gair rhydd - Issue 820 by Cardiff Student Media

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ISSUE 820 SEPTEMBER 18 2006

GUARDIAN STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

CARDIFF’S STUDENT WEEKLY free word - EST. 1972

Q U E N C H

Q U E N C H .G

A IR R H Y D D

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2006

GUAR DIAN STUDE NT MAGAZI NE OF THE YEAR

WELCOM E HE RE W E T R O E H C RE WARDIF NTO E E O T T S I F E L R E HOP, WH ER E ERE TO

OS T E WH E E, WH R R C E E N H H A W D W , O T U EAS RE T S YO F E L L H O E T W T E , H R K C E N , WH QUEN P O DRI E T E E L R S E O H T TO EAT, WO PARTY, WHERE W FAVOURITE CITY WHERE T O GO IN YOUR NE WE MEET DOCTOR W T HO WHERE D A VI D TE NNANT

& C O . TA LK TO U S

Q & A W IT H DANNY DY FI LM JO IN ER S TH E SE VE R A NC

THE D

A T IN G B E O N E ST EP A H EA D W IT H B LI

CHEAP AND CHEERFUL Cardiff is named the most cost-effective city to study in By Jo Dingle News Editor CARDIFF students enjoy cheaper living costs than students in any other city in the UK, according to new research by the Royal Bank of Scotland. The study found that low rent and high student employment in Cardiff made living in the city highly costeffective. The findings come as the total spent on British students’ accommodation and living expenses is expected to total £10 billion over the next academic year. On average students in Cardiff spend £188 a week on living and housing costs, and earn £131. In comparison, UK wide, the average spending on living and housing costs is £206 per week, alongside average weekly earnings of just £69.

By opting to study in Cardiff as opposed to Cambridge, which was found to be the least cost-effective in the index of 26 universities, students can expect to be around £80 better off a week – the equivalent of £2,400 a year. Former Cardiff University student Toan Ravenscroft said he had found the city a relatively cheap place to study. He said: "You can pay in a week in London what you pay in a month in Cardiff [on rent] - so you are aware of the difference.” On top of this, English students at Welsh universities will not have to pay top-up fees of up to £3,000 until next year, effectively saving £1,800 more than if they were studying at a university over the border. The research also found that almost half of all students expect to have a part-time job while studying next year, compared to 40% during

the last academic year. Universities are thought to be increasingly sympathetic to students’ financial needs and recognise that many need to supplement their student loan with part-time employment. Cardiff University has a dedicated Jobshop which acts as a job agency to help students find employment. In contrast, Cambridge University students are discouraged from undertaking part-time work during term time. Third year Cardiff student David Menon works part-time and thinks that the extra hours are worth it. He said: “During term time I earn about £90 a week working for 16 hours at a local bingo hall. “By working on Friday nights and doing a long 12 hour shift on Saturday I am able to get most of my uni work done in the week. “I don’t think that my degree has

Cardiff students are around £80 better-off each week compared to Cambridge students suffered at all from having a job. “Having a job gives me financial security so I can have as many beers as I want in Fun Factory.” Another recent survey for NatWest bank indicates that Welsh sixth formers can expect to pay £32,641 for a three-year degree including £14,375 of debt. But despite these figures, 79 per cent of students beginning university this September believe that going to university will help them with their future job prospects. For advice on money related issues, debt and how to stick to a budget, drop into the Student Advice Centre on the third floor of the Students’ Union.

E C A ST

GAME

N D D A TE

RAGEH OMARR ON HOW TO GET AHEAD IN THE MEDIA PAGE 13

PLUS: HEALTH ON HOW TO STAY FRESH DURING FRESHERS’ WEEK PAGE 17

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NEWS

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 NEWS@gairrhydd.COM

Cardiff’s catching the crooks

a glance

By Joanna Dingle News Editor TV LICENSING caught over 1,331 people in Cardiff watching TV without a valid license in the first six months of 2006. Katrina Cinus, TV Licensing spokeswoman for Wales, highlighted how effective they are at tracking down people who do not havea valid TV license. “We have a database of more than 28 million addresses, allowing us to focus our visiting on properties which have no record of a TV

September 18 2006 News Editorial & Opinion Letters Columnist Politics Taf-Od Interviews Jobs & Money Media Health Science/Environment Five Minute Fun Listings Sport

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EDITOR Perri Lewis DEPUTY EDITOR Sophie Robehmed ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR Elaine Morgan CREATIVE EDITOR Graeme Porteous NEWS Adam Millward, Helen Thompson, Jo Dingle, Katie Kennedy POLITICS Andy Rennison EDITORIAL AND OPINION Ed Vantage, Georgie SPORT Dave Menon, George Pawley, Jon Berridge LISTINGS Jenna Harris, Rosaria Sgueglia TELEVISION TV Gareth, TV Grace, TV John, TV Neil LETTERS Rachel Clare GRAB Kayleigh Excell, Lisa Hocken TAF-OD This position needs filling SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT Ceri Morgan MEDIA Aline Ungewiss, Nadia Bonjour HEALTH Liz Stauber JOBS AND MONEY Gill Roberts PROBLEM PAGE Grace De Ville FIVE MIN FUN Lara Bell PICTURE EDITOR James Perou PROOF READERS CONTRIBUTORS ADDRESS University Union, Park Place Cardiff, CF10 3QN ADVERTISING 02920 781 474 EMAIL gairrhydd@gairrhydd.com WEB www.gairrhydd.com LOCATION 4th Floor Students’ Union

WE ARE CURRENTLY VERY, VERY SHORT STAFFED. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED IN ANY WAY, PLEASE CONTACT US OR SIGN UP AT THE FRESHERS’ FAYRE. NO LEVEL OF EXPERTISE IS NEEDED

Rising popularity By Helen Thompson News Editor WELSH UNIVERSITIES are enjoying a rise in popularity at a time when other UK universities are seeing their numbers of applicants fall. Cardiff received 37,176 applications this year, an increase of 5% on last year and defying the national trend which saw a fall in the average number of university applications. The lack of unpopular top-up fees for Welsh students who study in Wales could be a contributing factor to the 1.8% rise in applications. While most British students can now expect to pay up to £3,000 for their higher education, the Welsh Assembly ensured that Welsh students continue to pay only £1,200 to attend universities in Wales by voting against the fees in May 2005. According to the Universities Admissions Service, UCAS, there has been a 3.5% drop in applications to universities across the UK. The fall coincides with the introduction of topup fees this September, suggesting that students fear unmanageable debt. Assembly Education Minister Jane Davidson emphasised that it is not just cheaper education that draws students to Wales: “The key issue is we have universities of the highest quality. “In the last research assessment exercise we had many, many departments which were right at the top of the international tree.” Ms Davidson added that students would always be encouraged to base their choice of university primarily on the course and institution, rather than on the price of the education offered.

license. “The results show how successful we’ve been at pinpointing those who don’t pay in Cardiff. “The message couldn’t be clearer to the minority without a licence: watch out as we’re out on your streets catching evaders.” All students in halls of residence with a television in their room, as opposed to in a communal area, must apply for a TV license individually. To get a TV license, visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk or call 0870 241 6468.

Cardiff lecturers expose HSBC internet banking flaws By Adam Milwall News Editor RESEARCHERS AT Cardiff University have caused nationwide alarm by exposing a security flaw within the website of one of the UK’s leading banks. According to the investigation, the internet banking service of HSBC has contained a defect for at least two years. This means that its 3.1 million users have potentially been vulnerable to online fraud attacks. The full details of the banking blunder are to be published in security journals later this year, but the Cardiff researchers decided the public deserved to know now. Professor Antonia Jones, the computer scientist who headed the research team, explained: “Banks are in the business of safeguarding your money, and if they tell you that it’s safe then you assume that’s the case… for banks not to protect [their customers] is pretty scandalous.” The flaw is believed to exist at the log-in point of the internet banking service. Criminals using ‘keyloggers’ – an easily acquired device or virus which records every keystroke on a target computer – can gain full access to an account, according to Professor Jones, in approximately five attempts. Other banks use a different system, which experts believe is more secure. When the story was initially published in The Guardian, HSBC denied the design flaw altogether. The following day, they admitted they had known about it since the introduction of the system. A HSBC spokesman said that the bank was in discussions with Cardiff University, yet insisted: “Online fraud via HSBC’s internet banking system is substantially lower than the market

average and we are satisfied our customers are adequately protected.” Security expert Bruce Schneier, on the other hand, is adamant that users of all online banks should be cautious. “There are hundreds of vulnerabilities out there affecting every single bank, and this is just a minor one, it’s an arms race.” According to estimated figures produced by the UK payment association, Apacs, the abuse of personal banking details cost £140m last year. Many British banks are considering steps to improve security. One suggestion includes ‘token’ solutions, where customers would own a small device that frequently generates random passwords. Such measures, however, are not imminent as they would involve an expensive and time-consuming shakeup of the entire banking industry.

GLYN: Nearly did win

Welsh Minister praises Welsh BB contestant GLYN, THE 18-year-old Big Brother contestant from North Wales, has been praised by the Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan. Morgan said: “Your passion and love for our country and language has been an inspiration for other young people and you’ve certainly put your home town of Blaenau Ffestiniog and Wales on the map.” The teenager, who came second in the reality TV show, used his presence in the house to raise awareness of Wales by speaking Welsh, wearing Welsh rugby shirts and declaring his favourite food was Welsh lamb. He plans to take a year out to enjoy his sucess before studying to be a teacher – in Wales.

GREAVES: Hid camera in bottle

Loner student spied on girls in Halls A STUDENT who secretly filmed young women in a communal university bathroom has admitted to six charges of voyeurism. Charles Greaves hid a tiny digital camera inside an adapted shower gel bottle in a mixed halls bathroom at the University of Wales, Bangor, where he was a student. The 19-year-old, described as an ‘overweight loner’ first tried to film female students as they showered, but failed to get good quality images. Instead, he put a sign on the door requesting that all students take baths rather than showers. He admitted three counts of installing equipment to gain images for sexual gratification and three counts of viewing images for sexual gratification. District Judge Andrew Shaw told Greaves: “There was a breach of trust: there are three separate victims who are humiliated and traumatised.”

gairrhydd

NEWS@gairrhydd.COM

The music will go on...

Sex survey shocker YOUNG PEOPLE are risking their health by not using condoms with new partners, according to a study by Radio 1. The Bare All 06 survey, found that 41% of young people do not always use a condom when with a new partner. The most common reason is because the girl is on the pill, which offers no protection against sexually transmitted infections. The survey also found that nearly 30% of 16 to 24year-olds lost their virginity before the age of consent, with Welsh teenagers most likely to have sex younger than 16. A spokeswoman for FPA Cymru – formerly the Family Planning Association – indicated how worrying the figures were. “It is vitally important that young people are given the information and skills needed to protect themselves and make the right decisions about their sexual health.” The UK’s ‘largest ever youth sex survey’, which questioned over 26,000 participants, found that pregnancy is the biggest worry among respondents, with 41% citing it as their main concern. This was nearly double the number concerned about catching HIV or sexually transmitted infections such as Chlamydia. 38% of 16 to 24year-olds don’t always use a condom with a new partner 18% have had 10 or more partners 14% don’t realise you can contract STIs from oral sex The second most common reason for 16-24 year olds not using a condom with a new partner was being too drunk

For confidential advice, condoms and information contact the Sexual Health Awareness Group (SHAG) on 029 2078 1494 or visit their office on the third floor of the Students’ Union.

NEWS

SEPTEMBER.18.2006

By Alicia Whitthread Reporter

Rent boy New Union letting agency opened by President By Jo Dingle News Editor CARDIFF STUDENT Letting, a new letting agency for students, was opened last month by President Joe Al-Khayat (above). The agency, which is situated on the floor of the Students’ Union, will provide a direct link between landlords and the 26,000 students at Cardiff University. Cardiff Student Letting is unique because all proceeds from the service are ploughed back into

Key events to attend during your first week in Cardiff

the Union, supporting its work, and, unlike the majority of other letting agencies, it does not charge students agency fees. Before putting houses on their books, they aim to visit the majority of residences and check that all have the essential basic requirements such as CORGI gas and electricity certificates. Letting Agency Manager, Eoghan Conway said: “As part of the Union we are looking for the best properties that are up to standard. We’ve met with lots of landlords who care about what stu-

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dents need and want and who provide good accommodation, with the guarantee that everything the contract said would be done will be done when students come to move in.” The agency has received substantial interest from local landlords, and has a varied portfolio ranging from single rooms in shared houses up to big six or more bedroom properties. More information can be found on their website, www.cardiffstudentletting.com, or by contacting 02920781525.

Who the f**k are you? Solus, Students’ Union 9pm-2am The Union Welcome/ Vice-Chancellor’s Address The Great Hall, Students’ Union 5pm Postgraduates 7pm Undergraduates Companies Fayre Day one The Great Hall, Students’ Union 10am-4pm

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LOW POWER FM transmitters, more commonly known as iTrips, are expected to become legal in Britain by 2007. Until no, iTrips have been banned in Europe due to their low power transmissions interfering with legal radio stations. But Ofcom has made the decision to legalise their use after evaluating outdated 1940s legislation which banned the use of all unlicensed radio transmitters. The legalisation of iTrips will give people the freedom to listen and share their music in the car, the home, or at work through a wireless connection. This will make it possible to play music from your iPod through any FM radio.

...but the music shop might not SPILLERS RECORDS of Cardiff – reputedly the oldest record shop in the world – may face closure if it does not find a buyer. The shop, located in The Hayes in Cardiff city centre, has been selling music since 1894, but has recently been put on the market as the result of a divorce settlement. In spite of competition from major chains and internet downloading, business at the small independent shop is booming. The sale price has not been disclosed but it has been revealed that the shop must be sold by next April, or run the risk of closing down. Nick Todd, an ex-DJ and the current owner, is sad to sell the store in which he has worked for over 30 years. He said: “I’ve had a fantastic run…but it needs a different set of eyes. [It would be a shame to lose as] I don’t think Cardiff has got anything else that’s the oldest in the world.” Mr Todd added that he was already in talks with one potential buyer.

Med Club Fayre Med Club, The Heath 10am-4pm Companies Fayre Day two (same time, same place)

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Societies Fayre The Great Hall, Students’ Union 10am-4pm

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Sports Fayre The Great Hall, Students’ Union 10am-4pm

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NEWS Lecturers fight the flab A TEAM FROM Cardiff University are investigating ways of helping dieters get over the mental problem of losing weight. They say that losing weight is all in the mind, and that many people fail at their diets because of psychological barriers. The team are studying the use of meditation techniques to tackle psychological processes which lead to overeating.

SVC meets the Queen CARDIFF’S Student Volunteering Chairman, Matthew Joyce, attended a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace this summer in recognition of his ‘continued enthusiasm and ambition’. The former student was among many individuals attending Royal Garden Parties who have contributed significantly to their communities. Matthew's honour comes after Student Volunteering Cardiff (SVC) achieved its highest ever attendance at last year's Volunteering Fayre, with more than 900 Cardiff University student volunteers signing up. Students who would like to get involved in student volunteering can attend the Volunteering Fayre early in October or visit the website at www.svcardiff.org.

Sacked by text message A GIRL WORKING in the Cardiff outlet of a chain store is thought to be one of the first in the UK to be sacked via a text message. Katy Tanner, 21, from Grangetown, Cardiff, had been working at Blue Banana – a shop that retails ‘alternative streetwear’ – for eight weeks. She received the text at home while off work due to a migraine. “I don’t think it’s right to just text someone,” she said. “It’s very impersonal and not very professional.” She added: “You’re not allowed to text in sick, you have to phone… [it’s] double standards.” The message by which she was fired read: “We’ve reviewed your sales figures and they’re not up to the level we need. As a result we will not require your services any more. Thank you for your time with us.” Ian Besbie, director of the Blue Banana chain, which currently consists of eight stores nationwide, defended the dismissal by text. He said: “We are a youth business and our staff…use SMS messaging as a major means of communication. “We would rather have spoken in person to Miss Tanner but her phone was switched off.”

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 NEWS@gairrhydd.COM

Make friends and influence people Become a non-sabbatical officer and make decisions that matter By Ed Jones Vice-President EACH MARCH, students compete for a series of places on the Union Executive which oversees the running of the Students’ Union. After the elections of March 2006, a number of part-time (non-sabbatical) roles were left vacant. Elections for the remaining posts open on the first day of Freshers’ Week, September 25. Nominations open for nine roles (see right for details). The roles provide an opportunity for students with particular interests or ideas to represent their chosen group of students and make changes to how the Union is run. In addition, as part of the Executive body, students play their part in making decisions on matters such as the Union’s budgets, campaigns, products and services. These are the people that run your afternoon’s sport or coordinate your sexual health campaigns. The competitions are wide open and there is so much that

bright, enthusiastic people can achieve in all of these roles. Students often go to great lengths and are extremely creative when it comes to running for these positions. In March 2006, students witnessed men dressed as potatoes, women dressed as Jimmy Saville, singing, dancing, nudity and a degree of more serious political discussion. Consequently, the election process in full throttle can be daunting for those new to Cardiff. The best way to cope is to take a little time to understand what’s going on by reading gair rhydd, talking to existing union officers and listening to the candidates themselves. As the campaign week draws to a close, be sure to use your vote on October 1920.

A TRANSLATION mix-up has left cyclists in the Vale of Glamorgan baffled and worried for their safety. The ‘llid y bledren dymchwelyd’ sign, placed at Barons Court roundabout between Penarth and Cardiff, supposedly says ‘cyclists dismount’: however, on closer inspection it was found to roughly translate to ‘bladder disease has returned’. According to Owain Sgiv, an officer for a

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Lost in translation By Victoria Lane Reporter

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Welsh language campaign group, the sentence ‘Cyclists dismount’ is difficult to translate as there is no Welsh word for ‘dismount’. Road signs in Wales are mistranslated on a regular basis due to people using online translators. However, as Aran Jones of the Welsh Language group Cymuned, said: “We don’t often get them quite as insane as this.” The Vale of Glamorgan Council highways department has admitted to the mistake and are ‘investigating’ the matter.

Cyclists given impromptu health warning by mistranslated sign

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IS BEST NEW RESEARCH has shown that students in Wales are happier with their courses than students studying across the border in England. The National Student Survey found that 83% of students in Wales were satisfied with their course. The study of 157,000 final year students found that one in 10 students across the UK are unhappy with their experiences of higher education. Jane Davidson, Education Minister for Wales, said: “This is great news for Welsh higher education institutions. “Students can be confident in the high-quality teaching and the whole student experience they will get in Wales.” NUS Wales President James McIndo added: “The survey provides final year students with an opportunity to give an honest assessment of the course they have studied and provide valuable information for future students.”

gairrhydd SEPTEMBER.18.2006

EDITORIAL & OPINION freewords the voice of gairrhydd

Est. 1972

Cheap thrills THE NEWS THAT Cardiff offers the most cost-effective student life in the UK doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Speak to anyone who’s enjoyed a night out here and they’ll vouch for the statistics: even hardened drinkers can reach a state of compos mentis for under £20 in most licensed premises. Students in Cardiff enjoy the cheaper life for a number of reasons. There’s the fact that the city is home to three universities and so many a business tailors its service, and price, to the student market. Then there’s the fact that, although the Welsh capital is an upand-coming city of culture, unemployment is higher than average here and wages tend to be lower than the rest of the UK. The Welsh Assembly can also take some of the credit for Cardiff’s costeffective status. For example, their health policies ensure that no one under 25 pays for medicines or dental treatment: the traditional 18-24-year-old student will never have to pay for such necessities like their counterparts do across the border. This September we will see the Assembly do more than ever to help students financially. As they voted not to pass Blair’s higher education bill, students will not have to pay top-up fees at Welsh universities: this, of course, should help to keep Cardiff at the top of the Royal Bank of Scotland poll for the next year.

I’d like you to meet... OVER THE LAST 34 years gair rhydd has kept Cardiff students informed about the issues that matter to them. We have published the stories and exposed the scandals that landlords, local businesses, the University and the Union didn’t want students to know about. We’ve done this, and will continue to do so throughout your time here in Cardiff, because it is important that students aren’t taken for a ride. We pay enough in money, time and effort for the privilege of being at university and it’s only right that we get a fair deal. gair rhydd has been very successful over recent years: not only have we been recognised as the best student newspaper in the UK by the professional media, we have achieved where it matters, here in Cardiff. We’ve helped to shut down rouge landlords and agencies, been instrumental in securing more money for some of the University’s most under-funded course and exposed the companies and people who try to rip us all off. If you think you can help us do this, sign-up at one of the Freshers’ fayres and get involved. You can pick up a copy of gair rhydd every Monday in over 30 places on campus, including university buildings, halls of residences, the Students’ Union and the Heath. Every other week you will find a copy of Quench, our awardwinning magazine, inside. But if you can’t wait until Monday to find out the latest headlines and sports news, visit www.gairrhydd.com, our ever expanding website with web exclusive features, interviews, news and reviews.

OPINION@gairrhydd.COM

The Cardiff commandments Welcome to Cardiff. Before you begin, read this. Ed Vanstone offers some guidelines to living life as a student ll students make mistakes. In fact, making mistakes is a large part of what being a student is all about. There are some mistakes, however, that should be avoided at all costs; mistakes which even the most fervent masochist should run away from like a little tiny girl. The following advice on student life in Cardiff is primarily for freshers, but second years, third years and post-grads should take note too – there may be one or two things you’ve missed, and, if not, it’ll at least be comforting to know that you’ve been doing the whole thing right.

If you are the person who has brought a toaster, a television license, a George Foreman grill and a scarily exhaustive dining/cooking/living set, you are also the person who is required to make tea every morning, cook every other evening and repeatedly give up your bed to the dodgy guy who your drunken flatmate insists is ‘alright’. Sorry, but you did show that you were the organised one.

Those student cookbooks you have bought are useless. During your tenure here you will eat beans on toast, pasta, pizza, baguettes and ready meals. And that’s it. You may think you are going to eat something else; you may go out and buy the ingredients; you may even cook them. But even if you do all these things you will find, mysteriously, that your gourmet dinner is actually beans on toast. It’s spooky.

Do not become a Neighbours martyr. It’s not worth it. Engaging in romantic activity with anyone in Freshers’ week is extremely unwise. Inevitably, the person who you are certain is your soul mate and future spouse will turn out to be rather hairy, boring, and fond of Jack Johnson. The same goes with friends - try not to make any until Freshers’ week is a fond, blurry memory. A friend that takes hours to make can take years to get rid of.

On becoming a student your SPF (Social Profanity Frequency) will exponentially increase. Swear words you never would have thought of saying preuniversity will begin to punctuate your every sentence. You cannot prevent this so just accept it, passively.

Student law dictates you must watch Countdown and Deal or No Deal religiously; Des Lynam is your surrogate father; Noel Edmonds is your surrogate annoying uncle. Nurse your hatred for Carol

CAROL: You’ll be watching her everyday, I promise

Vorderman tenderly, like a pint of Guiness from an expensive bar. It is OK to have glass-of-wine-and-scrabble fantasies about Susie in dictionary corner. In fact, it is entirely natural and very beautiful. If you are not a fan of Neighbours, you will have to fake it. You probably thought it wasn’t cool to watch it after the age of 15, didn’t you? Well, you were wrong. Do not become, as many have, a Neighbours martyr. It’s not worth it. Neighbours is really good and that’s all there is to it. Some fights you just can’t win.

If you didn’t watch much television as a child you have unwittingly risked exclusion from 80% of the conversations of your first year. Most of the seminal children’s works of the 80s and 90s can now be bought on DVD. Your precious loan could not be better spent.

If you cannot afford to buy DVDs, learn the following by heart: Bucky O’Hare had the best theme tune; Spotty from Super Ted was inordinately camp; Optimus Prime is the cartoon robot manifestation of Jesus; Raggydolls was genius.

Given its cheap cost and close proximity you will probably join the University’s gym. Before you do so, have a good long think about yourself. Are you really a gym person? Have you got the time or the drive to go there on a regular basis? The answer to these questions will be no. Time wasted on the gym induction could be time spent talking

about children’s programs. Choose wisely. If you are not careful, you will spend millions of pounds at the Societies and AU Fayres. Make sure you are going to get your moneys worth from everything you join. That said, you will probably never have the chance to become one with such a large group of Korfballers, Puddle Jumpers or Pagans again. It would be a shame not to take the opportunity.

Time wasted on the gym induction could be time spent talking about children’s programmes As a student you are required to have political opinions. I provide a handy one word guide to each of the three main parties and their leaders. Labour: Sleaze. Tony Blair: Poodle. Conservative: Fnar! David Cameron: Trainers. Liberal Democrats: Metamorphic. Sir Menzies Campell: Old.

Most importantly of all, you should go to as many pubs and clubs as you can. But you must not go to Bar Risa. You must not go anywhere near Bar Risa.

If you meet someone who voices affection for Bar Risa, delete them from your potential friend list immediately. Treat them as you would a person who, immediately after introducing themselves, asks your star sign. Bar Risa is the astrology of the nightclub world: it’s complex, its existence makes the world infinitely worse and it boasts a mind-bogglingly large army of wild-eyed devotees.

If you wake up one morning with a Withnail-esque hangover and can recall only nightmarish images of pre-pubescent peroxide blondes gyrating in a sea of sickly green light then, somehow, you have been coerced into frequenting Bar Risa. Stay calm. Do not attempt to get out of bed. Turn on the television and watch for eight hours while thinking happy thoughts. Repeat daily until the images fade. Once straight, interrogate your friends. Find out whose idea it was to go to Bar Risa. Ruin them personally and financially by any means you can think of. Take a picture of their haggard, bankrupt, friendless face and blow it up to billboard-poster size. Write: “This person made me go to Bar Riza” below it. Display it in a location where it shall be seen by the entire student population.

I could go on, but you’ll just have to find the rest out for yourselves. Enjoy your time here at Cardiff and remember to always, always stay safe.

gairrhydd

EDITORIAL & OPINION

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 OPINION@gairrhydd.COM

Despite all the hype, you won’t mix with different types of people at university, says Pruthvi Pandit

Melevolent Hollywood won’t wash their hands of Mel : Gibson’s outburst shos that nonbody really minds anti-Semitism, says Christopher White

f all the many stupid things Mel Gibson said during his latest tirade, the most laughably wrong, the most immediately demonstrably false, was “my life is fucked”. The self-pitying whine suggests behaviour truly beyond the pale; that this time he’s gone too far and there’s no recovering his career. Yet what was out of the ordinary for Mel? Certainly not the drink-driving charge – and not the antiSemitism, the claim that, “Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world” either. This was merely the latest incident in a long history of anti-Semitism that has led Christopher Hitchens to describe Gibson in his column for Slate.com as “sick to his empty core with Jew-hatred” – and with good reason. Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ repeats the ludicrous, centuries-old charge that the entire Jewish people are Christ-killers, guilty of Deicide. Hutton Gibson, the father that Mellington insists has ‘never told him a lie’, responded to the current Pope’s description of Judaism as en elder brother to Christianity by stating that Abel also had a brother, and has claimed (in print) that the number of Jews in the world actually increased during Hitler’s time, (so it’s probably for the best that the one immediate dent in Mel’s career is ABC cancelling his documentary mini-series on the Holocaust). Then there’s attributing 911 to a ‘Zionist plot’, a theory that would be laughed out of all but the nuttiest internet chatroom. To be entirely fair to Mel, it’s not just those of Semitic extraction with whom he takes issue. He’s also none too fond of gays (“they take it up the ass. [Gestures at posterior] This is just for shitting”, on Spanish TV); women

(judging by his remarks to another, female, police officer: “what are you looking at, sugar tits?”, not to mention the dire What Women Want); nonCatholics (he ‘knows’ his Anglican wife will go to Hell when she dies);and the English (if the hilarious stereotypes in Braveheart and The Patriot are anything to go by). But this time, he again chose to drunkenly rant about “fucking Jews”. And, lamentably, his life won’t be ‘fucked’, as Mel so eloquently puts it.

Somehow, Jewhatred is more ‘acceptable’ than other forms of racial bigotry It’s hard to imagine that Gibson’s career would even have got off the ground were he given to such public displays of prejudice against black people – it’s certainly doubtful that Danny Glover would have been willing to star alongside him in the Lethal Weapon films, Gibson’s first major Hollywood break. Somehow, Jewhatred is more ‘acceptable’ than other forms of racial bigotry. Anti-Semitism is certainly pervasive – as the shocking casual displays shown in Sacha Baron-Cohen’s new Borat film, out in November, will demonstrate – and is a lingering reminder of persisting medieval views of the original ‘Other’ in the midst of Christian Europe. This year is the 350th anniversary of the official readmission of Jews to Britain, so in theory their acceptance in public life is three-and-a-half centuries old. The reality is obviously somewhat different, and is overwhelmingly a problem of numbers and of noise. Any group that wants something

needs to make its voice heard – universal suffrage was won when women protested long and loud enough for it to happen; similarly with equal rights for the UK’s black population. Consensus is developed, and taboos formed, predominantly though force of numbers. It’s not an exaggeration to say that minority groups’ interests are taken more seriously when they’re not a particularly minor minority, (hence that ‘other’ category on every Equal Opportunities monitoring form ever – they care if some groups are underrepresented, but if your group is particularly small they don’t even care what it’s called; it goes in that nebulous category ‘other’.) Though the proportion is different in the US: Jews make up approximately a quarter of a million people in this country. More pertinently, other than groups such as the Anti-Defamation league too-easily dishing out accusations of anti-Semitism, too few Jewish voices are heard in fighting prejudice. The Passion of the Christ attracted relatively few protests. One rarely, if ever, sees the Jewish community take to the streets burning flags when given cause to take offence. In response to Shylock’s question in The Merchant of Venice, “if we are wronged, shall we not take revenge”, the answer, by and large, is a resounding ‘no’. In challenging racism, silence is tacit acceptance; it is like appeasement and only serves as an invitation to continued prejudice. If Mel Gibson’s life were “fucked” as a result of his outburst it would send a pretty clear signal that hatred of Jews is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Sadly, someone with Gibson’s track record would probably take it as ‘proof’ that Zionists control Hollywood. There’s no arguing with some people. But with the rest, we can at least try.

he vast majority of freshers will probably have been told the lie by many a-wiseone,that I was told before my Freshers’ week last year: you will meet new, exciting and intelligent young humans at university. When I arrived at university for my Freshers’ week last year, my mind was full of expectations: the promise of meeting fellow young, intelligent and diverse people had made me extremely hungry to leave home, yet here I am writing about the contrary. Despite having laughed at the stereotypical teen movies that Hollywood mass-produces, during the week I realised that those films were mocking me. Those crappy films actually held an ounch of truth. I look back now on my high-school days, when I was ever so coolly striving to be cooler. Yet I was not alone in this battle. As I write this, I am able to picture how I’d dress up in rags, my battered Converse sneakers, standing in the smokers’ corner being sullen. The world had managed to beat me down so much at my young age of 18. This was my tribute to grunge and Kurt Cobain, my god. While hanging out in the smokers’ corner during break, with my equally depressed and ‘cool’ friends, I remember seeing the other ‘cool’ types. I can now see how things were at school, having been parted from it for over a year. There were of course the other nondepressed cool groups. The other blatantly obvious cool groups were the ones who wore all the in-trend kit. Never a hair out of place and always a boyfriend or a girlfriend by their sides. They were above the smokers’ corner and always seemed to be followed by a ray of sunshine; they didn’t have to worry about getting bad grades, or being disliked by the teachers. They seemed to have it all; even their parents were cool and never seemed to be disappointed with them. There was also the group who worked for their grades: they didn’t care about what they wore and had a laugh only when necessary. They didn’t have truckloads of friends, nor were they extreme depressives, silently contemplating suicide. They didn’t try to be loud and witty in class, or matey with the teachers. They were considered the un-cool group. In retrospect, they were probably the most down-to-earth people

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at school. Back to the present – what does that have to do with university? I feel inclined to strike down and burst your little bubbles and tell you that what I have just described is not of the past, but your present and future. University is no different to school. I ask you to accept this knowledge from a wise student. After a year of making new friends and fitting in, I have realised that university students are elitists when it comes to socialising. There seems to be, in fact, more grouping than there was in school.

There seems to be, in fact, more grouping than there was at school.

Similar to school, you get the trendy groups, the alternative groups, the musicians, the nerds, the norms, the skaters, the rockers, the goths, the loners etc. And just because it’s university, the groups don’t suddenly open up and socialise with just anyone: once again you have to be of their calibre. However, there is extended grouping at university. I’ll take the ethnic minorities as a blatant example, and trust me, I’m not being racist; I originate from an ethnic minority. Indians: the Indians are an extreme case of grouping, because they group within the group. First of all you have the British Indians who feel they are superior to the native Indians because they have rough English accents. However, this group is subdivided into the cool British Indians and the non-cool British Indians. Next we have the native Indians who are again divided into the cool and the nerdy ones. But the funniest thing about the whole Indian grouping system is, the minute anyone tries to penetrate the group, all the Indians stick together. Then, of course, there are the large groups of people who, for example, get drunk most nights, smoke weed heavily, or parade their most intimate body parts when returning from Solus. Finally, I’m able to conclude that university is, once again, a perfect environment for people to show off to each other and prove who is better and who sucks – a question of coolness. So much for uni-di-versity.

Want to write for the UK’s best student newspaper? Sign up at the Freshers’ fayres during Freshers’ Week.

8 gairrhydd

LETTERS

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 LETTERS@gairrhydd.COM

letters@gairrhydd.com The gair rhydd letters page is the place for students to have their say about the things that they care about. We welcome any opinion on any topic.

Has anyone else noticed how much more rubbish renting a student house is when compared to living in halls? There was a lot written about the Residences and Catering Department of the University last year, but it’s only just hit me what an amazing job they do. Having moved out of Talybont and into the student village that is Cathays, I can safely say that it sucks. Letting agents are all the same, money-grabbing sharks. Blame it on the landlord, blame it on the student tenants, but woe betide talking any responsibility for anything on your shoulders. After turning up on the doorstep of said rented housing establishment on the first day of my intended summer tenancy, I was confronted with little more than a building site. Apparently no one had thought to tell the builders that this job was a touch more ‘time sensitive’ than their other work due to my imminent arrival. With no water or gas or electricity or floor or windows, the statement ‘your house will be ready for you on the first’ seemed to be a little far off the mark. The thrust of my moan is this: although the Residences division has a pretty difficult job pleasing fussy spoilt brat students, they do a damn fine job. Given my time again I’d move straight back into halls, right now. Ensuite facilities you say? Already furnished? Warm and inviting? Sign me up! While things are slowly getting better with my new rented accommodation, which will be ready two months later than stated, it has been brought home with alarming speed just how different life outside halls can be. Although most students have a moan

emma cries when she poos. she is the only one who doesn’t think it’s weird. abby’s got a cucumber but that’s about as far as she’ll stretch menon does a page. an iceage passes. then he does another page. wolfpig is a

about some aspect of their allotted room space, it will be interesting to hear what they have to say when out in the big wide world in 12 months time. In conclusion, halls are ace. Renting is not. Are there any spare flats knocking about in Talybont per chance?

students at enrolment.

Second year girls and boys who are now most definitely taking less for granted

So, Freshers’ week is finally upon us, again. As a soon-to-be doomed third year student I felt compelled to write in and urge every freshman student to please, please, please take full advantage of this most precious of times. My own freshman year passed so fast that it hardly seemed fair. No sooner had I moved into halls than I was out of them again, into the semi-real world. I’ve never had so much to do in such a short time with so many new people, and we all loved every second of it. Go out there and get involved; it really will be the shortest year of your life; don’t waste a second or you’ll regret it for longer than you think. Although our time may be, metaphorically, up. I will now feel a lot better as I gaze wistfully around Solus during the next few weeks playing the games that non-freshers play. Freshers’ week? Game on I say!

Not-so-central enrolment I felt compelled to write to you in the hope that the University might take note of how ridiculously drawn out the entire enrolment process is post-first year study. For first years, OK, it is fair enough that they have to go to enrolment in Talybont and at their school of study because it is new, exciting and allows them to become familiar with certain buildings that are important and relevant to the rest of their university career. In the second year, it’s annoying, a hassle if you will. But now, like many Cardiff students, I am approaching my final year of study and it just seems so pointless. It is so time consuming going up to Talybont, queuing and then later on in week, visiting our school department and participating in another gruelling queue. Why can’t there be a more convenient location on campus for the student inhabitants in Cathays and Roath if central enrolment has to take place? Surely it is time that a more timeeffective (as well as environmentally friendly and cheaper) way of enrolling is introduced that would cut out all the bits of paper with letters on them. I believe that an enrolment service on the University’s website would sufficiently save a lot of the fuss, confusion and pieces of paper that currently surrounds

mutton chop do daa do daa you fools you don’t actually need to spend 30 pounds on a sype phone! please do not print the last msg sent from this number concerning a member from the blackweir pub. it was sent at 11pm on friday. thank you xx

text: 07791165837

Housing sucks

Yours truly, Third-year English Literature student who’s a little annoyed by all the paper

Here we go again

letter of the week Working nine til five (then studying six til twelve) I was delighted to hear that the NUS are running a campaign called ‘students@work’ this year. It’s meant to help working students get access to their employment rights and the protection they deserve. About time! Employers should be made to value their summer student workers and stop trying to rip us off! From my own experience, as well as hearing my friends’ experiences, working in a shop, café or play scheme this summer was far from pleasurable. As students we have to put up with the same abuse that other employees get from working in public places, such as old people berating you because the cereal has moved to a different aisle, having the delivery men trying to flirt with you, or having snobby mothers asking you why you called their child a little shit (he really was!). We also have to put up with the daily ‘student’ insults that have become common place. You

know the sort: “Oh, are you tired? You students aren’t used to hard work are you?” Well actually yes we are, while you left school at 16 to start a job and earn money we slogged our way through our A-levels getting poorer while hopelessly trying to see the benefit in the long run. Employers expect us to be willing to work any conceivable hour and will often emergency tax us however many times we give them a P45 and say we shouldn’t be taxed! Most of us can’t afford to do a summer of voluntary work experience; we need money just to get back to zero in our student bank accounts. Obviously the NUS campaign won’t stop day to day prejudices that we have to undergo when working a part-time job but it will hopefully bring to an end to excessive working hours, being paid below the minimum wage, working in poor conditions and being denied our rights by our employers. Rachel Clare, Third-year student who’s fed up with working rubbish hours.

Third year, wishing he was a fresher

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gairrhydd

COMMENT

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 COMMENT@gairrhydd.COM

dan ridler

Who gives you Extra? The National Union of Students’ new card might be called Extra, but does it give you more then the old one did? Our new columnist Dan Ridler doesn’t think so

006, the year of the NUS Extra card. If you haven’t heard about the NUS Extra card, allow me to give a brief overview. The NUS’ finances are in a mess and they need more cash. So they are now charging a tenner for you to get your discounts. What happy news for all you fresh-faced eager types. A great insight into the national union. I’m sure it didn’t take too much brainstorming for the NUS executive commitee to come to the conclusion that the best way to raise some capital was from the long-suffering students. And I don’t imagine it took much longer for them to figure out that you could cajole the student population into buying them by removing our discount privileges from the old one.

Getting us to pay for things we already get for free is essentially a tax on student discounts

It is, after all, a well-known fact that the only thing us students enjoy more than a drink is a discount. Preferably a discounted drink. It’s not exactly rocket science to find a way of depriving us of 10 more of our hard borrowed beer tokens, and in all honesty, it’s not exactly in particularly good spirit. Getting us to pay for things we already get for free is essentially a tax on student discounts. This is most unhelpful of them, given that it is generally accepted that students are a pretty broke bunch. Or at least you will be after Freshers’ week. NUS will say that the card provides more discounts than the old card, which is very true. You get some pretty nifty and useful discounts and it doubles as an International Student Identity Card, which means that you get discounts abroad. Er.. great. Oh and you get five per cent off at Amazon. I can tell they bargained hard to get such steep discounts. Unfortunately, even if you do want the additional discounts, this fails to explain why they should take the priviledge off the original card, after all, we all have to have one anyway

and why deprive us of what we already receive? Clearly of course it is, as I say, to try and cajole us into buying one, and it’s pretty indicative of the national Union’s desperation to get a bit more cash. They must realise it’s not going to be a desperately popular move. Personally I would be willing to pay extra for extra discounts, which the Extra card has, because over the course of the year I probably would

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make my ten quid back in savings, possibly a lot more. You see, that’s a charge I can understand: you pay more and get more. The only reason to pay for discounts you already receive though, is to prop up the flagging national Union. Now, here is the reason you should get one. Possibly not what you were expecting at this point in the article. I’m not saying don’t buy one, quite the opposite. Go out there, tenners at the ready and willingly hand them over and bask in the glory of your five per cent Amazon discount or whatever. You’ll ultimately be supporting the NUS, a noble concept and an endangered institution, a theoretical bastion of student unity and, if run properly and mobilised effectively, the best thing to protect your rights and priviledges as a student. Yes, I did say if run properly. It’s not a given. That’s why the NUS needs cash now. They’ll probably blow it on something else, but that’s not a given either. Extra is a terrible idea for the most part: it’s more than a little tight fisted, leaves you with a rubbish option if you don’t buy it and is as transparently a money making idea as it could possibly be. The NUS is not a bad idea though. And the money from extra is a chance for the national union to sort itself out, shake itself down and, ultimately, to make a difference and get out of trouble. So go out there and support your national union. I suppose they deserve a second shot.

It you’re not having fun, try to stick it out

or any of you who aren't familiar with the native lingo (and didn't spot the sign as you came across the border) the title means ‘Welcome to Cardiff’. I’ll give you two brief tips I picked up at this stage. Tip one: sign nothing, your soul is probably not worth it. Tip two: don't hug anyone in a furry animal suit - they do have fleas. Now that you've overcome these two ever-present dangers of student life, plenty of you will never look back. You'll embrace the new freedoms to get drunk and begin a collection of virulent STDs with unimaginable vigor. That’s good for you, it's a healthy response. Well, it's a response any way: your doctor might refute how healthy it is. I can assure you that this Freshers' week will be a great experience for most of you; the chance to meet new people, do new things and throw up in new and exiting ways will carry on throughout university life. Not everyone will feel exited by this prospect all the time though. Right now, while most of you will be getting inebriated and beginning highly regrettable sexual encounters with your flat mates, others, maybe just the one, hiding away in the corner of a (hopefully) sterilized University Hall/ Talybont room, is having an absolute hell. You might hate your flat mates, miss your home, or just have forgotten your favourite teddy, but just try and stick with it because it will almost certainly get better. You ought to give this university malarkey a fair shot. And that doesn't mean going home in the first week, first month or even the first semester. It means getting involved and, maybe once in a while, gritting your teeth and getting on with it. You owe it to yourselves.

You ought to give this university malarkey a fair shot This is your last vestige of a chance for some true fun, at a point in your life where you are able to have minimal responsibility. In three lightning fast years it'll be gone, and the world of the nine to five rat race will await. I'd hate to chuck it all away without good reason. People always have doubts and feel blue once or twice in the first semester, but I heavily advise sticking it out. Whatever you do give it a chance. Welcome to Cardiff. Embrace it, and you're gonna love it.

10 gairrhydd

POLITICS

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 POLITICS@gairrhydd.COM

FAUX PRES Change held at Bay By Mark Panton Political Correspondent

he dictionary entry for the word ‘gaffe’ may soon have an unflattering photo next to it. John Prescott is infamous for his back-to-basics approach to the job, whether that means flipping off journalists or knocking out egghurlers. And recently ‘Two Jags’ tried to further outdo himself by insulting his boss’ best friend. At a recent cabinet meeting Mr Prescott was said to have denounced President Bush’s Middle Eastern policy – not as counter-productive or misguided, but simply as ‘crap’. Much of the press have added this to a long list of gaffes, fuelling the furious lynch mob that is out to topple him from office. Certainly, the concept of diplomatic relations appears to be one that poor Prescott cannot grasp, and this latest slip is hardly helpful to an embattled Prime Minister. Some commentators have even gone as far as to compare Prescott’s buffoonery to the internationally humiliating howlers delivered by President Bush over the last six years. But this is a step too far. Across the Atlantic, George W’s guffaws briefly expose the hallowed secret that the CIA and FBI try desperately to conceal: the President is in fact a well-dressed six-year-old on stilts. His embarrassing errors, whether they are of policy or pronunciation, can be met with little but derision. When any adult male

And that’s where John Prescott is different. Every time his foot forcibly enters his mouth, some wince, some chuckle, but some also quietly applaud. For all his failings, the Deputy PM in some way represents the missing slice of politics that is so desperately needed: reality. Of course John has taken it a bit far, but the honest humanity of his slip-ups is somehow faintly commendable. If some stranger egged my face at point-blank range, I wouldn’t visit the dry-cleaners and then issue a statement; I would feed him a knuckle sandwich. If some lowlife armed with a camera was zooming in through my front window, I wouldn’t feel much obligation to show him courtesy, but would tell him where he could shove his lens. All through the latest Middle East crisis we had Blair issuing press release after press release containing the same old drawl: “Israel has a right to…”, “We must work towards a constructive…”, “I hope for a swift resolution…”, and so on. Prescott’s frank analysis, though hardly constructive criticism, was at least a reality check amidst a sea of pretence and procrastination. Unsurprisingly, the Lib Dems have backed the remark. Liberal MP Norman Lamb summed up their position: “John Prescott does not always use the most appropriate language, but if these reports are to be believed then his instincts on the Middle East are certainly preferable to Tony Blair's.” And despite the haughty criti-

By Andy Rennison Political Editor

he sun is out, the roads are jammed, and politically this can mean only one thing: summer recess. Rather than the occasional catastrophe of a ‘slow news day’, we are presented with an entire season of stagnation as the members of the Welsh assembly top up their tans. Yet one significant headline has cropped up since the evacuation of Cardiff Bay. At the end of July, the new Government of Wales Bill came into law having finally been agreed to by all concerned. The bill allows the assembly to produce its own legislation without it going through Parliament. Until now, proposals had to queue up in Westminster with all the rest before becoming law. But when ministers return from holiday this autumn they will be free to draft and scrutinise legislation themselves. First Minister Rhodri Morgan has hailed the change as a "very significant increase in powers", citing this as another step towards a Welsh executive on a par with the Scottish Parliament. However, there’s a catch in all this. Under the structure imposed by this bill, when Cardiff Bay wants to make a new law it has to ask permission from the Welsh secretary in London. Even if he or she says yes, the Assembly still needs the green light from the House of Commons and the Lords. Though acclaimed by most as a step in the right direction, this bill serves to highlight rather than remove the dependence of Welsh politics on Westminster. Furthermore, the assembly’s areas of devolved power have not expanded.

STANDSTILL IN THE BAY: The ball is hardly rolling towards devolution Although key issues such as health and education already fall under Cardiff’s radar, some of the most significant departments remain firmly in the grasp of Parliament, such as social security and home affairs. So no matter how much Welsh ministers might want to raise pension payments or cap immigration across the Severn, they won’t be permitted to do so any time soon under the new structure. And perhaps the biggest point of contention is the bill’s biggest supposed benefit. On paper, Welsh legislation should be speeded up by Cardiff Bay being allowed to do the necessary legislative work and debate themselves, rather than that process queuing within Parliament. But it remains to be seen whether or

not the assembly, already labelled by some as inefficient and unproductive, can put through legislation any faster than politicians in London. In simple terms, it could be said that this step transfers the hard graft of lawmaking to Cardiff, while the authority ultimately remains in London. Patriotic Welshies would shudder at such a suggestion, and many of the bill’s supporters have pointed out that it also allows the assembly to hold a referendum on adopting full legislative powers. But, unsuprisingly, such a move would still need Parliament’s approval, just like everything else. Agree with it or not, devolution deserves better than this new bill, the small print of which is a case of six steps forward, half a dozen back.

PRESCOTT: Blair’s number two tries to bite his tongue

The Deputy PM in some way represents the missing slice of politics utters the line: “You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test,” all you can do is wince (if you’re American) or chuckle (if you’re not).

cism from the press, murmurs of hushed public support have surfaced in defence of the Deputy PM’s gaffe. This is hardly surprising considering that the majority of Britons agree with his four-letter assessment. Undoubtedly then, many voters find Prescott refreshing; if others in Westminster could harness a moderated version of the Two Jags style, perhaps the plague of political apathy would be cured.

visit www.thereddragoncentre.co.uk

The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay, Hemingway Road CF10 4JY Tel: 02920 256261

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TAF-OD

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 TAFOD@gairrhydd.COM

Y Gymdeithas Gymraeg Swyddogion 2006-2007 Llywydd: Huw Foulkes Is-Lywydd: Siwan Davies Trysorydd: Carwyn Dafydd Ysgrifennydd: Huw Morgan Jones

Wyt T i’n Barod? Wedi dad-bacio’r tegell a’r toaster? Dillad yn y cwpwrdd? Rhieni wedi mynd adref? Llongyfarchiadau, dyma ddechrau dy flwyddyn yng Nghaerdydd! By Huw Pritchard Swyddog Materion Cymreig

roeso i Gaerdydd. Efallai ei bod hi’n ddinas fawr ond mae hi hefyd yn ddinas gyfeillgar. Er mai Saesneg, i raddau yw prif iaith y brifysgol a’r ddinas peidiwch a cymryd hyn yn ganiataol, mae mwy o Gymraeg nag yr ydych yn ddisgwyl yn cuddio yn strydoedd y dref. Mae’n bosib hefyd ymchwilio i gyfleoedd o gyflwyno ac gwneud gwaith yn Gymraeg ar eich cyrsiau. Fy enw i yw Huw Pritchard, yn wreiddiol o Fethesda rydwyf nawr yn yr ail flwyddyn yn astudio’r Gyfraith a Cymraeg. Fy swydd dros y flwyddyn nesaf yw fel Swyddog Materion Cymreig yr Undeb, sef gwneud yn siwr fod y Gymraeg yn iaith fyw i fyfyrwyr Caerdydd. Golygai hyn y byddaf, ynghyd â’r Gym Gym a chymdeithasau Cymreig eraill yn trefnu digwyddiadau Cymraeg ac yn sicrhau fod yr Undeb yn cadw at eu rheolau dwyieithrwydd. Dyma gyflwyniad byr am wasanathau a digwyddiadau Cymraeg sy’n eich disgwyl o amgylch Caerdydd yn ystod y flwyddyn.

press

Mae’r brif Undeb yn ganolfan i holl fyfyrwyr y brifysgol sy’n cynnig nifer o wasanaethau a nosweithiau gwych. Gobeithiaf drefnu nosweithiau Cymraeg yno yn ystod y flwyddyn ond mae’r Undeb wastad yn creu nosweithiau a digwyddiadau gwych. Dyma yw’r lle i ddod i chwilio am gymorth beth bynnag yw’r broblem gan eu bod yn cynnig gwasanaethau cymorth defnyddiol iawn. Enghraifft o hyn yw’r swyddfa waith ble mae’n bosib dod o hyd i waith drwy’r

amser. Efallai mai’r undeb yw’r lle gorau i fyfyrwyr blwyddyn gyntaf ddechrau gan mai dim ond myfyrwyr sydd yno ac rhan helaeth o’r rhain, fel chi, yma am y tro cyntaf. Prif gymdeithas Gymraeg y brifysgol yw’r Gym Gym. Mae’n werth ymuno a hwy er mwyn cymryd mantais o deithiau arbennig a phrofi bywyd cymdeithasol Caerdydd gyda Chymry eraill. Byddent yn siwr o gyflwyno rhai o brif safleoedd cymdeithasol Cymreig y ddinas yn eu teithiau a nosweithiau cymdeithasol. Cewch ddarllen mwy gan y llywydd ei hun ar y dudalen yma. Clwb nos Cymraeg Caerdydd yw Clwb Ifor Bach. Yma ar nos Sadwrn fe welir nifer o’r myfyrwyr Cymraeg. Ceir nifer o wahanol fandiau, Cymraeg a Saesneg yn chwarae drwy gydol yr wythnos. Mae’n bosib ymaelodi â’r Clwb am £20 y flwyddyn gan roi mynediad am ddim ar nos Sadwrn. Rhywbeth sy’n werth ei wneud os yr ydych am fynd yno’n aml. Mae safleoedd eraill yn cynnig nosweithiau Cymraeg hefyd, un o’r rhain yw’r Mochyn Du, sy’n enwog fel tafarn Gymraeg ac yn boblogaidd iawn yn ystod gemau rhyngwladol. Bydd teithiau blynyddol yn cael

eu cynnal i weithgareddau rhynggolegol i aelodau’r Gym Gym. Y flwyddyn yma bydd dawns y rhynggol yn Aberystwyth ac bydd yr Eisteddfod ym Mangor. Dyma gyfle gwych i ddod i adnabod pobl newydd ac chynrychioli prifysgol Caerdydd. Datblygiad cyffrous iawn flwyddyn yma yw dechrau Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd, dan arweiniad Huw Morgan Jones. Gobaith yr undeb yma yw ennill eich cefnogaeth chi ac gweithio ar eich rhan er mwyn sicrhau gwell darpariaeth ac ymwybyddiaeth o’r Gymraeg a’r Cymry yn y brifysgol. Hwn fydd blwyddyn gyntaf UMCC ac felly fe fydd eich cefnogaeth yn hanfodol. Daw mwy o wybodaeth dros yr wythnosau nesaf. Dim ond cyflwyniad byr sydd yma, byddwch yn siwr o ddarganfod y ddinas a’r brifysgol eich hun dros yr wythnosau nesaf. Os yr ydych angen unrhyw gymorth gallwch gael gafael arnaf drwy’r undeb neu ar h.t.p@hotmail.co.uk ac byddaf yn hapus i helpu unrhyw bryd. Daw mwy o wybodaeth am ddigwyddiadau yn fuan felly mwynhewch ac ymunwch yn y miri.

Dyma neges bwysig ar gyfer unrhyw un sy'n poeni am safle'r Gymraeg o fewn y brifysgol. Mae Taf-od yn rhan hanfodol o bapur newydd undeb myfyrwyr prifysgol

Cymru Caerdydd, Gair Rhydd. Ond mae yna anhawster enfawr - nid oes ganddi olygydd ar hyn o bryd. Os wyt ti'n awyddus i gefnogi'r iaith, ac yn awyd-

dus i ymuno â phapur newydd arbennig iawn, tyrd i fy ngweld. Mae'n llawer iawn o hwyl ac mae'n ffordd dda iawn i ddechrau gyrfa lewyrchus yn y cyfryngau Cymraeg.

Y prif neuaddau preswyl gyda darpariaeth Gymraeg yw Llys Senghennydd, ble mae fflatiau Cymraeg fel arfer ar lawr cyntaf bob bloc a Tal y Bont ble mae’r Cymry yn ychydig fwy gwasgaredig. Byddwch yn siwr o ddarganfod rhywun sy’n siarad Cymraeg o’ch amgylch ble bynnag yr ydych yn aros.

...mae mwy o Gymraeg nag yr ydych yn ddisgwyl yn cuddio yn strydoedd y dref

Ar ran swyddogion y Gymdeithas Gymraeg (Y Gym Gym), hoffwn fel llywydd estyn croeso arbennig ichi fyfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd ar gychwyn eich blwyddyn gyntaf yn y brifysgol. Y Gym Gym yw’r brif gymdeithas sy’n denu myfyrwyr Cymraeg y brifysgol at ei gilydd i gymdeithasu, mwynhau a chael digonedd o hwyl! Yn sicr, mae’r Gym Gym yn gymorth mawr i fyfyrwyr y flwyddyn gyntaf ddod i adnabod ei gilydd a chreu ffrindiau newydd o’r cychwyn. Am dâl aelodaeth o £5 yn unig, cewch y cyfle i brofi nifer o groliau tafarn, tripiau i’r ddawns a’r eisteddfod ryng-golegol, dawns Nadolig arbennig, trip blynyddol i weld un o gemau pencampwriaeth y chwe gwlad a llawer mwy! Llynedd, fe drefnwyd nifer o groliau o’r gwyllt i’r gwirion gan gynnwys crôl cymeriadau, helfa drysor a chrôl Wyddelig heb sôn am dripiau i’r ‘Mumbles Mile’, Iwerddon a’r ddawns ryng-golegol yn Aber! Yn ogystal â hyn, mae gan y Gym Gym dimau pêldroed, rygbi a phêlrwyd sy’n rhan o gynghrair cymdeithasau’r brifysgol ac mae gemau’n cael eu cynnal yn wythnosol. Bydd gweithgarwch y Gym Gym yn cychwyn eleni yn ystod yr wythnosau cyntaf gyda chrôl y tad a’r mab neu’r fam a’r ferch lle bydd myfyrwyr y flwyddyn gyntaf yn cael eu tywys o amgylch tafarndai’r brifddinas gan fam a thad o’r ail flwyddyn a nain a thaid o’r drydedd flwyddyn. Gobeithiwn orffen y crôl yma yng Nghlwb Ifor Bach lle cawn gyd-ganu, cyd-ddawnsio a chyd-chwydu i ddiweddu’r noson! Cyn

Yn sicr, mae'r Gym Gym yn gymorth mawr i fyfyrwyr y flwyddyn gyntaf ddod i adnabod ei gilydd a chreu ffrindiau newydd o'r cychwyn hyn i gyd, mae’n RHAID ichi ymaelodi â’r Gym Gym a gallwch wneud hynny drwy ymweld â’n stondin yn Ffair y Glas, Undeb y Myfyrwyr ddydd Iau, Medi 28 rhwng 10am a 4pm. Bydd gwybodaeth pellach am y crôl cyntaf ar gael yn y Ffair. Tan hynny, mwynhewch eich dyddiau cyntaf, ewch allan i fwynhau a chymdeithasu, bihafiwch (!) ac yn bwysicaf oll, byddwch yn barod am flwyddyn gorau’ch bywyd yng nghwmni aelodau’r Gym Gym.

Does dim angen unrhyw brofiad. Mi gei di pob cymorth, a phob cyfle i arddangos dy ddawn. Anfona air at olygydd gair rhydd, Perri Lewis: lewisp1@cf.ac.uk

gairrhydd

INTERVIEWS

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 INTERVIEWS@gairrhydd.COM

Around the world in war-torn days Rageh Omaar talks to Amira Hashish about his chaotic lifestyle as a correspondent, what all journalists have in common and why documentary making will replace his news reporting…

n a debate as to whether men have the ability to multi-task, Rageh Omaar would be a prime form of evidence in favour of the notion. He is as accustomed to chaotic surroundings as the average Briton is to a Sunday roast and is no stranger to a fast-paced lifestyle. When we meet he has just completed a book signing; a relatively laidback task for this man of action. In his trademark chinos and linen jacket the ‘scud stud’ (as the Washington Post labelled him) casually saunters through his crowd of fans. He poses obligingly for photographs and thanks those who praise his journalistic skills. We find a quieter area to resume our conversation and the EMMA award winner begins to unwind. I cannot help thinking how different this must be from Omaar’s usual working environment. The sight of the world affairs correspondent amidst some of the most dangerous war zones appears on our television screens with the same frequency as the main character in a soap opera plot. Today he is in the countryside setting of Hay-onWye, a far cry from war-torn Iraq or Kosovo. This must be a well-received rest for the journalist who refers to the hectic lifestyle as a negative aspect of the job. “Journalism is an extraordinarily chaotic occupation,” he explains, in his typically calm tone. Omaar has a flair for speaking convincingly, a useful forté for a person who’s job it is to deliver life-changing news to the world on a regular basis. It may be because of this straight-forward and honest approach that we are encouraged to believe him. He is not afraid to voice his opinions. “My job is very all consuming,” he admits. “I think journalists can be extremely selfabsorbed.” As one of life’s frequent flyers, Omaar finds it hard to stay grounded. “All your friends are doing the same thing as you. They think it is normal to fly around the world and tell these amazing stories. There is no one to give you a reality check.” I was once told that the best journalists are always in the right place at the right time. Omaar has impeccable timing. It is when he mentions his friends in the industry that Michael Buerk strolls past. He has given a talk in the area and takes the opportunity to indulge in some banter with his colleague. Pointing to the white rose Omaar has been given he laughs, “suits you Rageh. You should put it between your teeth.” “I think journalists have one major thing in common,” Omaar continues. “We are all interested in other people’s stories. You have to hear them, listen to them and try to reproduce them. It is about being interested in people and

places.” Omaar’s enthusiasm for the job becomes apparent, “No matter how much you think you know about the subject there is always something else you can learn. There is another country, issue or society. Every day is very different. The best thing about my career is that it is a continual education: you are always learning.”

Journalism is a continual education: you are always learning Omaar’s formal education was not geared towards journalism. He read Modern History at Oxford and looks back on the experience positively. “I really enjoyed university but I didn’t do any journalism. I got into it more afterwards.” Journalism was not the only career that the past Cheltenham College pupil considered. “I thought briefly about law but that was more because my father was always keen on the idea. I considered it for a few weeks and then realised it wasn’t for me.” Family has always been a major influence on the father of two. Indeed, it was due to his childhood environment that Omaar first became interested in journalism. “I grew up in a household where lots of people talked about their travels to different countries,” he recounts. “So I have had influences from all over the world. That is what sparked an interest in foreign affairs and foreign climes. I thought journalism was a good way of exploring that.” The former BBC world affairs correspondent took a freelancing route into the industry. “I didn’t study media studies so I tried to get traineeships. My career has been based on trying to get as much practical experience as possible. I think that’s still quite a popular route today. Although there are many more media courses, a lot of editors I know are still keen on the practical side of things. Can you meet a deadline? Can you convince people to talk to you?” he enthuses. For Omaar the attitude to the job is of the utmost importance. I pose a regularly debated question to the man in the know, “Are media courses worthwhile?” He considers his answer carefully. “Yes, I think they are.” (Media students breathe a sigh of relief.) “But I think at the end of the day what you have to bear in mind is that people will be looking for practical application. It is still very much a career where what distinguishes you is whether you are somebody well suited to the environment. You can do a

Omaar’s top five tips for successful journalism:

1. Take an interest in people and places. 2. Listen to what people have to say and convince them to talk to you.

3. Get as much practical experience as you can. 4. Learn to meet deadlines and expect a hectic lifestyle.

5. Be aware that there are several different angles to

the job. News reporting, editing, writing and researching etc. You don’t have to stick to one.

course very well and learn a craft and the technical side of things. But it is very much an attitude in journalism as well. Editors still look for that.” Journalism does not have a reputation for being a fiercely competitive industry for no reason. Its variation and refreshing lack of routine has broad appeal. Omaar appreciates the different layers to the job. “There are loads of angles to what I do,” he explains. “I do like the story-telling but also really enjoy the editing side of it all. Looking at how you portray a story interests me. Documentaries can take weeks or months to edit. I enjoy that side of the job the most now but that could change. Maybe, I’ll start to like the research more.” Omaar’s inquisitive nature motivates his future plans. “I want to keep broadcasting the subjects that mean a lot to me,” he says. “Documentaries certainly interest me. More so than news reporting. I think news reporting

is great but I would like to focus on more documentaries. I would never do the news desk. I definitely want to carry on writing as much as possible too. So I’d like to publish more books. Not necessarily religious ones. There are many subjects I’m interested in.”

I grew up in a household where lots of people talked about their travels to different countries The writer’s Revolution Day book deals with the effects of the Saddam Hussein regime, UN sanctions and the Iraq War on Iraqi civilians. During his coverage of the Iraq war, almost 90% Of the population watched him on either the weekday BBC news bulletins, or on News 24. The reporter

witnessed historical moments first hand but was unaware of exactly how important they were until afterwards. “I had no idea that it was as defining as it was,” he explains, referring to the moment that Saddam Hussein’s statue was pulled down. “I remember just trying to get a light for a cigarette from someone because I thought I was broadcasting on the phone. I didn’t know the camera could see me. I was talking about what was going on at the same time as gesturing for a light and then someone said, ‘oh, I think we can see you now’. So I sort of dropped my fag and carried on. I just tried to report everything I could see and feel.” Despite some of the more frightening moments, Omaar enjoyed his time in Iraq. “We were treated very well,” he says. So did his opinion of the war change as a result of experiencing it so closely? “Well, I had been going to Iraq for six years before that but my opinion changed because of the disastrous way the war panned out. It’s amazing how bad things have got since I was there.” Omaar is familiar with several cultures. Born in Somalia, he came to Britain when he was six and has traveled extensively. However, it is Iran that really fascinates him. “Not just because it’s in the news,” he explains. “I have been to Iran before. India and Pakistan are amazing as well. So really, that part of the world is my favourite to visit.” Omaar’s love of the countries he visits and works in is obvious. Who said you can’t combine business with pleasure?

14 gairrhydd

JOBS & MONEY

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 JOBS@gairrhydd.COM

The fresher, the better As advertisers gear up for the new term, Jobs and Money looks at the effect it has on your wallet By Gillian Roberts Jobs & Money Editor

s students are receiving their student loans this month, advertises are rubbing their hands together with glee. The time of year has arrived where students are being bombarded daily with adverts, promotions, deals, popups, text messages and leaflets. Even if students wish to walk to lectures without knowing that if you buy two plant pots you get one free, a largerthan-life stuffed animal will definately push a leaflet in their faces. Yet many students with cash burning in their pockets this September will succumb to spending their muchneeded money. The bulls-eye of the student market are freshers, a prime target who are learning how to spend and budget their loan money. Harriet Swain from The Guardian has said that for students, 'their loan is virtually spent' because of advertising. The rising student population representing more than 40% of 18-24 year-olds according to The Guardian, so no part of student-ville is left untouched by the money-itching businesses. Students are unable to stop scratching. Shops and businesses tempt students to take out store cards to gain money off their purchases, creating more areas where students owe money. According to Luke Mitchell, a

managing consultant for Reach Students, some students are relaxed with the idea of debt. “Since fees started coming in and loans were made available, students have been able to access quite a lot of money to get them through,” says Mitchell. “Their attitude is that these are the best years of their lives, they are going to have fun now and think about paying for it later.” Mitchell predicts that, because top-up fees are being introduced in England this year, students will become increasingly relaxed towards debt. The National Union of Students (NUS) advise all students to budget this September when receiving their loans. They suggest that you work out

Class Act of 2006 By Gillian Roberts Jobs & Money Editor The UK Graduate Careers Survey 2006 has suggested that the graduates of 2006 have got the skills required for their future careers, defeating headlines that claim graduates are unfit for work. Interviews with 16,000 final years showed that they had remarkable CVs and had high employability status. An average of six months career-related work experience was gained during studies by 70% of the students used, while two thirds had held a position of high responsibility, such as a sports team captain or head of a student society, during their time at university. Confidence and leadership skills were also felt to be held by the majority of the final years used in the survey. With students actively improving their employability during university, it seems students can slam the critics’ views.

£ Funny money fact Bank Robberies are 50% likely to take place on a friday making this also the least product day according to research.

exactly what essential costs will be needed each month, divide this up into weekly amounts and then take this money out each week, avoiding several trips to the cash machine. The NUS also warn students that they must not give into peer pressure and must not believe that they can afford to do everything that they want. However, recent research has shown that adverts for alcoholic drinks are able to persuade buyers subconsciously. Items which are presented with brightly coloured packaging or have eye-catching displays in supermarkets have been seen to affect consumer buying trends, say researchers from The University of Wales Bangor. Research also claims that simply

noticing alcohol imagery without even wanting to get drunk can make

“Their attitude is that these are the best years of their lives, they are going to have fun now and think about paying for it later” you want another drink. Professor W Miles Cox of Bangor's School of Psychology said: “The act of drinking becomes increasingly automatic, so that the person is

unaware of the chain of processes leading to drinking, after he or she has encountered the triggering stimuli.'” Advertisers and businesses use Freshers’ week to encourage students to push their usual drinking boundaries and stretch their finances. Dr. Andrew Dearden, Chairman of the British Medical Asoociation (BMA) Welsh General Practitioners committee, said: “Advertising really only has one purpose and that is to sell more of one particular product.” A Cardiff History student, commenting of the influence of advertising, said: “I often take leaflets from the promoters outside the Humanities building but only from feeling pressured into it. I find it very annoying. “Sometimes I see a useful drinks promotion, but it is harder not to get tempted after having a couple of drinks, making it difficult to budget your money on a night out.” In the future, new technology will allow advertisers to use table tops to screen news, moving advertisements and interactive services in Students’ Unions. Based at Loughborough University, Zest Promotions claim that students will eventually be able to click the screen to order a takeaway from an advertisement, leading to students being enticed to spend even while enjoying a pint at the Union bar. As graduates will possibly earn a third more than non-graduates, today's students are seen to be the high spenders of the future, leaving students being the number one consumer target for a while longer.

16 gairrhydd

MEDIA

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 MEDIA@gairrhydd.COM

RIGHT TO LEFT: The Xpress studio, gair rhydd and Quench

Be a Cardiff media mogul Want a career in the media? You’ve come to the right place. Cardiff’s student media is the best in the country. Aline Ungewiss offers a lowdown of what’s what in Cardiff’s student media gair rhydd

Quench

Xpress Radio

f you enjoy writing about current news events and issues, or want to help design a hugely successful student paper, gair rhydd, meaning ‘free word’ in Welsh, is for you. The award-winning weekly student newspaper is written, designed and run by students and includes sections like news, sport, politics, health, science and media. There is a section for anyone with any kind of interest, something that is key to the paper’s success. If you are interested, make your way up to the fourth floor of the Students’ Union. Don’t worry, we don’t bite, and don’t believe the rumour about gair rhydd being a bit cliquey: we welcome anyone who’s enthusiastic about writing, designing or photography. News meetings: 4.30pm on the fourth floor of the Students’ Union gair rhydd meetings: 5.10pm , in the same place

uench comes out every two weeks and contains information about current music events, bands, as well as books and movies, interviews, travel, features, film and arts. If you want to bag free CDs, free film tickets and free books, in return for a review of them, Quench is for you. If you want to write longer features, interview your idols or just tell the world what not to wear on our fashion pages, speak to the relevant section editor at Quench meetings and they’ll help you turn your ideas into work in the magazine. As with all of Cardiff’s student media, don’t worry if you don’t get involved in the first few weeks. You can come along later on in term and get just as involved as those who started in September. Quench meetings: 6.10pm on the fourth floor of the Students’ Union

Big bother? It might have been another successful year for Endemol, but do viewers really want another Big Brother, asks Nadia Bonjour

n May 18 2006 we saw the start of yet another season of Big Brother. Running for 14 weeks, it was to be the longest run of the show. Despite being up against the World Cup, ratings soared throughout the summer. Up against football matches on 19 consecutive nights, Big Brother kept his crown as king, recording constant high ratings with around four million viewers during match nights, and a regular five million viewers. With last year’s ratings being the lowest recorded since the first series, it was thought that the show was losing its touch. However, with an extensive marketing and advertising scheme, as well as 13 very ‘unique’ individuals, Big Brother has taken

centre stage with success and outrage.

‘Live’ Reality Big Brother and its creators Endemol started the reality TV boom. It helped to define the genre and set an example for other reality shows. Although a lot of television is artificial, Big Brother, along with other reality shows, introduced the first programmes featuring real people, living and interacting live without any scripting and predictability. However the word ‘live’, which so many of these reality shows proudly use, is often abused. In effect, Big Brother is not live unless it is ‘uncut’. Whether watch-

press, Cardiff’s student radio station, is the place for you if you want to get into broadcast journalism. Whether you’re interested in presenting, producing, promotions or news, the team up at Xpress can help you gain some valuable experience. Xpress has an up-to-date studio on the fourth floor of the Students’ Union where they broadcast 24 hours-a-day on the internet during term-time. The station also broadcasts on FM for four weeks each year; two weeks in the first semester, two weeks in the second. Check out the online stream at www.xpressradio.com If you are in interested in any of these media activities, make your way to the Society Fair on the September 28 in the Great Hall and sign-up. Alternatively, just come up to the fourth floor of the Students’ Union and ask a friendly face how to get involved.

ing the show on television or on the online video service, there is about a 15 minute delay, allowing producers to cut seriously obscene or inappropriate material.

Disabled Opportunities for Able Minds The media, with its ever increasing power and presence, is supposed to be implementing Equal Opportunities and Disabled Discrimination Acts. However, it rarely features people with disabilities. When was the last time you saw a person with disabilities on television? A disabled actor featuring regularly in a soap? Soap characters with disabilities will generally be played by able-bodied actors. The presence of Pete Bennett in Big Brother, a young Tourette’s sufferer, has helped alter this perspective. As viewers watched Pete week by week, they gradually became accustomed to his disability, making him just like any of the other housemates; a standard guy with emotions and odd quirks just like everyone else. The light and humorous feel to the show makes the inclusion of Pete less shocking, but more importantly

Our most recent awards gair rhydd ■ Best Student Newspaper 2005, The Guardian Awards ■ Runner up Best Student Newspaper 2005, The Daily Mirror NUS Awards ■ Best Student Newspaper 2004, The Daily Mirror NUS Awards

Quench ■ Best Student Magazine 2005, The Guardian Awards ■ Best Student Publication 2005, The EMAP Fanzine Awards ■ Runner up Best Student Magazine 2004, The Daily Mirror NUS Awards

portrays him leading a normal life, despite having a disability.

Bored yet? Even though this year proved to be successful, it was not the most successful in Big Brother history. The questions that remains is: does the audience want another series? A leaked ITV audience monitoring sample revealed that 50% of people do not want to see the series return. Channel 4 has since argued that there is no real proof that people do not want another series. On the contrary there has been a nine per cent increase in the show’s ratings depicting a rising interest, they say. It seems that Big Brother has not yet lost its appeal. If there were to be an eight series, one wonders what will the housemates have to be like to maintain audience interest and high ratings. PETE: The first housemate with a disability

gairrhydd

HEALTH@gairrhydd.COM

Staying fresh Education and Welfare Office Kate Monaghan offers some advice about how to stay safe and healthy at university Register with a local GP

t's very important to register with a doctor as soon as you can. A few weeks down the line, when you're struck down with freshers' flu, the last thing you'll feel like doing is rummaging through the pile of paperwork under your bed to find your NHS card. If you are ill, ask your doctor for a medical certificate. Your lecturers will give you a lot less grief for missing lectures or deadlines if you can prove that even reaching for the television remote was too much for you.

Beware of drugs

he decision to use any kind of drugs ultimately lies with you. But, remember that although it sounds obvious, drugs are just as illegal in the University as they are elsewhere and their use can carry serious implications. Both excessive and recreational use of cannabis or harder drugs such as cocaine and heroin bring with them health and workrelated problems, and the University has an established drugs policy. Don't feel pressurised into taking anything. If you have any worries, you can get information and support from the Students' Union Advice Centre and the University Advice Service, both of which are entirely confidential. And remember, being caught with drugs could not only result in a criminal charge, it could also get you kicked out of university.

Don't overdo the drinking:

or many people, Freshers' week can be an intoxicating time. It is associated with endless socialising fuelled by copious amounts of alcohol. However, with nine out of 10 accidents being related to alcohol, you could end up with more than just a sore head the next morning if you over-indulge. Many a fine fresher has taken the drinking culture a little too far. Don't be the one that spends half their night with their head in the toilet bowl. No one likes the puker. So, go out, enjoy yourself, but be careful. Never feel pushed, or push others, into drinking. If you drink alcohol, learn to know your own limits and eat well before you drink: carbohydrates such as bread and

HEALTH

SEPTEMBER.18.2006

tudents in halls of residences are at greater risk of being infected with menin-

Stay safe

Don't be a fool, cover you tool

pproximately 25,000 people are known carriers of HIV in Britain. On top of this, there are those carrying the virus unknowingly. The concept of an 'at risk' group is outdated and misleading. Anybody who participates in any high-risk behaviour faces a very real possibility of contracting the HIV virus or any other sexually transmitted disease. In fact, more people now contract HIV through heterosexual sex than any other single type of behaviour. According to recent surveys, 40% of UK students have sex at least once a week, and two-thirds of sexually active students have had unprotected sex. Think about how you are going to guard yourself

By Liz Stauber Health Editor

potatoes help line your stomach and soak up alcohol. Drink plenty of water, as alcohol dehydrates you. Used sensibly, alcohol can enhance a good night out. But bar binges do not enhance brain activity at next morning's lectures. Getting legless increases the risk of accidents and violence (particularly in men), and can lead to having sex with someone that you didn't really want to have it with.

ook out for yourself and your friends. Cardiff isn't downtown LA, but you still have to use common sense and look after your own safety. If you are out late at night, particularly in Freshers' week when you don't know the city, make sure you go home in groups, or order a taxi. Also make sure that the taxi you are getting into is registered, and that the driver has an ID badge. Stick to well-lit areas and consider carrying a personal safety alarm, which is available in the Union shops at a very low price. Keep an eye on your drinks too. Drink spiking is on the increase, with men becoming victims as often as women. Don't accept drinks from strangers and always keep your drink covered.

Not knowing the signs of meningitis could be Symptoms fatal

against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, which are all on the increase. You should visit your doctor or local GUM clinic if you experience itching, swelling or redness around your vagina or penis, unusual discharge from your vagina or penis, or pains in your lower abdomen. So, always practice safe sex to protect yourself. Free condoms are available from the Student Advice and Representation Centre, the SHAG office on the Third Floor, or the University Health Centre. All of these services provide free, confidential advice and information on agencies that offer support to those affected by, or concerned about, HIV and other STDs.

Look after your mental health

our main health concerns as a student will have more to do with learning to adjust to life away from home and family than physical problems. Suddenly, you are responsible for organising your life and everything is new. Some people find this exciting, while others find it confusing and a bit lonely. This feeling should soon wear off - they say the first term is the worst. But if it doesn't, don't bottle up your feelings. Talk to someone about it. If you feel that your friends won't understand, then try your personal tutor. The important thing to remember is that everyone has mental health. One in four people will suffer a mental health problem in the course of a year. There are a few things you can do to protect yours. Eating sensibly can limit feelings of anxiety and depression. Value your friends, as just talking can help you and them. Exercise effects the mood immediately, and can also be good social activity. Sleep, laughter, crying, making time for you, and relaxation all help too.

gitis. It is essentail to know the signs and symtoms associated with the disease. Symptoms may not be easy to identify because initially they can be similar to symptoms of flu. Any of the symptoms below may appear in any order over one to two days, or in a matter of hours. It is also possible that there may be additional symptoms. If there is a rash, the glass test can be used to determine if it might indicate septicaemia (blood poisoning). Press the side of a clear drinking glass onto the rash or bruises and check that they fade. If they do not fade, you should suspect septicaemia. In a small number of cases the rash may fade at first but may later change into one that does not fade. Viral meningitis is a less severe illness but, very rarely, can progress from headache, fever and drowsiness, to deep coma. In severe cases there may be weakness of the muscles, paralysis, speech disturbances, double vision or partial loss of the field of vision, and epileptic fits. Most people make a full recovery within one to two weeks. Occasionally there maybe long-term problems such as hearing or memory impairment. Urgent treatment with antibiotics and appropriate hospital management is essential for someone with bacterial meningitis. The sooner they are diagnosed and treated, the greater chance there is they will make a full recovery. Anyone who has been in direct,

Useful health contacts The Student Advice and Representation Centre Third floor, Students' Union Tel: 029 2078 1410 Email: advice@cf.ac.uk Tel: 029 2078 1410 Email: advice@cardiff.ac.uk It is open every weekday, including holidays. They offer a drop-in service between 9.30am and 12.30pm or you can make an appointment to see an adviser between 1pm and 3pm. They provide a confidential, non-judgemental information and advice service for all students, and work closely with the sabbatical officers, principally the Education and Welfare Officer.

* A constant generalised headache, confus ion * A high te mperature, although hands and feet may be cold * Drowsiness * Vomiting * Stomach pain , sometimes with diarrhoea * Rapid breathin g * Neck stiffness - moving the chin to the ch es painful at the ba t will be ck of the neck *A rash of red or purple spots or bruises (or darker than normal, in dark skins) that does not fade when you press a glass tu mbler or finger against it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this may not be present in the early stages * Joint or muscl e pain, and sensitivity to br ight lights, daylight or even the television

close, prolonged contact with the infected person (normally family members and those deemed to be at an increased risk) should be given appropriate protective antibiotics if necessary. Viral meningitis cannot be helped by antibiotics and treatment is based on good nursing care. Recovery is normally complete, but headaches, tiredness and depression may persist for weeks or even months. There is no known way to prevent meningitis, it is therefore important to be aware of the danger signs. Viral meningitis is most common in young adults and tends to occur in small outbreaks especially in schools and colleges. It is important to have any symptoms checked by a doctor immediately. Vaccines are available against certain types of bacterial meningitis. Cardiff University Advice Service 50 Park Place, Cathays Park, or 2nd Floor, Cardigan House, Heath Park site Tel: 029 2087 4844 Email: studentadvisory@cf.ac.uk Office hours are normally 9:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday at the Cathays Park campus, and 8:30am to 4:00pm at Heath Park. Cardiff University Health Centre 47 Park Place. Tel: 029 20874810 Clinics - Term-time Only Wednesday - Wart and Verruca 10am - 2pm Wednesday - Family Planning 5pm - 7pm Open 9.00 am. to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. A slightly restricted service is available during the recesses. For appointments or to speak to a nurse, please phone the centre. You may also call in without an appointment.

18 gairrhydd

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 SCIENCE@gairrhydd.COM

Enjoying your hangover?

Science offers you tips on minimising that morning-after feeling By Brychan Govier Science Correspondent

lcohol. Whether it be beer, wine, spirits and cider, at some point over the coming weeks you will enjoy a combination of these by the gallon. Everybody knows the long term effects of alcohol, but you probably know little about what happens in the short term, short of getting drunk and being a bit green the next day. To many, a great night out is characterised by getting wasted with friends. Recent research even shows that the occasional drink, seven to 12 units over the course of a week, can be good for you. However if all these units are drunk in the course of one evening, the effects differ. In small dosages, ethanol has a euphoric effect on the brain and dampens inhibitions. As ethanol crosses the blood-brain barrier it causes a release of dopamine and endorphins, causing the euphoria, and removing the inhibitions. However the more alcohol drunk, the greater the effect upon the central

nervous system. This causes neurones to misfire, and slows down the resultant nerve impulses, causing malcoordination, slurred speech and a general reduction of motor control. All this feels great at the time, but for some people, the dampening of inhibitions is a scary experience. This can cause a heightening of emotions, such as aggression and depression and eventually unconsciousness. Should you then make it to the next day, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the hangover to look forward to. As the alcohol breaks down in your bloodstream, molecules such as acetaldehyde and different types of Congener - among others - are released to wreak havoc on your body. Many are naturally present in alcohols and can be quite poisonous, which - with the dehydration caused by the ethanol imbibed the prior evening - causes headaches, nausea, and the general feeling of weakness. The sensible way to avoid all of these things is to not drink to excess, but in reality the pressure is on in Freshersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; week to drink yourself into

oblivion. So the next best thing is to prepare properly, by eating well before going out and drinking lots of water and fruit juice during the night. Other preventatives include eating activated charcoal tablets, which can absorb the poisons that cause the hangover, avoiding the â&#x20AC;&#x153;hair of the dogâ&#x20AC;? analgesics and anything else that might agitate your stomach. But the number one cure is a compound known as Glutathione, which is a source of cysteine. It effectively counteracts the poisonous effects of the acetaldehyde, by bonding permanently to it, allowing it to be removed easily from the body. Just mix some into a smoothie the morning after, or even just some fruit juice. However these just help you in the short term, the more regularly you have to use a cure like these to help yourself, the more damage the alcohol will be doing to your body. In the long run, your liver, robust as it is, can only repair itself if you give it a break.

Alternate alcoholic drinks with fruit juice and water during your night out

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gairrhydd D E T WAN

e c n e i r No expe needed

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Reporters, sub editors, feature writers, designers, proof-readers, sports writers, website managers, interviewers, columnists, website designers, and all manner of people who want to get involved in our award-winning publication

Sign up at the Freshers’ fayre during Freshers’ week or come up to the fourth floor of the Students’ Union and ask a friendly face how to get involved. ALSO! Look out for details of our welcome meeting after Freshers’ week

Simbec is currently recruiting volunteers to take part in clinical studies

Why not try something new today! In return y ou coul d recei ve a gener ous pay ment of £300 - £2000 depending on the dur ation of the study !

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Trial durations vary; you could fit us in during your spare time! Free meals & accommodation are provided whilst you are on a study.

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FIVEMINUTEFUN@gairrhydd.COM

SUDOKO 3

2 6 1

7 9

6 5

7 6 4 6

CROSSWORD 3

8 7 10

19 21

23 24

True or False? 2) The city's reputation as a vibrant centre of learning means Cardiff is on track to have the largest student populous of any European city by the end of the decade. 3) Cardiff originated from the Welsh language meaning ‘greenest valley’. 4) Cardiff has been designated as the world's

5) Cardiff is said to have more parks and open spaces per head of population than any other city in the UK. 6) “If we had wanted to have tried hard in our ALevels, we would have gone to UWIC?” 7) Laurel and Hardy performed in the late 1940s in the old Philharmonic Hall on St Mary’s Street. 8) Cardiff became a city in 1905 and was crowned the capital of Wales in 1955. 9) Spillers on The Hayes is the oldest record shop in the world, established in 1894 when it sold sheet music. Answers: 1) True, 2) True, 3) False, 4) True, 5) True, 6) False, 7) True, 8) True, 9) True

hall of shame text: 07791165 837

Do the quiz, learn the answers and then impress your new mates with your knowledge of Cardiff

first Fair Trade Capital - encouraging ethical trading and fair prices for producers in third world countries.

New housemate done something stupid? Send us a photo of it!

The Big Quiz...

1) Cardiff is one of the flattest cities in Britain and has more hours of sunlight than Milan.

HOW TO PLAY SUDOKO: Fill in the grid using only the numbers 1 through to 9. All the vertical and horizontal rows should contain the numbers 1 to 9. All the smaller 3 by 3 squares should contain the numbers 1-9. No row or 3 by 3 square should have the same number twice.

5 facts guaranteed by Raif the Polish fish farmer to change your life....

1) Every year more then 2500 left handed people are killed using right handed products.

Five facts...

2) Chuck Norris was the fourth wise man. He brought baby Jesus the gift of ‘beard’. Jesus wore it proudly to his dying day. This left the other wise men insanely jealous and prompted them to delete Chuck’s strong influence on Jesus from the Bible. The wise men suffered death by Chuck fart shortly after. 3) In California a vehicle without a driver may not exceed 60 miles per hour. 4) In comic strips, the person on the left always speaks first. 5) Slugs have four noses.

FIVE MINUTE FUN

SEPTEMBER.18.2006

ACROSS

DOWN

7 Author (8) 8 Hindquarters (4) 9 Accomplish (6) 10 Be too clever for (6) 11 Skilled (4) 12 Went before (8) 15 Rider’s foot supports (8) 19 Ram down (concrete) (4) 21 Rubbish, twaddle (6) 23 Sharp-tasting (6) 24 Decreased (4) 25 (fused together (8)

1 Calm (6) 2 Spirit bottle (8) 3 Abduct (6) 4 Theatrical straight man (6) 5 Very dry (champagne) (4) 6 Drink (6) 13 Headstone inscription (inits) (3) 14 Interwoven (8) 16 Saucepan stand (6) 17 Anxious (6) 18 Metal clip (6) 20 Mutilated (6) 22 Flaky pastry (4)

22 gairrhydd

GRAB

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 COMPETITIONS@gairrhydd.COM

! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN!

! WIN WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN

A Grand day out in Birmingham

H A (few) nights to remember

hree of Wales’ most loved club nights come to Cardiff Students’ Union for the biggest parties of the year. They’ve got a massive line-up of world-class acts, so whatever it is you’re into, they’ve got it covered. Cool House are back in the Great Hall on September 30. Radio 1’s Annie Mac will lead a line-up including Erol Alkan, Simian Mobile Disco and Funk D'void. They will provide two rooms of upfront house music. The heavy weights are in action on October 14 when Sumo celebrate their third birthday.

The main room sees party hip hop and beats from DJ Yoda and Fingerlickin records' Soul of Man and A Skilz. In room two the music gets dirty with House and Breaks from D Ramirez and Dylan Rhymes. Bass Invaders take over the Great Hall on October 21 with their biggest line-up to date. The event really speaks for itself: two rooms of the finest drum ‘n’ bass and hip hop. All three events are hugely popular and tickets often sell out fast. Get your tickets asap or try to win one with gair rhydd.

Win top guides to top cities

Seen all the same sights? Walked all the well-trodden paths? Looking for something new? Why not try out e>>guides - the most up-todate city guides for the savvy traveller looking to shop, eat and drink in the hidden gems only known to locals. Whether you want to find vintage Manolos in Paris or book a table at the hottest restaurant in New York, e>>guides are the only guidebooks that are always up-todate. Each guide is written by people who know the cities inside out and provides indepth information and reviews of the best the city has to offer. Sections include how to get to your chosen city, where’s best to stay and how to find your feet once you’ve arrived. There are also detailed sections on eating, shopping, famous sights and new attractions. The book teams up with an equally helpful website which is exclusively available to e>>guide owners. The website gives you the latest news about places in the guide, so it's never

To win two tickets to Cool House just answer the following question: What time does Annie Mac’s show on Radio 1 air? To win two tickets to Sumo, answer this: What is the name of DJ Yodas debut artist album? To win two ticket to Bass Invaders, answer this: Which country are Pendulum from? Email your answers to cardiffcompetitions@hotmail.com.

out of date. Plus, you can use the site’s links to make bookings and reservations – easy to use, no dead links, no hassle!

ow do you fancy starting off your year in style with the country’s top designers? Based on the hugely successful TV series, Grand Designs Live is coming to Birmingham’s NEC on October 6 and will be hosted by design guru (and strangely handsome) Kevin McCloud. 2005’s Grand Designs Live proved to be a hugely successful event and 2006 is set to become even more impressive. The event hosts over 400 of the best quality exhibitors from the worlds of interiors, design and gardens. Kev will be joined by the equally gorgeous Diarmuid Gavin, Naomi Cleaver and other experts and TV personalities as part of the impressive celebrity line-up. WWF, a major sponsor of the event, will be represented by its dramatic One Planet Living feature, demonstrating to visitors how their homes and behaviour can be more energy efficient and sustainable. Paul King, Director of Campaigns for WWF-UK said: “We are very excited to be taking our One Planet Living feature to the NEC for the Grand Designs Live event in October, especially as sustainability will be a key element of the exhibition. “The WWF One Planet Living campaign is all about reducing the UK's ecological footprint and making sustainable living easier, more affordable and attractive. By being part of the exhibition at the NEC, WWF will have the opportunity of sharing these positive ideas to a much wider

We have three sets of each Rome, London and New York e>>guides to give away. To win one just email us the answer to the following question and the country you would like a guide to cardiffcompetitions@hotmail.com. Who writes the guides? People who: 1). Have never visited the cities before 2). Know the cities inside out 3). Love the cities so much that they kiss the pavement every time they enter them

audience." For a chance to win one of five pairs of tickets to the weekend event, answer the following question and email it to us at cardiffcompetitions@hotmail.com. Who will be hosting Grand Designs Live at Birmingham’s NEC on October 6? For more details on the show, visit www.granddesignslive.com

Good Vues to the following question to cardiffcompetitions@hotmail.com.

hat better way to spend time with your new flat mates than a night out at the flicks? Vue cinema, located opposite Cardiff Central station in the Millennium Plaza, is giving you the chance to win a pair of tickets to see a film of your choice. If you want to bag a free pair of Vue tickets just send your answer

WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN

What's the name of Uma Thurman's ulter ego in Kill Bill? a. Black Panther b. Black Mamba c. Black Python If you don’t win tickets, you don’t have to worry about splashing out too much cash at the cinema – just present your NUS card at Vue and get a discount – just £3.95 per ticket.

! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN!

24 gairrhydd

LISTINGS

s g n i t Lis

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 LISTINGS@gairrhydd.COM

The ‘so fresh and so clean’ Freshers’ This Week: The Stranglers, The Walkmen,

The Stranglers

Spotlight on.. .

Chapter Ar ts

@ Coal Exchange Fri. Sept 29

@ Cardiff

7.30pm / £18.50

Jenna Harris

ts bar was voted the best place to drink in Wales by the Observer Food Monthly. ITV Wales chose to launch its 50th Anniversary year there. Despite this, Chapter Arts has so far remained off the radar to the majority of students. An independent theatre, gallery, organic café and cinema all rolled in to one, it hosts art and performance that is distinctly more challenging than much of that offered by more mainstream cultural centres. It shows classic and festivalwinning films and holds festivals, such as October’s Latino Film

The Walkmen @ The Point Mon. Sept 25 7.30pm / £10.50 Jenna Harris recommends

rom opening for The Ramones to covering Dionne Warrick, The Stranglers are a band that cannot be defined by one genre. With a musical history of over 30 years, they have been linked with punk and new wave, yet superseded that with a spirit of experimentation that saw them incorporating different sounds such as brass. It is this musical dexterity that has seen them outlast many peers and inspire countless contemporary bands, despite being critically underrated. They play Cardiff promoting their 16th studio album, Suite XVI, which is preceded by their recent single, Spectre of Love. This latest release marks the end of 16 years of change, which started with the departure of found-

Fig

Charlie htstar’s

ing singer and guitarist Hugh Cornwell in 1990, and included more recent recruits, as well as his replacement Paul Roberts, who left earlier this year. The Stranglers were formed in Guildford after Cornwell, a research student in Sweden, brought over his band Johnny Sox to London and new drummer Jet Black, found via Melody Maker, persuaded them to move to the Off-Licence business he owned in Surrey for rehearsal reasons. A year later, another Melody Maker advertisement and more member changes saw karate devotee JJ Burnel join on bass and Dave Greenfield on keyboards, following a departure that was blamed on the band’s lack of progress on getting a record deal. 19 months later the band were signed to United Artists and cho-

Coming Up

Rosaria Sguegila recommends

D sen to open for the The Ramones’ British tour. Over the years, the band have racked up numerous hit singles, including Peaches and No More Heroes (both 1977), Walk On By the aforementioned Warrick cover, and, perhaps their most enduring hit, Golden Brown, which gave them their highest chart position of number two. The quality of their output is one reason to see them live, another being the rare opportunity to see such an important British band in an intimate setting like the Coal Exchange.

o you consider yourself mad just because your idea of music is a mix of alternative indie and rock? You aren’t mad, you are just a Walkmen fan. The Walkmen formed in 2000 and consisted of Walter Martin (vocals, organ, etc), Paul Maroon (guitars) and Matt Barrick (drums), Hamilton Leithauser and Peter Bauer. They grew up together in the Washington, D.C area and have played in the same band since the fifth grade. Their music has been influenced by extraordinary artists as the Pogues, Joy Division, the U2, New Order, the Smiths, Bjork, Bruce Springsteen and the Cure. In 2002, the Walkmen made their proper full-length debut with Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone. It was a favourite among most indie crowds and the album led

Festival: gallery exhibitions are supplemented with talks and events. Typical theatre productions include Phobia (showing this November), an operatic production that is inspired by Hitchcock’s Vertigo and pays homage to classic film noir soundtracks. Where? Market Road, Canton. Further out from town than other venues, Chapter Arts is still within a walkable distance, or for lazier types, the number 17, 18 and 31 buses travel there from the centre of town. Interested? For further informatio,visit: www.chapter.org. In the Chap-theatre... Wed 27 - Thu 28 Sept/ 7pm Jennie Savage Out in the World: An Exploration of the View In the Chap-Cinema... Fri 29 Sept-Thu 5 Oct Stray Dogs Mon 25-Thurs 28 Sept Angel-A/ Atomised In the Chap-Gallery The new exbition of Simon Pope

the Walkmen to tour the world in support of it. Along with touring and appearing in a cameo on the Fox TV series The O.C., the Walkmen began writing a novel John's Journey, together. The band returned to the studio in 2005, working with Don Zientera at Arlington, VA's Inner Ear Studio on their third album, A Hundred Miles Off, and at their own Marcata Studio on a song-bysong cover of Harry Nilsson's Pussy Cats. A Hundred Miles Off was released in spring 2006, and Pussy Cats was issued later that year. Their music has often been compared to Pixies, Brian Eno, the Velvet Underground with strong hints of U2 and Television.. The Album A Hundred Miles Off include Emma Get Me A Lemon with its dreamily insistent guitar hooks and percussive patter, the cover Another goes by and Louisiana. Other highlights are Danny’s at the Wedding and All Hands Cook which seems to be Martin’s favourite. He said: “That might be because it was one of the last ones written, I think it sounds like our next record will sound.” If this sounds good then what are you waiting for? The Walkmen, Monday September 25, doors 7.30pm. And remember everybody who pretended to be like them is gone.

Lacuna Coil-7 Oct @ Coal Exchange... Polar Bear-8 Oct@The Point... Seth Lakeman Trio -12 Oct @The Point ...Goo Goo Dolls -12 Oct @ Students’ Union... Corinne Bailey Rae-15 Oct @ Students’ Union... Fightstar-17 Oct @ Students’ Union... iLIKETRAiNS-18 Oct @ Barfly... Ray Davies-19 Oct@St.David’s Hall... Hundred Reasons-19 Oct @ Students’ Union... Stiff Little Fingers-20 Oct @ Coal Exchange... The Automatic -23 Oct @ Students’ Union... Graham Coxon-23 Oct @ Coal Exchange... Razor Light -28 Oct @ CIA... We Are Scientists-21 Oct @ Students’ Union...

gairrhydd

LISTINGS

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 LISTINGS@gairrhydd.COM

week listings with Harris & Sgueglia The Pirates, Bonamassa and Kathryn Tickell Band

Monday

25/09

Fun Factory @ Solus, SU Cardiff’s own alternative night, featuring bands, a heavy rock room and a generally sweaty, rocked-out atmosphere. 10pm-2am. Free entry with NUS. £3 otherwise. X Factory @ The Taf The University’s student radio station shows off its best DJs. 9pm-1am. Free. New Noise @ Metros Alternative therapy for the musically depressed. 9pm-2am. £3 before 11pm. And more afterwards, presumably. Milk @ Moloko DJs playing nu-jazz, Latin, broken beats, deep house, etc. Pokey dance floor, but Molokos more than makes up for that by having over 50 brands of vodka. 8pm-2am. Free, but their cocktails will kill your wallets. Stereogum @ The Union Not anything to do with our Students’ Union but still good. Rock, metal, punk and electro. 9pm. £2 with flyer. I-Candy @ Tiger Tiger Wales’ latest superclub, where everything is, well, super. Five rooms, five bars, two dancing rooms, private booths. £3/4 NUS. Movie Monday @ Molokos All the fun you could want, under one roof: DJs, new music, live bands, open mic and drinks promos. 7pm. Free. Pick Of The Day The Walkmen @ The Point They take the qualities most admired in the last 35 years of US rock and barbecue them together as they hint at the Ramones, the band are on the move outwards and upwards. 7.30pm. £10.50. La Boheme @ Wales Millenium Centre. For more information contact the venue.

Friday 29/09

.. Access all Areas @ Sulus SU New Look Friday. Another Union event, another way to make people drunk. It should be a good night. 10pm-2am. £3.50/£3 adv. The Dudes Abide @ Clwb Ifor Bach Music for those who love music. An indie and retro night that takes in the heady landscape created by the likes of Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Dusty Springfield. Probably the best club night on Fridays, and far more relaxed than the equally-good-in-allother-ways Popscene. 10.00pm – 2.30am. £3.50/ £4. Mad4It! @ Barfly DJ Mike TV compares an indietastic night of alternative music, from the Strokes to the Smiths. 10.30pm-2am. £5. Chaos @ Metros The hard rock night. £2.50 before 10pm. Full Fat @ Moloko Cheeky bootlegs to heavy funk, old skool classics, and jump up party breaks. Free entry before 11pm. Pick Of The Day Kathryn Tickell Band @ St. David’s Hall Part of the Roots Unearthed season that comprises of quality folk and world music. The interaction between diverse folk musicians on instruments such as fiddle and melodeon provides a powerful setting for Kathryn’s music. 8pm. £12. DJ Residences @ Buffalo Bar Funk, soul, hip hop. 8pm. £2/3. The Stranglers @ Coal Exchange One of Britains finest long-running bands do their thing whilst promoting their 16th studio album. See opposite page for more details. 7.30pm. £18.50. North by Northwest @ Chapter Arts Centre Hitchcock’s ultimate “wrong man” comedy thriller, sees the world conspiring to wipe the smile off cooler-than-thou Cary Grant’s face and failing. Contact venue.

Tuesday26/09

Wednesday27/09

Thursday28/09

Soul Motion @ Moloko Soultastic! Deep funk, rare soul, Tamla Motown, jazz dance and boogaloo. 7pm-2am. Free. Planet Rock @ Clwb Ifor Bach Revamped rock night that promises “familiar classics from the fields of metal, hard rock and goth”. Drinks promotions and you can email song requests. Alternatively, myspace it at www.myspace.com/planet_rock_club 9pm-2pm. £3. Bar Cuba Latin and world music classics and cheese, from Shakira to pretty much anything else that you can shake your hips to, old skool Ricky Matin included. 10.30-2am. Forecast @ Buffalo Bar Something of a night of hidden treasures: Prepresenting under-represented music. www.weareforecast.com 8pm-3am. £6. Traffic light party @ Solus, SU Red is no, Orange is maybe, Green is go. It’s pulling using colours. 9pm

Rubber Duck @ Solus, SU Clubbing for jocks, pretend jocks and those who love to dress up in costume. Suprisingly, it is a huge sell out. 10pm. £3. Popscene @ Clwb Ifor Bach Three floors, three different clubs. On one, classic funk and motown, another indie classics and brand new music, and on the final floor, cheese. Not literally though. Hugely popular- go early. 9.30pm. £3. Traffic @ Philharmonic Cardiff’s DJ and clubbing society takes over the decks, playing house music until one in the morning. 9pm. Panic @ Barfly The very latest and great Indie hits. 10.30pm. Free. Eat the DJ @ Buffalo Bar Resident DJs, but no cannibalism. Don’t get the wrong idea here, weirdos. Free. Jennie Savage Out of The World: An Exploration of the View @ ChapterArts Centre A fascinating photo montage of a view from a window looking out across Quebec City, accompanied by soundtrack and voice-over from Jennie Savage. 7.pm. Free. Soilwork @ Barfly They have been an early and masterful incarnation that has taken modernized metal to the next level generating a new genre of prolific music and surpassing all the expectations. 7.30pm. £10. Freak Kitchen @ The Point The heavy metal trio influences range from jazz to pop-music which makes for very interesting listening. 7.30pm. £10.

Replay @ Solus At time of writing I don’t have anymore details but for further information there are going to be lots of posters. 9pm Societies Fair @ Great Hall This is not just filling up space. (Ahem.) This is promoting an opportunity to join societies and therefore make lots of friends who you can then go to all the great events we write about. See, I’m right. 10am-4pm. Livewire @ Barfly Metal. So much of it that they could open a steel factory. Probably. A dash of punk and hardcore adds season. 10pm. Free entry. Cheapskates @ Metros Alternative and cheese. Waaaayyyy cheap drinks, but make sure to only ask for house spirits. Double and a mixer cost 99p. 9pm2am. Aperture @ Moloko Resident DJs. 8pm. Free before 11pm. Clubnight @ La Tropicana Hip-hop and R&B student night. 10pm. DJ Residences @ Buffalo Bar A nice mix of non re-issue funk 45s, soul, hip hop, and Motown. 9pm. £2/3. Neon Plastix @ Barfly This is music for the geeks sick of air-fix ,but not afraid to sniff the fumes.7.30pm. £5. Re-Live @ Chapter Arts Centre This event promises to be an honest and unusual evening, where memory meets theatre and the past becomes present once again. 8pm. £5-£3. Angel-A @ Chapter Arts Centre The starky beautiful Angel-A is a welcome return to directing by Luc Besson. The directors previous films include Subway ,Nikita and Leon. Peter Corry @ ST David’s Hall Peter an awesome talent spans the great musicals opera, rock, jazz and the haunting melodies of his native Norther Ireland. 7.30pm. £13.50 /£15.50/£17.50 .

Pick Of The Day The Pirate of Penzance @ New Theatre Packed with fun, frolics, song favourites and a live orchestra, this vibrant musical glitters with all the trimmings, offering a great night out for all the family. 7.30pm £8 on the upper circle. Mabinogi Live @ Sherman Theatre The return of Terry Deary and of the Boomerang Company. 18.30pm. Free. The Beat Box Ballroom @B uffalo Bar The Beat Box Ballroom, in other words DJ Jaffa and mates are @ the Buffalo Bar to give the best musical night of your life. They promise you a night of Disco, Funk, Hip-Hop, Pop, Rock, and Soul. No excuses ,there is music for every taste. From 8pm to 4am £4/£3 before 10 pm.

Pick of the day Tenby Arts Festival @ Tenby. £15 Featuring local, national, international artistes creating a feast of music, drama, dance, film, poetry and talks. Contact www.tenbyartsfest.co.uk

Saturday 30/09

Sunday 01/10

Come Play @ Solus, SU Party tunes in the main room. Traffic (DJ and clubbing socitey) playing house music in the other. 10pm. £3.50. Blueprint @ Moloko Retro disco, future house, disco roots, drinks promos. Latin in the Express lounge. Free before 10pm, £3.50 after. Fly Swatter @ Barfly Indie party fest that mixes up the best music with the even better. 10.30pm. £5 NUS. Hellbent! @ The Model Inn, Quay Street Cardiff city’s only rock night on a Saturday. 9pm - 2am. Delinquent @ Metros Alternative and new music mixed with the best indie tunes. The dungeon-like surroundings makes it even better. 9pm-4am. Free with flyer before 10pm/£4. Clwb Cariad @ Clwb Ifor Bach Contemporary sounds (downstairs) with a little bit of other stuff thrown in 10pm – 2.30am. £3/4. Bogiez @ The Point For your fortnightly dose of rock,make sure you don’t miss Bogiez at The Point. 9pm. Antonio Forcione Quartet @ St. Donats Arts Centre “Be prepared to laugh, cry and be inspired by a musician who is rated to be one of the great acoustic guitarist in the world”, says The Guardian. Isn’t this already a temptation? Go to the ST Donats Centre and discover your Italian music personality. 8pm. £13.50/12.00.

The Hop @ Buffalo Bar Resident DJs present 50’s night: rock ‘n’ roll, jive, rockabilly and psychobilly. Cult 50s films, drive in themes and extra large milkshakes are said to be involved as well. 8pm3am. Free. Open Mike (Upstairs) @ Buffalo Bar An intimate and relaxed atmosphere, along with your chance to experience live acoustic acts, songwriters, bands and performers, as well as participating yourself if you so desire. 8pm-3am. £1.00 No Wax @ Moloko Bring your MP3s and you can be a DJ. I reccommend hijacking the venue and subjecting people to obsure indie bands (Terris, anyone?), or Wagner’s Ring Cycle. 7pm-2am. Free. The Birthday Party @ Bristol Old Vic, If you wanna hop over the Severn to Bristol, then there is a classic play showing this week, The Birthday Party. Stanley is an unemployed musician living in a seaside boarding house run by Meg and Petey. All is well until Meg decides to celebrate Stanley's birthday with Petey, Lulu and two mystery guests. Contact venue for information.

Pick Of The Day Estella’s fire@Sherman Theatre Join Estella on an emotional journey from childhood to adulthood as she struggles to act on her own feelings rather than the motives forced on her by the others. 20.00pm. £10/£8.

Pick Of The Day JA Promotions Presents Joe Bonamassa @ The Point Mixing original and classic blues, his latest album ‘You and Me’ incorporates influences of Chicago Delta and British blues into something unique. He is not just a typical blues guitarist. Born to a guitar dealer, Bonamassa has something of a cult following in the US. He started playing guitar aged 4, and his prodigous talent was such that at 12 he was asked to open for BB King. His career has been on a trajectory ever since.

VENUES Students’ Union, Park Place 02920 387421 www.cardiffstudents.com Med Club, Neuadd Meirionydd, Heath Park 02920 744948 Clwb Ifor Bach (The Welsh Club), 11 Womanby Street 02920 232199 www.clwb.net Barfly, Kingsway Tickets: 08709070999 www.barflyclub.com/cardiff Metros, Bakers Row 02920 399939 www.clubmetropolitan.com Dempseys, Castle Street 02920 252024 Moloko, 7 Mill Lane 02920 225592 Incognito, Park Place 02920 412190 Liquid, St. Mary Street 02920645464 The Philharmonic, 76-77 St. Mary Street 02920 230678 Café Jazz, 21 St. Mary Street 02920 387026 www.cafejazzcardiff.com The Riverbank Hotel, Despenser Street www.riverbankjazz.co.uk St. David’s Hall, The Hayes 02920 878444 www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk Chapter Arts Centre, Market Road, Canton 02920 304400 www.chapter.org Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay 0870 0402000 www.wmc.org.uk The New Theatre, Park Place 02920 878889 www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk The Sherman Theatre, Senghennydd Road 02920 646900 www.shermantheatre.co.uk The Glee Club, Mermaid Quay 0870 2415093 www.glee.co.uk Cardiff International Arena, Mary Ann Street 02920 224488 The Millennium Stadium Can’t miss it. www.millenniumstadium.com The Point, Cardiff Bay 029 2046 0873. www.thepointcardiffbay.com

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SPORT

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 SPORT@gairrhydd.COM

Sport the difference 2

George Pawley takes you through the weird and wonderful world of alternative sports you can have a crack at here in Cardiff 1

Caving

Caving cannot be described basically: it involves ups and downs and rocks and water. As you go exploring through the underground labyrinths in search of escapism or just a bit of exercise. Get to grip with those stalagmites and stalactites. Not literally, please.

Korfball Korfball uses a mixture of skills used in basketball and netball, the exception being that Korfball involves mixed teams of four men and four women. Internationally, the sport has been dominated by The Netherlands. Can you change that?

Water Polo

A sport for an all-rounder to tackle, provided they have graduated from rubber armbands. It involves elements of football, basketball, ice hockey, rugby, wrestling and you also need the tactical nouse of a chess grandmaster.

Fencing

This is a way you can take out some of the stress after a day of lectures and seminars, as it is an art of armed combat using a foil (a light, one-handed sword). It’s also a

great way to exercise, far more interesting than going to the gym. And James Bond plays it. So you can do exercise and be cool.

Kite Surf

The fastest growing water sport in the world is on offer in Cardiff for anyone who loves excitement and action on the waves. Don’t forget, getting involved will also mean trips to the beautiful beaches in the UK, and possibly further afield.

American Football Train and play with the Cardiff Cobras if you want to participate in the brutal, hard-hitting world of ‘Football’ imported from across the pond. It’s the most popular spectator sport in the US, with the Superbowl attracting a world record 138.5 million viewers in 1996.

The classic game of Frisbee, made really competitive. Imagine that. It’s another sport created by fusing elements of other sports, with the need for supreme agility, speed and stamina added into the bargain. So don’t wait for summer to play frisbee: sign-up now and play throughout the year.

Dave Menon talks to this year’s Athletic Union President, James Woodroof about his plans for sport in 2006/2007

MENON: Why did you decide to run for AU President? WOODY: I felt my enthusiasm and passion for sport would enable me to push the AU [Athletic Union] forward. I’m very proud of our athletes, and I want to celebrate their success. What is your advice to freshers who are interested in playing Cardiff sport? Freshers have the opportunity to sign-

up for any AU club where the focus can be on competition or recreation. If freshers are more interested in the social side of sport, IMG Sport is an option on Wednesday afternoons. I urge all freshers to try out new sports. It’s the best way to meet new friends and escape from study. In your time at Cardiff, what sports have you played? I was first-team captain of the men’s cricket and snooker teams last year. I recently toured Barbados and Sri Lanka with the cricket team and in 2005, I won a BUSA bronze medal with the snooker seconds. I also played IMG football for Momed. What do you intend to change as AU President this year? I am striving to create an AU community. In the past, AU clubs have frequently been seen as separate entities. I will aim to bring clubs together and also encourage greater participation.

Last year, Cardiff finished 18th in the British Universities Championships. The new focus on providing coaches for all BUSA clubs will hopefully push us into the top 15. In your manifesto, you talked about improving gym facilities. What improvements do you intend to make? The gym facilities are funded by the University - the Union has little influence. Although a new gym will not be built this year, I will campaign to improve the usage of space, equipment and image of the current fitness facilities at Talybont and Park Place. I also want to make health a priority this year. I aim to organise campaigns to encourage healthy living. In the past, various AU clubs have voiced concerns about a lack of funding. What are your policies of funding AU clubs this year? Clubs have got to understand we have

You don’t have to be a fool to ride a horse, honest. If Sarah Cox and Matt from Blue Peter can do it, anybody can. There are different ride groups which are dependent on your ability. Cardiff has entered two BUSA teams this season. And on top of that, there are socials too.

Rambling Surely the best way to keep fit and take in the gorgeous scenery around Cardiff is to have a go at rambling, a challenge for anyone to undertake if they want to explore the countryside in a rather unique way. Singing optional.

Ultimate Frisbee

Woody gives us a buzz JAMES WOODROOF will be a busy man in the next 12 months. That is because James, also known as Woody, will oversee Cardiff University’s sport in this current academic year. Woody is one of six sabbatical officers who represent students at Cardiff. In his election manifesto Woody described himself as a proactive, reliable and committed guy who is passionate about university sport.

Riding

a limited budget put aside for funding. This year AU clubs have collectively asked for £80,000 to fund equipment alone. This is unrealistic. We take into consideration various factors when allocating budgets, including the number of members and success in recent years. You can’t keep everybody happy, but we are endeavouring to be fair. Aside from sport, what other interests do you have? Music and stand-up comedy. I like listening to Indie rock n roll bands like Oasis, the Beatles, Coldplay, the Kooks and Jet. Ricky Gervais and Tony Law are my comedy gurus. After a year as AU President, what is next on the agenda for Woody? Ideally, I would like to go into newspaper journalism. Unfortunately, my dreams of being a professional sportsman are rapidly fading away.

gairrhydd

SPORT

SEPTEMBER.18.2006 SPORT@gairrhydd.COM

Whatever the sport, whatever your talent, there’s bound to be something to get your teeth into. Sport introduce you to BUSA and IMG

BUSA THIS IS WHERE the cream of University athletes compete against each other, where the competition is fierce, and where quality shines out over the inferior in a constant battle to beat the best. Welcome to BUSA. The British Universities Sports Association organises the nationwide inter-university sports program for each academic year and has 503 participating leagues, ranging from football, rugby and hockey to shooting, athletics and snooker – there are 46 different sports accounted for. BUSA provides an opportunity for an individual to represent their University in an arena of the highest

IMG

IF YOU WANT to spice up your Wednesday afternoons, there is no better solution than IMG. You don’t have to be talented: a trial with Manchester United won’t prepare you for this. IMG stands for Intra-Mural Games. It is competitive sport played solely by Cardiff University students. Rather than representing the University, you will play for a team of your choice and compete against fellow Cardiff students. The sports on offer are football, netball and rugby. IMG sport runs throughout the year and is organised in a league format, so each team play an equal number of matches. Mostly, IMG is all about fun. You will have the chance to meet new

WINNING: Cardiff 2nd XV leading Swansea 2nd XV 15 to 7 standard sporting competition they have probably ever encountered. Building relationships and teams enables every member to improve in their speciality through training and competition, which adds to the experience they have already collected in the sport. Competition is perhaps the key to BUSA. People who play have more than a fleeting interest in the sport.

They play to better themselves, to win. It’s not just turning out for a match a week: you need to train, to be dedicated and focused. BUSA has honed and provided athletes to all sorts of national and international competitions as recent as the 2006 European Athletics Championships, and no doubt that will also go for London 2012 – it really is a breeding ground for talent.

PHOTO: Luke Pavey

KEEPER’S BALL: Momed and Architecture battle it out friends, get some much-needed exercise and have a few memorable nights out. However, putting that aside, the IMG stakes are high and competition is fierce. You must be prepared to play on bitterly cold, winter afternoons when the rain is incessantly falling. And if that does not interest you, Cardiff students can also attend a refereeing course and become an IMG official on Wednesday afternoons. If

you want to become a ref, please speak to James Woodroof, AU President. If you would like to share this unique sporting experience with hundreds of Cardiff students, attend the IMG sign-up fayre on Wednesday October 4 at 3pm where the Phase 1 draw will take place. Don’t miss out.

Dates for your sporting diary Athletic Union Fayre Friday September 29

10am-5pm The Great Hall Sign up to play for the University’s BUSA clubs.

IMG Registration Day Friday September 29

9am The Great Hall If you want to enter a team for IMG, be here early. Teams started queuing at 4am last year to secure a place in the tournament.

IMG Fayre, IMG draw and after-show party Wednesday October 4

3pm-6pm/ 9pm The Great Hall IMG teams recruit their players at this event and the draw to decide who will play who will be done when the event finishes. The after-show event will be held in Rubber Duck later on that evening.

IMG Football and Netball begins/ BUSA Rugby begins Wednesday October 11 BUSA sport begins Wednesday October 18 Varsity Provisional date Wednesday May 2

The annual showdown between Cardiff and Swansea. Sports are played all day and the showpiece event is the mens’ rugby match in the evening. Essentially the OxfordCambridge boatrace for Wales, but without all the toffs.

LET’S URN RESPECT

Jon Berridge examines how England manager Steve McLaren can learn from last year’s superb Ashes triumph FOR MANY SPORTS fans, the summer of 2006 will forever be synonymous with another failure by the England football team in a major international tournament. The previous summer was a glorious one, with the England cricket team playing out an epic dual with Australia and prevailing with the Ashes returning to these shores. So why did Michael Vaughan’s team succeed while Beckham, Lampard and Gerrard failed misreably? Although football and cricket are two different sports, there are lessons Steve McClaren can learn from the Ashes success.

Previous success

The cricket team were on a winning streak having won five consecutive test match series. The football team last reached a major semi-final in 1996 and lest we forget the lost to Northern Ireland in a very mediocre World Cup qualifying campaign. Enough said.

Players performing All 12 of England’s Ashes players performed at some point last summer. Even Ian Bell, who had a poor series with the bat, contributed by fielding superbly at short-leg. Simon Jones emerged as a world-class pace bowler after years of injury and promise after bemusing the Australian batsmen with his mastery of reverse swing. Of course it will also be remembered as Andrew Flintoff’s series, but in essence it was a team effort. According to many pundits England had the best squad at the World Cup. Really? Lampard was insipid, Gerrard a shadow of his Liverpool self and even the so-called reliable goalkeeper Paul Robinson looked nervous. Can any of the England players claimed to have had a good World Cup?

Lack of Injuries

Injuries are normally a football coach’s second favourite excuse for failure after ‘poor’ refereeing. However, England were unlucky with injuries: Michael Owen and Rooney were never match-fit. Only four forwards in the squad was a dreadful mistake, especially considering strikers like Dean Ashton, Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe were all kicking their heels back in England.

In comparison the Ashes team were fortunate with injuries with only Simon Jones getting hurt during the Trent Bridge test.

Planning and leadership

Can you honestly imagine Sven Goran Erikkson and David Beckham sitting down and discussing the merits of Trinidad and Tobago and Ecuador? No because they were arrogant in those latter two group games and were fortuitous in victory. It seemed Sven was clueless to what his best formation was and Beckham good player though he was earlier in the decade, seemed jaded and a shadow of his former self. Let us not forget penalty shoot outs as well. In five of the past seven tournaments England have been in, they have lost on penalties. . Comparatively, in relation to cricket, you could tell Michael Vaughan and coach Duncan Fletcher had been planning for the Australians for months. This was exemplified by the imaginative fields set for the batsman and the targeting of lesser bowlers like Michael Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie. The cricket team had plans, and stuck to them.

Club or Country? The cricket players are employed by the ECB and sporadically play for their counties. The footballers are employed by their clubs. Such is the pound value of domestic success in England, all international footballers have to play around two games per week for their club. It begs the question- would Rooney have been injured if he had played fewer games and would Lampard have been matchsharp had he been given a break? The English football fans deserve to see the best players every week given the extortionate prices they pay for match tickets. Maybe fewer teams in the Premiership are needed, or a January break or even abolishment of the futile League Cup? The England team in cricket is the priority. In football, representing a country seems to be the bane of every club manager.

gairrhydd

Spor t

George Pawley on the alternative spor t s available in Cardiff

PERFECT VISION

Imperial 99 all out: Cardiff 100-2 The future looks bright after By George Pawley Sports Editor CARDIFF FIRSTS finished their season on a high by winning their regional Accenture Twenty20 Universities competition in Middlesex. This latest victory capped a successful year for the club. Reflecting on the tournament and season, captain James Woodroof said: “This win caps off an incredible season for us. After a fantastic tour of Sri Lanka at Easter our two teams have been very successful on British

soil. “Our first eleven finished joint top of the BUSA Premier and the seconds finished runners-up in the BUSA Plate. I have no doubt that the club can build from this year, and challenge for the BUSA Championship next season.” In a tournament affected throughout by rain, Cardiff’s first group match pitted them against Essex, in a match reduced to 16 overs per side. The Cardiff innings saw three batsmen, Aled Lloyd, Rich Foot and Ed Jones, contributing 40s in a total of 155, with Essex unable

Cardiff win regional Twenty

to reach the target, making 148 from their allotted overs, thanks to a 4-wicket haul for Veejay Skanda-Kumar in his only game for the University all year. Heavier rain resulted in a bowloff between Cardiff and tournament favourites St Mary’s, to determine the winners of the group, and to decide who would reach the final. Cardiff’s bowlers held their nerve in tricky conditions to grasp a 5 – 3 win, securing a match against Imperial College to decide the competition. In another match shortened to

20 trophy

12 overs by the weather, captain James Woodroof and player of tournament Ali Price restricted Imperial to a miserly 35 for 3 from 6 overs, with Jimmy Davies taking wickets in the middle-order to limit their London opponents to just 99. 35 runs a-piece for Dean Cox and Steve Paul steered Cardiff to victory in nine overs, for the loss of two wickets. Skipper Woodroof added: “I have every faith in next year’s first-team captain, Chris Allen. I am sure he will do a fantastic job.

“I also think that James Excell is a great prospect for the future after he was named as player of the year this season. “I am also excited by what this team can achieve after recruiting some talented freshers.” By winning this competition, Cardiff qualified for the national finals which took place at Loughborough University on September 17. Cardiff competed against Loughborough, Brighton and Northumbria who all won their respective regional tournaments.

GAIR RHYDD AND QUENCH MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY UNIVERSITY UNION CARDIFF, PARK PLACE, CARDIFF CF10 3QN ! REGISTERED AS A NEWSPAPER AT THE POST OFFICE ! GAIR RHYDD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO EDIT ALL CONTRIBUTIONS ! THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE PUBLISHERS ! THE GAIR RHYDD IS WRITTEN, DESIGNED, TYPESET AND OUTPUT BY STUDENTS OF CARDIFF UNIVERSITY ! BLUE BAR: OFFICALLY ‘NOT FUNNY’ WHEN DONE UNDER PRESSURE ON A WEDNESDAY MORNING IN THE SUMMER WHEN I HAVE TO DO INTERVIEWS ALL DAY AND I DIDN’T GET A LOT OF SLEEP LAST NIGHT ! THERE’S NO ONE HERE TO HELP ME BE FUNNY ! PHNARRRR