CIT Students’ Union Magazine Volume Nine - Issue One
expliCIT editorial
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CIT Students’ Union Rossa Ave, Bishopstown Cork, Ireland. Telephone: 021 493 3120 Fax: 021 454 5343 Email: info@expliCIT.ie
expliCIT Staff Editor - John Lane Design & Advertising - Philip O’Reilly Contributions John Lane Séan F O’Leary Mick O’Mahony Dan Collins
Eoin McInerney Caitríona Foley Philip O’Reilly John Grant
Things can be tricky for First Years but we are here to keep you on the ball!
www.citsu.ie CIT Students’ Union President - Brian O’Sullivan (supresident@cit.ie) Vice President Education - John Grant (sueducation@cit.ie) Vice President Welfare - Caitríona Foley (suwelfare@cit.ie) Entertainments Officer - Eoin McInerney (suentertainments@cit.ie) Projects Officer - Gearóid Buckley (suprojects@cit.ie) Communications Officer - John Lane (sucommunications@cit.ie) Print Barnaville Print & Graphics LTD Freshford, Kilkenny. Advertising Opportunities CIT has almost 17,000 full and part-time students with over 1,500 supporting staff. Why not use expliCIT to promote your business to this large audience? Copy deadlines, advertising rates and technical specifications are available from our website www.expliCIT.ie or upon request from the Publications Office. expliCIT magazine is published monthly by CIT Students’ Union. The views expressed in the magazine are those of their authors and are not necessarily those of CIT Students’ Union. All articles and pictures are the property of their respective owners and should not be reproduced without their permission.
Hello and welcome to the first edition of explicit for this year. I hope the summer went well for everyone and that you are all happy (or at least contented) to be back. Many people travelled to the States, Spain and further a field for the Summer and I'm sure we will hear all about it, maybe even too much so, over the next few months. However its college time again so lets get cracking!! I'd also like to welcome all our first years from all over Ireland, Europe and further again. CIT is turning out to be a very integrated and accepting place to study, and long may it continue. Just one piece of info for you all – it's not as big as it seems right now. It was a washout of a summer but it was great to see the sun back in September. It was a summer of great films like Transformers and em, The Simpsons Movie?? Michael O Leary was in the news as much as ever – you just have to love him don't ya? And now we are in World Cup mode for a few weeks. I'm happy to announce that the Bistro will finally open up in the Student Centre this year, and it's looking like it will be before Christmas too which would be great. The SU shop has also moved from the corridor by the Info Desk up to the SU office upstairs in the Student Centre. They will be selling all the same stuff as last year, and MAINTAINING THE SAME FANTASTIC PRICING POLICY eg 1GB USB keys for €10 and 2GB for €17 . We won't talk about the bar for now but we will keep you posted. As we all know this is the start of a whole new year and also a new system being introduced in CIT – Modularisation and Semesterisation. Hopefully it will all go smoothly and we will all benefit from it next year. If anybody still has any questions about that you can call up to John Grant at the Students' Union Education office. Crazy season is also upon us when we come out of the summer with money in our pockets and the bar doors of the city swing open – go out and enjoy it (sensibly), because all the money will be gone before you know it! A lot of work has been put into Freshers Week this year by our Entertainments Manager Mick O' Mahony and it looks like its going to be one of the best Freshers Weeks yet. It starts on 1st October and there will be lots of prizes to be won around the college all week. Don't be shy and smile for our cameras on all our nights out to get your photo into the expliCIT!
We Need You! If you would like to contribute to expliCIT please contact Philip in the Publications Office, 1st Floor, Student Centre or email: info@expliCIT.ie
I hope the first month goes smoothly for everyone and best of luck surviving the madness and I hope you all enjoy the mag as well. John P.S. My e-mail is sucommunicatons@cit.ie if anybody wants to e-mail in articles, questions, or wants to join the explicit team.
New State of the Art CIT Cork School of Music Building Opens “...To see such magnificent studios, natural light and soundproofing in the teaching rooms was a credit to the vision of those who had the initial concept...” Following a ten year campaign by students, staff and the people of Cork, the new CIT Cork School of Music building has finally opened. The official opening of the world-class School of Music took place on Friday 14th September and was attended by many high profile politicians and dignitaries. The opening ceremony was held in the Curtis Auditorium which can hold up to five hundred people. Eight years after its initial announcement, the €60 million CIT Cork School of Music can now cater for 3,500 students ranging from ages five to seventy five. The building boasts two hi-tech theatres and a broadcast studio suite capable of allowing performances to be beamed live worldwide. Speaking at the launch, Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin praised the development. "I had a private tour this morning and what I experienced was a lot more than what I was expecting. To see such magnificent studios, natural light and soundproofing in the teaching rooms was a credit to the vision of those who had the initial concept." At 1.38pm, Minister Hanafin declared the CIT Cork School of Music officially open, during an event which featured musical performances from the Institution's wide range of student profiles. "Music is not just something that needs facilities like this but it is also being embraced in classrooms in every school in the country. My father recalled recently how Luke Kelly once told him 'Hell is the place where there is no Music'," she told the 400 guests. Minister Hanafin was presented with a brooch to mark the occasion. The brooch was a replica of a harp that has been restored and is used at the CIT Cork School of Music. For almost six years, School of Music lecturers have been forced to teach from 40 rented rooms scattered around Cork city centre. Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin described the intervening period as a "bumpy ride" on his way into the ceremony at the building on Union Quay. Cork School of Music Director, Professor Geoffrey Spratt, said that while there had been delays in delivering the project, everyone was thrilled with the excellence of the new school building. Dr Spratt quoted WB Yeats to sum up the feelings of the Institute's management who oversaw the project: "Joy is of the will which labours, which overcomes obstacles, which knows triumph."
Classes began at the School on Monday 3rd September but the opening gave all those concerned a chance to celebrate the end of a long- fought battle which faced planning, funding and contractual obstacles ever since Mr Martin first announced the go-ahead for an extension for the old School of Music in October 1999. CIT President, Dr Brendan Murphy said “This is an historic day for Cork city and I must begin by thanking the staff and students of the School of Music for their forbearance. We may have had to wait a few years but I think everyone will agree it was well worth that wait. I must also thank the people of Cork for their unstinting support, as well as Cork City Council, the City Manager Joe Gavin, and his staff”. Dr Murphy continued: “To deliver a facility as fine as this requires tremendous teamwork and I must acknowledge the work done by all those involved in its development; the Department of Education and Science; our private sector partner Hochtief, and the equity partners and funders, Barclays. We are delighted to have such a wonderful, purpose built facility, to enhance the Institute and I hope that CIT Cork School of Music Director Dr Geoffrey Spratt, his staff and students will enjoy the facility for many years to come”. The facilities in the 12,000 sqm six-storey building, which was built and fitted out as a public/private partnership between the Department of Education and German firm Hochtief, is the envy of colleges around Ireland and across Europe. It has more than fifty baby grand Steinway pianos and a recording studio fit for use by the world's top artists. The management firm Hochtief will run the building for the next twenty five years. Those who performed at the opening ceremony included renowned Cork soprano Mary Hegarty, who has just completed a masters degree at Cork School of Music, and some of the School's youngest talents such as the Cáirde String Quartet and 14-year-old pianist, Gary Beecher. The celebrations continued with the opening of the Carducci Quartet Festival, with free public performances during the weekend. CITSU President, Brian O’ Sullivan, said: “The official opening marks a major milestone in the development of CIT and for the Students’ Union. After countless letters, marches and strikes, student persistence has once again persevered and another state of the art addition to CIT is born. The School will undoubtedly enhance the student learning experience and put CSM graduates at the top of all employers' rankings”.
CIT Gains Another President “...the sanctioning of the title of President is a very significant honour for CIT. The title is an internationally recognised one which reflects the importance of CIT...” At the request of the Governing Body of Cork Institute of Technology and as provided for under Section 10(a) (1) of the Institutes of Technology Act 2006, the Minister for Education and Science has approved the use of the title “President” to describe the post of chief officer of CIT.
for the Institute: the new CIT School of Music is about to accept its first cohort of students; our new campus development has been fêted in Ireland and abroad and this month’s announcement of €18 million in research funding confirms CIT’s status as one of Ireland’s premier research centres.”
CIT President, Dr Brendan Murphy, welcomed this change of title. “I think that the sanctioning of the title of President is a very significant honour for CIT. The title is an internationally recognised one which reflects the importance of CIT and the position of Chief Officer both nationally and internationally. The breath and responsibility of the position is reflected in the enhanced title. I would like to thank the Governing Body and the all the staff of CIT. These are exciting times
The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin, T.D., welcomed Dr Murphy’s new title. “The awarding of the title of President acknowledges the continuing growth and development of CIT. CIT’s contribution to the future of Cork, and the country as a whole, cannot be underestimated. Its evolution into the world class Institution it is, continues and the awarding of the title is appropriate to CIT’s status.”
Don Giovanni Discounts Available for Student Opera Fans The people at Opera 2005 are releasing a limited number of tickets, priced at only €15, which will be available to purchasers, under 26, with proof of age, for their production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” which is at the Cork Opera House. This offer is limited and applies only to the performances of October 3rd, 5th and 6th.
Majella Cullagh plays Donna Anna and Riccardo Simonetti, plays Don Giovanni, while Panos Tsikos, sings the role of Masetto. The ever popular Chorus and Orchestra of Opera 2005 will also feature in this production with Conductor Kevin Mallon; Director Bryan Flynn; Designer Lisa Zagone; Lighting by Paul Denby and Movement Sinead Murphy.
Eithne Egan of Opera 2005 is particularly delighted that she is in a position to facilitate younger audiences, “Opera is often perceived as being inaccessible and expensive and I’m delighted to be able to encourage younger audiences who, I’m sure, will be surprised and delighted by our production of “Don Giovanni.”
Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” was first performed in Prague in 1787 and it has been acknowledged as the most “perfect” Opera ever produced. “Don Giovanni” is at the Cork Opera House for 4 performances only, October 3rd, 5th, 6th and 8th. Box office: 021 427 0022, book online at www.corkoperahouse.ie
Institute Graduates to Get Seanad Vote Within Twelve Months The Union of Students in Ireland has welcomed the announcement by Fianna Fáil’s new leader of the Seanad that all graduates will be entitled to vote in Seanad elections within 12 months. The announcement followed a campaign of intensive lobbying by students across the country. USI President Richard Morrisroe said: “Following our intensive campaign and representations to Ministers, the announcement by Fianna Fáil’s new leader of the Seanad is welcome. Extending fairness to all graduates should never have been delayed so long, but the 12 month timetable for reform is acceptable”. He added, “any delay beyond the 12 months would be entirely unacceptable to the public, so USI will be monitoring the speed at which this reform is implemented. The Government must act in good faith because, if the 12 month deadline were not met, public frustration could reach boiling point after so many years of delays and waiting.”
USI Equality Officer, Steven Conlon, said: “In displaying leadership for the main Government party, the leader of the Seanad’s announcement will help to overcome students’ anger over what has been a long wait and a hard fight for graduate equality. The right of graduates to vote in Seanad elections has been unjustly denied to thousands who earned their degree level qualification from the Institutes of Technology, the University of Limerick and Dublin City University. The reform will remove the voting bar from hundreds of thousands of third-level graduates, including me one day, since I am a student at IT Sligo”. He added, “since 2002 and prior to the 2007 Seanad elections, the number of IOT and non-NUI students who graduated and were disenfranchised was at least 62,500. Now underway is a 12 month countdown to extending the voting entitlements of these graduates – and many thousands of others before them and to come”.
The Management & Staff of the Rochestown Park Hotel would like to wish all new and returning students to CIT the best of luck with the year ahead. Thank you for once again making us your Number 1 Ball Venue for 2007
CIT Students’ Union President My name is Brian O’ Sullivan and I am your Students’ Union President for the coming academic year. I have overall responsibility for seeing that the Students’ Union works in a way that facilitates and represents CIT Students, making sure your voice is heard on all levels within the Institute’s structure. Some of my other responsibilities include overseeing finance, staffing and media relations. I am also the main liaison officer for The Cork School of Music, National Maritime College and Crawford College of Art and Design. Some of the committees I sit on are Governing Body, Academic Council, Academic Executive, Student Finance Committee, Appeals Board, Arts Fest and a number of other sub committees. But that’s enough about me what’s in it for you!? The ethos of the Students’ Union is to represent you the student and also to provide quality services which are otherwise unavailable, on a non-profit making basis. Our range of services includes a retail outlet, a video club, entertainment co-ordination and the publication of a monthly magazine, ExpliCIT. By attending Cork Institute of Technology you automatically become a Students’ Union member. This mean you can run for election as a class rep or sabbatical officer, attend general meetings, ask questions of the officers, and avail of the Students’ Union services. The best way to get the most out of your Union though is to get involved. You the student are our most important members and without your involvement, our development and adaptation to the ever
changing future in restricted. You can get involved in various ways; however the most beneficial way is to become a class representative. This means you will be the medium between your class and us. This is beneficial to both you and your class as you can help resolve any issues which may arise, organise class parties and be informed of all issues happening within the Institute. Other ways to get involved include joining the entertainments crew or welfare committee. To get involved, simply drop your details into us in the office and we can sit down and have a chat!!! Activities such as class parties and other day and night time events will help you gain new friends and interests and help you develop socially. However, college is also about developing both academically so don’t forget about those books! If you do find that you are struggling academically during the year please do not hesitate to contact us as we can generally help with our grinds database or through other mediums. The Students’ Union acts as the voice of the student population of CIT and will represent you across all areas within the Institute. John, Caitriona and I are here to help and support you with any difficulties which may arise either on an academic or personal level. Remember it is a right and not a privilege to gain third level education and we are here to ensure this learning experience is delivered to the highest level. Remember it’s your life and your college, make a difference and get involved. Brian O’ Sullivan
CIT Students’ Union Vice President Welfare I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all of the new 1st years and of course to everyone returning to us after the summer, I hope you all managed to catch some rays of sunshine even if it wasn’t here in Ireland! The job of the Welfare Officer is to assist all students with any problems that might affect your welfare during your time here in CIT, such as accommodation and employment rights, general and sexual health, relationships, safety and finance. I’m a full time officer here in the Union and my door is always open so any time you need to discuss a problem, have a chat or just chill out for a little while, feel free to call in.
I have several campaigns coming up in the next few months which I’m going to need a lot of help with, most notably Welfare Week which will run from the 23rd-25th October. This is an information week for any student wishing to learn more about the various organisations around Cork and Ireland that are available, and pick up information about issues like contraception, crisis pregnancy, mental health and accommodation. If you’d like to get involved this year or have any ideas for campaigns please contact me at suwelfare@cit.ie or 021 4933123, or call into the office. So for now, I hope you all enjoy the brilliant events at Freshers Week and get your year off to a fantastic start, but always remember to stay safe! Caitríona
CIT Students’ Union Entertainments Officer Hi everyone my name is Eoin McInerny, I am a third year Marketing Student and I am this year’s entertainments officer in CIT Students’ Union. It’s my job to make sure that every event this year caters to all tastes and is fantastically fun for each and every one of you. There are a number of big events throughout the year that Mick O’Mahony and I run including Fresher’s Week, Christmas Day, Rag Week, Celebration Day and many many more.
Wednesday night we have Rafterz in conjunction with UCC - a guaranteed fun night of dancing and shenanigans. On Thursday nights we have partying all night long in La Cheile by the gate cinema! So check out these events, I promise they are worth it.
On top of these big events are our weekly clubs organised specifically for the students of CIT. On
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Any suggestions, ideas or want to get involved just stop me when you see me or email me at suentertainments@cit.ie. Remember if you want to book a class party call into the office to the aforementioned Mick (Student Centre first floor). I hope everyone in CIT has a fantastic year and I’m going to do my best to ensure that you do!
HAVE YOU ELECTED YOUR CLASS REP? Please ensure that your class has nominated a class rep. We depend on your feedback and support to make this college better. For further information, please call into our new SU offices in the Student Centre.
CIT Students’ Union Vice President Education Summer is over and here we are again. The college year has begun! To fresher's welcome to CIT and this is our monthly magazine Explicit. To returning students I hope you had a fantastic summer and welcome back to another year of fun, games and study. My name is John Grant and I'm your Education Officer this year. If you need any help in relation to anything academic this year please feel free to ask. Some of you may have noticed that the Students' Union shop is now located with our offices on the first floor of the Student Centre. Remember do call into us with any problems you may have – that's what we are here for. Ok, I know it's only the start of the year but as Education Officer I have to say how you guys and girls should start thinking about study already. It's always easier to drag your ass out of bed in the morning than go hunting for notes in the afternoon. Try and sort out a good quality study area and have a look at the Students' Union website for some more study tips @ www.citsu.ie. Avail of the
time you have now rather than when it starts getting closer to the exams. First years, this year's terms are semesterised so if there are any questions or problems please let me know. Our illustrious Entertainments Manager has an excellent line up organised for our Freshers Week which takes place in the first week of October. Keep an eye out for the promotional information so you won't miss out on what is guaranteed to be another great year of entertainments in CIT. Class Reps, don't forget to start booking your class parties. In the next few weeks we will be advertising for the election of Class Reps for this year. Class Representatives are the backbone of the Students' Union, informing us of issues that really affect the students of CIT and helping us to fix any problems that are encountered. Those interested in becoming a class rep can collect a form from the Students' Union on the first floor of the student centre. All in all we are here to work for the students of CIT so please if you have a question, a problem or just need a chat that is what we are here for. We want to make this your best year in CIT. John
CIT Students’ Union Projects Officer Lads, what’s the craic (wouldn’t be the same without it Wez). Hello and welcome back everyone and a further fáilte roimht to what Dr. Cox would call “Newbies”. My name is Gearóid, a third year business student, and I will be your Projects Officer for the forthcoming year. Thanks a million for all your votes last year. Wez has left enormous boots to fill, so I have my work cut out for me this year. He has been the inspiration to so many students through his three years involved in the union, and although not an officer I hope he will continue to be the heart of CITSU. Over the summer everyone has been asking me "what is the role of the Projects Officer?". Basically, my job entails the administration of campaigns and general strike actions as well as assisting the other Officers with other Union events. To all Freshers a sincere welcome. The stressful days are over, you’re in college now and the only anxiety you should have is on a Friday afternoon trying to
catch a bus home for the weekend while also enduring a ‘minor’ headache from the night before. Just two years ago I was in your shoes and I’ve found the support structures in CIT second to none. One valuable piece of advice to you is to get involved in societies and sports. I’m sure you’ll find something that interests you. Don’t hesitate to contact any of the SU members with any problem or query, we’re here for YOU. I’m looking forward to working with all the lads and I have a feeling we will achieve a lot this year. As pleasant to the eye as the new student centre and administrative buildings are, there is no hiding the fact that YOUR money is being wasted on mismanagement inadequate services resulting in your education suffering. Lads you have paid fees which means at the very least you are entitled to a qualification. Elect a GOOD class rep (it should not be a popularity contest), any problems no matter how big or small we’ll do our best to find a solution. CITSU is the cause and the cure, this fresher week as Mick and Eoin have organized a mammoth week of entertainment. Have fun. See you at the bar, Gar
What Does the Students’ Union Do For You? We are here to represent the students of CIT. There are six people on the Students’ Union Executive. Firstly, Brian O’Sullivan is the President of the Union. Brian is the chief representative; he is your voice and the face of every student in the college. He makes sure we are all working towards the same goals and over sees everything. My role is Education officer; my name is John Grant by the way. I look after everything academic-related in the college for the students. So if you or any student needs help with finding grinds, lodging an appeal on your exams, sorting out your grant or anything that affects you in an educational sense, then that’s me! Caitríona is the Welfare officer in the college, and deals with anything that basically affects the welfare of any student in the college; she is there to ensure that your time here is as easy going as possible. Any questions in relation to pregnancy, safe sex, drugs, accommodation, employment rights or illness: she’s your lady. While Brian is the President, myself and Caitríona are the vice-presidents and we all work full time for the students of CIT. The three non sabbatical officers (who go to college and support the Union at the same time) are Eoin in Entertainments, who works with the mastermind Mick O’Mahony (our entertainments manager) to organise the weekly clubs and big events throughout the year. Our projects officer this year is Gearoid
Buckley. Gearoid, I can tell you now is a little hero and would bend over backwards to help any student in CIT; he is in charge of organising campaigns in the college to help improve our facilities in every part of CIT. The communications officer, John Lane, works with our legend of a Publications manager Philip O’Reily to ensure our monthly magazine Explicit and our website (www.citsu.ie) are the best they can be. That’s the long and the short of it. I just wanted people to know when the year started what exactly it is we do for you. The main principle behind the Union is this though: it is only with you, the students, telling us what you want and supporting the issues that benefit you, we are only able to do the best we can! Each of us worked really hard to get to the positions we are in now and we did so to help the students of CIT. We want to work hard all year to make this the best year of your college life, so when you have a problem, when you need a chat or when stuff is not going right for you please, please come in and talk to us and let us help. We are here to work for you! So use the Union and I promise we will work as hard as we can to make this the best year for the STUDENTS of CIT! John Grant
Drink! Feck! Arse! by Caitríona Foley & John Lane
“...Only time can sober up a person - not black coffee, cold showers, exercise, or any other common ‘cures’...” September has arrived, and whether you're an innocent (ahem!) fresher who's new to the scene or someone a little more knowledgeable when it comes to college life, the start of the college year and all it entails is something we can all look forward to. It's the time of year to once again explore activities like spending the morning hiding under the duvet with the sweet sounds of Ray D'arcy coming from the radio, or attempting to clean your room but ending up shoving everything under the bed so that it looks tidy when mammy comes to visit. And if that doesn't float your boat, there's always the random middle-ofthe-night urges to take a walk down the street and steal a traffic cone/stop sign/homeless guy so that your next house party is über cool. So you can see from the likes of these activities that students, and particularly Irish students, have a very close relationship with alcohol (no offence, it's ingrained in our culture). As the Fruice people say, it's a natural thing; we all just have to figure out which category our own drinking fits into. Some people never drink, some do ("moderately") and others go on complete benders. Note: I'm not writing this to lecture you on the evils of drinking, just to give you the facts and some tips on how to stay safe if you do choose to make it part of your college life. Take a read of the following questions and see if any of them apply to you or a friend: • • • •
Have you ever had an argument or done something that you regret while drunk? Have you ever had unplanned or unprotected sex when drunk? (Can you remember?) Have you ever blown all your money on drink? Have you ever missed classes or been late with assignments thanks to one (or more) drink too many?
If you've answered yes to any (or all) of the questions above, it may be that you're overdoing it. This doesn't necessarily mean that you're an alcoholic, but you don't have to be an alcoholic to reap the benefits of drinking less. Drinking too much can cause serious problems in relationships, work and college, as well as money troubles and even depression in some cases, and I challenge you to find anyone who purposely wants to do this to themselves. Furthermore, would you really want to affect your friendships? Any night you go out, especially at the start of the year, you are always able to spot the drunken eejit around the place – and to tell the truth, they annoy everyone around
them. Their friends have to concentrate on looking after them, people around them have to listen to them and deal with the knocks and bumps that ensue. If you have a think about it, you've probably been in this situation at one time or another and it's not a pretty picture. Another key point is driving. Drink driving is not okay; the facts speak for themselves. Alcohol is the primary cause of 25% of all road collisions and 33% of collisions resulting in fatalities in Ireland. Last year, CIT's Safety Week highlighted just how little of a chance you have if you are in a car crash, sober or not, and with the new campaign launched by the National Roads Authority in conjunction with the Union of Students of Ireland to improve road safety, CIT can give itself a pat on the back for highlighting an issue which affects so many lives every day.
Here comes the science bit The Department of Health and Children advises that up to 14 standard drinks a week for women and up to 21 standard drinks a week for men is considered low risk. (Note: this is the recommended figure for one week, NOT one night!). And before you go accusing anyone of gender discrimination, men have more bodily fluids than women and so alcohol is more dilute in their system, meaning women can't handle drink as well as men, fact. What exactly is a "standard drink"? A standard drink contains about 10 grams of pure alcohol. One standard drink is the same as a half pint of beer, a single measure of spirits or a small glass of wine, but this varies along with the ABV (alcohol by volume) of the type of alcohol. Your liver is only capable of processing 1 standard drink per hour.
But let's put it into a realistic context: 1 pint of Beamish Double vodka with mixer Double Jack Daniels with mixer 1 pint of cider
= = = =
1.9 standard drinks 2.1 standard drinks 2.2 standard drinks 2 standard drinks
Take note: one pint of cider contains a massive 27 grams of alcohol, 17 grams over the hourly limit! That's why you might feel you get drunk a lot faster on things like Bulmers or Kopparberg.
Binge drinking is drinking large amounts of alcohol in one go, and while just one drink can carry a certain risk, problems generally start after six drinks. But remember what you've just read: this means that problems can start after only 3 pints of cider, or 3 double vodkas, not 6! How can I cut down? Because college and alcohol seem to go hand in hand, it can be very difficult to avoid. Nobody's asking you to give up altogether, but try to be a bit more sensible about it. Remember, this is 9 months out of every year, for 4 years, so try to pace yourself. Here are a few suggestions on how to cut down: • • •
•
• •
• •
Go out later and bring less money Never borrow money to finance drinking! (This can lead to all manner of problems). Arrive later at house parties, and use it as an opportunity to meet and talk with more people which will give you less time to drink. The BYOB (bring your own beer) strategy is a good rule of thumb as you can keep an eye on what your drinking. Order your own drinks (especially if you're a girl). Nice as it may be to have someone buy you a drink, try to order it yourself to avoid having a double (or even triple) being poured into your glass without your knowl edge. Eat before you drink It really does act as soakage, and you should always put food before social life on your budget Take a break Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Pacing yourself means you'll remember more, have more money and more energy Slow down Let's be honest, most of us know our own limits Buddy system Look after your friends if they've had too much, and go out with someone that you trust will look after you if you get into a sticky situation. Never leave someone alone if they've passed out. If in doubt, put them into the recovery position and seek help
Some amazing myths about alcohol Myth # 1 Drinking coffee will help a drunk person sober up. Fact Only time can sober up a person...not black coffee, cold showers, exercise, or any other common "cures." Alcohol leaves the body of virtually everyone at a constant rate of about .015 percent of blood alcohol content (BAC) per hour. Thus, a person with a BAC of .015 would be completely sober in an hour while a person with a BAC of ten times that (.15)
Myth # 2 People who abstain from alcohol are "alcohol-free." Fact Every person produces alcohol normally in the body 24 hours each and every day from birth until death. Therefore, we always have alcohol in our bodies. Myth # 3 People who can "hold their liquor" are to be envied. Fact People who can drink heavily without becoming intoxicated have probably developed a tolerance for alcohol, which can indicate the onset of dependency Myth # 4 Alcohol is good for your heart Fact Maybe, if you're over 40. Research shows that 1 or 2 drinks per day could help lower the risk of heart disease, but this is only effective for women over the menopause and men aged over 40. And the biggest myth of them all… Myth # 5 I can drink alcohol and still be in control Fact Drinking, even in moderation, impairs your judgement, which increases the likelihood that you'll do something you'll later regret, like having unprotected sex, being involved in date rape, damaging property, victimizing or becoming the victim of others. Now that you know some of the facts about alcohol, it's time to make a decision. Think before you drink - you can control your alcohol intake, or you can let it control you. Remember, less alcohol means more money, more energy and more control over your life at college. Never, ever drink and drive; carry a condom (just in case); have a foolproof plan for getting home safely, and most importantly, enjoy your year ahead. I'll drink to that! Caitriona Foley, Vice-President Welfare, and John Lane, Communications Officer For further information, check out www.drinkaware.ie
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CIT Careers Fair 2007 (Wednesday 10th October) The Careers and Counselling Service at CIT are organising Careers Fair 2007. This event will take place in the Student Centre on Wednesday 10th October and run from 11.00am – 3.00pm.
Here are some tips to help you on the day:
For those of you who have never attended a Careers Fair, this event will provide you with an opportunity to meet with employers who plan to recruit graduates in the year 2008. There will be over 50 companies participating in the Fair, which will include local, national and international companies, across many disciplines.
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• The Careers Fair will give you the opportunity to make personal contact with leading graduate employers in many sectors of industry and commerce, get expert advice on what a career with a particular company might involve and how you can get the job you want. It will also give you the opportunity to collect company literature and information to assist you when applying for positions. Preparation is key! To make the best of this opportunity you will need to be prepared. Few employers will offer you a job on the spot but if you make the right impression this will be to your advantage at the interview stage.
Do some research on companies you want to see Make note of the names of any contacts you make on the day Think about your strengths and skills and be able to tell an employer what youhave to offer. Think about what questions you want to ask them: What vacancies do they have? What are their requirements? What training opportunities do they offer? Be sure to visit the less well-know organisations also as they often have very challenging opportunities to offer.
This is your chance to make some useful contacts and see what opportunities are out there... SO DON'T MISS OUT! If you require further information please contact the Service on (021) 4326678 www.careersandcounselling.com
Student Raises Money for Childcare Materials for Asylum Seeker Charity Right is a photo of Fiona Ross, a student in the BA (Ordinary) in Social Care who undertook her year 2 placement at the Kinsale Road Accommodation Centre for asylum seekers. On her initiative, Fiona raised 515 euro from a gig she organized.
Would you like to get involved with our magazine expliCIT? We are always looking for students to submit articles and photos for our magazine. If you are interested in submitting news, reviews, feature articles, photos, sport or societies info then please get in contact with us now! Email: info@expliCIT.ie Tel: 021 4933124 Meet: Student Centre
This money will be used for childcare materials in the centre. The photo shows her presenting the cheque to the lord Mayor on May 29th. Fiona will be in year 3 of the BA in Social Care from September.
Freshers Festival 2007 The college entertainment will kick off at approx 12pm on Monday 1st October at the NEXUS in the NEW STUDENT CENTRE. This year we are continuing the four day FRESHERS CARNIVAL with live entertainment in the form of Karl Spain, Freak show, Hypnotists, DJs plus All Star Wrestling. Various Hot food Stalls will also be available. You can check out the timetable on this page for On-Campus activity during Freshers Week. The three main nights in town are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. After checking out a number of pubs in town your college clubbing will start out on Tuesday in a venue called LE CHEILE on North Main Street next to the Gate Cinema. The theme of the night will be a Uniform Ball Disco. So get those school uniforms out.
80’s Karoke is the concept downstairs in Bar Bucha where the 80s is celebrated with cheesy tunes, glo sticks and tacky movies. For those who like your rock sees THE BRAND NEW STAGE with THE AFTERMATH (3 top 20 hits in Ireland in 2007) and MC FLEMING in action. If Dance is your thing be and sure to check out THE UNDERGROUND ROOM at ISOBAR with KC from Red FM and guests doing their thing.
Wednesday will see a TRAFFIC LIGHT BALL at RAFTERZ The HIGHLIGHT of Freshers Week will be THE FRESHERS BALL on Thursday night and will take place in THE MARDYKE on Sheares Street. The LIVE STAGE upstairs in Bar Bucha will feature music from perennial CIT favourites BIG GENERATOR plus guests.
Tickets go on sale from the Students' Union Stand. Please note that valid 18+ ID is required before you enter any of the college nightclubs. (Garda/Passport ID will be asked for).
DAYTIME EVENTS @THE NEXUS in THE STUDENT CENTRE
1st - 4th October
4 Day CITSU FESTIVAL Including BBQ and Food Stands plus Party Games Various DJs including MC FLEMING Monday 1pm- KARL SPAIN as seen on TV -Karl Spain Wants a Woman (Comedy)
Wednesday 12.30pm- MAYHEM WRESTLING (8 men, 1 GIANT RING)
Tuesday 1pm- Bad Ass Freakshow (Jackass, Dirty Sanchez-Irish Style) including Pizza Eating Contest
Thursday 1pm-TONY BALONEY AND HIS EXPLODING TOILETS (Hypnotist) ALL EVENTS from 12-2pm & 100% FREE!
World Mayhem College Tour 07 YOU HAVE HAD THE BANDS, YOU HAVE HAD THE DJ'S, NOW IT’S THE TIME FOR THE WRESTLERS. For the first time ever see Bin Laden vs. Bush, Camilla Vs Queen, Ian Paisley V’s Gerry Adam’s and Elvis vs. Michael Jackson for the king of pop title as they square off in a The squared circle. Highlights include Tag Team title event with Bin Laden and Hussein V’s George Bush Senior and Junior. It’s a full wresting show featuring some of Europe’s top wrestlers. The show includes wrestling ring, 6-8 wrestlers, referee and commentator. Our wrestlers will wear the mask of some of our 21st century Leaders and Celebrities and face each other for some highflying bone crunching action. You can guarantee an amazing atmosphere as Camilla does a Leg drop on the face of the Queen. See George Bush senior roll back the years as he jumps from the top rope of the ring on to the hairy face of Bin Laden. Watch in Amazement as Michael Jackson does his Moonwalk all over Elvis for the Title Of King Of pop The Mayhem tour is a 130 mins of Real Wrestling with High Octane laughs Weds 3rd October- The Student Centre 12.30pm
The Gullibility Test The Questions How gullible are you really? One of your friends hands you a paper with the following stories tells you that he thinks these are true and you have to immediately pass them on to your boss. You have to make an immediate decision as to what was true and what was not. Saying you don’t know is not an option!!! History and Culture 1. Sir Thomas Crapper invented the Toilet. 2. The Eskimo language has over a hundred words for snow. 3. Early Dutch traders acquired the entire island of Manhattan from a Native American tribe for a few goods worth around $700 in today’s currency. 4. When the English Pilgrims landed in the New World they were surprised to discover that one of the first Native Americans they met had lived in England for many years. 5. Mud throwing was an official event at the 1904 Olympics. 6. There is a lake in Massachusetts called Lake Chargoggaggoggmanchaugaggoggchaubunagungamaug. The name is a Native American word that means “You fish on your side, I’ll fish on my side, nobody fish in the middle” 7. When Columbus sailed to America in 1492, most Europeans believed the world was flat.
(History & Culture and Science & Nature)
8. The ancient Sumerians worshipped Ninkasi, a goddess of beer. 9. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, two of Americas founding fathers, both died on July 4th, 1826, fifty years to the day after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 10. Marco Polo introduced ice cream to Europe after watching it being made in China. Science and Nature 11. Cockroaches can survive for up to a month with their heads cut off. 12 Sharks do not get cancer. 13. Long tailed South American monkeys have an unusual way of crossing rivers. Clinging to each other, they form their bodies into a living bridge that stretches between the trees on either side of a river. Other members of the pack then climb across this ‘monkey chain’ to reach the other side. 14. The laws of physics change over time. 15. Turtles never die of old age. 16. Lemmings commit suicide by hurling themselves, en masse, off cliffs. 17. There is a small village in Ecuador, called Vilacabamba, whose inhabitants have an average lifespan of over a hundred years. 18. Lightning has been known to imprint photographic images of surrounding scenery onto the skin of those it has struck. 19. Physicists recently announced that they were able to slow down light waves until the waves were nearly frozen in place. 20. Gravity has a stronger pull on the Earths poles than it does at the equator. As a result a person who weighs 150 pounds at the equator would weigh almost a pound heavier if they stood at the North Pole.
The Answers HISTORY AND CLUTURE 1 False. Thomas Crapper was a real person, who operated a plumbing business in nineteenth-century London, but he didn’t invent the flush toilet. This is credited, instead, to Joseph Adamson, who took out the first patent for a flush toilet in 1853. A 1969 book by Wallace Reyburn, Flushed with Pride: The Story of Thomas Crapper, has helped to propagate the myth that Crapper was the inventor of the toilet. Reyburn’s biography of Crapper is simply a fabrication. 2 False. The Eskimo language has two root words for snow: qank, which means snow in the air, and aput, which means snow on the ground. Modifying nouns can be added to these root words to create more words, but root words in any language can be modified indefinitely by adding new endings. Think of snow in English (snowfall, snowdrift, snowshoe, etc.). The idea that Eskimo has more words for snow has been traced to a 1940 article by Benjamin Lee Worf in Technology Review, in which he said that the Eskimo language had seven different words for snow (he never said what those words were). The concept that Eskimo has a very large number of words for snow grew from there. 3 True. This is one of those stories that sound like a myth, but as far as historians can tell, it is actually true. A 1626 letter exists in which a Dutch merchant reports having heard that representatives of the West India Company ‘purchased the Island Manhattes from the Indians for the value of sixty guilders. ` Sixty guilders is approximately $700 in present-day currency. It sounds like the Europeans got a pretty good deal for such a valuable piece of property, but the real joke was on the Europeans. It turned out that the Native American tribe that sold Manhattan to the Dutch didn’t live there, so by local custom they didn’t have the rights to offer the Europeans any kind of use of it. In other words, the Europeans were conned out of $700 by a tribe that just happened to be passing through the area.
4 True. The story of Squanto, the English-speaking Native American whom the Pilgrims met when whey disembarked from the Mayflower, is one of the stranger tales American history has to offer. Squnato had been taken from his village by a British captain around 1605. He lived in England for nine years and was sold into slavery in Spain in 1614. He eventually made his way back to England, and from there back to Massachusetts in 1619. By that time he had crossed the Atlantic a total of six times, making him far better travelled then the Pilgrims who arrived soon thereafter. By the Pilgrims own admission they would have had difficulty surviving their first years in Massachusetts without the help of Squanto. 5 True. The 1904 Olympic Games, held in St. Louis, Missouri, easily remain the most bizarre on record. They were only the third Summer games ever held, since the modern Olympics began in 1896, and their organizers were uncertain which sports to include. They decided to set aside certain events to allow ‘primitive` tribes, such as Pygmies and Patagonians, to compete separately. The ‘primitives` were allowed to reach for Olympic glory in events such as mud fighting, greased-pole climbing, rock throwing, and spear throwing. The dates set aside for the ‘primitive` events were referred to as the ‘Anthropology Days` The 1904 Summer games proved to be such a fiasco that the Olympic committee decided to rehold the games just two years later in Athens in order to get the festival back on a proper, more dignified footing. 6 False. There is a lake in Massachusetts that’s goes by that name. But the explanation of its meaning is incorrect. Larry Dale, editor of the Webster Times, made up the fanciful etymology for an article he wrote in 1921. He meant is as a joke, but people took his story seriously and continue to repeat it to this day. The long name actually means something like ‘the fishing place at the boundaries and neutral meeting grounds. ` The body of water in question is more commonly referred to as Lake Webster. 7 False. Very few people alive anywhere in the world n 1492 believed that the earth was flat. After all, you can see the curve of the earth simply by looking at the horizon. Washington Irving, in his 1828 biography of Columbus, first popularized the myth that most Europeans believed the earth to be flat back in 1492. 8 True. Archaeologists discovered a 3,800-year old recipe for beer on a clay tablet in Sumeria. The recipe appeared as part of a hymn to the goddess Ninksi. Beer seems to have played a major role in Sumerian culture. Those who have brewed the Sumerian recipe report that it produces a beer with a taste similar to hard apple cider but retaining the fragrance of dates. It should be no surprise that there was a goddess of beer. After all, the Greeks worshipped Bacchus, the god of wine. 9 True. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who were friends during life, did die within hours of each other on July 4, 1826. Jefferson was at his home in Virginia, and Adams was at his home in Massachusetts. Americans were fascinated by the coincidence and read great meaning into it. John Quincy Adams, who declared the twin deaths to be a ‘visible and palpable` sign of heavenly favour. 10 False. Legend has long connected Marco Polo with the introduction of ice cream to Europe, but no evidence supports this idea. Leaving aside entirely the question of whether Polo actually visited China, there is the fact that ice cream only began to be made in Europe during the seventeenth century. This was three hundred years after Polo died. Furthermore, there is nothing in Polo’s Description of the World that even vaguely resembles a description of ice cream. SCIENCE AND NATURE 11 True. Cockroaches do not have blood pressure as mammals do. Therefore, cutting off their heads would not cause them to die from bleeding. Nor do cockroaches need there heads to breathe. They only require their heads to eat. After about a month without their heads (though probably much sooner), they would die of starvation.
12 False. Sharks definitely do get cancer. However, they get it far less often than humans do. The idea that sharks are immune to cancer was popularized by the title of William Lane’s 1992 book Sharks Don’t Get Cancer. However, inside his book Lane admitted that sharks do get cancer. Although it is theorized that shark cartilage might inhibit that growth of tumour blood vessels, studies have shown that ingesting shark cartilage does not confer any anticancer benefits. 13 False. Monkey chains have long been rumoured to exist, but no contemporary naturalist has ever seen one. The idea of monkey chains is a myth that was started by the early European explorers of South America. 14 True or False. This was a trick question (but also a freebie) because either answer is potentially correct. Physicists are still much undecided about whether or not the laws of physics change over time. Some current research in physics does seem to indicate that the laws of nature have subtly changed since the birth of the universe, but other physicists dispute these findings. The change, if there is one, may be due to shifting elasticity of atomic bonds. For more about this topic, do a search on the Web for the work of John Webb, a researcher at the University of New South Wales. 15 True. Turtles exhibit what is known as ‘negligible senescence. ` In other words, unlike humans, they do not continue to biologically age once their bodies reach maturity. In theory they might be able to live forever, though in practice this would never happen. Injury, predation, or disease eventually kills them. They do not die of old age. In fact, turtles have been known to live beyond 150 years without exhibiting any signs of old age. Fish and amphibians also share this enviable characteristic. 16 False. Lemmings do not periodically commit suicide by hurling themselves off cliffs the idea that they do is just a myth. Belief in this myth was strengthened by a 1958 Disney documentary, White Wilderness, in which the filmmakers herded some hapless lemmings off a cliff in order to show this supposedly natural behaviour. 17 False. It was believed for many years that the residents of the Ecuadorian village of Vilacabamba lived to an unusually old age. This belief stemmed form a 1971 census that listed a high number of the village’s 819 residents as being over the age of one hundred. But when anthropologists investigated this claim, they discovered that it was a hoax. Apparently, the Vilacabambans were lying about there age in order to attract more tourists to their village. 18 False. Nineteenth-century scientists dubbed this phenomenon keranography, and anecdotal accounts of it have long persisted. An actual example of it, however, has never been documented. Lightning can leave strange markings on those it strikes, but scientists do not believe that lighting possesses any photographic properties. 19 True. Researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics announced in January 2001 that they had used super-cooled vapour to slow down the velocity of light waves to zero, thereby freezing the energy of the light in an atomic ‘spin wave.` It may seem odd to think of light being frozen in place. After all, light moves faster then anything else in the universe, travelling at 186,282 miles per second. But that’s only in a vacuum. Light does slow down when it hits a substance such as air, water, or glass. It was essentially a matter of finding the right material to slow down the light without destroying the delicate light photons altogether. The researches said that they hoped to use their light-freezing technique to create super fast ‘quantum` computers. 20 True. The Earth is not perfectly round. It flattens out somewhat at the poles. Therefore, a person standing at the poles is exactly thirteen miles closer to the centre of the Earth than he of she is when standing at the equator. The pull of gravity increases as you move closer to the centre of a gravitational mass, making objects heavier. Conversely, when you move away form the centre of a gravitational mass-such as when you fly into outer space – gravity weakens. In addition, the centrifugal spin effect at the equator slightly counteracts the pull of gravity. All of this translates into a difference of almost a pound between what a person would weigh at the equator versus at the poles.
T
he summer is the best time of year. Why? Because there is no college and the world is really your oyster. Pondering this in my lonely office I have compiled a list of the top ten best things to do during the summer! I can personally tick each and every one of these things of the list, which I think completes my student summer checklist. See how you do and if you have any others that you feel are more deserving to be on the list please let Explicit know via a letter or email. 1. Go to the beach The beach is the business during the summer. I have an inherent fear of sand and the places it can get but never mind that. The beach is great with the sun, the swimming, relaxing and the necessity to wear very little clothes for every one. Did you hit the beach this summer? It’s bonus points if it’s out of Ireland…well come on its never warm enough in Ireland is it?? 2. Travel My definite favourite what with the huge number of students getting a J1 and going state side! Then there are the more adventurous few who see the rest of the world. Travelling is one of the best things any young person can do. It opens your mind to different cultures and experiences that just don't happen at home. Once you start too, it’s really a bug. Check out www.lonelyplanet.com, and see how much is really out there. 3. Festivals Between Electric Picnic, Slane and Oxegen, Ireland really has a lot of great festivals to go to! There are more out there on the continent and they are a whole lot cheaper. For example Rock Werchter is a festival every summer in Belgium. With flights, camping and my ticket costing around 260 Euro. Well it’s a deal, it’s a steal it was the festival of the %$&*£%^ century! Travelling and festivals covered in one go plus a little bit of being naked. 4. Learn something new It’s always cool to teach yourself something new during the summer. Let’s be honest, by the time college is done you have more time to do whatever you want over the summer. Whether it be learn to play an instrument, cook or to juggle it doesn’t matter. Just don’t waste all that free time! 5. ROADTRIPS!!! Don’t want to leave the country? Road trips are great. Head to Galway or some tiny bar in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of mates and let the good times roll! Or just take a road trip to the beach wherever. Break up the monotony of it all and go somewhere mad.
6. Get a crap job Every student gets a job they usually hate for the summer but it doesn’t matter. It pays the bills and gets you out a couple of nights a week. You make new friends and come back to college with more stories. 7. Be Naked I personally enjoy the excuse, “Oh its way to hot to wear pants today” or “I’m working on my tan”. Everybody likes being naked, now I’m not saying in a public park lets get arrested naked. I mean just chilling, enjoying the good weather naked, i.e. not exposing yourself to other members of the community. 8. Absolutely nothing! Ohh the lazy days! When you wake up and realise “Yes, I have nothing to do”, then you go back to sleep. It’s brilliant when you wake up, put on some pants and that’s you for the day. Sit in front of the TV or just go and visit some friends. Having no responsibility, no worries. I miss it so… 9. Make loads of money and have nothing to show for it You end up working usually between 30-40 hours during the weeks of the summer. You make loads of cash and then August hits and you realise, once again “I have drank, ate and spent almost all the money I’ve earned during the Summer.” You know what? Who cares. Summers where you have lots of money are usually great and unless it’s a new kidney you were saving for, it’s not that important is it? You have two kidneys. 10. Repeats Had to bring it up, everyone has to repeat at some stage. A recent survey (I asked some friends of mine) shows that three out of four students have to repeat at least one exam during their time in college. It’s not a huge mistake, it happens to the best of us whether things just went wrong on the day or you were having a tough year of it. Just get it done and enjoy the summer as much as you can! Well that’s my comprehensive list. That list was not meant to bring anyone down or realise, “Crap, the summers over!”. That list is supposed to make people realise what a great summer has just gone by and start looking forward to the next one. In the great words of Nina Simone: “Summertime and the livin' is easy” - Dil
Meals To Go
Off Licence
For food on the run - McCarthys Bar and Bistro offer a fantastic range of homemade delicious ready meals for your convenience - sandwiches, salads, meals and desserts.
Why not stop by our Off Licence to pick up a bottle of wine to accompany your meal? With wines to suits all budgets and fine wines for those special occasions.
Movie Rental Service
Home Delivery Service
All The latest and greatest releases at competitive prices.
We will arrange that your order is delivered to your home.
Student Meal Deals Available with Fantastic Homemade Food
Main Courses from ₏6.50 per portion including Cottage Pie, Shepherd’s Pie, Beef Lasagne, Chicken a la King, Seafood Pies, Jamician Chicken and Plantain Kebab, Fish Cakes Sirloin Steak Escallop with a Button Mushroom and Red Onion Filling,
Moroccan Style Lamb Shish Kebab with Tarmarin Sauce
For more information please call us on 021 4346165
EVERY TUESDAY IN
CORK’S BIGGEST STUDENT NIGHT
Open every MON, Tues, Wed & Thurs With DJ Gavin Payne Bringing Sex to the Decks with a funky Mix of Chart, House & RnB! Doors 11pm
www.rafterz.bebo.com
Personal Banking
Free flight offer* when you open your 3rd level student current account Call in and talk to us at Bank of Ireland CIT Tel: (021) 4545177 or ext 6285
www.bankofireland.ie * Terms and conditions apply to the FREE FLIGHT offer. Details available at any Bank of Ireland branch. Bank of Ireland does not accept responsibility for availability or services provided by Scream Ltd. Terms and conditions apply to the 3rd level student current account. Bank of Ireland is regulated by the Financial Regulator. 12752-Ad for CIT.indd 1
13/09/2007 11:39:16
CIT Students win Gold and Silver at the CIT Students declared Joint Outright International Medical Engineering Finals, Winners of the Inaugural Engineers Ireland Engineering Technologist of the Year 2007 London,26 June 2007 Competition From a large international entry, two Cork Institute of Technology student teams won Gold and Silver for their submitted and presented projects. International Prize for Best Project involving the Design or Development of a Medical Device Gold Medal Project:
Supervisors:
Design and Development of a Swimming Aid for the Visually Impaired AquaEye Inter-Disciplinary Student Group Lecturers Finbarr Sheehan and Sean F. O’Leary
Following a highly competitive national event, the result of the Inaugural Engineers Ireland Engineering Technologist of the Year 2007 National Competition was announced on Thursday 21st June, at Engineers Ireland HQ, Clyde Road, Dublin, by Mr. Jack Golden, President, Engineers Ireland: Joint Outright Winners of the Engineering Technologist of the Year 2007 National Award: Student:
Accounting and Information Systems Students: Imelda Callanan (Team Leader), Norma Barry, Colin Aherne, Ciara Aherne, David Barker
Project Title: Course: Department:
Mechanical Engineering Students: Kieran O'Callaghan (Team Leader), Ciara Dwan, Ken Allen, Finbarr Brassil, Paul O’Keeffe Kieran O’Callaghan presented on behalf of the AquaEye group at the London competition ( a very proud day for Kieran’s Dad , CIT Lecturer Tony O’Callaghan of the Department of Electrical Engineering!)
Student Team: Project Title: Course: Department:
Michael Kinsella Cork Institute of Technology “Process for Converting Rape Seed to Repoleum Fuel” Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering Electrical Engineering Damien Healy, Joseph Jameson, Jason Mullins Cork Institute of Technology "Design and Development of Fusion Folding Press” Bachelor of Engineering in Manufacturing Engineering Manufacturing, Biomedical and Facilities Engineering
Michael’s project was undertaken under the supervision of Mr. RichardDaly of the Department of Electrical Engineering.
International Prize for Best Medical Engineering Project Silver Medal Project: Supervisor:
Damien, Joseph and Jason’s project was undertaken under the supervision of Mr. Peter Deasy of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Suture Tension Measurement Investigation and Analysis Lecturer Declan Sullivan
Mechanical Engineering Student: Kenneth Bourke
This double victory in the first ever Engineering Technologist National competition represents a remarkable success for both students and supervisors and is a resounding validation of the standard of engineering courses presented at Cork Institute of Technology.
HAVE YOU ELECTED YOUR CLASS REP? Please ensure that your class has nominated a class rep. We depend on your feedback and support to make this college better. For further information, please call into our new SU offices in the Student Centre.
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Typical Irish!!!! • • • • • • • • • • •
Only in Ireland... Can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance Only in Ireland... Do banks leave both doors open and chain the pens to the counters. 142 Irish were injured in 1999 by not removing all pins from new shirts. 58 Irish are injured each year by using sharp knives instead of screwdrivers. 13 Irish have died since 1996 by watering their Christmas tree while the fairy lights were plugged in. Irish Hospitals reported 4 broken arms last year after cracker pulling accidents 101 people since 1999 have had to have broken parts of plastic toys pulled out of the soles of their feet. 18 Irish had serious burns in 2000 trying on a new jumper with a lit cigarette in their mouth. A massive 543 Irish were admitted to A&E in the last two years after opening bottles of beer with their teeth. 5 Irish were injured last year in accidents involving out of control Scalextric cars. AND finally......... In 2000, 8 Irish cracked their skull whilst throwing up into the toilet!
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Do married people live longer than single ones or does it only seem longer? If someone with a split personality threatens to commit suicide, is it a hostage situation? Do you cry under water? How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered? If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches? Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
Amazing Facts • • • • • •
If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. (Hardly seems worth it.) If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb. (Now that's more like it!) The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out of the body to squirt blood 30 feet. A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes. (In my next life, I want to be a pig.) A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death. (Creepy.) (I'm still not over the pig.) Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour. (Do not try this at home...... maybe at work.)
INTERESTING POINTS
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Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle? Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection? Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard? Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him? Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets? Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"? What is the speed of darkness? Are there specially reserved parking spaces for "normal" people at the Special Olympics? If you send someone 'Styrofoam', how do you pack it? If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be? If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes? If it's true that we are here to help others, what are the others doing here?
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The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off. The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field. (30 minutes... lucky pig... can you imagine??) The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds. Some lions mate over 50 times a day. (I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)
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Butterflies taste with their feet. (Something I always wanted to know.) Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people. (If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?) Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump. A cat's urine glows under a black light. (I wonder who was paid to figure that out?) An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain. (I know some people like that.) Starfish have no brains. (I know some people like that too.) Polar bears are left-handed. (If they switch, they'll live a lot longer.) Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure. (What about that pig??)
citsu september 2006 D J T T A S R S W M A Z L B N
A G E I I Z I R T E B S F F E
X E C C Q N J H N N P T B C W
E I H I W M S I Y Y E U V H L
G C N L M E L T R A I D W I U
E O O P U N L E I L J E U R X
W F L X O S B C D T E N W T Q
N R O E P M T I O K U T T B S
O C G P E Z N I U M K T D K Y
I N Y T D G A J C K E Z E D L
N Q P S O C I E T I E S Y D V
U E C X A J R C E N T R E I I
S R E H S E R F G J Y A B B K
Y T I L B R K R O C G A T F M
D C M D R W Z P I F Q X H F S
SEPTEMBER EXPLICIT WELCOME FRESHERS SOCIETIES WEEK CORK INSTITUTE TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS UNION STUDENT CENTRE BUILDING NEW CITSU ONLINE
This Month’s Prize: € 3 0
Competition Closes 5pm Monday 8th October 2007 Winner will be announced here next month.
Competition Rules: All Entries to be returned by deadline to the CITSU Office, 1st Floor Student Centre on official form. Open to CIT Students only and one entry per student.
BUILDING CENTRE CITSU CORK EXPLICIT
www.fingertime.com - puzzle 001-5
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www.fingertime.com - puzzle 001-2
www.fingertime.com - puzzle 001-3
Youth tickets available at â‚Ź15 for performances on 3rd, 5th, 6th October.* Fill in the grid, ensuring that each column and row and every 3 x 3 box contains the numbers 1-9. (The same number cannot appear twice in any row, column or 3 x 3 box at any time). Return in Envelope with Name / Contact Details to enter draw for one of eight double passes for Gate Cinema / Cinema World.
*Limited to two tickets per person. Both tickets must be used by patrons 26 years of age or under with valid photo ID.