Gair Rhydd 1040 - 8 Dec 2014

gair rhydd

In this week’s issue: What happens to your body when you eat a christmas dinner, News Year’s Eve hype, BUCS results, the Autumn Statement in brief, and a summary of this year’s world news

Police weed out Cathays drug factories

• Police raid three cannabis factories in two days

T•

PLUS:

Students conned by “deaf-mute” scam (page 6)

hree cannabis factories were discovered by police last week in a series of raids undertaken by local police.

At approximately 2pm on December 4th, police surrounded 24 and 26 Glynrhondda Street, and had cleared the scene by 6pm. A black police vehicle, thought to be an armed response unit, was also at the scene, located just a stone’s throw from the Students’ Union.

e next day, police were forced to batter down a plywood barrier to gain access to a separate factory on Miskin

Street, less than 100 yards away from the sites on Glynrhondda Street.

Police revealed to Gair Rhydd that residents of the Glynrhondda properties had illegally by-passed their electric meter. Western Power were called to the scene before police were able to enter the property to ensure officers were not in danger of electrocution.

Once it was confirmed that the properties were safe to enter, police began removing the plants and growing equipment from the two three-storey houses.

An officer reportedly stated that the Glynrhondda properties contained the biggest haul of cannabis they had ever come across in Cardiff.

e removal took place over a period of two hours. Students watched on as officers loaded large bags of cannabis and in excess of 50 lamps into a rental van outside the property.

A search advisor at the scene detailed the procedure, informing Gair Rhydd that the property would be stripped and search for prints. A selection of the plants and equipment would be taken

to a lab for further investigation and the remainder destroyed.

Police reportedly discovered the Glynrhondda factory late on Wednesday night whilst following up a separate enquiry.

Speaking to Gair Rhydd, neighbours and students of Cardiff University commented that they had heard a lot of noise in the area at around 3am but had assumed it was “just drunk students getting in to trouble after a night out”.

ey were shocked to hear the true nature of the investigation.

Continued on page 6

Georgia Hamer

Olivier van den Bent-Kelly

Anna Lewis

Pictured: e police raid in progress

(Photographer: Sum Sze Tam)

THE FREE WORD

EDITOR

Michael O’Connell-Davidson

DEPUTY

EDITOR

Georgia Hamer

GAIR

RHYDD CO-ORDINATOR

Elaine Morgan

NEWS

Georgia Hamer

Katie Evans

Alexander Norton

Anna Lewis

ADVICE

Kirsty Fardell

COMMENT

Anne Porter

Olivier van den Bent-Kelly

COLUMNIST

Jason Roberts

POLITICS

Carwyn Williams

Lauren Boyd

Rhiannon Tapp

SCIENCE

Shanna Hamilton

Meryon Roderick

SOCIETIES

Hannah Sterritt

PARK LIFE

Tim Nagle

TAF-OD

Steffan Bryn Jones

Morgan Owen

SPORT

David Hooson

Rory Benson

Joe Atkinson

PRODUCTION

EDITOR

Sum Sze Tam

Want to join the team?

Editorial conferences are each monday at 5PM. Proofreading takes place on Thursdays at 6PM in the media office during print weeks.

Write us a letter letters@gairrhydd.com Tweet us: @gairrhydd Online at: gairrhydd.com

Coming to a close

The end of the year is always a weird time in the Gair Rhydd office. I’ve been here for nearly three years now, and it’s been a strange journey that’s only really set to get stranger. On the one hand, I feel like recapping everything we’ve done so far. On the other, in the face of a dwindling number of remaining issues, I am reminded of all we have left to do.

Some of the content in this issue is evergreen, with Katja Bertelsmann’s piece on European immigrants on page 18 being a particular highlight, but I guess I should apologise in advance to anybody picking up this issue in the new year. Doubtless, the December 8th issue will persist into mid-January until we print again, and all the Christmas themed articles will no longer be relevant; in fact, they’ll probably be unwelcome in the eyes of everybody who’s trying to forget how much turkey they ate over the Christmas holidays. We’ve done our best to minimise all of the Christmas content with this reality in mind. Equally, we appreciate that Cardiff’s a very multicultural university, and not everybody celebrates Christmas or affords it the same importance as the flurry of John Lewis adverts would have you believe. Notwithstanding any cultural boundaries, some people just don’t give a shit (and I’d count myself among those people, to be quite honest).

In the time between now and when we next go to print, we’ll have made some major changes on the web front and to the print version more generally. I’m going to talk about the former in my next editorial; for now, though, I’d like to take this opportunity to reflect on the stories we’ve broken this year.

I’d hazard we’ve done a good job, thanks to a super

strong news team: we’ve revealed that a majority of Cardiff students have tried drugs and use them regularly, meaning this week’s front page probably isn’t much of a surprise; we broke the news that Westminster had quietly released plans to charge international students to use the NHS (which a journalist at the Independent later confirmed was a national exclusive, as far as he was concerned, but an International Students’ Officer in Bath also raised concerns); we talked about how social media and (very reasonable) confidentiality rules at the Heath made people feel like they couldn’t share their (also very reasonable) concerns about placements.

On top of those stories, we revealed how Dapper Laughs fans had undertaken a campaign of slutshaming against Georgia Lubrani and other women at Cardiff University in response to a petition to have the comedian’s gig cancelled; we shared details of an alleged conspiracy between rogue taxi drivers and thieves, where drivers were sharing details of when houses were empty after pre-drinks with robbers so they could assail the unattended house, and with the assistance of People and Planet, we broke the eyewatering amount Cardiff Uni has invested in fossil fuels. Those are just some of the exclusives we’ve printed, and those are just during my tenure as editor.

This issue, I had hoped to include a feature about the redesign - because if nothing else, it was the first time the Gair Rhydd masthead had changed in approximately two decades - but we’ve had to push that back to next year because of time constraints. Doubtless we could’ve rushed it out, but that’s not

really how we do things around here; if it was, I and other members of the team wouldn’t still be in the office at 4AM.

That feature will come in January, along with a whole host of other changes. It’s my hope that we can restore Gair Rhydd to its mid-2000s glory days, when it was winning awards year on year. And I think we can do it. We have the right team, and we have the right news base going forward; it’s an election year, we’re in a capital city, and the world is in a funny sort of turmoil. For better or for worse -- and for many, it’s just for worse -- there’s a lot for us to cover.

A lot of people view newspapers and other media as the first draft of history. I don’t think Gair Rhydd is anything that grand on a global or even national level. But as far as Cardiff University goes, it’s a representation of at least what some of this generation of Cardiff students are thinking about and what they’re being made to think about. I can’t really comprehend what the students of 2054 will think looking at us, but I’d like to imagine - with your permission - that we’re thinking about the right things, and that as far as us “millennials” go, we’re not a bad bunch. If the world’s in our hands, I think we’ll do alright. And that message, unlike our New Year’s Eve for and against, should stand the test of time -- whether you’re picking this up in January 2015 or 2025. If you’ve yet to go home for the holidays, then wherever your home may be, I hope you have great break. If you’ve come back and you’re reading this, then I hope you had a great time, and that you’ll join us in setting a first class agenda this year and making this paper even better.

What do you think about our website?

Last week it was distribution. This week, it’s the internet. Let’s talk about everybody’s favourite series of tubes, and how we can make it better.

While there’s a lot of things wrong with the webhow it’s a breeding ground for all sorts of nastiness, how it’s easily weaponised by the intellectually unscrupulous - it’s probably one of greatest utilities humanity has given birth to. It’s not electricity or fresh water, but it’s the mental equivalent.

We have a website, as the folios (the bit at the top of the pages with our twitter names and so on) will happily remind you. To be blunt: it’s not very good. Not in terms of the technical backend or anything, but in terms of content. It’s not been updated since last year, for starters, and previous Gair Rhydd teams have only really viewed it as a dumping ground.

The web is an excellent place for editorial, and silicon valley has given storytellers more tools than Johannes Gutenberg, but we’ve barely used it.

That’s going to change in the new year. Quench did a trial run earlier in the year with a 10,000 word investigation into mental health services at Cardiff University; it got nominated for a national award, and the viewing figures were proof that there exists a real ap-

petite for that sort of content.

We’ve laid the foundations for a digital newsroom, and in the new year, we’re hoping to bring our audience a new way to consume content. We’ve got some of the best volunteers in the country on our editorial team, so we have the brainpower - we just need to use the tools.

It’s my vision that gairrhydd.com will start to function as an independent publication, rather than existing in tandem or behind the print version of Gair Rhydd. I look forward to the day that we compete with competition like the Tab (who, unlike a lot of student newspaper editors, I greatly admire) in the digital space, because right now, we don’t. That isn’t self deprecation, either: it’s the truth. (For our broadsheet minded readers, don’t worry - the day I run a Bachelor of the Week feature is the day my team overthrow me)

We can’t afford our competition a monopoly over the internet. We might be competing for a different audience, but people don’t even have the opportunity to pick gairrhydd.com as an alternative. So that’s going to change. It has to change.

I should clarify that this is in no way a signal that Gair Rhydd is moving away from print media, because it’s not. I love print, and I’ve taken a weird sense of

pride in being a part of it for as long as I can remember. Gair Rhydd will be in print weekly for as long as I’m the editor, and I’d like to think we’ve earned our place on campus and on the budget sheet. Instead, it’s a signal we’re moving into the 21st century. We’ve given people incredible opportunities in one space; now that everything’s calmed down, it’s time to give them opportunities in another.

If you want to be a part of this, please email me at editor@gairrhydd.com. This newspaper is only as strong as its volunteer staff, and we need people who’re as passionate about the web as we are. As far as our digital content strategy goes, it’s a bit chicken and egg, because I predict people won’t want to get involved until they actually see some movement. But if you’re willing to put a little faith in us, I believe you’ll see it rewarded.

Equally, if you don’t have the time to contribute, but you’d still like to give us some feedback, send an email to that same address and tell me what you want to see. Readers are just as important as volunteers, and your thoughts perhaps moreso, so please get in touch and we’ll see what we can do - and endeavour to explain what we can’t.

At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards. If you believe we have fallen below these standards, please email editor@gairrhydd.com You can view our Ethical Policy Statement and Complaints Procedure at www.cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/ complaints Opinions expressed in editorials are not reflective of Cardiff Students’ Union, who act as the publisher of Gair

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

In issue 1039, dated December 1, in an article entitled “University caught out over role of University Court,” we gave the chancellor’s name as “Sir Martin Lewis,” as opposed to “Sir Martin Evans.” Martin Lewis is the founder of Moneysavingexpert, and has not been knighted. Martin Evans, on the other hand, is a Nobel laureate, the namesake of the Biosci building, and the actual chancellor.

The writer and editors in question have been notified of the error and the wider team will endeavour to make sure this does not happen again. We apologise for the error. Online editions have been amended.

In issue 1039, dated December 1, in an article entitled “HIV Immune minority holds key to wider cure,” we incorrectly referred to HIV as “homo immunodeficiency virus.” The correct name of the disease is “human immunodeficiency virus.” To be blunt: this error is offensive on multiple levels, and extremely regrettable.

The writer and editors in question have been notified of the error and the wider team will endeavour to make sure this does not happen again. We apologise for the error. Online editions have been amended.

Campus In Brief

Joe Atkinson

The Student Senate met last week to discuss four motions, with two passing and two failing. In an attempt to prevent a repeat of last month’s cancellation of ‘comedian’ Dapper Laughs’ show, which was judged to go against the Union’s ‘anti-lad policy’, the Senate voted to increase ties between the Union’s commercial team and general Union policy.

Also passed was a motion to provide students with more ‘growing space’ for fruit and veg, while motions to effectively outlaw the use of costumes in Union elections and to have a referendum over the decision to not have a full-time Welsh Language Officer were both voted down.

Local police sent out a warning to remind students of the threat of burglaries over the Christmas period. The issue was highlighted in South Wales Police’s ‘All I want for Christmas’ campaign, and students are being encouraged to take care to lock up and hide valuables when going home for the festive period.

Cathays maintained its campaign to become the marijuana capital of the country as a police raid on two properties on Glynrhondda Street behind the Student’s Union uncovered adjacent cannabis factories in the houses that lie in Cardiff ’s student heartland. A further property on Miskin Street was raided the following day.

It emerged that people claiming to be deaf-mute have been conning Cardiff residents out of their money. The perpetrators have been asking people, including Cardiff Uni students, for contributions on the basis that they are both deaf and unable to speak, but numerous accounts have found them to be faking, and the police have identified a number of persons of interest.

Cardiff University marked World AIDS Day last week, with the campus’ main building adorned in red light on the evening of December 1st. The Union’s LGBT+ society and sexual health society SHAG also ran awareness activities and events to mark the day. Finally, Cardiff Genetics pioneer Professor Mike Owen was awarded a well-deserved knighthood for services to Psychiatry and Neuroscience.

NATIONAL

Five people were arrested in the Adamstown area of Cardiff and in Barry under the Terrorism Act, prompting South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Holland to insist that the Welsh Capital is not a “hotbed of terrorism”.

George Osborne announced the Autumn Statement with a further £55billion of cuts forecast to come by the financial year 2019-20. There was good news for potential postgraduate students, with £50million made available to fund £10,000 postgrad courses for students under the age of 30 from 2016-17.

Meanwhile, Nigel Farage was busy filming a Channel 4 show (set for broadcast on December 15th) in which he and Gogglebox pair Steph and Dom Parker basically got really drunk, with the UKIP leader reportedly “falling over and having to borrow a pair of the host’s trousers”. And people say politics has become trivial and populist...

But back to the Autumn Statement, and there were plans announced to implement driverless car projects in four English cities; Greenwich, Bristol, Coventry and Milton Keynes. The three schemes; Venturer, Autodrive and Gateway, will test the capabilities of the cars, which are hoped to ease congestion and improve safety significantly.

Another revolutionary road safety campaign was launched this week, one even more eagerly anticipated than driverless cars; ‘sexy’ lollipop patrols. This was part of an awareness campaign aimed at young people (who may have had a drink) who are more likely to cross the road unaccompanied and risk serious injury or even death. While a reported 40% of people crossed unaccompanied with regular patrols, this figure went down to just 8% with the scantily dressed models leading them over the road.

The 24th Bond film, named ‘Spectre’, was unveiled by returning director Sam Mendes, with new cast members including Oscar winner Christoph Waltz and Sherlock star Andrew Scott, as well as incumbent Bond Daniel Craig.

WORLD

Australia cricket captain Michael Clarke was among the speakers at the funeral of teammate Phillip Hughes, whose death on the field of play has reverberated around the world of sport. Around five thousand people attended the batsman’s funeral, and a state memorial is being planned as well.

It has been announced that as we come to the end of the year, 2014 could well be the Earth’s hottest since records began, once again raising concerns about the effects of global warming and the planet’s carbon dioxide output. In other news, Cardiff remains cold.

With American policing under the microscope, yet another incident has threatened to incite public outrage alongside the events in Ferguson, as a New York police officer was indicted for putting an African-American man in a ‘chokehold’. Major reform has been suggested to policing, but there is a strong feeling that attitudes as well as methods need to change.

Russia looks on the brink of recession, as globally admired president Vladimir Putin urged his nation to become self-reliant and prepare for tough times ahead in his state of the nation address. Putin accused Western countries of trying to erect a new ‘iron curtain’ around his country.

A US court has ruled that a chimpanzee (which, by matter of fact, is not a human) does not have human rights, much to the disdain of The Nonhuman Rights Project. The court decided that because the animal “cannot bear any legal duties” then it could not possibly be classified as a “legal person”. Who’d have thought it?

Gangnam Style managed to break YouTube, with the website having to reset its maximum view count to nine quintillion, after the Psy hit broke previous maximum of 2,147,483,647. If a YouTube video ever does reach nine quintillion views, it may be time for humanity to be reset as well.

Professor Mike Owen, who was awarded a knighthood this week

(Photographer: Cardiff University)

Pictured:

2014 THE YEAR IN REVIEW

The year in Gair Rhydd Headlines

1019 - January 27th

‘Criticism of high salaries for Cardiff University staff’

1020 - February 3rd

‘Cardiff Applicants wrongly rejected’

1021 - February 10th

‘Multi-Million pound renovation gets approval’

1022 - February 17th

‘Varsity Launch’

1023 - February 24th

‘Living Wage Success’

1024 - March 3rd

‘Cardiff Uni to give students

Microsoft Office for free’

1025 - March 24th

Election results: full coverage

January

e university year began with another University and College Union strike, following their strikes the preceding October and December. e strikes were a response to union members’ pay falling in real terms, while top university employees have seen their pay rise. January was also the month which saw David Silvester, a UKIP councillor in Oxfordshire, suspended from the party for blaming the UK floods of that month on the government’s decision to legalise gay marriage. He claimed that David Cameron was “acting arrogantly against the gospel.” Israeli statesman Ariel Sharon, a crucial figure in Israeli affairs ever since the state’s creation in 1948, passed away in this month. Having risen through the ranks of the Israeli Army, he then entered the political sphere and became Israel’s Prime Minister in 2001, pushing through Israel’s unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip during his tenure.

February

In February of this year, Oscar Pistorius shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead in his Pretoria home. e month also saw the Winter Olympics held in the Russian city of Sochi amid controversy over the Putin regime, with particular concern over its attitudes towards homosexuality. While there were calls for boycotts within some nations, a record 88 nations

sent teams to the Games. Lizzy Yarnold claimed victory for Britain in the women’s skeleton, and her gold was backed up by silver for our men’s curling team and bronze for the women’s team. In University sport, beloved Head of Rugby Martyn Fowler announced his resignation, taking effect after April’s Varsity encounter with Swansea. ere was much excitement among students as the new Doctor, Peter Capaldi, filmed scenes for Doctor Who around Cardiff city centre and the University campus. ere was also excitement for university staff as the University pledged to pay all staff members at least the ‘living wage’ of £7.54. Gair Rhydd also reported on the death of a Cardiff man that was linked to the ‘Neknominate’ social media trend.

March

An unofficial referendum held this March in Crimea supposedly saw 95.5 per cent of voters ‘back the union of Russia’. Many Crimeans loyal to Ukraine had boycotted the referendum, with both the European Union and the United States condemning it as illegal. e first same-sex marriages took place in Britain, following Parliament’s vote in favour of this in July 2013. In the first three months, 1,409 same-sex couples were married and now enjoy the same legal status as married heterosexual couples. In the Students’ Union, elections took place to decide who would run the Union for the 2014/15 academic year. e total number of voters was 6,786, which represented 23.4 per cent of Cardiff University students. Seven full-time sabbatical officers and eight part-time campaign officers were elected and took up their positions in June. Long-serving Labour MP and former cabinet minister Tony Benn passed away in March aged 88, after a political career spanning 51 years.

April

April saw the highlight of the University sport calendar, as Cardiff once again welcomed Swansea for the Welsh Varsity. is year’s event was bigger than ever, with 31 sports in total and the rugby once again the climax of the day at the Millennium Stadium. While Swansea won the rugby for the second year in a row, Cardiff won 23 of the sports contested to retain the Varsity Shield, with many dominant victories along the way. e last-ever Lash was held after Varsity, with the Union’s reconstruction beginning immediately afterwards and Solus making way for Y Plas, while the Union’s flagship club night renamed ‘YOLO’. Earlier in the month, Gair Rhydd reported on the four-hour Senate meeting, which was rendered futile due to its poor attendance. Nationally, April’s headlines were grabbed by the death of Peaches Geldof, which was later attributed to a heroin overdose. Geldof was survived by her husband and two sons.

May

May didn’t start auspiciously for Cardiff University, with the failed appointment of Welsh comedian Griff Rhys Jones as the institution’s Chancellor. However, the debacle was swiftly forgotten as under-fire Labour leader Ed Miliband made a visit to Cardiff – and gave an exclusive interview to Gair Rhydd. He insisted that he offered “good answers for the people of Wales”. Electoral success failed to follow, with his party finishing second behind UKIP as the eurosceptics won twenty-four seats and more than four million votes in the European Parliamentary elections, their first victory in a national election. Elsewhere, the world’s largest democracy went to the polls in India’s general election, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was arrested (and subsequently released) in connection with the 1972 murder of Jean McConville and the world’s most expensive footballer Gareth Bale scored in extra time to inspire Real Madrid to a record tenth European Cup.

June

As students were celebrating the end of exams and the start of the summer recess, the FIFA World Cup got underway in Brazil, where Germany were the eventual winners and England put in a dismal display. Meanwhile, Rolf Harris’ six-week trial was concluded in London with him being sentenced to five years and nine months of imprisonment. In the Middle East, ISIS made significant gains, including taking control of the large Iraqi city of Mosul, and proclaiming a ‘worldwide caliphate’. In Spain, King Juan Carlos abdicated in favour of his son, who became King Felipe VI. Democracy continued to dominate the political conversation in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy group Occupy

Central held an unofficial referendum, with 90 per cent of voters endorsing citizens’ right to have a say in who leads them.

July

In July, former government Director of Communications Andy Coulson was one of four News of the World journalists jailed for their involvement in the phone-hacking scandal, with Rebekah Brooks and others having already been cleared of all charges. After an alleged fall-out between Education Secretary Michael Gove and Home Secretary eresa May, David Cameron carried out a cabinet reshuffle, with Gove moved to Chief Whip and Nicky Morgan replacing him. Stephen Crabb was made Welsh Secretary as part of the reshuffle. Elsewhere, the Church of England’s general synod – which includes groups of bishops, clergy and laity – voted to begin ordaining women bishops. e Tour de France grand depart was held in Leeds, with the first three stages of this year’s Tour being held entirely in parts of England.

August

e first week of August saw the conclusion of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with an impressive two medals won by Cardiff University students. Representing Wales, Natalie Powell brought home one of five gold medals won in the women’s under 78kg judo category, whilst Sally Peake gained silver in the pole vault. Had the University entered the tournament as a separate nation in the competition, it would have been placed 18th in the medals table, above Bangladesh and Pakistan. In world news, August saw ISIS take control of the largest damn in Iraq, located in the Mosul. As a result, the US announced

2014 YEAR IN REVIEW

its decision to enforce a limited airstrike against ISIS. In response to the airstrike, American journalist James Foley was beheaded, and threats were issued to kill fellow captive Steven Sotloff. In Ukraine, rebels lost former strongholds in Lubansk and Donetsk as government troops regained significant amounts of land. Despite discussions between Proshenko and Putin to end the conflict, NATO images revealed that Russia sent 1,000 troops into Ukraine less than two days later.

September

Following a multi-million pound redevelopment over summer, the newly transformed Union reopened its doors. Solus greeted this year’s new fresher’s with a different name – Y Plas. This translates, highly imaginatively, into Welsh for ‘The Mansion’ (not ‘The Place’, as commonly believed). A mezzanine level has been put into Y Plas, creating a whole new space. The old second floor has been completely redeveloped, with new food outlets, and Solus is unrecognisable. Cardiff University’s legendary club night – ‘The Lash’ gained a controversial new nickname – YOLO. Second and third years remain in mourning.

October

is month saw the sentencing of Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius to five years in prison. Convicted of culpable homicide, this was the day of the year when we all became experts on South African law. ere were calls for his sentence to be lengthened because it is possible that he may be released from prison within ten months – and not just from the victim’s family. Such a high profile case undeniably draws attention away from the fact that someone has

died. We should not forget that there is a victim in this whole situation, not just the fact that she was the victim of Oscar Pistorius. May justice be served to the victim and her family, and Oscar Pistorius serve his time for the crime that he committed.

November

e build-up to the festive season brought with it Black Friday, which brought $9 billion in shops around the US this year, with many more UK retailers buying into the Black Friday concept in order to sell thousands of products. On a less festive note, on November 24th a grand jury in the US decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for shooting Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man, in Ferguson, Missouri. is led to peaceful protests as well as rioting and vandalism across the United States. Closer to home, Cardiff University students backed a petition to cancel Dapper Laughs’ proposed gig in the Students’ Union, due to his “trivialisation of rape, unprotected sex and dehumanising of women”. November also brought about this year’s Student Members’ AGM, in which a motion to make the Student’s Union a pro-choice institution was rejected and motions to create a full-time VP Postgraduate Students position and to abolish the VP Media and Marketing position were passed.

December and 2015

It’s hard to predict the future - if we could, finding front pages would go from an occasional struggle to a breeze - but there’s plenty to look forward to in what remains of this year and the year that follows.

Sure, New Year’s Eve can be an overpriced charade (see page 13), and it’s really hard to stick to any resolutions you might make. But in terms of the university, many of you will be graduating next year, and you’ll embark on the first year of real life. To entertain you along the way, there’s Varsity and the student elections; the latter will, if nothing else, be a period of mild irritation for largely uninterested students.

Equally, a large number of societies will already be planning for Go Global and the Cardiff Fringe, and the year-end balls for societies and the Athletic Union. And don’t get us started on the Media Awards.

It’s also hard to forget that next year is a general election year. It’s hard to overstate how important voting is, so make sure you ignore Russell Brand, get registered, and make your voice heard.

We’ll be back next year in mid-January, with a planned overhaul of the way we tell stories onlineso stay tuned, and see you in the new year! ■

1026 - March 31st

‘Lecture recording scheme approved’

1027 - April 7th

‘Student senate SHAMBLES’

1028 - May 5th

‘No chance-llor!’

1029 - May 12th

Ed Miliband Interview

1030 - May 19th

‘Cardiff prepares to vote’

1031 - May 26th

‘Officers under scrutiny’

1032 - September 15th

‘Union completes £3million development’

1033 - October 13th

‘High marks: Student drug use revealed’

1034 - October 20th

‘International students to pay NHS fees’

1035 - October 27th

‘Heath students hit by Welsh NHS ‘crisis’’

1036 - November 3rd

‘Cardiff thieves targeting predrinks’

1037 - November 10th

‘Dapper Laughs and fans ‘abuse’ students’

1038 - November 24th

‘“Cardiff Student” sighted in ISIS video’

1039 - December 1st

‘Cardiff Uni “in bed with oil and gas”’

In particular, the editorial team would like to thank: e 13/14 editorial team, Tom Eden, Elaine Morgan, Andy Williams, John Jewell, Duncan Bloy, Martyn Fowler, Steve Wilford, Elliot Howells and the officer team, Johannes Laubmeier, Frances Richards for their help on this issue’s police stories, and everybody who tweeted or emailed us their honest support or sardonic opinions.

Continued on front page

PIt

EXCLUSIVE:

Alexander Norton

Katie Evans

has now emerged that the people behind the scam are not in fact impaired in any way

Anna Lewis

tweet us @gairrhyddnews

email us news@gairrhydd.com or visit us online at gairrhydd.com/news/

Police weed out Cathays

olice commented that the “entire [Glynrhondda property] had been converted” into a drugs factory”.

“Equipment was found in every room and every floor of each building.”

The force confirmed that arrests have been made but were unable to confirm how many individuals were involved.

While it is assumed that the two properties were linked they were unable to confirm this without further investigation.

There is less information about the raid on Miskin street, and nothing to suggest that the two sites are related.

The raids comes just a month after a 150-plant cannabis factory was found

on the corner of Fairoak Road and Crwys Road, also in Cathays.

Fire crews stumbled across the factory after rushing in to fight a blaze.

In reference to the event Cathays councillor, Chris Weaver, commented that the fire “shows the danger of these illegal factories and the police need to be vigilant about where they are.”

Police noted that as a student area, Cathays is a prime location for cannabis factories and similar instances were reported last year.

“Student houses are cheap, easy to rent and residents in the area tend to ask minimal questions,” an officer said.

drug factories

Students scammed by ‘deaf and mute’ campaigners

Police investigating two individuals collecting for fictional charity

Students are have been warned to be vigilant in the wake of a new charity scam which has been targeting students around Cardiff University’s Cathays campus.

A number of students had reported being approached by people purporting to be representatives of the ‘Deaf and Mute Association’, a fictional charitable organisation.

They then encouraged students and the general public alike to give money by making various physical gestures, including pointing repeatedly at their mouths and then at the sign-up forms and collection boxes they were carrying.

However, it has now emerged that the people behind the scam are not in fact impaired in any way – but are instead reported to be a small group of immigrants of Eastern European origin.

Their method of communication can be attributed to an inability to speak English, hence the adoption of a deaf-mute persona in order to raise money without having to speak to those they are appealing to.

Incidents of this nature have long been prevalent in major cities across Europe, and have received media attention in London and Manchester in recent years.

However, this is the first time the scam has been known to target the

Welsh capital – and Cardiff University students are amongst those most at risk, according to police.

A Cardiff University student, who wished not to be quoted, tipped off Gair Rhydd about the scam. They claimed that they saw the alleged scammers three times; first on The Parade outside of the Physics and Astronomy school, and then twice on the junction outside of the Woodville Pub.

The scammers operated in pairs. Gair Rhydd has received the reports of a pair of girls as well as a boy and a girl. The pairs approached people with a clipboard, which claimed to be collecting money for the Deaf and Mute association.

They are alleged to have approached students with a clipboard which at the top of the page claimed to be collecting money to construct a new building for the charity.

Lewis Fawcett, a third year student who gave to the apparent beggars, also spoke to Gair Rhydd.

“I was shocked when I found out. I thought my £2.50 was going to a good cause and it made me feel good about myself. Now I know he took and used my money illegally.”

“I feel deeply hurt.”

Third year student, Sam Lloyd, also fell victim to the campaigners, handing

over a generous sum of £10.

“I feel like a right idiot now. It’s made me think twice about giving to charities in the future,” he said.

It later emerged that police are currently investigating two individuals in relation to “fraud offences”, although the stunt has not been reported to have recurred since November.

However, Police Student Liaison Officer Frances Richards warned students

to remain alert to the possibility of further instances of such scams.

“We want to make sure students are careful before parting with money. Reputable charity workers will have photographic identification and all known charities are registered, which can be easily verified.”

“We would also ask that any suspicious behaviour is reported to campus security or to the police via 101.”

Postgraduate loans set to be introduced in 2016

Apostgraduate loans system offering £10,000 for students is to take effect in 2016/17, Chancellor George Osborne has announced.

According to the government, the plans could increase the number of postgraduates by 10,000 a year and benefit 40,000 students. This will allow students from poorer backgrounds to gain further qualifications and “change lives” according to the Chancellor. However, the loans will only be made to students under the age of 30, therefore excluding mature students from applying for funding.

The decision will also affect those applying for postgraduate degrees for the next academic year, as 2014 will mark the

last year without the postgraduate loans. Until the loans are introduced, the Treasury has announced that the Higher Education Funding Council for England will allocate £50m to universities in 2015/16 to offer bursaries on a ‘matchfunded’ basis.

According to the Treasury document, the loans will be repaid “concurrently” with undergraduate loans, meaning that graduates will only repay their loans after earning over £21,000.

The details of the plan are still under consultation. However, the Treasury have suggested the possibility of structuring the loans with an interest rate of RPI plus three percent, repayable at 9 percent of earnings above £21,000.

This is significantly lower than rates currently offered by banks.

According to the Treasury document, the plans were announced in response to increasing demand for higher qualified employees and the need for social mobility.

In a statement in the House of Commons, George Osbourne said: “Today, I am going to revolutionise the support for our undergraduate systems.

“Until now there has been almost no financial support available, and the upfront costs of postgraduate degrees deter bright students from poorer backgrounds.

“So today, across all disciplines, we will make government-backed student

loans of up to £10,000 available, for the first time ever, to all young people undertaking postgrad master’s degrees.”

Despite previous suggestions within the government that loans be limited only to those studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects, the loans will be available across all postgraduate degrees.

Talking to the Independent, Dr Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group, said: “Postgraduates are critically important to the economy and society as a whole and the Chancellor is right to help ensure there are no barriers to participation in postgraduate taught study.

Pictured: Police loading plants and equipment into a hire van

Pictured: The Woodville pub around the area the scammers were sighted

Bronwen Weatherby

Cardiff University marks world AIDS day

Events held across campus in support of people living with HIV

The 1st December marked ‘International World AIDS Day’, with people, organisations and charities from across the globe showing their support for people living with HIV and paying respects to those who have died as a result of the virus.

This year, Cardiff University marked the day with a number of events, with students and representatives from ENFYS and Cardiff University’s LGBT+ association uniting to commemorate the lives of those affected by the virus, in addition to events organised by SHAG and Student Volunteering Centre.

Between 4.30pm and 8pm, Cardiff

Universities Main Building was lit in red to highlight the occasion. Following the lighting of the building, speeches were given on the lawn on HIV and AIDS, an event to which all were invited.

Around 35 million people were believed to be living with HIV by the end of 2013, with some 2.1 million people becoming newly infected and 1.5 million having died of AIDS-related causes.

Additional activities around Cardiff University included a free screening of Dallas Buyers Club and a panel discussion that included speakers, Sarah Fuhrmann (HIV & Hepatitis Action Wales, Terrence Higgins Trust

Cymru), Dr Lisa El Refaie (Centre for Language and Communication Research, School of English, Communication and Philosophy), and Professor Kerry Hood, Director of the South East Wales Trials.

The LGBT+ association and sexual health awareness group SHAG also had an interactive stall in the Students Union reception, where they gave information on World AIDS day and its importance, throughout the day and ribbon boxes were distributed across University cafes to encourage everyone to support the cause and raise awareness.

Held on the same day every year

since 1988, World AIDS day was the first global health day to be created. The focus of the day is to educate the public on the facts regarding the virus, and how to protect themselves and others from it, as studies show awareness of the virus has declined in the last decade despite tens of millions living with HIV today.

Cardiff University are among other universities such as Portsmouth and City of Bath, which contributed to the day, with a Cardiff University representative commenting, “We’re proud to be part of an international event to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS”.

Mistletoe and crime: Police warn of festive break-ins

Anna Lewis S

outh Wales Police have issued a warning to students urging them to remain vigilant about burglaries during the Christmas period.

Speaking to Gair Rhydd, Student Liaison Officer PCSO Fran Richards advised students to lock student accommodation before leaving for the holidays and take home any valuable items.

According to the police, students should take care to install good quality windows and doors, and keep them locked. Students are also advised not to leave valuables lying around where they can easily be seen.

Other advice offered to students

included asking neighbours and landlords to keep an eye on accommodation and push in any mail hanging from letterboxes. Police also warned against leaving packaging of expensive valuables outside houses after returning to Cardiff.

Working with Cardiff University Security, Cathays Neighbourhood Policing Team, Cardiff DIGS and the Police Student Volunteers, South Wales Police will be carrying out walkabouts throughout Cathays. During the walkabouts, teams will knocking on doors and speaking to students about securing their student properties.

“This partnership work is about

ensuring students are as safe as possible while they are living in Cardiff and keeping burglars away from the areaduring the holidays as well as in term time,” the Liaison Officer said.

“Burglary can be an extremely traumatic experience and South Wales Police is committed to preventing breakins and arresting those responsible

“Don’t let a few moments of thoughtlessness ruin your holidays!”

The police campaign follows in the wake of reported burglaries in Cathays during Fresher’s Week, with taxi-drivers and thieves allegedly co-operating in order to target empty student houses.

According to crime statistics in

central Cardiff, 86 burglaries took place in September 2014 compared to 57 in September 2013.

In the past, figures have revealed that over half of targeted student houses in Cardiff were left unlocked during the Christmas holidays, providing an ideal opportunity to thieves. According to statistics, in 2011 forty student properties were broken into during the festive break.

In response, previous police campaigns have included encouraging students to register their valuables on the free online property database

‘Immobilise’ as part of their ‘Lock It, Hide It, Keep It’ campaign’.

Exam timetables released earlier than scheduled

Around 35 million people were believed to be living with HIV by the end of 2013

Georgia Hamer

In response to student feedback, exam timetables were released earlier than specified – almost six weeks ahead of the first exam in January.

Rhys Jenkins, VP Education, promised the change as one of his Manifesto points, and stated that himself and VP Welfare, Faraz Alauddin, were “delighted that the team have managed to produced the timetable earlier than specified.”

“This gives Cardiff students a lot more time to prepare for exams, and find ways to balance revision with other coursework assignments.”

Last year the Union met with various departments within the University

that have input into the timetabling process to create a comprehensive report.

The report was presented to the University Union Partnership group and the University has committed to releasing timetables at least five weeks before the first day of the exam period.

It is hoped this can be extended to six weeks, in line with other Russell Group institutions.

Jenkins added that he has been “really encouraged to see how the University are listening to what students want, and acting upon the feedback that students had given.”

“This is a massive part of improving your experience at University.”

Pictured: Rhys Jenkins, VP Education

The fact that the Student Senate would deny students the right to have their say on any issue strikes me as both absurd and concerning.

Steffan Bryn Jones, Welsh language Officer

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email us news@gairrhydd.com or visit us online at gairrhydd.com/news/

Senate rejects Welsh language motion

Student Senate rejected the motion to hold a referendum on creating a full-time Welsh language officer position last week after meeting to discuss a range of motions.

The second Student Senate meeting of the year took place on Tuesday, December 2nd, to discuss motions including the position of LGBT+ Women’s Officer, Student Election campaign procedures as well as procedures to veto controversial acts booked to perform at the Union.

After struggling to meet the minimum number of voting members needed to begin, the Senate finally began 45 minutes late with Postgraduate Officer, Ollie Wannell, having to chair the meeting in the absence of an arranged chair.

The most heated discussion of the night came after part-time Welsh Language Officer, Steffan Bryn Jones, proposed a motion to hold a referendum on whether or not the Union should have a full-time Welsh Language Officer.

In his proposal, Jones stated that “the Students’ Union, like this Senate, exists to champion and further the student voice’, adding “The student voice should be heard at every possible opportunity.”

The officer justified the need for a referendum by explaining that it would act as “perfect vehicle to promote discussion around the issue”, and give everyone in the Union the chance to have their say in an act of “fundamental democracy”.

The motion failed by a slim majority, with eight votes to seven and two abstainers, due to fears that the proposed referendum would have a poor voter turnout, rendering the vote democratically unrepresentative of the student body. Rhys Jenkins, VP Education, opposed the motion on the basis that a referendum would not be the best platform to address the question of a Welsh language sabbatical officer and that not enough students would be impassioned enough to vote on the issue.

Speaking in the wake of voting results, Jones expressed his disappointment in the motion’s rejection. “This wasn’t a controversial motion. All we sought to do was give students an opportunity to have their voices heard. To have their say

in the exciting discussion around Welsh language provision.

“In my eyes, those arguing against this motion were actually arguing against democracy. The fact that the Student Senate would deny students the right to have their say on any issue strikes me as both absurd and concerning. To hear the Education Officer argue that this would only be of interest to Welsh speakers, and therefore should not be discussed, was particularly disappointing. That logic, if applied consistently, would deny any and all minorities the right to be heard.”

Jones added that he still intends to move forward with the proposal, adding “I’ll shortly be launching a petition to take this important issue to referendum and I’d encourage all students to sign it. Of course, if students disagree with the proposal, for any reason, they are welcome to vote against it. But first, let us have the debate.”

Speaking to Gair Rhydd, VP Education, Rhys Jenkins, said: “I opposed it on behalf of the entire officer team, as one of the voting senators.

“We had discussed it before hand and felt it was not appropriate to have a referendum on this issue. AGM would have been a far more appropriate decision making body to take it to as it has a cross section of students.”

He added: “I think it would have likely failed and thus they thought it better to take to a referendum, where those most interested would be 1500 fluent Welsh speakers, and the result wouldn’t be truly reflective of all students.”

“The officer team think that it isn’t necessary to have a full time Welsh Language Officer and the Welsh Language Charter could actually be achieved more efficiently by working with the current sabbatical team.”

Another motion that provoked lengthy debate was proposed by senator, Kate Delaney, who suggested an overhaul of student election campaign methods. In the motion, it was proposed that instead of the current £30 budget allocated to those running for position as a full time Officer, the Union would allocate set materials to each candidate including sweets, posters and specific campaign t-shirts which would hopefully discourage campaigns driven

According to Kate, this would allow the election campaigns to focus on political policies rather than on gimmicks and costumes, in order to provide a “level playing field for everyone” including those not comfortable dressing up for their campaign.

The motion failed with twelve senators voting to reject it and two abstainers. Amongst those who opposed the motion was VP Heath Park, Claire Blakeway who spoke on behalf of the current elected officers, stating that such a motion would “prevent creativity”.

“Often, costumes are the only way to engage people to come and talk to candidates”, Claire explained. “This would cause a lower voter turnout and would therefore be less democratic”.

Student Senator, Madhura Kanade, also opposed the motion and voted to reject it. When running for elections, Kanade explained: “you need to give students the chance to express themselves like they want to”. Without the usual gimmicks involved in the election campaigns, Kanade shared in the fear that there would be lower voter turnout, remarking, “to me, it doesn’t feel like a full democratic process if only twenty per cent of students are voting”.

Moreover, following the decision made at the last Senate to prevent Dapper Laugh’s from performing at the Student’s Union, Women’s Officer Laura Carter proposed that the Union’s commercial team hold background research on external bookings to ensure performers do not conflict with any current policies to prevent another Dapper Laughs-style debacle.

Speaking to the Senate, Carter remarked: “The process concerning Dapper Laughs was very ambiguous and vague. We should have a clear system in place should the same situation arise.”

However, Laura did concede that it is not possible to vet an external booking of the Union before confirmation of the event. This is due to the time delay in details released about the performer in question.

On behalf of the elected officers, VP Education Officer, Rhys Jenkins, spoke in favour of the motion, describing it as “very sensible and very wise”.

Events and acts booked to perform in the Union would be judged on their appropriateness on a case-by-case basis to ensure they adhere to the Union’s ‘Anti-lad’ and ‘Zero Tolerance’ policies.

Another motion to pass asked the Union to support the creation of a ‘growing space’ to encourage students to grow their own food. Proposed by Emma Longhust-Gent, the motion also suggested that the Union create a formal review of available spaces around the University campus, including roof areas, to determine possible locations for the growing space.

The last motion of the meeting to amend the LGBT+ Officer position to include a LGBT+ Women’s Officer role, following the decision at the AGM to take the matter to the Student Senate, passed with all votes in favour bar two abstainers.

However, it was decided to amend the motion so that, whilst the LGBT+ Officer position occupy two seats on the Student Senate, they would both share only one vote.

SUMMARY OF MOTIONS

External booking for SU venues should not conflict with Union policies Approved

Growing space for fruit and vegetables Approved

Build on encouraging less gimmicky election campaigns Rejected

Hold referendum for full-time Welsh Language Officer Rejected

Greater Representation of LGBT+ Women in the Union Approved

by costumes and gimmicks.

Anna Lewis

Katie Evans

Pictured: Student Senate meeting (Photographer: Jess McFarlane)

Kirsty Fardell

ADVICE

Welcome to our Advice section, where we bring you tips for surviving Cardiff university life email us: advice@gairrhydd.com

What does it take to run for election?

Fancy governing the union for a year, or representing a cause you care about as an elected officer? Here’s how

EThere are now seven full-time officers and nine part-time officers

very year, Cardiff Students’ Union holds elections for a number of positions. Some of these are part- time officers which represent the interests of certain student groups, but students also elect a team of full-time sabbatical officers to fill six “Vice-President” positions, as well as the President of the Students’ Union. To stand for election, you have to be a student at the time of elections, so it’s OK if you’re graduating this year and you’d like to try your hand at leading the Students’ Union.

All of the Vice-President’s work from the third-floor office in the Students’ Union (alongside other administrators and directors), and are expected to work full time. Part-time officers, on the other hand, conduct their positions alongside their studies, with nine different positions available. Nominations opened on November 28th and close on February 5th, and the voting period is between 23rd-27th February. Any student is eligible to run including those who are part-time, international, mature and Heath-based.

What the positions involve

e full-time elected officer team (colloquially referred to as ‘Sabbs’) is comprised of the Vice-Presidents for Welfare, Education, Heath Park, Sports and Athletic Union, Societies, and the Students Union President, who chairs the wider team. At AGM, a motion was passed to introduce a Postgraduate Students VP, which will commence alongside the new sabbatical officers this year, bringing the team up to a total of seven. During the meeting, a motion

was also passed to remove the position of VP Media and Marketing.

e SU President acts as a key link to the University’s Vice Chancellor, ProVice Chancellors, Council and Senate, as well as other organisations including the NUS in Wales and the UK. ey are also the chair of the Board of Directors and Trustees, and have significant responsibility for the financial standing and business performance of the SU. In the last few years, SU Presidents have typically already spent a year as an elected officer of a different kind, so we asked the current SU President, Elliot Howells, whether that was essential for the role.

Do you have to be a sabb first to secure the role? “It is helpful, as with anything in life, but I wouldn’t say it’s essential. I think previous officers will often run because they’ve worked closely with the SU President for that year and have a sound idea of the role and its re-

What do you think? Have your say: advice@ gairrhydd. com

sponsibilities.” Don’t be put off, then, if you want to shoot straight for the top.

So far, Elliot has introduced an app that gives students discounts to the outlets within the SU and organised trials for a University Challenge team.

e Welfare officer liaises between the Union and the University on nonacademic issues relating to the student lifestyle and experience. is includes your housing, finance, mental and sexual health, safety and transport needs.

e officer also works with stakeholders in the local community to ensure that students have a say in what happens in the student living areas of Cardiff and the city as a whole.

Faraz Alauddin, current Welfare Officer, has so far built upon the Safe Taxi Scheme with Dragon Taxis and is looking at implementing a substance awareness policy.

e Sports and Athletic Union President act to champion sports within the

University and local community. Competitive and participation sports are represented within both the University and the Union. As the key liaison officer with the University Sport Department, they also work with student-led sports clubs to assist their development. Bryn Griffiths, the current Sports and AU President has already introduced a ‘Sportsperson of the Week’ award and has helped ensure that all Wednesday sports results are published in Gair Rhydd.

e Education officer represents all students on academic issues. ey negotiate with the University and encourage them to act on your feedback. ey also work to improve facilities, such as libraries and I.T. rooms, by conversing with the Information Services. e position also includes being the Chair of the College Forums and Academic Council, and being responsible for overseeing and

So far the current SU President has created an app giving students discounts in the SU outlets

Pictured: e “fishbowl,” the sabbatical hub in the SU

Pictured: Last year’s candidates campaigning in costume

Continued from the previous page >>

All candidates must have a 200 word manifesto which sets out their experience, skills and goals

promoting the Student Academic Rep system. So far the current Education Officer, Rhys Jenkins, has worked with libraries to provide more electric sockets as well as improving the personal tutor system.

On his role as Education Officer, Rhys says: “A lot of my job is in University Meetings. It is in those meetings that we raise the student voice and advise the University on what students want. is does require a lot of knowledge about how the University works and about who can help you achieve what you want. is can obviously be learnt but it helps to already have some knowledge. I think your interests must be focussed around improving students experience at University. e role is challenging and there is always more that can be done. It also requires a lot of reading long and complicated papers, but it is all necessary to achieve the improvements you want to make. If it was easy, it would already have been done, and the job would be pretty boring!”

e Heath Park Campus officer works to improve the healthcare student experience and all services at the Heath Park site. e current officer is Claire Blakeway, who told us about her role: “My role is to help and support students who are studying at the Heath Park Campus. I represent Heath students in everything from academic issues to getting students involved in sports clubs and societies. I guess the main aim of my role is to ensure that Heath students have the best experience possible whilst studying here at Cardiff University. My day to day work includes representing Heath Park students on University committees, organising Heath Park activity as well as my director and trustee duties to the Students’ union. It’s an incredibly busy job and I absolutely love it. I would thoroughly recommend anyone who is considering running for my role to go for it! It’s the best job ever!”

e Societies officer supports societies, campaigns and student-led activity within the union, university and local community. ey are responsible for allocating budgets and assigning tiers to over 180 societies at Cardiff Students’ Union, as well as supporting and promoting student led services and campaign associations. Organising big union events also falls to the Societies officer, such as the annual Go Global Festival and Cardiff Fringe. ey are

the key liaison for all volunteering officers and support them to fulfil their manifesto pledges. Barney Willis, the current Societies Officer has created society forums and is working to make it easier for societies to book university rooms online. Of his position he says: “My job is to help and look after our societies! I am lucky enough to be the one that deals with committees directly to assist them any way they need. I am also here to help people who want to create or join societies themselves – get in touch if you have an idea and I will spread the word and help make it a reality.”

e Postgraduate Students’ officer is likely to take a similar form to some of the above roles, particularly Welfare and Education, but with a focus on postgraduate students. With over 7,000 postgraduate students currently involved at Cardiff University, the role seeks to better further the interests of a student group which are largely disengaged from the SU.

e application process

All candidates must have a manifesto – a 200 word official statement from the candidate that sets out their experience, skills and goals and the reasons why the electorate should vote for that candidate. To nominate yourself for one of these positions, you have to apply through the Student’s Union website under the ‘Your Voice’ tab. You can also suggest a nominee if you know someone who you feel would suit a particular role.

e application process is quite different to other jobs, says Elliot Howells: “As the roles are elected. ere’s no application process as you’d expect from your usual job. Students stand for election and then have to convince the student body that they are the right person for the job by campaigning and getting their name out there. It can be a tough week, but it’s hugely rewarding. I often hear candidates say that as the election process progresses they realise how much they want the job even more! Even candidates that don’t win often find it a fairly transformative experience as they have developed so many new skills and found new qualities in themselves. I met so many incredible people during both of my campaigns

11 ADVICE

that have gone on to become great friends.”

Once nominated, candidates work to promote themselves as the right person for the job by campaigning.

Elliot Howells, the current SU President gave his advice on campaigning: “Campaigning is what you make it! I guess my best advice would be to work out what’s going to work best for you. Are you the type of student that will happily speak in front of a lecture theatre of 300 students or would you rather stand on the street giving out leaflets? ere’s no formula for the perfect campaign, different things work for different people. Just think about you can best sell yourself.”

Life as an officer is a big change from that of student life – they are complex roles that require skill and engagement. Elliot Howells told us about what he thinks it takes to become an officer: “It’s difficult to say [what it takes] as I don’t think there is an ‘ideal person’ for the job. e exciting thing about these roles is that you can make them your own to a certain extent depending on what you want to achieve. Days and schedules often get extremely busy so it’s useful if you can manage your time effectively and work to deadlines but even that can come with practice. If you have a passion for the student experience and want to make a difference, you’re already most of the way there to being a great elected officer! If students are considering running and are worried about whether or not they have the right skills, my advice would be not to worry! e first summer of the role is full of training both internally and externally with colleagues from around

the country.”

On life as an elected officer, Elliot said: “It’s safe to say that no day is the same! In addition to the remits of officers, Societies or Education for example, we are also Trustees and Directors of Cardiff University Students’ Union so the range of work is huge. We are often in meetings representing the views of students across the University or in the community. e type of work that officers do varies depending on their remit and over the next few months, we’ll be publishing blogs about our roles and what to expect in them.” e part-time officers are unpaid representatives of nine different liberation and minority groups within the student population. ey are known as Campaign Officers, and Elliot Howells gave us an idea of what they get up to: “Our Campaign Officers are the group that represent typically underrepresented groups or causes on campus. ey work with the full-time officers to run campaigning and social activity for the groups of students they represent. Unlike the full-time officers, this is a volunteer role that they carry out alongside their studies. e 13/14 Campaign Officer team is made up of a Women’s Officer, Students with Disabilities’ Officer, Ethical & Environmental Officer, Welsh Language Officer, LGBT+ Officer, Mature Students’ Officer, Postgraduate Students’ Officer, BME [Black and Minority Ethnicities] Officer and an International Students’ Officer.”

Part-time officer roles

ere is no doubt that all officer roles give the candidates transferrable skills that will help them beyond their time in office. As Elliot Howells has worked as the SU President for two years, he gives a good analysis of what qualities are gained: “ e range of skills and experience you get in these roles is huge! All officers sit on the Students’ Union’s Board of Trustees and Board of Directors and are involved in the highest level of decision-making. Officers will develop tangible experience in areas such as finance and HR but more broadly will have new skills such as negotiation, diplomacy, governance and a strong commercial awareness. Officers also complete a Level 5 qualification in leadership and management which is hugely beneficial for the future.”

The Campaign officers represent different liberation and minority groups within the student population

Pictured: One of last year’s candidates, “Maid in Cardiff ” Jess Oliver

Pictured: Former SU President Cari Davies and former AU President Edore Evuarherhe encouraging students to vote in the Elections

December

Embrace

09/12/14, £19.50 ADV

Funeral For A Friend

18/12/14, £16 ADV

January

Neck Deep

26/01/15, £10.50 ADV

February

KERRANG! Tour 2015

13/02/15, £16.50 ADV

Enter Shikari

17/02/15 - SOLD OUT

Chelsea Grin

17/02/15, £10 ADV

The Jesus And Mary

Chain

27/02/15, £25 ADV

March

Stiff Little Fingers

08/03/15, £18.50 ADV

The Stranglers

10/03/15, £23 ADV

Sleaford Mods

10/03/15, £10 ADV

Halestorm

13/03/15, £15 ADV

April

Limehouse Lizzy vs Livewire AC/DC

17/04/15, £20 ADV

The next best night out?

Without a doubt, New Year’s Eve

FOR & AGAINST IS NEW YEAR’S A BIG DEAL?

Is New Year’s Eve the best night out of the year, or a socially-mandated expense?

Ask anyone; the best night out of the year is your birthday. Why? Because you’re excited, everyone is paying you attention, and it’s the one day of the year where everyone has to be nice to you. e next best night out? Without a doubt, New Year’s Eve. e same applies on NYE as it does on your birthday, whether you’ve had an awful year and want to go out with one last hurrah, or it has been a great year and you want to toast to the next year being the same, everyone is happy on New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve is always a good night out.

e countdown to midnight can mean a number of things to different people, but a major part of the countdown is turning your back on the past year. ere is no better way to welcome in the New Year than dancing your troubles away and taking in the inspirational lyrics from Toploader’s Dancing In e Moonlight, forgetting any angst from the last year and welcoming in a new start. Gym memberships, diet plans, strict resolutions? at’s tomorrow’s business; New Year’s Eve is about the beginning of the start of potentially the best year of your life.

It may be a little more expensive, but this night literally only happens once a year. Venues and gigs pull out all the stops to make it one of the best nights so don’t let a price tag hinder your celebrations. row on the party dresses, dapper suits and pulling gear, warm up your best moves and enjoy the night. It’s much better to be little bit lower on funds with a great story and lasting memory, than to spend New Year’s Eve playing monopoly with your Nan. is

is a special occasion! It’s been a long year, you’ve worked hard, go treat yourself. Recover on the bank holiday and abuse your bank account, get all your mates in a taxi and head to the club, because town will be buzzing with merry and excited people ready to party, and no one wants to miss out on that.

While you are judged on some nights for over indulging a little bit on the wine, there are no judgements on this night. Jaeger? Fine. Sambuca? Fine. A Snowball? Fine. Not to mention you’re still probably on the Christmas hype, so while Santa Claus retreats back to the North Pole for a well-deserved rest, let us raise a toast to the great job he has done. is night is for celebrating, no judgements are made and no one expects you to feel pleasant the next day, so indulge yourself. Everyone else will be, and I mean everyone. ere is no age limit on New Year’s Eve, so while the younger generation may dominate the clubs, take a look inside the doors of pubs up and down the nation and there is no discrimination of who wants to be surrounded by a party on the memorable occasion.

But forget about the parties, forget about the drinking, forget about the expenditure. ere is nothing more heart warming than seeing two strangers standing on the embankment while fireworks go off behind the London Eye, linking hands and mumbling their way through the lyrics of Auld Lang Syne, or two people embracing the tradition of a kiss at the twelfth chime of Big Ben that marks the start of the new year. New Year’s Eve is simply what you make it, and I intend to make every year pretty darn special.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love an excuse to go out and party as much as the next person. But something about New Year’s Eve has me filled with dread. Oh God is it a year already? I have no plans for the night! What will I wear! Who is free! I have no money! I already know that I will be avoiding going to town like the plague. Why? Because I don’t want to go into the new year crammed in a sweaty club with hundreds of people I don’t know, having spent half my student loan on drinks and the taxi fare, whilst tactically avoiding the creepy guys hovering by for their ‘midnight kiss’.

I spoke to a few friends who did brave town for the evening, and they said it was a complete waste of time and a massive anti-climax. I also can’t be dealing with how far in advance you have to book a night into town for NYE. I don’t even know what I am doing tomorrow, let alone the end of the month.

I remember the days when NYE was nothing more than a house party with your friends and family. You got pissed on cheap crates you bought from Tesco, let off some fireworks, and then crowded round the TV waiting for the live countdown. (More fun than it sounds, honest.) Granted, I was a lot younger then, but does getting older really mean we have to sucker to the over-commercialisation of the night, where clubs can get away with massively overpricing everything even though it is the same old club

have

with a few decorations and a tacky dress up theme? I am not buying it, and neither should anyone else.

Last year, after giving up on the idea of heading into the city centre almost instantly, my friends and I ended up at a random house party in my home town, which was essentially a massive sixth form reunion. It was absolutely hilarious, and the only money I spent was a tenner buying cheap bottles of alcohol from Lidl. I wore old jeans, and am not 100% sure if I even brushed my hair. Despite the lack of effort, no one cared, we had fun listening to cheesy music and catching up. We were all students with approximately 50p to our names, so no one could afford anything else (or wanted to).

Why is New Year’s Eve suddenly such a big deal, and when did it become such a burden to organise? I really don’t see what all the fuss about what is essentially just another night. is about. The countdown is the climax of the night, and then it’s just like any other party, just with more people throwing up. I only celebrate it because... well, everyone else does. People don’t want to be left out and see the pictures plastered all over Facebook the next morning mocking you and the night you missed. And that is perfectly fine, like I said, any excuse to get drunk with my friends and I am there. But town? Absolutely not. House Party anyone?

I also can’t be dealing with how far in advance you have to book a night into town for NYE

FOR: Em Gates AGAINST: Charley Griffiths

Pictured: NYE in Edinburgh. Why don’t we

anything this epic in Cardiff, eh?

Christmas is especially bittersweet when department stores are beaming ads about family and love at you

COMMENT International students: are you homesick?

tweet us @gairrhyddop email us comment@gairrhydd.com or visit us online at gairrhydd.com/opinion

What do you think? Have your say: letters@ gairrhydd.com

As many students head home for the Christmas break, Gair Rhydd ask an international student for an opinion about staying put in Cardiff instead

International students have unique problems when it comes to Christmas.

Being from another country often grants you a special immunity to a lot of things. You’re allowed to not know things about British culture or history, who Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood are, how Parliament works or why you should make such a big fuss over English breakfast tea.

There are a lot of things you aren’t immune to as well, like Meningitis C (which you should get a vaccine for from your GP if you’re new around here), lad culture, and homesickness. Others can see their family most weekends, eat their mum’s cooking, and let their washing pile up until they absolutely have to do it, in which case they just bring the load back home for their parents to do. International students do not, unfortunately, have these little luxuries.

Christmas is especially bittersweet – when department stores are beaming ads about family and love at you, it’s hard not to notice what you’re missing out on. It’ll be especially hard for those students who have kept extremely close contact with their

family, and find it hard to immerse themselves in British culture. These are the kids who Skype their friends and family every day, or the ones who get a care package every month with much-needed supplies and luxuries from their home country. Often, these people find it difficult because of the language barrier, and long for nothing more than a street where the words spoken are all in their mother tongue, rather than in posh, irregular English that is not what they’re used to hearing in the ambient background.

I’m an international student myself, but luckily, English is my native language and I’ve grown to be very independent of my family, so coming to live and study in Cardiff doesn’t quite feel as much like removing a limb. I speak infrequently to my family or friends, and I’d like to say I’ve made a good effort at embracing life here. That’s not to say I’m not envious of the kids who do keep very close contact with their family: what I would give for a care package full of real instant noodles or some proper dim sum right now!

For international students, contact with home in the form of care packages

and constant Skype/Whatsapping can be like a breath of fresh air: a very brief respite from the sometimes stifling foreignness of British mannerisms, humour and customs. That’s not to say they’re not enjoying being in the UK – but there is sometimes an acute sense of “I’m foreign, and because of that I don’t 100 per cent understand what’s going on right now” with many international students. Don’t judge us when we’re being awkward, because we’re either too confident to care that we act very differently, or too insecure to say anything for fear of making ourselves stick out even more. If we’re of a different ethnicity, we already stick out enough without needing to say anything at all, by virtue of our appearance or skin colour.

Indeed, the whole kerfuffle over Christmas can itself be confusing. Why must you have such a specific and rigidly controlled menu for Christmas? How is being told what to eat celebratory in any sense? Do you have stockings and a gift under the tree, or just one set of gifts?

First year for international students will always be hardest: I remember trying really hard to be strong and not

go back on my first Christmas in order to save money on airfare. Despite my macho intentions, it hit me two weeks before the end of term what a fool I was being by putting myself through such a lonely month (everyone else in my flat were planning on going home too). I made somebody at British Airways very happy that day by picking up a pair of extremely expensive, lastminute return tickets to Hong Kong.

Now in my third year, I’ve found friends (and a special someone) whose company I actually enjoy. I no longer have to be macho in order to save money. In fact, the situation has quite reversed, and it would be more heartbreaking for me to go home and leave my loved ones here than it would be to go back to Hong Kong.

But I know that I’m a rarity, and that there will be many of my fellow international students out there where the increasingly expensive long-haul airfare is too much money, for too little time back home. Their housemates will all have left them, and unless they’re social hermits or have a very time-consuming hobby, they will most likely feel very lonely amidst all the lights and lovers this Christmas.

For international students, contact with home in the form of care packages and constant Skype / Whatsapping can be like a breath of fresh air

Pictured: Christmas in Cardiff Bay

Source: John Greenaway, Flickr

Sum Sze Tam

A sabb officer fulfilling their election manifesto should be praised

In defence of the Students’ Union

Iadmit it - I’m a Union fan. I spend far too much of my free time in the Students’ Union in some shape or form and have been in the media office to the early hours of the morning on occasion. I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think our SU was doing a good job, I’m pretty damn proud of it if I’m being honest.

But our Students’ Union does come under a great deal of criticism from its students. As a third year, I’ve been here long enough (and don’t want my time to end, really) to see the progression that the SU has made. Perhaps the great deal of criticism that the SU receives is unfair. Perhaps they work harder than we give them credit for.

Exam timetables have been released a week earlier than last year. VP Education officer Rhys Jenkins promised to release exam timetables four weeks before the examination period starts in his election manifesto, and this he has done. Criticism came to Rhys for how much earlier he could publish the exam timetables –a week earlier didn’t really seem like a great deal to some people. Nor did some people even know that the exam timetables had been published earlier

(…and I can’t help but feel that these are the people who need their timetables earlier). A Sabb Officer fulfilling their election manifesto should be praised. Publishing the exam timetables a week earlier has made a great difference to me because I have the chance to prepare more thoroughly –although admittedly I do have an extra week to panic about my impending final year exams…

Beyond the academic aspects of university, the Students’ Union is also trying to promote good sexual health among its students. Free condoms are available in the foyer on the second floor of the SU building. Hidden discreetly by the entrance, the SHAG society fills these boxes more regularly than ever before due to popular demand. So despite not giving us easy access to STI checks and sexual advice, the SU are, at least, willing to make sure that we practice safe sex. So your nights at YOLO (The Lash, RIP, always in our thoughts etc) will end better than you might have thought – at least you won’t have an STI to deal with the day after.

The Students’ Union is making efforts to put on gigs and concerts that greatly appeal to Cardiff stu-

dents. Over my time here our Union has hosted Two Door Cinema Club, Jake Bugg, Hanson (yeah, they’re still around) and Annie Mac, among others. I am eager to go to a Treatment club night before my time ends here – these events sell out almost every time. Music to suit all tastes plays here. Music or acts that don’t suit all tastes here get banned – recently ‘comedian’ Dapper Laughs was scheduled to perform here, but he was banned after a petition was given to the Students’ Union campaigning against his performance. The Union listens to the voices of its students, and that is proof. Student bodies within the Students’ Union should be praised for their work. All the student societies that enable us to carry out such a variety of activities – from fitness to football to film – are student led and funded by the Students’ Union. The Student Senate is formed of students (…unsurprisingly) who have been elected into their positions. So we should appreciate all of the work that the Students’ Union does for us, because it gives us so many opportunities to have lives outside of our degree courses.

Advent adverts aren’t granting Christmas wishes

Christmas adverts are more about making you cry and buy products than promoting holiday spirit

“Christmas is here!!” wrote one of my friends on Facebook back in early November. A little premature I thought but, when I saw they were referring to the ‘premiere’ of the John Lewis Christmas advert, I felt a little bit unwell. It used to be the case that the start of Christmas was signified by the first time you heard Slade on the radio; or the first Christmas items in the shops, but now most people would link an advert (a heart-wrenching, £8,000,000 one at that) as the start of one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.

As Donkey says in the Shrek Christmas special “Christmas isn’t Christmas until somebody cries

Let’s face it, Christmas isn’t about the families or sharing anymore; it’s a celebration of shopping, and what you can do for the shop owners. Want to show Mr Lewis how much you care? Buy a wife for your child’s toy. Whilst many would argue that the promotion of mail order penguin lovers is a somewhat confusing message for Christmas, people will read further into adverts than is necessary. For example, commenting on the portrayal of relationships amongst imaginary penguins, with criticism focusing on the fact that the advert does not explain that just because ‘Monty’ the penguin was gifted a wife, that the wife wouldn’t necessarily fall for him. Monty may

seem like a nice helpful penguin, but he does seem to be hanging around minors and never wearing any clothes. It’s a good thing it turns out he’s imaginary.

One would be forgiven for thinking that Christmas adverts aren’t trying to sell you things any more. Instead, they’re reinforcing the holiday spirit by making you cry. Since when is crying part of Christmas? As Donkey says in the Shrek Christmas special “Christmas isn’t Christmas until somebody cries”, and some companies are getting very good at making people cry - Sainsbury’s holiday offering is an overly emotional affair that centres around the Christmas ceasefire of World War One. Its slogan “Christmas is for sharing”, is fairly topical. The advert is supported by the Royal British Legion, and Sainsbury’s will be donating the profits from the advert paraphernalia (the chocolate bar featured in it). The Sainsbury’s logo on the chocolate bar in question is the only mention of the store itself in the advert. Even so, there’s not a dry eye in any room. Talk has circled around whether or not it is wrong to use veterans and a war as part of an advertising campaign, or the fact that it was made in collaboration with the Royal British Legion is enough to justify the advert still being an advert for a supermarket chain.

It begs the question, what are these new Christmas adverts actually selling us? These adverts have more in common with rom-coms than with adverts at any other time of the year, apart from, you know, that they’re selling you something, you’re just not sure what exactly.

At least with shops like Morrison’s we have Ant and Dec telling us what we should buy, even if they do annoy us a little. It’s a break from watching penguins, or bears and rabbits, or any other animal that’s deemed cute enough to make us feel that warm fuzzy feeling inside.

This is where the sales pitch creeps

up on us. For the last four years, the music used in the John Lewis adverts has shot straight to number one in the charts shortly afterwards. John Lewis itself used to be a shop many of us would only go in if we were with our parents, or looking for towels. But now it’s seen to be a shopping staple, and become something of a British institution because of its Christmas advert, and a somewhat bizarre, dominant decider on the chart topper.

Many people see Christmas as the most consumerist of all the holidays. It should come as no surprise then, that the start of the Christmas season is signalled by adverts.

Alex Stewart Pictured: Santa on coke is looking forward to the holiday season

(Source: Elliott Brown, Flickr)

Anne Porter Pictured: Cardiff SU, a place where the average CSM exec member spends way too much time

(Photographer: Laura Sargent)

What do you think? Have your say: letters@ gairrhydd.com

COMMENT SHAG: e

curating of mating and procreating

Gair Rhydd reviews of the work undertaken by Cardiff ’s Sexual Health Society

University life is not the beginning of sexual education. But for some it is the start of their sexual experiences. erefore universities have a responsibility to safeguard the sexual health of their students, although we are adults now (some more mature than others) and should be looking out for ourselves.

Sex education for most people begins in secondary school. For many students of the Great British school system (and beyond), sexual education is an absolute circus; a teacher is plopped in front of a classroom full of giggling students and their main feat involves sliding a condom onto a cucumber, ta da. is tour-de-force prophylactic performance elicits a few giggles and guffaws out of the students, but for the most part, the students neither know nor indeed care about what’s going on. It’s an embarrassing situation, frankly.

Sex-ed is nothing more than a free class where you’re treated to a teacher that is more red-faced and bumbling than Boris Johnson stuck on a zip-wire. is is a best-case scenario too; coming from a Catholic school I received no reproductivehealth education whatsoever outside a half hour on the ‘heat’ and ‘rhythm’ methods which, by the way, aren’t

too effective. For many young adults their carnal know-how comes from whispers and hear-say from that guy in the year above who has a girlfriend and has had tons of sex, like absolute tons.

Sexual savvy of this level is - for the most part - not too dangerous. e average age to lose your virginity, in the UK at least, is 16, the age of consent. However, this statistic does not take into account first sexual experiences, which often come even earlier.

Once you get to university though, it’s a whole different story for sexual experiences. Pulling up to my first year halls way back in my first year, I doubt myself or many other first year students had a clue what to expect. It seems obvious now mind you; If you cram 30-odd mixed-gender 18-yearolds into small flats, ply them with alcohol then set them loose into the night, sexual sparks are going to fly. is sort of thing is common if not ubiquitous in universities across the country, which is why university sexual health organisations and their services are so important.

Cardiff has its own sexual wellbeing organisation, Sexual Health Awareness Group (or SHAG). SHAG’s onsite activity in the SU in previous years hasn’t exactly been

tweet us @gairrhyddop email us comment@gairrhydd.com or visit us online at gairrhydd.com/opinion

exemplary. In 2013 the Huffington Post ranked Cardiff University as the worst Russell Group University for sexual health provision, worryingly confirmed by Superdrug Online Doctor Team in their Sexual Health Report Card study. Cardiff also bottomed out with a mark of 38; pretty lowly in comparison to Bristol’s 80 (a 1st). Our worst ‘marks’ were in Sexual Health events and STI testing, where we received a lowly E. at was then, and this is now. e curators of coitus that make up SHAG have been bringing out the big guns to up their game. It was SHAG week

last week on campus, and everyone in their service were working hard to bring Cardiff students up to speed on the old in-and-out.

Amongst other festivities, a ‘Cake and Condom’ event on Tuesday and a Taf pub quiz takeover on ursday were deemed a highlight, while their shake-up of a BIOSCI social certainly raised a few eyebrows. ey’re definitely making their presence felt. Even before this week SHAG have been gaining traction with sexual awareness initiatives; the condom dispenser in the reception of the SU has been upsized due to a constant need to refill it, and their campaign surrounding C-Cards and sexual health advice centres is really gaining momentum. No-one is looking to turn a blind eye to those uncomfortable results from last academic year; with increased activity and solid work towards increased awareness of the service, the onus now lies on the students to take advantage of what’s presented to them.

Increased awareness is not necessarily leading to progress, however. An NHS report presented in December 2013 shows that diagnoses of syphilis and chlamydia are still dispropotionately high in 15-24 year olds. If you’re part of a society; get in contact with SHAG and see how they can spice things up, or if you’re just curious; get online and get reading. We’re always thinking about sex anyway, we may as well do something about it.

For many young adults their carnal know-how comes from whispers and hear-say “ ”

Pictured: e new SHAG condom dispenser (Photographer: Katie Evans)

Greg McChesney

Pictured: An assortment of differently coloured condoms

17 JASON ROBERTS VS THE WORLD

Death to Fairytale of New York

Fuck the Pogue-lice, says Gair Rhydd columnist

Jason Roberts

There is always something to find happiness in at this time of year, but The Pogues are too busy wallowing in their own melancholy to notice

I’m a big fan of Christmas. Without it, winter in Britain would be filled with even more discontent than it already is. Can you imagine how horrible we’d all be to each other without something to look forward to? Winter is cold. It’s dark. Tere’s about 1 day of half-decent snow, before it turns into that grim diarrhoea sludge that you see on the side of the road. I see Christmas as a reward for having to put up with winter, and all its associated bleakness. I don’t care that it’s an almost-wholly commercial enterprise fronted by a dead Palestinian. I don’t care that I’ll have to work about 3438529147017 hours of overtime to buy my girlfriend the EXACT piece of shiny ornate metal she wants. I don’t care that I’ll be about a stone heavier on Boxing Day. No Christmas hater is going to ruin this for me.

One of the things that make Christmas special is Christmas songs. And there are lots to choose from too, because people love buying them almost as much as they love eating pigs in blankets. Te fact that they’ve become adopted across all genres and covered by artists as prominent as John Lennon to the little known Akim and the Teddy Vann Production Company (‘famous’ for their 1973 jam ‘Santa Claus is a Black Man’) is pretty indicative of that. Tere’s pretty good incentive for the artists as well. Write a good Christmas song, and you’ll never have to work another day in your life. I’m pretty sure that Wizzard have spent the last 40

years using fifty-pound notes as toilet paper and loft insulation.

And this brings me on to the one thing I hate about Christmas. Te fact that, of all the Christmas songs we have to choose from, Fairytale of New York is consistently put on a pedestal as the greatest one ever. For 2 months of the year, everywhere I walk, I’m bombarded with Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl’s ode to misery. It both confuses and angers me that the nation holds this joyless tune in such high regard, that people are willing to go on record and say that it’s one of the best songs of all time. Not Christmas songs. Actual songs.

Let’s have a look at the lyrics. Te Telegraph’s online culture editor, Martin Chilton, praised them quite recently even, going so far as to call them, “magical”. A quick refresher for the unfamiliar: “You’re a bum, you’re a punk, you’re an old slut on junk… you scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot…” Really magical, high quality stuff.. It’s like if 2 Chainz had been born in Galway instead of Georgia. And the storyline? Tey jump from kissing to hating each other in the space of a verse with no explanation offered. It’s like a Jodi Picoult novel come to life. Also, THE NYPD DOESN’T EVEN HAVE A CHOIR. We’ve all been lied to. Ten there’s Shane MacGowan’s voice. Part of the reason people like Fairytale of New York is because they can slur all the words when they’re

pissed (with the exception of the slightly cruder ones, because apparently it’s obligatory to say FAGGOT as loudly as possible). Tat probably isn’t a good sign for the artistic merit of any song. Forget singing along when you’re pissed, I reckon you could do the entire thing with a whole bag of dry-roasted peanuts in your mouth. Te worst thing of all, and I must stress that this isn’t a fault of Te Pogues or Kirsty MacColl but an unfortunate byproduct of the song, is that people will always try and sing along in a fauxIrish accent. And it is always, without exception, utterly shit. If this is you at Christmas, you sound like the bastard love-child of Jamie Carragher and WALL-E. So you probably shouldn’t do that in the future.

And then there’s the music video. Sweet Jesus. Every cliché about twenties and thirties America, come to life in one four-minute long black and white clip. It’s almost like the director didn’t have the ability to say no to anything. “You want people in suits and wide-brim hats? SOLD. You want people smoking as well? CIGARETTES FOR EVERYONE! You want none of the other musicians other than Shane and Kirsty to look even remotely interested in what they’re doing, like every person from that era? THE NEXT PERSON TO SMILE FORFEITS ALL THEIR FUTURE ROYALTIES.”

Seriously, I have never seen anyone care less about anything than the tinwhistle player in that video. Maybe he

smiled in an earlier take. Te worst bit by far though, is the pretend fight scene between MacGowan and MacColl. I’ve seen better acting in porn. Now you may say, “Maybe your Christmas is great, but think of everyone else who isn’t surrounded by family, friends, and enough food to feed Ethiopia for four years. Tis is a song about how miserable Christmas is for millions of people, YOU HEARTLESS WANKER.” Te thing is, there isn’t a time where we feel guiltier than at Christmas. As mentioned earlier, winter is a god-awful season, and if you don’t have something to look forward to I can’t even begin to imagine how that’d feel. But people are charitable at Christmas, more than any other time of year, for that exact reason. It is still, despite what some may say, a holiday based around the idea of giving. But Fairytale of New York is just so dour, so unforgiving, that it isn’t even slightly optimistic about any aspect of Christmas. Tere is always something to find happiness in at this time of year, but Te Pogues are too busy wallowing in their own melancholy to notice.

Te counter-example to this is Band

Aid who, with Feed Te World, managed to pull off the ‘sad-but-uplifting’ Christmas song perfectly. Sad subject matter, uplifting tune and message. Have a Merry Christmas, and if someone puts Fairytale of New York on the stereo during Christmas Day, punch them in the throat in the name of good cheer.

Write a good Christmas song, and you’ll never have to work another day in your life

Pictured: A screenshot from the music video for marmite song Fairytale of New York

Alex Stewart

I94% of the Ferguson police force is white, whilst 67% of the population is black

Katja Bertelsmann

If immigrants bring fiscal benefits and are less likely to receive state-benefits, why should immigration be reduced?

tweet us @GairRhyddPol mail us politics@gairrhydd.com or visit us online at gairrhydd.com/politics

America: Sticking to its guns

Does the right to bear arms hurt more than it helps?

n the last few months, the US police have shot dead three people: one was carrying an air rifle in the shop where he was about to buy it; one was unarmed, and most recently, Tamar Rice was playing with a toy gun. None of them threatened the police; all of them were black. As of today, the police officers who shot John Crawford III and Michael Brown have not been charged for their murders, the former after video evidence revealed that he was on the phone, and not pointing the gun at other shoppers; the latter causing protest and riots through the night. ere is to be an inquest into Tamar Rice’s death, and a trial to see if the officers involved are culpable to murder. However, it remains to be seen if anything will come of it.

e riots in Ferguson, Missouri, are signals that a large body of people feel that things need to change: whether it be a more representational police force (94% of the Ferguson police force is white, whilst 67% of the population is black); a less aggressive approach by the police, or stricter laws on guns, and when it is right for the law to use them.

e first criticism noted by spectators was that toy guns look too much like real guns. ere have been calls for toy guns to have bright markings on them to differentiate them from real ones at a distance. is is a scapegoat to avoid more difficult issues. In the US, toy guns already have an orange nozzle to show that it is not real.

In the case of Tamar Rice, this was removed prior to the incident: what’s to say that any other markings cannot be removed from toy guns, or added to real guns to make them look fake?

e culture surrounding guns in the US is sometimes confusing. ey are seen as recreational items, used for self-defence and seen as a threat at the same time. Whilst there have been a number of high profile shootings in recent years, such as the tragic Sandy-Hook school massacre, the view of guns has not changed. In fact, the National Rifle Association (NRA) and other gun advocates lobbied for more guns to fight back against those who have guns in the first place. Rather confusingly, the number of people shot, either fatally, or not, has decreased over the past two decades, whilst gun sales have increased, according to the Department of Justice and the Pew research centre statistics.

e NRA take these statistics and flash them around as if it is proof that guns solve crime, however this fails to take into account more gun control legislation in the US, and the fact that if there were no guns in the first place, there would be no gun crime.

The right to bear arms in the US constitution was created to allow the US population to form a ‘well armed militia’ to fight the government. In the words that Alex Jones the conservative and conspiracy theorist shouted at Piers Morgan: “1776 will commence again if you try to take our guns.” Whilst this is something

of an overreaction, many Americans are very serious about their right to bear arms. Whilst we may not agree with that, it’s not our place to dictate what they should think. After the Sandy Hook school shooting two years ago, Obama proposed a bill to ban semi-automatic rifles, and place restrictions on the amounts of ammunitionone one person can buy. This was rejected by almost every republican in government, partly due to the almighty pressure placed on them by the NRA, and other gun lobbies. For effective legislation to be passed, it has to be forced through when gun control advocates have a majority, or never : the opposition is too fierce.

If you walk around any given place

in the UK, you would sometimes see kids playing with toy guns, no one panicking, maybe some bemused faces, but no one would think that the gun was real, or that the child was a murderer. In the US, especially in light of the recent string of tragedies, anything that even resembles a gun is cause for concern, and in the case of Tamar Rice a tragic ending to a short life. If guns were not so prolific in America, this would not have happened, as people would have realised it was not real, and the police would not have felt they had to ‘neutralise the threat’. Tamar would be alive. Many of the 100,000 children who have been killed by firearms in the US since 1985 would still be alive.

The other side of the immigration ‘debate’

A European student in Cardiff shares her viewpoint

Iam one of 583,000 people that entered the UK in the last twelve months. As Steven Woolfe, the UKIP migration spokesman, put it, I am the reason that “UK public services and infrastructure cannot keep up with this level of arrivals.” Next time you are caught up in a traffic jam, blame me. Blame me for lower wages and unemployment, for an underfunded NHS and bad weather. It’s fine, during the last two weeks, I’ve gotten used to it. Whether I read e Independent or e Daily Telegraph I am told that I’m a problem. e Prime Minister wants to solve this problem by renegotiating the free movement principle of the EU. Unfortunately for him, none of the other EU states would like to negotiate with him. After this miscarriage, he decided to propose to stop EU migrants claiming benefits for four years. But once again, he did not get EU support, with Poland’s deputy foreign minister saying that the Polish Government will “not accept discrimination on ground of nationality”. is isn’t unreasonable, right ?

Could someone please explain to me why the whole question of fiscal costs and

benefits has not been discussed appropriately? As the Independent wrote more than a month ago, “migrants who arrived since 2000 were 43 per cent less likely than UK-born workers to receive state benefits or tax credits.” e University College of London for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM) found that fiscal contributions of those immigrants have been “positive throughout, and particularly so for immigrants from EEA countries”. Furthermore, native Britons themselves have cost £591 billion between 1995 and 2011.

As Christian Dustman, the director of CReAM and co-author of the study, concluded: “A key concern in the public debate on migration is whether immigrants contribute their fair share to the tax and welfare systems. Immigration to the UK since 2000 has been substantial net fiscal benefit, with immigrants contributing more than they have received in benefits and transfers. is is true for immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe as well as the rest of the EU.” If immigrants bring fiscal benefits and are less likely to receive state-benefits, why should immigration be reduced?

UKIP wants to bring UK net migration down to 50,000 people a year. is is less than a quarter of recent net migration. I beg you to use your common sense. Immigration does not cause more fiscal costs than benefits.

In my experience the UK is a country

full of tolerant and open-minded people. I am very grateful that I have the opportunity to be here, surrounded by so many lovely people. To give other people the chance to feel the magic of this small but great island we have to keep Britain’s doors open so everyone can benefit.

100,000 children have been killed by firearms in the US since 1985

Pictured:

Pictured: Airport border tape

Carwyn Williams

Syria’s humanitarian crisis: Britain isn’t doing enough

Britain’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis has been “woefully inadequate”, according to a coalition of aid groups and charities who are urging the UK to resettle almost 10,000 refugees.

In an open letter to David Cameron, more than 30 organisations attacked the Government for accepting around 100 Syrians - despite committing to welcome many more. e Prime Minister is urged in the letter to “take the lead” in providing safety for Syria’s most vulnerable people.

Western governments have been asked by the UN to accept just 100,000 of the most vulnerable refugees from the region. Britain initially resisted these calls, instead highlighting the aid it is offering in the region. ese calls come after almost four years of conflict, during which time 3.2m refugees have fled Syria in what aid agencies have called the “worst humanitarian crisis of our generation”.

In January, the Government carried

out a major U-turn and committed to admitting up to 500 Syrian refugees. Since then, however, this pledge has been downgraded to a commitment to resettle “several hundred” of the most vulnerable Syrians. Yvette Cooper, the shadow Home Secretary, and a fierce critic of the current immigration measures in place, denounced the Government’s record as “shameful”. “ eresa May promised Britain would help up to 500 refugees. But whilst other countries have done their bit, Britain hasn’t.”

e low number welcomed under the scheme is in stark contrast to other Western countries. Germany alone has agreed to resettle 20,000 refugees, and the United States has already granted visas to over 9,000 Syrians as part of an “open-ended resettlement” policy. e unprecedented letter is the first time that major aid agencies have openly attacked Government policy on Syrian resettlement and placed a figure on the number of

refugees Britain has a duty to resettle. Maurice Wren, chief executive of the Refugee Council, which was behind the letter, said: “Syria’s story is one of death, destruction and displacement. While the prospects for peace appear more remote than ever… the future for Syrian refugees is bleak. We must not turn our backs on Syria’s refugees.”

While more than 140,000 Syrians are living in makeshift shelters in Lebanon’s harsh, desolate Bekaa Valley, earlier this week it emerged that Jordan was allegedly forcing some refugees to return to Syria. e UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), António Guterres, sought to place the blame squarely at Britain’s door, stating that the UK “needs a much stronger international response than what we have seen so far.” Mr Guterres, a somewhat outspoken official, announced: “A growing number of Syrian refugees in the region are very vulnerable… and we urgently need additional resettlement and humanitarian admissions places for them, now and over the coming months.” His intervention comes just two weeks before a UNHCR conference in Geneva, which will prompt a call on Western countries to help resettle almost 100,000 Syrian during 2015 and 2016. e letter to David Cameron comes as the latest immigration figures are expected to underline his party’s failure to meet their own net migration target of getting below 100,000 by the general election. Refugee charities are urging the government not to allow domestic politics to overshadow the crisis in Syria. e British government has even declined to send a minister to lead its delegation at the UNHRC conference. A government spokesman said: “ e UK has been at the forefront of the international response to the crisis in Syria, having pledged £700m, making us the second largest bilateral donor.”

is funding is providing support for over a million people affected, as well as to refugees in Lebanon,

Carwyn Jones: reform Barnett Formula

Carwyn Jones last week responded to the Smith Commission and agreed for the fi rst time that he would welcome tax powers for Wales.

Despite this, the First Minister again emphasized the need for the Barnett formula to be changed or reformed, with this to come before any income tax powers for Wales.

Regarding this issue, Mr Jones stated: “ e Smith Commission says Barnett should stay - we don’t accept that at all for Wales’s funding situation.

Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. e same spokesperson said that “We will always consider legitimate asylum claims, as we are working closely with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to identify those most at risk and bring them to the UK.” Yet these claims came only days before it was announced that the UK had spent almost £20m to stop jihadists from invading Lebanon. When questioned for a reason behind the decision, the British ambassador to Lebanon, Tom Fletcher, responded: “Lebanon is… a fragile country,” While Syria is not? e national debate about migration is a highly charged subject, and this has undoubtedly made politicians less willing to stand up for Syrian refugees. Overall asylum applications are low in the UK and the Refugee Council is calling for the Government to increase the numbers coming through the Syrian Refugee Programme. e Refugee Council’s request is vitally important for those evacuated to the UK, who usually have additional vulnerabilities such as a disabled family member. Yet the Syrian Resettlement Programme aims to help a tiny number of the world’s most vulnerable people, and as such is a marker of compassion in politics, something which even Britain is lacking. Just this week, health service managers and politicians have allowed 1,700 mental health beds to close- with a mentally ill teenage girl left in a police cell for two days because there was no hospital bed available anywhere in the UK. If we want to be treated fairly ourselves, our leaders must set an example through their words and decisions.

We want our nurses, doctors and health service workers to act with compassion- effectively, see that the “Golden Rule” is put into action. Support for the Syrian Resettlement Programme is one small act that the Government could take to show that compassion is, in fact, a core British value and something worth defending.

before giving Wales control of income tax

“I’m open to the idea that Wales should be funded in a ‘Barnett plus’ way, but before that is sorted it would not be sensible for us to take powers over income tax.”

e Welsh Government has long claimed that Wales is underfunded by £300 milion a year. Plaid Cymru claims this figure is closer to the £1.2 billion mark, however when queried about this, Mr Jones stated that was not correct and it was “England’s money”. However, this latest call for the need to reform Barnett goes

against the Smith Commission as well as the Labour Party’s Policy, creating a rift between Welsh Labour and Labour. It is therfore difficult to see how this problem will be addressed with any government in power after next year’s election. We must also keep in mind that income tax powers will not be devolved without a referendum, but recent polls indicate that such a referendum would be passed easily, and 51 percent of people want the assembly to have the same powers as Scotland.

Syria’s story is one of death, destruction and displacement. While the prospects for peace appear more remote than ever… the future for Syrian refugees is bleak.

Maurice Wren

“ ”

Pictured:

A Syrian refugee camp

Daniel Heard

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Get involved: student political groups

In less than six months time, Britain will go to the polls in order to have their say on who will run the country until 2020. Cardiff University has a diverse political scene, represented by it’s students. Cardiff students are are the largest demographic in Cardiff Central, and a key percentage of the electorate. is seat has belonged to

Cardiff Labour Students have had a very busy year so far.

Our activities this year have centred around campaigning for the general election in May 2015, and making it fun! e society exists to promote Labour values of social justice and equality on campus, and to help Labour win vital elections. Recently, Cardiff Labour Students have been at the forefront of making Cardiff University and the Students Union pay a living wage to their staff. e election coming up in May 2015 is potentially the most important in decades, with two clear paths on offer to the British public. It will also be a vital election for students, after the Liberal Democrats’ shocking betrayal on student fees after ‘jumping into bed’ with David Cam-

While Plaid Cymru doesn’t get the same attention as the other parties from the mainstream British media, our importance in this General Election cannot be underestimated. Our group, alongside the SNP and the Greens, is widely predicted to finish a comfortable third place and hold the potential balance of power in a hung parliament. Both our leader, Rhondda’s Leanne Wood, and Nicola Sturgeon, have said that any deal we make with other parties will be on the condition that the brutal austerity imposed on the people of the UK by the Con-Dem coalition, and supported by the Labour Party, will be stopped in its tracks. Unlike the other parties, Plaid Cymru/Party of Wales will

Over the past few months, Cardiff Conservative Future Society has been actively campaigning for the prospective parliamentary candidate for Cardiff North, Craig Williams. Residents of the area have voiced their local concerns regarding congestion on the roads, support for NHS staff and backing for the high street and Craig understands this. He plans to with to secure a better future for Cardiff and we have been communicating this to residents at weekly phone banks and door canvassing sessions around the area. His plans include: reducing Cardiff ’s congestion and parking problems, protecting open green spaces, creating more jobs, supporting NHS staff and backing local businesses. Craig is a hard working and active candidate who we as a

the Labour party in the past but this year the Liberal Democrats are fighting to retain their seat, currently occupied by Jenny Willott. Parties other than the main three are now gaining popularity and have a real chance at gaining seats next year. Cardiff ’s political societies have written about their year so far, what people’s concerns have been and

eron and the Tories. e student vote in the Cardiff Central constituency is big enough to unseat the current Lib Dem MP, who has been a minister in the coalition and a government whip, so if you’re angry about tuition fees, the Bedroom Tax or the ‘gagging law’, vote and make your voice heard!

Much of our campaigning this year has been focused on making sure students are registered to vote. If we students and young people are to have our voices heard and our concerns acted upon, it’s vital that we go out and vote!

We have already spent a lot of time campaigning for our fantastic parliamentary candidate in Cardiff Central, Jo Stevens. We took part in the ‘Target 2015’ campaign day, where

always put the people of Wales first. e vast wealth in the United Kingdom must be redistributed and rebalanced, so London longer will no be the richest city in Europe while Wales has one of the poorest performing economies in the EU and some of the highest poverty rates. If Wales was funded to the same level per person as Scotland, we would have over a billion pounds a year to spend – on our hospitals, schools, and other public services.

We also believe that decisions affecting Wales should be made by the people of Wales. While every other party is falling over themselves regarding devolution in Wales and Scotland, Plaid Cymru has a clear vision: Plaid Cymru believes Wales needs as

society enjoy supporting.

With regards to the Conservatives reaching a majority in 2015, we are looking forward to campaigning more and more for the party as we go into General Election year with huge plans for the UK including a referendum on the European Union and following our long-term economic plan to reduce the deficit, cut income tax, cap welfare, create more jobs and deliver better schooling. Cardiff Conservative Future Society is passionate about supporting these policies.

e Society itself has had many exciting socials this year to raise awareness of the party and its policies as well as many opportunities for our members. Last year, several of us attended a reception with David Cameron who spoke of his support for the Welsh Conservatives and

what their party would do to addrtess these issues.

On contacting the Green party we learnt it is on ‘hiatus’. Unfortunately this means the Greens are not represented within this feature or in Cardiff University. is is very surprising considering that the Green Party are usually seen as the student’s ‘third party’,

we spoke to over 2030 voters in a single day across Cardiff Central. Our society has a target of 1000 hours of campaigning until the general election, so it’s going to be a busy year! When we have been out talking to students, the same issues come up time and time again. Students are worried about the cost and standards of living. We are proud to say that we have a set of policies that will really benefit students if we win the next general election. Labour will freeze gas and energy prices until 2017, ban extortionate letting agents’ fees on rented accommodation, ban exploitative zero hours contracts, repeal the bedroom tax and bring the minimum wage up to £8 an hour. ese policies will benefit students and graduates. Locally, we have been taking ac-

wide an array of job creation-levers as possible to help move the Welsh economy forward. If they’re offered to Scotland, why shouldn’t they be offered to Wales? Every student who lives in Cardiff will benefit from Plaid Cymru, and Wales, having a more powerful voice at Westminster. Here in the society, our committee members have been working hard to improve the welfare of students at our University. Our chair is Steffan Jones, who is also the Welsh Language Officer at the Union. His hard work has ensured that at every Student Senate, scrutiny committee and AMM, people have the opportunity to speak in Welsh through simultaneous translation. Our treasurer and last year’s chair, Daniel Roberts, is now the

plans for Wales. We also attended the Conservative Party Conference this year in Birmingham which was a great opportunity for us to network with politicians such as Grant Shapps and William Hague.

On a smaller scale, our Fresher’s social at Peppermint was a great success with over 150 sign ups from students! We have also had a Wolf of Wall Street Social and are looking forward to a House of Cards Social in the New Year along with events with the Vale of Glamorgan Conservatives and Swansea Conservative Future.

As a society we try to be as inclusive as possible, we encourage interested members to engage in political campaigning on a regular basis, giving budding students practical experience in their field of interest. e support and enthusiasm from members of the

For those Cardiff students who support Green policies, why not start the next Cardiff University Green Party? yourself? You will almost certainly find a backing among many of the stidemt population.

We are pleased with the articles recieved which are presented in no particular order below.

tion too; with petitions to ban letting agents’ fees, tackling bad landlords and improving the standard of housing in Cathays. Our Cathays Labour councillors have also been campaigning hard to remove unsightly ‘to let boards’ from streets in Cathays, and have held advice surgeries in the Students Union. Our Labour Assembly Member for Cardiff Central, Jenny Rathbone has been leading an awareness campaign on the dangers carbon monoxide in student accommodation in Cardiff. Students need a Government, and a local MP that will act in their interests and represent them in Parliament and we think Labour is the answer. So we need to register to vote, and in May 2015, get out and vote to make our voices heard!

Ethical and Environmental Officer, who has been leading the campaign against the University’s investment in the Fossil Fuel industry. ese campaigns are at the very heart of our party’s goals. Most students know that Plaid Cymru is committed to the promotion of the Welsh language and greater powers for the Welsh Government. But our aims and ideas go much further than that – we want a Wales that is based on social justice, sustainability, and fairness, regardless of people’s race, nationality, gender, colour, creed, sexuality, age, ability or social background. ese are the Party’s core values. And we want students to know that a vote for us is a vote for these values to be better represented at Westminster.

party we work with, for example the campaign manager, Alex Powell, make it easy for students to get involved. Our past campaigns and various other examples of activity have enabled us to build a stronger society by working together to support a common cause. By speaking to general members of Cardiff North we are able to act as a bridge of communication between them and Craig, allowing us and him to voice issues that are important. We as a society believe that hard work should be rewarded, hence why we have regular socials that do not disappoint. Our committee has done its very best to make every event memorable and every member welcome and are completely convinced that this tradition will continue over the following months

Many people reach the end of their degree and do not know what they want to do with their lives. There is a big work force looking for a small amount of jobs. They find that they have a lack of extracurricular things to back them up and furthermore, if they had thought about it at the time then they could have acquired these skills.

The problem of being unemployed looms large. This means being in a position where

The richest 85 people in the world own the same amount of wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion: capitalism doesn’t work. is is the point from where we start our political work. Problems that concern people today have been the same for just over a century and a half: poverty, unemployment, war, inequality, lack of access to education, underfunded public services; the list goes on. However when it comes to the next general election, you won’t hear politicians debating these topics. ey have no intention of dealing with these issues that would require a fundamental change; change they have no interest in seeing. is is because if we try to examine these problems, to deal with them, we will inevitably come up against the economic system that

you are towards the bottom end, in terms of qualifications, of the list of people applying and knowing that as every second goes by your amount of debt increases and an employer sees another day of you being unemployed added to your CV.

The Lib Dems propose a oneto-one consulting service for every student looking at all the different career paths that are available to them and looking at all the pros and cons of these. These sessions would

dominates our society: Capitalism. e Socialist Students society believes that capitalism cannot be reformed to make it more palatable for everyone; failed examples are strewn throughout the 20th century, including today where many gains like the NHS and the welfare state are now being dismantled by our political class. We propose an alternative – socialism – a system that has been tried, but tyrannically in the Soviet Union and elsewhere. Instead what we fight for is a completely democratic system, so that the majority of people can decide how the economy is run efficiently and ultimately how they should live their lives.

“How can we change society?” – this is a question which people always ask us. One way of getting our ideas

only last 15 minutes, could start before the start of term, and could be done over the telephone.

There must be a clear path for how students do this, how they join up to societies, and what needs to be done to have a chance of getting onto a position of responsibility, as well as how to overcome likely problems that they will encounter along the way.

The candidate needs to be able to suggest ideas to the support worker and have feedback given by them.

exposure is via election campaigns. e general election is coming up and we will be campaigning under the banner of the ‘Trade Union and Socialist Coalition’ (TUSC), a small party, but one which encourages ordinary people to stand for election rather than careerist politicians. Ultimately, we don’t believe that parliamentary democracy is the way forward – it is too undemocratic and unrepresentative-so when we go out campaigning we always say that a better world cannot be achieved through the institution of parliament. So while we recognise the importance of the general election, we will also be concentrating on other campaigns throughout the year. Our main activities will be focused on fighting against issues like the growth of racism and fascism (Fascists are

University is where you will have the best nights out, the least amount of restrictions, where you can make a mark that you can show to other people in the years to come. You form the friendships that will help you make connections in the working world in the future. This is the time to experiment with relationships. University life is life changing and the politics of it is just as important to make your university experience the best it can be.

planning to march through Newport on the 31st January – make sure you are there so we can stop them!). We are also pushing for free education, fighting for women’s and LGBT+ rights and against Imperialist wars like the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the bombing of Iraq and Syria. Much of our activities also include working within the community and fighting against the cuts being made by our local Labour led council to save the much needed public services in already deprived areas of Cardiff. If you would like to be part of Cardiff Socialist Students, we hold meetings every two weeks with debates covering all the topics mentioned above (you can also find us on Facebook and Twitter). So get involved, get active and join the fight back!

Students could swing general election

Rhiannon Tapp

Students’ apathy towards voting and politics is quite phenomenal. ere are several reasons why young people may not vote.

With the introduction of IES, Individual Electoral Registration, individuals must now register to vote rather than being automatically registered by household. Since the next election is the first time this system will be used, there is concern that students, who often have temporary addresses, may not register to vote in their university area. In 2010, at least 20 per cent of the student population were not registered to vote and the turn to this system will unquestionably see this percentage rise higher.

elections. Perhaps this is largely owing to university students’ largely liberal representation of the electorate. Many of the Green’s policies are relatable to young people with regards to their pledge to scrap tuition fees and invest in youth employment. e Greens are targeting Bristol West, where 24.3 per cent of the electorate are students, as the most likely source of a second MP.

ere have been several mediocre attempts from various politicians, including Nick Clegg, and the NUS to encourage students to vote. However, ultimately, the decision to vote shouldn’t be this much of a struggle and should be done in self-interest.

An article in the New Statesman has suggested that low student turnout in the general election will not only affect students’ political power in 2015, but for decades after as well. is risk is undeniably significant. While we should not only be creating habits to engage in our right to vote in the future, we should be taking any opportunity we can to influence the political system now. A new study, analysing voting patterns since 1997, has suggested students could tip the balance of power at the next general election. e HEPI report estimates that students voting differently to national trends will determine around 10 seats. is is expected to largely benefit Labour at the expense of the Conservatives and Lib Dems.

e student vote could also benefit the Green Party: 25 per cent of students backed the party in the European

e allegiance of students’ vote is generally most affected by changes to student finance, says the Higher Education Policy Institute. While many students may have felt the strain of

austerity measures put in place by the coalition, specifically with the rise in tuition fees, arguably it is more about the breach of promise.

However, while everyone might feel their faith has been trashed after promises made and broken since 2010, apathetically abstaining from voting can only worsen our political standing.

In 2010, just 51.8 per cent of those aged 18-24 voted, compared with 74.7 per cent of those aged 65 and older. Politicians take from this that in order to stay in a position of power, they need only advocate policies which benefit older members of society, whilst policies which attack young people will not be challenged since young people won’t vote.

I know what everyone is thinking“But, I don’t want to vote for any of them”. I agree. e major parties are too similar to even argue over and none have

really kept to their word, let alone done anything to benefit us.

By rising tuition fees they have undeniably made it harder for those from poor backgrounds to see the point in going to university, only encouraging a two-tier system within society. en they took away benefits for those under the age of 25 and have done nothing to tackle major obstacles to social mobility such as unpaid internships and zero hours contracts. Labour meanwhile, have been equally uninspiring and no longer represent a party that resonate with the experience of ordinary, working people.

Logically we can see that not voting only destroys any standpoint we have in the political system and gives politicians more of a reason to ignore us. In the interests of your own future, register to vote following the link on the right of this article.

“

Apathetically abstaining from voting can only worsen our political standing

Victor Degorce

Osborne’s Autumn Statement reignites old tensions in coalition government

During a speech delivered on December 1st, Nick Clegg criticised the Conservative plans for reducing public deficit, which he described as “utter nonsense”. Clegg’s unusually blunt criticism of government policies falls into a context of electoral tension, with the Liberal Democrats attempting to distance themselves from the Conservative party.

In this speech, Clegg admitted that the austerity measures introduced by the coalition government enabled more than £100 billion savings and contributed to the budget deficit being reduced. However, he argued that the Conservatives could not consider bringing back balance in the budget by only reducing public spending and without implementing any taxation increase.

By targeting the Conservative plans on public spending, Clegg touched the foundation of Cameron’s policies since 2010. Indeed, since the formation of the coalition government, George Osborne vowed to reduce the budget deficit and even claimed that the balance will be restored by 2015.

To meet this objective, the Conservatives implemented drastic cuts in public expenditures, by privatizing large sectors of the economy and by reducing the budget allocated to major departments. In the Conservative ideology, these measures are often combined with massive tax cuts to encourage individuals and firms to invest, and therefore boost the economy. However, Cameron appeared reluctant to implement massive tax reforms, and instead focussed on increasing the

inheritance tax exemption or reducing the corporate tax for small businesses. Starting in 2010, the gap between government spending and revenues began to decrease. Falling from 11 percent of the GDP in 2009, to 7.6 percent in 2012. However, this process proved to be slower than expected. And the Conservatives soon had to lower their expectations. Osborne therefore fixed new objectives for budget reductions. He asserted that UK’s public deficit will be reduced to 4.5 per cent of the GDP by 2015 elections, and balancing the budget will be finally achieved by 2018. e plan was to implement strict austerity measures before the election, to leave enough room for pre-elections tax cuts.

However, the latest forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility seriously compromised these plans. In this report, the Office warned that government income for 2014/2015 will be considerably lower than expected, forcing the government to borrow 75 billion pounds more over the next five years, and therefore slowing down budget deficit reduction. e collapsing revenues from oil sales and the slowing housing market is likely to cut the 12 billion pound from government income. However, major economists such as Robert Skidelsky claim that government austerity policies are mostly responsible. According to Skidelsky, the government’s failure to invest massively in the economy and compensate for the lack of investments from the private sector, led to the diminution of the economic activity and encouraged the development of insecure and low paid

jobs, which in turn caused government revenues through income taxes to falter. e Conservatives therefore find themselves in a difficult position, just months before the general election. Torn between pursuing harder austerity measures to meet balancing the budget by 2018, which, in the light of the latest forecasts, seems highly unlikely; and Cameron’s promises that he would not increase taxes.

is situation has even worsened in recent days, as Cameron confirmed that he will implement tax cuts if he is re-elected. He explained that he would raise the personal tax allowance to

Autumn Statement: main points

Student postgrad loans

e Chancellor announced a new system that would ‘revolutionise’ access to postgraduate university courses. From 2016-17, there will be government-backed loans worth up to £10, 000 available to all new postraduate students. e Chancellor said this will benefit approximately 40, 000 students, however this figure could be substantially more as some students could delay their degree by a year to benefit from this new system. However, these loans will only be available to students under the age of 30. NUS Vice-President Megan Dunn commented that this was a “major step in the right direction”. She went on to say “Creating a governmentbacked postgraduate loans scheme will make a fundamental difference to the lives and opportunities of students. Many postgraduates are currently funding their study through potentially disasterous measures such as credit cards, overdrafts and personal loans”. While this is very accepted, it seems to be a last measure by the coalition to appeal to the student vote, being so close

to an election and their unpopularity since raising tuition fees.

Deficit aims of 2010 have failed

Despite the UK being the fastest growing economy in the G7 in recent years, the Conservatives have failed in ridding the deficit by the end of this parliament.

Inflation will remain low for the near future, at 1.5 per cent this year, falling to 1.2 per cent next year.

Unemployment levels will continue to fall, set to refuce to 5.4 percent next year, reducing the number of people claiming unemployment benefits again. However, tax receipts have been dissapointing, showing that the jobs that have been created have been low paid jobs, at the minimum wage level, rather than long term high pay jobs that many people need, especially graduates.

Mr Osborne announced the deficit will be higher than predicted in the current tax year, totalling at a predicted £91.2 billion. However he seemed positive for the future, stating by the end of the next parliament, should the Conservatives stay in power, there will be a budget surplus of £23 billion, to

start paying off the country’s debt.

Wales tax power prediction: £3billion

For the first time, the Chancellor gave a possible prediction of how much money the Welsh Government would get control of if some tax powers would be devolved. Including income tax, landfill tax, stamp duty land tax and the aggregates levy, the figure would stand at almost £3 billion by 2020. e government also announced that an agreement has been made to devolve buisness rates to the assembly and welcome news from all the Welsh political parties.

Some more good news came from the statement. Next year the Welsh government will get an extra £123 million, mostly from the extra NHS spending measures Mr Osborne announced.

NHS Gets £2 Billion Investement

People across the country will be pleased to see further investement in the NHS, across Britain until 2020, but much of

12,500 pounds, taking a further 1 million people out of tax, and increase the higher rate threshold to 50,000 pounds. ese plans were described as “surreal” by Paul Johnson, head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, who argued that the tax cuts will lead to a loss of 7 billion pounds of income tax for the state.

For Ann McKechin, a Labour MP, the Conservative’s policies are symptomatic of their “desperation to stay in power”. With the general election approaching, Cameron’s ability to justify his policies will be at the centre of debates and will have a major influence on the final result.

Clegg’s unusually blunt criticism of government policies falls into a context of electoral tension

this money, it seems, is recycled money from savings already made within the service

£15 billion “Roads Revolution”

Over £15 billion is to be spent on improving roads and adding 13, 000 miles to roads in England. However this plan was initially announced in 2013 and many feel it is being reannounced to boost the Conservatives’ ratings before a General Election.

Stamp Duty Reform

ere is now in force new stamp duty reforms, benefitting 98 per cent of homebuyers. is reform is a much fairer system of tax making a much more gradual incline in stamp duty.

e Chancelor stated that this out of date tax desperately needed reform to be fair and not a shambles. However if he really believed that then he would have changed the tax when he came to office over four years ago, and not in a last Autumn Statement to win votes in the election.

Pictured: George Osborne delivers his Autumn Statement (bbc.co.uk)

The best housesaround dressed

James Griffiths

Sharvaani

What’s the point of owning a home theatre system which the entire block uses?

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Could geoengineering change the world?

Global warming has become an urgent topic of conversation in recent times, with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) saying last month that Earth is set for “severe, widespread, and irreversible impacts” unless hard work is done to combat rising global temperatures.

Some effects are being felt already, especially in fragile ecosystems and areas prone to extreme weather events, and according to the IPCC this situation is on track to worsen severely for all of us. UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon says, “Time is not on our side.” With these drastic consequences in mind more radical solutions to the problem are being entertained, and not least the notion of geoengineering.

In short what geoengineering involves is attempting to, quite literally, change the world. This comes in different forms, with two of the main methods in discussion being solar radiation management (SRM) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR).

Yet recent coverage on geoengineering has been markedly apocalyptic in tone, citing its potential to drastically exacerbate the already frightening effects of climate change as a major cause for concern.

Of these two geoengineering propositions, SRM is the more

controversial. Effectively it means boosting reflection of sunlight back into the atmosphere and away from the planet by injecting sea salt aerosols into marine clouds, increasing their water droplet content. This would reduce the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth, therefore balancing out the warming effects of greenhouse gases trapping solar rays inside our atmosphere.

However, while it’s been shown this would reduce global temperatures, studies have also demonstrated that SRM could actually lead to further catastrophic effects. Professor Piers Forster, from the University of Leeds, led a computer-based project that analysed six types of SRM. They found that twenty-five to sixty-five percent of the global population could expect worsened floods or droughts if SRM was used, adding that spraying salt water into clouds could adversely affect 3 billion people.

Mathew Wattson, a University of Bristol scientist who led the first ‘real-life’ SRM experiment, admitted that “if we ever deploy SRM it will be the closest indication yet that we’ve failed as planetary stewards. It [will] fundamentally change the way seven billion people are going to interact with the world, and I’m not sure the system is going to be controllable in

the way we want.”

CDR has fewer risks attached. Essentially it compromises of a variety of methods to suck carbon dioxide out of the air, through planting scores of trees and biofuel crops, burying millions of chemical “sponges” to directly trap CO2 from the air, and lining the oceans with crushed rock. This removal of greenhouse CO2 would allow more solar rays to escape out of our atmosphere, subsequently cooling the planet.

This approach will, however, require a whole new industry to be formed, the biggest humanity has ever known in fact, solely aimed at CO2 removal. It will cover vast areas of land, pressurising wildlife and farms whilst still burning energy in the process of construction, and no

If we burn all available fossil fuels by 2300:

818 Billion tonnes of carbon would be released into the atmosphere.

prizes for guessing how the fossil fuel industry will react to this competition.

These are undoubtedly drastic measures to take, yet their necessity may now be unavoidable. It seems we’ve burned too many fossil fuels in our time to warrant a weak response to the changes it’s now imposing on our existence. The prospects of geoengineering are unpredictable, ominous even, but climate change itself isn’t anything less: planetary change seems imminent regardless.

That being said, there must be a comprehensive look at all the alternatives to geoengineering before any huge scale action is taken, should we unwittingly propel the environment more quickly into disaster through our good intentions.

Global temperatures would rise by 8°C

On average, global sea levels would rise by 2-3 metres

The consumer psychology of Black Friday

Black Friday sales are a massive crowd-pulling phenomenon in the United States and UK alike. During this extreme expression of consumerism people appear to be willing to reject their humanity and embrace their more animalistic urges. Violence surrounding past Black Friday sales is well documented but what is it that causes people to do whatever it takes to get that one flatscreen television or a mixer grinder? Why are middle aged men and women ready to wait overnight in minus temperatures just to get that extra pair of branded headphones?

Last year, during Black Friday, Philadelphia witnessed two families indulge in a fight until one of the women stopped it with a stun gun. A hostile customer in Walmart, New Jersey had to be stopped by the police with pepper spray. In Virginia, a man stabbed another over a parking spot. e UK has witnessed two arrests owing to despicable behaviour during sale season. It turns out, that a number of psychological factors form the basis of such behaviour. A basic violent streak inherently exists in every one of us and it gets the better of consumers on rare occasions. When it takes over the outcome can be ugly. is violent streak owes to a number of factors; the sense of attaining a reward is a strong motivator in human psychology. Black Friday offers this reward in the form of a bargain which

reminds the consumer of the money he or she is gaining out of a deal. It’s like having your cake and eating it too. It is safe to say then, that retailers capitalize on the consumers’ need to feel victorious. ey motivate the customer into buying products which are usually out of their reach, and those which perhaps they do not need.

Another factor is the exhilarating feeling of competition. e competition is about getting maximum discounted deals on limited-edition products. is gives a consumer a sense of satisfaction that not only is the deal leaving him or her with a bargain, it is doing so with exclusivity. What’s the point of owning a home theatre system which the entire block uses?

Acquiring such deals also instigates a feeling of gain over a fellow customer’s loss. is pleasurable emotion makes consumers forget a basic rule –queuing up! Queuing up is a societal norm that rests upon the fact that everyone has equal access to resources at hand. Violation of this norm can often spark duels and scuffles, creating a feeling that anyone can disobey social rules. is feeling of entitlement is exacerbated by the fact that customers have to queue outside shops for hours before they open on Black Friday morning.

It is observed that this eagerness is often banked upon by store owners who set the sale time and date to

see maximum crowds waiting outside their doors.

Whilst the violent behaviour surrounding sales season serves as an indictment of consumer culture, we

can’t forget that the carnage is equally due to well-planned selling strategies that fuel the anticipation and sense of urgency that leads to this appalling display of human nature.

In short what geoengineering involves is attempting to, quite literally, change the

Pictured: Black Friday shopping on 5th Avenue in New York

world “

Meryon Roderick

Student Science: What happens when you eat a Christmas Dinner?

There’s nothing more satisfying, after weeks of surviving on the tail end of your student loan, than a glorious Christmas dinner. When you were a child all you could think about during the festive season was what presents you were going to open on Christmas morning. at was before you moved out, before you discovered that an 80 percent super noodle diet is not a sustainable way to live. ese days it’s unquestionably all about that wonderful Christmas dinner that fulfils the two most important criteria for food: it’s huge and your parents pay for it.

Student Science doesn’t like to leave any human experience un-ruined by rigorous scientific examination so this week we’re asking what happens to your body when you eat a Christmas dinner in all the lovely detail. We’ll start the journey as you get up from the table and waddle over to the sofa to settle for the rest of the afternoon. e food in your stomach begins to be broken down by lytic enzymes and hydrochloric acid to release, amongst other things, glucose. is simple sugar powers almost all of the processes in your body by being converted into Adenosine Triphosphate which cells can then break down to release energy. is energy is measured in calories and it only takes your body 12-24

T...there is a dichotomy in the brain of the dog when it comes to processing speech

hours to store all of the excess conveniently as fat. at’s why Boxing Day is a day for elasticated waistbands. Your body actually has no limit on the amount of calories it can store all at once, which either serves as a warning or a challenge depending on your mind set. People can consume as many as 7000 calories on Christmas Day so it’s no surprise it takes the rest of the year to shake that yuletide belly.

Considering you take on all this energy all at once, the early afternoon drowse that is a staple of any successful Christmas may seem somewhat counter intuitive. What causes this is the massive amount of energy required to digest your food as it passes through your body. is can account for 5-15 percent of all energy taken from food, with protein and alcohol requiring the most energy. is means that all the immediate energy you gain from Christmas consumption is fed back into digesting all the turkey and sherry and the excess is all stored as winter weight.

at’s the chemical process; the physical implications are also fairly extreme. Your stomach is usually about one litre in volume but is capable of accommodating about 4 litres before you’re forced to vomit via your gag reflex. Some people who don’t have a gag reflex can literally eat until their stom-

ach ruptures which is a pretty severe end to a big Rocket Joe’s session. All this eating stretches your stomach and this is why you’re able to eat just a few more chocolates over and over again for the rest of the day. You can see from all of this that eating every day the way you do at Christ-

mas would be a really bad idea leading to some serious health problems. But once a year, on that most holy of days, there’s absolutely no problem with it. So indulge to the absolute max in festive fattening and holiday hedonism because you’ll have to go back to value pasta sauce within the month.

Dogs may understand human speech

he ability of dogs to react to human speech is sometimes uncanny. Research recently conducted at the University of Sussex has provided some scientific evidence to support the notion that dogs can indeed decipher the emotions and sentiments contained in human speech.

e researchers placed speakers on both sides of several dogs and subsequently played a uniform command on all the speakers. Sometimes the command was altered by playing a flat emotionless tone or by deleting certain consonants from an emotional voice. e observed responses given by the dogs produced a substantial pattern. Eighty percent of the canines turned towards the right on hearing the flat emotionless tone indicating that they were concentrating on words rather than emotions whereas when a gibberish command was played in an emotional voice the dogs turned towards the left. It can been inferred from this set of behaviour that there is a dichotomy in the brain of a dog when it comes to processing speech. Similar to humans, dogs have two separate hemispheres to process speech: the left hemisphere analyses words and the right hemisphere responds to how the words are said or the emotional component of the speech. Although the internal functioning of the human brain is much more complex than the

brain of a dog, this similarity could be the basis for further studies of the canine brain.

e analogy between dogs and the human brain can also be extended to understand the characteristics of loyalty and affection that are peculiar to dogs. ey are animals that like to stay within their pack irrespective of whether the pack comprises humans or other dogs. e results from this research could entice researchers to probe this further. Zoologists believe that it would be interesting to see the

neurological aspect of such behaviours.

People who own dogs agree that their pets learn some of their repetitive commands and respond to it. However, the potential ability of the dogs to understand human speech seems very limited. ey cannot be expected “to read books or compose sonnets”, points out Nicholas Dodman, who is a Professor of Animal Behaviour at a school of Veterinary Medicine in North Grafton, Massachusetts . e ability of a dog to un-

derstand human speech is enhanced by the willingness of its master to train it. A lot of dog-owners cement the assigning of value to certain objects by calling the names of the objects and simultaneously pointing to them.

e research is evidently not comprehensive at this stage and provides no clear mechanism by which dogs internalize human speech. Nevertheless it could inspire dog-lovers to pamper their dogs further and feel more connected to them.

People can consume as many as 7000 calories on Christmas day

Pictured: A perfectly constructed Christmas dinner.

Syed Zafeer Akbar

Pictured: Some dogs hide their intelligence quite well.

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Head injuries in sports: should we be worried?

Shanna Hamilton

Last week, Phillip Hughes, 25, a young and promising Australian cricket batsman was catastrophically injured after receiving a blow to the top of his neck, at the base of his skull. A major artery was severed that supplies blood to the brain, an event called vertebral artery dissection, and Hughes later died from his injuries.

Australian team doctor Peter Bruckner said: “This was a freakish accident because it was an injury to the neck that caused haemorrhage in the brain. If you look in the literature there are only 100 cases reported.”

Amongst the flood of tributes for Hughes filling the media outlets are pleads for measures to prevent such devastating head injuries. While Hughes’ accident gets the world’s attention, should we be more concerned about other, lesser, injuries? Brain injuries that often go unreported and could have implications for our mental health in the future?

Before his death, Webster suffered such severe head pain that he would Taser himself unconscious just to be able to rest

There have been several high profile injuries due to sports in recent memory that have received a similar level of media attention. In Formula One, Marussia driver Jules Bianchi was critically injured in a high-speed crash in October, suffering a diffuse axonal injury, where the white matter of his brain was extensively damaged. He is fortunately no longer in a coma but remains unconscious while doctors hope his brain function improves.

Michael Schumacher, also of Formula One fame, suffered an epidural hematoma after a skiing accident. This was a massive bleed between the outer membrane of the brain, the dura matter, and the skull. Schumacher remained in a coma for weeks and is now on a very long road to recovery.

Many groups have outlined their serious concerns for participants in high-

impact sports due to the risk of severe injury. After the death of Michael Norgrove, a Zambian boxer who collapsed in the ring and also died from head trauma, charity Headway were particularly outspoken on the dangers of boxing: “Every time a boxer gets into the ring, there is a significant risk that they may lose their life or sustain a devastating, life-changing brain injury… Until this sport is banned, more young lives will be tragically lost.” While devastating, it is important to note that fatal sports injuries are rare, estimated at seven per year. However, sport-related brain injuries are certainly not.

According to the ‘Burden of Sport Injuries in the European Union’ report compiled in 2012, 5.8 million children and adults are treated annually in the EU for sports injuries, with a significant proportion of these being head injuries and concussions.

Traumatic brain injury, or TBIs, are serious. The brain, floating in a cushion of cerebrospinal fluid within your protective skull, is comfortable and secure. That is until you receive a high impact blow. After the head stops moving, restabilized by the tendons, muscles and bones of your neck, your brain keeps going. It has no support and continues striking the inside of the skull, at speed and potentially multiple times. Your brain, the soft tissue organ that is so vital to life and function, gets its very own bruises.

Mild TBIs, or concussions, are often shrugged off in a culture of “you’ll be alright” and “shake it off”. Short-term effects have long been well noted, the nausea, dizziness and migraines so typical of being “knocked out”. However, it took dissecting the brain of an American football player to confirm what many suspected – multiple concussions could have serious consequences.

For an example of this, look no further than American football legend Peter Webster. Before his death, Webster suffered such severe head pain that he would taser himself unconscious just to be able to rest. He become so detached from reality that he ended up entirely estranged from his family, living his final days as a four-time Superbowl winner in a pick-up truck.

Dissecting the brain of the famous NFL player, neuro-pathologist Bennet Omalu opened a can of worms that now haunts contact sport. He discovered large accumulations of tau protein in the brain, normally seen in those suffering from Alzheimer’s. This was the first real link between head injuries from sport and degenerative brain disease.

Many NFL players are reported to live difficult, bizarre lives after a career in contact sport, often suffering untimely deaths that were later attributed to this condition. This has been echoed in rugby and boxing, with reports of dementia and the ‘punch-drunk’ syndrome recognised in contact sports since the 1930s.

This syndrome is now recognized as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a neurodegenerative disease that thought to be a direct result of repetitive brain trauma. Multiple concussions can lead to a reduction in brain weight, changes in mood (including depression, aggression and anxiety), difficulty with balance and gait and an early death.

After Omalu’s work was published, the NFL fiercely battled criticism and tried to downplay the risks, even calling for a retraction of the research. These attempts were in vain, as last July, over 4500 American football players successfully settled a claim against the NFL. Accusing them of failing to warn players of the dangers of brain injury, the complainants secured $765 million to cover as many as

20,000 injured players and provide funds for research and education.

More recent studies support the notion that repetitive mild brain injury can have consequences in later life. Research of Professor Damian Bailey of the University of South Wales has found that in young rugby players, repetitive concussions can accelerate brain ageing and increase susceptibility to dementia.

On treatment options, Bailey said, “The most important thing is to let the brain recover from an initial injury. For many sports there are clear guidelines. If people are knocked out they must not return to play. They should have a period off contact sports so they can get back to play again. While repeated concussions is bad, repeated concussions without recovery are certainly very bad.”

Even after the multimillion dollar lawsuit and extensive research into the causes of CTE, many still are concerned that we are not taking the injury seriously. Medical advisor Dr Barry O’Driscoll resigned from the International Rugby Board after claims they trivialised the injury, controversially introduced a fiveminute concussion bin.

Talking about the IRB’s policies, O’Driscoll said “For someone with suspected concussion, all the top scientists say you take them off and watch them that night. If they incorporate the ‘fiveminute rule’ I think you’re putting people with brain damage back on the field, and the arena they’re going back into is brutal.”

So while horrific sports accidents like that of Hughes’ bring our attention to the catastrophic costs of contact sport, perhaps we could all benefit from understanding the risks associated with ‘mild’ traumatic brain injury and common concussions in games that are far too often shook off, in a culture of “play on”.

Pictured: Illustration of a healthy brain and concussed brain (Purdue University)

Barney Willis VP Societies & Campaigns

Pictured: The Bute Library Christmas tree

Barney’s Note

Happy holidays, happy helpers! Hope you are all well and dealing with the horrific amount of alliteration. Things in the wonderful world of societies are going swimmingly as always – we are SO close to having 8000 members so

What’s On

I would like to urge you all to join! Of course, that is my job, but still... We have had a series of great events in societies, including the Christian Union’s Carol Concert, a showcase of our Dance societies and (to top it off) a bubble football

Monday 8th December

English Language & Communication Meet and Greet Social 2pm - 4pm Talybont Social

Erasmus Society Tandem Café 8pm - 10pm

Tuesday 9th December

Ornithological Society Christmas meal 3pm - 6pm The Taf

TCUPS - Purcell Singers

Carol Singing in John Lewis 6pm - 7pm

Wildlife and Conservation Society Christmas Meal 7pm - 1am

Wilderness and Expedition Medicine Extreme Doctors

Winter Showcase

Male Voice Choir and Cardiff University Brass Ensemble (CUBE)

Monday 8th December 1pm Concert Hall, School of Music

Krishna Consciousness Soul Jam Kirtan is ultimately something which cannot be explained by words - it has to be experienced. It‘s always a higher connection - even if you are not consciously feeling it. It‘s alive, progressive, and rich with the fine nuances of an unfolding relationship. ere will be spiritual music! Free entry and free food!

Monday 8th December 6.15pm8pm 4H, Students’ Union

Music Society String Orchestra concert Monday 8th December 7pm9pm Concert Hall, School of Music

tweet us @gairrhyddsoc email us societies@gairrhydd.com or visit us online at gairrhydd.com/societies/

tournament - in case you don’t know, bubble football is like normal football but inside a giant inflatable bubble. Christmas is a great time for people in societies – if you want to get a flavour of what is going on, there is a banner link on the Union website called ‘The Winter Showcase’. Click on it for a link to events open to all students and throw yourself in!

As ever, get in touch if you need any help getting involved.

7pm - 8pm

Small Chemistry Lecture Theatre, Main Building

C.H.i.P.S. - Cardiff Healthy People Extravaganza 8pm - 10pm Boulders

St. John LINKS Society Winter Wonderland Ice Skating Social 8.15pm-10.30pm Meet in Students’ Union Reception

Wednesday 10th December

Art Society Bath Day Trip 2pm - 10pm

Engineering Society EnginSoc Presents The Masquerade Ball 6.30pm - 1am The Angel Hotel, Castle St, CF10 1SZ

Maths Society Last Social of the Year! 8pm - 2am Retro

Thursday 11th December

Howard League Talk from Network Rail Project Engineer and Influential SpeakerIan Harris 6pm - 7pm Room 1.50, Bute Building

Student Minds Eating Disorder Support Group 6.15pm – 7.15pm 3rd Floor boardroom, Students’ Union

Friday 12th December

Sci-Fi and Fantasy Society Hobbit Midnight showing 12.10am - 3am

Occupational Therapy Santa Stops 12th December 8pm - 4am FACE 11 Sat 13th December

Earth Society Christmas social 7pm - 10pm

Have an event you want covered?

Email: societies@ gairrhydd. com

Act One A Christmas Carol the Pantomime £5 student entry 8th, 9th and 10th December 7.30pm - 11pm CF10

Healthcare Music Society Christmas Concert

What better way to celebrate Christmas than with music?

Come along to the Healthcare Music Society’s annual Christmas concert to hear the choir and orchestra perform a variety of things from Beethoven to Train, and of course some Christmassy stuff! Tickets are only £5 with £3 concessions including students, with coffee and cake in the inter-

val. All proceeds go to Diabetes UK and World Vision 10th December 7pm - 10pm St Teilo’s Church, Woodville Road

TCUPS and Wind Ensemble Christmas Concert

e first half with TCUPS feature songs such as ‘You’ve got a friend in me’ from the Toy Story sound track, Mamma Mia compilation soundtrack, ‘May it Be’ from Enya, Lord of the Rings, ‘In the Bleak Midwinter by Bob Chilcott and a joint compilation with the Wind Ensemble. e Wind Ensemble has a programme which features contemporary British and American repertoire 10th December 7pm-9pm Concert Hall, School of Music

Traffic Clubbing & DJing Society

Basement Bassline Showcase

A bassline/deep house showcase of all the new student DJs who have joined Traffic this year supported by leading local Cardiff DJs

Batesy, Blokeye, Slaughter, Weeksy and Kloc. e night is all about supporting and showcasing new talent and all profit made goes towards our DJ school and our next headliner event. Entry just £3 all night, lots of drinks deals inside. 11th December 10pm-3am Ladybird, 41 St. Mary Street, CF10 1AD

Music Society Christmas Lunchtime Concert

Everybody don your elf costumes, jingle bells, holly and anything else festive for our fabulous Christmas Concert! is concert is in aid of Worldwide Cancer Research, a fantastic charity which funds research into any type of cancer, anywhere in the world. ey support some of the world’s most diverse and unexpected projects, run by both world-renowned specialists and up-and-coming talent. 11th December 12:30pm - 2pm Concert Hall, School of Music

A Backpack for Christmas - Global Health Student Network

90,000 children in Britain will face Christmas homeless this year, according to homeless charity Shelter. In light of this, Cardiff Global Health Student Network will run a ‘Build a Backpack Event’ this Christmas in order to raise awareness surrounding homelessness and to support those on the streets in the festive season.

On Wednesday 10th December

at Talybont Social between 4-6pm, the society and other volunteers will bring items to fill the backpacks.

As a suggestion of what to bring, we require: a sleeping bag/blanket, socks/gloves/ hat/scarf, thermal underwear, chocolate bar/sweets, toilet roll/ flannel/towel/soap/toothpaste/ toothbrush, reading material (books/newspaper), torch/mug (metal or plastic)/plate/bowl, wrapped Christmas gift (e.g. Shampoo/shower gel/aftershave/ perfume - plastic containers only), Christmas card/greeting (no personal addresses, emails or phone numbers).

If you do not have any spare items, food items such as tins for the evening meals at the night shelter would be welcome (Charity shops are a great place to find cheap items). Bring any items on the day and we will build

All events must be signed up to in advance.

To sign up and for more information about all of these events, go to cardiffstudents. com/giveitago

Monday 8th December 2014

Skills Development Service - Leadership Styles Workshop

Come along and learn to conquer the different styles of leadership that will lead

you down the path of success!

Room 4I, Students’ Union at 5:30pm

Anime Society - Anime Libraries

The society has a large range of anime and manga - come along if you want to read some manga. Members can also borrow anime.

The Lounge, Students’ Union at 6pm

Krishna Consciousness - Soul Jam! See Winter Showcase event

the bags together.

It is easy to get caught up in the frivolity and excitement at this time of year. However it is also an opportunity to be grateful for what we have, including the time to spend with our friends and family.

For those who have little, it can be the hardest and most painful time of year. This is why we hope

Room 4H, Students’ Union at 6pm

that in a small way, this event will help to make this season a little easier for those on the streets.

Whilst it is for an important cause, the society aims to make this a fun and festive event, with food and Christmas music provided, so please come along and do your bit this Christmas. For more information, Facebook ‘Global Health Student Network’.

Baking Society - Christmas Bake Off Bring a baked good which is Christmas themed. There will be prizes, a charity raffle and tonnes of cake for you to enjoy! Bringing a bake will allow you to try all the other bakes and then we will vote on the best!

Room 4J, Students’ Union at 8pm

Tuesday 9th December 2014

Student Volunteering Service - Local Children’s Nursery Christmas Carol Concert (Rehearsal)

Do you enjoy working with children. Then why not help the children put on a carol concert for their parents. Ideally volunteers should be able for all three dates. Please pop into the SVC office to sign up as places are limited.

SVC Office, Students’ Union at 1.45pm

Skills Development Service - Leadership in Difficult Situations Workshop

Being able to lead and hold a team together in challenging situations is an incredibly valuable skill. This unit will demonstrate to students how to achieve this transition smoothly and overcome interpersonal challenges.

CSEV, Students Union at 5.30pm

Wednesday 10th December 2014

Student Volunteering Service - Cathays Litter Pick

Got a spare hour or two? Spread a litter Christmas cheer and join us for a community litter pick. Your chance to get involved with your community, meet new people and make a difference - all in one afternoon.

SVC Office, Students’ Union at 12pm

Cardiff Lawn Tennis Club - Timed Tennis Timed Tennis is a great quick tournament. It’s very fun, all standards are welcome (including complete beginners). Contact broadn@cardiff.ac.uk for details

C-Card - Sexual Health Awareness Group SHAG has teamed up with YMCA to provide Cardiff students with access to free condoms and sexual health signposting. Students’ Union Boardroom at 1pm

Thursday 11th December 2014

Give It a Go - Student Cinema Student Union cinema is showing The Nightmare Before Christmas. Come along with your friends and enjoy a free film night! Lounge at 2pm

Friday 12th December 2014

Student Volunteering Service - Local Children’s Nursery Christmas Carol Concert (Rehearsal) SVC Office, Students’ Union at 10.15am

Christmas Carol Concert - St John’s Church

Student Volunteering Service

SVC are looking for singers and musicians to support a group of individuals with learning difficulties to sing Christmas Carols outside St John’s Church in the city centre. The event will enable individuals to give something back to the community.

SVC Office in Students’ Union at 2.30pm

Welsh National Opera Orchestra: The Music of John Barry

A James Bond fan’s must! Nicholas DoddConductor. Tim Lihoreau- Narrator. Exclusive Tickets for Cardiff SU St David’s Hall - The Hayes at 7.30pm

Emily Greenfield

SOCIETIES

WEMS Brecon Weekend

Medical society simulate wild casualties

Niamh Liley T

here really is no place like the Brecon Beacons. Majestic rolling hills filled with dense forest, tumbling waterfalls, mysterious caves… and the sounds of screaming casualties as a wilderness emergency takes place. Oh don’t worry, they’re not actual casualties, but they sure are close enough. e Wilderness Expedition Medicine Society announced that they were holding their annual Brecon Weekend this autumn. As a first year medical student with little to no experience in emergency medicine and a healthy dose of that Fresher ‘say yes to everything’ attitude, I decided to see what it was all about. I was not disappointed.

e first day consisted of four teaching stations run by healthcare students in higher years, educating us on a multitude of different scenarios. From tying a tourniquet to a chainsaw-savaged leg, to how

National Student Pride next year runs between 27th February - 1st March

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to effectively get a casualty out of a wrecked car (via the boot in case you were wondering). at evening we danced the night away at our very own ‘Come Play’ (Flux’s predecessor for all you youngsters like me), lovingly brought to the Beacon Beacons by the WEMS committee. Dance move of the night went to the ‘C-spine hold conga’, which was by far too cool for school.

Bright and early the next morning amongst the hazy hangovers, we managed to set off in small groups on a trek that would not just test our mud-dodging ability, but also our new knowledge from the day before. At different points along the way, WEMS had a few surprises for us in the form of accident and emergency wilderness scenarios, with conveniently placed tools for us to use to save the dying committee members. I won’t go into too much detail, as I wouldn’t want to ruin

things for anybody interested in joining, but think along the lines of Scotch Broth for vomit, fake blood for hacked off arms and smoke bombs for car wreckages (or an angry bull on one occasion).

All in all, WEMS is a society that I can see myself getting behind. e society is open to all healthcare students and has been developing over the last five years. ey offer exciting and educational opportunities which are very different experiences to those in a lecture theatre, the aim being to equip their members with hands on, practical teaching in the treatment of medical emergencies in a remote setting. This teaching is from older medical students, doctors and guest speakers, all of whom have been enthusiastic and inspirational to all members. Everyone is both kind and crazy, but they also sure are prepared if something went seriously wrong in real life.

This year WEMS have decided to hold a second Brecon weekend on 7th/8th February and I would implore you all to come along a see what it’s all about. Tickets for this will be on sale in the new year so search ‘Cardiff WEMS’ on Facebook for all the information. Alternatively, you can just turn up to one of our committee meetings (as a taster, last week we discussed WEMS-themed thermal underwear). Here’s to a great weekend and many more! Our next event will be titled ‘Extreme Medicine’ with guest speaker Dr Raj Joshi on December 9th at 7pm in the Small Chemistry Lecture Theatre. He will talk about his experiences climbing Everest, being an expedition doctor around the world and his Army Reserves experience. It is a FREE event and open to all students - regardless of course! Contact: CardiffWEMS@ gmail.com

Interested in joining in National Student Pride?

ne of the biggest LGBT+ Weekends of the year is fast approaching and will be taking place between 27th February - 1st March 2015. It promises to be bigger and better than ever and we couldn’t be more excited to attend!

Cardiff University LGBT+ Society has attended National Student Pride for the past three years and we can’t wait to return to London once again this year for live performances, nights out in London’s amazing SOHO area, ending in London’s biggest gay club, G-A-Y Heaven, and also the live debates and discussions during the Saturday daytime event.

Last year we saw lively debates and question time panels, which have previously been attended by well-known figures such as gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, Ben Cohen, Dan Gillespie Sells (frontman for The Feeling), BBC

newscaster Jane Hill, and Paris Lees, who recently topped the Independent on Sunday’s 2013 Pink List. We also managed to spot Tom Daley in G-A-Y Heaven (Yes, the boys got very excited and Cardiff University did all crowd round him and managed to photobomb him several times) as well as a live performance from award winning ‘Foxes’ during the Saturday night party! is is a massive event and universities, LGBT+ societies and associa-

tions from all over the country travel down to London to attend. Last year Cardiff had the biggest turn out of every university in the country, and we’re keen to repeat this again and show London our Welsh spirit! Interested in joining us at this event? Transport and accommodation comes to £60, in addition to purchasing your official NSP wristband (£5 Earlybird!). Please email LGBT@ Cardiff.ac.uk for more details if you’re interested in coming along!

The aim is to equip their members with hands on practical teaching in the treatment of medical emergencies in a remote setting

Samuel Roper Pictured: Left: National Student Pride logo Right: Tom Daley (Source: Wikipedia Commons)

Pictured:

TAF-OD

Gair Golygyddol

Steffan Bryn

Jones

Morgan Owen

DMorgan Owen

aeth hi’n wythnos olau’r tymor...pwy feddyliai! Ac yn wir, ceisio bwrw golwg ar sut dymor wnaeth hi a wnaf i fel Swyddog y Gymraeg wrth gloi’r flwyddyn yn y Gair Golygyddol hwn. O ystyried canlyniad pleidlais yn Senedd y Myfyrwyr nos Fawrth diwethaf (2il o Ragfyr), hynod ddeniadol fyddai ddechrau gyda’r llwm. Peidiwch â phoeni, fe ddof at hynny yn y man! Fodd bynnag, mae gennym lawer i’w ymfalchïo yn ei gylch wrth godi gwydr i ddiwedd tymor arall. Dyma’r tymor a welodd enw Cymraeg ar y Clwb Nos newydd ‘Y Plas’ yn cael ei gymeradwyo gan y myfyrwyr, a hynny gyda mwyafrif clir; dyma’r tymor a welodd Siarter Iaith Gymraeg UCM Cymru yn cael ei derbyn yn unfrydol gan yr Undeb; y tymor a welodd y rhyddid i siarad y Gymraeg yng nghyfarfodydd democrataidd yr Undeb yn dod yn realiti ynghyd â’r hawl i gyfathrebu’n Gymraeg â’r Undeb. Yn gymdeithasol, sefydlwyd TWRW, sef noson o gerddoriaeth Gymraeg yn fisol yng Nghlwb Ifor Bach ac yn dilyn cryn bwyso cyfrannodd yr Undeb £800 at gostau’r Ddawns Ryng-golegol. Fe herion y Brifysgol ynghylch diffyg Cymraeg ar y peiriannau hunan-wasanaeth yn y Llyfrgelloedd ac fe enillon ni. Mae Cangen Caerdydd y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol yn parhau i dyfu. Deallaf y bydd rhaid dod o hyd i ystafell fwy na’r ystafell ddwbl presennol a ddefnyddir ar gyfer cyfarfodydd y Gangen erbyn cyfarfod mis Ionawr. Gyda mwy o ddarlithwyr cyfrwng Cymraeg yn cael eu penodi a’r cnewyllyn o fyfyrwyr ymchwil cyfrwng Cymraeg yn parhau i ehangu- mae addysg Gymraeg ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd yn mynd o nerth i nerth. Felly, Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda ddarllenwyr annwyl?

Na. Byddai rhywun yn ffôl i feddwl bod brwydr y Gymraeg ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd wedi’i hennill. Yn enwedig o safbwynt y myfyrwyr: sef y bobl bwysicaf oll! Mae pob dim a enillwyd hyd yma wedi cymryd gwaith caled i’w hennill. Yn ysbryd yr holl ddatblygiadau hyn felly, gyda pheth hyder a brwdfrydedd (ffôl) yr es i â chynnig ynghylch cynnal refferendwm yn y flwyddyn newydd ar y cwestiwn “A ddylai Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd gael swyddog sabothol ar gyfer y Gymraeg?” i Senedd y Myfyrwyr olau’r tymor. Roeddwn yn meddwl bod y dyddiau o orfod cyfiawnhau ein bodolaeth fel siaradwyr Cymraeg yn ein gwlad ein hunain yn hen hanes. Yn bersonol, ‘wrth gwrs y dylai’ yw’r ateb i’r cwestiwn uchod. Ym mhle arall heblaw prifddinas Cymru byddai hyd yn oed angen swyddog sabothol ar gyfer y Gymraeg. Ym mhle arall heblaw prifddinas Cymru y byddai angen dadlau dros gael un?! Cwestiwn arall yw hwnnw mae’n debyg- un nid af ar ei ôl! Mae’r Gymraeg yn ffactor unigryw ac arbennig sy’n gwahaniaethau Prifysgol Caerdydd oddi wrth ei brodyr a chwiorydd yn y grŵp Russel o brifysgolion. Ond waeth beth fo safbwynt unrhywun ar y cwestiwn uchod, mae’n gwestiwn sydd nid yn unig yn haeddu cael ei ofyn, sydd angen ei ofyn ond yn un sydd angen ei ateb! Mae’n fater o ddemocratiaeth sylfaenol. Mewn cyfarfod rhyfedd a dweud y lleiaf o’r Senedd, methu wnaeth fy nghynnig o refferendwm ar y mater, a hynny o 1 bleidlais. Mae’n ddiwrnod trist pan fo unrhyw UNDEB yn gwrthwynebu hawl democrataidd eu haelodau i leisio barn ar bwnc sydd o bwys i bob un o’r aelodau hynny. A fyddai rhoi’r grym yn nwylo’r myfyrwyr mewn refferendwm yn

rhy beryglus tybed? Tristach fyth mai’r gwrthwynebydd pennaf oedd cyd-swyddog etholedig o’r Undeb. Mae’r holl fyfyrwyr yn ethol Swyddog y Gymraeg i weithredu fel y mynno ef neu hi er budd siaradwyr y Gymraeg a’r iaith yn ehangach (sy’n perthyn i bawb). Yn yr un modd mae’r holl fyfyrwyr yn ethol Swyddog Addysg i arwain ar faterion Addysg i’r un diben. Dim ond siaradwyr Cymraeg fyddai â diddordeb yn y refferendwm felly byddai dim pwynt cynnal un...o diar. Rwy’n credu fod lle i ddiolch iddo mewn llawer i ystyr wrth iddo, yn anuniongyrchol, wneud yr union achos dros gael swyddog sabothol dros y Gymraeg ! Os gall awdurdod a barn broffesiynol yr union berson sydd wedi’i ethol i roi llais i’r iaith a’i siaradwyr ar sut i ddatblygu’r achos ymhellach gael ei sathru arno mor hawdd- nid yn unig un cwestiwn sydd angen ei ofyn! Fodd bynnag, un rhwystr rhag rhoi llais i’r myfyrwyr a llais i’r Gymraeg yw gwrthod y cynnig. Byddai’n rhaid i’r Undeb gynnal refferendwm pe bai 500 o fyfyrwyr yn llofnodi deiseb i’r perwyl hwnnw. Byddaf yn mynd ati i ddechrau deiseb ar unwaith i geisio dad-wneud y camwedd hwn. Bydd angen i bawb gefnogi os ydym am lwyddiant, felly i’r gad gyda’n llofnodion a’n rhifau myfyrwyr! Yn ychwanegol i’r llith hwn, mae Morgan hefyd wedi cyfrannu ysgrif fer. Edrychaf i a Morgan ymlaen at fwy ohonoch yn cyfrannu erthyglau dros y tymor nesaf. Rydym yn awyddus iawn i dderbyn cyfraniadau gan fyfyrwyr y Gymraeg a Newyddiaduraeth, yn ogystal ag unrhyw un arall! Mae grŵp cyfranwyr ar Facebook a hefyd mae modd anfon e-bost at tafod@gairrhydd.com Oddi wrthom ni’n dau - iechyd da ! X

Gwallgofrwydd Lluosog Y Llyfrau

Mae’r meddwl yn dueddol o grwydro pan ddylai fod â’i fryd ar ryw orchwyl penodol, ac anodd ymgadw rhag dilyn hynt ei gyfeiliornad. Caf fy hunan yn y sefyllfa hon yn lled fynych, ac mae’n rhaid cyfaddef mai wrth ymgolli ym mreuddwydion liw dydd y daw’r syniadau gorau, ac y datgelir y pethau mwyaf. Pan fo’r dychymyg eisoes wedi ei aredig gan brofiad arbennig, ac yn dal i ymdeimlo â’i wefr, nid oes angen ond i un wreichionen ddisgyn o law’r Awen er mwyn cynnau tanchwa o feddyliau rhyfeddol. Ac megis tanau gwylltion y lluchiodd dirifedi synfyfyrion ynof pan oeddwn yn pori ymysg llyfrau’r llyfrgell wedi gorffen gwaith y dydd. Gynt, ymwelaswn â’r dref ac fe’m trawyd gan yr olwg bruddglwyfus a fu ar y dorf a ganfûm yno, gyda phob wyneb, bron, yn guwch, a phrin ddigon o le i droi yn eu plith. Atgyfnerthwyd y teimlad gorthrymus a barodd y twr ynof gan unffurfiaeth y bobl a’r amgylchedd: cyfalafiaeth a phrynwriaeth ar eu gwaethaf. Mae pawb yn ceisio prynu unigrywiaeth— ond o’r un lle, yn amlwg. Ymlwybrais tua’r llyfrgell gan geisio lloches rhag yr uffern masnachol hwnnw, am fod llyfrau’n cynnig rhwng eu cloriau eangderau’r bydysawd cyfan, sef yr union beth yr ydys yn poeni nad ydyw yn bodoli bellach yng nghanol y lluoedd.

Yn benodol, fe’m tywyswyd tua’r llyfrgell oherwydd i mi gofio dan ysgogiad y dorf linell o gyfieithiad Daniel Rees o La Divina Comedia, sef Gweledigaethau Dante. Wrth i’r bardd ddisgyn ymhellach i grombil uffern yng nghwmni Fyrsil, ei dywysydd, rhyfedda at faint y giwed felltigedig: ‘Yna

tyrfa / Mor fawr o bobol a ganlynai’r faner / Fel nas gallaswn, yn fy hoedel, ddirnad / Fod Angeu wedi lladd cynnifer’. Cynifer o bobl a welais i, a chyn welwed eu hwynebau a chyn ddyfned eu hocheneidiau, gallwn innau fod wedi tybio mai yng Nghylch Cyntaf Annwn oeddwn! Gyda’r llyfr hwn mewn golwg yr euthum i’r llyfrgell. Wedi cael fy ngwala o La Divina Comedia, porais ymysg y llyfrau yn ddiamcan gan adael i’m horiogrwydd gynnig unrhyw lyfr i mi a edrychodd yn ddiddorol. Dwysawyd yr argraff a adawyd arnaf gan y dorf yn y dref gan ddarluniau Dante o uffern, ac wrth i edafedd fy mhrofiad i gyd-weu â barddoniaeth ddihafal prifardd yr Eidal, fe’m llenwyd â rhyw gyffro didoledig. Mae’r ffin rhwng llên â phrofiad yn niwlog iawn dan y fath amgylchiadau, ac fe ddaw arswyd melys o ganfod cyn deneued yw’r ffin honno, am fod bywyd a llên wedi eu gwneud o’r un sylwedd annelwig ac fe gânt eu mynegi yn yr un iaith. Dyma gyd-destun y synfyfyrion a olchodd drosof yn llanw. Yn ddisyfyd roeddwn yn ymwybodol o ddyfnder cwta ddwy linell o farddoniaeth, a’r graddau y gall cyn lleied o eiriau cyd-daro â phrofiad real, a’i ddwysáu a’i atgyfnerthu hyd nes ei fod yn debycach i lên na bywyd go iawn. Pan droais fy meddwl tuag at weddill y caniad, gweddill y llyfr, gweddill y llyfrau ar y silff ger fy mron ac yna gweddill y llyfrgell, ymdeimlais am ennyd â thragwyddoldeb. O ddeunydd un caniad o Weledigaethau Dante y gellid llenwi breuddwydfyd cyfan; hynny yw, heb helaethu ar fanylion a’r pethau hynny a amlinellir ac a awgrymir ond heb eu diriaethu. Oni fyddai angen ar-

noch ganrifoedd i gnoi cil yn y modd hwn ar un llyfr?

Yn fy llesmair, cofnodais yn fy nodlyfr ‘’gwallgofrwydd lluosog y llyfrau, ac ynddynt bob un aneirif fywydau

yn troi yn eu hunigedd, bywydau na ddatgelaf byth, ac a erys yn ddirgelwch...’’. Gwelais hefyd uffern: cynifer o lyfrau, a chyn lleied o amser o fewn un bywyd.

Oni fyddai angen arnoch ganrifoedd i gnoi cil yn y modd hwn ar un llyfr?

Tim Nagle

PARK LIFE

Season’s greetings from the Heath!

This is the last Park Life before Christmas. If you are reading it, then you have successfully survived the first term, first assignments and placements. Well done!

This week Park Life features an interview with the current and former VP Heath Park Campus. It is unusual to have two available to speak to at the University; the role is often taken by a student after their studies but it was great to speak with them. Nominations for next years’ full time officer team, as well as the campaign officers, opened on 8th December. There is a lengthy nomination period, please contact Claire, Gemma or any current officer for more information if you are inter-

ested in running. Just because Heath students have a specific Vice President doesn’t mean you can’t run for any position, including the new postgraduate Officer post. it would be great to see lots of Heath students running!

Professor Sheila Hunt spoke with me about her career and passions. As the Dean of the School of Healthcare Sciences, a socialist, a nurse, a midwife, an advocate of LGBT+ rights and a fan of The Archers she is an inspiration, and I am grateful she made time for me before leaving the University.

Medics Varsity was a great success and Cardiff won everything. Hopefully this will become a regular feature of the year; you can find coverage of the day in

What does it take to run for VP Heath Park?

Gemma Wheeler, VP for the previous academic year, and Claire Blakeway, incumbent Heath Park VP talk about what it means to be a sabb at the Heath

In the run up to nominations opening for the Students’ Union main elections, Park Life editor Tim Nagle speaks to current VP Heath Park Claire Blakeway, and her predecessor Gemma Wheeler.

Both came into the role under different circumstances, with Blakeway graduating as a radiographer first, while Wheeler took a year out of her studies to be VP Heath Park. The decision to run for the role was a dramatic one, as prior to the role both women felt that taking a year out of their career was a risky move.

Wheeler says: “Looking back it wasn’t a risk, as I have developed so much as a person and developed a range of skills which can only be beneficial in the future.” For her, transitioning back into being a regular student at the beginning of this academic year was a bit of a shock, with the ice-cold welcome of having to do a set of exams the moment she returned. But she does feel a lot more mature and confident, and despite her doubts it has in fact benefited her career greatly. “After giving a speech at graduation in front of 1500 people, doing a presentation for 20 people is

much easier.”

Blakeway wants to work in the NHS one day, and feels that her time as VP Heath Park has taught her far more than a year in a healthcare job would have. She feels that the role is the best one: “You get to do a bit of each remit. We have Heath-based societies and sports clubs, we’ve just had Medics’ Varsity and at the same time I am working with setting up Peer Assisted Learning.” She describes it as being like a Union President, but exclusively over the Heath Park campus. In fact, if there was one more thing she could achieve before she leaves her role at the end of the year, Blakeway wants to set up a Students’ Union building at the Heath.

Both women ran in their respective elections with very little opposition; Blakeway was the only one to run for VP Heath Park at all last year. This is very different from most of the other VP roles, which usually have an average of five or six candidates. Many students at the Heath believe that taking a year out puts them at a disadvantage. Wheeler says: “I think people believe they are better off doing a clinical year. If you are doing a

the sport section.

If you are reading this and have picked up your copy at Heath Park then this is great. For various reasons Gair Rhydd has struggled to reach all areas of the University this term but this should change going forward. I would ask, if you come across a Gair Rhydd stand which is empty or has an old issue please let myself, Claire or Michael, the editor, know as we want to ensure the paper reaches you.

Finally, if you would like to write an article for Park Life or have an idea for a news item that should feature, then please get in touch using the details at the top of the page.

Nadolig llawen pawb!

five year degree, that is already a long time to be here.”

In addition, the staff at the Heath have been known to discourage students from running, whereas a very different mentality prevails on most of the Park Place schools. Blakeway highlighted an extra problem for medical students during her election campaign: “Being on placement can be a barrier, as I had to do a week of nights to get the week off to campaign.”

A recent issue regarding the Union elections is whether campaigners should be allowed to dress up in costumes, and employ a ‘gimmick’ to make themselves stand out to voters. Some believe it is unfair to win a campaign based on the best sweets or the whackiest costume. However, gimmicks will go ahead this year, except that election candidates must submit their real name on the ballot.

Based on their experiences, both the current and former VPs believe that gimmicks are crucial to ensuring student engagement in the elections, which is generally very low already. “I think that most students probably cannot say what the Students’ Union does,” says Wheeler.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference between Blakeway and Wheeler’s tenures are the gender imbalances on the officer team. Blakeway is the only female out of this year’s six sabbatical officers, whereas Wheeler had two other women for company on a team of seven officers. Moreover, more women ran than men in Blakeway’s campaign period. But both women believe that the gender imbalance is just a matter of circumstance, as Blakeway says: “I think the people who won this year ran the best campaigns. The fact that so many women ran shows that the roles are accessible to all.”

Of their respective tenures, Blakeway is proudest of establishing Medics’ Varsity and securing funding for renovation of the Heath. Wheeler took part in the institutional review and establishing a voice for Heath students in this very section, Park Life. If you are considering running for VP Heath Park this year, feel free to contact either Gemma Wheeler or Claire Blakeway for more information. Their twitter handles are @GemmaLWheeler and @HeathParkCSU, respectively.

Tim Nagle

Sum Sze Tam

35 HEATH PARK

Professor Sheila Hunt: the Gair Rhydd interview

We speak to the retiring Healthcare Dean about Higher Ed and the Archers

As I walk into interview Professor Hunt, Dean of the School of Healthcare Sciences she remarks that “half my life is in boxes”, and asks me to excuse her. This is because, after after seven years as a Dean at Cardiff she is leaving at the end of the year. After a career in healthcare spanning back to 1969, I had expected her to tell me that she was looking forward to a retirement of Twitter (@ ProfessorSheila) and listening to The Archers, but she is moving on to new challenges in management consultancy and coaching.

Her office, on the 7th floor of Eastgate House (‘Park Life? Maybe “Heath Park and a few floors of Eastgate House” would be a better name?’) overlooks Cardiff Royal Infirmary where she started her nursing training before further training to be a midwife. She finds it quite remarkable that she has “gone from nurse, to midwife, to so-called Professor and loved every moment of it”.

Over the course of her career much has changed. Today, for example, all midwives working in the community will have mobile phones but “we had to carry lots of change to use pay-

phones”. Technology has made staff and patients safer. The biggest and most important change according to Professor Hunt is moving healthcare education into Higher Education.

“Moving into Higher Education has raised the quality of care for patients and raised the status of the various professions. Nurses, midwives, radiographers, physiotherapists and others bring something to the world of academia that was maybe lacking, an experience of the world outside of libraries and lecture halls. I moved into education as this is where I felt I could affect the most change and I am proud to have been a part of it.”

Recently, Professor Hunt has been part of the work to create the new School of Healthcare Sciences. “It was more challenging last year, I was leading two schools, Healthcare Studies and Nursing and Midwifery. Now with one school it is easier to lead but the challenges lie in the systems, how ‘we’ do things as a school, ‘our’ values as a whole rather than as parts of the healthcare system. It has also been a challenge to ensure that each profession remains individual, the school is large and different dis-

ciplines have been anxious not to become lost within it.”

Professor Hunt is passionate about the huge benefits to students, some of which are yet to be seen as the school is still in its infancy.

“The biggest benefit is that there are more opportunities. PhD. students have access to a greater range of supervisors from a wider range of academic staff. Masters core modules can be taught by research experts rather than subject experts and pathways through masters’ courses are more specific. For undergraduates, there is more shared learning, for example, OT have always had really good scenario based learning and this can now be shared between disciplines.”

I noted that, as a first year nursing student, all my learning had been with other nurses, is this something which may change in future?

“From next September shared modules will be expanded to include OT, Physio. and Midwives. In practice we do not work in silos but as part of a broad multi-disciplinary team. The school is still at the start of a process but our need for excellent communi-

cation skills, our values and ethical beliefs are not field specific; they are fundamental. Hopefully we can grow and learn together including medics as well.”

I was keen to discuss social media with Professor Hunt. As a student I have been warned of the perils of using social media but see it as a major part of modern life. As a Twitter fan, I wonder what she thinks. “It’s here, it has a place, it is the way the world is and influences the world. I think it is important to understand the benefits and dangers…Don’t use it if you have had a drink and don’t say things that are disrespectful or break confidentiality.” Simple!

Much of Professor Hunt’s research has focussed on the inequalities in healthcare and before leaving I ask Professor Hunt what we can do, as healthcare professionals of the future to help those who are most vulnerable. Her advice is something which is easy to say but can take courage to do and real strength to do well, ‘be an advocate for your patient. People who are vulnerable need an advocate and sometimes, in that moment, you are all they have.’

Before you leave... a note from Claire

Well, what a term! From the madness of freshers to the victorious day that was Medics’ Varsity; this term has been busy for Heath Park students. It has also been a term of culture shift for Heath representation, with increasing representation on Student Senate, Scrutiny Committee and the Womens’ Association. Thank you to everyone that has been involved in Heath Park student activity this term, it has been a pleasure to work with you whilst it has been so satisfying to see fantastic engagement progress. I look forward to seeing what next terms brings!

On Tuesday (9th December), between 12-2pm, you will see the first ever Christmas Fair on the campus. At the fair, all Students’ Union servic-

es will have a stall that plays host to a wide range of festive games; there will be everything from pin the red nose on the reindeer to Christmas card making. Make sure you come along as its set to be a great day!

The final message from me is to thank all students that participated in the first ever Medics’ Varsity. It was an amazing day as Cardiff Medics scored a clean sweep against Bristol Medics, winning in Netball, Squash, Football, Men’s and Lady’s Hockey and Football. Let’s forward to next year when Cardiff Medics will be fighting to retain the Medics’ Varsity title on their own turf.

This is the last Park Life before Christmas so I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Moving into Higher

Education

has raised the quality of care for patients and raised the status of the various professions “ ”

Tim Nagle

Claire Blakeway

BUCS Results: Wednesday 3rd December

Remember, we’re always looking for match reports. Email sport@ gairrhydd. com with your team’s progress!

Continued from back page

Autumn Internationals: South Africa win ends Welsh Southern Hemisphere hoodoo

debut and following it up with a great try against the All Blacks. e scrum half’s form was without a doubt helped by his fellow half back Dan Biggar, also an Osprey. eir chemistry was visible throughout the series and whilst they played to each other’s strengths, both also shone individually.

Biggar was recently voted man of the series for his individual efforts, being instrumental to every attack. Both his decision-making and his execution of kicks were praised highly and his swift hands played to the strengths of Jamie Roberts, the Welsh battering ram who received the man-of-the-match award in the agonising defeat to New Zealand due to his tremendous efforts to consistently get over the gain line.

Another aspect of Biggar’s game that was praised was his defensive commitment, with a highlight being his tremendous tackle on Tendai Mtawarira in the South Africa match, a player who weighs almost five stone more than the fly half. However it was not just Biggar’s efforts in defence that were recognised and praised. e Welsh squad as a whole was air-tight in their defensive efforts, denying the freeflowing Springboks even a sniff of a try and shutting out the world champions for 70 minutes before ultimately the bounce of the ball undid all previous efforts.

From a fans’ perspective, it was

wonderful to see the passion and commitment shown by the squad in all four matches. is passion was personified in the displays of captain

Sam Warburton, who was unbelievable at the breakdown, especially in the personal battle against Richie McCaw, many in the media noting that the Welshman kept the All Blacks’ captain quiet.

As captain it was also down to Warburton to help some of the more inexperienced players settle into the cauldron of the Millennium Stadium and deal with the pressure of pulling on the Welsh jersey. Nobody eased

into their role more easily than Samson Lee. e Scarlets prop only turned 22 last week but played like a test veteran, predominantly in defence, where he tackled relentlessly and refused to stay down, as well as being impeccable in the scrum throughout the series.

Prior to the autumn series, Lee was in the spotlight as the successor to the number 1 shirt for Wales, previously worn by Adam Jones for over 10 years, but following the victory over South Africa, Blues prop Jones tweeted “Don’t mind losing my place to Samson! Some player! Got to be a Lions (player) in ’17!! Last few scrums were epic!!”

Despite finally defeating one of the big three, Warren Gatland’s players will do everything in their power to ensure this isn’t a one off with next year’s World Cup looming. First though, the squad will be looking to reclaim their Six Nations crown in 2015, with their next fixture being the old enemy as England travel to the Millennium Stadium.

Wales will be confident with the 30-3 demolition of Stuart Lancaster’s side still fresh in the memories of both sides, whereas England will be hoping that they can cope with the atmosphere of the Welsh fans this time unlike the last match when they simply crumbled under the pressure.

Following the Six Nations, the 2015 World Cup will take centre stage and it should be quite the spectacle right from the first match with Wales being grouped with Australia, England and the physical Fijians. With only two qualifying spots available, and having been dumped out of the 2007 World Cup in a group with Fiji, Warren Gatland will be wary from the off.

Whatever the competition brings, the experience of beating a side that recently defeated New Zealand will be invaluable to the Welsh squad, smashing down the psychological barrier that has been up for years against these Southern Hemisphere sides. Finally, the monkey is off the back.

Strong outing for Cardiff at BUCS Duathlon

Charlotte Frazer Cox

On Sunday November 23rd, Cardiff University’s Triathlon Club debuted at their first event since becoming independent from the Athletics Club in October.

A total of 29 triathletes from the club, including 16 first timers, arrived at the Castle Coombe race circuit in Bath, to compete in the BUCS Duathlon Championships.

e course started off with a twomile run, followed by a 10-mile cycle, and finished with another two-mile run. Cardiff University’s triathletes raced in all five divisions of the day and this resulted in some excellent performances.

e day started with the DB Max ‘Chilly’ duathlon, which followed the same course as the BUCS event and was completed by several Cardiff University alumni. Club founder Tim Fulford completed his first duathlon in 48 minutes. Laurence Lovell closely followed him, with Lee Treadwell and Giorgio Zanco bringing up the rear, both completing their firstever duathlons. For the girls, current members Emily Lagomarsino and Sophie Wheeler also completed their first duathlons in very respectable times.

en it was on to the main event and the BUCS Championships. e male athletes were set off in two waves according to their targeted finishing times. First off was the boys’ first wave, aiming for sub-55 minutes.

at group included Alex orley, Christian Priestley, Jonny Harper and Geoff Smart. Alex produced the best performance of the day, coming 16th overall.

Next it was the girls’ turn. e first team of Lauren Roe, Rosie Owens and Laura Strudley all completed the course within an hour and were rewarded with a top-10 team position. is was Laura and Rosie’s first-ever duathlons, making this an even greater achievement. It was also the first duathlon for the remaining

five girls in the team, with everyone completing the course under 75 minutes, smashing their predicted times.

Finally it was the boys’ second wave. Cardiff had 11 boys in the second wave, only three of whom had completed a duathlon before. Again the boys excelled, with everyone achieving a personal best or destroying their predicted time. Will Arnold, despite being in the later wave completed the course in 50 minutes to join Geoff and Alex and complete the boys’ first team

which came 28th out of 188 teams. Arnold was followed closely by seven of his teammates, who also made the 55-minute standard that would have seen them hold their own in the first wave.

Cardiff University seeded one of the biggest teams at BUCS, surpassing that of Swansea University. Despite only being an AU club for a very short time, the winter training is clearly paying off and the club is very excited for their next race in February, and more excellent results along with it.

Pictured: Athletes from Cardiff Uni Triathlon Club at the BUCS Duathlon Championships in Bath

Pictured: Wales captain Sam Warburton takes on All Blacks’ counterpart Richie McCaw

James Lloyd

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SPORT Team Talk: Inter Menan

Inter Menan captain Alex Fugard talks Pompey, Pelle and reveals all about his team

What is your role as Inter Menan captain?

Well my role is mainly the football side of things so I set the team up and make sure everyone gets 90 minutes. Mason Hyatt is our club chairman and he was the captain last season. He secured us funding through the History Society so that was very helpful as I didn’t have to find any sponsorship. Another lad, Barry Eastwood, is the vice-captain and helps me on the side-lines by making subs, so we are working well as a unit.

How many people are in the squad?

We try to get a lot from the History freshers so we have a large intake from them but we have a lot of people from different courses. e squad is quite big, we have 18/19 players so we have to rotate people in. However we have had a few injuries already so that makes it easier to give people game time. We just want everyone to enjoy themselves.

Do you have to organise socials?

We have two social secs – Alex Macey Dare and Matt Hale. ey have organised some good socials this year and it’s good for me as it is something less to worry about. ey organised our welcoming social, a pub golf social and that sort of thing.

We are aiming for the top division. Last season we just missed out on it, so our aim for this seaon was to go that one little step further...the second phase of the season could bring anything

What are your targets for the season?

We are aiming for the top division. Last season we just missed out on it, so our aim for this season was to go that one little step further. After that the second phase of the season could bring anything.

How have the results been this season?

ey have been good, we have won all of our games bar one, in which we were disappointed to lose to MoMed. We didn’t really play our football and we were outplayed on the day. e lads were very disappointed but we responded quite well as we beat FC Euros 6-0 and then beat Chemistry 5-0, so we bounced back from the defeat well.

If you had to compare your team’s performances to a professional team, who would you compare it to?

I hate to say it as I’m a Portsmouth fan, but we probably play like Southampton. We don’t have any standout players so we work as a team instead, trying to pass the ball around as much as possible. We try to be solid at the back – we have already had four clean sheets this season, which is a lot better than last year. We all work for each other, and we make

sure the work rate is there.

If you had to pinch one player from Southampton to put into your team who would it be?

It would probably have to be Graziano Pelle, as he is scoring a bag load of goals. We could do with more goals, you can never have too many.

What are your strengths and weaknesses in the team?

We have built quite a solid partnership at the back in Beau Vickery and Doug Randall – they have been very solid. Beau keeps telling me that when he has been on the pitch the team has not conceded a goal. We have a good goalkeeper in Simon Reads, so defence is very good. We are a hard team to break down and score against. We are also good going forwards –Dan Lewis is very good in attacking midfield, with good link-up play with the strikers. We could do with scoring more chances. We sometimes go missing in games for quite large periods, so if we could keep it up for 90 minutes we would beat teams by a lot of goals as opposed to the odd couple.

Do you have any good memories from playing with your team?

I’d probably say the 6-0 win against FC Euros, just because we were all

e Blues are fast approaching a pivotal month in their season, and after a dismal performance and corresponding result in Edinburgh a fortnight ago, there was a response provided with the 35-25 home win over Treviso last time out in the league. e victory was only the Blues’ second all season and, staggeringly, was the first win in Cardiff since April. It was also the first league victory since the opening day win away to Zebre and whilst the final score may appear relatively routine, the Blues had to survive a second-half fight-back as Treviso’s replacement flanker Francesco

Minto grabbed a couple of tries in just six minutes to cut the margin down to four points with 12 minutes left to play.

A Rory Watts-Jones try from a lineout drive however was to calm the nerves inside Arms Park, with the Blues’ fifth try of the night enough to belatedly ensure victory.

In terms of positives, it was the first time Mark Hammett started with new signings Joaquin Tuculet and Gareth Anscombe at full-back and out-half respectively. Tuculet provided an exciting attacking outlet producing a superb piece of skill as he twisted,

pivoted and stretched to touch down in the left hand corner.

Anscombe lasted only 40 minutes and did not reappear after the half-time break due to a dead leg, leaving him a doubt for upcoming games, but during the time he was on his distribution was good off both hands and he notched his first points with a conversion, though his kicking out of hand was suspect all night for the inventive Kiwi.

It will be intriguing now to see who Hammett starts in the number 10 shirt when both Anscombe and Rhys Patchell are fully fit. Elsewhere, Josh Navidi was

feeling low after the loss to MoMed. We thought that could be our title hopes going a bit, so we responded quite well to that, and the whole team was pleased with the performance on the day. We didn’t have the squad depth that we usually have so we were all pretty pleased with how that one turned out.

Which team do you most look forward to playing?

MoMed, which is why we were so low when we got beaten. It’s always quite a feisty encounter. We played them in a pre-season friendly and beat them, then went into our last game against them probably a bit too confident which was probably our downfall. Hopefully we’ll play them in the top division in the second phase of the season and it will be nice to get the better of them next time.

Who is the most skilful? Who is the ‘hard man’? Who is the hardest working?

Dan Lewis for most skilful – he plays an attacking midfield role, supporting the striker. Very quick feet, quite a small player, but he has scored some really good goals this season. We’ve got a player called “Titch” who is the hard man. His real name is Hayden Morgan and he is a feisty Welshman. Unfortunately he got injured after our second game, having put in some big tackles in our first two games. We have two people who are especially hardworking – Tom Martin, a fresher that we got in. He came as a centre back but we have moved him to holding midfield now. He works for the team, very selfless and always picks a pass out. e other player is Dan Mitchell – he plays right wing and is a proper utility man. He was in the athletics club so he will keep running and do what you tell him.

Finally, if your team could play one IMG match at any stadium in the world where would you play?

From my perspective – I think most of the lads would disagree with this –but I would have to say Fratton Park, for me the home of football. As a kid I always wanted to play there, so that’s the dream. Not the best of stadiums, but for me that would be brilliant.

outstanding at number 8 and Kristian Dacey was one of the top performers all night, grabbing the bonus-point try and putting some pressure on Matthew Rees. Cardiff now face a huge month in their campaign with back-to-back clashes with main Pool One rivals London Irish in the European Challenge Cup and two Welsh derbies on the horizon against Dragons and Scarlets. Facing this critical period, Hammett will desperately hope that returning stars Sam Warbuton, Alex Cuthbert and Gethin Jenkins can reproduce their international form in regional colours.

Michael Cantillon

Pictured: Fugard, third from the left on the back row, with his team

There is a growing consensus that drastic change could affect the risk aspect of competitive sports

Safety in sport

Cardiff University Cricket Club paid tribute to Phillip Hughes last week, whose death on the field of play has sent shockwaves around the world of sport

Cardiff University Cricket Club made their own tribute to Phil Hughes after the batsman tragically lost his life playing last month.

Members from all four squads were in attendance, as the club observed one minute’s silence and joined millions of others in putting their bats out in remembrance of the Australian cricketer.

On 25th November, Hughes was playing for South Australia against New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield domestic game when he was knocked unconscious following a bouncer from bowler Sean Abbot, which struck him just behind the ear. After collapsing on the field, Hughes received over thirty minutes of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before being rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, where he was operated on and placed in an induced coma. e twenty-five year old sadly never regained consciousness and died two days later.

Cardiff University Cricket Club chairman, Jonny Carpenter, and first team captain, Josh Allen, organised the tribute, which took place in Talybont Sports Centre last Monday evening:

“When I first saw the ‘get your bats out’ trend, I knew, as a club, we could do something quite special to remember Phil Hughes” Allen said.

“It was decided on Monday night that we would put out as many bats as possible, with the boys also placing Cardiff baggies, home club caps, and some CUCC kit alongside. We observed a minute’s silence in between

the first and second team net sessions with all squad members from the 1s, 2s, 3s and 4s welcome to come and pay their respects.

“It was clear from the turnout and the respect shown that this has hit a lot of people. We share a love of cricket with Phil and it was only right that we did what we did”, the pair explained.

e reaction on social media to Hughes’ death has been monumental, with #putyourbatsout trending worldwide, as celebrities, fellow cricketers and members of the public have united in not only remembrance of Hughes, but of support for his family, friends and of bowler Sean Abbot.

“If you watch and look at some of the tributes around the world I think it shows what a popular man Phillip was. It’s amazing how one image can speak so many words and create so much emotion” Carpenter said.

‘I think it is also important to mention Sean Abbot in this tribute as well. He is only 22 and I can’t imagine the pain and grief he is going through, but it’s so encouraging to see the support he has been receiving”.

Questions regarding the safety of batsmen at the crease have begun to surface in light of this tragic incident, despite there having only been one previous recorded case caused by a cricket ball. At the time, Hughes was wearing an older model Masuri cricket helmet, worn commonly by thousands of other cricketers at all levels, across the world. Newer designs have since shown that greater

One of the most iconic periods of time in every football season is now upon us. e Christmas period offers a jumbled diary, where three o’clock games get underway on a ursday afternoon and the Boxing Day hangover gets a welcome boost thanks to the presence of our beautiful game. As exciting as it is for every football fan, for Cardiff City this month could make or break their season.

Russell Slade has turned the Bluebirds’ season around and, after claiming their first away win in seven months against Watford at the end of

November, Cardiff are heading into this busy period with confidence on the up. Going into last weekend’s Rotherham game, the Welsh side were just two points off of the play-off spots – a far cry from the seventeenth place they sat in when Slade took over in October.

e December fixture schedule for Cardiff is daunting, however. is weekend, they travel to Eddie Howe’s high-flying Bournemouth side and they will then welcome third-placed Brentford to the Cardiff City Stadium just before Christmas, ahead of a Boxing Day clash with fellow play-off

protection has been allocated to lower parts of the back of head, and while it is impossible to say that wearing the 2014 model may have saved Hughes’ life, it would be innacurate to suggest that developments in technologies for player safety are not being made.

“ e newly-developed Masuri ‘Vision Series’ helmet, which supersedes the 2013 helmet worn by Phil Hughes, does afford batsmen extra protection in this region – and still allows comfortable movement” said Masuri in a statement.

However, evidence shows that most of the improvements made by the manufacturer have focused on the front of the helmet, strengthening the grille and reducing the gap from the peak of the helmet to prevent balls penetrating and causing serious facial injuries, rather than to protect vulnerable parts of the back of the head.

Masuri, a Winchester-based company, who work closely with the England and Wales Cricket Board, have confirmed they will be investigating the situation and are “actively seeking as much TV and video footage of the incident as possible, to be able to see more conclusively exactly where the player was hit”.

While the seriousness of this devastating accident has not been lost

chasers Charlton Athletic. If they can come out the other side of the New Year still in touch with the play offs – Cardiff can seriously be considered as contenders for an immediate return to the Premier League. While there is still over half of the season remaining, and it is difficult to suggest that their current form will continue for the rest of the campaign, Slade has shown to be slowly building the Cardiff City Stadium into a fortress. After their first away win at the end of last month, it will also be hoped that the Bluebirds can now begin to produce

on everyone affected, there is a growing consensus that drastic change could affect the risk aspect of competitive sports, such as cricket.

“When the dust settles and eyes clear, although we can do our utmost to eliminate risk from the game, it’s the risk which remains that is attractive to a player” Carpenter explained.

“Knowing that you go into bat, ready for a battle with the opposition is something that should not be underestimated. Aggressiveness is part of the game and the fact Phil Hughes attempted to pull the bouncer bowled showed how cricket should be played. It’s a dual of the bowler vs. the batsman and this should not be changed” he said.

Aggressiveness and risk are part of what makes competitive sport the attraction that it is today, and while it will never be taken lightly, the death of Phil Hughes is an extremely isolated incident, and one that should not be a catalyst for major safety overhauls in sports where injury is not common.

On behalf of Cardiff University Cricket Club, Cardiff Student Media and Cardiff University, we would like to send all our best wishes and condolences to Phil Hughes’ family, friends and all that knew him, as well as Sean Abbot, who we hope to see bowling again in the near future.

a more consistent set of results. Yet, if the Christmas period doesn’t bring happiness and success to the Welsh club, it will be difficult to fancy Cardiff ’s chances of escaping at least another year in England’s second tier of football. Off the pitch, Vincent Tan remains quiet, and defender Juan Cala received an unwelcome early Christmas present as it was confirmed on December 3rd that his contract with the club was terminated with immediate effect. ere was good news for Craig Noone and Kadeem Harris, however, both of whom extended their current contracts.

Jim Harris

Jim Harris

Pictured: Above: Phillip Hughes

(Photographer: Dan Peled);

Left: CUCC take part in the Put Out Your Bats campaign in memory of Hughes

(Photographer: Jim Harris)

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Hope for Wales ahead of World Cup

Wales broke their Southern Hemisphere duck with a win over South Africa, but going into next year’s campaign, have they got enough momentum?

As John Lacey sounded his whistle to bring the curtain down on yet another entertaining series of internationals, an unusual feeling was swirling around the Millennium Stadium: one of victory.

For the first time in six years, Wales had managed to defeat one of the Southern Hemisphere’s ‘big three’ in South Africa, and some would say

it was as good a time as any to start beating such teams, with the world of rugby having one eye on next years Rugby World Cup.

In Wales’ first Autumn International of 2014, fans were left with the bitter sense of Déjà vu. For years now Wales have consistently come close to seeing out a victory over Australia, only to suffer heartbreak in the closing stages. At half time it seemed like it could

be one of the great battles between the two sides, with a feast of tries in the opening 40, sparked by a moment of brilliance from Rhys Webb. ose moments of brilliance seemed to get more and more frequent throughout the series.

Whilst Mike Phillips has been a physical rock for Wales over the years, it is no secret that his best days are behind him, so if Wales are to go

into next year’s World Cup with any hope of replicating the form shown in the competition three years ago then a scrum half is a position that need strengthening. e performances of Ospreys number nine Webb this Autumn will have been a breath of fresh air for Welsh fans.

Webb was a shock inclusion for the Australia fixture, but he definitely proved his worth, scoring on his full

Continued on page 37

Liam Corcoran