gair rhydd - Issue 971

gair rhydd Monday February 27 2012 | freeword – Est. 1972 | Issue 971

Dogged bureaucracy “I was effectively asked to push the dog off the pavement and onto the road with a stick.”

Laura Evans News Editor A Cardiff University student has shown deep concern surrounding the actions of Cardiff City Council after an incident last week.

On the evening of Sunday 18 February whilst walking home, the student found a deceased Jack Russell lying in front of his house covered in what was described as a “baby’s blanket”. It was later discovered that the dead animal had been lying on the pavement since that morning, having failed to be reported and dealt with.

After contacting local police, the student and the rest of his housemates were informed that the council would be prompt in removing the deceased dog. Shortly after this, the police contacted the student explaining that a council worker had argued that if the dog was lying on the pavement, then it “was not their problem”. The worker claimed that only a dead animal lying on the road would be collected.

The student, Phillip Venter told gair rhydd: “I speak for the majority of residents when I say that we are frustrated by the immaturity and lack of service provided by local authorities. They do not carry out the role they’re intended to but are very quick to hand out fines and bags that are left out.’

Phillip said these actions were “ignorant” and “showed a lack of civil duty and quite frankly the feeble and inadequate functioning of Cardiff City Council.”

Concerns were raised regarding the unhygienic manner of the situation in an area, which is highly concentrated with students and

families. The students questioned why an uncomfortable incident like this was not dealt with quickly and as soon as possible.

The Cardiff students also mentioned the issue of general waste disposal in the Roath area. They claimed that the collection of their wastage was not being dealt with adequately. gair rhydd was told that there have been several occasions where the students’ rubbish had failed to be collected, resulting in having to hold rubbish for another 14 days. They claimed that they would regularly see their bins uncollected at 5pm on the day of collection.

However, a Cardiff Council spokesperson responded to this by stating: “waste collections are made up until 10pm at night so residents should leave their rubbish out until this time.”

Chris Davies, Welfare and Communications Officer at Cardiff Students’ Union commented on the matter: “The Union has been working very closely with the council on issues of waste management and will continue to do so. The changes that have come in across Cardiff have taken time to bed in and hopefully incidences like this will not be repeated.

“This particular case is regrettable and I hope that the Council reviews it’s actions and opens communications with the poor studentPhillip Venter who had to move the dog onto the road. This level of bureaucracy is barking mad.”

As we go to print, gair rhydd are waiting on a response from Cardiff City Council.

Above: Image showing student disposing of dog’s body as directed by the council

Have your say...

If you feel strongly about this incident then join the discussion on Twitter:

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02

gr

Monday February 27 2012• #gairrhydd • editor@gairrhydd.com

Uni watch.

EDITOR Oliver Smith CO-ORDINATOR Elaine Morgan ONLINE EDITOR Chris Williams NEWS Sheri Hall Henry McMorrow Matt Jones Laura Evans

Miniature celebrations.

Charlotte Wace News Reporter

OPINION Izzy Voss Libby van den Bosch COLUMNIST Daisy Esther Payne POLITICS Luke Slade Sophie Gidley FEATURES Ellen Atkinson Ali Ishaq Jenny Kendall SCIENCE Jenny Lambourne Natalie Healey

Things are hotting up Charlotte Wace News Reporter This week, students from Bristol University have broken the record for making the UKs biggest ever Burrito.

The meal took 26 minutes to build, measured over 77 feet – and was demolished by the hungry crowds within 15 minutes. The

Mexican monster was made up of 188 tortillas, 45kg of rice, beans meat and plenty of salsa and beat the previous burrito record, set in December.

The event was organised by ten students in RAG week, where they managed to raise more than £270 for the tasty treat, as well as attracting a lot of attention to the local charities they were aiming to help.

SOCIETIES Isabelle Roberts LISTINGS Gareth Johnston TAF-OD Caio Iwan Osian Gruffydd SPORT Jamie Evans Zac Cole Jonathan Frank CONTRIBUTORS Charlotte Wace Sophie Charles Kendal Archer Dana Beltaji Mati Maravanyika Stephanie Goward Alice Budden Alex Greig Ben Cole Paul Wilkinson Duncan Griffiths Hugh Rodger Nick Evans Joe Fenn Joanne Faulkner Rhys Clayton Peter Gray Alexey Underwood Anna Hickman Cerith Rhys Jones Cadi Rhys Thomas Sam Thorpe Louise Bungay Micheal Hesslenberg Mike McEwan Tom Parry-Jones George Jackson

news.

Missed out last term?

Why not...

Get gair involved. rhydd

The University of Plymouth is holding an Insect Film Festival in a couple of weeks, to celebrate the world insects and their forms.

The event was first held last year and received an overwhelming response, with hundreds of people showing up to pay their respect to this diminutive species.

The exiting line up for this year includes Roald Dahl’s ‘James and the Giant Peach’ David Cronenberg’s ‘The Fly’ and ‘Miniscule’.

The event also advertises “films and animations, workshops

and even the chance to try some crunchy creepy crawly cuisine”.

In a somewhat ironic fashion (considering the day is about celebrating insects), celebrity chef, Peter Gordon, will be cooking some of the little lovelies to make some tasty treats, and children have the opportunity to create their own insect animations. Festival founder, Peter Smithers, said: “The festival is about celebrating the fact insects can be curious, fun and terrifying all at the same time. The insects in our films are humorous, heroic characters and I hope that may help people to overcome their fears."

Sudoku

- Mondays - 5.00pm -

Feb 27 - Aneurin Bevan Room Mar 5 - Aneurin Bevan Room Mar 12 - Aneurin Bevan Room - Cardiff Students' Union Thanks for all the entries to the Cardiff Student Media Awards!

Tickets go on sale Monday 27th February, Get one from the Box Office to avoid disappointment.

opinion.

For the answer and more puzzles, head over to page 34.

politics.

features.

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03

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • editor@gairrhydd.com

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In this week's gair rhydd.....

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News find out where the money went after last weeks Dragons Den

Features explain the reality of self-harm in today's society

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the coming pg. 20 - 21Opinion weigh-in onelection week

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Science explore the future of combat

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Societies take a look at who got what in the societies budget applications

Sport look at the recent success of Team GB's cycling and para-cycling

sport.

04News

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • Email the newsdesk: news@gairrhydd.com

Even bleaker outlook for graduates as prospects match school leavers Henry McMorrow News Editor

ate with the apparent necessary credentials for a more profitable career, it is also undeniable that It has emerged that unemployment their initial prospects are bleak. rates of those entering the job mar- Unemployment levels of those aged ket with a university degree are 16 – 24 stood at just over 1 million in equal to the rates of those leaving the last quarter of 2011, the highest rate since 1986/87. education with GCSEs. The Trades Union Congress 2011 figures show that 25% of 21 year-old graduates were unem- general secretary, Brendan Barber, ployed, just 1 percent lower than 16 commented on the importance of the individual obtaining a degree to year-olds. ensure employability and the wider Published by The Office of National Statistics, they also illustrate cultural importance of higher education, but accompanied that graduates found it the advice with a caharder than those veat: “With miniswho had comters putting up pleted A-levels, fresh barriers as 20% of 18 to higher year olds reThe scar of mass education mained unemployed. joblessness that is hitting by hiking tuition In 2011, fees and y o u t h today's youngsters could scrapping u n e m ployment follow some of them into the EMA, the scar of peaked, as mass joblessthe current their late 20s or even ness that is economic crihitting today's sis and associat30s. youngsters could ed austerity meafollow some of them sures, saw businesses into their late 20s or even streamlining, by decreas30s. ing their employment rates.

"The government's cut-price The figures also reflected an increase in employability with age work experience scheme is woefully ill-equipped to deal with the as, by the age of 24 just 5 percent of graduates were unemployed, com- scale of our jobs crisis. Young pared to 7 and 13% of GCSE and A- people need tailored support and experience of proper paid jobs to level school leavers respectively.

Despite this, the data may prove give them the best possible chance misleading if taken out of context, of moving into work."

It would seem that importance as the graduate cohort was larger of higher education is becoming in 2011 than that of the cohort of students leaving school with A-lev- increasingly contestable, however, as all of ‘the big four’ accountancy els. Charlie Ball, deputy director of research at the Higher Education firms have increased their intake of Careers Services, stated that: “Al- A-level school leavers, Stephen Ishthough the number of young peo- erwood, head of graduate employple out of work is historically high, ment at Ernst & Young, explained: the graduate unemployment rate in “There is a sense that the mantra of this recession has not reached the the last few years that everything is about university is not necessarlevels it did in the 1980s or 1990s.”

In addition, further research has ily right, and that A-level students should really be thinking about supported the notion that graduates earn a premium over school what they want to do and whether leavers, with the average graduate that means going to university, and making sure they get the best deal salary over a period of 45 years totalling £1.6 million, while a 49.5 for themselves," also claiming that the firm had already filled 30 of its year career of a GCSE qualified individual stood at approximately 60 available school-leaver places. £816,000 less.

Although it appears a university education still equips the gradu-

@WillandProbate

#graduateunemployment

Shocking truth abt graduate unemployment::They have the same chance of being out of work as a school leaver with 1GCSE

Cohort specific 'lifetime' earnings 1,600,000

1,000,000

500,000

400,000

0

Cohort specific unemployment figures

0

GCSE age school leavers A-level leavers

age

school

University graduates

@Always_CK

@Mzcute_steph RT"@Youngpro21: Just because u gotta degree and graduate and get your lil ego doesnt mean u gon be successful in 2012 -unemployment is down

People won't hire you just because you got good grades. If you don't have experience when you graduate, you'll be in that unemployment line

News 1-6

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News05

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • Email the newsdesk at: news@gairrhydd.com

Societies Secure Extra Funding Sheri Hall News Editor The Societies Officer has revealed some of the winning societies who secured extra funds for their student projects by pitching for a piece of the Guild Fee budget.

The winners include the Pole Dancing Society and the Kenyan Society, who took part in a Dragon’s Den-style audition earlier this month where they could win up to £500 of a £4,000 budget to subsidise society events and encourage student membership.

The Kenyan Society were awarded sport equipment for their ‘Africa Cup of Nations’, held earlier this month, bringing together over 100 students from a variety of different cultures.

The tournament, which took place in Talybont North, had an ‘electrifying’ atmosphere with Botswana coming out on top and winning meal vouchers courtesy of KoKo Gorillaz.

The President of the Kenyan Society, Avraj Virdi, said: “We received money to buy footballs, whistles and stopwatches which came to a total of £30. However, we would have preferred more money as we asked the Dragons for £400 in which

the pitches were the main cost.”

The Pole Dancing Society won £18 per head towards a trip to Pineapple Dance Studios in April, where members can take part in different dance classes to incorporate new moves into their routines and may even get a chance to spot celebrities.

Their secured budget is capped at £500 and will subsidise transport and one-day membership at Pineapple Dance, but the society itself will fund a pole dance class and members will pay for extra classes based on personal preference.

President of the Pole Dance Society, Grace Kendall, said: “The aim of the trip is to allow our members to gain some insight into the different styles and varieties of dance that they can incorporate into their routines for performances and competitions.

“We hope that the experience will inspire both students and instructors within the society, enabling members to choreograph dance routines rather than simply stringing pole moves together in the way they may currently be limited to.”

Grace said that the trip is a great opportunity for the society, which is growing rapidly having only been set up in the last academic year:

“We have never been on this sort of trip before, or indeed any trip of this scale.

“We hope that if it is successful it will become an end of year event that members of the society will come to look forward to.”

The Malaysian Society has also been allocated part of the budget to go towards their Silver Sponsorship package but Societies Officer, Harry Newman, said the deal still needed to be finalised: “We’ve decided on most of the pitches. Some are still pending more financial breakdown.”

The Law Society have also reached an agreement with the Societies Officer to have a sporting event part funded, but have been advised to search the market for cheaper t-shirt printing. The Law Society’s Sports Secretary, Becky Jones, said: “The advice that Harry and the team gave was to steer away from asking for budgeting regarding food/ drink and focus more on the actual aim of the project.”

The Law Society intend to hold an ‘Ultimate Law Sports Tournament’ as an inter-university competition in rugby, football and netball to integrate different law schools.

Society sponsorship is usually secured at the beginning of the

term, but Becky thought that the Dragon’s Den-style competition was a ‘great opportunity’ to get extra funding mid-year when societies have new ideas. She said: “I feel that face-to-face contact is more beneficial, as questions can be asked with fast responses and you can ensure you portray your idea in your own style as opposed to sending formal documents back and forth.”

The Guild Fee was introduced this academic year and is a one-off payment, similar to the AU membership fee, that students pay when they sign up to any number of societies to increase the society budget.

Harry Newman, who has pioneered the new way of distributing the Guild Fee, said that so far £900 has been allocated but that there is still more of the £4,000 budget to be dished out. He said: “I await ever more ambitious and creative funding requests from societies. There is still money available for direct spend to societies, so my take home message to them is do more - get more.”

Turn to the Societies section of this issue of gair rhydd (pp. 26-27) to find out more about society funding and read the debate about how the Guild Fee is distributed.

Above: Societies Officer Harry Newman congratulates the Botswana team, winners of the KenSoc organised 'Africa Cup of Nations'. Left: the Botswana team celebrate victory

New recovery centre for drunken students Matt Jones News Editor

A new recovery centre for excessively drunk students is being planned in Cardiff. It is hoped that the new initiative will help to lighten the burden on emergency services such as ambulances and accident and emergency departments.

The project will involve building an ‘ARC’ (Alcohol Recovery Centre), which will be a space where very drunk people can be taken by police and ambulance services to sleep off their drunken stupor. This will essentially be a highly supervised room, providing a safe environment in which to regain sobriety.

One of the main aims of the project appears to be reducing the number of drunken students reaching A&E, and taking up the time of doctors and nurses over other patients with more life-threatening conditions.

The decision comes following a meeting, of representatives of the Student Union, the University, and University security, along with members of the University Hospital A&E department, the police and the health board. It was agreed at the meeting that excessive drinking in the student population was a problem and that it had to be addressed.

It was also mentioned that drunken students were unnecessarily taking up beds in A&E departments which could be put to better use.

The project has already been pioneered in Soho, London, where an ARC was put into practice over the Christmas period. In its first weekend of operation it treated 78 people, all of whom would have otherwise been taken to A&E. The project there has since been extended to the end of March due to its success.

Planning for the the Cardiff ARC is still in its early stages, but a likely location is the medical facilities underneath the Millennium Stadium.

Cardiff Met threatens legal action over 'super-university' Matt Jones News Editor Cardiff Metropolitan University has opposed the proposal of joining with two other universities in Wales to create a ‘super-university’.

Barbara Wilding, representative of Cardiff Metropolitan University, said to BBC News: “the University is ready to take legal action against the proposal.”

It was decided in a report from the Higher Education Funding Council Wales (HETCW), that the 11 existing Welsh universities would be decreased to six. It is claimed that

there is a need of no more than two institutions per region in Wales.

Smaller universities are set to merge, including the joining of Cardiff Metropolitan University with University of Glamorgan (UG) and University of Wales, Newport (UWN). Education minister, Leighton Andrews, claims that this will lead to the second biggest university in the United Kingdom and to a powerful institution. However, there appears to be a great uncertainty whether a merging is really necessary and students are concerned about the value of their degrees weakening.

Although a new super university is supposedly needed because of the increased competition, many of the involved universities are reluctant to the proposal, as they want to remain independent. Although Andrews insists that the merging is voluntary by the universities, the Education Reform Act 1988, gives him the authority to oblige the merging.

Wilding stated to BBC News that she “had searched for eventual evidence that a merging is necessary.

What is lacking is a detailed business plan that would suggest that a super-university is beneficial to

all parts involved.” Although UG and UWN appear to have a more positive approach towards a merge, even they are concerned that their academic positions might be affected.

The issue of uncertainty remains and the proposal raises several questions about whether the universities would survive in the competitive market or if there would be consequences for students and their degrees. These concerns are shared by the National Union of Students.

NUS Wales President, Luke Young, stated: "while the details are being thrashed out between institutions,

we warn against losing sight of what is fundamentality important the individual students that will be affected by these proposals.”

HEFCW and Andrews are convinced that a new super-university will boost the economy of South east Wales. It has been claimed that a unified institution will attract a more varied audience. However, a lot of issues still remain to be solved. What is most vital is that students and their needs are prioritized in the negotiations.

06News

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • Email the newsdesk: news@gairrhydd.com

Research Centre gair rhydd looks at the University's latest research news

New links found between race and facial attractiveness

Rise of the ‘Young Professional’

Researchers predict decline in monkey population

Thyroid screening shows no improvement in IQ

Researchers at Cardiff University have identified mixed-race marriage patterns based on patterns of facial attractiveness.

Dr Michael Lewis, School of Psychology, asked 40 undergraduate students to rate the attractiveness of 600 opposite-sex faces, categorised by the races white, black and Asian.

The results produced a mathematical model of marriage behaviour which coincides with current government data, showing that more black men marry white women in the UK and USA and similarly more white men marry East Asian women than the reverse.

Voted most attractive were black male faces, whereas females were rated most attractive if they were Asian.

Dr Lewis commented that “It is no coincidence that groups perceived as being more attractive, feature more often in mixed-race marriages than their oppositesex counterparts.”

Previous models suggest social and economic factors to influence interracial marriage, but now it seems perceived attractiveness is more prominent in our decision of who to marry.

In a survey carried out at Cardiff University of over 1000 post graduate, current, or prospective students, almost 60% said that they took into account the employability of graduate students when deciding which universities they would apply to.

Indeed, the statistics showed that prospective students valued this twice as highly as they did the night life and lifestyle associated with each university. The survey also showed an increase in the number of students undertaking work experience, which 98% considered to be very important. Interestingly, 82% of those applying to university this year admitted their parents influenced their decision. This is perhaps linked to the significant increase in university fees that will be implemented from September 2012. With the rising cost of higher education, and an increasingly competitive job market, students are becoming ever more career driven and consequently have to place more importance on future job prospects when deciding which universities to apply for.

Cardiff University researchers and conservationists in Sabah, Malaysia, have shown that the population of the proboscis monkey in Borneo may decline if action isn’t taking to prevent habitat degradation. The study looked at different scenarios to determine how they influenced the declining population trends. Various conservation strategies were evaluated, including eliminating hunting, fires, or deforestation, reducing deforestation, implementing reforestation programs and reconnecting sub-populations, which was the most successful strategy. The study predicted a decrease of roughly 1000 monkeys out of the current 3000 within the next 50 years should nothing be done to prevent the population from diminishing.

Action is being taken by conservation groups, yet more needs to be done in order to maintain a healthy population of the proboscis monkey.

Scientists from the School of Medicine have found that antenatal thyroid screening of mothers fails to improve the IQ of their children.

Previous research had indicated that there was a link between low thyroid status in mothers and lower IQs of their children. It had been hoped that by screening the mothers and giving them a thyroid hormone, the link would be reduced or eliminated.

The Cardiff University scientists, working with colleagues from The Wolfson Institute at Barts and Queen Mary’s University in London, split a sample of pregnant women with low thyroid function into two groups; one group was given levothyroxine, the thyroid hormone, whilst the other was not.

The mothers’ children were then tested at the age of three for their IQ, but the results showed that there was no difference.

Professor John Lazarus, from Cardiff University, said: “[The result] indicates that testing for low thyroid function in early pregnancy does not prevent impairment of childhood cognitive function.”

Dana Beltaji

Matt Jones

Sophie Charles

Muslims pass on faith more than Christians Muslims pass on faith to their children at higher rates than any other religion, according to a Cardiff University study. The research, carried out by the School of Social Sciences, found that the percentage of adult Muslims who practiced the faith that their parents

Kendal Archer

had grown up with was 77%, whilst the figure for Christians was 29%, alongside 65% for other religions.

The study analysed around 14,000 replies from adults to a 2003 Home Office Citizenship Survey, and also 1,278 replies from children aged between 11 and 15. It was found that amongst children, 98% of Muslims said they had the religion their parents were brought up in, compared with 62% of Christians and 89% of other religions.

In analysing the data, the research,

published in the online journal Sociology, stated: “The apparently much higher rates of intergenerational transmission in Muslims and members of other non-Christian non-Muslim religions are certainly worthy of further exploration and may in fact pose a challenge to blanket judgements about the decline of British religion.

Professor Scourfield, a member of the team who carried out the research, said: “Muslim children tend to lead busy lives, often attending religious

education classes outside school three or more times each week on top of any other commitments they have.

“They typically learn to read the Qur’an in Arabic. They also learn a great deal about their faith from parents and other family members. Religion can have an especially important role for minority communities in keeping together the bonds between families from the same ethnic back-

Matt Jones

10Politics

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • politics@gairrhydd.com

Tensions between Iran and Israel high

Politics Reporter Mati Maravanyika examines a new wave of conflict between Iran and Israel following terror plots

“

It's clearer to more and more of the world that Iran, which is a veteran sponsor of terror, is trying to raise the bar even more

L

ast week, a series of terror attacks targeted at Israeli diplomats in India and Thailand ensued, as well as a failed attempt in Georgia. On February 13, Monday afternoon, a vehicle belonging to the Israeli embassy was bombed, injuring the driver, an embassy official and two passengers in a car following closely behind. The bomb detonated in New Delhi, in close proximity to the Prime Minister’s residence.

Similarly, hours before the New Delhi blast, there was a plot in the Tbilisi outside the Israeli embassy, where officials were able to diffuse a bomb attached to an Israeli embassy vehicle hours before the Delhi blast. The terror attacks have occurred amidst a raging war and rising tensions between Iran and Israel. Iran is looking to avenge the assassinations of five of its nuclear scientists at the hands of Israel. Israel sees Iran’s controversial nuclear program as a potential threat and has threatened to attack Iranian nuclear facilities.

In Bangkok, three Iranian suspects caught by closed-circuit cameras carrying explosives were detained for planning terror attacks targeted towards Israeli diplomats.

The similarity of the bombs used in the New Delhi blast and the terror attempt in Tbilisi has led General Prewpan Dhamapong, national police chief, to the conclusion “that [the target] was Israeli diplomats.”

He added, “this issue was about individuals and the targets were specific. This was something personal.”

The three suspects are 28-yearold Saeid Moradi, whose legs were blown off by his own bomb, 42-yearold Mohammad Hazaei, who was arrested when attempting to board a plane to Malaysia and 31-year-old Masoud Sedaghatzadeh who was

taken into custody on Wednesday 15 in Kuala Lumpur by Malaysian officials. Rohani Leila, the fourth suspect who alledgedly rented the house where the first bomb accidentally detonated, has gone into hiding.

According to investigators, a motorcyclist in New Delhi waiting at a red light is believed to have used a magnetic gadget to place an explosive at the rear end of the embassy vehicle, causing it to erupt in flames seconds later. Additionally, there was no camera-coverage of the incident, making it difficult to obtain the motorcycle’s registration number. Tel Aviv has blamed Iran for what it believes to be a terror attack, though B K Gupta, chief of Delhi Police has yet to confirm this and states that a connection between Iran and the New Delhi explosion has not yet been established.

The attack occurred a day after the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Imad Moughni-

yeh, the former deputy leader of Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim group based in Lebanon. Moughniyeh was killed in a car bombing in Damascus, Syria on February 12 2008 and Hezbollah has publicised the fact that it blames Tel Aviv for its leader’s death. Because Hezbollah is funded and supported by Iran, Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has described Iran as the “greatest exporter of terror in the world.” Netanyahu states that there have been many attacks against Israelis and Jews around the world, and “the elements behind the attacks were Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah.”

Ehud Barak, Israeli defense minister agrees with Netanyahu, stating that “it's clearer to more and more of the world that Iran, which is a veteran sponsor of terror, is trying to raise the bar even more, trying to harm diplomats around the world.” Shin Bet, head of the Israeli internal intelligence service claims that in the last month, sev-

Hague favours diplomatic solution in Iran Politics Reporter Dana Beltaji addresses the Foreign Secretary's warning amidst other responses from the international community toward the rising tensions in the Middle East

eral Iranian attacks on Israelis in Thailand, Turkey and Azerbaijan were thwarted by his agency.

On Thursday 16, in a televised address, head of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, denied any involvement in the attacks, saying, “we are not afraid to say that we had nothing to do with these explosions." He stated that "the blood of Imad Mogniyeh will always haunt the Israelis," but added that it was “quite insulting to accuse Hezbollah of plans to kill average Israeli civilians in retaliation of killing our leaders."

He continued, "those who we will take our revenge from know themselves very well and they will need to keep taking precautions for their safety."

Iran’s state-run Press TV website has claimed that the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ramin Mehmanparast, "condemned the blasts and said that Israeli agents are often the perpetrators of such terrorist acts."

T

he foreign secretary, William Hague, has warned Israel that military action against Iran would not be ‘a wise thing’.

These comments come in the light of Israel’s intention to take military action against Iran, who have recently made advancements in their atomic programme. Iran has continued its pursuit of nuclear weapons, despite economic sanctions being imposed on the Islamic state in an attempt to halt the initiative. Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been described as a potential instigator of what Hague suggested may become a military arms race in the region, or perhaps even “a new cold war”.

The foreign secretary believes that Iran should instead be pressured with more diplomatic means,

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Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • politics@gairrhydd.com

Politics11

Unprecedented regulations for arms trade Joe Fenn Politics Reporter For the first time since before the Second World War, world leaders are calling on the UN to regulate the global arms trade. A campaign initiated by Nobel Laureates in 2003 is gathering steam; final talks about the contents of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) are taking place in the UN this week. In July this year, world leaders will vote on what could be one of the most ground breaking treaties in the history of the world.

The arms trade, which produces two bullets a year for you, me and everyone else on the planet, has faced almost no regulation in the past as to where and to who weapons can be sold. A treaty such as the ATT would be the first of its kind in the history of the world. There are currently arguably more restrictions on the trade of bananas than there are on the trade of weapons.

The treaty, however, is not focused on stopping the arms trade.

It appears to have no intention of stopping the “legitimate” trade in weapons, rather just preventing the sale of arms to nations deemed as intending to use them in “serious violations of international human

such as economic sanctions and negotiations, rather than military force, which Israel is believed to initiate within the next few months.

“

Hague cautioned against any military action

In an interview on BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show, Hague cautioned against any military action. He said, “I don't think a wise thing at this moment is for Israel to launch a military attack on Iran. I think Israel like everyone else in the world should be giving a real chance to the approach we have adopted on very serious economic sanctions and economic pressure, and the readiness to negotiate with Iran.

That's what we need to make a suc-

rights.” Weapons sold by major exporters such as the US, Russia and the UK were used last year in suppression of protestors in Libya, Bahrain and Egypt. Violations of human rights in the conflict in Sudan over the past 10 years were also committed using weapons bought legitimately from Russia and Chi-

cess of.”

He continued, “We do not take any options off the table, we don't know how the situation will develop, it would be unwise to do that. But our approach is 100% diplomatically and economically focused to bring Iran to the negotiating table.”

Hague’s sentiments have been echoed in the United States, with General chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, Martin Dempsey, arguing that it was “not prudent at this point” to attack Iran, and “a strike at this time would be destabilising.” Washington’s deep concern over Israel’s intentions has been reflected greatly in the number of senior US officials arriving in Jerusalem for top-level talks. Much like the foreign secretary, Washington intends to be patient following the implementation of sanctions, hoping they will eventually work.

na.

But the major world powers are covering their bases. Barack Obama has brought the US into the negotiations after two Bush governments refused them, but along with Russia, China and other exporters, they are calling for a weakened treaty.

The treaty that is being proposed calls for no transfer to be permitted if it is highly likely that it will aid the violation of human rights, but major exporters are asking that it only oblige states to ‘take into account’ these possibilities. Exactly what ‘taking into account’ entails remains unclear.

If major exporters such as the US refuse to agree to the treaty, its effectiveness would be seriously limited. The US currently accounts for around 30% of the arms exported around the world, Russia provides around 23% and Germany, France and the UK make up around 23% between them. China is one of the world’s largest importers, buying

in around 9% of the total. The US, Russia and China are three of the major countries calling for limitations on the treaty.

In the US, those in opposition to the ATT argue that it is intended to infringe on their second amendment rights, or the right to bear arms. If the treaty addresses sales of arms to civilians, it may well affect the rights held by American citizens for over 200 years. However, advocates of the treaty argue that it will have no effect on domestic sales; the UN General Assembly resolution explicitly states that

Yet it appears that the view of William Hague is perhaps too optimistic. The recent advancements in Iran’s nuclear programme were, as argued by Mark Fitzpatrick of the International Institute of Strategic Studies, “calculated to show that it [Iran] won’t be impeded by sanctions, sabotage or assassinations.”

It is therefore unlikely that further sanctions or diplomatic reasoning will put an end to Iran’s nuclear initiative.

further prove premature, however, as Iran’s progress is not yet made clear. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently arrived in Tehran in an attempt to defuse tensions surrounding their atomic programme. The outcome of these talks could determine whether diplomatic tensions surrounding Iran’s uranium enrichment scheme will reduce or escalate, depending on the rate and progress of the country’s nuclear ambitions.

It is still undetermined how much of a threat Iran truly is. According to Emile Hokayem, a Middle East analyst for the International Institute of Strategic Studies, Iran’s power is greatly over-emphasized by other states. He said, “The fundamental problem is that Iran's friends and enemies both overestimate its power and influence. The West believes its own perceptions.

“

The outcome of these talks will determine whether tensions will reduce or escalate

Reactions of Israel, and perhaps Hague, to Iran’s ambitions may

“

The arms trade produces two bullets a year for every person

regulating internal trades in arms is the “exclusive right of States.”

In the UK, critics have been concerned by David Cameron’s recent silence on the subject. Although the UK was one of the early nations to agree to some kind of treaty regulating the arms trade, Cameron’s silence on the subject has concerned advocates of the treaty. Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, described it as “deafening.”

The UK is the fifth largest exporter of weapons in the world, with exports bringing in around £7bn a year. This amounts to around 1.8 per cent of the total exports and less than half a per cent of the GDP. Foreign Office minister, Alistair Burt, provides some idea of the UK’s stance on the treaty. He described securing an ATT of some nature as "a priority for this government" and insisted, “it must be robust”, covering “all conventional arms and their munitions.” However, he does not deny that the UK government is looking for compromise: “there [will] be compromises; there have to be.”

Whatever the final treaty contains, once it is passed, countries not abiding by its terms will be accountable to international law.

Countries will be required to keep comprehensive records of their sales and send reports to other nations signed up to the treaty. Failure to comply or breach of the terms will leave them liable to prosecution by international law, although how effective punishment will be enforced is not obvious yet.

Some believe that peer pressure from other countries signed up to the treaty will be the most effective deterrent for breaching its terms.

It may also be that internal courts could be given powers as well. For example, were the UK government to breach the treaty, their decisions could be subject to judicial review and the government could be forced by the courts to stop.

Israel's officially endorsed existential concern about Iran makes Israelis feel more vulnerable and more nervous.

“But if you look at the substance, Iran doesn't come across as a particularly powerful country. It's trying to find its place in the international system and it's failing. We need to right-size the Iranian challenge.”

It is in the light of this that William Hague’s comments towards Israel are accurate in their sentiment; it is not merely unwise to take military action due to the instability it would inevitably cause, it is further unnecessary. Iran does not, at least not yet, provide great enough a threat to trigger such regional, and even global, tensions.

Would you like to comment on one of our stories?

Email: Politics@gairrhydd.com

12 Politics Religious teaching as a pretence for exploitation

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • politics@gairrhydd.com

Politics Feature: Stephanie Goward reports on thousands of young street boys who are being mistreated in Senegal whilst many of their parents believe that they are being 'taught the ways of God'

I

t is an obvious national problem, one cannot help but be shocked by the thousands of grubby-faced, malnourished young boys out on the streets of Dakar, (the west African country of Senegal’s capital) thrusting their collection tins at the windows of oncoming traffic, desperate for a few pennies.

Their skeletal frames can be seen lingering around market stalls begging for food, the only prize that is theirs to keep. The boys, who are known locally as talibé, beg for food, but any money they collect is given to their religious teacher, or Marabout, in exchange for Islamic education, guidance and a place in their daara to sleep. That’s the story that’s strung anyway.

A 2004 UNICEF report estimated that there are up to 100,000 child beggars in Senegal—constituting one percent of the country's 11.4 million people—and the vast majority of these are talibés. Derived from the Arabic word for disciple or follower, talibés are young boys sent to the city by their parents with the intention of getting a full education in the ways of the Islam faith. In theory, the boys are sent to religious leaders, called Marabouts who care for them and provide them with the tools and knowledge to practice the Koran. This system is ancient and was a good model for passing on religious teaching and values.

However, in order for it to work, it relies on the food and sometimes financial donations from the local people. Taken away from the small communities on which this system is traditionally rooted however, and the structure falls apart leaving it open to corruption.

Over the past few decades, when Senegalese people were drawn to the cities following successive

droughts, the system broke down.

Daaras (the name given to the ‘schools’ and accommodation for the talibés) became less able to rely on the local community for support, which is why and when begging became more common, and eventually a normality within the city. The boys are sent out onto the street to beg for money as a way of ‘earning their keep’. It is only after they have gathered their daily quota that they are allowed back into the often abhorrent conditions of their daaras and are regularly welcomed with a brutal beating if they dare return without the amount deemed acceptable. It is a system that, although based around good intentions of faith and community, has been corrupted by the unfortunate circumstances of a changing world.

It was only after speaking to twelve-year-old talibé boy Senghor, that I really understood the vicious cycle that these children are caught in. Shy and distant, he was frightened to talk about his experiences, but once amongst the company of a few warm Senegalese women, and a big bowl of rice and fish, he began to tell his story. He was from a village about a day’s travel from Dakar and had been sent to the city by his parents at the age of seven to receive a religious education at a family friend’s daara. He had heard that the conditions were tough, and that he may have to beg, but his parents assured him, through their trust in the Marabout that he would be looked after.

Tradition preaches that all Marabouts are disciples of the Muslim brotherhood, the men who originally brought Islam to West Africa more than a thousand years ago. Till this day they command a huge amount of respect and are rarely challenged, with the vast

majority of the country placing absolute trust in their morals, so it is unsurprising that Senghor’s parents agreed to send their son to be cared for by such a figure.

Coming from a family of ten, Senghor’s parents couldn’t cope with the financial burden of so many children, and believed that sending their son to be educated was the best thing for him. Culturally, it is commonly thought that a harsh environment is good for education and teaches the boys respect and humility, but few parents know the extent to which their sons are abused.

Senghor is forced to beg everyday for 600 cfc (approx 75p), but with the average daily income at 2000cfc (approx £2.50) this is no easy task.

If he fails to fulfill his daily quota, he is beaten and shows cruel scars across his back and arms filled with memories of failing to live up to his task. He receives neither food nor education from his Marabout, but stays loyal to him after experiencing years of his abuse and mistreatment. Senghor is too scared to leave him. All the boys have ever known is this way of life, and being so far away from home, with no money or guardians, they have no choice but to carry on.

Often riddled with infections and skin diseases, the young boys rarely have sufficient clothing or shoes, but it is the scars of their brutal beatings that affect them permanently. The pink tracks across their delicate, young skin, a branding of social class, born from gross abuse and injustices, keep them recognized as talibé boys forever. Few manage to break through the system, and many are caught in a web of drugs and crime. Having been raised largely by those older boys who have experienced the same

treatment, and are already hardened to the world, it is hard to see the glint of childish mischief and innocence in these boys’ eyes.

With the talibés wondering the streets of the capital until the wee hours of the morning, they are anyone’s toy, and often encounter physical and sexual abuse. According to a recent study by World Vision, up to 80 per cent of the street children have been sexually abused, making them vulnerable to AIDS. There are also reports of talibés being abducted. In the daara, they not only fear beatings from their Marabouts, but from each other too. Physical abuse, including sexual exploitation, from older boys is the law of the daara.

Having seen such an abuse of power within this tradition, it is easy to cast the whole practice off as inhumane and wrong. However, one must remember that the intentions of the practice are good, and that there are still honest Marabout teaching, who remain in keeping with modern Senegalese Islam. One of which, Mohamed Niasse, who runs a mixed day daara in Dakar and is amongst those who are trying to modernise the system, shared his thoughts on the issue saying, “a lot of bad Marabouts start with the right intentions and then lose their way.” According to Niasse, the main issue is poverty, “families are so keen for their children to receive a Koranic education, but few can pay, and few Marabouts can afford to offer decent facilities.”

Increasingly, Senegal is striving to modernise the system which is caught at a stage between the old and the new. With people placing trust in the Marabouts so unquestioningly, the system is left vulnerable to greed, with powerful figures making money from

a form of child slavery that is being ignored by those who don’t want to admit to what is happening to such an ancient and respected system in a modern world. In a country where corporal punishment is outlawed, it seems ludicrous that children are being openly beaten by the only ‘teacher’ that they will ever encounter and one that is supposed to be teaching them the ways of a kind a forgiving God. This is a complex and vicious cycle but can be tackled with preventative action to educate the poorer farming community about the perils of sending their sons to the city. Charities like World Vision and Samu Social are already working amongst these communities, as well as helping them to keep their children at home by improving village living conditions and opportunities. Equally, it is important to break the Marabout’s dependency on the boys for income and to provide them with the necessary tools to provide for themselves. Finally, there needs to be an assurance that Senegalese children and their rights are protected in accordance to existing laws and principles. The talibé boys of Senegal have experienced enough and are entitled to the same rights to education, healthcare, well-being and love as every other child in the country.

If you would like to write a feature get in touch at politics@gairrhydd. com or on twitter: @GairRhyddPol

14Features

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • features@gairrhydd.com

England v Wales

This week, Features writer, Alice Budden, talks about patriotism, the relationship between England and Wales and the origins of the much loved game of rugby

“T

he English rugby team love us, but we can’t stand t h e m , ” my Welsh friend told me this week when we were discussing The Six Nations. I wonder how much truth there really is in this statement.

Another Welsh friend told me, that competition between the two teams was no more than just banter, which is what I would like to believe.

When I came to Wales, I found the country instantly welcoming and friendly, but I’m sure it would have been a different story had I arrived in Scotland or Ireland for example.

England’s relationship with the three other countries in the United Kingdom varies drastically.

In the case of sport, rugby is a game with entirely English roots.

It was invented in England in the Nineteenth Century by William Webb Ellis, who attended the English public school ‘Rugby’ in Warwickshire. He broke the rules during a football game one day by picking up the ball and running with it, and so the game was born.

So rugby will always have English roots; bearing the name of an English school and town.

The Welsh have a much shorter history of rugby and therefore a weaker connection with the game.

But despite this, they have very much adopted rugby as their national game. Many argue that rugby has become synonymous with Wales, thanks to their talent and huge pas-

sion for the game. The stereotype of the Welsh, is that they are good singers and rugby players and our strong relationship with Wales has led to many Welsh people prospering in England, such as Charlotte Church, Anthony Hopkins and Katherine Jenkins to name a few.

“

The affinity between England and Wales is perhaps due to the lack of a physical barrier between our two countries, which brings us closer together literally and metaphorically

The affinity between England and Wales is perhaps due to the lack of a physical barrier between our two countries, which brings us closer together literally and metaphorically. A particular memory stands out for me from a couple of years ago, when I went to watch a friendly England v. Wales rugby match at the Millennium Stadium with my Dad. Safe to say, we were quite scared and felt incongruous as literally the only two people in the rugby stand with our English

shirts and flags amongst an entire sea of red. But the warmth of the Welsh attitude struck me - we lost the game and the Welsh people around us began to apologise, not gloat, and praised the skill of the English team.

I find it hard to imagine this kind of reception when England plays Scotland for example. Obviously, our history of wars with Scotland means that our relationship with them is far more fractured, and in the past I have been told by Scots that as far as sport is concerned, no matter who is playing, they will support "anyone but England." Andy Murray even admitted this on live television and was unsurprisingly met with a huge backlash.

Unfortunately, the only Scottish people I have met have had a negative attitude towards me because I am English. It is a shame that this relationship is so damaged, because we should be unified in our common ground as Brits. However, this is very different from the relationship between England and Wales, although relations between the two countries have not always been so smooth.

In the 1970s-1990s, many Englishowned holiday homes in Wales were set on fire by the Welsh, who were angry that the English caused a housing crisis, by buying large numbers of houses for their own use as holiday homes, pushing up house prices beyond the means of locals.

The attacks were foregrounded by ‘Meibion Glynd,’ a Welsh Nationalist Movement, violently opposed to

the loss of Welsh culture and language. In the first wave of attacks, eight English-owned holiday homes were destroyed within the space of a month. Within the next ten years, around 220 properties were damaged by the campaign.

“

There are clear cultural differences between England and Wales, but these markers of individuality are positive, not negative aspects of our identity

But the main reason for any cultural divide between England and Wales is the language. The Welsh have a secondary language as part of their culture, which they fiercely protect and are determined to keep alive. The English of course do not, so this weakens our sense of national identity, whereas the Welsh are more patriotic and very much have their own separate identity.

Their national flag, anthem and costume are just a few of the factors which con-

tribute to their immense sense of national pride. Despite this, we are linked by our Royal family, which stands for the United Kingdom and is embraced by the English and Welsh alike, who take pride in being British.

Although England remains under the full jurisdiction on all matters, of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Welsh do have their own assembly, another contributing factor to their own identity.

There are clear cultural differences between England and Wales, but these markers of individuality are positive, not negative aspects of our identity. Despite our differences, we manage to maintain a close affinity between our two countries and support each other. I hope.

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Features15

Staying safe on a night out

In this issue, Features writer, Alex Greig, tells us why we should listen to our common sense above arbitary health and safety on a night out and avoid that one extra Jäger bomb

A

night out comprises of many aspects.

There is comedy, bad dancing, the one friend who drinks too much, the must-do trip to Burger King or Uni kitchen, the friend who has the embarrassing conversation with the taxi driver and of course the person who drunkenly pays for the entire taxi and then can’t figure out why he’s poor the next morning.

But more integral to having a good night out than all of these, perhaps even all of these combined, is staying safe. If you don’t have the above ingredients for a night out, it doesn’t necessarily matter.

If something bad happens however, your entire evening and more will be ruined.

Before you stop reading on the basis of this being a boring health and safety article, it’s not. Health and safety is ridiculous, it has gone too far. What this article is advocating is far from the school style health and safety. What I’m promoting is good, old-fashioned common sense.

Cardiff isn’t the worst place in the UK for a tense night-time atmosphere. I’ve experienced London on a Saturday night, and the whole time I felt under threat despite being with friends in a busy, well-lit area. Whilst the feeling of danger is not so prevalent in Cardiff, it certainly isn’t something that should be ignored. I can’t remember the last time I was in a club and a fight

didn’t erupt just a few paces away.

When a fight does start up, it’s not usually clear why and being a lover, not a fighter has a lot going for it here. Guys are very protective over one another and if you throw a punch you will have five of his mates on you before your fist has so much as left his face. Not scrapping means that you won’t get a broken nose, and don't risk being thrown out and/or barred. Shake hands (as we have seen from the Evra/ Suarez situation, a handshake has a lot going for it), and get on with enjoying your night.

“

Guys are very protective over one another and if you throw a punch you will have five of his mates on you before your fist has so much as left his face.

Whilst alcohol certainly doesn’t help the situation, it really can’t be blamed for any violence that occurs on a night out. It takes a certain kind of person to flare up. Yet drink is the main infringement on having a safe night out - it reduces

inhibitions and, when drunk, you are more easily taken advantage of. Consider resisting that last drink because even when sober, bad things can happen.

A while back a friend of mine was violently mugged on a night out in Cardiff. The story reached me at a time when I was back in my hometown. Arriving in Cardiff once again, there was a churning in the pit of my stomach. The city that I thought was safe had shown its ugly side. Next time somebody says “don’t worry, Cardiff is safe,” don’t listen to them. Things are different when it’s someone you know. That feeling of ‘oh no, that’s dreadful’ turns to a sickening feeling and you start to consider how hard it must be for the family and closest friends of the victim. You finally realise that the phrase “he’ll be alright, he’s a big lad,” is one laced with stupidity. If it wasn’t my friend who was attacked I wouldn’t have realised how wrong we are to be complacent about Cardiff ’s safety. Realising this before anything happens would be a far better option.

I don’t doubt that most people have seen violence on a night out. If you do, just do the right thing. You don’t need to get involved; grab a bouncer or a police officer. When it comes down to it, if you start fighting, you can, and possibly will, get banged up for violent conduct and spend the night in a cell. On Halloween outside Tiger Tiger, a man beat a taxi driver till he bled profusely. I don’t doubt that he got ABH at least,

verging onto GBH by the amount of damage he caused. One surge of anger and you end up behind bars for a good few years – that is a night out gone very wrong.

“

If you are going home with someone you’ve just met that night, keep your wits about you. After all, you’ve only just met and you don’t know the first thing about them.

It’s been said before and it’ll be said many times again: walking home alone is a bad idea. Having enjoyed her evening at Tiger Tiger last Monday, my flatmate did so without warning us. If this happens, just try to have some system whereby you know the person is all right. She text us every minute or two to let us know where she was, and the moment she didn’t we were onto her to check she was safe.

Walking home alone is not a good idea, especially if you’re a girl. But

if it happens, let somebody relatively sober know where, and how you are. Your flatmate tucked up sound asleep may well be annoyed that you wake them at 3am, but if you just say why, they will be thankful you did.

Here's a few tips to make sure nothing bad happens on a night out. Keep ten pounds separate from your wallet (in your bra or sock), if you lose everything else it can get you home. Make sure you charge your phone before you go, and use a cab company you know and trust.

If you are going home with someone you’ve just met that night, keep your wits about you, after all, you’ve only just met and you don’t know the first thing about them.

Finally, it goes without saying that flaunting your assets, both personal and technological, is going to catch someone’s eye a lot more easily than if everything were hidden away.

Last Saturday, a couple pulled up alongside me and asked for directions to the Millennium Centre. I told them where to go but the driver asked if I’d get in the car and show them. Whilst this may have been a genuine need for directions, my good friend common sense told me getting in the car wouldn’t have been a great idea. The great thing about common sense, is that it stops us from getting into all kinds of trouble. Don’t have that one extra Jaeger bomb that makes it impossible to listen to it.

16Features

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • features@gairrhydd.com

Self-Harm: The Sufferer and the Witness

In Features this week, Ben Cole explains the reality of self-harm in today's society

T

he frightening thing about selfharm, is that more of us have been close to it then we would like to admit.

Figures released last November, show that up to one in twelve young people self harm.

That’s not a figure many of us will have seen advertised before. Yet, self-harm has a stigma attached to it and many people go on with their lives without even knowing how much of a problem self-harm is in our society.

Quite frankly, self-harm is an alarming reality. When a person gets to a point where they don’t believe there is solution, other than self-harming, it's a very scary time for them. It's haunting almost, how much someone can dislike themselves, or be that tempted to remind themselves that they are still alive.

Thankfully, I've been on the other side of it. But often knowing people that think there is no help around can be as bad, in my opinion. People tend to forget that the sufferer is scared, so you may only find out about their self-harm by chance; by seeing a scar or burn in an odd place, or even going into a W.C. after they come out and smelling the stench of bile, when you know that they aren't sick at all.

As far as I know, self-harm doesn't get very much press. On do-

ing a quick Google search whilst writing, I noticed the first page of results did not show a single page with a reference to the NHS. Everything was independent. I certainly remember when I was in secondary school, amongst all the talks about drugs, sexual health etc. there was no mention of mental health and self-harming, which is just as important to be aware of at that age, particularly considering the figure above. In fact, in France, where I used to live, to my dismay, the government does not even reimburse patients who need to see a Psychologist, unless it was for obesity related problems, which I find grossly unfair. But I digress.

I can't speak from personal experience with self-harm, only having been close. But having been a good friend to a few people who have been through it, I can say that it is an awful thing to experience. Seeing someone act like there is nothing wrong in front of their oblivious friends is heart breaking, when you may know that on the inside, that person is screaming for some kind of relief. Yet the only way they seem to be able to find that relief is through inflicting physical damage to themselves. Feeling helpless, I began to question my ability as a friend.

One of my friends felt terrible, which led to her telling us what was going on. We all reacted differently

and from what I gather, I reacted the worst. My blissful ignorance evaporated in the space of about four seconds. I felt slightly relieved that she felt that we were good enough friends to share something this personal. I knew it would be a bad idea to pander to her but I didn't have to. She knew that I would do what I could if she wanted it. Thankfully, she has stopped and has remarkably become much stronger as a person.

It seems to be the ultimate test of mettle, to tell yourself that they're not doing this because you weren't there. It may feel like it occasionally, but it isn't your fault. Sometimes there isn't enough help available, or it isn't easily accessible. Which, I guess, is why so many people having these types of issues feel so lost.

Mental health issues seem to get swept under the rug. I'm not saying that some illnesses are more important than others; on the contrary, any illness should be treated with the same gusto and respect as any other. I'm saying rather, that “socially unacceptable” as an illness is, it should be treated the same as any other. Of course, it can be difficult to treat a problem if you don't know what it is. It depends on the individual. Asking for help can be a very hard thing to do. It took me several years to do and I shudder to think where I'd be now if I hadn't done so. However, there are those that don't want to ask because they

view asking for help as a sign of weakness.

It seems that men mostly hold this view. The given solution seems to be to “man up”. It's rare that we hear about a male friend asking for help with some mental health issues. It isn't talked about in the male circle. I could perhaps name two male friends that have asked for some kind of support. But in our society, asking for help isn't considered 'manly'. Jean-Paul Sartre wrote in No Exit: “Hell is other people.” The social perception of men having to be immune to anything is so prevalent that it has completely brainwashed people, so that at least someone in their group of friends is likely to say "man up," or words to that effect.

It takes a hell of a lot of courage to stand up and admit that something might be, or is wrong. It seems to me that there is always a chance that you will get ridiculed for it, by an ignorant few.

Mental health issues need to be viewed by society as an illness because that's essentially what they are. You can have a cold, you can have a headache and you can be on medication for depression. Why should a chemical imbalance for a cold be viewed differently to a chemical imbalance requiring Prozac to help?

If anyone has managed to make any sense out of this rambling, rav-

ing and at some points nonsensical bit of literature (I use the term loosely), then I applaud you. But to those who may not have taken anything from this, I would urge you to pay attention to people who say that they need help. Try lending an ear and listen to their problem. No one in that position wants to hear “oh shush, no you're not.” Just give a hand where it's needed and wanted.

And if you think you personally need some help after reading this, there are people out there who want to help you. I would give my contact details if I weren’t slightly paranoid about being contacted by telemarketers.

It may seem like others don't have the time, or the patience, but you'll find that your friends will make the effort. If I can help one person out or learn that because of this article and the Mental Wealth Society here in Cardiff, someone got the help that they needed, I would consider that a huge success.

I would also track you down and give you a rather large hug.

On Thursday 1st March at 4pm, in the Aneurin Bevan Room, 4th floor of the S.U, Cardiff Mental Wealth Society, will be having guest speaker Sarah Fullagar, from Body Gossip, coming in to give a talk on her experiences with self-harm as a young person. It is free to attend.

Please email cardiffmentalwealth@ hotmail.co.uk for details.

Columnist

18

S

uccess is something we all hope for. Mmm, people tell me the smell of it is so sweet. Please note: I haven’t had any first hand experience of it. I don’t know how it smells, or what it looks like.

That big juicy word ‘success’ is something I’ve always hoped for, sometimes even prayed for. Yet, the more I hope for it and the more I yearn for it, the further away I get from it, it seems. Nevertheless, in November, I worked my arse off and thought that I might be getting a bit more clever.

I thought that after a year at University, surrounded by clever people and books - it might have begun to rub off on me. It seems not.

My hopes were so high when I submitted my five essays in January.

I spent a few hours at least on each essay. I felt as though I’d finally grasped how to correctly reference. I thought I might have finally been able to get away with using long words such as ‘because’ and ‘therefore’. Well, I can honestly say my hopes have been well and truly shattered. I’ll be honest with you: I scraped through. I searched long and hard for my row of results (it took me a while, I forgot to take my glasses) and when I finally read my row of results in the sweaty Humanities corridor, my life crumbled before my very eyes.

Gutted I was. I wept for a whole day, saw off a box of tissues and even

considered calling it a day at this academic institution - maybe a little melodramatic of me, but it felt like the end of the world. As I said, hopes were shattered. Then I picked up the phone to my beloved mother ,who gave me a much needed reality check: it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. I was of course being ridiculous. There are people starving in Africa.

“

One minute you’re weeping because you narrowly scraped 50% in your essay that discusses whether Carol Ann Duffy is a lesbian or not, and the next you’re in Live Lounge seeing off two Sex on the Beach cocktails in four minutes and getting spotted by fans

On reflection, after much consideration, many cups of tea and calming down - Mum was right; a reality check was necessary. Ok, so maybe I did scrape through, but mistakes happen, life happens. Make the mistakes and steer yourself in the right direction. You don’t get success if you haven’t felt failure. I mean, Adele, for example, she had some horrendous break ups, failed relationships and

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd

look what she turned those into... six Grammy awards. Now that is turning a negative into a positive if ever I saw it. Overcoming adversity; what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. (Yes, Kelly Clarkson is right).

So what, I got through January by the skin of my teeth? I got through.

Onwards and upwards. It could be worse! I could be a drug addict, or I could have put on ten stone from all my binge eating.

You see, everything is in a sort of organised mess in my life, I just need to buck up my ideas a little. We all need to once in a while. A ‘kick up the arse’ as my Father would say. You just have to gather yourself, and get going in the right direction again.

For example: I must cease spending my evenings simply shoveling food in my mouth and watching whatever semi-reality TV show I can find.

Perhaps instead, I should be reading a book or writing something academic. Or maybe planning my time appropriately and/or eat salad and less chips.

It’s just easier to get carried away with what I call ‘life’, right?

I’m too busy getting wrapped up with ‘things’ that I lose sight of the long term importance of ‘things’, such as the degree I’m studying for.

That I kind of, sort of, should probably aim to pass and do alright-ish in, seeing as it’s costing me an arm and a leg. When I’ve graduated I’ll be

begging for people to employ me.

“Please, please Mr Boss Man, I did work hard some of the time... My mark does not accurately reflect me as a person.”

“

You see, I see life as a marathon, not a sprint. I wouldn’t want to be peaking too soon would I?

This week has been a week of juxtaposition. Just as I was abused by the academics that marked my essays, who slapped me around the face with comments such as "you need to learn how to write academically" and "excessive use of informal language" and having wept for days on end, I have (believe it or not) been spotted twice for being Daisy Esther Payne ‘that columnist’ from the newspaper.

Hello fame. Hello celebrity status!

With hindsight, I don’t believe I have ever attached a photo of myself to any of my column entries... So I fear a spot of the old Facebook stalking has been going on. Hello stalkers.

How you doing?

Oh the highs and lows of life: One minute you’re weeping because you narrowly scraped 50% in your essay that discusses whether Carol Ann Duffy is a lesbian or not, and the next you’re in Live Lounge seeing off two Sex on the Beach cocktails in four minutes and getting spotted by fans. What a brilliant life I lead. Variety is the spice of life.

So although I’m not Adele and I haven’t the talent for writing lyrics such as "Never mind I’ll find someone like you, ooh."

Nor do I have the lyrical ability of Ed Sheeran: "I’m going to paint you by numbers." I have faith in myself. I think that at some point in my lifetime I will be successful in something. That ‘something’ might not necessarily be academia or writing lyrics, but it will be in one thing eventually.

You see, I see life as a marathon, not a sprint. I wouldn’t want to be peaking too soon would I? So, here’s to lent, and giving up stuff. I’m thinking during this whole period of lent, I should be taking

up hard work. I have, however, given up crisps and chocolate - we’ll see how long that lasts (probably until the next God awful failure). But, if I manage it, well then that will be one small victory, one small success that I can put on my CV: willpower: The ability to say ‘no’ to some items of confectionary. In that case, the smell of success really will be sweet.

coincidentally...

• I watched the Brits last week and wasn't it great? James Cordon was on excellent form, getting in his quick come backs in super fast time. Whilst watching, it suddenly dawned on me how very attractive Ollie Murs is. (How has it taken me so long to realise?) In addition, I never realised, quite frankly, how short Bruno Mars is; that was quite a shocker. Where have I been all my life? Morevover, my enduring love for Coldplay continues. They are a class band with more quality albums than most. Classic of Ed Sheeran to play with his green t-shirt on, but so intensely beautiful.

And then... They build up the 'Album of the Year' award and present it at the end, only to cut poor Adele off as she's thanking all the people who helped her along the way. That was rude, people of the Brits - you should all be ashamed of yourselves.

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Opinion19

Murdoch's empire strikes back Paul Wilkinson Opinion Writer Murdoch announced last week that, for the first time, his infamous tabloid, The Sun will be publishing a Sunday edition. He announced this in a letter to his Sun employees, where he also stated that illegal practices of journalism were unacceptable and would be punished.

This announcement is hardly surprising. Since the closure of the News of the World, it seemed only a matter of time before The Sun would appear on our Sunday newsstand.

In fact, as the news came out that NoTW was closing, the web domain for The Sun on Sunday was mysteriously bought. The image of a snake, shedding its skin, comes to mind.

The expansion of the paper gives us a clear insight into the mind of the News International overlord.

He clearly has no intention of rooting out the corruption and illegality that is endemic within the organisation. This much has already been made clear from his refusal to suspend the reporters who are under investigation for illegal phone hacking and paying cash bribes to police in exchange for secret information.

If he was sincere, he would hold back on an expansion until police investigations had been completed.

By expanding The Sun he is sending the wrong message to his journalists. This expansion is a celebration of what the paper does. He’s almost legitimising the practices they have used up to now by rewarding them with more influence, when he should

Twitter on: The Sun on Sunday

be clear that journalism must work within the law. There needs to be a cleansing of the paper, which clearly isn’t going to happen if their intentions are focused on expansion.

Not only is this move sending the wrong message to his own publications, but also to the industry as a whole. Many of our newspapers are struggling to attract a significant readership when information is so readily available online.

By looking at The Sun’s example, journalists and editors will see how success is achieved through disregarding both morality and the law. The problems seen at The Sun are already present throughout the industry, however this ‘historic’ move will reinforce these practices when we should be telling all our

national papers that they simply cannot, and will not, be tolerated.

As negatively as I view this announcement, I cannot deny how significant this move is bound to be.

The new Sun on Sunday is likely to follow the same style as The News of the World. Before the plug was pulled, The News of the World was the most popular British Sunday newspaper showing that there’s an obvious market for their particular style of reporting. Many of the NoTW readers have not been picked up by other papers, they will now presumably become readers of the Sunday edition of The Sun. As much as it pains me to admit, it seems almost inevitable that The Sun will soon take its place among the top selling Sunday papers.

The UK's biggest indie night? Don't believe the Propaganda Duncan Griffiths Opinion Writer Whilst at times it’s hard to see much individuality in the nightlife currently on offer in Cardiff, it is perhaps a moot point to criticize Tiger, Oceana and the like, as they’re clearly not targeted at me. Therefore I decided to try to dispel my cynicism on this point and attempt to embrace Propaganda at Glam.

It’s the biggest Indie night in the U.K if you haven’t heard, or failed to spot the huge advertisements around the alluring Cathays area. Perhaps the clue is in its name: tell people it’s an indie night and they’ll believe that it is and that once they’re there the music somehow becomes an irrelevance.

The club is packed full of students off their collective nuts on the ever-popular cheap spirit and mixer drinks. So I knock back a few, yet I struggle to enjoy myself but finally, in a desperate and intoxicated attempt to find the exit, I end up trying to get into the disabled toilet.

For the problem is, regardless of my level of sobriety, one that seems to be regretfully overlooked by everyone around me: the music. Is the

DJ actually getting paid? It would not be difficult to predict 80% of the playlist before entering those hallowed gates if you have been before.

I’m listening to the classic indie anthems that everyone apparently loves. ‘All the Small Things’

by Blink 182, ‘Mr Brightside’ by the Killers, ‘When the sun goes down’ by the Arctic Monkeys.

And hey what about that ‘Last Night’ song by the Strokes, is that...yes, of course it bloody is.

This is not a criticism of these particular songs, after all they all undoubtedly please a section of the crowd. But they are played every week. I just don’t understand this constant nostalgic obsession that deems it necessary to play classic upon classic, every single time.

Why would you persistently want to listen to songs that spoke to you at a different point in your life?

How about some songs that are new or different, even the DJ’s personal choice of music that he prefers? If he doesn’t have a credible music taste of his own, then I would suggest he’s in the wrong profession.

The danger is this state of acceptance that we are slipping into, or perhaps pushed kicking and

screaming in my case. The general consensus seems to be that although the music isn’t great, we’re drunk and I know the words to this one. Or perhaps even simply that it’s better than other nights.

The problem is, however, that this isn’t enough; there is no need to accept mediocrity when there is no logical reason why the night cannot be better.

You simply have to think how improved the night would be accompanied by a soundtrack you didn’t hear every Thursday. Maybe a few songs that you hadn’t even heard before but that get you moving anyway.

Rack your brain to think back to the last time you asked the DJ what song he’d just played because you liked it but didn’t know it. My impression is that Propaganda is the epitome of a night gone stale.

Whilst it’s unlikely this article will speak to everyone, I write this in a hope that there are those who can relate to this sentiment and realise the danger of accepting substandard, repetitive music. Sometimes something new isn’t so bad.

20 Opinion

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • opinion@gairrhydd.com

Cardiff University students share th Election Week from the view of a candidate...

Oliver Smith Head of Student Media I had always thought of election week as an unnecessary evil and questioned whether elections were really the best way to get great student representatives. Surely interviews would be a better way to choose who should run the Students’ Union?

However, for those who want to try to change or improve what happens at the Union, there is only one way to get involved, and that's to run in the elections.

Election week for me was one of the most nerve-wracking, exciting, terrifying, fun, strenuous and longest weeks of my life. But from the first lecture shout-out to the last cake handed out I had more fun and learnt more about myself than I ever could have thought possible.

My first big lesson learnt from the week was on the first day when I immediately regretted my choice of fancy dress. Applying black camo paint and wearing layers of torn rags during one of the hottest campaign weeks in recent years made me realise that ‘Oliver Twist’ was a figure far better suited to the traditional wet and miserable weather of Wales, not an unexpected heatwave.

The second thing I learnt was how much fun lecture shout-outs are. Not being well versed in public speaking, shout-outs were by far what I dreaded most about campaigning, but in the end, what I most enjoyed about the week. The adrenaline-rush of stand-

ing in front of 300 semi-conscious students at a 9am lecture, and not knowing what you’re going to say or how they are going to respond, is brilliant. Sometimes it was laughter, clapping, and cheers but admittedly it was more likely to be yawns and blank faces.

Lastly, being a last minute nominee as well as the least experienced candidate in terms of my time within Cardiff Student Media, I had resigned myself early on as a third-choice candidate for those who wanted an alternative choice to the front-runners. In fact I spent much of my time campaigning for people’s second choice votes, rather than their first votes. So, on results night, feeling like I was on my last legs following seven days of campaigning and six nights out around town, surprised I think would be an understatement when I discovered that over 1900 students had voted for me. And that brings me to the final thing I learnt about elections. Having worked with the winners for six months now, although those who won maybe weren’t the most experienced candidates, they showed amazing levels of commitment and have proved themselves as the best people for the job.

Elections might appear to some as a mere popularity contest; the winner being who knows the most sports teams or who’s wearing the most ridiculous outfit. But the students in those outfits really believe that they can improve the Union and its services for you. So when the elections kick off in a few weeks time and candidates start harassing you at the crossroads and in your lectures, consider for a moment why they are putting themselves through such humiliation - it’s because they want to change things and make the Union better for you.

ELECTION

The anti-Election Week view...

Hugh Rodger Opinion Writer It’s that time of year again! The politically active students are back, ready to polish their CVs once again. They’ll take any excuse to pretend to care about fellow students in order to get a year-long sabbatical position at the top of their CVs. As if the prospect of more budding careerist politicians aiming to avoid getting a real job for as long as possible was exciting enough.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be treated to the sight of candidates dressed up as bananas and beer bottles with their mates doling out Haribo in the vain hope that passers-by will actually give a toss.

Student elections are a shameless popularity contest, taken seriously to a hilarious degree by some candidates. They are typically won by three things: how many people you can bribe with

treats on Election Day, how innovatively you can stretch your limited campaign budget, and how many mates like you enough to stick your posters on their windows in Talybont. Bonus points if they can be arsed to log on to the union website and vote for you.

Some might say, "it’s only a bit fun, lighten up!" Yes, it’s fun being pestered to vote for your chums the first nine times on my way to lectures, but after Freshers the last thing I want is more junk to throw in the bin, thanks.

So your policies are about fairness, openness, recycling and positive ethical change? You mean the exact same stuff the last five candidates were preaching to me about? You might feel like you’re Obama giving that inspiring speech to a lecture full of yawning students, but frankly a stuffed animal could be elected and nobody would notice any difference. Judging by the costumes candidates run around in, I wouldn’t be surprised if some people thought they were voting for one.

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Opinion21

heir views on Election Week 2012...

The Election Week lover's view...

Izzy Voss & Libby van den Bosch Opinion Editors Election campaign week brings with it a lively, infectious atmosphere of its own. While many students quickly tire of their Facebook being plagued by an endless stream of messages from troops of campaign minions, being forced to dodge traffic as they duck out of the embrace of a sweaty rugby player in a onesie or having their faces stamped with campaign slogans by stealthy candidates in Revs. However, it can be easy to overlook the more positive aspects of the week.

For a start, most of the candidates and their crowds of willing supporters will grace Cardiff’s most popular venues every night, meaning there is no excuse not to enter into the spirit of things, treat the week as a self-awarded holiday and head out every night. Besides, the guilt of staying in bed all day will be greatly diminished when you remem-

ber that 46 minutes of each lecture that week will be occupied by enthusiastic candidates doing their best to seduce voters with slick manifestos and Haribo. Furthermore, any seminars on Park Place that week will likely be drowned out by music, campaign chants and the shameless abuse of megaphones.

There is also a profitable game to be played by the more well-prepared among us who are able to exploit the freebies offered up by candidates. Last year offered a particularly strong yield, including a variety of E-number infused snacks, pregnancy tests and even Dental Dams (don’t ask - just Google it). Those who are forward thinking enough to take a Tupperware on their daily walk into uni may find they won’t even need to do a weekly food shop and stashing up sex aids means that, come December, you’ll already have a stock of thrifty Christmas gifts to give to young-at-heart grandparents.

N WEEK 2012 The one who's just bored by it all...

Nick Evans Opinion Writer How much do you really remember about last year's elections? I'll be honest, all I can conjure from memory is the Care Bear for Welfare giving me a hug in the Blackweir Tavern after a massive session while watching Ireland beat England in the Six Nations. Perhaps that was just me, maybe I was a lazy student who didn't get involved as I should have, but I suspect I'm not alone in my apathetic standpoint on sabbatical elections.

The Six Nations was on, I was still reeling from how horrific my marks were in my first semester coursework, I was house-hunting and negotiating with slimy estate agents and landlords; issues every student will have to stomach, and while they were on my plate I had no room for sabbatical elections.

I do, however, remember these faceless people coming into lectures and wandering around Talybont to pitch their spiel, each of them addressing the exact same issues and promising the same changes as the

person before them. Not only was it grating, but also painful and awkward to watch them go to extreme and cringeworthy lengths to get our votes, including one boy who donned a skimpy builder's outfit to flex his machismo and woo the more superficial inhabitants of our pleasant campus.

I also fail to see how who is elected affects our day-to-day life at University. Being involved with a society, I attended the Student Union's Annual General Meeting which we were informed would be one of the most important meetings we would attend all year. I don't want to undermine the necessity for such a meeting to discuss important matters that arise, but the most important and controversial issue that arose was what to do with the Union's summer event. In comparison to issues like failing facilities and budget cuts, how important is the Summer Ball?

At best, I view sabbatical roles as a fantastic graduate opportunity for those who are primarily interested in working within an organisation but who also have a passion for student life; at worst, I view them as a popularity contest in an attempt to recreate the kids-on-campus image that was fed to us so fervently by American teen TV in the 90s.

22Science

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • science@gairrhydd.com

University and Welsh government partner to combat alcohol abuse Joe Fenn Science Writer Patients in hospital emergency rooms across Wales who appear to have been drinking alcohol will now be asked a series of questions designed to identify those with drinking problems.

Under a new programme, instigated by a partnership between the Welsh government and Cardiff University, if an emergency room patient is suspected to have been drinking, they will be asked a series of questions known as the Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST) by the nurse treating them. If their answers point to dangerous drinking habits, the nurse will give them advice on the spot and tell them where they can find further help.

The introduction of the scheme comes at a time when alcohol consumption is causing huge problems across Wales.

One of the major Cardiff University groups involved in the scheme,

the Violence and Society Research Group, is focused on looking at the problems alcohol causes. The director of the group, Professor Jonathan Shepherd, explained some of the issues: “Alcohol misuse is a major

problem in Wales. The death rate is alarming and far too high. The Chief Medical Officer for Wales has identified tackling alcohol misuse as a major priority.”

Shepherd also highlighted the problem alcohol creates among the

youth in Wales; “Most people injured whilst intoxicated are young.

Intervening early in a problem drinker’s life can make a huge difference.”

The FAST test consists of four simple questions which ask how often the patient drinks more than eight drinks on one occasion, how often they suffer from memory loss due to drink, whether or not their drinking has affected their ability to fulfil other responsibilities and whether or not friends, family, or doctors have advised the patient to cut down on their drinking. Each possible answer is awarded different points and if a certain score is reached, the patient is deemed as being a problem drinker.

For example, if a patient answers that they have eight or more drinks ‘weekly’ or ‘daily or almost daily’, the score limit is reached on the first question and the rest of the questions are unnecessary.

If this score is reached, nurses can then offer advice whilst they

treat the patient’s injury. This advice is coded for by the acronym, FRAMES: Feedback, Responsibility, Advice, Menu (where to find further help), Empathy and Self-efficacy.

The feedback is designed to take a sympathetic approach, rather than lecturing the drinker.

“

Intervening early in a problem drinker’s life can make a huge difference

The new scheme, according to Cardiff University, has been proven to be effective for the patient and also cost-effective for the NHS. The Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sara Hayes, has sung the praises of the scheme, describing ‘brief interventions’ such as those in the FAST and FRAMES schemes as “the most effective approach to reducing problem drinking.”

Fears of miscarriages of justice as Google calculates Forensic Science Service nears closure funniest YouTube video

Joanne Faulkner Science Writer A recent survey conducted by a leading scientific publication has revealed that more than 75% of the UK’s forensic experts believe the closure of the Forensic Science Service will lead to miscarriages of justice.

The Forensic Science Service (FSS) is due to close next month after the government owned company was reported to be losing up to £2 million a month.

The company is being reduced and replaced by a combination of private companies and police laboratories, which are able to carry out the work at a much lower cost. The closure of FSS will leave the UK as the only leading power without a forensic service.

The FSS is currently responsible for the analysis of evidence from crime scenes in both England and Wales and employs over 1300 people. Its closure is understandably of pressing concern to those working

in the forensic field.

The international science magazine, New Scientist, surveyed 365 experts in the field about the impending closure of the FSS next month, including 65 who worked in private companies.

More than three quarters expressed concerns over the closure, stating it would lead to more miscarriages of justice and increase wrongful convictions. Ninety-two per cent also agreed the closure would have a negative impact on the justice system. Doubts were also raised over the in-house laboratories that would replace the service.

Critiques believe this shift will reduce impartiality and the accuracy of evidence, as a result of pressured from higher strata of the policing force. There are also concerns about the quality and standards of police labs, where commercial pressure could result in a lack of additional tests and analysis.

Fears have also emerged concerning the fact that the closure

may lead to stagnation in the development of new forensic techniques, particularly in an era when forensic science plays an increasingly central role in convictions. The closure of FSS will mean the reduction of resources and researcher to aid the continuing innovation of technology and techniques.

The FSS have helped to solve a number of high profile cases by providing vital evidence. The development of DNA technology pioneered by the service, helped solve the case of Lesley Molseed, for example, whose killer was convicted more that 30 years after her murder. It is therefore argued that the closure of the service could not only harm the justice system, but also leave cold cases unresolved and criminals free.

However, in response to these criticisms, commentators in the police have argued that the boundaries between in-sourced and outsourced resources have already been blurred. Fingerprinting within the force has long been carried out with controversy and police employees, rather than forensic specialists, are responsible for manning crime scenes.

Developments in technology have enabled offices to carry out tests, such as drug test kits, far more efficiently in custody rather than slowing the process by sending them to a lab.

Last summer, a report by the Commons Science and Technology committee criticised the Home Office for failing to understand the impact of the closure and questioned whether the proposal had been rushed under pressure to cut public spending.

Rhys Clayton Science Writer There are many unanswerable questions in this world. How long is a piece of string? Why is the sky blue? Who is Kim Kardashian and why is she famous? Why do bald men grow ponytails? And the ultimate conundrum, how did Emile Heskey win 62 England caps?

These questions are enough to keep anyone awake at night, but the answer to ‘how funny is this YouTube video?’ is now obvious.

Making billions of dollars every year is not enough for the geniuses at Google, who have come to the rescue on the taxing issue of how funny is funny. For those of you hoping for a brilliant arithmetic formula, you will be disappointed.

It all comes down to gauging the viewer’s comments, and the emphasis on certain phrases such as the acronym for ‘laugh out loud’ (lol) and how they were used.

For instance, increased capitalisation (e.g. LOL), elongation (loooooool), repetition (lolololol), exclamation (lol!!!!!), and combinations thereof, indicate that the viewer found the video amusing.

Pythagoras it ain’t.

Other factors considered were how videos were described by the uploader and whether audible laughter can be heard in the back-

ground.

The funniest video is apparently the 'No No No Cat'. I had not heard of this until now, and I daresay any student who had, has far too much time on their hands. For those of you who have not seen it, the video comprises of a seemingly startled cat saying the word “no” repeatedly.

This may not sound very funny when put like that... and it isn’t.

Well, obviously lots of people disagree with me, but surely there are much more humorous videos. The two toddlers having a conversation in the kitchen is brilliant, and any clip of Lee Evans' stand up is sidesplitting. Or to continue the animal theme, my favourite is the Walk on the Wild Side clip of a beaver shouting “Alan” and “Steve” (it’s funnier than it sounds).

Judging by the viewing figures, 'No No No Cat' is not even spectacularly popular. The video has only had five and a half million views, whilst last week’s number one: Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know, has attracted 75 million views.

The fact that some of you will vehemently disagree with my views shows that you cannot put a measure on funny, despite Google wanting to put everything in a searchable, statistical form. Is humour in the funny bone of the beholder?

Yes, Yes, Yes...

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Science23

Neuroscience: new weapon of war

Peter Gray looks at an intriguing new report from The Royal Society on neuroscientific developments that could change the face of combat

T

he military and science have always had a close relationship.

Although a new report released by The Royal Society has been compiled to assess the role of advances in neuroscience in military warfare.

Knowledge and application of the most developed scientific and technological equipment remains a critical component in the success of warfare. British ownership of the machine-gun during the occupation of Afghanistan allowed troops to stay for another five decades, and the Americans’ harnessing of nuclear fission in the form of the atomic bomb, significantly contributed to their success in World War II. The collaboration of science and defence is also big business with the US investing trillions of dollars in their military per year. Now the field of neuroscience is leading the military towards new and alternative technologies that could have been lifted straight out of a 1950's sci-fi novel, but are now close to reality.

The use of mental enhancers, mentally controlled aircraft and even wave beams to inflict injuries on the enemy: a new report by the Royal Society has outlined the capabilities of potential technologies and the ethical considerations that need to be made when using them in the battlefield.

The report itself was divided into two main areas: the ability to enhance military performance and the potential to degrade that of the enemy.

Improving the alertness and decision making of soldiers on the frontline has obvious benefits to fighting a war. Extensive research has been conducted over the last

few years into the use of drugs to help improve soldier’s performance. This doesn’t even include widely experimental drugs that you see in films. Using already approved drugs such as Ritalin (a treatment for ADHD), and the student favourite, caffeine, their use has been shown to increase concentration in tired troops and carry a low risk of addiction (compared to speed or amphetamines).

Whilst the use of drugs on the frontline may become common place in the near future for our troops, the use of drugs against other troops may also become the norm.

It may sound bizarre, but there has recently been speculation that the use of the hormone Oxytocin (the love hormone) when given to the subject may make the subject more lucid and willing to divulge information.

“

These could have been lifted straight out of a 1950s sci-fi novel

The report also tackled the importance of ethical issues surrounding such controversial use of the new techniques.

Scientists’ improved understanding of mental function also provides a means of selecting the best candidates for recruitment. By using MRI scans to look at brain changes when soldiers make choices, it can be seen which soldiers would be the most efficient in the decision making process.

Scientists now have a much clearer way of how the brain can formulate thoughts and there are machines that can even decipher these thoughts into deeds. This in-

Room for improvement: soldiers' ability could be boosted by mental enhancing drugs

plications of these technologies in peacetime society which could be beneficial. Much discussion has already circulated around the potential for the rehabilitation of injured soldiers by providing control for replacement limbs, amongst other uses.

However, these technologies progress and however effective they are in future wars, the future of combat is taking a decided shift towards the inclusion of neuroscience in collaboration with the many other facets of science that already play a part in modern warfare. Their inclusion also poses interesting ethical problems to the arguably already morally dodgy area of modern warfare.

credible development has a number of implications on the battlefield.

The ability of machines to decipher human thought could allow them to be placed at the frontline whilst removing the risk to human life during combat.

However, this raises massive ethical implications about using human-controlled machines. Regarding accidents or atrocities that may be committed in warfare, it could be the detachment of the human form the battlefield that allows for coldhearted and brutal decisions to be made.

While all these advances sound very intimidating when put in a battlefield situation, there are ap-

University study deems over a million antibiotic prescriptions every year unnecessary Alexey Underwood Science Writer Nearly 1.6 million antibiotic prescriptions handed out per year in the UK are inappropriate and unnecessary, a study carried out by Cardiff University researchers has suggested.

The two-year trial, headed by Professor Chris Butler, led to many Welsh GP practises cutting down on their antimicrobial prescriptions.

Sixty-eight GPs covering 480,000 patients were offered access to online training and consultation resources under the School of Medicine’s STAR initiative – acquiring the skills and knowledge to explain and apply alternative treatment courses to their patients in the process.

The learning tools used in the STAR programme were developed over the course of 15 years by members of the Cardiff University’s Institute of Primary Care and Public Health team and include various online lessons, tutorials, and videos.

The STAR programme, also known as Stemming the Tide of Antimicrobial Resistance programme, aims to slash the current dependence by the NHS on antimicrobial courses, with the ultimate goal of cutting antibiotic resistance – with the added benefit of slashing the NHS’s spending.

"Antibiotic resistance remains one of the most important public health issues of our time, with antibiotic prescribing driving up resis-

tance," said Professor Butler.

Antibiotic resistance is the phenomenon whereby pathogenic microorganisms evolve the trait to survive exposure to antimicrobial drugs. Without the mutation being evolutionarily advantageous, it usually fades away with time. However, antibiotics provide a highly specific evolutionary stress which means that only resistant bacteria can survive and reproduce, leading to the propagation of the genetic

trait within the population and the eventual evolution of a new resistant type of bacterium, or ‘superbug’.

Because of this, antibiotics need to be prescribed as little as possible, to avoid exerting such specific evolutionary pressures on bacterial populations – and alternative forms of therapy need to be concentrated on. This fact is well known to the Cardiff researchers, and Professor Butler believes the STAR initiative

can help reduce over-prescription.

“Safely reducing the number of unnecessary prescriptions is essential. The STAR programme helped Welsh GPs gain new skills derived from motivational interviewing so they could achieve evidence-based treatment while taking patient perspectives into account,” he explained.

As a result of the additional training, the prescription rate was cut by 4.2% - equating to a reduction of 1.6 million prescriptions across the UK if the techniques were to be applied nationwide.

The effects of this would be the reduction of unnecessary spending by the NHS and diminished risks of new highly-resistant ‘superbugs’ evolving.

24Science

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • science@gairrhydd.com

"We are Anonymous... Expect us"

As the hacktivist group publish classified FBI and Scotland Yard phonecalls, Anna Hickman looks at their rise and subsequent rule over the online world

A

After Megaupload was taken down earlier on this year by the US Department of Justice, Anonymous fulfilled their threat. The popular file-sharing site was taken offline for cheating copyright holders out of £323 million over a five year period. Anonymous retaliated swiftly with what they described as “the single largest internet attack in its history” and were able to briefly disable several websites, including those used internally by the White House, the FBI, the Department of Justice and others associated with Warner Music and Universal Music.

Barely two weeks later they turned their sights to the FBI and the Metropolitan Police, intercepting a call between the two and publishing the eighteen minute audio on YouTube. In it, senior members of the departments can be heard discussing on-going investigations

related to Anonymous and associated splinter groups Lulzsec and Antisec. Authorities are unsure of how the call was intercepted and have expressed embarrassment that the group have managed to disable two such powerful and sensitive organisations.

The Guy Fawkes masks with which Anonymous have become associated, both through their videos and through the visual presentation of their followers and fellow antiSOPA supporters, are a nod to the V for Vendetta series. The graphic novel and film follow a masked vigilante’s attempt to bring down a fascist government and its complicit media. Since then, the masks have become a symbol of protest adopted

by Anonymous. Alan Moore, the creator of the series, is more than happy with Anonymous’s association with his work, telling the BBC that the masks provide a “readymade identity” for the hactivists and add a certain charisma.

Anonymous’s actions, though they may inspire a thrill of fearlessness and endeavour, are nevertheless becoming increasingly illicit.

Already, their practice defies the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1984 and the Computer Misuse Act of 1990. Their hactivism also breaks laws set out by the Terrorism Act of 2000, rendering members of the organisation terrorists. Although the part of the Act regarding hacking is broad, it covers ‘traditional’ hacking where data on a system is corrupted.

More recent legislation has made it clear that distributed denial-ofservice (DDoS) attacks are illegal.

These DDoS attacks are Anonymous’s primary method of choice whereby a chosen server is overloaded with illegitimate traffic to the point it is rendered unusable.

Yet however underhand Anonymous’s methods are, they have recently taken a turn for the sinister.

Instead of employing members and followers in such DDoS attacks, they have begun to involve unsuspecting users for their own intentions.

Graham Clulely, a senior technology consultant at security software supplier Sophos explained this new development on his blog: “If you visit [a particular] webpage and don’t have Javascript disabled, you will instantly, without user interaction, begin to flood a website of Anonymous’s choice with unwanted traffic, helping to perpetuate a DDoS attack.”

Such a new direction for the hactivists has gone largely unnoticed by most, and the organisation is still gathering momentum as defenders of freedom of speech, despite their manipulative new methods.

The role they played in the Occupy movement saw them throwing their substantial weight behind issues of a wider concern of economic and

social inequality. Not only did they utilise their typical DDoS attacks, they also helped in organising various protests and exposed the police officer responsible for pepper spraying peaceful female protesters in the Wall Street movement.

One Anonymous member called the group an “online flash mob” and described their involvement with Occupy as a new way to protest.

“Many of us have done our fair share of street protesting but they drag us into the streets, and they mace us,” he says, suggesting that Anonymous’s actions are a natural progression in demonstration.

Many have linked the Occupy movement with the Arab Spring and Anonymous is regarded as a primary antagonist. Also, although SOPA and PIPA have been postponed, the international equivalent, ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) has been passed, despite worldwide protest and action by Anonymous, fuelling them further.

They are circling a video regarding the passing of ACTA, claiming that “never before has there been a greater challenge to freedom of information, liberty and civilisation,” and openly declaring a state of war on all those that have participated in passing the agreement.

For every potential act to restrict online content, Anonymous will stand at the forefront of its opposition, and they have shown beyond doubt their capabilities and have forced the very pinnacles of power to recognise their influence. However, how far these capabilities can truly extend remains to be seen.

2008 PROJECT CHANOLOGY

2009 PROJECT SKYNET

2010 OPERATION PAYBACK

2011 OCCUPY WALL STREET

2012 MEGAUPLOAD

Anonymous attack Church of Scientology as they attempt too remove YouTube video.

Anonymous Iran formed after Ahmadinejad elected.

Becomes forum for voice of repressed.

Group target companies who remove funding to Wikileaks including Visa and Paypal.

Widespread havoc.

Anonymous supports occupy movement bringing online hactivism and street protest into collaboration.

FBI shuts down file sharing site and Anonymouse shuts down FBI website also publishing employee details.

nonymous, the selfstyled ‘hackivist’ group, has been rising solidly in the public’s awareness following their opposition to the controversial SOPA and PIPA debates and involvement in the Occupy movement.

Their videos can be found on YouTube depicting members clad in ominous Guy Fawkes masks, addressing the FBI and threatening to "expect" them. They call themselves liberators of information, but with their rapid rise to fame, ever increasing membership and now a new way of employing unsuspecting Internet users in their cyber attacks, the question is being asked whether their status has now transformed beyond that of heroic vigilantes.

Anonymous is a decentralised worldwide organisation and burst into the press in late 2010 with ‘Operation Payback,’ disabling Paypal after it prohibited payments to Wikileaks and setting up an ethos to defend what members see as the ‘free’ internet from restriction of freedom of speech. Its momentum seemed to lack following the mass arrest of a number of members in July 2011, but, thanks to SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act), it has made a strong return, hacking into phone calls between the Metropolitan Police and the FBI. SOPA and PIPA go against everything the hackivist group stands for. The act will expand the ability to fight online trafficking of copyrighted intellectual property.

Thanks to worldwide protest, including the Wikipedia blackout, the bills have been postponed. The online encyclopaedia claimed they would be devastating to the free and open web, while Anonymous, more threateningly, declared “we do not forgive censorship. Expect us.”

“

They were able to disable websites of the White House, FBI, the Department of Justice and more

“

Never before has there been a greater challenge to freedom of information, liberty and civilisation

26 Societies

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • societies@gairrhydd.com

Who Got What?

Guild of Societies Budget Applications

Round Two Round Up Total Funds Requested: Distributed: Applications Not Requesting Funds: Non-Eligible Requests: Applications in Receipt of Part Funding: Applications who Received All of their Request:

£29,907 £9.470 3 5 25 7

Total Applications Received :

40

The three highest-receiving societies received £3,995 of the £9,470 granted - over a third.

Isabelle Roberts Societies Editor How do societies get by? Well – they apply for funding, and the requests for Round Two of the budget applications totalled £29,907. However, the total amount granted was only £9,470. Why? Interestingly, only seven of the applications received all of the funds they requested. There seems to be a great deal of confusion over what the Union can actually fund, and how to apply for it. For example, the Union can only fund one third of the costs anticipated for an activity.

Twenty-five applications received part of their request (as the activity was either not all eligible for funding or was requested at more than one third of costs). Five requests were deemed not eligible for funding as the funds applied for were in reference to an activity that is not able to be funded by the Guild of Societies, and three requests were not for funding as the income exceeded predicted expenditure.

I wonder if the application procedure isn’t properly understood. The Asian Society is one of the only societies that received the full allocation of £192.00 that they requested, and the Jazz Society also managed to receive £320.00. Meanwhile, the Pole Dancing Society received the most amount of money at £1,488 for the cost of two poles and instructor training. SAWSA, SKIP, Slash Hip-Hop and Y Gym Gym also received their full request.

The next two highest-receiving societies are the Debating Society at £1,307 (requested £4,662) for onethird of the costs of all their IV competitions and the third-highest was the Malaysian Society which received £1,200 (requested £3,580). In total the three highest-receiving societies received £3,995 of the £9,470 granted – over a third.

All societies, I think, should be encouraged to submit requests. The Sports and Exercise Medicine Society applied for £496.00 but only received £30.00 to pay for a speaker. The Brass Band Society requested £850.00 but received £175.00 towards their music purchases and the recent trip to Lancaster for a competition. Holly Clacey, the Brass Band President, commented that “we think that the main reason that we received far less money than we applied for is because we managed to raise a great deal more money than we had predicted during our first term, so had less of a shortfall for our predicted costs going into the second term. Our money was raised as the result of a lot of hard work from our committee and from our members, enabling us to be less reliant on the Union's budget. However, I'm not sure that I agree that this should mean we get less money from the Union; it is perhaps not a good incentive for societies to work harder to raise their own funds if doing so only results in drastically less money from the Union. It seems as though instead of being rewarded for our innovation and offering us more money to continue and expand this, the Union is happier for us to become

more self-funded, which is surprising given how few societies applied for money in this budget. As I say, this is not a problem for our society as we have raised enough funds for this reduced support not to affect us negatively or to restrict our activity. The £175.00 that we did receive is in fact more than we were expecting, and we are aware that should we decide to explore any additional bigger scale projects we can apply for funding specifically for that, but I would be interested to know how much of the Union's money has been left unspent that we could have put to good use.”

One society which didn’t apply at all this term is the Film Society. Head of Production, Amy Harding, commented that “for the London Film Festival, which we really needed the most help for, they only gave us a third towards our travel costs – which was the cheapest part of the trip. It was less than 10% of what it cost overall and so we were still left with a huge strain on our finances. In our experience all of our most expensive goals for the society fall outside of the funding criteria.” Perhaps the way the funding is structured is prejudicial? Michael Hearty, the President of the City of Cardiff Concert Band Society, commented that “it seems to me to be a rather odd method of funding. We received a one-off profit last term and as such were awarded nothing despite the fact that the profit goes nowhere near far enough in paying for things we have no choice but to pay for, such as rehearsal space. We expected more of course. It seems that we are told that we ought to make a profit in order to be dealt favourably with as a society, and then when we do we are penalised for it. The application process itself is not very clear; a rather reductionist spreadsheet that does not leave much room for explanation.” Meanwhile, OPSOC decided not to apply for funds because last time, as OPSOC Treasurer Andrew Moss explains, “we were told we had too much money in our account so would receive nothing. At this stage of the year we have more money than we did before in preparation for our annual ball so figured if we applied we would have our request denied again.”

Megan David, the Co-President of the People and Planet Society, also expressed dissatisfaction: “the budget application doesn’t seem very fair […] especially when the AU get so much money! It also seems a bit confusing because each society has two bank accounts which I didn’t realise until last week and we are overdrawn in our own account (not the budget one) because of petrol price when we hired the minibus for the training event we all went to.”

What is interesting to me is that only 40 societies applied for any funding at all (out of the 142 societies).

Is it because they just assume it’s impossible to receive? After all, the recent “Guild of Societies - Grab Some Guild Fee - Dragons' Den Style” on February 6 surely shows how societies really do want the cash.

Mon 27 February One Mission - at FunFactory 9.00pm - 2.00am, SU

Mon 27 February Chess Society

5.00pm - 7.00pm, Rhona Griffiths Room, SU

Mon 27 February Anime Society Manga Event

6.00pm - 8.00pm, The Lounge, SU

Mon 27 February

Art Society Life Drawing

7.00pm - 9.00pm, Gareth Edwards Room, SU

Mon 27 February

Global Brigade

7.30pm - 11.00pm, Kama Lounge

Sat 03 March

SSAGS Night Hike 7.00pm onwards

Sat 03 March African Caribbean Society's 'AfroGene'

7.00pm - 10.00pm, National Museum

Sat 03 March

Jazz Society Festival 7.00am - 9.00pm,

Follow @GairRhyddSoc for the latest news and info on future articles.

News 1-6

Listings Taf-Od Politics Feature Opinion Science 10 - 12 14 - 16 18 - 21 22 - 24 Societies 28 - 29 31 - 32 26 - 27

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • societies@gairrhydd.com The £4,000 available at the Dragon’s Den was made up of the one-off Guild Fee charged to society members when they signed up at the beginning of the year, and was split between societies with each candidate able to win up to £500. Yet only seven societies (out of 142) bothered to enter. Societies Officer, Harry Newman, commented that the event was a good thing and meant that he didn’t have to “just look at a spreadsheet,” in Issue 969 of gair rhydd (p. 6), so would this be a better way of dishing out the funding? However, is it a fair way to spend the Guild Fee that all society members have to pay?

“

I think it's unfair that our members pay society guild fees like anyone else, but [...] we are not entitled to even mininal funding.

Thomas Tyrrell (Secretary, Real Ale and Cider Society) commented that “I think it is unfair that our members pay society guild fees like anyone else, but because we are a free society that is judged to be unhealthy, we are not entitled to even minimal funding, even towards non-alcoholic items like festival hire, or home brew equipment.”

Harry Newman, Societies Officer, comments that “as you

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can see from the figures, in this round of funding alone we have allocated nearly £9,500 to societies. I am very proud that we can finance student-led events and activities and show such support to societies. The variety of what our groups get up to is fascinating and hopefully with our backing they will be able to become ever more ambitious. While it is regrettable that some people feel that the system punishes financial success, we cannot fund profit making activity. The Union's money would just sit in the society bank account long after the event ready to be spent on whatever. We need to keep an element of control over what the Union's money is spent on and ensure that societies who need financial support, get it.

“

The process of allocating funding actually has very little human judgement.

"The process of allocating funding actually has very little human judgement as to whether the activity is 'worthy' of funding. It is very much a straightforward system. Firstly, we check if the activity is in line with the society's aims and objectives and ensure it does not fall into any category which we cannot pay for. Secondly, we look to create a situ-

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Sport 37 - 40

Societies27

ation whereby the society pays a third, the member taking part pays a third and the Union pays a third. We can be a little more generous with equipment. Thirdly, we divide the money allocated; by the number of members benefitting. We like to see activity which benefits the majority of the membership and a reasonable cost per head. Unfortunately, we cannot fund: food, drink, alcohol, social clothing, international travel, socials, and for legal reasons, charitable fundraising.”

Overall, it seems to me that many society members just don’t know how to fill in the forms. Ollie Wannell, (CUDS Treasurer), sums up the situation with his story: “I went to see Harry personally to go through each of the events we were asking the union to fund and explain why we think it was important that the union does fund these events. He was most helpful and we got a much better budget allocation this semester. I definitely think that after talking to Harry, I understand the process a lot more and got a lot out of it.

Perhaps, therefore, it would be wise to give this personal communication to all society treasurers at the beginning of their time rather than just those who ask for a one on one meeting.”

Nevertheless, the work that societies do at Cardiff University is amazing – long may it thrive.

Do you have a comment on this article? If so, please email societies@gairrhydd.com

Your Comments: gair rhydd asked all society committee members some questions. Here's a reply from the Co-President of the EWB Society:

Do You Think the System is Fair?

Eleanor Earl: Yes, although the system could be more transparent. Could there be a way of publishing which societies got what funding as it is given out? This might encourage societies if they can see that money is being given out.

Do You Understand the Application Process?

Eleanor Earl: Ish? I would have liked to have a timeline given to me a the beginning of the year so that I could work out roughly what will happen during the year. To be honest, I'm not sure if I can access any more money until the new academic year starts.

Do you Understand what the Guild of Societies can Fund?

Eleanor Earl: Yes, no food, drink, parties or international travel (within reason).

Did you expect to receive more or less that you received (if you applied)?

Eleanor Earl: I expected to receive more in the initial funding. Particularly as the Guild fee has now been put in place. However, the funding recieved throughout the year has been about right.

Are you: Putting on a play? Playing in a concert? Hosting an event?

Doing a workshop? Raising money for charity? Going on a trip?

Then write about it! Email: societies@gairrhydd.com If you would like to join a society, or see a full list of opportunities, visit: http://groups.cardiffstudents.com/societies/home

28 Listings

w

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • listings@gairrhydd.com

The Complete

To

Student Guide

What's On in Cardiff

Feb 27th - March 4th 2012

Feb 13th- 19th 2012

Monday 27th Mickey Foley Live

Red Dog

Glee club, 7:30pm, £18.50

Chapter Arts Centre, 6:15pm, £2.50

WWE legend Mickey Foley has turned his hand to stand up comedy and has proved a hit throughout Europe after a series of successful tours.

The man who has worked with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and pretty much every superstar you can think of, will be sharing his experiences and talking about life on the road in one of the world's most popular industries.

Tickets for this one are sparse so if you are interested contact the Glee club box office as soon as possible.

Red Dog is a tale that is based upon Louis de Bernières' short novel about an Australian canine that drastically changed the lives of a community and engaged in a pretty remarkable journey.

Reconstructing real events, it is a film that has truly lit up the festival circuit this year, that is full of charm, humor and of course a little dose of tragedy. There are few better places to watch it than in the comfort of the Chapter Art's centre at a price that is much cheaper than your average multiplex.

Tuesday 28th Funeral Suits Tim Brooke-Taylor

Buffalo Bar, 8:00pm, £7.00

New Theatre, 7:30pm, £8.50

Irish three-peice band Funeral Suits will be continuing their tour this week by stopping off at Buffalo Bar. Best described as a new-wave art-rock outfit, they have been tipped for great things.

In their past they have supported the likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Streets, Passion Pit, The Maccabees, Local Natives and many more. Their debut U.K. single "Colour Fade" received a substantial amount of air time as it reflected the band's burning ambition to escape the confines of Dublin. They will be performing tracks from their recently finished album that they collaborated with The Streets frontman, Stephen Street.

If you study Drama, love acting or are looking for any way to get yourself somewhere in the industry then it is highly recommended that you come along and listen to the life experiences of Tim-Brooke Taylor.

He really has been there, done that and got the T-shirt having acted for over 50 years, starring in Monty Python, The Goodies and making it big in Australia and New Zealand. With a contact list that stretches for miles he might be able to show you a thing or two about making it in the cutthroat environment of theatre and television.

Wednesday 29th Battle of the Unis

The Lash - AU got Talent Solus, 9:30pm, £3.00

Oceana, 9:00pm, £5.00

If you care about the reputation of your University then going and engaging in a whole host of drunken activities on stage is perhaps not the best way to enhance it.

However pride is at stake as all three of Cardiff's Universities are invited to participate in Gladiator duels, Sumo wrestling, Beer pong and of course a wet Tshirt competition. This is likely to result in quite a few people leaving a little worse for wear so if you plan to attend, then prepare yourself for carnage.

As themed nights in The Lash go this is probably one of the best as it is a recipe for absolute chaos.

Taking the basic principals from Britain's got Talent Solus is turned into an arena of athletic competition. In short expect "expert" dances, partial nudity and an immense amount of creativity as intoxicated "athletes" attempt to get one over each other to the amusement of all. Throw in drinks at £1.50 and you have the makings of a brilliant night.

SCAN ME

Listings Editor Gareth Johnston

@ GRlistings

Cardiff Student Media

News 1-6

Taf-Od Politics Feature Opinion Science Societies 10 - 12 14 - 16 18 - 21 22 - 24 26 - 27 Listings 31 - 32

Sport 37 - 40

28 - 29

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • listings@gairrhydd.com

Listings 29

Thursday 1st Propaganda : St David's Day Special

A Provincial Life

Glam, 10:00pm-3:00pm, £3.00

Sherman Theatre , 7:30pm, £15.00

Glam is getting more popular by the week and recently people have been flocking to make the most of the cheap deals available at Propaganda. Upon arrival you can purchase a Propaganda loyalty card for £1.50 which will get you Jagerbombs for £1.50, a Vodka mixer for £1.65 and a Double for just £2.65.

This week it will be hosting a special St. David's day night, so if you are Welsh come along with your Rugby shirt or preferably anything remotely red, to have a drink to the patron saint.

If you haven't been to Glam before expect the potential for very long queues as at present, this place is hot.

If you haven't made a trip to the recently refurbished Sherman Theatre yet then it is highly recommended. Since re-opening it has boasted a varied selection of plays and has an abundance of talent that this week will contribute toward the opening of Peter Gill's "A Provincial Life".

It focuses on a tale of 1890s Russia and particularly upon one young man's struggle to exchange his privileged position for the life of a worker. This painful, lyrical play dramatises the search for equality in a way that should, resonate deeply today.

Friday 2nd Labrinth

The Selector

Solus, 7:00pm-3:00pm, £13.00

Bogiez, 7:30pm, £15.00

Timothy McKenzie better known by his stage name Labrinth is an English Dance, hip hop singer and arguably one of the most sought after colloborater's in the music industry in 2012.

Labrinth was crucial in the success of Tinie Tempah's first single "Pass Out", which entered the UK singles charts at number 1 last year. He is currently penning songs for Jay-Z, Professor Green and N-Dubz . He is also a personal favourite of Simon Cowell, so it seems unlikely that he will leave anyone dissapointed.

Boasting a racially diverse line-up and content that is heavily politically motivated, The Selectors continue to be a breath of fresh air upon a music scene that is full of duplicates and copycats.

Formed in 1979 by Neol Davies and John Bradbury the band has enjoys a legacy as one of the most prominent and admired acts of the infamous 'Ska' era of music.

Despite a series of Break-ups and a hiatus or two they are back in blaring fashion to embark on their "Made in Britain" tour.

Saturday 3rd Hospitality

Comeplay

Great Hall , 9:00pm, £16.00

Great Hall , 9:30pm, £5.00

Once a year the Cardiff Students' Union is turned into one huge nightclub as Hospitality returns to the Great Hall.

Headlining will be homegrown talent High Contrast launching their new album "The Agony and the Ecstasy".

They will be supported throughout the night by such acts as Netsky, Friction, Fred V and Grafix and also local talent DJ Tolerance. The massive array of talent will be on show until 4:00am so prepare yourself for a messy one.

If the Drum and Bass nature of Hospitality isn't your thing, and you fancy something a little more predictable then there is always the safe bet that is Comeplay.

Expect no surprises here with the usual cocktail of cheap drinks, drunken freshers and music with soaring decibels.

A few people may drift in from downstairs so expect the Union to be a hive of activity tonight. If you happen to live anywhere near it, don't expect a great amount of sleep.

Sunday 4th Soda Sundays SodaBar, 9:00pm, £3.50

Sundays used to be the day for watching the football, lazing around the house and eating a roast dinner. Sodabar clearly has other ideas as each week it is packed to the rafters with clubbers who seem to be lacking in any obligations for a Monday morning. Nonetheless the venue boasts a wide array of club rooms, seating areas, smoking terraces and bars, with a clean and polished feel to it all. Open till 4am, and with drinks starting at £2.00 it's arguably the best deal your going to find on a Sunday.

For Tickets to All SU Events

Telephone: 029 2078 1400 Box office

Visit : www.shop.cardiffstudents.com

Six Nations: Ireland vs France @Walkabout Walkabout , 3:00pm, Free

In what could be a crucial game in this year's Six Nations, (Especially if you are Welsh) France will take on Ireland at the Stade de France after the fixture was postponed a short while ago.

Where better to watch it than in the rugby mad venue of Walkabout, with Kangaroo burgers, outrageously big screens and beer flowing throughout the day. Entry is free and drinks start at £1.50.

32Taf-od

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • tafod@gairrhydd.com

Ras arweinyddol Plaid Cymru Cerith Rhys Jones sy'n dod a'r diweddaraf inni wrth i'r gystadleuaeth i arwain y blaid boethi

Y tri ymgeisydd sy'n weddill yn y ras, o'r chwith i'r dde: Elin Jones, Leanne Wood a Dafydd Elis-Thomas Gyda’r dyddiau’n rhuthro yn eu blaen tuag at etholiad arweinyddol Plaid Cymru, mae’r pwysau ar y tri sydd yn dal yn y ras i olynu Ieuan Wyn Jones yn cynyddu. Dros yr wythnos ddiwethaf, mae’r Blaid wedi bod yn cynnal sesiynau hystings ar draws Cymru, sef cyfle i aelodau’r Blaid ar lawr gwlad holi’r tri ymgeisydd i geisio ffurfio barn ar ba un ohonynt sy’n haeddu’r swydd.

Un o’r sesiynau pwysicaf o’r rheini oedd cyfarfod yng Ngwesty St David’s ym Mae Caerdydd nos Fawrth ddiwethaf, lle’r oedd gwahoddiad agored i’r cyhoedd fyny-

chu, yn ychwanegol at aelodau a chefnogwyr Plaid Cymru. Mae’n debyg mai dyma’r cyfarfod cyntaf o’r fath i Blaid Cymru. Wrth reswm, roedd y gynulleidfa’n un anoddach i’w phleisio na’r arfer, ond does dim amheuaeth fod cynnal cyfarfod agored fel hwn yn ffitio i mewn yn gyfforddus gydag addewid sy’n gyson rhwng y tri ymgeisydd – arweinyddiaeth glir i Gymru gyfan.

Yn ystod y cyfarfod, fe gyflwynodd Leanne Wood, Elin Jones a Dafydd Elis-Thomas eu blaenoriaethau ar gyfer arweinyddiaeth y Blaid ac i Gymru, a maent oll yn faterion dadleuol.

Prif flaenoriaeth Leanne Wood, sy’n Aelod Cynulliad dros Ganol De Cymru ac yn ffefryn gan y bwcis, yw swyddi a symud Cymru tuag at yr beth mae hi’n ei alw’n ‘wir annibyniaeth’ gan greu cynllun economaidd a fyddai’n ‘torri’r system sy’n ein cadw ni i lawr.’ Fe ddywedodd Ms Wood ein bod ‘wedi dysgu i fod yn rhy wan, a’n bod wedi dysgu i fod yn llwm, ond mae’n bryd inni ddysgu i fod yn llewyrchus ac yn gryf.’

Un ffordd o wneud hyn, yn ôl Ms Wood, fydd drwy’i Chynllun Gwyrdd y Cymoedd, a gyhoeddwyd y llynedd. Mae’r cynllun hwnnw’n amlinellu sut y gellid newid economi Cymru a chreu ffocws cymunedol er mwyn sicrhau swyddi, llewyrch a datblygiad cynaliadwy.

Mae annibyniaeth hefyd yn ganolbwynt ymgyrch Elin Jones, yr Aelod Cynulliad dros Geredigion.

Hi oedd yr un wnaeth ddweud, cofiwch, y gallai Cymru fod yn yr un sefyllfa a’r Alban erbyn 2020 pe bai Plaid Cymru yn ennill etholiadau’r Cynulliad ddwywaith yn ystod y degawd hwn. Ond, yr hyn sydd angen, yn ôl Ms Jones, yw map a chynllun clir tuag at annibyniaeth; ni ddylai Plaid Cymru gael ei ‘thwyllo’ gan y gred y bydd popeth sy’n digwydd yn yr Alban hefyd yn digwydd yng Nghymru.

Nid yw’r Arglwydd Dafydd Elis-

Thomas, yr Aelod Cynulliad dros Ddwyfor Meirionnydd a oedd yn Llywydd ar Gynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru am ddeuddeg mlynedd cyntaf y sefydliad, yn gosod cymaint o bwyslais ar annibyniaeth. Ei slogan ef yw ‘arweinyddiaeth gynaliadwy’. Mae hyn yn gyfeiriad at y ffocws y mae’i ymgyrch ef yn rhoi i ddatblygu cynaliadwy, ac hefyd yn chwarae ar eiriau gan awgrymu, efallai, mai fe fyddai’r unig un o’r ymgeisyddion allai wneud job dda ohoni.

P’run bynnag, nid yw ei ymgyrch ef wedi gweld cefnogaeth yn cyrraedd mor gyson ag y mae ymgyrchoedd Leanne Wood ac Elin Jones; nid yw’r ffigurau proffiluchel sy’n ei gefnogi ef wedi codi ers y tro diwethaf imi ysgrifennu am ras arweinyddol Plaid Cymru ar y dudalen hon. Y mae Leanne Wood wedi derbyn cefnogaeth gan yr awdures enwog Angharad Tomos yn ychwanegol at y telynydd (a gwraig yr Arglwydd Dafydd Wigley) Elinor Bennett Wigley. Hefyd o fyd y cyfryngau y mae Shelley Rees-Owen yn cefnogi Ms Wood, a hithau’n gyn actores ar Bobl y Cwm (Stacey Jones oedd ei chymeriad, gyda llaw), a nawr yn gobeithio cael ei hethol i Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Rhondda Cynon Taf dros y Blaid ym mis Mai. O fyd myfyrwyr, y mae Llywydd Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifys-

gol Abertawe, Luke James, yn ychwanegol at fudiad myfyrwyr Plaid Cymru, CymruX, wedi datgan eu cefnogaeth Mae Mark Serwotka, arweinydd y PCS, ac hefyd Dafydd Iwan, cyn-lywydd y Blaid ac un o enwogion mwyaf Cymru, wedi datgan mai Ms Wood fydd yn cael eu cefnogaeth hwy.

Mae’r Aelod Cynulliad dros Arfon a chyn-Weinidog dros Dreftadaeth, Alun Ffred Jones, eisoes wedi datgan mai Elin Jones fydd yn derbyn ei gefnogaeth ef. Y mae rhagflaenydd Mr Jones fel Gweinidog dros Dreftadaeth, yr Aelod Cynulliad dros Ddwyrain Caerfyrddin a Dinefwr, Rhodri Glyn Thomas, wedi datgan ei gefnogaeth ef hefyd.

Y mae hynny’n golygu fod mwyafrif grwp Cynulliad y Blaid yn cefnogi ymgyrch Ms Jones.

Er yn croesawu cefnogaeth Mr Thomas, fe ychwanegodd Ms Jones: ‘Rwyf wastad wedi credu fod angen i’r arweinydd newydd hefyd ennill ymddiriedaeth a chefnogaeth yr aelodau ar lawr gwlad, ac edrychaf ymlaen at esbonio fy ngweledigaeth ar gyfer y Blaid a Chymru i gynifer ohonynt â phosibl yn ystod wythnosau olaf yr ymgyrch arweinyddol.’

Mae’r ras yn tynhau, y tensiwn yn codi a Mawrth 15fed yn nesáu, ond bydd rhaid aros tan y diwrnod hynny i ganfod pa un o’r tri fydd arweinydd newydd Plaid Cymru.

50 mlynedd ers Tynged yr Iaith Cadi Rhys Thomas Taf-od Roedd y 13eg o Chwefror yn nodi hanner can mlynedd ers i Saunders Lewis draddodi ei ddarlith enwog Tynged yr Iaith. Prif neges y ddarlith oedd bod Saunders Lewis yn credu bod angen i bobl Cymru wneud achub yr iaith Gymraeg yn flaenoriaeth. Credai hefyd fod angen ystyried defnyddio dulliau chwyldroadol er mwyn cyflawni hyn. Mae’r hanesydd dylanwadol John Davies wedi disgrifio’r ddarlith fel y ‘catalydd’ a arweiniodd at sefydlu Cymdeithas yr Iaith ym mis Awst 1962. Roedd y ddarlith hefyd yn sbardun i basio’r Ddeddf Iaith gyntaf yn 1967.

Yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf, cyhoeddodd Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg fod Cymru’n colli 3,000 o siaradwyr rhugl pob blwyddyn. Mae arbenigwyr yn amcangyfrif mai dim ond 300,000 o siaradwyr Cymraeg rhugl sydd yng Nghymru bellach.

Mae hyn yn ostyngiad sylweddol o ystyried fod canlyniadau Cyfrifiad 2001 yn datgan fod 457,000 o bobl yn

dweud eu bod yn medru siarad a defnyddio’r Gymraeg.

Sut felly y dylid mynd ati i sicrhau dyfodol i’r iaith?

Yn amlwg, mae’r system addysg yn chwarae rôl arbennig o bwysig yn nyfodol yr iaith Gymraeg. Ers 1999 mae’r Gymraeg wedi bod yn bwnc gorfodol hyd at lefel TGAU yn ysgolion Cymru. Mae hyn yn golygu bod pob disgybl mewn ysgol uwchradd yng Nghymru yn astudio’r Gymraeg fel Iaith Gyntaf neu fel Ail Iaith. Mae tua chwarter plant Cymru yn derbyn addysg trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Dywed Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg bod y nifer o siaradwyr Cymraeg Iaith Gyntaf yn parhau i gynyddu ymhlith pobl ifanc Cymru. Maent yn awgrymu mai’r rheswm am hyn yw’r twf mewn addysg Gymraeg.

Mae hi’n destun pryder bod cymaint o blant yn cael eu magu mewn aelwydydd di-Gymraeg, er bod eu rhieni yn siarad Cymraeg yn rhugl. Amcangyfrifir mai dim ond 7% o aelwydydd Cymru sydd â’r rhieni a’r plant yn siarad Cymraeg adref. Mewn teuluoedd gydag

ond un rhiant Cymraeg, mae’r plant yn fwy tebygol o fod yn ddwyieithog os mai’r fam ydi’r rhiant Cymraeg. Y modd yma o drosglwyddo iaith yw un o’r prif resymau dros y twf mewn niferoedd sydd yn siarad Cymraeg sydd i’w weld yng nghanlyniadau Cyfrifiad 2001.

Rhaid cofio hefyd am bwysigrwydd annog oedolion i ddysgu’r Gymraeg. Wrth i rieni di-Gymraeg ddysgu’r iaith maent yn annog eu plant ac mae hyn yn hwb ychwanegol i’r iaith. Yn ôl gwefan Canolfan Cymraeg i Oedolion Prifysgol Caerdydd mae 2,000 o ddysgwyr yn cofrestru yn flynyddol, mae hyn yn sicr yn profi fod yr iaith Gymraeg yn bwysig i bawb o bob oed.

Y ffordd orau o sicrhau dyfodol yr iaith Gymraeg yw annog mwy o bobl i ddysgu’r iaith. Ni all yr iaith Gymraeg oroesi a pharhau i ffynnu os nad oes mwy o bobl yn siarad yr iaith. Wrth edrych tua’r dyfodol cofiwn eiriau Saunders Lewis: ‘Fe ellir achub y Gymraeg’.

De: Saunders Lewis cyn traddodi'r ddarlith enwog

News 1-6

Politics Feature Opinion Science Societies Listings 10 - 12 14 - 16 18 - 21 22 - 24 26 - 27 28 - 29 Taf-Od 31 - 32

Sport 37 - 40

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • tafod@gairrhydd.com

Taf-od33

Eisteddfod Ryngolegol 2012 Tro Prifysgol Bangor oedd hi i gynnal yr Eisteddfod Rhynggolegol eleni. Mae’r Eisteddfod yn rhan annatod o flwyddyn cannoedd o fyfyrwyr Cymraeg; mae’n achlysur unigryw lle daw Prifysgolion y wlad at ei gilydd i gystadlu ac i gymdeithasu.

Yn ôl traddodiad, cynhelir gig ar y nos Sadwrn, a braf oedd gweld cynulleidfa deilwng yno i werthfawrogi'r gorau y gall gerddoriaeth Gymraeg cyfoes ei gynnig.

Rhoddwyd yr anrhydedd o gloi’r noson, ac yn wir y penwythnos, i Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog. Nhw, mae’n debyg, yw band mwyaf actif a phoblogaidd y Sîn Roc Gymraeg bellach, a wnaethon nhw ddim siomi. Cafwyd perfformiad gwych gan Helyntion Jôs y Ficar, sydd yn prysur wneud enw iddyn nhw’i hunan ar y SRG. Roedd torf dda yno i wrando ar un o fandiau mwyaf addawol y sîn, S nami. Dangosodd Al Lewis pam ei fod o wedi bod yn teithio gyda Eleanor McEvoy yn ddiweddar; yr hudolus ‘Lle Hoffwn Fod’ yn taro deuddeg â chynifer.

Yna, daeth perfformiad grymus gan un o fandiau byw gorau Cymru, Creision Hud, gyda’r Bandana yn eu dilyn. Dyma ddau fand sydd yn llwyddo i gynnal cynulleidfa’n dda gyda’u caneuon bachog.

Caryl Parry Jones ac Iwan John oedd y prif feirniaid yn ystod y

cystadlu, gyda’r amryddawn Dyfrig Evans yn cyflwyno.

Roedd bron pawb yn cymryd y cystadlu o ddifrif, a braf oedd cael gweld hynny eto eleni, ond un o brif wendidau’r yl bob tro yw methiant y gynulleidfa i allu bod yn dawel yn ystod y cystadlu (gweler un o ‘tweets’ CPJ isod). Llwyddodd Dyfrig Evans i allu ysgafnhau’r awyrgylch ond ar yr un pryd, doedd ganddo ddim ofn prysuro’r wledd, hyd yn oed os oedd hynny’n golygu torri rhai o’r acts yn fyr. Un o fy ffefrynnau personol oedd: ‘Reit, joiwch y gystadleuaeth yma, dwi off am gachiad!’

Petai yna wobr am syniad mwyaf gwreiddiol y penwythnos, penderfyniad y trefnwyr i ddangos ‘tweets’ am y Rhynggol ar y taflunydd fyddai wedi ennill honno, gyda sgets fuddugol Prifysgol Caerdydd yn ail agos wrth gwrs. Yn ystod a rhwng y cystadlu, roedd ‘tweets’ yn ymddangos ar y taflunydd, weithiau’n cythruddo, a thro arall yn gwneud i bawb chwerthin. Tydi’r ‘tweets’ ddim yn gwneud cyfiawnhad o hwyl y penwythnos, na chwaith yn rhoi sylwebaeth aeddfed o’r cystadlu, ond o leiaf mae’n dangos pa mor boblogaidd ydi’r Eisteddfod Ryng-golegol ledled y wlad. Dyma rai o bigion y trydar helaeth a welwyd ym Mangor:

#rhyngol2012

Caryl Parry Jones @carylparryjones Diolch am y tweets bawb. Cyntaf i brynu peint i Iwan John yn cael 20 pwynt extra #rhyngol2012 Rhun @Rhun01 Caryl Parry Jones yn #extrapoints?#rhyngol2012 Y Gym Gym @YGymGym @carylparryjones ydi rhein werth 50 pwynt?! #superted #rhyngol2012 #CAERDYDD yfrog.com/nxi99wnj

edrych

yn

lyfli

heno

Pennant Jones @PennantJones Yli fodan ar sdej.#rhyngol2012

Gwenan Mair Davies @Gwenan_Mair Pobol bangor DDIM yn gwbod shwt ma yfed!! Cau'r bar?

Gwarth!!!!!!!!! #aber #rhyngol2012 Caryl Parry Jones @carylparryjones #rhyngol2012 Knackered...Diolch am heddiw. Chi gyd yn nyts.

Mair Rowlands @mairrowlands dwi'n teimlo'r effaith ar ol y weekend ma, ond odd o werth o#rhyngol2012 #joiobyw Dewi Meirion @dewimeirion Gig #rhyngol2012 wedi gwerthu allan!!

Ifan Sion Davies @IfanSion Joio chwarae yn rhyngol neithiwr, dipyn yn gwylio a bandia eraill i gyd yn class! #rhyngol2012

Megan Rhys Williams @mrhyswilliams falch bo fi di cael fy atgoffa neithwr faint mor dda yw @ allewismusic#rhyngol2012 #shalalalala

Gwyn Eiddior @gwyneiddior #adolygugigs #rhyngol2012 gwallgofle @creisionhud @CowboisRhB anhygs 6 band gret deugwir. sdiwdants n gwrando tro ma fyd!#uncyntadwingofio Dewi Meirion @dewimeirion Bangor yn ennill #rhyngol2012

Guto Alun Owen @GutoOwen Gutted mai hwnna odd y rhyng-gol olaf i fi. Er 'ny y ffaith mai yn y Drindod ma fe blwyddyn nesa yn neud e'n haws!!! #rhyngol2012

Hanner Cant a Pafiliwn Bont Osian Gruffydd Golygydd Taf-od

Mae hanner canmlwyddiant Tynged yr Iaith yn golygu ei bod hefyd yn hanner can mlynedd ers sefydlu Cymdeithas yr Iaith, ac fel rhan o ddathliadau’r mudiad hwnnw bydd gig go arbennig o’r enw Hanner Cant yn cael ei gynnal ym Mhafiliwn Pontrhydfendigaid. Fel mae’r enw yn ei awgrymu, bydd 50 o fandiau ac artistiaid yn perfformio ar y 13eg a’r 14eg o fis Gorffennaf. Cyhoeddwyd y digwyddiad ganol haf 2011, ac ers hynny

mae un band newydd wedi cael ei gyhoeddi bob wythnos. Gruff Rhys oedd yr enw cyntaf, ac hyd yn hyn mae 30 wedi eu henwi – Crash.Disco! oedd y diweddaraf i gael ei ddatgelu. Hefyd, cyhoeddwyd ar Sianel 62 (sianel deledu arlein newydd y Gymdeithas) y bydd Heather Jones yn ymuno a'r wyl yn lle Sibrydion, sy'n methu bod yno.

Mae gan Pafiliwn Bont le arbennig yn hanes cerddoriaeth Gymraeg – yma y cynhaliwyd gigs Twrw Tanllyd Cymdeithas yr Iaith yn ystod y 1970au a’r 80au – y gwyliau roc Cymraeg cyntaf o bosib, yn cynnwys cewri fel Edward H. Dafis. Yn ddiweddarach yn y 90au, y Pafiliwn oedd lleoliad gigs chwedlonol Rhyw Ddydd Un Dydd, a Noson Claddu Reu, efo bandiau fel Datblygu, Y Cyrff a Ty Gwydr yn perfformio.

O edrych ar y leinyp hyd yma – sydd yn cynnwys Steve Eaves, Llwybr Llaethog, Meic Stevens ac Y Niwl – mae Hanner Cant yn argoeli i ymuno a’r nosweithi-

....

au uchod fel carreg filltir arall yn hanes cerddoriaeth Gymraeg. Ewch i’r wefan, hannercant.com, am y rhestr llawn, a chofiwch wrando ar raglen Lisa Gwilym ar C2 bob nos Fercher i gael clywed yr enw diweddaraf i ymuno a’r digwyddiad. Mae 20 enw arall i'w gyhoeddi, felly mae'n debyg y gallwn ddisgwyl mwy o'r bandiau gorau ar y sin, yn ogystal ag ambell i hen ffefryn.

Mae pob cenhedlaeth yn edrych yn ol ar ambell i ddigwyddiad ac yn dweud yn hiraethus “mi oeddwn i yno”. Mae’n bosib iawn y bydd ein cenhedlaeth ni, mewn hanner canrif arall efallai, yn edrych ar Hanner Cant fel un o’r digwyddiadau hynny. Mae nifer cyfyngedig o docynnau ar gael am £20 – dim ond 40c y band (bydd y gweddill yn mynd ar werth am £25 ddydd Iau). Welwn ni chi yno!

Lluniau'n glocwedd: Yr Ods, Steve Eaves a Gruff Rhys

sudoku.

34Puzzles

Monday February 27 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ #gairrhydd â&#x20AC;˘ editor@gairrhydd.com

INTERMEDIATE

CHALLENGING

word wheel.

How many words of three or more letters, each including the letter at the centre of the wheel, can you make from this diagram? We've found 20, including a nine-letter word. Can you do better?

T A

Cutting Edge

Steve has a piece of paper of size 5 by 5 with two blunted corners. He wants to rearrange it into size 6 by 4 as shown in the picture above. How can he do it in only one cut (dividing the paper into two?

Rhys's riddles.

E L I

E L

A V

answers.

Fuses If Steve lights both ends of Fuse A at the same time we know it will be burnt fully in 30 minutes. So if he starts one end of Fuse B at the same time as Fuse A, by the time Fuse A is burnt out there will be 30 minutes left on Fuse B. Therefore by immediately lighting the other end, Fuse B it will burn out after another 15 minutes. 30+15 = 45!

EASY

INTERMEDIATE

CHALLENGING

Riddle answer.

News 1-6

Politics Feature Opinion Science Societies Listings Taf-Od 10 - 12 14 - 16 18 - 21 22 - 24 26 - 27 28 - 29 31 - 32

Sport 37 - 40

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • sport@gairrhydd.com

Sport37

BUCS ROUNDUP Recent Results: Badminton M 1 v Swansea 1.......7-1 Hockey W 4 v RAC 1...................2-1 Hockey W 4 v RAC 1....................2-1 Rugby M 2 v Glamorgan 2.......36-17 Squash W v UCL..........................8-6 Tennis W 2 v Swansea 1............10-2 Netball 3 v UWE 2....................30-21 Hockey W 1 v Hockey W 2...........5-1 M AFC 1 v UWE 1........................5-2 W AFC 1 v Swansea 2................19-0

Thirds edge Medics in domestic affair Sam Thorpe Sports Writer In a muddy affair that looked unlikely to be played at one stage, Cardiff University Rugby Club’s third XV topped the Cardiff Medicals RFC 6-0.

A strong kicking game from Cardiff pinned the Medics into their own half for a considerable spell early on, with the forwards providing several carries straight from the base of the ruck around the five meter line. The Medics absorbed this for a few minutes until a Cardiff knock on allowed them to clear their lines after a solid scrum.

Much of the first half was spent in this manner, with the packs from both teams racking up carries, conditions causing handling errors putting an importance on kicking.

The Medics twice had opportunities to take the lead through penalties but were unable to capitalise. A strong drive from a scrum also put them deep in Cardiff ’s 22, but after crossing the try line the referee deemed the ball to have been held up, before calling time on a scoreless first half.

Cardiff emerged after the interval determined to kick for territory and were able to do so to great effect. The continuing rain and increasingly poor terrain aided in this, with the Medics conceding several scrums after knocking on high balls. The Cardiff front five responded well, with a considerable improvement to the scrum in the second half, allowing much cleaner ball for captain Laurie Miller at the base of the scrum.

This solid platform allowed Cardiff to turn the screw on the Medics, who eventually relented by conceding penalties. Fly-Half, Dan Brownlee, capped off a solid performance by slotting both of his two attempts The low score of 6-0 to Cardiff was hardly unexpected given the dreadful conditions, but the third team will certainly relish their second straight victory as they seek promotion for their second consecutive year. Coach Adam Greendale said, “Despite the conditions not suiting our style of play, we adapted well and managed to get a fantastic result.”

Academics aside.... tion to Argyle as I came along much later; as a result, I was an adult before I went to Home Park for the first time. Even as part of a small crowd of around 4,000 it was a fantastic experience.

Name: Dr. Nick Johns (above) School: SOCSI Speciality: Social Policy His Team: Plymouth Argyle FC 1) What are some of your earliest memories of watching Plymouth?

My earliest memories are vicarious really. I remember my parents talking about their travels with my two sisters, my uncle and aunt, following the Greens. It was a regular Saturday adventure - home and away - and I loved to hear them talk about it. They used to tease my uncle about the fact that he always received free pasties from a female admirer. I missed the family devo-

2) If you were to pick one match as your favourite, what would it be and why?

I can't remember the actual game but it would be the first time I took my two boys. They loved it and even started their own chant at the Devonport End. What's more they won! My next favourite would be the game that we took our friend Mark Rix to see his first match, we have worked together for ages, and being an Australian from the University of Woolongong he doesn't get to Home Park too often...

3)....and your least favourite?

I think it would be the first time that Argyle lost, when my boys were with me. Despite a shocking run of form they had seen four straight wins - I was even considering renting them to the club as replacement mascots. It was sad to see their belief in the invincibility

Welcome to the gun show Louise Bungay Sports Writer On Sunday March 19, members of Cardiff University Rifle Club, competed in the Welsh Small-bore Rifle Association Indoor Championships, at Penarth Rifle Club.

The competition is open to a range of shooting experience levels, from schools up to international competitors. Four members of the Club competed, each doing extremely well in their respective classes.

Overcoming the difficulties of shooting on an unfamiliar range, dealing with competition time constraints and with the added pressure of shooting next to professional international shooters, all of the members came away with very respectable scores. Rhys Bowley, won Class C, for the second time in four years, and Rupert Knight came second in Class B, an astounding achievement, given that he was competing in his first indoor shooting competition.

The University Rifle Club is looking forward to finishing the year of

great shooting on a high. The club is in contention for a team place at the BUCS Indoor Championship Team Finals, competing against other top shooting clubs from universities across the UK, and there has been some very strong individual shooting from both new and old members.

Above: Rupert Knight and Rhys Bowley

Nick Johns on Plymouth Argyle FC

of the Greens destroyed! Welcome to fandom...

Below: Instead of Johns' all time XI this is a fan's all time XI. according to an internet survey.

4) Who is the teams most important player?

I'm not sure who it would be at the moment, I haven't been able to stay in touch with the club as much as I would like of late. Without doubt the most valuable of all in my view would be Tommy Tynan, what a great goal scorer and a club legend.

5) Who would be your all time player and starting XI for Plymouth.?

Again Tynan, but in terms of the team, I suppose it would be the side that gained promotion back into the Championship.

“

It was sad to see their the

belief

in

invincibility

Jim Furnell

George Nisbet

Jack Chisholm

Graham Coughlan

Ernie Machin Johnny Williams

Colin Sullivan

Kevin Hodges Sammy Black

of the Greens destroyed! Welcome to fandom...

Tommy Tynan

Paul Mariner

38Sport

Monday February 27 2012 • #gairrhydd • sport@gairrhydd.com

Chris Hoy inspires Team GB to victory in Cycling World Cup Micheal Hesslenberg reviews the athletic clubs success at the recent cross country championships in Gwent

Above: Team GB at the Cycling World Cup push each other to their limits and come out on top Alex Greig Sports Writer

The British Cycling team recently finished top of the medal table at the Cycling World Cup with four gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals.

The event, which took place in the brand new Olympic Velodrome, saw Britain take to the podium in seven of a possible ten Olympic events. After the four-day meet, Dave Brailsford, the director of British cycling praised the self-belief the team demonstrated during these championships, “we’ve really built some momentum […] and we’ll be doing everything we can between now and August to make

sure we can repeat this level of performance.”

Whilst there is room for improvement as noted by Brailsford, the team should be highly commended on this performance, none more so than Chris Hoy, who, despite now being 35, claimed that, “this is the best I’ve been since Beijing. No question.” Hoy took two gold medals in this cup, one in the Keirin (in which he hit his personal best speed for this race: 78.4kph) and one in the men’s sprint, in which he beat German Maximillian Levy 2-0. In the team sprint, his performance was his best since Beijing, crossing the line in 9.93 seconds. Sir Chris Hoy stated: “I’ve been a bit more confident, taking the race by the scruff

of the neck, and I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Hoy’s triumph goes towards his chances of securing the single team slot in the Olympic sprint, a place that he is fighting over with world champion Jason Kenny. “Every race between now and the Olympics matters,” said Kenny, “It’s really good actually, we’re really pushing each other.” The two will once again go head to head in the World Championships next month in Melbourne.

Earlier in the competition Hoy powered to his 50th world medal, helping his team to win the team sprint bronze medal. The British team pursuit, consisting of Ed Clancy Geraint Thomas, Steven Burke and Peter Kennaugh, took

the silver in their event, second to Australia, the current world champions. Victoria Pendleton finished in fifth place in the women’s Keirin, whilst Laura Trott took the bronze in the 500m time-trial, the last of the events.

The team viewed the event in part as an Olympic warm up, with the home advantage of the 6,000seat arena. Australian Anna Meares said, "The Velodrome is beautiful.

I've never heard a crowd make so much noise in my life - it feels like 20,000 people, not 6,000,” a noise we can be expect to be louder later this year.

If you have any stories on the upcoming olympics please send them in to sport@gairrhydd.com

Para-cyclists look forward to the future after incredible showing in LA Sports writer Alex Greig highlights Team GB's success in the para-cycling Great Britain’s para-cylists have emerged victorious from the 2012 World Championships. The event, which concluded in Los Angeles, saw the British top the medal tables with an incredible eight gold, seven silver and two bronze medals.

Welshman, Mark Colborne, is a new star to emerge from this event.

Despite having broken his back only three years ago, he has fought to fitness and emerged with a gold in the individual pursuit and silver in the C1 kilometre. He was so on-

form, that Germany complained and the chief classifier was called in to see if he should be moved to another class.

Athletes Jody Cundy, Darren Kenney, Sarah Storey and Jon-Allan Butterworth, were amongst gold medal winners. Butterworth’s win saw him reclaim the world record (which was broken earlier in this same competition) as he passed over the finish in 1:07.2. Butterworth “felt as if I was going slower than in training,” and “will try to put it

right for London,” suggesting that we can expect great things for him come this Olympics. Cundy, who is unbeaten in the C4 Kilo in the last six years, came within a second of his personal best said that “it will be good to go to London as world champion,” and certainly, this is where the team and their coaches now turn their attention to. With such a medal haul in these championships, it looks like Britain are on the right tracks to take the Velodrome by storm later this year.

Above: Team GB para cyclists

Above: Cardiff Athletics Cardiff University Athletics Team took 19 runners up to Brecon for the forth Gwent League cross-country race of the season.

The conditions were perfect for the race, with the sun shining and clear blue skies. From last year’s experience the team was prepared for a tough flat race with short, sharp inclines. With the low winter sun shining on most of the course, the ground was soft underfoot and muddy on the corners.

The first to race were the senior ladies, who had a fast paced 5km course to complete. There was an unusually small field for the race, however, the girls ran extremely well with Rachel Underhill finishing eighth overall. With the girls’ team running well in all the Gwent races, they have put themselves into a strong position at the top of division 2 and have a chance to get promoted into division 1 at the end of the season The last race of the day saw the senior men running a tough 10km course with a field of 220 runners.

After a steady start which Cardiff athlete, Owen Haswell, led from the front, the pace soon increased. All the guys ran very well, with Peter Hart coming eighth and the others following suit. Strong finishes from many of the men guaranteed an under 23 team category victory. This was a sterling effort, as the Brecon course pushed the runners, forcing one or two to retire. With many of the Cardiff athletes achieving positions, this should see us continue into the last Gwent in a central position in division 1 and hopefully ensuring we stay in the top division for another year.

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Sport39

Your Pitch: Has Dereck Chisora

tarnished British boxing's image?

Mike McEwan looks at the controversy caused by Dereck Chisora following his loss to Vitali Klitschko in Munich

Above: David Haye and Dereck Chisora having an altercation In a sport where a celebrated icon known as Ali dubbed his AfricanAmerican adversary a gorilla; a savage named Tyson chewed off a section of an opponent’s ear and combatants have plotted to reinforce their gloves with Plaster of Paris: perhaps it is naïve to expect a sprig of moral reckoning from current competitors.

Irrespective of its publicised ills, boxing can still yield moments of unthinkable heroism and gallantry few other sports can rival. But this fact overshadowed amidst the aftermath of depraved scenes in a post bout brawl implicating Brit-

ish boxers, David Haye and Dereck Chisora.

The scene of the crime was Munich. Chisora had just fought commendably to a 12 round decision loss to long-reigning WBC Heavyweight Champion, Vitali Klitschko.

In what had been an acrimonious weekend for the Briton, Chisora had exhibited blind courage, by ceaselessly advancing into the Ukrainians bludgeoning assault, salvaging respect from all present. Yet at the post fight press conference, in a characteristically impulsive move, he confronted his ever-outspoken compatriot, David Haye, with an

ugly melee ensuing. Punches were exchanged; Chisora was glassed, crazed death threats of vengeance were issued and reputations were irretrievably tarnished.

Is this just another notorious lowlight in the interminable demise of boxing? Not necessarily. Undoubtedly, these inglorious events evidence the thuggery which often haunts a sport attracting characters that after all, trade in regulated violence. But equally, in the Zimbabwean born Chisora, we are dealing with an unpredictable man charged with assault on his girlfriend in 2010, and with a penchant for biting his foes in the heat of battle. Regrettably, the fistfight was not his only misdemeanour of the fight weekend, as it followed the mindlessness of slapping opponent, Vitali, at the fight weigh-in and the contemptuous spitting of water into the face of Vitali’s brother, decorated IBF heavyweight champion, Wladimir Klitshcko upon entering the ring.

Unhinged, reckless and devoid of class; Chisora is not fit to represent boxing.

Compounding a shaming weekend for any British patriots out there, was the performance of our ex-champ, Haye, who assumed an integral role in sullying the Union Jack, rather than trooping it. In Munich for punditry obligations, the self-proclaimed ‘Hayemaker’ reared his unwanted head at the conference, in an attempt to goad Vitali into a lucrative title fight. All this from the clown, who after pa-

rading a t-shirt depicting him holding the dismembered heads of the Klitschko’s, lost limply to Wladimir in a conclusive decision last Summer. Quite what erstwhile British Boxing heroes, in the form of the charming Henry Cooper, or the esteemed Lennox Lewis would make of Haye’s shameless self-marketing approach to the sport, is beyond contemplation.

Further underscoring the loutish behaviour of Britain’s reprobates, was the consummate display in sportsmanship and temperament that the Klitschko’s rendered. When slapped in the face; Vitali offered no retaliation. When spat in the face; Wladimir practiced self-restraint.

Not only did the brothers school our boys in the ring, they produced an unerring lecture in how to conduct one’s self with integrity.

All in all, whilst boxing will always house questionable characters as a product of dealing in such a bloodthirsty trade, the values which the sport endorses were not showcased by the weapon-wielding clash in Germany. Discipline, respect and self-furtherance comprise the axioms of the pugilistic art: trained aggression, not untamed aggression. Unfailingly, boxing will continue to be a benevolent force worldwide, providing an empowering livelihood to affluent and underprivileged people alike, but it is in dire need of a goodwill story.

As for British boxing: it just needs a conscience.

Carl Froch in round fixing scandal Joe Fenn looks at the repercussions of the Welshman's statement

A

terrible weekend for boxing has been perfectly topped off with Carl Froch, former two time WBC super middle weight champion of the world, facing an investigation by the British Boxing Board, after he revealed that he deliberately prolonged a 2005 Commonwealth Games fight to benefit friends and relatives who had bet on the match.

In an interview on BBC radio, Froch claimed that he could have ended the 2005 title defence fight against Ruben Groenewald earlier, but instead held on to the fifth round for the sake of his brother and his friends. Although this bor-

ders on being illegal in the boxing world, Froch seemed to find nothing wrong in what he did. He openly and innocently explained that he had "done it before," and said that if he was a good enough fighter to choose when he knocked the challenger down, then that was "fair enough."

“

The fighter will face an investigation to determine whether or not what he did was illegal Froch had made similar claims

in his autobiography, which was released last year, but it was only after the radio interview that the British Boxing Board took notice. Now the fighter will face an investigation to determine whether or not what he did was illegal, and if it is deemed to be so, Froch could face a suspension of his boxing licence.

However, Froch claims what he did was not match-fixing. Holding up an opponent, as it is known, is a different matter than a fighter deliberately taking a dive. The greatest fighters in history, from Muhammad Ali to David Haye, have spoke about prolonging fights for a variety of reasons, normally monetary. The trouble with Froch’s case

is that his relatives had bet on the match and, from what he has said, it seems like this was his reason for holding up Groenewald.

Nonetheless, despite his denial of any breach of the rules set out by the control board, Froch seems to have realised his mistake. He has since said that his comments were ‘light-hearted’ and should not have been taken seriously.

Froch does not appear too concerned by facing the board, and neither does most of the sporting press. The Guardian doubts it will affect his scheduled fight with Lucian Bute in May, and claims that Froch will most likely be fined, but keep his licence to fight.

Arsenal and Chelsea struggle in Europe

Above: Napoli's goalscorers Tom Parry-Jones Sports Writer

Hopes of an English winner in this season’s Champions League look very slim, as both Arsenal and Chelsea suffered away defeats in the first leg of their round of 16 ties. Although both teams play their second legs at home, they face an uphill battle to overturn the deficits suffered last week.

Arsenal returned to European action after the winter break with a tricky away tie against Italian giants Milan at the San Siro. However, they were 1–0 down after 15 minutes, when Kevin Prince Boateng put the home side ahead. A brace from Robinho and a penalty from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, converting after he was brought down by Johan Djourou, rounded off the 4–0 score-line to leave Arsenal clutching at straws for the second leg. The match marked Thierry Henry’s final appearance in an Arsenal shirt, before returning to play for the New York Red Bulls.

Chelsea’s first leg against Napoli – who had qualified from Group A at the expense of Manchester City – was played a week later. The Blues have been in poor form of late, casting doubts on the future of manager Andre Villas-Boas, but they took the lead through Spanish forward Juan Mata after 27 minutes. However, goals from Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani, put Napoli in front at halftime, and a second from Lavezzi, mid-way through the second half sealed a 3–1 victory. Chelsea’s away goal will give them hope for the return leg, but they will still need to score at least two goals to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Sport

Chisora disgraces boxing? << Inside

Cobras fell Titans George Jackson reports on Cardiff Cobras' second win over Swansea Titans this season

Above: The Cobras get their heads in the game during a huddle.

T

he Cardiff Cobras never like to take the easy road to victory, especially when there’s a more treacherous one waiting to be travelled.

Nevertheless, the Cobras with a commanding away win at the Swansea Titans, showed that they are back on track to the playoffs and thirsty for glory once more.

Both Swansea and Cardiff are teams full of rich history, huge pride and between them, a deep and unyielding enmity stretching back to the foundation of both clubs. With Cardiff already one up on the Titans this season, courtesy of a preseason ‘friendly’, the atmosphere was ferocious as Cardiff set to receive Swansea’s opening kick-off. The play didn’t last long though, as the Titans tried to get the drop on the Co-

bras with an onside (very short) kick. Always prepared, Ryan Davies, was able to recover the ball and storm nearly halfway up the pitch before being bought down by the swarming defenders, leaving Cardiff with great field position to start their offensive drive toward the Titans endzone, the first of many for the men in red.

The game of American Football is at its weakest moments a hugely physical contest, whilst at its best a fierce and unrelenting battle. At Swansea, the Cobras made it a brutal, personal and ferociously fast paced grudge match, with Offensive Captain, Alex Brew, hammering through the centre of Swansea’s defence and running back Ben Fowle, streaking around their edges Swansea were hard-pressed to keep the Cobras from their line. The only thing stopping

Cardiff from humiliating Swansea in their own back yard, was themselves, they gave away cheap penalty after penalty to lose themselves scoring oppor-

“

Storming

up,

over,

through and around the Titans, beating the heart out of them

tunities.

With the offence having trouble finding their winning stride it fell to the defence to keep Swansea at bay. They may be named the Titans, but the Swansea offence stood in the shadows of the Cardiff linebackers. Thanks too pressure from Cardiff ’s experienced DLine, there was little the Titans

could do except clear their lines with a punt, lick their wounds and hand the ball back to Cardiff, after three failed attempts at a first down.

After a brief pep talk from the coaches, the Cobras were back out on the field and taking the game straight to Swansea once more.

As a result of the great the strength and depth provided by the running back they elected to keep the ball in hand. Storming up, over, through and around the Titans, beating the heart out of them with some well time hits, so that RB Alex Brew could cross the line for a score to put them 6-0 up.

The game was starting to edge in Swansea’s favour, as they made steadily more yards against the Cardiff D and were able to hold the Cobras offence to no further score. Cardiff needed a game changer, fast.

Rookie Quarterback, Rich Gardener, was making his first start for the Cobras after the loss of QB Tom Williams. He rose undaunted, however, despite a wall of Swansea players crashing toward him and slotted his first Touchdown pass to rookie receiver, Stefan Pollitt, to take Cardiff two scores clear, with only a single quarter of the game remaining.

Swansea were able to hit back and snatched six points due to a mis-communication from the Cardiff D, however it was too little too late, as the Cobras beat the Titans for the second time this season. Putting themselves in with a shot at League Champions, an honour not bestowed on a Cardiff team for a very long time, if they beat the UWE bullets this weekend, then the title is almost in their grasp.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: MENS RUGBY 2nd XV

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