken. Callie Reed

check the weight of the chicken and work out how long it needs to roast for (it will tell you how to do this on the label of the chicken). juices of the chicken over the bird to keep it moist.

Gravy No Christmas roast would be complete without the perfect gravy so leave the bisto in the cupboard and have a go at making it from scratch – trust me it’s worth it! Method: etables.

The Veggies Roast Potatoes I owe this amazing recipe to my housemate Felix as his roast spuds are the best I have ever tasted; this is probably because of the amount of butter he uses but hey, it is Christmas after all! Method:

cranberry sauce!

evenly. Honey and Mustard Roasted Parsnips These are my favourite accompaniment to roast potatoes and the honey and mustard glaze on the parsnips gives them a delicious sweet kick. Method:

and salt and pepper.

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta Normally, I’m not a fan of the sprout but it’s probably the most Christmassy vegetable you can get so I suppose we have to include it, plus if you cook them this way they don’t taste too bad! Method:

crisp and golden.

ers, secret Santa gifts and a few bottles mulled wine and you’ve got yourself a very merry student Christmas!

Monday 5th December 2011

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Puzzle Corner

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Puzzles made by Dorian Lidell

Quick Crossword

Across 1 (Greek mythology) The god of love (4) 3 Tranposition of the initial sounds of two words (or the result thereof) (10) 10 Very rarely (4,2,1,4,4) 11 Brief nap (5,5) 12 Large flightless bird native to South America (4) 14 Covered with green vegetation (7) 16 Having no charge; unbiased; Renault (anag.) (7) 18 Firmly fixed or attached (7) 20 (Australian slang) An item of cutlery or crockery which is prepared but left unused (7) 21 The highest point (4) 22 Become active or operative (4,6) 25 Taxicab (7,8) 26 Chat at length (4,3,3) 27 Peter Griffin’s wife in Family Guy (4)

Down 1 Ball game resembling a hybrid of handball and squash (4,5) 2 NATO phonetic alphabet word for the letter O (5) 4 One who tickles the ivories (7) 5 Cloth made waterproof with oil (7) 6 Large, wide-mouthed pitcher (4) 7 (literary) Steam locomotive (4,5) 8 Stylized Japanese comics (5) 9 Fanciful and unrealistic; extremely delicate and light (4-5) 13 (slang) Insane asylum (5,4) 15 Rare, exotic, obscure (9) 17 Unbounded, unrestricted (9) 19 Exclamation of atonishment, sympathy, etc. (5,2) 20 Czech composer best known for his comic opera The Bartered Bride (7) 21 For a particular purpose (Latin: “for this”) (2,3) 23 (Greek mythology) The Muse of love poetry (5) 24 Small biting, flying insect (4)

Brain Trainers Arithmaster

Unequality

Enter the numbers 1-6 into the grid so that each number appears precisely once in each row and column. Within each barred block, the result of applying the given arithmetic operation to the numbers in the block must be the number in the block’s top-left corner.

Enter the numbers 1-5 into the grid so that each number appears precisely once in each row and column. A greater-than symbol (>) between two cells indicates that one number must be larger than its neighbour.

Darius N

Quiz This fortnight: Video games! 1. In the Final Fantasy series, which status ailment does the Gold Needle item cure? 2. Which Capcom video game series is known as “Biohazard” in Japan? 3. In Super Mario Bros. 3, which level is the only one to feature the Kuribo’s Shoe powerup?

5. In the Sonic series, what is Tails’ full name? 6. Who composed the soundtracks to Chrono Trigger (SNES) and Mario Party (N64)? System? 8. Which Nintendo console was known by the codename “Dolphin” during its development? 9. Which Street Fighter character is known as The Red Cyclone? 10. Which game in the Legend of Zelda series introduced bomb arrows?

ANSWERS

One-Upper Solution

2. Resident Evil 3. 5-3

Jigsawdoku Solution

like a cow.” 5. Miles “Tails” Prower 6. Yasunori Mitsuda 7. Bill 8. Nintendo GameCube 9. Zangief 10. Link’s Awakening

Last Week’s Solution

bite needs you If you have any interest in getting involved at a contributor level, or if you’re interested in learning how to lay up a magazine, get in touch and join the team. There will also be chances for free gig tickets for reviews, and even opportunities to interview your favourite artists.

Get in touch at: impact-bite@bath.ac.uk