Monday 25th February 2008 Volume 9 Issue 10 www.bathimpact.com
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No Platform? No Thanks! Marcel Oomens
THE PROPOSED No Platform policy has been rejected by the student body at Bath University in a landslide victory for the no camp. Atotalof785voteswerecastinthe referendum, with 619 students voting against the policy, 158 people voting for, and eight people abstaining. The referendum was the result of a policy put forward by the yes camp that would allow the Students’ Union to react more swiftly to controversiesliketheoneraisedlast year when Nick Griffin, leader of the BritishNationalParty,wasinvitedto speak at the University by students
attending classes here. This event was subsequently cancelled by the University,whostatedsecurityissues asthereason. Thisdecisionwastaken after huge pressure from the student body and the University and College Union. The No Platform policy has caused greatupsetandmuchdebatewithinthe Students’ Union, with some fearing that such a policy would give too much power to the Union executives. Universities are traditionally seen as places exposing young people to a host of different opinions and allowing them to form their own. It has been argued that such a No Platform policy would hamper free
speech at the University of Bath. The media outlets of the Students’ Union felt they might be particularly affected by the policy, and on the Friday leading up to the referendum called an emergency Media EGM, at which they voted against supporting suchapolicy. Itisclearthatmembers of the media outlets feel that the current SU Media Code of Conduct offersenoughprotectionfromextreme voices. The final decision, however, is still that of the students at the University. The President of the Students’ Union, David Austin, seemed rather disappointed with the result, as he questioned “whether a diverse
Your Students’ Union is challenging the University for more social space on campus. Fill in one of their postcards, and see Page 3.
Universitypopulationshouldtolerate the views and give a platform to the views of an organisation like the BNP.” This result means that “the Union does not have a formal process to decide to whom it gives and doesn’t give a platform,” thus forcing the Union to decide in a cumbersome process on a case-by-case basis, as was the case when Nick Griffin was invited to speak last year.
Bus Drivers Strike Back Vanessa Ryan AROUND 100 student party-goers who had attended Saturday night’s ComePlay UV event were given a cold, sharp shock when University security guards announced at nearly 3am that no more buses would arrive to take them back into town. The news came as a surprise to students who had been waiting for either the 418 or 18 services since leaving Elements nightclub after ComePlay had finished at 2am. According to those queuing in the rather frosty temperatures, one bus had left half empty just after 2am, after the driver had become angered by drunken antics of students letting on friends via the back entrance of the bus. A further two buses arrived on campus to drop off returning passengers from town, but both refused to let any students onto their services, instead driving past the queue and leaving the University bus stop. Understandably the situation left studentsratherfrustrated,withnooption for many but to walk down Bathwick or
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The issue is now closed and cannot beraisedinademocraticforumwithin the Students’ Union for one year. After twelve months the issue can again be brought forward, and the SU President was heard saying that “if a speakerlikeNickGriffinwasinvited to speak at the University again, I wouldn’tbetoosureifthefreedomof speech argument would win the day, as it didn’t back in May.”
Widcombe Hill into town, as taxi services were fully booked. One student, James Massey,expressedhisirritation,saying: “It was so bitterly cold, I’m surprised nobody was taken to hospital with hypothermia on the walk back. This just demonstrates the terrible manner in which First Buses regards students in Bath.” The University’s security services did what they could to resolve the situation by contacting and attempting to negotiate with First Buses to return to pick up the waiting students, but to no avail. The reason given to the cold students by security guards at the time for not letting students onto the buses was that the service had officially stopped at 0217 and to pick up students after that time would violate terms of insurance covering the service. This does not explain why the last bus before 0217 had left refusing to let students on. While dealing with a large number of drunken students must be difficult for many bus drivers, Saturday night’s incident adds yet another dispute to the long list between the University and First Buses.
this week... Sabb elections special pullout. Pages 13-20
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in Volunteers Award David Austin Students’ Union President SUpresident@bath.ac.uk THE STUDENTS’ Union has formally been accredited to the Investing in Volunteers award following the threeday assessment period at the end of November last year. This news follows therecentmeetingoftheIiVpanelearlier in February where BUSU’s efforts and achievements were recognised and rewarded. BUSU can now officially refer to itself as an Investing in Volunteers accredited organisation, meaning that it follows and maintains high standards of volunteer training and continued support through all of the volunteering opportunities that you undertake. These opportunities
range from being a committee member for a sports club or society, an academic rep., an AWARE volunteer, and include partakinginfundraisingandvolunteering activities through the Volunteer Centre. VP Activities & Development Hayden Arrowsmith was hugely excited about the achievement. “Volunteering is a shared passion for so many of the students
at Bath and this is a great way for the Students’ Union to continue to support them in their volunteering adventures. By being accredited we are committed to providing excellent support and guidance that will continue to improve over the future.” He also added: “A large amount ofthanksmustgotothestudentsandstaff who have embraced this initiative over the last few years and made all of their efforts worth while.” Only a few Students’ Unions have received this award and many thanks go to all of those students who actively join in with the running of BUSU on a volunteer basis. If you are keen to get more involved in volunteering then visit the Volunteer Centre in the Students’ Union or check out the volunteering pages on BathStudent.com.
Talk Bath Hold Their Own at Mass Debate Hadleigh Roberts Deputy Comment Editor
BATH UNIVERSITY Debating Society (BUDS) performed excellently at the University of Exeter’s Inter-Varsity tournament on 2nd February, with a stellar performance in the first five rounds before reaching the final. Reunited after the Bristol competition last October, Hadleigh Roberts and Alex Vakil made up “Talk Bath”. Within the catacombs of Exeter’s Law Department, high level talks began at 10am and ended at 10.30pm. Although narrowly defeated in the final, Talk Bath was given the task of leading the case for the opposition to the motion “This House would give back the Falklands.” The overall winners for the event were Warwick leading the proposition, despite that when the motion was revealed they were overheard saying “The who?” and thought that the Falklands War was an illegalinvasionofArgentineanterritory by the British. The battleground was thus drawn around history, although the judges apparently decided to forgive Warwick’s lack of knowledge. Talk Bath, fronted by Alex, decided to attack with points relatingtonationalprideandthefactthat there is no logical reason to give back the islands in peacetime, and that the proposal would have a detrimental effect for Falklanders. Hadleigh continued the case by raising the implications for the rest of the Commonwealth, the strategic importance of the Falklands, and that the proposal would show political weakness from the UK. Alex decided to advance on grounds of factual knowledge. Hadleigh, in response to the point that ‘the Falklands are an unnecessary economic burden on Britain’, explained that the economy was able to cope with this ‘burden’ thanks to
HEATED DISCUSSION: Tempers flare as Talk Bath takes charge in Exeter. “the lowest inflation of any decade, the highest employment in any decade, low interestratesandoverallstability”,tothe amusement of the audience. In the qualifying rounds, Talk Bath came third in round one, first in rounds two, three and four, then third again in round five. The second round was Talk Bath’s finest hour; leading opposition to the motion that “This House would ban all outward expressions of religious affiliationinourstateschools”. Hadleigh acquired 26 points, the maximum possible for any speech, and Alex earned an equally extraordinary 25 points. The main points here were relating to freedom of expression, that the proposal would increase resentment in society, would further the gap between state and private education, and that state schools are representative of the nation. Talk Bath was clearly on the offensive following the previous round; having accepted a point from another speaker, Hadleigh asked, “Don’t you agree?” to which the speaker replied, “No” and was curtly instructed to sit down, before the
speaker was able to develop his point. The third round was another excellent success, with Alex achieving 20 points and Hadleigh 25, extending the case for the proposition that “This House believes the individual has the right to be fat.” Hadleigh’s novel argument was that, analytically, being fat could be used as a barometer for economic prosperity, and furthermore stimulated economic growth; the USA has the biggest economy and the highest rate of obesity, and that fatter people increased demand (on food companies!) and results in a spiral of improvement. Alex did a tremendous job of summarising what was hitherto an unclear argument, due to the bizarre members of the Cardiff team yelling “Nanny State? Bad!” The judge even explained, “as far as summary speeches go, that was structurally perfect.” Ultimately this success bodes very well for the future of BUDS, and indeed in light of this success, a team of two other students have been sent from Bath to the Debating Tournament in Cardiff, which took place on 9th February.
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A Change of Plans?
Josh Cheesman News Editor news@bathimpact.com
THE STUDENTS’ Union has criticised the University of Bath for not including the “proper expansion of social space” in its development plans, and is launching a campaign to get students lobbying for more nonacademic areas on campus. The University is currently in the process of drawing up Masterplan 2007, which outline its plans for the further development of the campus and the creation of new buildings. However, the Students’ Union is unhappy that not enough emphasis is being placed on space for students to relax between classes. They also contest that e-lounges, cafes and exhibition space should not count as social space; in spaces such as these, students are often expected either to work or to buy something. SU President Dave Austin says that the Students’ Union considers getting social space onto the Masterplan its top priority. The current Sabbatical team has tried to repeatedly to get the social space issue on the agenda through the official channels, all with little success. The social space agenda is all part of the effort to promote the ‘student experience’, which covers everything about university life outside of the actual degree, like societies, sports
DOWN THE PLUG: Does the University need more social space? and events. “With top up fees now, there is a greater need, we think, for universities to have selling points like that,” says Andy Burton, VP Communications, “and they can’t just rely on the fact that they might be the best in the country for that course.” In the recent Student Opinion Survey, 88% of students who took part said that the most important issue for them was to feel part of the student community. This can be provided by social space, as well as services provided by the University. An official SU response to the Masterplan proposes a dedicated centre for students to be built in the space next to the Founders Hall and the 25m pool.
The Students’ Union is eager to stress that it is not completely opposed to the expansion of academic facilities. “We’re not saying [academic buildings] aren’t priorities obviously,” says Burton. The SU also acknowledges the need to deal with buildings like 1 West, 3 West and 4 West, which contain asbestos. However, it sees a danger in overlooking communal provisions. “There’s a serious risk that the University falls behind on the student experience facilities,” says Dave Austin, SU President, “because universities that we compete against like Exeter, Reading and Warwick, all are investing in new student buildings and open spaces.” As an example of
this, Warwick has just invested £15m in social space, after investing a considerable sum only a decade ago. Bath Students’ Union, by contrast, has not been given any space in 20 years. “Compared to other universities that we benchmark against, we have a fraction of the social space that some of others have,” says Burton. “We’re talking 10, 20 times less social space than other universities.” The SU has decided that it is not going down without a fight. Postcards are being produced (an example can be found on the front page) which students will be able to send to the VC to show their support for more social space. Eddie Bell, VP Welfare and Campaigns, is setting up a campaign group, which will be open to all students, and will decide what action the Students’ Union will take. Jane Millar, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategic Development, says that the Masterplan is not yet set in stone, and that there is still plenty of opportunity for students to get involved. “We already know from the Students’ Union that students are concerned about the quality of the campus in general, about social space, about transport, and about the need to enhance the facilities for the student community. We need to explore these, and other issues, in detail as we develop the Masterplan.” Keep reading impact for further developments of this story.
Online Elections Celebrating Diversity Get a Good Rep
Hadleigh Roberts Deputy Comment Editor
THE STUDENT Academic Representative elections are to be held online next year, following a decision from the Students’ Union after two successful pilot schemes. The proposal is expected to ensure a fast, transparent and reliable elections process with improved clarity for students. Itisalsohopedthattherewill be an additional gain as these electronic elections will ease the administrative burden on departments while still making them an internal affair. This scheme is being introduced because of the need to reform the Academic Rep process. In the Student Opinion Survey conducted in December 2007 (completed by 2,099 students) 77.9% of students feel it is important to know about the role of Academic Representatives but 52.5% know very little or nothing at all about the position. The idea has already been tested in a pilot scheme participated by some departments earlier this academic year, including Modern Languages
Marcel Oomens News Contributor
and European Studies, and Chemical Engineering. The results of this pilot have been encouraging as Tom Milburn, VP Education, explained; “Overall the pilot was judged to be successful because all students that wanted to run, could, and all those who wanted to vote, could. There were also useful features such as candidates being able to have a manifesto and a slogan to run with.” In the VP Education’s report to the University Senate, he predicts that “Online elections would provide a simple way for students to elect Academic Representatives and a campus-wide election process would make promoting the role more efficient and create more awareness.” It should also be stressed that online elections would not remove the role of Departments from the appointment process. The role of the Students’ Union shall be to provide the elections software that would ease pressure on departments while enabling students to run a publicity campaign for the position.
THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY the University is celebrating diversity with a list of events across campus that highlights such issues as freedom of speech and discrimination. The event is partly the result of last year’s controversy surrounding the invitation of Nick Griffin to speak at the University. Diversity month is organised to emphasise the positive aspects of the multi-cultural society we live in. The No Platform policy referendum held between the 11th and 15th of February is another product of last year’s events, yet the two are allegedly not related in any way. The launch event was held on the 6th of February in 3 East, with
a keynote speech and subsequent panel discussion. Tim Lezard, a trade unionist and freelance journalist whose articles make regular appearances in the New Statesman and the Mail on Sunday, was the main speaker. His passionate account for freedom of speech could on the surface easily have been perceived as an angry rant against the British National Party, yet the panel discussion really laid bare other, more meaningful aspects of his argument. There are still several events for students to attend. The final event takes place in UBSA on Friday the 29th February with music, dance, and a buffet – tickets are available from the Plug Bar. For more information and the events calendar see www. bath.ac.uk/diversitymonth.
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News Consider the Alternative
TOO DIRECT?: The Bath Alternative Prospecus might need some work. James Dacey News Contributor
THE STUDENTS’ Union is producing analternativeprospectustoreflectthefull studentexperienceforpotentialapplicants. Whereas the official prospectus focuses onacademiccredentials,thisprojectwill offer the student angle, concentrating on issues like accommodation, societies and night life. Inofferingthisalternative,students-eye view,Bathwillbejoininguniversitieslike Oxford, Cambridge and Bristol. When completed, the prospectus will be launched on BathStudent.com. It will combine written accounts with video shorts involving students and their reflections on university experiences. So far Union Communications have been working with Campus Television (CTV) to film accommodation blocks, interview students, and get footage of everyday campus life. Andy Burton, the vice president of communications, is currently looking for more contributors. If you want to get involved,hehasrequestedthatyoucontact him at sucommunications@bath.ac.uk.
Slight Miscalculation
MISSING: 700 calculators have gone walkabout. Josh Cheesman News Editor news@bathimpact.com
THE UNIVERSITY of Bath has called for any students who may have accidentally taken a calculator to return them at once, after it discovered that 700 had gone missing during the exam period. Following the January exams, the Exam office reported that 700 calculators had gone missing. For the moment, there seems to be no conclusive evidence as to where these calculators have gone, but it is feared that there may not be enough for the summer exams. Due to budget constraints, they are unable to buy any more until the next academic year. The University was unavailable to comment on the issue.
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Comment
Re gar ding Painting the Bank Red Shariah
Hadleigh Roberts discusses Blair’s portrait and how we should appreciate the big bucks he’s being paid post-premiership.
Matthew Butler WHEN THE Archbishop of Canterbury made his extraordinary comments about Shariah law, many of us were left alternately seething with righteous rage and scratching our heads as to what he had actually said. For the language, in both his lecture to an audience of lawyers and his earlier interview on Radio 4’s World at One, was couched in such muddled, ambiguous verbosity that one began to wonder whether the Archbishop himself understood what he meant. But amid the fog of obfuscation that the Primate pumped into the atmosphere of public debate, there was more than a hint of dangerously toxic fumes. Despite his subsequent pusillanimous backtracking, he did quite explicitly advance the noxious notion that the idea of “there being one law for all and that’s all there is to it” was “a bit of a danger” and implied that Muslims “should not have to choose between the stark alternatives of cultural and state identity”. He also argued for a “scheme in which individuals retain the liberty to choose the jurisdiction under which they will seek to resolve certain carefully specifiedmatters”,introducinga“market element” so that “power-holders are forcedtocompetefortheloyaltyoftheir shared constituents”. In other words, the foundational principle of Western society – that there isonelawforall,underwhichallcitizens areequal–shouldbedissolved. Instead, you would be able to choose your legal system just as you choose what brand of margarine you buy at the supermarket. This is a recipe for cultural suicide. Lawistheexpressionofanation’sunity; itisthegluethatbindsustogether. Break that down, and the nation dissolves into a set of warring fiefdoms with no collective identity. Already, the pernicious doctrine of multiculturalism has encouraged minorities to keep their own identities and not to bother integrating with the majority. The result has been ghettoes of closed communities where outsiders fear violence and intimidation if they dare venture in. When the Archbishop’s infinitely wiser colleague the Bishop of Rochester recently lamented the existence of “no go” areas for nonMuslims, the truth of his claim was immediately confirmed by death threats from extreme Muslims that effectively said “if you dare suggest we’re violent, we’ll blow you to kingdom come”. Going this one step further would hugely exacerbate the deep cleavages insocietythatfeedmistrust,resentment and extremism. Sinking into even muddier quagmires of incoherence, the Archbishop adduced Jewish Beth Din courts as examples of where competing jurisdictions already exist. Butthecrucialdifferenceisthat such courts have no binding power and
are only an informal way of settling disputes. They are subordinate, not parallel, to British law. It is also the case that Shariahcourts have been operating informally for some years. Butthisraisesafurthersinister spectre, for where this does happen women may be excluded from hearing cases, and sexual crimes against them are rarely heard because rape isregarded assoshamefulthatitisbetterforwomen to shut up about it. In some Islamic countries, lashings are a common punishment and apostasy (leaving Islam) is punished by death. Although the Archbishop rightly stated thattherearemultipleinterpretationsof Shariah, shunning those incompatible with human rights law, he ignored the logical outcome: we don’t then know whether incorporated Shariah would turn out moderate or barbaric. And in the current climate of kowtowing to extreme Islam – in which Home Office officials are instructed to censorthephrase“Islamicterrorism”for fear of offending Muslims – this is not a risk we ought to take. Some have postulated that incorporating Shariah would allow us to stop it degenerating into barbarityas itmightdointhebackstreets. Isuggest that there is a better way: search out, arrest and imprison those responsible after a proper, British legal process. It should be emphatically acknowledged that the majority of British Muslims shun all violence, barbarism and terrorism, and simply want to get on with their lives in peace. Yet neither should we deny that extremist groups such as Hizb-ut-Tahrir and the Muslim Brotherhood are active in Britain and openly state their goal of subjugating all of us to their own brand of vicious, repressive Islam. In his book The Islamist, the former Islamic fundamentalist Ed Husain reveals that the extremists’ strategy is to create parallel Muslim societies in Western nations as a springboard from which to launch a coup to islamise the state. How grateful they must be to the leader of our established Church for his kind help in destroying not only our liberal, democratic values but also our deep Christian heritage, from which many of these values sprang. Most of us can at least agree that the Archbishop has committed a serious error of judgement in not anticipating the reaction of the media and the political class to his comments. He is undoubtedly intelligent, but in a mad-professor kind of way: he would be better off in academia, where as Professor of Obfuscation he could kick preposterous gobbledegook around happily with no-one who matters listening. ButasPrimateofAllEngland, heisanincendiarythreattooursociety. Although the last Archbishop to resign was in the 14th century, it’s about time, for the sake of our future, that this one does now.
SINCE LEAVING office on 27th June 2007,TonyBlairhasfoundtimetositforhis firstofficialportrait(betweenthebookdeal, the speaking engagements, the lucrative consultancy work, the Middle East peace process and the increasing speculation regarding a certain presidency). JonathanYeo,thepainter,madeasplash in the art world last year when he grabbed the headlines with a collage of President Bush fashioned from pornographic magazine cuttings, although he should not bedismissedasastereotypicalmodern-art type,asheisfastestablishingareputation asthemantopainttheportraitsofpublic figures. PrevioussittersincludePrincePhilip, David Cameron, William Hague, Dennis Hopper, and Rupert Murdoch in a painting commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery. Yeo had already painted Blair before in 2001, but the Prime Minister claimed he was too busy with his duties to sit for so long. Theportraitleavesitselftointerpretation; Yeoclaimed,“Somepeopleseetheportrait and say, ‘Oh you’ve made him look incredibly thoughtful, remorseful, and respectful,’andotherssay,‘You’veputhim in the dock as a warmonger.’ It depends on what you think of him really.” Although the very grey/silver theme does add an air of melancholy far removed from the colourfulsmilingcharacterthatdestroyed the Tories in 1997. The poppy (reminiscent of the New Labour rose) is intended both as an acknowledgment to his role in the Iraq war and(pragmatically)toaddadashofcolour to an otherwise faded image. The real story, however, is not in the picture alone, which seems to have been a reflection on his final years as Prime Ministerratherthanhiscurrentstate. “I expected him to look like he did a year previously,whenhewasstillinoffice,and was appearing pale, drawn and old. But he came bouncing in, looked incredibly healthy, and had colour in his cheeks.” Blair sat for Yeo in November, just when
the ‘Brown Bounce’ had broken down. Blair’s troubles with Brown are well known,despitetheirclosefriendshipfrom 1983-1992. Yeosuggested,“Ican’thelpbut thinkthathishugelypositivegoodhumour and Tigger-like energy might have had something to do with his successor having trouble in the job.” Inadditiontothepainting,manycritics have written about why Tony Blair should not have accepted his £500,000 role “in a senior advisory capacity” to JP Morgan in JanuaryandthentheinsurancefirmZurich (to advise on climate change). Notably, Geoffrey Wheatcroft in The Guardian; Geoffrey Levy in The Daily Mail; a leader in The Independent and one in The Telegraphtoo-theyallseemtoagreethat it is a poor show on Blair’s behalf. This is unfair, because not only is now Blairretiredfromelectivepolitics(andcan therefore do whatever he likes) but both theoffermadetoMrBlairandhisdecision
to accept should be welcomed. Firstly, organisations like JP Morgan should not be disliked just because they make money by satisfying consumer demand. In fact, it is excellent that Blair should find it worthwhileputtinghistalentstosuchuse, and that he and the company were able to agree on a price. Furthermore, it is a great gesture to the UK that JP Morgan put such a high value on our former PM. It would be an embarrassment if the country had been governed by someone who was not worth much to a commercial operation, or that an American bank could acquire cheaply the advice of someone who had been our Prime Minister. TonyBlair’ssalaryshouldbeamatterof quietsatisfactiontousall. Itisameasureof great importance that he is worth so much toacommercialoutfitanditreflectswellon Britainthatitspoliticalleadersareregarded as highly valuable.
The No Platform Policy is (Well, Would Have Been) Completely Pointless Chris Bowdon TO PUT it succinctly, the No Platform Policy “permits the Students’ Union Council to consider case by case whether aspeakerthreatensthesafety,securityor welfare of all students”. It begs some questions. How exactly would a speaker threaten our safety, security and welfare? Obviously a speaker is not going to bringtheirownpersonalarmy,butperhaps they could incite a riot. That would be dangerous, but it isn’t likely. Students herearebetterknownforpeacefulprotests than smashing up the library and looting Plug. And anyway, the security team at Bathdoesafantasticjob.Inparticular,the guywiththetattoosonhisheadscaresme very much. So perhaps the speaker threatens our
safety, security and welfare in some more subversive way? By spreading an unreasonable opinion against some minority,perhaps?Arewethatsuggestible? If I quote the No Platform Policy case: “Students’ Union Council believes that certainindividuals,groupsororganisations can use a public platform to incite hatred and fear.” Let’s pretend we’re not insulted that they think we are so easily stirred into hatred. What about fear? Could a speaker reasonably incite fear? Yes, a thousand students in white hoods listening to a BNP speakercoulddothat.Butit’snotgoingto happen. Should the BNP or Hizb-ut-Tahrir (forexample)eversetfootoncampusitwill beprettyclearthattheyareunsupported. Furthermore,ifwesuppresscontroversial speakers, we deny students a great chance torailbackatthem.Anyvisitingextremists
wouldquicklymeetstrongprotestfromthe student population. Recap: the criterion for suppressing a speaker under the No Platform policy is whetherthatspeakerthreatensthesafety, security and welfare of all students. No speakercanposearealisticthreattothose. If the Students’ Union Council can be trusted to make the right decision, it essentially makes no difference whether we have the policy or not. In each case there would be no good reason to deny the speaker platform. Let them talk and you willseethattheyhavenoeffect.Trustthe students with that. But stop them talking andourintegrityasadvocatesoffreespeech comes under fire. Therefore, I urge students to vote No. Except I’m too late. I hope you did vote No.Ifyoudidn’t,I’mnotsurewecanstill be friends.
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Comment
Power, Lies and Deception
Chris Palmer discusses how the British media are all about scandal and sensationalism, but there is something much more sinister happening right under our noses... INTRIGUING, IS it not, how elections halfway across the world elicit greater coverage from our media than the fundamental changes that are about to be undertaken in our own country? I refer of coursetothePresidentialPrimariesinthe United States and the EU Constitution Lisbon Treaty currently being rammed through the Houses of Parliament by our Labour administration. The British media, increasingly obsessedasitisbycelebrity,personality, scandal and sensationalism, has revelled in the spectacle of the US Primaries where it gleefully and simplistically portrays the contest as one between black and white, male and female, youth and experience, continuity and change, all to its heart’s content. The same cannot be said of British media coverage on the EU Constitution Lisbon Treaty where there have (thankfully I suppose) only been minor attempts to portray the issue in terms of personalities and scandal – possibly because most of our European Leaders do not have any personalities of which to speak – and in fact, for the most part, journalistic scrutiny has disgracefully been kept to a bare minimum or is practically nonexistent. As you might imagine, discussion and analysis of the EU Constitution
Lisbon Treaty would require the examination of many lengthy, important and complex reams of text – something viewed as potentially dull, laborious and unattractive by many in the media class who far prefer the prospect of being able to endlessly fill their columns with prattle about the personal (rather than political) differences between various American Senators in reverent, feverous and excited tones. Yet, in comparison to the US Primaries, the EU Constitution Lisbon Treaty will have far greater and more influential effects on us and our everyday lives than the election of any US President. Three years ago the French and Dutch electorates very publically voted against the EU Constitution, much to the annoyance of the European political elites. Despite this, and with almost no fanfare or media coverage, the French Assembly recently voted through the Lisbon Treaty by an overwhelming majority; a treaty which is essentially identical to the failed Constitution. The result of the original democratic referendum vote was totally ignored, almost as if it had never happened. In France, Britain and elsewhere in Europe the governing political elites have shown utter contempt for their electorates, broken their promises
to hold referendums and cynically bypassed their voters in order to further their own goals and the wholly undemocratic European project. The likes of José Manuel Barossa (Head of the EU Commission) then have the audacity to frequently burble on about how the European Union works in the common interest of the people – just so long as the people are not consulted on what is in their interests it would seem. Is this in any way democratic? So, as the relevance of our Westminster Parliament subsides into mediocrity and the process of ever-closer union continues with a seemingly unrelenting certainty, our capacity to truly and democratically have our say or make a difference recedes by the day. The sad reality of politics in modern Britainisthatparties,administrations, and the briefcase wielding faceless suits who aimlessly wander the corridors of power may seem, with unwillingness and uncertainty, to alternate or vary on occasion and from time to time - but the policies and outcomes which govern us remain ever constant. We now reside in a world in which opposition is silenced, traditional freedoms are curtailed and the slow, quiet and subtle processes of our real
Tragedy in Bridgend: Is Bebo To Blame? Emma Simmons
WITH THE recent spate of suicides among young people in Bridgend police are,asyet,unsureastowhetherthedeaths are linked, and more specifically whether they are linked via the internet. As a result of recent events, the dangers of social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo have been put under scrutiny and, in my opinion, some of the questions which are being raised are long overdue. The majority of young people now use some form of social networking site to communicate with friends (and often also with strangers), and it seems that thisisfastoutdoingallofthetraditional forms of communication. Now, more than ever, communication methods are becoming more and more depersonalised as young people spend hours talking to people on the internet and less time holding conversations via the phone or in person. Having the expansive cyber-world available to them inevitably means that young people are exposed to people and thus ideas which otherwise they would not have come into contact with. For example, via Facebook and Bebo teenagers become ’friends’ with people who, in reality, they have only met once
and who can at best be considered casual acquaintancesorfriendsoffriends. This gives young people the ability to chat to ‘friends’ much older than themselves who obviouslyhavedifferentlifeexperiences to them and naturally want to discuss different things. Sites such as Bebo provide young people with a much more private way of communicating, and by this I mean that it is much harder for parents to ‘police’ what their children are doing online than it would be to hold some control over who they are speaking to on the phone or meeting up with in person. In our technology-obsessed modern world, most young people have computers in their rooms and so parents have very little control over what sites they look at or which people they speak to. Consequently, whilst parents happily believethattheirteenagersareresearching theirlatestschoolproject,theycouldjust as easily be taking part in a conversation about the beauty of suicide. I don’t doubt that 99.99% of young people use social networking sites because they provide a cheap and easy way to communicate with friends; I check my Facebook page most days, in the same way that I would check my emails, and I have a number of ‘friends’ who I have met no more than once.
Such is the casual nature of such sites that a young person could quite easily communicate privately with people who they really know nothing about. The reality is that social networking sites allow young people to gain access into a world which they otherwise would nothavestrayedinto. Chancesarethatif a young person is feeling depressed they can quite easily chat to a ‘friend’ on a social networking site who is feeling the same way, and before you know it a moan about too much homework or a fall-out with friends has led a young person into a conversationwithsomeoneslightlyolder, who’s troubles have encouraged them to consider self -harm or suicide. To an impressionable young person whose essentially trivial concerns seem like the end of the world, an ‘intriguing’ and ‘new’ idea such as suicide can seem glamorous, and can spread rapidly from one young friend to the next. I admit that it would be ridiculous to put such tragedies as the recent suicides purely down to social-networking sites, however, such sites do make it easier for an already depressed young person to find others who feel the same way, and when the other person has a more radical way of dealing with their feelings a problem shared is most definitely not a problem halved.
government continue to go widely unreported. In fact, so far removed are these events from the history of our once proud nation which was built on the values of freedom, democracy and self-determination; a country that once ruled the waves and on whose Empire the sun never set, that it is probably almost unrecognisably alien to those of only a few generations previous to our own. However, the most important point in all this is that the European Union did not take these supranational powers it has slowly obtained without permission - in fact, quite the opposite. Successive British governments elected by us, the people, have unfortunately and underhandedly frittered away sovereignty to the EU’s corrupt and undemocratic external bodies. Inrealityithasthereforebeenasmall and unrepresentative set of British people who have slowly whittled away our right to self-government. Yet, the great problem is that those powers of self-rule were not our Parliament’s to give away. MPs are merely custodians of our rights and constitution; powers which they must protect and return to us intact after every successive general election. Yet, for decades our MPs have certainly not been protecting these powers and without ever fully
consulting us either. Time and the collective stupidity and inadequacy of many politicians have taken their toll on the British people. Of what little national sovereignty our Parliament still retains – and there is very little of any real significance – is stifled by our own British governing political elite from all parties who have more in common with each other than they do the voting electorate. Westminster has become a hollowedout institution existing only as a façade of accountability; as a playground for the metropolitan classes with chambers filled with empty dull husks who continue to linger in its stale air of unhealthy democratic decay long after they’ve willingly and uncaringly voted away our rights. In Europe, the EU Parliament remains as ever meaningless and verbose. It too has little power; real power and authority of course lies in the hands of the unelected bureaucrats and EU Commissioners over which the British people have no say, choice or control. It appears that slowly but surely we listlessly drift into an age of vagary and post-democracy, perhaps without most people even realising. Has our indifference condemned us? Do we only have ourselves to blame?
Charlotte King Comment Editor comment@bathimpact.com
studying and we should admit to being in the hands of the lecturer who can dim the lights to their heart’s content (or alternately flood us with strip-lighting light, which tends to have a rather gross yellow tinge). I, personally, would love it if there were windows so I could prepare my umbrella or simply stare at the sky in an idle moment. Nyctophobics may have a problem in our theatres. So this is a plea for all planners of future lecture halls; for the sake of future students please make sure you include those useful see-through things in your design.
Where Have All the Windows Gone? ALTHOUGH NEARING the end of my second year, it has up until now escaped my notice that when I step into a large lecture hall I am immediately plunged into a world of unnatural light. For the hour or so that one is in a lecture, for all they know a nuclear war could have commenced outside or, when the lecture ends, discover that they have brought the wrong sort of clothing up to campus and curse themselves for forgetting their umbrella. On thinking about the ‘no windowsness’ while going through a daydream moment in a particularly nasty lecture at 17.15 in 3WN 2.1, I found myself wishing for some windows. Maybe it was the longing for a serotonin boost to wake me up a little. I understand that it’s a little late to think about rearranging the position of every lecture theatre or adding windows; some of the buildings appear tobebuiltaroundthecentraltheatre,but others, e.g. the two 8Ws, Arts and Uni Halls, to name but a few, surely could have had some glass incorporated in their design? One of my theories is that when we enter the theatre we are expected to enter the world of the subject we are
A WINDOW: More please!
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I’M IN Spain and I feel like a foreigner. Hardly surprising really, since that is exactly what I am. But by the time I left France, I had managed to blend in reasonably well with the locals: people approached me on the streets for directions (a foolish move), or started conversations at bus stops. In Spain, however, I stand out like a luminous beacon, my stubbornly pale skin glowing amongst the healthy tan of the typical Spaniard. And as I can often be spotted squinting in confusion at a map, I may as well just have a huge sign around my neck telling everyone that I am not from around here. For me, Spain is a completely alien environment. My only previous experience of this country comes from four days in Malaga with a friend and a rain-stricken half term in Galicia, most of which was spent cooped up in the
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Scant’s Regard: Welcome to Spain, the Place Where the Sun Always Shines(?)
Stepping onto foreign territory, Laura Scantlebury asks in her best Spanish accent: How do I buy a ticket? car with my very un-Spanish family. Unfortunately, my ignorance of Spanish ways is proving as distinctive as my Celtic pallor. After arriving at Madrid Barajas Airport, I had to take the metro into the city centre before catching another train to the town of Alcalá de Henares about half an hour away. During this journey my ineptitude was evident – although whether it was because I am foreign or merely an inexperienced country bumpkin is up for debate. In any case, when I realised that the metro ticket machines were cordoned off, I immediately approached an official lookingdesktoask,infalteringSpanish, where I should purchase a ticket. The response? The machines were out of order. Yes, I could see that. So, I repeated, how do I buy I ticket? The woman behind the desk regarded me incredulously, and, taking pity on the simpleton standing in front of her, switched to English: the machines were out of order. Yes, I said, exasperated, I realise that, so how do I pay? You don’t, was the blunt reply. I almost expected
her to add “duur”, like we used to do in primary school when someone didn’t understand something patently obvious. But she restrained herself. The ticket barriers also posed a problem. After getting my suitcase jammed in one – freed after much tugging – and probably breaking it (I can’t be sure as I promptly scarpered
Breaking all Spanish Music Festival the Records Nicholas Stebbings plans our summers in advance:
Alicia Hill invites us to A lot of sounds and a lot of sun is almost guaranteed. blistering Spanish heat. join the World’s Largest In fact, the temperature is so high Group Massage. How that bands don’t start playing until the early evening, with bill-topping can you resist? outfits often not finishing until the CYSTIC FIBROSIS is the UK’s most common life-threatening, inherited disease. In fact, one in 25 people carry the faulty gene. As of yet, there has been no cure found but with ongoing research (funded by The Cystic Fibrosis Trust), the age expectancy of sufferers isincreasing. Itiscurrentlyat31years. Each week three young lives are lost as a result of Cystic Fibrosis and five babies are born with this disease. The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to all aspects of Cystic Fibrosis. Now it is your turn to help raise awareness of this common but low-profiled disease. On March 5th at midday there will be an attempt to break the world record for the largest group massage (a form of pain relief for sufferers of Cystic Fibrosis). The event will take place on campus. In order to break this record, and thus increase awareness, we need as much supportaspossible. In addition to this, everyone who joins in will be entered into a prize draw. You never know, you might get a free massage and an amazing prize! So mark March 5th in your diaries as massage-day to help those suffering with Cystic Fibrosis.
STARING OUT of the window of the Bright Orange at Bath’s mostly miserable weather, summer seems a million miles away. Unfortunately, in this country there are never any guarantees that, come July, the storm clouds will have abated long enough for us to grab a deckchair, slap on some sun cream and laze around drinking Pimms (or your preferred beverage). Luckily, the invention of budget airlines means that more students can now seek out sunnier climes instead of waiting for the proverbial mountain to come to Mohammed. With this in mind, I thought I’d suggest a student holiday withadifference:FestivalInternacional de Benicàssim (FIB). Situated near Valencia, on Spain’s Costa Blanca, FIB is a festival brimming with culture. Most famous for its musical stages, which have seen headliners ranging from Arctic Monkeys and Muse to Madness and Morrissey, it also showcases fashion, art, dance and film, all in the
small hours. Of course, stopping at 2am would contravene the Spaniards’ festive demeanour, so DJs provide the music that keeps the party going until the sun comes up. The festival officially takes place on the 17th-20th July, but as long as you have a ticket the organisers allow you to pitch your tent on one of the allotted campsites close by and stay for 7 days (from the 14th), free of charge. If you’re already convinced and packing your bags, here are some tips to make your holiday go as smoothly as possible: head over to fiberfib.com to buy tickets (£135, book ASAP to avoid disappointment) and check the site regularly for news on which acts are playing; bag some cheap flights by navigating to your favourite nofrills airline, the earlier the better; travel light, you’ll rarely need more than a t-shirt and shorts or a swimsuit; make use of the free cold showers, they’re mightily refreshing, as is the freshly squeezed (but somewhat expensive) orange juice sold on the campsites; buy a cooler when you get there, you can get a six-pack of beer for €2 but it’s no use warm! One more thing - when you’re sunning yourself on the nearby beach, spare a thought for everyone you left behind in drizzly old Bath. I’ll see you there!
rather than hanging around to check), I was extremely wary of them. Steeling myself for the final hurdle, the exit barrier at Alcalástation, I determinedly shoved my ticket into an appropriate looking slot. Nothing happened. A Spanish man informed me to just walk straight through and then congratulated himself for his good deed by exclaiming
“What a gentleman!” in perfect English. I was astounded. Was that for my benefit? Is my nationality that obvious? It certainly is when I’m forced into dialogue with a Spanish person. The French may like to slur all of their words together - I can cope with that - but even slurring words is too much like hard work for the Spanish, who instead opt for swallowing them. Half a sentence disappears without warning. Whether in a bar, a bank or at university, I don’t understand them, they don’t understand me. It is hideous. And what’s more, it makes me feel vulnerable. In Britain we are not always particularly welcoming towards foreigners – at times “immigrant” seems to be synonymous with “annoyance”. So I can’t help but wonder: how are the Spanish going to react to me? Do they find it annoying when they see large groups of Erasmus students clogging up their tapas bars? In Britain, all too often people are not welcoming of foreigners. Are they pleased that I am here, making the effort to learn their language?
Imagine...
...if, like cats, we had 9 lives to live. Who would we be and what would we do? Josie Cox wonders. THE WONDERFUL thing about this column is that it gives me an opportunity to unabashedly fantasize to my heart’s content. Hold your horses though: despite the proximity of Valentine’s Day, I am not talking about sexual or even romantic fantasies. I’m talking about the kinds of things you dream of as a kid: flying, seeing through walls, predicting the future or communicating without talking. Sitting in my living room, and raking my brain for something that the average student may want to read about, my friend Grace’s question came as a bit of a godsend. If you had nine lives, like cats, would you do things that you wouldn’t do otherwise? Now I like the idea in theory, but trying to review as many life-endangering situations I could possibly get myself into, didn’t sound so appealing. If I had nine lives, would I invest one in finding out what it is like to burn to death? After meticulous contemplation…I don’t think so. But putting a spin on the question, I asked myself what it would be like if I were able to lead nine lives simultaneously; kind of like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde… and Tom, Dick, Harry, Charles, Bob, Henry and Paul. Without giving you too much of an insightintomypersonallife,here’shere are some of the things that I would do with my 9 lives: Firstly, I would become a Goth. I’ve always liked the idea of having a signature style, and frequently ponder the question of whether my hair would look good if it were black.
I would probably have to be platinum blonde in my other life. Maybe I would adopt Jordan as my role model. I’m sure that having plastic surgery would be an experience in itself. I would also want to try life as a hermit. Living as a cavewoman I would eat berries and insects and would probably gnaw on the odd banana skin abandoned by a lost hiker. Au revoir personal hygiene. Obviously I would have to be a man too. I’ll leave my ambitions as a man creatively undisclosed. I might be farmer, or a socialite, a homeless person or a royal, a milkman or a PM, a mother of ten screaming children…or maybe not. I would be able to beam myself from one life to another, the way Scotty helps his mates to. I could be the next level up from a jet-setter: a jet-liver (or a jet kidney…harharhar); but to be honest, I think its best if I don’t get my hopes up too much. It all sounds rather tiring and stressful. And besides, I wouldn’t want to disappoint all those kind-hearted friends of mine who accuse me of having no life…obviously not justified by the fact that I write a pointless column in impact…
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Are You Aware?
Josie Cox finds out what’s happening this week at AWARE. AMY YOUNG, Advice and Development Worker at the AWARE Centre, was keen to inform me of the upcoming Mental Health and Stress Awareness Week starting on Monday 25th of February. It is around this time of year that final year project deadlines are furtively creeping closer and other cut-off dates are looming. Whether it’s a placement application, a piece of coursework or a housing contract, AWARE points out that being stressed about the situation is not beneficial in any way. As well as having a week dedicated to raising awareness of mental health issues and stress, AWARE supplies leaflets and pamphlets on this issue, as well as many others. So what’s the solution to sleepless nights and stress-laden days? Primarily, it is crucial to remember to look after yourself: eating a
THINK FOR a second of yourself three years ago. Remember that person? Some of you may be able to identify really well with the ‘you’ of 2005. However, I suspect that for many of you that figure seems more like someone you used to know, and it’s hard to reconcile that image with the person you are today. Psychology has a tendency to focus on childhood and adolescence when looking at development. This reflects the widely held belief in our society that these are our formative years, making us the people we will be for the rest of our lives. Yet how true is this? I don’t think I was spat out as the adult I would be when I reached my 20th birthday and ceased to officially be a teenager. I can also see that right now, at 22, I am still not quite there: I know myself fairly well, but I’ve simply not yet experienced enough of life to be a fully formed person. In reality, we don’t just develop in our childhood. This is often focused upon as it is undeniably a period of rapid change, not just physically but cognitively and emotionally too. Yet even just in our casual observations, we can see that people change a lot throughout their adult lives. Adults can vary enormously in the paths their lives take from the end of adolescence to old age. Try even thinking back to your group of friends from school or college. Your lives were very similar at that point, but just a few years down the line could be quite diverse… whilst
balanced diet, sleeping sufficiently and expressing and accepting your emotions. If you feel incapable of dealing with a situation alone, seek help and realise that you are not alone. Other ways of beating anxiety and nerves include physical exercise, regular breaks and maintaining a good social network. If you are interested in what else AWARE can offer you, look out for the pamphlets and notices boards, especially regarding the various awareness weeks throughout the year.
STRESS: don’t suffer silently.
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HOROSCOPE Madame Soufflé
GREETINGS FROM the heavens, my star children. I am Madame Souffle and I will traverse the astral planes and helicopters in order to guide you through the year. Sick of fluffy hearts and wilted roses? Then look at the horizon and squint your eyes to the point in the distance where your future lies. I will prepare you for the journey towards that point. CAPRICORN (22 December - 20 January) You’re going to tell your girlfriend she looks fat in her favourite dress. This will be a big mistake. AQUARIUS (21 January - 19 February) Avoid axe-wielding serial killers. Trust me, you won’t get on. PISCES (20 February - 20 March) Police will inform you that hiding in bushes and spying on people is not the definition of love and is, in fact, illegal.
going to be wondering why Yogi Bear wore a collar but no shirt.
Those cheeseburgers you love so much don’t love you back.
GEMINI (22 May- 22 June) You’ll have a fight with a one-armed man. The smart money is on you to win.
SCORPIO (24 October - 22 November) Apparently, bungee jumping can detach your retinas. That has no bearing on you, I just thought you’d like to know.
CANCER (23 June- 23 July) At some point you will slip and fall on a banana skin. That is so cliché. LEO (24 July- 23 August) Don’t be surprised if you’re given an ASBO after boiling your ex’s pet.
ARIES (21 March- 20 April) When confronted by a T-rex, stand perfectly still. Their vision is based on movement.
VIRGO (24 August - 23 September) Regardless of your gender, grow a beard. It’s a great conversation piece.
TAURUS (21 April- 21 May) You’re
LIBRA (24 September - 23 October)
The Times Are Changing
Rosanna Pajak explains why we don’t only grow in childhood and that, in this world, the only real constant is change. I study here in Bath, some of my friends study in Prague or Singapore, some live a different life touring in a band, and others have even become parents themselves. Certain psychologists have devoted their time to studying exactly how and why people develop across their lifespan, and some have identified common stages that most people go through. Levinson argued that people’s life cycles consist of a number of eras. He felt that between 17 and 22 we begin ‘early adulthood transition’, and begin to behave as an adult in an adult world. This is a stage many of us will be at now, using university as a means to gradually step away from home. We take on more and more responsibility each year, until we are (hopefully) ready to step out into the big wide world. Levinson also argued that during this ‘early adult transition’ stage, individuals form a Dream, which compromises his or her major life goals. If you feel you are Dream-less don’t panic! This does not just mean in terms of your career, but can be far more general. Do you see yourself with kids or does the idea make your skin crawl? Do you think you could work in an office or do you long for a life spent outdoors, with more variety? Do you want to stay in England or is there somewhere else you’d like to try? You probably have more of an idea about what you want from the future than you realise. The next stage is the ‘entry life structure for early adulthood’, between the ages of 22 and 28, which is when we are meant to make an initial attempt to construct an adult lifestyle. On finishing university it can really seem that there are a million different paths we could follow, it is easy to become so stressed by the abundance of options that we don’t know what to do. During
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their twenties people take steps to gradually create a life for themselves; setting up a geographical base, a friendshipcircle,aseriousrelationship and a career path. For some this is working towards the achievement of that Dream, but others are just focused on short-term goals. These stage theories may seem to make sense in a way, but clearly they only depict a norm. There is massive diversity between individuals, regarding the extent to which these stages are followed. This is very dependant on socio-economic status, gender and culture. We cannot by any means assume that these stages are universal. More than ever in the 21st century, we are freer to follow our own path. We can take a few gap years after we graduate, not settle down into a working life until our late twenties, change our careers altogether at any point, and not get married until much later in life, if at all. Looking at development more generally, psychologists have found that most people become more
dominant, agreeable, conscientious and emotionally stable over the course of their lives. Apparently, age makes us more effective in love, work, and health, although we can become less open to experiences and more set in our ways. Asking my friends to look back at their pre-Bath selves, almost all of them said they do feel they have changed, and for the better. It seems that in our early twenties we are more accepting and surer of ourselves than we were at eighteen. We know ourselves better, and perhaps as a result, we care less about the opinions of other people. If this can happen in a few short years, I have no doubt that we will all be vastly different again in ten or twenty years time. It can seem scary, having our entire future stretching out in front of us and not really knowing who we are or what we want! Yet we need to remember that it is incredibly exciting to be at this point. We should relish being half-formed, and look forward to the life experiences that are waiting to make us who we are.
SAGITTARIUS (23 November - 21 December) That losing streak you’re havingisn’tgoingtoendbeforethatstrip poker game this Friday.
Peace Vigil Cathsoc and friends started Lent by holding a peace vigil on the Parade recently. Maria Clarke tells us more.
THE PEACE vigil was held as part of the 40th anniversary of the first World Day of Peace (the 20th of January 2008). Pope Benedict XVI asked Catholics to come together with those of all faiths and none, to hold witness to peace. We asked those who came to write down how we can achieve world peace, and to post their messages on the board for students and staff to reflect upon. In return we offered those who came a cup of hot vegetable soup. Many of the ideas people came up with were very profound and sometimes controversial making our vigil all the more valuable; dialogue is the only way we can come to understand other points of view. Some students thought about inner peace, others about personal relationships and others reflected on the international aspect of peace. Search for happiness was a common theme, while a high expectation of one another was cited as being a cause of division. On the international front, one student argued that forced integration both social and economic was a major cause of strife. While another believed that we must strive for the ideal of “One World” in order to spread the universal value of peace. One girl came and argued that peace was a utopian ideal and completely impossible as man had still not evolved intellectually from Darwin’s natural selection and survival of the fittest. Other students felt that peace could best come through prayer and meditation. They focused their attention on Divine help bringing inner calm so as not to make irrational decisions. Many thanks to all those who came to chat to us and who wrote up messages of peace, we really enjoyed talking to you. Thus, we hope that all students reflect on ways of achieving peace and come to find peace in their own lives.
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Features Bath’s Conservative Future Visit Parliament Darien Jay, the Vice Chair of Bath CF, tells us how visiting the Houses of Parliament and dreaming of a Conservative Future culminate in dining in the Red Lion.
WHERE BETTER an institution to take a group of budding politicians, than the centre of British democracy that are the Houses of Parliament? On February 13th a dozen members of Bath Conservative Future made the trip to London accompanied by Bath’s potential prospective MP, Fabian Richter, to be treated to a guided tour of the Commons and the Lords by former MP and chief whip of the Lords, Lord Cope of Berkeley. Standing at the dispatch box where David Cameron challenges Gordon Brown at PMQs, and admiring the ostentatious chair that is host to the Prime Minister’s saviour, Mr Speaker, was a true privilege that shall stay in our memories for some time. Such a building, so steeped in tradition and adorned with placards representing Britishmilitarysuccessservestostirup
national pride in even the most liberal of Britons. Following our guided tour, in typical Bath CF fashion, the society enjoyed a hearty meal and one or three alcoholic beverages whilst discussing politics, sport, and how much one appreciates Bath after spending the day in the Capital. Slightly ironic was the pub we choose to dine at, the Red Lion in Westminster happened to be the location for the foundation of ‘New’ Labour. A thoroughly enjoyable trip that was enjoyed by all was the consensus on the journey home, as we eagerly await visits from Liam Fox, and hopefully Boris Johnson and William Hague in the forthcoming few months. If you would like more information about Bath CF, check out our page on the SU website, or go to www.bathcf. co.uk.
Islamic Awareness Day Aisha Bhatti Executive Member of BUIS BATH UNIVERSITY Islamic Society (BUIS) are holding a week long event, the Islamic Awareness Days, starting on Monday 3rd March. The opening ceremony of the event will be attended by the Mayor of Bath, Councillor Sharon Ball, and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching), Professor Ian Jamieson. There will be two exhibitions. One exhibition will be in the Claverton Rooms on Monday and Friday, while another exhibition will be up for the whole week in the University Hall foyer. Colourful posters covering various aspects of Islam including its historic, scientific and social aspects will be on display. The first exhibition will also include calligraphy (someone will be available to write your name in Arabic with calligraphy if you
want!), a table with literature about Islam, a stall with sweets from various Muslim countries, and other items. The exhibition is supported by the University of Bath Alumni Fund. The week will also feature a number of talks and seminars on different aspects of Islam, in addition to a multi-faith seminar. The main guest speaker is Fadel Soliman, a specialized presenter of Islam, who is the director of Bridges Foundation, an organisation that aims to build bridges between people from different religious and ethnic backgrounds through educational interfaithactivities,presentations,and discussions. There will also be evening video sessions during the week. The end of Islamic Awareness Days will be marked by a ‘Mosque Open Day’ at the city centre mosque on Saturday. For more information see the event’s website: iad.buis.org.uk or email: su5is@bath.ac.uk.
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Fashion at Bath Josie Cox looks ahead at an event which makes us High Society… even if it’s just for the night. ANY EVENT that is worthy of being held in Bath’s famous Assembly Rooms is surely something worth taking note of. For the third time, the annual occasion, entitled ‘Fashion at Bath’ is being hosted. Aside from an array of beautiful clothes, presented by beautiful people, the evening will offer a reception and an after-party. All guests will be presented with a goodie-bag, generously donated by sponsors and, inevitably, a taster of what it may have been like to have been eyeing up the catwalk at the London fashion Week. As well as having a memorable night, allguestswillbeabletobenefitfromthe satisfaction of knowing that they have contributed to a good cause. Although
the tickets, priced at £15, may appear a tad steep for our student budgets, all the proceeds from the show will go towards the Breast Cancer Campaign; a charity that, despite having raised its profileinrecentyears,stillneedsevery
penny it can get. The male and female models, who will be strutting their stuff are all university students and are therefore just as ‘dateable’ as anyone else (if they’re single that is…), so mingling with them at the after-party could prove to be an interesting affair. Collections include Long-Tall Sally, Gaff, Frock Exchange and Geeves and Hawkes amongst others…. I should probably mention Ann Summers too! After success in previous years, Event Co-ordinator Siân Lewis and her team have spent weeks preparing for this classy event, ensuring that the 5th of March will be a night to remember. Tickets are available from the Plug Bar or from the models involved; also check out the Facebook group for further information!
The Real Hazards of Flying
I attempted to come up with an apt standfirst for this article, but nothing I write could do this piece justice. Welcome to Chris Bowdon’s world. AS I write we are ten minutes into the air and the plane is still at 45 degrees. The engine is making retching, sucking-on-empty sounds and I’m worried. A fortnight ago a British Airways Boeing 747 from China crash-landed at Heathrow. I am now in a Boeing 747, flying from China. I feel as if I didn’t really think this was a holiday through. But crashing to a fiery death is not the real hazard of flying (it can only happen once, after all). The real, severe, frightening danger is the person sitting next to you. Take the guy next to me today, for example. He is a natural at the Armrest Competition. Not only has he invaded with a stunning Newspaper-Elbows, he’s locked down the entire area with a brazen Armrest-Coat-Cover. There’s absolutely nothing I can do. (Until later, when I will accidentally spill wine on him during a bout of turbulence. Red.) On my other side I have a guy in a baseball cap, tee and sweatpants. Think K-Fed; Eminem. He fell asleep on take-off, out like a
light. Which would be fine if he wasn’t sporting a proud erection. It lurks at my side like a friendly dog, happy just to be close to someone. And what exactly do I do about this? Should I wake him up and share a very awkward, embarrassing moment? “Excuse me, but I couldn’t help noticing you’ve popped wood.” (A friend has since suggested pressing the guy’s Call Attendant button, which is even better: “You look like YOU need service!” Her words. I worry about her.) The plane is still at 45 degrees by the way. The cabin crew look like mountain goats as they roam about the plane. I’m flying with Air France this time. The staff are looking pretty in blue, and all speak fluent French and English. It’s a shame this is a flight from Beijing. I feel there was a bit of an oversight somewhere. As a result, I have become a ChineseFrench translator for the guy sitting next to me. Great, finally a chance to use my French GCSE! (I wonder if he needs to use the piscine?) [By the by... in seven years of
French lessons, never did I get taught how to say “Aidez moi!” Isn’t that just slightly more important than “Quand j’etais jeune, j’aimais regardez la tele”?) And yes, my French is still FLAWLESS. Don’t think I’m being too critical of Air France, though. The meals were great. It was very fun watching a bread roll grind down the knife I was trying to cut it with. It has been about an hour now, and I am now beginning to wonder whether the plane itself is just wonky. The drinks cart still hurtles towards the back if the attendant lets go of it. Anyway, these hazards sitting next to me. In fairness I should say that there have been some really great fellow travellers - a Chinese lady offered me tickets to the Olympics, and a Dutch guy explained how he legally evaded taxes in every country. (The free tickets more than made up for the man beside her. He seemed normal, until a spider crawled out of his sleeve.) But every time I book a flight, the fear remains.
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Features
Bombay Dreams Not Just by Night Charles Oldroyd tells us about his adventures in the depths of India and how they have changed his perception of everyday life as a student. MY FIRST year at Bath was an intoxicating succession of cheesy nightclubs, repeated attempts to hangover-ishly attend at least half of my lectures and intensive pasta consumption in front of Hollyoaks. Not exactly academic. But the university had other plans for me as the placements office offered a sixmonth trip to Bombay for my first course placement. OK, maybe I was not totally sober when I sent my application at threethirty in the morning (Friday night Guppy, you know), maybe I only did it because all my friends were starting to get their placements sorted and no company had even bothered shortlisting me for an interview yet and maybe I did not even know where Mumbai was. I’ll realize later that Mumbai and Bombay is in fact the same thing, but at that point I only assumed it was possibly located somewhere in India – emphasis on ‘possibly’. I researched a lot, following the hungovered discovery that I was going to be interviewed. I even went through the effort of taking a book out of the library. When it came to telling my mum there might be a slight chance of me disappearing for six-months to India I do remember a somewhat hysterical conversation including the words ‘diseases’, ‘you’re only eighteen’ and ‘was this your dad’s idea?’. The interview day. The dreaded wait for the call determining the next half-year of my life. The phone finally ringing. The words ‘You got the job, you’re going to India’. A mixture
of relief, elation and totally wetting my pants. Signing the contracts. Plane tickets. Visas. Vaccinations. Freaking out. My first year went on to end in a sparkle of final guppys, summer balls and Westwood corridors scattered with junk-filled cardboard boxes slowly vanishing one by one. That was it, I was already closing the door on university and knocking on a door opening halfway across the world. To be honest the chicken tikka masala at my local take-away is probably the closest I had ever come to India. If you insist on mentioning
Internet Intermission This week Deputy Editor Adam Luqmani takes a look a distinguished alternative to YouTube - www.icewhole.com
IF YOU’VE ever visited the Little Cinema in Bath then you’ll no doubt be familiarwith‘shorts’–brieffilmswhich are often shown before the main feature. They are usually considered to be more of a work of art than a money-spinning blockbuster, but have you ever wondered where they all come from? Or have you ever considered creating one of your own? If you like making (or watching) films, then I highly recommend that you check out icewhole.com. Presumably named to alludetotheconceptofseparateentities comingtogether,theideaofthesiteisto promote the aspiring film makers of the future by offering people a YouTubestyle uploading system and a thriving community of actors, scriptwriters, directorsandmusicians. Filmsarejudged
byapanelofsuperstarsfromtheindustry, with the likes of Morgan Freeman and Richard Attenborough to name a few! With over £6000 given away in awards every month as well as the opportunity to have your film shown on Pearl & Dean cinema screens, the site shouldcertainly raise the eyebrows of anyone hoping to break into the industry! But what if you don’t make short films orwritescriptsinyoursparetime? Well, I still implore you to visit the website – all of the uploaded videos are there to be viewed by anyone, so why not spend a few minutes watching some award winning-international cinema, and try and pick out who you expect to be the Steven Spielberg or Marilyn Monroe of the future?
Shilpa Shetty I’ll admit that she gave me a particular pre-conception of her country and that she was still uniquely inspiring, in her own I’ll-undercookthe-chicken-to-try-and-kill-that-girlfrom-S-Club-7 way. India was only to me but a distant unknown land where people lived in slums, where Gandhi and Mother Theresa were awesome legends, and where Baloo, Bagheera and Sheer Khan all enjoyed a chicken Korma with Mowgli in the jungle from time to time – or maybe not. What was India really like? Probably everything I thought it would be, but at
WANTED - Sainsbury’s Active Kids Vouchers B A T H UNIVERSITY Guides and Scouts (BUGS) are once again collecting Sainsbury’sActive Kids vouchers, which we can use to get new equipment for our society. Lastyear we collected over 800 vouchers, which we used to buy new cookware to use when camping. This year we’re aiming to get over 1000 and we need YOUR help. If you shop at Sainsbury’s please collect the vouchers. These can be deposited in the collection box situated in the Students’ Union Reception in Norwood House. BUGS regularly use our equipment both for our own camps and for helping with scouting events in the local area so your help is very much appreciated. For more information about BUGS, or to find out more about the voucher scheme, please visit www.bugs.escouts. net Thanks for your help! BUGS
the same time still a million miles away from what I expected – and I mean this in a good way. Bombay is one of the best things that ever happened to me. Working as an expatriate for major firms in countries such as India does have its advantages: I shall obviously miss the flat with swimming-pool and our on-call 24/7 chauffeurs. I’ll miss having a job with which I could pretend I was someone really important, walking into nightclubs and feeling like a wannabe celebrity. Mr-Lifestyle-ofthe-Rich-and-Famous – even if it was all completely fake. Believe it or not I’ll also miss eating stupidly strong curry twice a day, everyday. It came to the extent of being able to eat chili raw – how cool (or stupid) am I? Although, in all fairness, when it comes down to curry, the one at my local take-away still stays the best I’ve ever tasted. Several weeks into being a student again it feels weird thinking about life back a month ago. No flip-flops and no hoodies. No libraries, lectures and coursework. No Hollyoaks and gay priests, no Britney Spears, Amy Winehouse or dead Heath Ledger, and no regular flow of skinny sugar-free vanilla Lattes from Starbucks. There was only the plane taking off over the slums of Bombay, flying away from another world, leaving behind another life. Regret slowly crept upon me: regret to having tasted what it could be like. University is a necessary rite of passage, but placements offering you the universe are a poisonous gift to the young and impatient mind. Patience. And with that, resolution was somehow found, as we soared into the definitely blue skies.
A Weekend with a Difference
Junction 49 are organising a beach clean-up and are currently looking for people (like you!) to volunteer for the day. Rebecca Stagg gives us the details. THE EVENT will take place on Saturday 1st March at Weston-Super-Mare and willlastalldaywithgamesandactivities after the clean-up. It will be a great chance to spend a day at the beach with your mates and also to do something positivefortheenvironment.Interested? Here are a few extra details you might want to know before signing up... How much will it cost to get involved? Nothing! The day will be completely free and transport and lunch costs are covered. Will we have to pick up litter all day? The morning will be spent picking litter and conducting a survey on what is being left on the beach. But after lunch there will be some activities organised and you’ll have the chance to chill out on the beach with your friends. Who’s involved in the project? The University of Bath aren’t the only uni involved.; UWE and Exeter universities will also be coming down so it will be a good chance to meet some new people! Does the beach really need to be cleaned? What’s the point of the clean-up? Litter is not only unsightly but also very damaging to wildlife, and beach ecosystems are especially vulnerable. It’s really important that litter is not only cleared from the beach, to prevent animals and plants from harm, but also to take note of the amount and type of rubbish on the beach. The survey conducted during the day will be sent to the Marine Conservation Society to aid their monitoring of the beach and wildlife. How can I get involved? Please get in touch with Rebecca and Sophie (rs317) or Sabrina (ss369) to sign up.
Bath Literature Festival 2008 Giulia Buttini Features Contributor
THE BATH Literature Festival is about to open its doors again, on the 23rd of February, to anyone ready to embark on a trueliteraryvoyage. Asithasdoneevery year since 1995, the Festival presents us with ten days of literary events ranging from book readings to walking tours and workshops. There truly is something for everyone as writing is explored in all its forms. Withanincreasingaudience,thefestival is quickly becoming an important date in many world-renowned authors’ agendas. With a vast list of guests ranging from novelists,poetsandpoliticianstoactors, comedians and scriptwriters, some of the previous appearances that have been made are by Alexander McCall Smith, Jacqueline Wilson and Sue Townsend . The annual BathFestivalpresentstheverybestoflocal,
national and international writers! As Bath has an impressive literary history, mostly gained by its famous residentJaneAusten,thefestivalwillbe hosted in our very own town centre. So all of you will be able to meet big names such as Terry Pratchett, Robyn Young and David Rose, not only by attending their readings and asking them questions, but also by taking part in enthusiastic discussions. Writer and broadcaster Sarah LeFanu goesintoherfifthyearasartisticdirector ofthevibrantlyorganisedFestival. With more than 100 events and 50 guest speakers itoffersinspirationandentertainmentto old and young. Evenifitonlyservestofillyourtime orfindagoodbooktoread,thiseventhas beenahitinthepastandwillsurelylive uptoitsreputationthisyeartoo. Further information and bookings are available online at bathlitfest.org.uk.
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MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Monday 25th February 2008 Sabb Elections Special www.bathimpact.com
impact student
- Page 15 Who will you votePresident for? Communications Pages 16-17
Welfare & Campaigns - Page 17
Activities & Development - Page 18 Education - Page 19 Sport - Page 19
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MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Elections
The Voting System
S ABBATICAL ELECTIONS take
covering the whole of the Parade.
place every year and every student
You will get flyers shoved into your
gets a vote.
hand every time you walk past
Sabbatical Officers (Sabbs) are
the library. You will be covered in
just normal students like you.
stickers every time you come back
STUDENTS’ UNION elections use
of votes, is now eliminated. All the
H o w e v e r, t h e y s p e n d a y e a r
from a night out.
the Alternative Vote system. Here’s
ballots where Ducky was number 1
how it works:
are now recounted, and the number
representing your views as students
Enjoy it! Get yourself involved
and running your Students’ Union.
in the elections banter, talk to the
There are three candidates for the
2 votes are distributed to the other
This is a full-time job, so they take a
candidates, have a laugh with them,
position of SU President: Ducky,
two candidates. After these number 2
year out of their degrees if they are
tell them what bothers you about
Guppy and Monkey.
votes have been counted, the results
part way through, or spend an extra
your life as a student and gauge
After a week of campaigning,
year in Bath if they are graduating
their reaction and suggestions.
the voters (that’s you!) all go to
this summer.
Learn as much as you can about
BathStudent.com to vote. They
The team of six Sabbs is led
them so that you can make an
put the candidates in their order of
by the SU President. The other
informed decision when you come
preference, starting with 1 as their
five Sabbs have specific areas of
to vote.
favourite, 2 for second and 3 for their
look like this: Ducky – Eliminated Guppy – 475
responsibility – Communications,
Voting takes place online on www.
Education (all academic matters),
BathStudent.com, starting midday
Once all the votes have been cast,
Welfare & Campaigns, Activities
on Monday 3rd March and closing
the Count begins. All the number 1
Of Ducky’s 150 votes, Guppy was
& Development (which includes
at 4pm on Friday 7th March, with
votes are tallied, and after this first
number 2 on 125, giving her an extra
Societies, Training and Volunteering)
the results announced at Flirt that
stage the results are as follows:
125 votes and taking her total to 475.
and Sport. All six Sabbs have equal
same evening. The voting process
responsibility and are ultimately
uses the Alternative Vote system,
accountable to the student body.
where you rank the candidates in
Over the next two weeks,
order of preference (see the guide,
candidates will be fighting for your
right, for more details). Whatever
vote to become the six Sabbs.
you do, enjoy the next two weeks
You will see banners and posters
and make sure you vote!
How this is all panning out Monday 25th February CAMPAIGNING BEGINS Thursday 28th February, 1.15 HUSTINGS IN ELEMENTS
Friday 29th February, 1.15 HUSTINGS IN
Monday 3rd March
ELEMENTS
VOTING BEGINS Friday 7th March, 4pm VOTING CLOSES Friday 7th March
RESULTS ANNOUNCED IN FLIRT!
least favourite.
Monkey – 425
Monkey only got 25 more votes, so his Ducky – 150
total is only 425. Guppy has more than 50% of the votes and has more votes
Guppy – 350
than Monkey, the only other rival, so Guppy is crowned SU President.
Monkey – 400
What this shows is that despite
Monkey’s lead in the first round of So at this stage Monkey is in the
counting, his victory was not assured.
lead with 400, but does not yet have
The overwhelming majority of Ducky
over 50% of the votes (the other two
supporters preferred Guppy as their
having 450 between them).
second choice, so their preferences
Under the Alternative vote system, Ducky, who has the lowest number
were transferred, giving Guppy the win.
Get Along to Hustings
What are Hustings? Activities & Development Hustings are a chance for you Sport to see all the candidates together and a chance to pose questions 29th February @ 1:15pm: to all of them. It is open for every President student to attend. This year they Communications will take place on Thursday 28th Education and Friday 29th February at 1.15 in Elements. Come along and Annoyed about something at interrogate those candidates! University? Here’s a chance for you to find out what your 28th February @ 1:15pm: candidates are willing to do for Welfare & Campaigns you!
?
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
IMPACT
15
Elections
All Positions Re-Open Nominations (RON)
SU President SU President Alex Nicholson-Evans Helen Reed Social & Policy Sciences Year 3 Politics with Economics Year 3
Proposed by: Seconded by:
Proposed by: Paul Jaggers Seconded by: Paul Rochester
Proposed by: Olivia Given Seconded by: Jonathan Lemon
You can vote to Re-Open Nominations in the same way as any other candidate, by including it in your preference list. The votes are counted as though Re-Open Nominations were a real person.
I started at Bath in 2005 with huge expectations and, for me, university life was everything I had hoped for. I became involved with SU activities pretty early on. I tried everything from URB and BodySoc to SORTED courses and Latin and Ballroom. During my second and third years I focused more on volunteering. I became Sponsorship Officer for Rag, through which I have been responsible for the funding of events such as the Roman Romp and the Paris Hitch. I have been Chair of SCA (the student led arm of the volunteer centre) for the last two years and I currently chair BANTER, Bath’s entrepreneurial student group. I have been President of SIFE Bath for two years and in 2007 I led the team to the title of National Rookie Champions. Further to this, I have also mentored international students through the Amity project and I am now a member of the Volunteer Executive.
Hi, I’m Helen and I’m running for SU President. I have been at the University of Bath for 5 years and from the moment I arrived I have benefited from my in our Union. This is one of my reasons for wanting to be SU President. I also wish to continue making these experiences available to other students and to build on the range of servicesandactivitiesavailable. Thisyearalone,Ihavetakenpartin a range of activities from sitting on Arts Exec and helping organise Show in a Week to volunteering in AWARE to helping run the Union Drivers Scheme (MiDAS) to Rag. I’m particularly active in volunteering and the arts. Though you may know me best for being a Freshers’ Week Event Manager for 2007; I hope that everyone enjoyed it, I certainly did. My main motivation for running is to contribute to the Union, the experiences and opportunities that I have gained from the SU have had a hugely positive impact on my life and I naturally want to be part of providing more opportunities in the future. I have a wealth of knowledge to bring to this role; I have sat on a board of Trustees for a National Charity and am truly aware and capable of getting to grips with the post of SU President. I also have the passion and energy to really engage with student issues and to be effective in addressing them. But most importantly, I guess, you want to know what I’d do if I was elected? Firstly, I really want to address the way the Union as a whole communicates with the student body and try to improve engagement between students and their representatives over a range of issues. I also would like to see a more open and frank discussion about our position with regards to the NUS. I feel that the majority of students are unaware of the services provided by the NUS and would like the opportunity to make a more informed decision. Especially since the NUS is undergoing significant reform. For me, putting the interests of students first is an important expressed aim of the Union. Essentially if the Union is not enriching student lives then what is the point? For example, I want to ensure that more social space is allocated to the Union and used for non commercial venues for students. My involvement in the Arts also makes me keen to want to work with the VP A&D to help ensure that the new arts complex is the best possible facility. It is also important to me to promote good relations between the Students’ Union, the University and the local community. It is essential we continue to increase the profile of the valuable contributions that students’ make to the local community, to try and counteract the negative perception students in the city. I want to see a distinct effort into publicising especially through local media, the efforts of students in Bath.
You should list Re-Open Nominations as a preference if you feel that the candidates you have not yet listed are unsuitable for that position. If you feel none of the candidates are suitable, list Re-Open Nominations as your first preference. If you wish, you may continue listing candidates after you have voted to Re-Open Nominations.
If Re-Open Nominations wins an election, nominations for that position will be re-opened for other students to become candidates. The election will be run again at a later date.
Essentially, by voting to Re-Open Nominations, you are saying that you would like to see different candidates.
My roles have given me varying challenges from developing and instigating a rehabilitation program for homeless people and coordinating the Romania Aid Trip, to improving development strategies and representing our university to external groups. I have undertaken each of these tasks with enthusiasm and commitment and would continue to work in this way as SU President. I believe that the experience I have gained in my three years at university and the skills I can bring to the sabbatical team make me an ideal candidate for the role of SU President. I am a strong, trustworthy leader and I am absolutely passionate about developing and improving the student experience here at Bath. If elected, I will strive to drive forward the changes that you have asked for in my mission to effectively represent our student body. My Key Goals: • Lobby for the introduction and creation of more social space on campus. • Work with VP Communications to develop an online voting system that will allow students to have more of a say in the smaller changes made in the SU. • Fight for an improved bus service that actually meets the needs of the student population. • Strive to uphold and improve on the volunteering developments made through our participation in the Investing in Volunteers Award. • Promote healthy living through improved access to freesportsand training facilities and greater availability of low cost healthy food • Work with VP Communications to develop www.bathstudent. com as a more useful tool for societies and sports clubs. • Review the option for societies and sports clubs to be able to take cash payments at the societies and sports fairs. • Work to make the university more environmentally efficient. • Improve awareness and availability of fairtrade goods. So, if you want a sabbatical officer with true passion, enthusiasm and a real drive to fight for the changes you want made… VOTE ALEX N-E FOR SU PRESIDENT. TAKING YOUR UNION IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!
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IMPACT
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Elections
VP Communications Chiok-Sing Li Mech Eng Year 5
VP Communications Seb Ashton Chemistry Year 3
VP Communications Tom Major Elec & Elec Eng Year 3
Proposed by: Mark Atterbury Seconded by: Tim Ayres
Proposed by: Gareth Sharkie Seconded by: James Courtney
Proposed by: Matt Donaldson Seconded by: Jenny Douch
Did you know that Albert Einstein’s last words were never known since the attending nurse did not understand German. Isn’t communication important? Are You Looking For A Sign? Hi! I’m Chiok, a final year Mechanical Engineer who wants to spend more time in BUSU working for Bath students as the Sabbatical Officer for Communications. Hopefully you’ll see me around campus showing what I can bring to the union and you’ll be seeing a lot more of me if you Vote 1 for Chiok. Why Do I Want To Do It? I love being at the University of Bath. Many of the friends I’ve made, people I’ve met and things I’ve done are through the Students’ Union and I would love to give something back as VP Communications, as a representative of the students and a spiky red megaphone for all the activities that affect you. What Makes Me Suitable? All of my years at University have been spent fundraising with Bath Rag, helping out with general volunteer roles (Volunteer Centre, SCA, Transport, AWARE, societies) and juggling with Gravity Vomit. I have written articles for impact and helped run roadshows with URB. Many changes have happened in the past five years since I have been at Bath and I would like to see a few more. I see a significant part of VP Communications as marketing, advertising and representation; all of which I currently do as Publicity Officer for Rag but want to spread this across the whole University. What Are My Goals If Elected? • Transparency of SU Activities I seek to find new and more effective ways to tell you, the Students’ Union, about everything that will affect you. Do you feel you didn’t get a proper chance to say farewell to Funky Guppy? Do you miss having wider dining options in the evening from Munchies? Did a referendum sneak up on you when you were too busy to listen? By letting you know what decisions are being made, you could do something about them! • Improved Financial Strategy of the SU A large part of VP Communications is finance and commercial services and I propose that the spending of SU funds to be led from the student perspective. Who actually likes the colour of the Plug anyway? • Energy & Environmental Impact I see many wasted resources in the SU and hope to improve our stance on energy and resource usage. For example, so much paper could be saved if minutes and policies were accessible and electronically distributed.
Why am I the person to represent you? “I see and I believe, I hear and I understand, I do and I remember” - I am committed to being a memorable Sabb so I’m going to work for your interests. HavingbeenastudentinBathfor3years,Ihavelearntwhatittakesfor the SU to make a difference. I would work hard to maintain that positive reputation. I’m sociable, outgoing, a good listener and can get my point across,soyoucanbesureIwillrepresentyouwithpassionandenthusiasm.I canusemyinitiativetogetthingsdoneandamastrong,loyalteamplayer.I alsohavevaluableexperienceinaroleofresponsibility.Iwasabletosecure the biggest club sponsorship the SA has ever had from Barclays Capital worth £4000 whilst working within the Rugby Club over the summer. My vision is for the SU to be sustained by the vibrant involvement of the student community. My objectives for 2008/2009 Being involved with rugby, I improved the club page on BathStudent. com and still regularly use it. Although BathStudent.com has come along waysinceIjoinedtheuniversity,thereisstillopportunityforfurther improvement. As any committee member who uses it will tell you, the site facilitiesarestilllimited.Oneofmyobjectiveswouldbetoextendthesite furtherforbothclubsandsocieties.OnewayIwouldachievethisforclubs would be to introduce the BUSA fixtures for each club onto their page. Someoftheunionrunfacilitiesoncampusaregreatbutothersaren’tup toscratch.YoucanbesureIwilllistentoyourviewsabouthowtoimprove them. The union shops and bars already subsidise student activities. I would make sure this continues and pursue how appropriate sponsors could be involved to make big union events like the Ball and Fresher’s week even better! During this year I have enjoyed looking at the sports footage taken by CTV, I would like to see student media more widely used to promote union activities and clubs. Anotherkeyobjectiverelatestoplacementstudents.Aswellasmaking sure they are kept more in the loop with University life, I believe they deserve more recognition. Many choose Bath for the opportunity of placementandworkhardontheiryearawayfromUniversitysotheyshould be given credit on their graduation certificate.
Why vote for me? • Representation and Availability I will be open and available to help out whenever I can and ensure facilities are available for your views to be heard. I intend for all the sabbatical officers to be visible, recognisable and approachable so I will work hard to guarantee that they are all available to help you and effectively publicise what matters to you. Vote 1 next to Chiok for the changes that matter. You might find exactly what you’re looking for.
OverthelastfewyearsIhaveundertakenseveralrolestoupholdtheethos of University life including a Fresher’s Week welcomer and tour guide. IhavedemonstratedthatIcanapplymyselftotheserviceofothersinthe Rugby Club. If elected I would maintain the dedication and commitment I have shown in other roles to serve you. I know our SU loves us, and I want to make sure it shows! Seb for Sabb!!
My name is Tom Major, and I’m running for Vice President Communications so I can work to improve your student life at Bath University. The work of the Students Union has played a huge part in the amazing time I’ve had at this University and I want to use my experience to ensure that students continue to enjoy and benefit from everything Bath has to offer.
In my three years at Bath, I’ve been heavily involved with the SU as a club committee member and sports club chairman. I set up the Kitesurfing and Windsurfing club in my second year and I am the current Chairman. My work in such roles has given me intimate knowledge of the SU, what it does well, and the areas that can be improved. These areas include:
SOCIAL SPACE Have you ever found yourself with a coffee and a Pitstop, frustrated that there’s nowhere to sit with your friends and enjoy it? If so, you’ll agree with me that this University needs more social space. As the University is currently looking into long-term developments on campus, I want to make sure that the Students Union voice is represented, and that we’re given the free space that students at other universities enjoy.
WEBSITE There have been major revisions to BathStudent this year, but much of what was originally planned has not materialised. In particular, the club and societies pages, which are severely lacking in content and functionality.Iwillworktoensurethatthisisresolved,andthatthere is continual development to the site in future.
PLACEMENT STUDENTS A year out can be a daunting prospect, and feel a long way from university.It’simportantthatplacementstudentsarenotleftoutofthe loop, but kept informed of developments and assisted in expressing their opinions. The SU is there to work for you wherever you are in the world while you’re a student at Bath University. I’ll work to ensure that placement students can still have an active role in campus life and decision making while they’re away.
BUSES The bus service provided by First is a vital part of student life for most of us, but there are many areas that could be improved. Simple modifications to the timetable, and new methods to speed up the loading process would result in a significant improvement to the service.
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT In the recent ‘No Platform’ referendum, only 785 votes were cast. That’s fewer than 1 in 14 students voting! Most students do have opinions on such matters, but many are too busy to vote, or feel that it’s not important. I want to make it easy to get involved. In summary, I am ready to work for the key issues that are important to you. Vote Major Tom for VP Comms!
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
IMPACT
Elections
VP Communications Simon Hartley Chemistry Year 2
VP Welfare & Campaigns Daisy Meyland-Smith Politics with Economics Year 4
VP Welfare & Campaigns Helen Sawyer Psychology Year 4
Proposed by: Megan Lepley Seconded by: Luke Greener
Proposed by: Paul Jaggers Seconded by: Scott Fischer
Proposed by: Jonny Pelly Seconded by: Olivia Given
Do you: want your views to be heard? And have them acted on? want to know what?s going on? want feedback so you know people are taking notice? want the most from the on-campus services like plug?
How much have all the nights on campus changed over this last year? Guppy is now Flirt, there is a brand new Saturday club night and Score is as packed as ever; these have needed to change and be updated, something new for everyone. Getting all the up-to-date information about these social activities and events to you all is essential so that everyone can enjoy the rest of the time they have here at Bath University. I think that bathstudent.com and webmail should have the option to send reminders and emails about specific events directly to you. Do you play sport for any of the University teams? How about actually having supporters come along to watch you play? The VP for Sport looks after the teams brilliantly … but who looks after the fans? Advertising matches in impact, on URB or by posters, would create more opportunities to socialise and have a laugh which should be taken advantage of. The less well known teams and groups need and deserve more publicity as they are a vital part to the diversity of our university. Facebook is wonderful, as we all know, but it has decimated the use and effectiveness of our bathstudent.com inter-group communications. We need bathstudent.com to make it easier to contact and connect people involved in the sports and activities groups around campus. Lets be honest, what could be better then spending another year on here on campus at Bath, meeting loads of new people, having a great time and being a part of making it as fantastic for you as it has been for me. With 4 years bar experience, an approachable open attitude, two years of management under my belt, a year in the SSLC I feel I have what you need. I have the skills and character needed for this position. Now is the time for me to put it into practice. So make your choice count, make yourself heard, Vote Simon for Communications.
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Who I am I am a final year Politics with Economics student. I have been involved in the Union since I was a fresher, especially with Backstage (as Chair for 2 years) and the arts societies. I have also worked in the Plug bar since my first year. I spent my placement working as a Press Officer at the National Assembly for Wales. Why I am standing for election So far I have changed university, degree course, house during the middle of the year, moved all over the country and Europe, and generally experienced upheaval of many kinds. The support I received during these times has been invaluable and I want to help others who are making rough decisions and experiencing big changes in their lives. Whilst on placement I became particularly concerned with the lack of understanding and awareness surrounding mental health issues. 1 in 4 of us will suffer problems such as depression during our lives, and a big change like university can often by the trigger, yet we are reluctant to discuss these issues- this is a mistake. With my experience as a press officer, I can bring know-how to the campaigning side of this role which will be an asset to the sabbatical team. What I intend to do, should I be elected As well as campaigning hard on mental health awareness within the student body, I will represent student views on university committees and at the national level. We all need more social space- this continues to be a pressing issue for the university, but there must also be space found, in a noncommercial setting, for those whose needs differ from the larger student body. In particular we need to tailor more social space and events to the needs of postgraduates. Here at Bath we have a small but diverse student body that encompasses a large number of postgraduate and international students. WE need to reach out to these groups, who often feel isolated from the every day work of the union. In addition to this I intend to act as a focus for the welfare staff within the union and as a figurehead that students feel they can approach. Only a quarter of students use AWARE each year- I will raise the profile of the services available and follow an open door, available policy so that everyone knows that their viewpoint is valid and valuable.
Who am I? I’m Helen and I’m running for VP Welfare and Campaigns. I have many more ideas that space prevents me from listing here so come and find me during the elections!
I’ve been active in the Students’ Union throughout my time here at Bath which has given me an in-depth knowledge of the workings of a number of areas of the Union: - Union Councillor 2007-2008 - Sports Association Exec (Events) 2007-2008 - Freshers’ Week Rep 2007 - Academic Rep 2006-2008 - Latin and Ballroom Chairperson 2006-2007 This work has revolved around giving something back to the Union and ensuring that students like you are represented and get their views heard. I will continue this if elected, fighting your corner at both University and national level.
Why do I want to do this? I want to be there for any student who feels that something is preventing them from accessing all the opportunities that are available – for anyone who’s ever felt homesick, had trouble with money or housing, or just felt a little bit lost and just needed someone to talk to. University should be about enjoying every moment but sometimes events happen which can prevent this. I want to make sure I’m there for you to make sure you never have to go through these things alone – whether this means advice, a shoulder, an ear…or even just a cup of tea!
What am I going to do? Accommodation - I aim to develop a Students’Unionlettingagency where students can access a database of accredited properties without being charged agency fees. - I will hold an event for students who are looking for people to live with which will make the process of finding housemates quicker and easier. Safe Journey Home - I will look to develop a latenightbusservice to popular student areas in Bath such as the top of Oldfield Park and Combe Down. This will mean safer, cheaper student transport late at night. Free Prescriptions - I will promote this NUS campaign, and make sure that students who are eligible for reduced cost prescriptions and health services get the help they are entitled to. Healthy Eating - I will introduce healthier options such as free-range meat and eggs campus wide, from the Union to the Plug bar. Recycling - I will install recycling banks throughout the Union. This will decrease the amount of waste produced and provide students with a cleaner and more environmentally friendly Union. Welfare Survey - I will carry out a welfaresurvey which will highlight both services students are unaware of and areas which need more support.
I have the ideas, experience and motivation to make sure help is there when you need it! Be Happy, Vote Helen for VP Welfare and Campaign
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IMPACT
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Elections
VP Activities and Development Andy Tapping Civil Engineering Year 4
VP Activities and Development Nick Wilcox Biology Year 4
VP Activities and Development Hayden Arrowsmith Vice President (A&D), Graduate
Proposed by: Eve Elwell Seconded by: Sophie Wahlich
Proposed by: Josephine Lanning Seconded by: Ian Molesworth
Proposed by: Balpreet Dhanda Seconded by: Josh Greene
University is an experience that everyone should enjoy and I have absolutely enjoyed my time at Bath. My name is Andy Tapping and I am in my fourth and final, exciting year at Bath University. I will leave with a degree, but it will be the experiences I have gone through that I will remember.
Who Am I? I’m Nick, and I’m standing for the position of VP A&D. I’ve been involved with the SU since I arrived here 3 years ago, when I joined Backstage. In my second year I was elected to the Backstage committee as Treasurer and the Arts Executive as Events Officer. Having spent last year on placement I’ve returned with renewed enthusiasm to continue with my previous involvements, as Backstage Social Secretary and on the Arts Exec. I’ve really enjoyed working on a wide variety of student-run events, particularly helping organise Show In A Week. Currently I’m helping to organise and revitalise the Societies Awards Evening.
Being a Sabbatical Officer is more than a job, it’s a way of life. Since being elected last year I have been committed to ensuring the Students’ Union works for you. As your VP Activities & Development I have worked with ICIA forming a relationship that benefits students involved in arts activities, ensuring fair, transparent funding alongside maintained student direction. I currently represent student views regarding the Arts Complex and University masterplanning. I have secured increased funding from the Alumni Office for society equipment, provided the opportunity for societies to display artwork in the Terrace and explored enhancements to the functionality of the activities corridor. I am in the process of improving guidelines for committees to accurately calculate required budgets which will improve the distribution of funding across societies. I have been keen to reduce unnecessary correspondence and make communication within societies more practical, resulting in higher attendances at society meetings prompting more engagement, positive discussions and greater feedback based on what you want. By forming a volunteer executive I have been able to encourage more student control of volunteering activities and finalise the Students’ Union recommendation for the national Investing in Volunteers award, highlighting excellent volunteering best practice.
In my first few years I immersed myself in sports. I’m a big team player, which was one of the reasons I loved playing for Bath Uni Hockey Club. From tour in Barcelona, to the humble Boater, there has never been a dull moment. From sports I went to societies and I joined the Breakdancing Society. I am now the Chair and thoroughly enjoy the organisational side as well as the dancing. By getting involved with a multitude of activities at University I have seen the great benefit that these bring. I wish to become the Sabbatical Officer for Activities and Development to increase your enjoyment of University. I am running for this post as I am sociable and approachable, possible two of the most important traits needed for the job. As well as having a laugh, I am also very professional and my organisational skills are excellent. This was proved by the success of Christmas Breakdown, which took a lot of effort but was absolutely worth it as it was unquestionably a terrific night! Not only am I well suited for this job, but I would thoroughly enjoy this position. I have a drive to help people and this makes me an excellent candidate. If elected I would use this drive to make sure that everyone in the fields of societies and volunteering gets fantastic support in all their endeavors.
Why am I standing? My best and most memorable experiences at university have been thanks to the SU. I’ve had the opportunity to get involved with a huge range of societies and their events, and continue to be amazed with just how much students can achieve. The depth and breadth of my involvement with the SU makes me sure that I have what it takes to continue making societies and volunteering an important and vibrant part of our community. What will I do? I’dliketoseegreaterinvolvementwithinsocietiesandvolunteering; I’ve had great experiences, and would encourage everyone to get involved. It’s been great to see the SU continue to grow this year, with new societies and new events. I will work to make the organisation of events as easy as possible. Bathstudent.com has great potential to be a really useful tool, but seems to be inaccessible – by speaking with students and together with VP Communications I’d improve it, introducing new functions to make it more useful.
More specifically:
• Make it easier to use University facilities and promote what is available. The University has some tremendous resources and everyone should be able to use them. • The SU’s Plug and Elements are great locations for events and socials, but for smaller groups it is near impossible to hire in an economic manner. I will strive to aid all groups to hold great, successful events, aiming to get the most out of the facilities we have here on campus. • Push the new Arts Complex forward.
• Increase awareness around the University for all societies; whether to increase members, make views heard or so that good times can be shared. • Continue the great support available to students and to increase the use and awareness of Enterprise, Joblink and SORTED. So if you want to increase everyone’s enjoyment and experiences here at Bath; Vote AnDY 4 VP AnD!
Trainingforcommitteesneedstobereviewed:trainingshouldnotonly be about passing on basic facts but should appeal to committee members who wish to gain skills for running a society. I would like more emphasis tobeplacedonthetransferableskillsthataregainedthroughsocieties involvement,sostudentscan see thevaluethat these experiences bring; after all, 7 out of 10 employers say that a degree alone is not enough. The SU was recently recommended for the Investing in Volunteers award – a fantastic recognition of the work that goes into our SU. Volunteer recognition is not as good as it should be, a problem that has been expressed to me frequently. I would work to improve the ways in which we recognise the people who work so hard. So why vote for me? Experience: I have thrown myself into the SU for 3 years now and have seenitfrommanyperspectives.Iknowthefrustrationsthatextracurricular activities sometimes engender but I also know the joy and opportunity that involvement brings. Motivation: Mine will always be the advancement of the student experience, an experience I truly know the value of. Enthusiasm: I know what it is to work every possible minute for something you love and I want to bring this energy to the role.
Essential objectives - Empower executives and committees to develop your societies, volunteer and Enterprise groups by working jointly to meet their aims. - Reduce the bureaucracy of running a society, creating a successful formula for hosting your activities and events. - Improve the functionality of BathStudent.com with on-line committee elections, simplified forms and appropriate news. - Raise the profile of volunteering and increase opportunities. Continue the development to accredit extra-curricular achievements on degree transcripts. - Enhance the function of student media. Improve the communication and consultation that we, the Students’ Union, give you on the subjects that matter. - More publicity on the support, advice, training and representation that the Students’ Union provides for all students. - More independent music nights and a better entertainments provision based on what you desire.
Why vote Hayden? The experience I have gained so far is invaluable and provides me with the opportunity to actively start planning for the future. Continuity is essential if progress is to be made, for me to implement necessary improvements and develop our Students’ Union. I intend to take a strong position with the running of Union campaigns that matter to you such as the lack of social space, much needed improvements for recycling and energy efficiency, and stocking more ethical and environmental products in our shops. I have taken to the role with the same enthusiasm, passion and hardwork that I see repeated daily by all of you involved in our Union. Whilst there are many different students within our community you are all committed to have the best university experience possible and I am as determined as ever to ensure the Students’ Union delivers what you want it to. You can shape the future of your student experience with your vote. VOTE HAYDEN #1 for ACTIVITIES & DEVELOPMENT.
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
IMPACT
Elections
VP Education Katie Mabery Physics Year 3
VP Sport James Christmas Natural Sciences Year 4
Proposed by: Paul Rochester Seconded by: Andy Readman
Proposed by: Ben Luke Seconded by: Hannah Hiscock
Hi I’m Katie, I am a final year Physics student and I am running for VP Education. Let me tell you a little about myself: I have been an Academic Rep for my department and an Academic Councillor for the past three years. This year I was also elected as an Open Place Rep on Union Council and as the Faculty of Science Rep for Academic Exec.
SportisabigpartofstudentlifeatBathanditisthroughsportthat a lot of good friendships are made and good times are had. Sport at Bath is represented by 3 types of students. By addressing all three I aim to improve sporting life at Bath University for everyone.
I’vehadafantastictimeatuniversity,butattimesitcertainlyhasn’t been easy. Personal issues can sometimes massively affect exams and coursework deadlines; it isn’t easy to ask for vital support, but without it, I wouldn’t be here in my final year. All students need to be fully aware of the assistance that is available to them from their departments and the SU. I am running because Education is a huge part of university life. Sometimes it seems that the university forgets that students are more than just numbers - students’ voices need to be heard, and their concerns taken seriously. As part of my role on Academic Exec, I have been involved with putting together a paper about the student experience at Bath, which the SU will be submitting as part of the QAA Institutional Audit this autumn. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to let the public know what is great about studying here and what needs improving. I would like to continue working towards the Audit in the role of VP Education. Currently the university is at maximum capacity. This means that we have to endure overcrowding everywhere from timetables, to social space and lecture theatres, some of which are in poor condition. I want to continue addressing these issues with the University – we deserve top class facilities to match the top class reputation of this University. During my time at university, I have been involved in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including Backstage and Freshers’ Week. I have also been on the Rag committee for three years, my highpoint being coordinating the 2007 fireworks display. Acknowledging activities outside academic courses on degree transcripts would give students a much more detailed record of our university experience and achievements. Also, our university has a fantastic placement programme, adding so much to many students’ degree experience. The extra time and work involved deserves to be recognised on degree certificates. I want to continue the campaign to achieve these aims. We have a fantastic Academic Rep system, but it’s hard to get across to students the great work that is being done. I would like to make it easier for the Academic Reps to communicate with their coursemates, and vice-versa, so that we can improve our student experience in every department. I am enthusiastic, friendly and hard-working. I can represent students to help improve the university experience for everyone. If you want a Sabb who is approachable and confident enough to get the student voice heard by the university, then VOTE FOR KATIE MABERY!
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1. Those people who play purely for fun and exercise but don’t like to compete or only on a non-serious level. For these people I will work towards: • Communicating just how accessible many facilities are and how to get the most of them. • Easy access to sports equipment such as rackets, balls and wetsuits by furthering the existing ‘wellness’ scheme. • The opportunity to take part in organised, fun games such as inter-murals. Vast improvement is still needed to get these up and running in the majority of sports. 2. Those people who really enjoy the sport(s) they play and like to compete for the university but are not of an elite standard. For these people I will work towards: • Committed and knowledgeable coaches who know how to get the best out of the players and will give people the opportunity to learn. • Enough access to pitches, courts etc. for regular training sessions for all teams. • Getting more teams in both BUSA and non-BUSA competitions and so giving more people the chance to represent their university. 3. Those people who are very talented athletes and play their chosen sport to the highest levels. For these people I will work towards: • Access to the best facilities and coaches. • Help to balance sport with their studies.
I am an avid sports fan and a Bath University enthusiast and I have 3 years sporting experience here. I feel the sporting experience I have gained at Bath will be invaluable in achieving these tasks. I am a member of 2 very different clubs - Floorball (non-BUSA) and Hockey (BUSA) and so have knowledge of how clubs are run on very different scales. Being a sports club Chairman has also given me great insight into the running of the Sports Association and has allowed me to work closely with the staff. It has given me the essential experience of working with a committee to achieve the best results for everyone involved.
For the full election results and interviews with your new Sabbs, see the next issue of impact, published Tuesday 11th March.
Above all I promise dedication to the running of the Sports Association and to the sabbatical team and will give every effort to help all those in need. I see no problem as being insignificant and hope to be approachable to every student. Vote: Santa for Sport – he always delivers
Come along to one of our open meetings: every Monday, 6:30pm, elements.
monday 25th FEBRUARY 2008
impact
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Feature - The Alumni Fund
Money... ...money... ...money impact Treasurer Laurence Cable dreams about having stacks of cash - and then wakes up to find out it can be a reality...
Aha-ahaaaa, all the things I could do... It is indeed a rich man’s world, but what many students will not realise, is that there is a special pool of money especially set aside to fund student activities - the Alumni Fund. Furthermore, any student or society may apply for a grant, provided the money spent will ‘enhance the student experience’. Each year, the Alumni Fund gives out about £50,000 to fund activities and major purchases across the student community. The latest round of grants totalling almost £19,000 has just been made, with a huge range of societies benefiting from the money. Several societies’ succesful bids are profiled on this page, but these are merely the tip of the iceberg. The well-documented saga of the Rowing Club’s boathouse was given a boost by the latest funding, with a grant of £6,500 being put towards the new building. MusicSoc also received a big grant - nearly £2,500 - for
equipment, as did the Chamber Choir (£650). Fund Manager Beatrice Purser-Hallard explained where the money comes from, and how it is allocated. She said: “The Alumni Fund is made up of contributions from former students, who benefited from the student experience here, and it is a way for them to give something back. “The average gift is about £90 per year, but the largest gifts to the Alumni Fund have been around the £5,000 mark. “We raised just under £100,000 in 2006-07, which was divided to spend about £51,000 on individual scholarships and the remaining £49,000 on other projects to enhance the student experience in a wider sense.” She added: “University is not just about going to lectures, it is about discovering who you really are. The Alumni Fund is there to help you do that. After all, if you don’t get the chance to explore extra-curricular activities at university, then when will you?”
Others too have felt the benefits of Alumni Fund grants: The Breakdancing Society received £544 for a new set of mats. Hard-working technical services society Backstage received a grant of £4,300 to buy four of their own ‘radio microphones’. These are microphones that attach to the sound system via radio waves, rather than by wires, allowing the user to carry them around the stage as they wish. Previously, Backstage had been hiring such radio-mics, at considerable expense, which in turn cost the Students’ Union more money. The new microphones mean that Backstage can now offer radio microphones to groups wishing to use them at much lower cost than previously. Chairman Nic Lee enthused: “It has huge benefits to the SU as they will be able to hire them at a much reduced rate than commercial ones, as is true with all Backstageowned equipment.” Money also went to the Islamic Society to help organise events to promote cross-cultural understandings, while the Guides and Scouts (BUGS) got £427 to buy a new ‘modular’ tent. BUGS Quartermaster Mark Dunkerley said: “BUGS now has 41 members which is the highest it has been in the past 5 years. “Having the extra canvas available to us will allow us to increase how many people we take away with us on camps.” He was keen to stress the wider implications of the
grant as well. He added: “This equipment not only helps us widen the participation of members of the university but also benefits the surrounding community through the many scout and guide groups that our members volunteer at.” The fund also made a grant of £2,000 to the Library, which is launching a project to get more fictional and non-academic books on its shelves, as part of its ‘Around the World in 80 books’ scheme.
Spectacular fire-juggling society Gravity Vomit were awarded just under £300 to replace equipment that had suffered the strangest of fates. Chiok-Sing Li explains: “Over the summer of 2007, mice ate all the the millet seed out of our beanbags that were stored in the Arts Barn. About 50 beanbags were destroyed, as well as the bags they were in! “The club then speedily bought some new balls with the budget and the Alumni fund covered that just recently. Our Show in a Week piece was about the above debacle.” To see Gravity Vomit live, head down to Revolutions this Thursday evening to catch some fire juggling.
impact Thousands of you read impact every fortnight, yet few will realise the time and effort that goes into writing and producing the paper. Until now, the editorial team were using a range of computers, varying in age between four and six years. Two were recently replaced by the Students’ Union, but a grant from the Alumni Fund will allow the society to replace two further computers, and purchase other essential journalism equipment, such
as digital dictaphones. Editor Jack Mitchell described the grant money as “invaluable”. He said: “Being able to have newer computers will make production of the newspaper a lot quicker and more enjoyable. “Our annual budget cannot stretch to fund big purchases like these, so the Alumni Fund grant will make a real difference to us, and in turn to the entire student community as our readers.”
Want to know more? The next deadline for applications is Friday 14th March. Societies or individuals wishing to make a bid should contact Dr Purser-Hallard on B.Purser-Hallard@bath.ac.uk.
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IMPACT
Science and Technology Sci-Editorial Matt Ash Science Editor science@bathimpact.com IT’S OFTEN held that shark fin soup is immoral but I personally did not realise the extent of its effects. I’ll point you towards the Science & Tech news in brief telling us that shark populations have plummeted by more than 95% since the 1970s. And for what? A bit of soup? Are people really willing to destroy an entire species so that they can look rich and successful in front of their peers? As is normally the case, these people areplaguedbyshortsightedness. Ithas also been shown that shark fishing can indirectlydestroyshellfishpopulations. Whilst shark populations decline, those of their prey benefit, increasing the overall consumption of shellfish. Bad news for the shellfish industry. Proof comes from the US where devastated shark populations caused a collapse in the shellfish industry. So you thought once all the sharks are gone you can replace your sacred shark-fin soup with scallops? Maybe not. IfIwerepresident,I’dgetelectedon Wednesday, I would ban shark finning on Thursday, restrict shark fishing on Friday, get assassinated on Saturday and be buried on Sunday.
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Science and Technology News in Brief
The Green Machine TATA MOTORS, the Indian-based company which last month unveiled the world’s cheapest car, may have found a perfect environmental solution – a car that runs on air. The ‘OneCAT’ works by converting the potential energy stored in
compressed air into kinetic energy (expressed through movement of the vehicle). The three-seater is made from fibreglass weighing only 350kg and could be on sale in India as early as this year. It is expected to cost around £2500. According to its manufacturers, a OneCAT can travel 200 to 300 kilometres before it needs refuelling. This may be done at pumping stations in 3 minutes for as little as £1. Alternatively, one could do it at home in four hours using its onboard compressor. The technology has been developed over the past ten years by Frenchbased company Moteur Development International (MDI). They have given exclusive manufacture rights to Tata Motors. Given its green credentials, the OneCAT is being widely promoted by environmental groups. The Environmental News Network (ENN) recognise OneCAT as: ‘One of the great success stories of recent technological history’, noting that we could eventually apply this science to other technologies including ‘buses, electric power generators, tow tractors, forklift trucks, agricultural tractors, outboard motors, even engines for light aircraft.’
for the species. There may also be implications for food chains. If some species adapt to the conditions, they will probably change their habits. So what happens to the
species that prey on them? And what happens even further up the food chain? Dr Kate Lewthwaite from the Trust said:“Thenaturalworldisgivingusclear year-on-year indications that things are
changing. The timing of natural events is one of the most responsive aspects of the natural world to warming, so it is an important indicator of change”. One tortoise sanctuary in Cornwall is having to provide lamps under which their tortoises can huddle, after they emerged from hibernation weeks early and remained awake. For those not housed in sanctuaries, this could be disastrous. Scientistsarecontinuingtorecordthe activityofvariousspeciesinordertoget a greater idea of how spring is changing. The public can play an important role in increasing the number of observations possible. Ifyouwouldliketohelp,youcanvisit The Woodland Trust website at: www. woodland-trust.org.uk.
have a child, each parent contributes fifty percent to the offspring’s genes, and so it can be said that a mother or a father is fifty percent related to each of their progeny. However, all the couple’s children are in turn fifty percent related to each other, if we take a ‘gene’s eye view’ of the matter.
Therefore, in terms of genes, a full sibling (both parents the same as yours) is as related to you as any one of your children. This means that if you have two siblings and they both have a child, or one of them has two children, it is equal (in terms of your genes being passed on) to you yourself having a child. So if we judge a person’s Darwinian fitness, or in other words how good they are at getting their genes passed on to subsequent generations, I will have achieved the same Darwinian fitness if my siblings provide me with two nephews or nieces as if I myself produce a son or daughter. This theory took off in the 1950s,
with eminent biologist J.B.S. Haldane at the helm. Asked if he would give his life to save the life of his brother, he made a few quick calculations and then came up with the now legendary reply that he would only give up his life to save at least two brothers, or eight cousins. Haldane proposed that, since full siblings share roughly fifty percent of their genes, meaning that they are fifty percent related to each other, two full siblings add up to one ‘self.’ Therefore, when asked the delicate question ‘how much is your life worth?’ a biologist can dodge the ethics and simply say ‘it’s all relative.’
Matt Ash & James Dacey Tap water vs Bottled water THE BBC recently aired a study showing that the production of bottled water can generate up to 300 times more CO2 per litre than tap water. The manufacture, distribution and disposal of bottled water require much more energy than pumping tap water through underground pipes. Clean Up Australia chairman Ian Kiernan points out: “If you bought a bottle of water and refilled it from the tap, you would need to do that for around eight years to recover the cost of one bottle”. Previous studies have also shown that bottled water is often no healthier than tap water but costs up to 500 times more. People are now being urged to say no to bottled water when dining out. Jenny Jones, Green Party member on the London Assembly, said: “This is a simple, money-saving way to brush up your eco-credentials. Say “no” to bottled water and help save the planet.” Sharp decline in shark populations POPULATIONS OF tiger, bull, dusky and other sea sharks have plummeted by more than 95% between 1970 and 2005.
ONECAT: Running on air.
Populations of hammerhead sharks are at particular risk according to a shark specialist from the World Conservation Union. The scalloped hammerhead shark will be listed on the World Conversion Union’s 2008 Red List as a “globally endangered” species. The species’ extreme population decline is a result of over-fishing to meet the demand for its fins. Their fins are considered a delicacy in China, which is why fisherman sometimes practie shark finning – when the shark’s fin is chopped off and the shark dumped back into
the sea. Currently, fishing for sharks in internationalwatershasnorestrictions. However, a UN resolution calling for limits on shark catches and a ban on shark finning has recently been adopted.
Spring has Sprung Early: Bad News for Many Catherine Luckin Science Contributor WITH THE recent mild temperatures and appearances of the sun, you may be confusedintothinkingspringhasarrived. You wouldn’t be the only ones: it seems that many animals are confused, thinking it is warm enough to come out from winter hibernation or return from distant lands of migration. Global warming, it could be argued, is clearly upon us. We may be enjoying theearlysunshine,andcertainlyitisgood fortheheatingbills,butsomeoftheother animals are not having so much fun. If a cold spell strikes, they may not survive and there is concern that this could even threaten the long-term survival of many species.
The Woodland Trust has received observations from over 50,000 volunteers who reported that a number of species, including those of butterflies, nestbuilding birds and plants, were ‘startlingly’activeforthistimeofyear. Some people even found frog spawn and tadpoles swimming around their ponds as early as January. The problem, according to the Woodland Trust, is that species that are active earlier in the year than usual will still be vulnerable to the wintry conditions, especially cold snaps, which are not uncommon in February. If the animals continue this pattern, their long-term survival could be at risk. For example, frogs only breed once a year, so iftheirspawnaresubjecttoafreeze,they may not survive which could be critical
How Much is Your Life Worth? Sally Nall Deputy Science Editor
WHEN FACED with this question, an ethicist and a biologist could come up with very different answers. To an ethicist, a life’s worth could be, for example, impossible to gauge, or perhaps graded according to a list of possible positive attributes, such as how caring, influential or altruistic a person is. To a biologist, however, when it comes down to basic principles, your life’s worth is directly linked to how successful you are at getting your genes passed on to the next generation. Genes are units within us all that give instructions for
cells in our bodies to grow according to set rules. For example, genes could tell your body to have blue eyes, or to go bald at seventeen: they are the blueprint from which our cells receive their instructions. Now here’s the rub: you do not yourself need to reproduce in order to pass on your genes successfully. In terms of Darwinian fitness (how successfully you pass on your genes), you can still be considered successful if you leave all the nappy-changing and sleepless nights to your nearest and dearest. Blood may be thicker than water, but your brother is worth as much to you as your daughter. Let me explain. When a couple
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
IMPACT
Science and Technology
Schools Failing to Attract Little Newtons James Dacey Science Contributor
HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTERS regularly cast the natural world in the leading role, David Attenborough is hailed as a national hero, and books like The Selfish Gene rest comfortably atop of student shelves and best-seller lists alike. Popular science is booming. In stark contrast, school science is stuck in a rut of unpopularity. The University and College Union (UCU) reports a 10% reduction in the number of core science and maths degrees offered by UK higher education institutions since 1998. In the 1990s alone there was a drop of 21% in Alevel physics entrants. Recent government tinkering has failed to curb curriculum decline - the think tank ‘Reform’ reports further drops of 10% and 14% in maths and physics A-level entrants. The immediate effects of decline are felt by the schools and universities and the professional scientists working within them. Ultimately, a shortage of physical sciences graduates weakens the national economy by reducing research and technology development. So why this dichotomy? Why is school science so disliked by pupils? Why are university science and maths departments at such pains to attract applicants? Whether or not all purchasers of Hawkins-Dawkins pulp science read beyond the first chapter is surely questionable, but the fact remains: people are attracted to the grand ideas of science and we cannot blame the decline of school science on its intrinsically dull subject matter.
Similarly, there is little benefit in blaming teachers for their poor teaching methods or students for their stupidity (as gratifying as that may be for the chauffer-driven consultants). We must now move beyond our culture of blame and critically consider how student perceptions of science facilitate decline. Study after study has shown that pupils simply cannot relate to school science. One telling insight is found in the oft repeated ‘draw a scientist’ test of the late eighties. Almost immutably, pupils from schools nationwide sketch the eccentric lab-coat-wearing male, donning beard and glasses due to late night eye-strain. To the student, scientists are nerds who exist outside of ‘normal’ life - why would they aspire to this? In 2003, separate studies by pupils and teachers requested that the science curriculum should accommodate more discussion and practical work. In the same year, a report by the House
of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology described school science as ‘boring and outdated’, adding that ‘many young people are put off the subject for life’. Recent changes have built syllabi around hot topics like global warming. This may be a nice attempt but pupils have been left confused and equally disinterested. Yes - for the sake of our future, students must be aware of the big issues, but debates like global warming are necessarily multidisciplinary. Let us not dilute concepts - we need experts from all areas, not Jacks of all trades. Clearly science can be bloody hard and often counter-intuitive – we should not expect every child to have the capability or even the desire to pursue a career in science. To disguise ‘hard’ science in issues like global warming is deceptive and little more than tokenism for political gain over controversial issues. Surely, two unquestionable aims of schooling are to foster an environment
for learning and to begin to show students what it may be like to work in different professions. School science is problematic because it presents science misleadingly. Students receive science as a series of objective dry facts pulled from the unchanging fact book. In reality, professional science is practised by teams and institutions comprising people and personalities with decisions to fight out on a daily basis. What’s more, in considering the history of science we meet a multitude of colourful characters whose personalities and values have shaped modern science. There are grinders, schemers, traditionalists, and every so often a rebel like Einstein comes along and revolutionises whole scientific paradigms. Government obsession with modulisation and assessment has done nothing but numb wonderment and displace all context from science. The system needs a serious shake up, beginning with a scrapping of the AS system which has changed the back end of lower sixth form from a period of important development to a home straight of formulaic cramming for exams. Science has flourished through personalities, innovations and artistry. Just as musicians absorb the stories and emotions of inspiring forefathers, school science should be given context by incorporating the history and sociology of science into its teachings. We should never try to forge an army of little Newtons, but we should at least try to inspire pupils through an exciting narrative taster session.
Professor Science Post-Valentine’s Day Special
Q. Dear Professor Science, After another lovelorn Valentine’s day, I am at my wit’s end. Professor Science, can the world of science come to my aid and secure me the woman of my dreams...? Angelina Jolie if at all possible. Yours in desperation Onan O’Brian.
Dear Onan,
Put down hustler and listen up… Science has produced some infallible advice on all things romantic, and if you follow the steps below you cannot fail to woo the woman of your dreams!
Step One: Smell good Whilst the ability of humans to detect pheromones is a contentious scientific issue, a number of studies have indicated that women use body odour to gauge a man’s attractiveness. One such study indicated that ladies prefer a gent who possesses highly dissimilar MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) genes to themselves, i.e. opposites actually do attract! These genes are important in the immune system and in reproduction and it has been hypothesised that by selecting men with divergent genes to themselves, women ensure that their offspring will inherit the best of both immune systems and thus generally kick all the other kids asses in not getting cold contests. Thus, to apply this practically, I suggest going to the gym, stealing the sweaty t-shirts of a variety of buff men and wearing them all next time you hit the town. The lynx effect will pale next to your super attractive BO and you will have to fight off the women with a stick. Unfortunately, follow up studies have shown that oral contraception disrupts a woman’s odour preferences so probably best to woo only the chaste and maidenly.
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Step one; take a photo of your face. Step two; mirror one half of the photo to produce a perfectly symmetrical face. Step three; print out the image, attach a length of string and wear your super sexy symmetrical face mask out on the town. Step Three: Speak Sexy Deep voices are related to testosterone production and studies in hunter-gatherer societies have shown that the richer and lower a man’s voice, the more sprogs he tends to have. A husky baritone can be easily faked using a Darth Vader voice changer available from all good toy stores; plus, women love a man with a dark side.
Step Two: Look good Scientific studies into physical attractiveness have identified a number of traits that contribute to handsomeness, amongst which are averageness, youthfulness and facial symmetry. Whilst the cosmetics industry spends millions in trying to improve the first two traits, I have a simple system for satisfying the third.
Follow the above tips and you cannot fail to succeed with the ladies. Being a diplodocus, I have an enormously deep voice and smell pretty pungent and I can testify to their effect on the fairer sex! Yours Sexily,
PROFESSOR SCIENCE
Science Shorts: The Big Bang Sally Nall Deputy Science Editor
NOTHING CAN come from nothing. That’s a basic concept that most of us would agree with. It doesn’t just apply to objects, though - the same is true of energy. Energy cannot be created and it cannot be destroyed, it simply changes from one form, e.g. heat, into another form, e.g. sound; that’s a fundamental law of thermodynamics but it’s also common sense. Unfortunately when we get to things smaller than an atom, common sense bows down to very complicated (and near impossible to understand) mathematics and physics. But we don’t need to bother with that. The Big Bang theory was in part needed to explain the large amount of helium present in the universe. Hydrogen is the smallest and most basic element, and it needs a lot of energy to be turned into helium, which is the second smallest and second most basic element, and is created when two hydrogen atoms are fused together.
The important proper ty of atoms that makes it possible to make a whole universe out of seemingly almost nothing is that atoms are almost entirely composed of empty space. It was apparent that there must have been a lot of energy around at some point in order to fuse enough hydrogen atoms together to make all that helium. So, some maverick scientists came up with a theory that time had to have a beginning, and in the beginning there was…well not very much. The important property of atoms that makes it possible to make a whole universe out of seemingly almost nothing is that atoms are almost entirely composed of empty space. There is a nucleus at the centre, made of varying numbers of protons and neutrons, and electrons fly about around it, but these components are tiny. It is hard to get one’s head around the fact that most of a table, a glass of water or even a human being is nothing. It is empty space. We are held together by invisible forces which stop us imploding in on ourselves, or floating away into space. The universe, the whole universe, was once condensed down into something smaller than the sharp end of a pin. The energy that threw all these atoms out into the universe must have been immense to counteract the forces keeping them together, and it was this energy that (we think) fused all those hydrogen atoms into helium atoms. It must be said that there is a lot more to this, but that’s another story…
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IMPACT
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
IMPACT
Entertainments
We’re Electioneeeeeering... ..AS THOM Yorke of Radiohead once whined. Doubtless you’ll come to these pages with your heart racing and tongue lolling after trawling excitedly through the lists of Sabbatical nominees. Well, I hope as much. So as a small nod to the candidates willing to be next year’s emperors and empresses of the University of Bath Students’ Union, the Ents section (by which I mean this editorial), is going all political. Fight the power, y’all. Songs have long been a form of protest and as such there are a wealth of titles spanning a range of content dedicated to subjects as diverse and wide ranging as ballot boxes, picket lines and dodging the draft. Political music dates as far back as Beethoven, who originally named his Third Symphony “Bonaparte”, only to replace this title with the sarcastic “Heroic Symphony Composed to Celebrate the Memory of a Great Man” when Napoleon named himself Emperor. Yet protest music really came into its own in the 20th century, with the advent of recorded media and broadcast. The earliest protest songs came from the Blues, music which was often based on the worksongs sung by the oppressed African-American slaves in the 19th century. Indeed, African-American culture and history has been a frequent producer of protest music throughout the 20th century
Album Preview Boy Kill Boy Stars and the Sea Out 31/3/08 IT’S HARD to believe that ‘Boy Kill Boy’, makers of such hits as ‘Suzie’, only formed less than four years ago. Since then, they have been conquering all comers, most notably with their gold - selling debut LP ‘Civilian’. Expect their new album ‘Stars and the Sea’ to strengthen their popularity.
Film Preview Diary of the Dead Out 7/3/08 STUDENTS FILMING a horror movie who then encounter real zombies soundsshit,right? Well,thisparticular teen horror flick has George A. Romero at the helm, the mastermind behind horror classic ‘Dawn of the Dead’. Word is that Romero has made a scintillating return to form with this, with some even sayingitrivals‘Dawn...’. Expectblood and guts galore.
Album Preview The Young Knives Superabundance Out 10/3/08 WHEN YOUR bassist renames themselves ‘House of Lords’ by deed poll, you know you’re a bit of an off the wall band. After earning a Mercury Prize nomination for their debut album, ‘Voices of Animals and Men’, the quirky Leicestershire trio return with their second studio offering. Expect more of the same bounce-off-the-wall hooks which littered their debut, and will no doubt soon litter dancefloors.
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any political meaning. And above all, make sure you read all the sabbatical nominee profiles and then go out and vote and make your voice heard in the elections for who will run your SU next year. 1) Electioneering – Radiohead 2) Q And Not U – Don’t Let It Bring You Down (Neil Young Cover) 3) Born In The USA – Bruce Springsteen 4) Mind Terrorist – Public Enemy MEETING WITH THE BOSS: John Kerry pumps fists with Springsteen. 5) God Save The Queen – The Sex from funk and soul to hip hop and rap. A political song is just the same as Pistols Yet the most actively recognisable any other song in that it’s written by 6) Kill The Poor – The Dead forms of protest music have come from an artist concerning an event which Kennedys two very different sources: punk and has had a personal effect on them. 7) Youth Against Fascism – Sonic folk, and if asked today, most people It’s no different from a love song, or Youth would be able to name The Sex Pistols, a song about killing and mutilating 8) Radio Free Europe – REM The Clash, Bob Dylan and Neil Young your entire family. The difference lies 9) War – Bob Marley as ‘political’ artists. 10) Bullet In The Head – Rage in the message and the social context But what is the point of political of it. Minor Threat’s “In Your Eyes” Against The Machine music? Sure, Bruce Springsteen would never have had the same effect 11) Ghost Town – The Specials supported the ill-fated Kerry campaign had it been sung by a mainstream 12) Blowin’ In The Wind – Bob for the US Presidency, and Oasis have group such as the Sugababes, just as Dylan been ushered into Number Ten, but Neil Young’s “Don’t Let It Bring You 13) Thatcher F**ked The Kids – when’s the last time a song ever won Down” acquires a far more meaningful Frank Turner an election? No one voted for Tony resonance when its anti-war context 14) White Riot – The Clash Blair because he was able to play The becomes clear. You might never even 15) Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthfo Clash on his guitar, surely? No one recognise a political song unless you rjustonedayitsworldwouldfallapart ticked a box for Reagan because he were told it was one. – Manic Street Preachers. played “Born In The USA” (ironically So here’s a small salute, impactan anti-American and anti-Republican style,tothefifteenbestpoliticalsongs song) during his campaign rallies, did we can currently think of, and perhaps Philip Bloomfield which you might not have realised had they? Entertainments Co-Editor
Single The Hives We Rule The World (T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S) Out Now Polydor
AH, THE Hives. Remember them? In the unlikely event that this distinctly average offering makes it into the top 40, it’ll be the first time the Swedish fivesome have achieved that feat since four years and seven singles ago. ‘We Rule The World (T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S.)’ has none of the urgency of the tracks that propelled the band into the public eye a few years back. In truth, it’s a bit of a nothing song, with an unrelentingly annoying little beeping noise providing the background to retro riffs and lacklustre lyrics. Perhaps the highlight of this single, certainly so for the less academically able among its listeners, is the comedic Oompa-Loompa-esque voice that spells out the band’s name between each verse. “We rule the world; this is our world,” drone The Hives throughout the track. On the basis of this contribution to the history of music, they don’t and it isn’t. HHPPP Jack Mitchell Editor-in-Chief
impact classics: From 19th Century Russia With Love...
Hadleigh Vaughan Roberts gets his teeth into a literary classic, and wonders whether it has stood the test of time... Crime And Punishment Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Penguin Classics
FEW OTHER books have been able to cover so many facets of humanity as Crime & Punishment has within the confines of a narrative. Dostoyevsky discusses so many moral, judicial, cultural, social issues while providing an excellent insight into human psyche, and yet still manages to frame his ideas within the context of a ‘pageturning’ and compelling story. The protagonist, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, is a former student, forced to leave university due to financial problems. Destitute, he is forced to pawn most of his belongings to a selfish and unscrupulous old woman. Having overheard a harmless conversation in a bar, Raskolnikov decides to kill the old woman, and believes himself to be a great man above the law, providing that he can commit the murder without remorse. After the crime follows the punishment, a side story involving Raskolnikov’s sister introduces Svidrigailov, her spurned suitor, who then pursues a vendetta against
ACRIMETOMISS: Crime and Punishment was remade for the BBC in 2002, starring John Simm as Raskolnikov. Raskolnikov, believing him to be the murderer, without informing the police. A police inspector, Porfiry Petrovich is also highly suspicious. As the guilt sets in and pressure builds, Raskolnikov is faced with two pathways: Sonya, a downtrodden prostitute representing salvation, Svidrigailov representing the other path towards suicide. Originally published in 1866, the novel is clearly representative of nineteenth-century literary fashion, as the style is very clear and descriptive. There is a great deal of graphic text, even within the dialogue, and much
of the language is structured in a very journalistic manner, resulting in large sections of the book that read like news stories, and contribute to the realistic nature of the plot. Translated from Russian, David McDuff has maintained the syntax and lexis of the original very successfully, and little is lost overall. McDuff is clearly a skilled translator, as shown in his previous work, including The Idiot, also by Dostoyevsky, so readers can be confident that this translation has been carefully crafted by someone with experience of the author. Although classics are so often
overrated through years and years of classroom and academic study, Crime & Punishment is certainly worth such critical acclaim, if not for its in-depth psychological analysis and philosophical themes, then simply as a crime novel or even a rich and complex multi-layered plot. Whatever the case for the reader, Crime & Punishment is a classic truly worthy of the name. HHHHP
Hadleigh Roberts Deputy Comment Editor
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MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Entertainments Single Jack Johnson Sleep Through The Static Out Now Brushfire/Island
WHILE THE world of popular music laces up its Converses, Jack Johnson continues to stroll barefoot along its shores. Despite this being his fifth studio album, Johnson can still produce achingly humble music; his greatest strength. Simple musical backdrops pencilled behind consistently charming, occasionally brilliant, lyrics. After a fairly upbeat opening half, the album slips us further from our bleak midwinter with the gently hypnotic rhythms present in the later tracks such as “Go on” and “They Do, They Don’t”. The addition of a pianist to his entourage has added a subtle but pleasing depth to most tracks; with chords chiming softly behind the guitars, and some bluesy vamping present on the faster numbers. Most of the subject matter focuses on love, friendship, lost keys and dead lime trees. This album however does have higher aspirations; taking a couple swipes at the establishment, notably with the rather Dylan-esque title track. This leads to Johnson’s only pitfall – sounding a little preachy on the more ‘political’ tracks. Fortunately these are few, and the instrumental beauty of the accompanying music makes the occasional schmaltz easy to overlook. What results is a record thatiseffortlesslysoothing. Muchlike purple strepsils, or lemsip. Ben Luqmani Contributor
impact meets: The Courteeners AN HOUR before we were scheduled to meet Liam, lead singer of Manchester legends-in-waiting ‘The Courteeners’, things were not looking too hopeful. We had spent the previous quarter of an hour desperately searching Bath city centre for a shop which sold both batteries and old style mini cassettes. So, imagine our surprise when two hours later, we were enjoying free drinks onboard the Thekla, in the company of a man who was as conversational as he was friendly. Said man, Liam, kept on reminding us that he was sorry he had a cold and thathesounded a bit bunged up. However, the factthathe kept switching from a hot mug of Lemsip to a Jack Daniels and Coke told us hewouldbe OK somehow. As the man left to perform, leaving us a signed copy of impact to cherish, we could only wonder how long
thought he was taking the piss!
impact - Question to test your Northerness - What is the meal called that you usually eat at 12pm? Liam- AhyeahI’vehadthis. Yousee,I callitlunch,butitisweirdbecauseatschool itsalways‘dinnertime’and‘dinnerladies’ andthat. Butformethebigmealistea. You eat tea in the evening, not dinner! impact-Passed, just. How are you finding Bristol? Liam- It’sareallynicecity,Iwishwe were staying over. Truro is fucking miles away though so we have to drive down. impact - Are you named after the Ford Cortina? Liam- (Laughs) Nah, not really, it’s
SOON TO BE WORTH MILLIONS: Liam’s message to us at impact. See page 23 of issue eight to understand. itwillbebeforetheworldisbroughttoits knees by The Courteeners, surely destined for big things. impact - Have you played in any weirder venues? Liam- To be honest, I don’t think so! This has to be the weirdestplaceI’ve played. Weweredrivingheretodayandthe managersaid‘It’sonaboattonight’andwe
spelt different! The name just came from nowhere, I think we chose it because its uniqueanditrepresentsus–somethingthat has never been around before. impact - Do you do many student interviews? Liam- Yeah. Some of them can be bad but a lot are really good. A lot of people
Matthew Hartfield falls in love with Thekla, and thinks ‘Sons and Daughters’ are a neccessary antithesis... Thekla Social, Bristol
13/02/08 WITH FRANZ Ferdinand dominating theindie-rocksceneinrecentyears,it’sa shame that other Scottish bands have been cruellyoverlooked.‘SonsandDaughters’, good friends of Alex Kapranos’ lot, is a prime example. Despite releasing ‘This Gift’, their third album produced by exSuede guitarist Bernard Butler, they’re stillrelativelyunknownoutsidealternative music circles. Thisisashame,astheirgigtonightat theThekla,officiallythenicestgigvenue in Bristol, showed the band at the height of their powers. Support was provided by the upcoming ‘Black Kids’, who are causing a bit of a stir at the moment via their MySpace page. Unfortunately I could not get into them. Despite their chic look (the lead singer sports a mean afro)they’reanaverageblues-basedindie band, with some solid rhythms let down by whinging vocals, flat harmonies and vapidlyrics.Imagine,then,adilutedmix
impact-Manchester is the home of some great bands. Have these influenced you in any way? Liam- I grew up with them, definitely. StuffliketheSmithsandthe(Stone)Roses; Ididn’tlistentoitbecausetheywerelocal, butjustbecausetheyweregood. Inasense Iwasinfluencedbecauselisteningtothem
impact-What do you think of other bands emerging around the same time as you? Liam- To be fair, we’re just jostling with Joe Lean for the premier position in studentimpact paper. Haveyouseenthis Dave, it’s unbelievable! (passes impact to Dave). impact - We didn’t mean it in an offensive way, I was just trying to be enthusiastic about the new album! And we did give Acrylic five stars… Dave–(quoting article) ‘You hope they put us to shame’?! Liam–I know! She hopes they put us to shame! I was happily skipping through and yougo,‘Iwrotethatone,Iactuallywrote that one, look at it!’ Brilliant.
impact- Moving swiftly on, what do makeofcriticismsthatyou’rerippingoff The Libertines? Liam–I love the Libertines, which is whyIwrote‘Acrylic’becauseIdidn’twant to see loads of bands copy them. What theyshoulddoisinspirepeopletomakean album that sounds nothing like them but be one of the reasons that you make it, which is what we’ve done, because we’re clever and we’re honest!
Lock Up Your Daughters Sons and Daughters
whentheygotouniversity,itisthefirst time they have been out of their hometown, andneedsomebodylikeyourselvestopoint themintherightdirection. Therewasone guy in Cambridge who’s brilliant – I don’t know how he did it but he managed to get ustodoabarbershopquartetidentforhis radiostation! Iwaslike,“your’realucky bastard,wedon’tevenspeaktoRadio1and you manage to get an acapello barbershop quartet out of us!”
between ‘Bloc Party’ and ‘The Go! Team’; as irksome as the former and lacking the joie de vivre of the latter. Let’s not worry about them though, because as soon as ‘Sons and Daughters’ arrived they formed an almighty presence, with guitarist Scott and vocalist Adele dominating the stage from the front. Even asguitarswailandAdeleshriekserratically during the more frantic numbers, the band stillretaintheirtenseatmosphericsound without it descending into hysteria. Thesettonightissurprisinglylighton new material, with a lot of songs from the band’s first two albums thrown in. This is no bad thing, as whist the new material is solid, characterised by ‘The Nest’ complete with thick riffs, the older work stands out as an unholy bastard offspring of Scottish folk and raw, bloody garage punk. Old singles ‘Taste the Last Girl’ and live favourite ‘Johnny Cash’ shredded youreardrums,withitallcomingtoahead with ‘Rama Lama’, a fine murder tale as spine-tinglingasever,withScottusinghis new kit to add swathes of ‘Sonic Youth’ stylefeedbacktotheproceedings.Infact the extra noise is more than welcome; old
FLYING SCOTSMEN: And women... opener ‘Medicine’ sounds magnificent as a result. Thinkingaboutit,‘SonsandDaughters’ provide the perfect antidote to the sleek art-school rock emanating north of the border.Gonearethepristineguitarriffs and in its place we have noise and a dark atmosphere hanging thick in the air. They’re a band everyone should listen to and spoil themselves with. Matthew Hartfield Deputy News Editor
made me want to be in a band. I probably consciously stay away from bands I like, trying not to sound like them. Acrylic was a total tongue-in-cheek dig at bands who want to sound like The Libertines. Now people think I’m not clever enough to actually do a song that sounds like it on purpose,butitwas! Peoplewerelike‘How daretheyhavethatasanopeninglinewhen yousoundlikeTheLibertines!’Iwaslike, ‘Don’t you get it?’ impact-Are you looking forward to the album release? Liam- Very much so! To be honest I’llthinkyou’llloveit. It’saworkofart innit, Dave? Dave (Manager)– It’s a good album. (Laughs). Liam- The album cover’s of a drawing of Audrey Hepburn I did when I was younger. impact - Do you ever get fed up of hearing your own songs? Liam- Honestly, no, I could listen to it (the new album) all fucking day! Admittedly, I do get sick of Acrylic. Not playingit,justlikewhenyouhearitaround. I was in Topshop in London and it came on. It was nice for like four seconds and then it was like ‘Go away, it’s following me around!’ impact-What is it like when you’re back in Manchester? Liam- It’s kind of come to the point in Manchester were I’ve been everywhere so many times and played gigs in most venues. I don’t feel like I’ve outgrown it,buteverythingiscompletelydifferent now. When I go back now I prefer to sit in my house with my friends rather than go out and get annihilated. That’s what the tour is for!
impact - Any bad things about touring? Liam–Hotel beds are awful. You wake up with a spring in your back. impact-They can’t be as bad as Uni beds?! Liam–Oh I don’t know. It’s stopped me getting good night’s sleep, and you can onlysleepifyou’repissed,soyouhaveto getpissedtosleep. Andthenyoucan’tget up because you’re always pissed!
impact-Abitlikeuniversitythen!Do you get nervous on stage? Liam–Not really. The only time I get nervous is when someone says we’re playing a really rough place. impact - Like Hull? Liam–Well everywhere has been really good to be honest. I expected Swansea to be rough the other day because the Welsh beat England at rugby and Swansea beat Oldham at football. So people from Oldham had gone down to the watch the game and then watch us and we were like ‘F*ck,nocrowdtroubleplease!’,likereally nervous. A few bottles came flying on the stageandthat’swhenyougetparanoid. So nextIseeapintglassgointheairandIjolted backbutthenrealiseit’sgonetheotherway. Ithinkitwasallgoodjestedthough. Igota drink in the face at Glasgow too. Sean Lightbown & Gina Reay
COURTEENERS: ‘Put us to shame!?’
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Neptune The Duke Spirit Out Now Universal
SIMPLY: WOW. As a recent Duke Spirit convert I was all too happy to give this a spin and it did not disappoint. Granted, the choral intro is a bit bizarre and offputting, but thankfully it only lasts 45 seconds and rolls into the explosive ‘Send A Little Love Token’ (some belated Valentine’s advice there?) If you’ve been anywhere near the Students’ Union (or should I say the URB corridor) in the past month or so, you’re bound to have heard ‘Lassoo’, the first single from Neptune, a single oozing with sassand,dareIsayit,attitude.Although each track has its merits, ‘Lassoo’ forms partofaclusterof‘stand-out’tracks,with ‘You Really Wake Up The Love In Me’ soundingquitesimilar(thoughthankfully, inthecaseofalltoomanyfollow-upstoa hit single, not a carbon copy). One of the shorter tracks on the album, ‘You Really Wake Up The Love In Me’ epitomises the energetic dimension that Duke Spirit bring in this album as a welcome contrast totheirslowertracks,suchasDogRoses. In other words, the album is a melting pot of variety; a soundtrack to all moods. Although I am fortunate enough to not have experienced one recently, I imagine the lulling, harmonic ‘Wooden Heart’ and similarly, ‘Sovereign’ would be perfect songs to soothe a raging hangover; they’re even soporific when you’re sober, but in a good way.
IMPACT
‘Sunken Treasure’ is another track to love.Despiteaslowintroduction,thesong bursts with springtime-induced cheer and jaunty tambourines, which is more than welcomegiventhatwinterisstillrefusing to give up in Bath! However, the album as awholeistheretobeloved(incidentally, there is a romantic theme running through most of the track names on Neptune), perhaps with the exception of the intro (45secondsofmylifeI’llnevergetback!) and ‘This Ship Was Built To Last’ rattles along all too slowly with a dull beat and thecrashing,chaoticclimaxthatseemsto be promised is pointedly absent. By most standards,thetrackisactuallyquitegood, but not quite Duke Spirit quality.
So, if you’re a fan of The Duke Spirit, you will have probably already rushed out (unless of course you got it off Amazon) and bought Neptune. And good on you, but if you haven’t yet been exposed to rip-roaring,raunchyriffscontrastedwith the beautiful, breathy vocals of Leila Moss, go try a bit of ‘Spirit. You won’t regret it. HHHHH Hannah Raymont Contributor
Alas, I Cannot Swim Laura Marling Out Now EMI FIVE YEARS ago, critics were tipping threenewartistsforthetop:JamieCullum, Katie Melua and Amy Winehouse. Whilst Cullum and Melua continue to peddle their Parkinson-friendly brand of easy listening, Winehouse has proven she has the musical strength (if not the mental strength) to rise above her peers. Now, once again, critics are lauding three more ‘bright, young things:’ Adele, Duffy and Laura Marling. Whilst Adele and Duffy trade in 60s era soul, Marling follows a more folk-based route, with music more reminiscent of Joni Mitchell than Dusty Springfield. Album opener, ‘Ghosts,’ immediately catches the attention with rhythmic finger-picking and Marling singing of “ghosts that broke my heart before I met you.” The template of predominately acoustic backing and complimentary strings forms the basis for the album, with the lonesome lament ‘Tap at My Window’ a highlight. The production on the stronger tracks compliments themperfectly,transportingthelistener to a dimly-lit, almost empty folk club where less is more. Marling’s voice is melodious, without ever being astounding or particularly distinctive, sometimes sounding similar to Sia, and other times extremely Celtic for someone who grew up in Berkshire.
Entertainments ‘Alas, I Cannot Swim’ is a very enjoyable album, and extremely mature for such a young age (she is barely 18), but is not without faults. A couple of tracks in the middle are fairly forgettable, sounding more like a radiofriendly female James Morrison, rather than sticking to what she excels at. This may be due to the record company wishing to rush the album out, looking to cash in on the buzz around new, female artists in 2008.
Although not a perfect album, there is enough to suggest that Laura Marling is a major talent and perhaps with more time and less record company interference, would have made the debut record of which she appears capable. She plays Bristol’s Trinity Arts Centre in March, and is definitely worth investigating. Adele can chase pavements forever and Duffy can beg for mercy all she likes, because Laura Marling has the potential to break through the competition. Let’s just hope the story of Amy Winehouse is more of a lesson than a prediction. HHHHP
HHHHP
it! I’m just going to bitch them out,’ he joked. Complaintsaside,touringcouldn’t be going much better for Lightspeed Champion, as they travel around the country with good friends Semifinalists. Dev even plays bass for them later that night,andtheyreturnthefavourwhenDev takes on his alter-ego. Semifinalists aren’t the only famous friends that Dev has, and he tells Impact thestoryofplayinganunannouncedgigat Madame Jojo’s with none other than Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys fame: “I just texted him and asked whether he wanted to do ‘Reptilia’ that night”. The answer was yes, and the gig was played, yet not without some notable time-constraints: “Iwasdoing‘TheBuzzcocks’,ittooklike threehoursandIjustwantedtoleaveand go and play that show, while Alex had to go and see his Grandma!” So Lightspeed Champion is in heavy
Gina Reay Contributor
Joe Rivers Contributor
Ben Cohen meets 21-year-old alternative darling Devonite Hynes, aka Lightspeed Champion. guess I had enough for an album,” he adds. And he hasn’t stopped writing since: “I triedtodoadiscographyacoupleofmonths ago;itgotto27albumssoIjuststopped.” Stopped the discography that is, not the writing. Allthelyricsfor‘Fallingoffthe Lavender Bridge’ were written during one insomnia-ridden plane ride, while the lyricsforhissecondalbumwerecompleted before ‘Falling off…’ was even released. Heevenlikenedwritingtobreathingitself: “I just can’t stop,” he admits. Dev explains that the quirky name came from a comic that he used to draw in mathsclassasathirteen-year-old:“Iwas too good for the second group and worst in thefirstgroup,sotheyalwaysputmeinthe topgroup,it’snotcool…soIjustwouldn’t workinit,I’djustdrawaboutthismathsobsessed superhero.” Funnily enough, Lightspeed Champion didn’t help Dev much with his maths equations at the age of thirteen, but now Dev is recruiting him again as an outlet forhismusicalexpression. Andthealteregomightjustbehelpingthesurprisingly modest performer when he plays solo, somethinghehasaparticulardistastefor:“I reallyreallyreallyhateplayingsolo.Iprefer tohaveaband,Idon’tfeelstrongenoughto performbymyself.” Yetheoftendoes,his lastAmericantourconsistedofjusthimand aviolinist,anditseemstobehislaidback attitude that stops him from refusing. Although as impact witnessed, Dev isn’t quite so nonchalant about everything. One sorry fan made the mistake of complaining about the previous nights gig over Myspace, and promptly bore the brunt: ‘I think I’ve turned…f*ck
Single The Metros Education pt.2 17th March 1965 Records
DOUBT I’M the only one getting sick ofreviewingthesameoldindiestuffand before hearing this I was in fear of all this Jo Whiley-supported ‘new music’ sounding exactly the same. So I’m pleased to say that this tune was surprisingly refreshing. This spunky new band takes the mick out of the crazy popular indie culture with a debut single that rocks my world – with an equally amusing video that’s well worth a watch. But not only do they have a fab sense of humour, they’re actually rather talented (even though they’re from Peckham – only kidding). The southern education system is certainly given a bashing, lyrics like “doing homework’s anti-social, but I’m an A* pupil” says a lot about the simplistic condemnation of British schooling! With lots of cheerful guitar riffs and a few too many ‘who-ohs’ this anti-institutional masterpiece is awesome for a few listens, not convincing enough for me to throw away my geek glasses altogether though unfortunately.
He is the Champion, My Friends... IN A relaxed interview with Devonite Hynes, a.k.a. Lightspeed Champion, impact learned that he is a musician of a very rare kind. He comes across as the kind of artist that would create and play music even if no one else was listening. There is no real difference between Dev’s music and the man himself, and as far as he’s concerned, he conforms to no particular genre; and who would doubt him after hearing Lightspeed Champion’s debut album, ‘Falling off the Lavender Bridge’. It seems that every article about Lightspeed Champion - including this one-tendstobeginwithareferencetohis formerband,TestIcicles. YetLightspeed Champion’s country/hip hop/anything else you can think of inflected sound couldn’t be any further from the ironic spastic rock of Test Icicles if it tried. You would think that this constant reference would annoy Dev, but he’s not thekindofself-aggrandisingartistthatyou oftenfindinthemusicindustry:“It’sjust someone asking about something else that Ihavedoneinthepast,it’sallrelevant,” hesayswhilelazilypluckingathisguitar throughout the interview. And this seems tobethekindoflaissezfaireapproachthat Dev has been taking since the break up of Test Icicles. Heclaimsthatthere’snorealplanto whathedoes,“Idon’tpushthings,”hesays, “itjustkindofhappens.” Unconventional maybe,butitappearstobeworkingrather swimmingly for the mature 21-year-old. Approached by Domino records to see if he had been up to anything post-Test Icicles,hehadalreadypenned60songs:“I
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demand, and on the proof of his debut album, rightly so. After his current tour of the UK, Lightspeed hops straight on the plane to tour the US, and then it’s straightintothestudiotorecordhissecond album. Most importantly, Dev comes across as someone who deserves his fast building reputation, and in Lightspeed Champion, theremayjustbeproofafterallthatthere are superheros among us…even if they are geeky and maths-obsessed.
Single Does It Offend You, Yeah? We Are Rockstars 10th March Virgin THE FOLLOWING is an extract from a recent study undertaken by the Department for Transport in association with Dr. Ring IngEars PhD at the University of Winchester. “In the face of such statistical evidence it is impossible to ignore the effects of high-tempo electrorock (HTER) on the behaviour of motorists (see table 3.1). In particular, the effects upon velocity, acceleration, and via inference, safety, are highly detrimental. The most acute cases of such detriment come as the result of Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem and more recently, grammatical nightmares Does It Offend You, Yeah? The latter are able to deliver infectious beats in keeping with their contemporaries, with rasping strings more usually found only within the genre of Alternative & Punk (AAP). The quantitative effects are tabulated within the statistical appendix (see table 3.2). In summary, I highly recommend the immediate and total implementation of Radio 4.” HHHHP Jimi Travers Contributor
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MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
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Arts
A re:sounding Ecosonic Ensemble London
re:sounds: Ecosonic Ensemble Friday 29 February, 7.30pm Studio 1, ICIA Arts Complex £3 FOLLOWING OUR sell-out first event, re:sounds returns with the latest in a series of experimental music and sonic art nights. Ecosonic Ensemble
Rachel’s Bricking it!
Artist’s Talk: Rachel Lichtenstein Saturday 23 February, 2.30pm 16-18 Queen Square, Bath £2.50
AUTHOR AND visual artist Rachel Lichtenstein discusses her latest book ‘On Brick Lane’, a journey through the history of East London’s most famous street, capturing living memories of the street prior to the rapid changes that are now taking place. Celebrating this vibrant, fascinating and multicultural neighbourhood, the book describes the effects of redevelopment on the local community. Markets have gone, property prices are driving out longterm residents, and tensions grow between the new rich and traditional communities.
Calling
explore new ways of making music through group improvisation using both traditional and electro-acoustic sources to unleash the dynamic between sound, movement and emotion. Each performer has a partner playing an identical instrument – the acoustic instruments are mirrored by an electro-acoustic ‘ouija board’.
Played through hand movements, it draws forth sounds in response to group gestures, creating a unique and compelling texture, echoing other times and places. Ecosonic features Stephen Preston, a leading musician in the development of early music, on baroque flute; Eva Caballero, from Barcelona, on
baroque flute; Thomas Gardner, a composer, improviser and cellist; Laura Reid, who performs across many genres of music, and has composed for London Sinfonietta and the BBC, on cello; Peter Coyte, composer, and ‘ouija board’, who produces works for installation, performance, film and TV.
Joanna MacGregor Joanna MacGregor Saturday 23 February, 7.30pm University Hall £7
JOANNA MACGREGOR, one of the world’s most wide-ranging and innovative musicians, has pursued a life connecting many genres of music and defying categorisation. She has performed in over sixty countries, often appearing as a solo pianist with many of theworld’sleadingorchestras,including the New York Philharmonic and the London, Sydney and Chicago Symphony Orchestras. Joanna has premiered many landmark compositions, ranging from works by Sir Harrison Birtwistle and Django Bates to John Adams and James MacMillan, and she has worked under numerous eminent conductors including
JOANNA: MacGregor. Pierre Boulez, Sir Simon Rattle and Sir Colin Davis. As Artistic Director of the Bath InternationalMusicFestival,Joannahasa closeaffinitywiththecityandperformsat
TheUniversityforthefirsttime. Forthis special one-off concert, Joanna performs a number of pieces that she has personally selected in response to ICIA’s theme of ‘Arts, Spatialisation and Memory’.
penguins and ice and the white expanse ofglaciers. InPeninsular,international artist Polly Gould explores mourning, melancholia, and the romantic theme of the artist’s lonely journey into awesome and sublime nature, through video, photography and drawing made during her trip to the Antarctic.
Bath University Student Theatre presents Spider ’s Web, by Agatha Christie Thursday 28 February - Saturday 1 March, 7.30pm Mission Theatre £5
Ice to See You Polly Gould Exhibition: Peninsular Saturday 1 March - Friday 20 June ICIA Art Space 1 IN THE time of waiting, with nothing to be done, Gould made a few drawings of her dying father lying against the white expanse of the bed sheets. Still mourning as the third anniversary of his death approached, she resolved to undertake a journey to one of the most remote and least human places in the world, the Antarctic Peninsular. She took the drawings of him with her, and set them out, there, amongst the
Photo: Peter Williams
BY THE time you read this, I will have travelled across to London to catch the matinee performance of Othello at the Donmar Warehouse. I was particularly grateful for the opportunity to do so, since frantic demand has resulted in some tickets appearing on eBay for hundreds of pounds (I, incidentally, paid the much more reasonable sum of £22). Whilst it could be argued that the chance to see this tragic tale of jealously and manipulation at one of London’s finest theatres is reason alone for the rush to buy tickets, it would be a rather unrealistic assumption. In fact, the principal reason is that one of the actors appearing in the production happens to be a rather famous motorbiking Scotsman who goes by the name of Ewan McGregor; the opportunity to be within spitting distance – easy achievable in the small confines of the Donmar – has proven to be a strong selling point. Not that I wish to discredit McGregor; he’s a fine actor, but it pains me to observe the modern celebrity-worshipping culture slowly creeping into productions of Shakespeare. This year, Hamlet will be played by both David Tennant and Jude Law. Last year, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen took on Macbeth and King Lear respectively. Arguably the casting of some of these actors is legitimate, because they were classical performers well before they shot to fame on screen. It can’t be denied, however, that their public status draws crowds in its own right. In the age of celebrity stardom it concerns me that soon the humble theatre will have sold its soul for the chance to inflate ticket prices and attract audiences. However, as long as the performances are solid, I suppose it may do some good; if it encourages people to go and see Shakespeare, it will have some benefit at least!
BUST
IN AGATHA Christie’s classic comedy thriller, Clarissa Hailsham-Brown, second wife of a famous diplomat, enjoys tellingtalltalestotheircircleoffriends. But when she stumbles upon a body in the drawing room, and her twelve year old step-daughter becomes the main suspect, it’sgoingtotakeallofClarissa’sskillto keep them out of trouble.
Tom Newman Arts Officer
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2008
Continued from Back Cover...
Six plays later and Bath were celebrating another score, as the consistent Steve Leonard caught a pass from QB Matt Brookes, who was impeccable. A further passing score to lanky Tim Williams and a rushing score by Brookes took the Bath score to 30, whilst defensively Bath’s linebackers completely smothered the Plymouth running backs and receivers. The second half, while not as high scoring, started with the same vigour. The defence, with in form players Graham Johnstone, Eddie Bell and Marcus Da Costa, were hungry to make tackles and kept Plymouth at bay, whilst the offense methodically moved the ball. Brookes continued to throw the ball with precision as he completed a pass to final year receiver Marc Vincent, as well as running a score in. Two good wins meant the side had the chance to go to Cardiff, win the division and secure their first ever undefeated regular season. Cardiff are a notoriously hard opponent, with an impeccably-run defence that is very hard to break down.
Bath knew chances would be tough to come by, and they missed an early field goal as it was sliced to the right. Indeed they would rue this miss as Cardiff took the lead through a field goal of their own. Offensively Bath were struggling to move the ball, and it was with some relief that half time was called and the players were treated to their first ever half time show from their cheerleaders, who were kitted out in their new uniforms. It was in the 4th quarter that Bath’s offence finally fired, scoring 15 points to secure the victory. Marc Vincent scored on two passes, as he completed the catch and skinned his marker on both occasions. The defence were clearly the stars of the show on the day, with Marcus Da Costa leading the way, intercepting a Cardiff pass and returning it all the way to the half way line to give the team a great field position. The result was exactly what was demanded from the coaches before the game, and the effort put in by all was pleasing to see, even if it was a frustrating day at the office with man mountain Paul Jaggers leaving the game injured. As play offs approach it is with real enthusiasm that Bath set about progressing beyond the first round, a feat they have never achieved. Game one will take place at the Sulis Club on March 2nd.
Blinded By Gluttony Marcus Haydon Sports Reporter THE MOTIVES behind the Premier League’s plans to go global are all wrong. I once watched a documentary in which a young boy was suffering from a rare eating disorder known as Prader-Willi syndrome. No matter how much the boy ate,hisappetitewasneversuppressedand he simply pursued more and more food. These insatiable demands are something that Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore will have become familiarwithinhisdealingswithitstwenty members. Ticket and merchandise prices in this country have reached a point where they are high enough to leave grounds like Ewood Park and the JJB Stadium half empty. The Premier League’s proposed master planforitsfuture-anadditionalroundof
games to be played in high profile cities all acrosstheglobe,bringingjoyandwondertoall thenewcustomersofourcelebrated‘domestic’ league. Revenue is generated by getting the venues to bid for the privilege of hosting matches. A logical step, those with business instinctswilltellyou-marketswhichhavenot been fully exploited and a product which has, as yet, not explored beyond our borders. The motives of those running football have changed since the inception of the new and shiny Premier League sixteen years ago. Its whole creation was decided purely on a fiscal basis,withthetopleaguewantingtonegotiate a deal which would be independent of the rest of the Football League. Ever since, the Premier League has strived to maximise the financial rewards for its members, driving a hard bargain with TV companies to produce monumental revenues from the showing of live games all over the world. The FA may have a responsibilitytoprotecttheEnglishgame,but
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Sport
Rugby 1sts Go Down to UWIC Bath UWIC
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Tom Booth BATH’S FAVORITE sports club returned to action on Wednesday at home to Wales’ top sporting university, UWIC. Bath were led out by returning captain and Frodo Baggins stuntdouble Rhidian McGuire, and they looked good in the Bath Uni Ladies Rugby jerseys due an apparent kit clash, with ruggedly handsome Bath number 8 Tommy Booth looking particularly good in his new boots. UWIC started the brightest, featuring a Jona Lomu clone on the left wing, but Bath dug deep and defended well to keep the score down
IDFC Update Comp Sci Mech Eng
3 2
COMPUTER SCIENCE marked their first win of the season, and indeedtheirfirstwinsince2006,with a late 3-2 comeback victory against Mech Eng. They went two goals down after an early penalty, and were punished with
to one try until, against the run of play, the Hobbit himself put in Bath’s most ginger player Dave ‘Trigger’ Cosgrove down the right wing. Thomas Cracknall added the extras with the boot. There was always one score in it for the rest of the 1st half, even though UWIC seemed to have the ball for the majority of it. Liam Isaac was everywhere despite carrying a few extra pounds and being scared of commitment, supported by his back row colleague Ollie Cooper Millar, and at the half-time team talk the coaching team of Smithers and Burns were confident this was Bath’s game for the taking. The second half started well, with yet another McGuire break leading to a McGuire try. After that, however, Bath didn’t really have the ball and although they ran about and worked hard it wasn’t quite enough to pick up the win. another strike in quick succession. However, their heads didn’t drop and some fantastic keeping from Jose “The Cat” Lima kept them in the game and goals from Russell Freeman and Matt Hows brought them level. In the dying minutes, James “The Log” Fleming sealed the victory with an amazing outside-of-the-boot curler from the edge of the area to cue mass celebration in the Comp. Sci ranks. Other recent results include...
As the half went on UWIC’s superior possession finally started to tell and there was only so much Bath’s scramble defence could do. Despite the visiting 7 butchering a try-scoring chance and their second row thinking he was the new James Hook kicking everything, UWIC did rack up a few more trys. When the game was won they finally sawfittolettheir140kgmissinglinkout of his cage as a front row replacement, just as Bath’s most ape-like creature Andi Lawrence left the field. All in all this match saw many positive points, such as the banter delivered from the sideline, but Bath will need to gel better next week away at Exeter if they plan on mounting some momentum to lead into the playoffs. Alex Concannon also played and said he would give me some money if I mentioned him.
Moles Biology Team Maths Physics Chemistry BUMS Physics Sports Eng
9 0 4 1 1 5 2 4
Group A Education BEAST BUMS Team Maths Chemistry Pharmacy Mech. Eng. Physics Comp. Sci.
P 5 5 6 5 4 4 4 6 5
W 5 4 4 4 3 1 1 0 0
D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
L 0 1 2 1 1 3 3 6 5
F 26 21 26 19 16 8 5 7 2
A 10 7 16 9 8 10 13 28 27
GD 16 14 10 10 8 -2 -8 -21 -25
Points 15 12 12 12 9 3 3 0 0
Group B MOLES Chem. Eng. Arch. Civil Eng. Economics Economics 2 Natural Sciences Management Biology Elec. Eng.
P 4 4 4 5 3 3 5 4 4
W 4 4 3 3 2 1 1 0 0
D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
L 0 0 1 2 1 2 4 4 4
F 35 16 16 12 9 4 8 4 1
A 2 3 9 9 6 8 18 17 32
GD 33 13 7 3 3 -4 -10 -13 -32
Points 12 12 9 9 6 3 3 0 0
thePremierLeaguedoesn’t –afeaturethat has become all too apparent. Since 1999 the man spearheading the Premier League machine has been Richard Scudamore. Many have belittled him since he unveiled what has been dubbed ‘Project Scudamore’ earlier this month, whichtosomeextentitjustified. However Ithinkit’smoreameasureofthepressure imposed on him by clubs to sustain the positivegrowthofthePremierLeaguethat his has been forced into such a ludicrous proposal. The last TV deal produced £2.7bnforPremierLeaguecoffers,raising expectationsandfurtherestablishingthe league as by far the most affluent in the world. Global TV contracts have ignited interestinEnglishfootball,creatingnew markets all around the world, which have yettobefullyexploited. So,likeIsay, the economics tells you that the global adventure would more than likely reap MAN UTD v CHELSEA: In NY? considerable rewards.
However, football is atypical from a businessperspective. Fansareferventin their loyalty to clubs and many have stuck with the game despite 600% increases in ticket prices in the top flight since 1989. I don’t think many customers in other markets would put up with such an inordinateincreaseinwhatisessentiallya leisure activity. Those who run the game are losing sight ofthefactthatthefansarethebackboneof the sport and deserve much more respect. After all, where would the game be without theardentfollowersthathavesupportedthe game for the last century? Iunderstandthatsustainingthestrength of our domestic league is important, however as the economist Henry George oncesaid:“Thatwhichisunjustcanreally profitnoone;thatwhichisjustcanreally harmnoone”. Ifthedeludedbossesofthe Premier League could get the gleaming dollarsignsoutoftheireyelinethenthey might just be able to see that.
sport impact
Football: Comment - 31 Rugby 1sts vs UWIC - 31 IDFC Update - 31
Covering the issues that matter to students
Six Nations Round Up Tim Leigh Sports Reporter TWO GAMES played by each side, three to go, and I think most rugby fans would agree that the French and Welsh sides are considerably happier than the rest. The Welsh won at Twickenham for the first time in twenty years, the French cruised past Scotland and against Ireland theydominatedthefirsthalfbutthenclearly had some of the mysterious English half time juice, and were run closer than they should have been. TheItaliansarestillsonearandyetso far,buttheformoftheirnewcaptain,the number eight Sergio Parisse, has been nothing short of inspirational, and bodes wellforthefuture,unliketheirlackofahalf backpairing. TheScotsarestillsuffering from their lack of a cutting edge in the backline,andtheinjuriestotheircaptain, JasonWhite,andtheirotherflanker,John Barclay, is unfortunate for them. TheIrishwerewoefulagainsttheItalians, woefulforthefirsthalfagainsttheFrench, but managed to pull the rabbit out of the hat in the second half, and managed to use theirforwardstogreateffecttocomeclose to nicking it. For me personally, this is where the French are beatable. I do not think their forwards are as good as their superb back line, and this is what England should concentrate on in Paris. Which brings us to the Red Rose brigade, and the curious caseofthehalftimemalaisethatseemsto strike them. ThefirsthalfhouragainsttheWelshwas some of the best rugby I have seen England playforalongtime,withtheforwardsbeing aggressiveandthebacksreallylookingto score tries. We should have gone in with abetterhalftimelead,butIcouldnotsee the Welsh scoring, they just simply could not keep hold of the ball. Wales came out fightinginthesecondhalf,astheItalians did a week later, but England both times seemed to come out thinking the match was over,andtoabandonthegameplanthathad got us the lead. Thisheadless-chickenaspectisthemost worrying with the French game in mind, for ifyouloseconcentrationagainsttheFrench, youcanguaranteethattheywillpunishyou, most likely involving Vincent Clerc, the man with five tries in two games.
TeamBath’s Netballers Go Close TeamBath Loughborough
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Upneet Thandi Sports Reporter REIGNING SUPERLEAGUE champions TeamBath faced a major clash against, this Co-operative Super League season’s current leaders, Loughborough Lightning at the Sports Training Village in Bath tonight (8th Feb). TeamBath Netballers experienced a shattering two goal defeat by Loughborough Lightning with a final score of 47 – 49. The Lightning side, including International players Jade Clarke and Olivia Murphy in the midcourt and the accurate Jo Harten firmly positioned at goal shooter were in the lead during the first two quarters of the fixture, securing a 20 – 29 gain over the TeamBath side. The full house of supporters was seen nail-biting in their seats with nerves as the match progressed. The young Bath side with an average age of under 20 made a determined comeback, inspired by midcourt players Sara Bayman, Jo Binns and Serena Guthrie. In the third quarter of the match they delivered a smash and grab operation, balancing the scores at 33 each in the space of 9 minutes; bridging the 9 goal gap. Kirsty Delves out-maneuvered the opposition netting two minutes from the end of the period to put TeamBath ahead for the first time since a minute into the game at 37 – 36. However, the unfaltering Loughborough Lightning side refused to slip from top spot and the crowd saw goal attack Becky
James even up the scores. With the score standing at 37 a piece in quarter four, TeamBath’s talented Pamela Cookey confidently kept at her excellent shooting record obtaining seven out of eight attempts in the final quarter. The game stayed level at an exciting 46-46 score as the Bath supporters cheered the team on, keeping up the spirit of the occasion. With less than three minutes remaining, Loughborough Lightning came out strong to seize a three goal lead and ultimately taking the win. TeamBath remain third in the Superleague table. In order to reach end of season play-offs, the Bath side will need to obtain a top four finish at the end of the regular season. Shooting Stats: TeamBath: Cookey 30/35, Delves 17/27 Loughborough Lightning: Harten 24/34, James 18/25, Stephenson 4/6, Wood 3/6
TeamBath Northumbria
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Sian Hogan Sports Reporter FOLLOWING ON from the disappointment of defeat against Loughborough TeamBath again came just short against Northumbria, in an electric performance which saw both teams fighting neck and neck up until theverylastminutes,resultinginaclose 46-44 scoreline. The first half started at a superb pace to the sounds of the crowd cheering at near full capacity. TeamBath ensured an early lead with all eyes on the England quartetofJoBinns,SashaCorbin,captain Pamela Cookey and Asha Tett using their skill and experience to reach 15-12 at quarter time. The second quarter saw TeamBath build up a four point advantage three minutesin,followedbyanoticeabletussle between the unshakable Northumbria
Shooting Stats: Team Bath: Cookey 27/29, Delves 7/15, Tett 10/15 Team Northumbria: MacDonald 4/5, McLeod 24/34, Stanley 18/23
Bees Win South West Division
NICE KICK: Shame it sailed wide of the posts, though.
Captain, Kelly Martin, and Team Bath’s Corbin. Northumbria then fought back up to an even score before goal shooter Lara McLeod edged them up to 24-25 at the halfway mark. McLeod and Lisa Stanley went on in thethirdquartertostretchNorthumbria’s lead by another four goals. However the focus was swiftly put back on TeamBath following a series of outstanding interceptions by Beckford-Chambers and the electric tension at centre court between Sarah Bayman and Elissa Mcleod. Cookey then drove TeamBath on into the lead with four goals in succession at the end of the quarter, bringing the score to a tense 36-35. In the fourth quarter, Team Northumbria brought on Scotland’s Lesley McDonald in the place of Stanley. Turnover seemingly followed turnover as a result of both teams concentrating on interceptions. Player of the match Lara McLeod edged the visitors ahead, 42-41, with only 6 minutes remaining and despite a late goal from Cookey, Northumbria retained possession and created a three goal advantage resulting in a 46-44 win. After the match, TeamBath coach Crabtree said: “It was a great game, but naturally we’re disappointed it didn’t go in our favour. You’ve got to give Team Northumbria credit. They have a lot of experience and they came here with a good game plan. “I didn’t feel that we turned over enough ball today,” she added. “But I’m pleased with the way our youngsters stood up today under a lot of pressure.”
Bath Killer Bees Plymouth Blitz Bath Killer Bees Plymouth Blitz
30 0 17 0
Bath Killer Bees Cardiff Cobras
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SINCE impact last went to print, the American Football side has been extremely busy beating Plymouth in a double header at the Sulis Club and a week later away at Cardiff. The double header, brought about after the away game in Plymouth was rained off, meant that the first half would count as a single game, and likewise for the second half. The game started at a frantic pace with the Bath defence imposing themselves as per usual. Plymouth were forced to punt
the ball away on their opening possession and the snap dropped low, and under intense pressure the punter was only just able to get his kick away, as it shanked wildly off the outside of his boot and was caught by Jack Goodfriend two yards from the Plymouth goaline. Running back Gareth Booth, who has gonefromstrengthtostrengththisseason, duly scored the touchdown, bustling his way into the endzone for the six points. Booth finished the game with over 125 yards and worked hard all day moving theballonthegroundalongwiththeother Bath running backs, Anders Bengtson, Matt Styles and Ben Wiltshire. Plymouth drove the length of the pitch on their next possession, and it was only thanks to an interception in the Bath endzone that kept Plymouth scoreless as LukeHaslett,whodespitehisincreasingly questionable fashion sense, plucked the ball from under the Plymouth receiver’s nose. Continued on Page 31...