gair rhydd - Issue 891

gair rhydd

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CARDIFF'S STUDENT WEEKLY

freeword - EST. 1972

ISSUE 891 MARCH 09 2009

WHAT'S YOUR BEEF? Student allegedly assaulted by 'dodgy burger van'

News, page 2

As CCTV footage shows student drop from 25-foot balcony, we ask:

WHY DID HE JUMP? UWIC student suffers two broken ribs after drunkenly launching himself from second floor balcony outside Union Emma Barlow and Eleanor Joslin News Editors CCTV footage from Come Play last week has revealed that a student who was rushed to hospital actually jumped from the second floor balcony of the Students’ Union.

The student sustained two broken ribs after falling 25 feet at Come Play on Saturday February 28. gair rhydd has obtained the identity of the third year Sports Development UWIC student but he wishes to remain anonymous.

The student had been enjoying the night at the Students’ Union with work friends but was forced to make an early exit when he fell from a bal-

cony at 10.45pm.

He claims he does not remember why he jumped, but after seeing CCTV stills he said: “I have no recollection of what happened, but I look like an idiot.”

CCTV pictures show the student hanging on to the railings that surround the smoking area outside The Kitchen before sitting down to look at the drop then letting go with an ap-

parent disregard for his own safety.

He said: “The next thing I knew I woke up in the hospital with two of my housemates looking at me.”

An on-site paramedic reached him within minutes and emergency services arrived soon after, but had problems gaining access to him due to the awkward location of where he fell.

When speculating on how he sus-

tained such minor injuries, he told gair rhydd: “The grass broke my fall I guess. And because I’d had a drink I was completely relaxed as I fell and hit the floor so that broke my fall too." continued on page five

“Epilepsy has controlled me as a person” Features, page 20

02 NEWS

MARCH.09.2009 NEWS@gairrhydd.COM

gr Pretty in EDITORIAL & OPINION.............9

Pink

PHOTO: Ben Bryant

NEWS.................1

Got beef?

POLITICS..........13 LETTERS...........15 FEATURES........16 SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT..21

DITCH THE DIRTY DOG: Burger van with disgruntled customers

Dodgy burger van employees arrested

TAF-OD..............23 JOBS & MONEY.............25

Emma Jones News Editor

LISTINGS..........28 SPORT..............31 gair rhydd has been Cardiff University's independent student newspaper since 1972.

Post box painting brightens up Tewkesbury Street

PHOTO: Emma Jones

FMF..................27

Two employees from the burger van that has been spotted outside the Students' Union recently were arrested last Monday after allegedly assaulting a student.

The infamous burger van has been operating illegally around Cardiff for the past few weeks, and was issued a court summons a fortnight ago.

The burger van employees allegedly became involved in an altercation with the student after a verbal disagreement.

The incident allegedly occurred at around 2am and is thought to have started on Park Place, but somehow ended up on Senghenydd Road.

According to PC Bob Keohane, Student Liaison Officer, the victim was a male Cardiff student.

He said: “The burger van is an ongoing problem. It keeps people loitering at the bottom of the Union steps after a night out rather than dispersing, which causes problems. And it is operating without a licence.”

The two men who were arrested on Monday night have been released on bail.

Sin Bin: The Glory Days Sarah Powell News Editor Sin bin has turned itself around after a successful night last week which celebrated ‘the glory days’.

In a night aimed at encouraging more student participation in the event, the Union was host to roughly 800 people who took advantage of the cheap ticket prices and drinks promotions.

Part of the success of the night was due to the fact that for each £3.00

ticket sold, £1.50 was put back into the sports teams and societies.

James Wood, the Vice President of the Students’ Union and one of the organizers of the event, explained his motivation for the event: “After the usual slowing down of Wednesday nights in the second term we decided that Sin Bin needed to really give something back and this was a fantastic way of getting students involved in the night.”

A member of the Cardiff University 4th Hockey Team who attended the event, Scott Carey, told gair rhydd that the Union

felt a lot busier than normal, and that many people were enjoying the good atmosphere.

Speaking of the success of the night, James Wood added: “The glory days was a chance to have a good old quality night, and with 800 people coming in, not only did everyone have a good time, but we have given back around £1,200 pounds to sports teams and societies.”

Away on a placement? Heading abroad? In bed with a hangover?

www.gairrhydd.com ...NEWS, LIVE DEBATE, FEATURES, SPORT, QUENCH, EXCLUSIVE CONTENT & MORE

NEWS 03

MARCH.09.2009 NEWS@gairrhydd.COM

A Global success

Fortnight of cultural celebrations ends with huge festival of diversity Sarah Powell News Editor Cardiff University celebrated diversity during the Go Global festival which ended with the anticipated Global Village.

The festival, which took place between Monday 16 February and

Sunday 1 March, focused on culture and diversity, with events including the Real Ale and Cider festival and the Cardiff Asian Ball.

The final event was Global Village, which promoted itself as a fusion of food, dance, culture, and fashion, was the highlight of the fortnight of events with high student attendance.

Many societies took part in the

event, with the Thai, Libyan, Malaysian and Chinese societies providing food alongside 11 other stalls.

A third year English Literature student who attended Global Village said: “I had not been before and it was a really different and fun way to spend an evening. I enjoyed chatting to the many different societies and

sampling the foods.”

Societies, Postrgaduate and International Officer, Becca Rees spoke of the success of the event: “It definitely lived up to expectations! I had an amazing time and I hope everyone else did too.”

She was highly appreciative of all the organisers and people who took part in the events: “Whether it be

perfoming on stage, holding a foodstall or working behind the scenes everyone worked really hard and did a fantastic job.

"Not only is the turnout reflective of the ever growing diversity within our student body, it is an overwhelming display of the talents and achievements of many of our students over the last year.'.”

Attack on Taf trail Activists plan next step for Gaza protest Eleanor Joslin News Editor

A Cardiff University student was attacked on the Taf trail as she made her way back to the Talybont Halls of Residence last week.

The first-year student was jogging along the unlit path, which runs adjacent to the river, when a man attacked her early in the evening on Monday, March 2.

PC Bob Keohane, Cardiff University’s Student Liaison Officer, said that the man attempted to rob her.

She was very upset after the attack

and PC Keohane is urging students to be careful, especially in the evenings.

He said: “The Taf trail can be used during the daylight hours but there is no need to use it during the hours of darkness.”

The sections of the path that have little or no lighting should certainly be avoided in the evening to avoid the risk of such attacks but if people do use the trail after daylight they should not be on their own.

PC Keohane advised that students should use alternative routes such as taking longer but well lit routes or walking through Talybont, which has lighting and CCTV.

Emma Jones News Editor The protestors who successfully initiated Cardiff University’s divestment from the arms trade are debating tactics on how to raise more awareness.

Cardiff Students Against War (CSAW) will be hosting a public meeting this week to raise further awareness about the current situation in Gaza after they ended their occupation of a University lecture theatre.

The group are keen to act off the back of the publicity they received for last week’s victorious two-day occupation (gair rhydd Issue 890).

Speaking at a meeting last Monday, Max Pettigrew, a PhD student at the School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, advised CSAW that they had created a wave of momentum that they should act on quickly, while the occupation is still fresh in people's minds.

The protestors are mindful that, although last week’s occupation was a massive success, they have only achieved a small part of their ultimate

goal.

The general consensus was to have a public meeting with the aim of further educating people on the situation in Gaza.

Speakers at the meeting will include Professor Chris Norris, from Cardiff University’s School of English, Communication and Philosophy, Leanne Wood AM, Dr Marcelo Svirsky, Cardiff University Scholar and activist, and Chris Nineham, Stop the War Coalition national organiser.

The meeting will take place this Wednesday March 11 in Room 0.22 in the Law Building.

04 NEWS News in brief: Plaid supports students Nathan Allen Reporter Plaid Cymru members have overturned the party’s decision to review, and possibly cut, financial support for students in Wales. gair rhydd reported last week that the party was to consider abandoning support for students, in line with the coalition government’s plan.

But this plan was blocked in a Plaid meeting in Aberystwyth last Saturday. Plaid Cymru promised to oppose top-up fees in the 2007 election.

Party chairman, John Dixon, told BBC Wales that the party’s leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones, had informed the Plaid national council that he “would not be able to deliver the motion that was passed.”

It was also reported that assembly member Jones had made it clear that he couldn’t persuade the government to side with Plaid.

Mr Dixon does, however, suggest that this issue is looked at again and insists that his ministers are in a difficult position over this – there is a £61m funding gap in Welsh higher education – and they’re “stuck between a rock and a hard place”.

Welsh students currently get a grant of £1890 but the proposal was to replace this with a means-tested scheme.

Extra funding for Postgraduates Siobhan O'Hanlon Reporter The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has awarded Cardiff University a Block Grant Partnership (BGP) to provide funding for postgraduate study.

93 awards have been received by the University to provide financial support for doctorates and masters in Humanities over the next five years.

The University will allocate the awards to highly academic prospective students wanting to study at Cardiff.

The AHRC also regarded Cardiff as showing ‘particular strength in its strategy and vision’ and providing students with ‘excellent training and supervision’.

Professor Teresa Rees, pro vice-chancellor for research said: “Cardiff is delighted to be able to provide AHRC support for postgraduate students across the breadth of Humanities and to be recognised for our strengths in research, scholarship and training.”

MARCH.09.2009 NEWS@gairrhydd.COM

An even bigger election Emma Jones News Editor Student elections start next week, and are set to be bigger this year than ever.

There are 47 students running in total, with a massive six candidates going for the position of Student Union President.

There are six full-time Sabbatical positions up for grabs and 14 parttime non-Sabbatical positions.

The old role of Vice President has

been replaced with several new roles, including Academic and University Affairs Officer and Welfare, Campaigns and Communication.

There are six candidates running for the role of AU President, a further six for the role of Academic and University Affairs Officer, and four running for Head of Student Media and gair rhydd Editor.

Welfare, Campaigns and Communication, Societies, Events and Activities, and Finance and Commercial Officer all have five candidates running, There are also a high number of

students running for International Students Officer, with six candidates up for the job.

The positions for Healthcare Student Integration Officer, Environmental and Ethical Officer, Students with Disabilities Officer and Quench Magazine Editor each have only one candidate running, whilst there are two people battling it out for Xpress Radio Station Manager and two for Cardiff Union Television Manager.

Current Vice-President James Wood said: “I am really pleased that the new roles have been very popular

with a total of 47 candidates running.

I think with this, a full quality marketing plan and full e-voting, these elections will be the best yet.

“I am looking forward to seeing all the candidates getting out campaigning and will be out with the video camera to get it all on film. And good luck to everyone!”

Campaigning starts this Monday and voting commences on Friday March 13. This year, candidates can vote online at www.cardiffstudents. com.

Get involved!

Point of no return Jack Doran Reporter One of Cardiff’s premier live music venues, The Point, has been forced to close due to financial constraints.

Having played host to the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Feeder and The Stereophonics, the proprietors have been plagued with difficulties since early 2008.

A statement on the venue’s website said: “Many of you will be aware that during 2008 we began receiving noise complaints from one or two neighbours… After some difficult negotiations with the Cardiff Council we undertook a huge amount of work to soundproof the venue in an attempt to secure its future” After a £50,000 bill for the refurbishment works, the Cardiff Bay club hit serious money worries. This was

furthered through a severe loss of revenue during the adjustment period.

Owners cited the financial climate as further reason for The Point’s demise.

“While that (soundproofing) has largely been successful, the burden of the debt that we took on, together with greater restrictions in our banking facilities and more difficult trading conditions in the last few months… has meant we are unable to meet our current liabilities and have been left with no option but to seek voluntary liquidation.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for that support.

It is a very sad day for us and for the live music scene in Cardiff” Gig goers who have bought tickets for forthcoming shows, including a Goldie Looking Chain gig, have been advised to seek compensation from their credit card companies.

Successful week for SVC Alice Hunt Reporter Last week saw hundreds of Cardiff students get involved in fundraising and celebrations as part of Student Volunteering Week.

Student Volunteering Week is a national event which sees universities across the country organising events to raise the profile of student volunteers and the valuable work they do in the community.

Student Volunteering Cardiff (SVC), Cardiff University’s student led charity, is made up of approximately 1000 students who volunteer on 35 different volunteering projects in the local community.

As part of SV week SVC organised a Fun Run, a music event at the Union and a clothes drive in their effort to raise funds for their projects and promote volunteering.

The week's events got off to a perfect start with around 60 students taking part in the Fancy Dress Fun Fun

on a miraculously sunny day in Bute Park.

Throughout the week Cardiff students came up trumps by donating masses of their unwanted clothes during the Clothes Drive.

All these clothes will be given to Cardiff’s homeless shelter, the Huggard Centre, which hosts two different SVC projects.

Volunteers also set up a stall in the Union and talked to lots of students throughout the week about volunteering opportunities and the work that SVC does.

The week ended on a high with Speakeasy, a live music event at the Union.

Three local bands played at the event, and there were also sets from local DJs and performances from the Broadway Dance Society.

The event raised nearly £670, all of which will go towards funding SVC projects in the future.

The week was a great success with many students expressing an interest in becoming volunteers as a result of

the week's events.

Chair of SVC Rachel Payne said "Student Volunteering Week is essential because it highlights the importance of student volunteering in and around the Cardiff community."

Live music featured in the SVC events

NEWS 05

MARCH.09.2009 NEWS@gairrhydd.COM

PHOTO: Natalia Popova

25 feet...

Universities unite against recession Five Welsh universities come together under 'St. David's Day Declaration' Shelley Taylor Reporter Five major universities in Wales have announced plans to collaborate with the intention of increasing the country's wealth of knowledge.

Over 70% of all higher education students in Wales attend one of the universities of Cardiff, Glamorgan, Swansea, Bangor and Aberystwyth and more than 95% of the country’s research activity is conducted within these five institutions.

The commitments of the declaration are towards increasing the knowledge and determining goals in the fields of creativity, consultation, capital investment, collaboration and consensus.

The St. David’s Day declaration aims to “help Wales work its way out

of the current recession” and to “create a vibrant knowledge-led society and economy that puts Wales ahead of the game” according to the Universities.

Students in Wales will also benefit from the declaration with aims to widen the access programmes and to give encouragement to undergraduate applications from families with no previous university-goers.

The pledge also includes promises to invest more prominently in new construction projects for colleges, making full use of local suppliers and businesses.

Richard Davies, the vice-chancellor of Swansea University said: “The idea is that we have to move as we come out of the recession into an economy where we create our wealth in Wales from our brains – more than our hands.”

EU're not paying your debts!

...and two broken ribs continued from front page "If I’d been sober then the tension would have made the landing a lot harder. And because I fell backwards I landed flat, so these three factors all helped to break my fall.”

A second year English Literature student who was present at the scene spoke to medical staff who told her that the student had been briefly unconscious before his friends helped bring him round by calling his name.

She added: “I’d heard that the guy was balancing on the edge of the balcony and jumped off to re-

trieve a cigarette lighter which he had dropped.”

The protagonist also admitted that he had heard rumours that he had been walking along the outside ledge of the balcony, but before gair rhydd showed him the CCTV stills he believed that he had simply slipped from a sitting position on top of the railings.

He told gair rhydd: “It’s not in my nature to do something as stupid as this. It happened early on in the night and there was no reason to go suicidal which sounds absurd. I really have no idea what happened or why I did it.”

He said: “I don’t know why I was even in the smoking area - I don’t even smoke.”

The balcony was not deserted when the man made his leap, and CCTV stills show a woman walking away just prior to the incident.

Several witnesses saw the incident occur.

The student was discharged from hospital at 6pm Sunday March 1 after only one night.

He acknowledged: “I’m one of the luckiest people in Cardiff at the moment. I don’t know how it came about, really, but I’m really fortunate to even be alive.”

Charlotte Laken Reporter Up to 70% of students from other European Union countries are failing to repay students loans they took out while studying at UK universities.

Figures from the Student Loans Company (SLC) show that of the 2,240 students who were due to begin repayment in 2007 and 2008, some 1,580 are unaccounted for.

Students from EU countries have been eligible for low interest loans since 2006. However, 59% of those due to start paying back their loans in 2007 did not do so, while last year that number rose to 70%.

Debts are recovered automatically through the tax system in the UK. But outside the country there is no repayment mechanism and the SLC must rely on students to make their own payment arrangements.

David Willets MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills believes the SLC is not doing enough to track students down once they leave the country.

He said: “The evidence we are getting shows that the Student Loans Company is being shockingly ineffective in collecting money that’s owed.

“It is important the SLC is as energetic in collecting debt built up by students across the continent of Europe as they must be in collecting debts from students in Britain.”

06 NEWS

MARCH.09.2009 NEWS@gairrhydd.COM

UNION WATCH

Emma Barlow rounds up the week in student media

Ecstacy? As safe as horses Archeological find Bristol professor's job at stake over stops building ecstacy risk claims

BRISTOL EPIGRAM The Bristol professor who proclaimed the drug ecstasy to be no more harmful than horse riding apologised last week.

The claim, made by Professor David Nutt was widely reported in the national press after his statement was printed in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

Professor Nutt’s comments were even more controversial due to his role as the chairman of the Advisory Coun-

cil on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) the official council that advises the government on drug use policies.

The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith had previously spoken out about the comments, telling the House of Commons that she felt Professor Nutt’s comments sent out the wrong message to young people and accused the professor of trivialising drug abuse.

Professor Nutt has stressed that the article was intended to open up debate around the subject and not offend.

He said: “I think there are a significant number if people who also agree with me that these kinds of compari-

sons are useful. I certainly didn’t intend to cause offence to the victim’s of ecstasy or their families.”

In the now infamous article Professor Nutt quoted evidence which compares the ten deaths a year due to horse riding which statistically works out at one in every 350 occurrences to the 30 deaths a year caused by ecstasy accounting for roughly one in every 10, 000 cases.

A group of Labour MPs have since called for Professor Nutt’s resignation and have asked him to reconsider his role at the ACMD.

the editors Sian Cox-Brooker and Michael Bennett resign their posts after the controversial paper caused uproar among the student body. A spokesperson for the publishers said: “The contents of the document Lecher are utterly deplorable, and OSPL condemns it in the strongest possible terms.”

The joint editors who took over in January insist they had no part in the compiling of the paper, which is believed to have been distributed last November.

They said in a statement: “The tone and content of Lecher was clearly intended to be satirical and was received as such by its intended recipients.”

“We were not responsible for the compilation of Lecher when it was

printed last year. We understand that satire can be misconstrued. As this term’s editors of Cherwell we apologise for any offence which might have been caused and have now resigned.”

It is a long running tradition at the newspaper for the team to make a satirical edition for existing editors to hand over to a new editorial team.

Oxford University said that it would not comment on individual cases although it strongly condemned any form of racism and was committed to promoting good race relations.

New science research centre is a boost for Newcastle

NEWCASTLE COURIER Building work at Newcastle University has been put on hold after an important archaeological site was found.

The finds seem to point to a medieval ruin and have been undergoing further investigation by experts from Durham University who are currently dating and cataloguing the site so building work can continue.

The building work began in April 2008 and as a condition for building approval the contractors were asked to dig three exploratory trenches, which turned up the archaeological finds.

Newcastle University has invested a total of £158.7 million in new building projects to date.

Including a new Medical Sciences building, which cost £29.8 million and is due to open in November this year.

The building will make up a high-tech research centre representing a major boost for sciences at Newcastle.

Cherwell editors quit over racist 'spoof' edition OXFORD CHERWELL The joint editors of the Oxford University newspaper Cherwell have quit after a copy of a spoof edition containing a variety of controversial content was leaked.

The spoof paper, named Lecher, included mocked-up images of a former editor dressed in a Ku Klux Klan uniform and suggested bagpipes were used to torture Jewish children with ‘musical terrorism’ during the holocaust. Staff and students’ faces were also superimposed onto pornographic images.

Cherwell’s publishers Oxford Student Publications Ltd demanded that

CHERWELL: usually not racist

WORLD NEWS 07

MARCH.09.2009 NEWS@gairrhydd.COM

Parrot speech therapy Lottie Butler Reporter

Following a life-threatening car crash 14 years ago, doctors predicted that Brian Wilson, from Damascus in Maryland, would be confined to a nursing home and would never be able to communicate beyond the capacity of a two year old.

However, the former US firefighter, who was left severely paralysed down one side of his body, astounded medical experts by recovering his speech ability through the help of his pet parrots, Rosebud and Daisy.

He claims that the chatter of the birds, who were in the car at the time of the crash, have been the driving force behind his rehabilitation: ‘Rosebud was the one who never stopped talking. She just talked and talked when she heard my voice.’

Initially he could only utter noises such as ‘goo-goo, gaa-gaa’ but the enthusiastic reaction of the birds to his voice spurred him to try to talk to them.

Aysar Al-Rawi Reporter

Eye spy

It took two to three months before he could string a sentence together and before people could understand him but now the trauma of the accident is barely audible in his voice.

Brian has now converted his house into a refuge for neglected birds, car-

ing for over 80 brightly plumed exotic birds and all of then can enjoy the run of his living room, dining room, kitchen, back-room aviary and garage.

In a bid to fund his growing menagerie he has recently set up the Wilson Bird Foundation.

With help from volunteers and donations he hopes to continue to provide shelter and new homes for mistreated or abandoned birds.

Tanked up PC Laptop

Emma McFarnon Reporter Jenni Summers Reporter

In a display that would put nights out in Cardiff to shame, an 18year-old British soldier has commandeered two tanks in a drunken joy ride in Northern Germany.

At 4am on February 20 the soldier, whose alcohol levels were twice the legal limit, burst out of his base in a Scimitar tank and travelled a third of a mile before swerving off the road.

Not content with only one joy ride, he then hijacked another tank and managed to travel almost two miles before crashing into a tree and narrowly avoided driving into a car dur-

Also in the news...

ing his rampage.

The military police then caught up with him and a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said little apart from that the individual would be “dealt with.”

This British soldier has not been the only service member to have been caught misbehaving recently.

When he was arrested for stealing, Eric T Ambrose, previously a member of the American armed forces, said that because he had served in the military in Iraq he could steal all the M&M’s he wanted.

The homeless veteran now faces petty theft and public intoxication charges.

A software corporation in Colorado has developed a new solution for laptop computer theft which allows the computer to talk when it has been stolen.

Owners must report their laptop missing by logging on to a website, which then sends a message to the model and a red and yellow ‘lost or stolen’ banner pops up on its screen when it is next started.

The laptop can then be set to deliver a spoken message, with the default saying: “Help, this laptop is reported lost or stolen. If you are not my owner, please report me now.”

The latest version of the software also allows people to record their own personalised alerts.

A customer who had their laptop stolen sent a message saying: “Get your hands off me, you son of a bitch,” and another person used the innovative programme to tell the thief: “You are being tracked. I am right at your door.”

The Front Door Software Corporation company in Colorado has produced the theft-busting program which has been called Retriever.

The software package, which costs £21, also allows owners to switch to an alternative password prompt if they fear that the thief has got hold of their log-in details.

Additionally, if a thief accesses the internet with the stolen laptop, Retriever will collect information from the internet service provider in use and from nearby Wi-Fi access points, so that the police can be alerted to its location.

A filmmaker from Canada is going to have a camera implanted into his eye socket.

Rob Spence lost one of his eyes in an accident when he was a teenager and now he plans to turn his prosthetic eye into a camera to make a documentary about surveillance.

He has called this idea Project Eyeborg and said: “I thought I would become a sort of super hero ... fighting for justice against surveillance."

Drugs burn

A fire-breathing dancer, who performs at a zoo in Singapore, has been arrested for drug offences after other arrests enforced a suspension on the zoo’s night safari.

Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau said that some of the other dancers have been detained for possessing methamphetamine, ketamine and cannabis.

Singapore has strict laws against illegal drugs and people who are arrested with drugs that exceed a certain amount can even face a penalty

Jacko's backo

Michael Jackson is set to appear in London on Thursday to make a special announcement.

Jacko will hold a press conference at the O2 Arena and his spokeswoman said that he will unveil dates for a number of comeback concerts in the UK. He is widely expected to play a residency at the O2 Arena over the summer.

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OPINION 09

MARCH.09.2009 OPINION@gairrhydd.COM

freewords Est. 1972

One satire too far for Cherwell Freedom of speech is a precious commodity nowadays. It is the opinion of gair rhydd that it is a right that should be protected at all costs.

Even so, it is difficult to defend the actions of Oxford's student newspaper Cherwell, who two weeks ago produced a 'spoof' satirical edition of their newspaper that was so execrably intolerant that its public exposure resulted in the resignation of their editors and an investigation into the publication by Students' Union president Lewis Iwu. gair rhydd faced widespread criticism several years ago over the publication of cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad, which we have since acknowledged as a mistake.

The difference in our case, however, was that the publication of these cartoons was naïve and was not intended to cause offence. The purpose of the cartoons was to illustrate a news story.

Purposefully baiting certain groups of society through the deliberate publication of controversial material, on the other hand, is much less likely to inspire sympathy from those in favour of freedom of speech.

There is no moral high ground that Cherwell can claim. The content of the newspaper was, according to various accounts, crude, juvenile, libellous, defamatory and incredibly offensive. It was exactly the sort of thing that should never have made it into print.

Unfortunately, the editors of Lecher didn't exactly do their fellow students any favours either. Such a priggish, racist, intolerant publication may just be exactly what their detractors would expect a university that has a reputation for elitism and snobbery to produce.

Ironically, in their efforts to produce a satirical publication, they have mostly succeeded in caricaturing themselves.

All in all, it was a very stupid thing for a very privileged student newspaper to do. Their actions have damaged their reputation and cost two editors their jobs - and all for a tedious volley of incestuous in-jokes and a few columns of selfindulgent banter.

Editor Ben Bryant Deputy Editor Hazel Plush Co-ordinator Elaine Morgan News Emma Barlow Emma Jones Sarah Powell Sian Symons Eleanor Joslin Editorial and Opinion Paul Stollery Emma Davies Columnist

The curse of the F-word The word 'feminism' hardly conjures up the most flattering of images. Megan King asks why

I

n the first lecture of Women’s Contemporary Writing in September, a group of around 60 young women were asked to raise their hands if they were feminist. Eagerly my arm flew up and I looked hopefully around me at the dozens of undergraduates who had chosen to study women’s literature.

To this day I remain shocked and desperately crestfallen when I remember this lecture, because apart from me, only five other girls owned up to being feminists. For the first time I realised that it wasn’t just men who thought feminism was a dirty word.

I am not a militant bra-burner and I don't hate men Think of feminism and what’s the first thing that comes to mind, honestly? Dungaree wearing, bra burning men-haters (coincidently, at the protest outside the 1968 Miss World pageant no bras were actually burnt).

This image of a militant feminist doesn’t sit comfortably with me because I am none of those things; in fact most of the women I know who describe themselves as feminist are nothing of the sort.

The second wave feminism of the 60s and 70s gave us the hugely influential manifestos of Germaine Greer and Betty Friedan. It made men realise that there was more to equality than the vote.

It distilled the cry of the thousands of women living in servitude as housewives and quietly whispering to themselves at night “Is this it?” But, equally, it has distorted the world’s view of feminists, and made many women reluctant to associate with the ideology.

Although now I’ll quite happily discuss my opinions on patriarchy to strangers, not long ago I would accompany my introduction as a feminist with an apologetic shrug and an “I know what you’re thinking, but...”

When I speak to women about feminism most will shy away from

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the subject, assuming that I’m a fervent member of the PC brigade and want to get rid of the word ‘woman’ because it connotes that the female is the negative of the male.

But after reading texts such as The Second Sex, The Feminine Mystique and A Room of One’s Own, I have strengthened my resolve and managed to get myself a reputation as ‘that curly-haired feminist who always talks in lectures’.

As my feminist position comes primarily from the study of literature I’ll admit that I can find the sexism ingrained in the majority of English literature, but the evidence of oppression goes far beyond the world of the written word.

A male friend of mine expressed the opinion that we were no longer living in a patriarchy to me a few months ago. At the time I had not done enough research to get past the superficial argument of ‘bollocks!’

Luckily, I now have.

Think we live in an equal society?

Out of 250 global heads of state, seven are women. In Egypt, as many as 90% of women have been circumcised. The constitution of Saudi Arabia states that a woman is worth half of a man.

breasts; and for the love of God don’t have any body hair. I am well aware that most men out there couldn’t care less how much body hair you have if by some miracle they’ve got you naked, but the consensus of the media is overwhelming.

Women are still inescapably tied to the heterosexual economy. For most, whether they realise it or not, everyday behaviour from how we dress to the make-up we wear is aimed at pleasing men with a patriarchal representation of femininity.

Naturally, this is a very broad and sweeping statement and is not always the case. Most of our men-folk are understanding, respectful and considerate; my own beau included, who instantly gauged my anger at being referred to as ‘his woman’ in an Indian restaurant.

I do not relish my pessimistic view of women’s place in heterosexuality, but after days of being leered, honked and whistled at I can’t help but feel that Jeannette Winterson has a point.

There is so much more to say. I

could give you a history of first, second, third and post-feminism. I wish I could tell you in detail about Virginia Woolf, Simone de Beauvoir and all of my heroes who explain these issues with far more eloquence than I can hope to achieve in my first tentative steps into feminist criticism.

You don't have to stop shaving your legs or anything

I’d like to list all of the gross injustices that women all over the world are suffering at this moment. But I can’t, because I’m at least 3 years away from my PhD and there aren’t enough pages in gair rhydd.

So I’ll end with a question. Do you believe in the radical idea that women are people and as such entitled to equal rights and respect? If so, congratulations: you’re a feminist, and you didn’t have to stop shaving or anything.

In Saudi Arabia women, by law, are equal to one half of a man If you were born in Yemen, you would have only a one-in-three chance of being literate. Between January and October 2007, 183 women were the victims of honour killings in a single province of Pakistan. In Iran, it is compulsory for women to wear a hijab.

The developing world is fraught with inequality: in much of the Arab world, women are in a significantly worse position then Western women 100 years ago. Quite frankly, it is sickening.

The oppression of Western women, on the other hand, primarily occurs through body fascism. You must be young; you must be thin but have large Sub Editor Graeme Porteous Proof Readers Lucy Morgan Neil Fairbrother Siobham O'Hanlan Robin de Peyer Katherine Roberts Georgina Coles Emma McFarnon Contributors Nathan Allen, Jack Doran, Alice Hunt, Siobham O'Hanlan, Shelley Taylor, Charlotte Laken,

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FEMINISM: Suffering from a tarnished image?

Morgan, Alex Bywater, Chris Tarquini, Rachael Sweet, Mark Hampton, Rachael Kellas, Jim Towers, Gareth Mitchell, Christina Mackie, Joe Davies, Jack Broadfoot, James Hinks Address Cardiff University Students' Union, Park Place, Cardiff,

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10 OPINION Canuck in Cardiff

Corey Shefman rants about residences

W

hen choosing which halls I wanted to apply for, the website described an average dorm room – small but liveable, and, even better, the hall I was most interested in had its own bathroom!

By the time I was ready to request my place in residence, I was confident that I would have a decent place to live for the 12 months I’d be in Cardiff.

Unfortunately, the University website neglects to mention certain facts.

First of all, the shower/toilet is about the size of a small telephone booth, with nothing separating the shower from the toilet or sink. The fact that I could be sitting on the toilet while taking a shower is both disconcerting and disgusting.

They also failed to mention that every single room in my flat, and at least two other flats in different buildings (that I know about; I’m sure there are more), had mould growing on the walls.

Such great heights

Jenny Sleeman thinks that Ryanair's latest suggestion may be taking things a step too far

M

ichael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, revealed in a BBC breakfast interview last week that he is considering charging passengers on Ryanair planes to use the toilet.

At revelations such as these, the only options are to laugh or to cry (or maybe both). O’Leary, never one to shy away from a good bit of controversy or media attention – or money for that matter – never really intended the statement as a reality; more a toilet-charging prototype. But the fact is, as one of the richest people in Ireland (according to a source of variable validity, he’s worth a whopping €636 million), he can afford to stir up a little bit of public outrage, and most probably enjoys it too.

The very idea of charging people to use the toilet on a plane is ridiculous.

It’s not like charging people to use public toilets at train or bus stations, because as far as I can recall you don’t tend to be shut in a confined space with 176 other people at 32,000 feet on your average wait at the local bus station.

The University has a Will we have to responsibility to us pay for sick bags Every single room in my buildin the future? ing and the one next to it had chairs that looked like they hadn’t been replaced since the 1970s, and had the rips, stains and missing foam to prove it.

Certainly, this list could go on for pages, but I won’t bore you with the details.

The fact is, Cardiff University has taken to treating the people living in its residences not as tenants, party to a rental agreement, but as students, who can be treated with the disrespect and ageism that accompanies our station.

Regular internet service disruptions, irregular mail delivery and poor building upkeep are just some examples of how the University takes advantage of its residents.

At the end of the day, the University must decide if they’re going to provide high-quality living space for students, or if they aren’t going to provide any halls at all. There is no middle-ground on an issue like this.

Does it require an investment of both financial and personal capital?

Certainly, but as a Russell Group university, as an internationally recognized and respected institution, the University must take responsibility for its charges.

The Union must also stand up for students – if the University won’t provide quality residential services to its students, the Union must take a stand, even if that means not being so polite to the administration for a change.

MARCH.09.2009 OPINION@gairrhydd.COM

What I’m trying to suggest is that there are other options in other situations, whereas on a plane you don’t have the enviable choice of the broken loo at the back of Starbucks, queuing to use the WC facilities at your local McDonald's or a trip to the luxurious,

inviting tube station toilets (enter at your peril).

In the modern days that we live in, should it not be a basic right that toilet facilities be provided for us, free of charge, at 32,000 feet? No, say Ryanair: we should be forced to part with our money, scramble around for loose change to put in a slot in the toilet door, turn a handle, and then and only then be allowed in to that sacred chamber that is a Ryanair toilet.

On a plane you don't have other toilet options I wonder if it would be like those public toilet booths, the 24-hour ones where you pay to get trapped in a TARDIS crossed with a bomb shelter – and in which, if you stay too long, ping! open flies the door, leaving you to public humiliation and degradation.

O’Leary defended his novel concept by purring about how he only wants to make flying cheaper and more affordable for everyone. Much like his recent innovations such as getting rid of good old-fashioned checking-in at the airport (forcing would-be passengers to check in online), and charging for baggage handling, extra bags and in-flight drinks. It does keep Ryanair at the top of the cut-price airline table, but I think you can only take the issue so far.

If the annoyingly-dubbed 'spending a pound to spend a penny' plan was put into use, where would O’Leary

take his cost-cutting company next?

Charging passengers for tipping their seats back? Having to shell out for sick bags, some sort of a 'the more mess you make the more money we take' plan? Perhaps a friendly fee for using life jackets, in the unlikely event of a water landing (with the addition of a fine, of course, if the jacket is actually inflated). No, I think the idea is disgraceful. O’Leary has surely nosedived Ryanair to new lows.

But maybe Michael O’Leary is just misunderstood. By raising this contentious issue, perhaps he only wants us to reassess our lives and consider the positives.

Maybe next time, rather than taking airplane toilets for granted, we could appreciate having the privilege of using them for free. We should in-

RYANAIR: taking the piss? hale the fragrant air and smile at the stained seat - after all, only the best things in life are free.

In all seriousness though, the Ryanair marketing team were quick to try to counteract the bad press O’Leary’s ponderings ignited. They admitted the idea had been discussed, but there were no “immediate plans to introduce it”. After admitting that O’Leary “makes a lot of this stuff up as he goes along” they went on to try to justify the £1 toilet charge: “Not everyone uses the toilet on board one of our flights but those that do could help to reduce airfares for all passengers.

Then again, maybe O’Leary was just taking the piss this morning.”

Which, apparently, is more than his Ryanair customers may be doing on their next flight.

Freedom? Go to Hell

Rhys Howells on the WBC's banning from the UK

N

oam Chomsky once said “If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.”

Jacqui Smith has shown us just how much she believes in free speech by banning Dutch MP Geert Wilders and, more recently, the Westboro Baptist Church from the UK. Mr. Wilders made a film called Fitna, in which he claimed that terrorism and violence against non-believers is a core part of Islam.

This caused quite a bit of fuss throughout the Islamic world, with riots breaking out, calls for the film to be banned and a Fatwa (an order of death) on Mr. Wilders by Al-Qaeda.

The Westboro Baptist Church are perhaps the most hated group in Amer-

ica. Founded by Fred Phelps, they are the nutters who go around protesting at soldiers funerals with signs saying “God hates America” and “God hates fags”.

So it's not surprising when people get upset by these people, but so what if people might be upset or offended?

This should not result in these people being banned from the UK. Just how does the Government decide who to ban and why? The Home Office says that it is opposed to "extremism in all its forms".

Can you think of anything more extreme than banning someone's right to free speech? This is the sort of thing that dictators do.

One reason these people were banned was due to fears for public safety; I find this laughable. Mr.

Wilders doesn’t go around calling for people to be beheaded, or starting riots. The WBC, according to their website, have done nearly 40,000 peaceful demonstrations, and have had people being violent towards them.

How does the Government decide who to ban?

It seems odd that the Home Office has decided not to ban those being violent, but rather those expressing their opinions.

Just where are all the people who said, “I do not agree with what you say, but will defend to the death you right to say it”? We could definitely do

with more of them in power.

At this point I don't wish to come across as anti-Muslim or a gay-basher; I know that this will fall on some deaf ears but I might as well make clear my position now.

While I do think that Mr. Wilders has a point to make on the Islamification of Europe, I don't agree with him that the Koran or head-scarf should be banned, as I believe people should be able to enjoy these freedoms.

As for the WBC, I do agree with them on their interpretation of the Bible; I just don't believe that it’s the word of God. As for their message and views, I find them repulsive.

Free speech is the cornerstone of our society; we must defend it, even for those we might hate, because without we are nothing.

OPINION 11

MARCH.09.2009 OPINION@gairrhydd.COM

The right to learn

Following issue 889's article which asked whether education is a right or a privilege, Mark Crawford has his say A

fter having read issue 889’s feature on prisoner education, I was left feeling that Ceri Isfryn had pandered, perhaps unknowingly, to all the stereotypical tabloid media portrayals of prison conditions and punishment.

While I empathise with her repulsion to any undeserved benefits, I hope to go some way towards encouraging understanding rather then demonisation.

Most prisoners don't see benefits to any education The fear that someone may be attempting to pilfer some free personal development appears to stem from a single monstrous incident in which Ali Majiat raped a woman in order to gain access to free food and education.

To make the assumption that scores of 'wrongdoers' commit crime for a cushy time and free education in prison displays a lamentable ignorance for the demographic of the inmate population.

The majority have never had, and just do not see the virtue of, education – whether basic or otherwise. Extracts from an interview with 'Martin', an ex-student about to study a degree in English Literature, are given to further

outrage the reader.

His comments suggest that he might find some moments of solace and sanity within, say, the pages of Shakespeare or Dickens and cling to a fragile hope of bettering himself.

And yet we are meant to feel Martin is “in a way, laughing” for getting a degree without paying for it. What isn’t clear is whether Martin is one of the third of inmates that lose their house while in prison or the two thirds that lose their job, or the 40% that lose all contact with their family, 70% suffering with multiple mental disorders or the 20% that attempt suicide. Trust me, Martin has likely paid dearly.

This education will mean they won't need to re-offend Take Michael O’Brien, convicted of murder aged 20. He spent 11 years protesting his innocence while languishing at her Majesty’s pleasure.

Fortunately his conviction was finally quashed. The thing O’Brien attributed his courage and ability to? His prisonrun education.

Michael took advantage of every lifeline he was given and was soon able to achieve qualifications in law.

It was this understanding that enabled him to recover from the trauma of be-

ing in prison, to focus his energies on productive means and eventually fight for his freedom. If higher education had been denied him, an innocent man would have been deprived the only means of helping himself.

Ceri’s article is riddled with terminology which acts to separate the sinful “criminally minded individuals” against us, the mocked victims. How hypocritical such moral outrage really is. Think for a moment, have any of your friends been involved in scuffles

on nights out? Taken or even held the smallest amount of cannabis? Stolen anything, ever? What on earth gives

What gives us the right to insist on others' suffering? us the right to insist upon the sustained suffering of others when we are just as fallible?

EDUCATION: Right or privilege?

It is one of the few positives that ever emerge from the modern prison system that, sometimes, an inmate can seize the opportunity for rehabilitation via qualifications and hard work.

To deny the overwhelming majority like O’Brien who put their newfound knowledge to such constructive use because of the most appalling example in Ali Majiat is insulting to anyone who professes a desire to live in a humane, fair society.

Keep your feet on the ground George Carpenter questions the chaos in the skies

I

n mid-January this year, an A320 airbus crashing into New York’s chilly Hudson river after four minutes in the air was reported as a ‘miracle’, on account of all 155 passengers surviving the ordeal.

The event was inspirational; maybe air crashes didn’t have to be fatal. Perhaps the skies were the safest place to be after all.Think again. On Friday the 13th the following month, another plane hit New York, devastating a quiet suburb and leaving 50 dead.

Plenty of things look 'suspicious' Three days prior to this, two satellites collided in orbit and produced enough debris to make space exploration in the region potentially hazardous for the next 1000 years.

Back on earth, merely a week following New York’s second crash, a

helicopter ditched into the North Sea off the coast of Scotland, but yet again nobody was hurt.

A plane crash in Amsterdam on the 25th left 50 living casualties and nine dead among the wreckage. Clearly, there is a pattern here. These crashes have been increasing at an exponential rate since January. If this keeps up, the next crash is due to happen right now. Or yesterday.

In any case, the message is clear: tamper not with the sky, or feel the wrath. But of what? What is it that compels us to look for patterns where there aren’t any?

OK, the plane example isn’t too suspicious (so far). But plenty of things in life look ‘suspicious’ enough to draw spurious conclusions. The problem is that those things include… almost everything.

Recent studies suggest even diehard atheists have a habit of seeing purpose where there is, by scientific logic, none to be found.

OK, so maybe we should brush up on our science and admit natural events don’t want to do anything in particular. But what about making sense of traumatic events that happen to us?

By their own logic, atheists should be declared insane Thinking everything has a purpose seems silly until the results come back positive. We do it all the time though – life has to make sense somehow.

Next you’ll be claiming souls exist, and from there it’s a slippery slope back to the witch-burning Dark Ages.

All of this should come as no surprise to the religious folks who have been waiting in the wings all this time.

That atheists have now, by their own logic (assuming most atheists care about science), been diagnosed as insane makes the point very clear.

Following the secular viewpoint trumpeted by Dawkins et al to its logical conclusion should give pause for thought for all but the most committed nihilist. So, it looks like religious leaders can step in and make everything right!

Except it’s a shitty compromise, in my opinion, and I think in the long run the differences between various religions run just as deep as their differences with the scientific worldview.

Anyway, that view isn’t going to go away.

Everyone thinks that they are right about something If the only way to know a religion is right or not is experiencing it for yourself, or choosing to believe it and seeing what happens, it’s unlikely to convert the majority.

It’s like if a car salesman wouldn’t

show you the car till he’d made a sale.

So, we have hundreds of religions, each getting their slice of the population, most claiming exclusive rights to the truth, and while they settle their differences (or not) we have science; the lowest common denominator of truth-by-consensus that we can all rely on.

Follow your worldview of choice to the letter and the chances are it will be improvable, logically inconsistent, or make dubious moral claims to the effect that everyone else is wrong.

Be a woolly liberal and agree to disagree, and just try to tolerate the intolerant. So it looks like we’re fucked.

Everyone thinks they’re right about something, and the only truth anyone can agree on is now telling us we’re delusional most of the time.

Just how are we supposed to live? I don’t have the answer – animals don’t seem to break a sweat over these questions though, so maybe we should ask them...

12 COLUMNIST

MARCH.09.2009 OPINION@gairrhydd.COM

Electile dysfunction

I

t’s pantomime season again, folks! That’s right, it’s time for the most ruthlessly ambitious Cardiff students to campaign for your scrawl next to their name on the ballot paper. We all know what we’re in for: silly costumes, daft slogans, and if you’re lucky, a couple of decent policies.

Ah yes, the policies. Remember those? The solemn pledges that appear in the manifestos that inevitably take second place to the singing, dancing, and giving out free stuff that really decides our elections. For some of the candidates, the policies will be almost irrelevant and entirely interchangeable with any of the others’. But it’s okay, ‘cause they’re dressed up like a marshmallow.

In fact, every year many of the candidates’ manifesto statements are so generic that I can confidently predict the following: the candidates for head of student media will promise to sort out the Quench website and get CUTV up properly (I wonder how many of you even knew we have a TV station here); the Athletic Union President candidates will vow to sort out IMG’s interminable problems; and the prospective Student Union Presidents will swear on their mothers’ cellulite that they’ll improve communication with students.

This isn’t meant to attack anyone who’s standing this year – to be honest, I only know a couple of people who definitely are so far, and they’re serious about what they’re doing. And RON, of course, but he enters everything. (For the uninitiated, I’d like to point out that RON in fact stands for Re-Open Nominations and is not the name of a candidate). It’s also not supposed to attack anyone who stood last year. It’s just that based on my experience of, um, one whole election sea-

exact session it was passed in). For many of them – including the President – the little blurb when you click on their name is still ‘coming soon’.

This is March. We’re halfway through the second semester. It’s a bit late to be ‘coming soon’ now.

You also can’t get to the manifestos of candidates from previous years, so checking if someone’s fulfilled their election promises is a bit difficult as well. Even if the costumes and cocking about are the real vote-winners, I’d like to think that at least some people voted based on promises, so it’s a shame that they can’t check the progress that’s been made on them.

DEMOCRATIC: But what are you voting for? son, it tends to be the garishly-dressed go-getters who win, regardless of their credentials.

The costumes and cocking about are the vote-winners Ideally, the student elections would be dominated by fierce intellectual debates and genuine discussion about how to move the Union forward. But no-one wants to listen to that. Candidates only have a couple of seconds, often very grudgingly granted by lecturers first thing on a Monday, to put forward their vision of The Future to students who don’t really care.

But why don’t they care? Is it because they’re apathetic morons who have no interest in Cardiff Students’ Union? Maaaaybe. But judging from the responses to last year’s kerfuffle

over the new Union plans and this year’s Heath Sabbatical Officer debate, they can be roused if the right issue presents itself. Sure, a lot of the students who protested in these cases are pretty much single-issue activists, but they’re not as lazy as you might think at first.

I think it has more to do with the lack of accountability to the student body once the winning candidates have been announced. Be honest – could you name three things the SU President has done this year? How about the Education and Welfare Officer? I thought not. I can’t. I’m not criticising them; they might have done brilliantly. I’ve just no idea.

There’s nothing on www.cardiffstudents.com saying what they’ve done. There’s no handy list of Student Council motions to see who’s proposed what (you have to trawl through the minutes, making it impossible to find anything unless you know the

Ideally elections would have real discussion Once someone’s elected they shouldn’t have a free reign. But with this lack of accountability to students once the results have been announced, that’s effectively what they have. Don’t get me wrong here – I’m not accusing any Union Officer, past or present, of abusing that position. I don’t think they are. I just don’t like the potential that’s there.

All of this – the circus of the elections themselves and the lack of real scrutiny afterwards – means that we don’t get the best people elected to the important positions, and we have little say in what they do once they’re elected, regardless of their promises (although to be fair, we’re following Westminster’s model here). Some of the election winners, of course, will be the best for the job. But it’s based more on chance and campaigning skill than anything else. It could all be changed with a bit of accountability.

It’s all over the front page B

reaking news. It’s everywhere. The internet, the TV, the radio… the only media it hasn’t yet permeated is print, and that’s only because someone lost the blueprint for self-updating paper down the back of the sofa.

The ultimate in breaking news, of course, is rolling news. The peculiarly dull 24-hour channels that are strangely hypnotic in their endless repeating of the same images, words, images, words, images, Peter Sissons, images, words… If it weren’t for the helpful little clock on the screen, you’d swear

your TV was on a loop.

Generally, it’s all hailed as a fantastic achievement – now news consumers (that’s you) can get the latest news 24/7! It’s the Big Brother live feed but with a bit more relevance. Only a bit, mind. You see, I’m going to be a maverick and say that the ‘fastest fingers first’ – on the keyboard, y’see – culture is just a gimmick.

Sky News are especially into this, with their motto being ‘first for breaking news’. Fair enough, you might think, but when it comes to accuracy, I’d rather you waited a bit. I mean,

the odd mistake is reasonable and expected for a news outlet, but declaring Yasser Arafat dead a full six times before he actually shuffled off is excessive.

I'd rather wait a few moments and read the full story I also find little more frustrating that seeing a tantalising headline on the BBC’s website only to be con-

fronted with three lines of text that basically repeat the headline, with the words ‘more to follow’ underneath.

To be honest, I’d rather wait a moment and read a full story.

In some rare cases, like natural disasters or terrorist attacks, it’s important to get the news out as fast as possible because it’s so important to people. But the media have been sucked into this phobia of not being the quickest, even if by a few minutes, and it’s led to mistakes and even more churning out of news. That’s not a good thing.

Is it

just me... ...or were those pesky adults right all along?

I

t’s a clear sign that you have too much on when ‘do things on to-do list’ appears on your to-do list. Mounting coursework, a laptop that’s sputtering its way into oblivion, a pesky limit on the number of books you can take out of the Humanities library, and newspaper obligations all add up to a lengthy list of things you have to do. Well, I have to do. But you get my point.

Organising time is not really something most people have to worry about until they’ve left sixth form, and even then the first year of university offers something of a lax introduction to Being A Real Person.

In most cases you just need to pass, so it doesn’t matter if you’re writing essays while also playing a drinking game involving Super Monkey Ball and homemade sambuca.

They weren't just ruining your fun But once the second year hits and you realise that actually it all counts, you suddenly have to learn those skills everyone was saying you’d need. Oh how you scoffed at the misguided fools – you were doing just fine, weren’t you? You’d clearly found some way to get by without charts, or plans. They were just trying to ruin your fun!

In second year, you have to learn how to study Now, however, you realise that they actually did have your best interests at heart, and it wasn’t just all a ruse to get you to stop sneaking around the house pretending you’re Sam Fisher from Splinter Cell and do some revision instead. Although that might have had something to do with it.

So, some worthy advice for you from this column for once. And I get to cross something off my to-do list (which is currently spread across several scraps of paper on my floor).

Everyone’s a winner.

POLITICS 13

MARCH.09.2009 POLITICS@gairrhydd.COM

Style or substance?

Damian Fantato considers the effect of personality politics. Is it possible for British politicians to ever supply both style and substance?

W

e consider it normal nowadays that the private lives of our politicians are public property, and we pay particular attention to the personality of our leaders.

In this country we have been bemoaning our bad luck that politicians care about ‘style over substance’ to the extent that it has become a cliché. This seems to have intensified since the advent of David Cameron: the man who films his family and never passes up an opportunity to make sure we know just what a nice chap he really is.

Gordon Brown, meanwhile, has been lauded in certain areas of the press for caring more about policies than how the public perceives him.

Those who accuse Cameron of being shallow often imply that personality is a new arrival on the political stage, something that is emphatically not the case.

Politics, particularly in Britain, has always been full of characters that have let their personal lives become a matter of public knowledge. In fact, this used to be considered a good thing. Churchill’s memorable com-

plaint about the notably boring Clement was that ‘an empty taxi pulled up and Attlee got out’. Lord Boothby, meanwhile, had a relationship with Harold Macmillan’s wife and Ronald Kray, which made the front page of the Sunday Express.

It is possible to have both style and substance A certain amount of charisma, therefore, can help you stand out above the political fray and speak out on what you think is right. Just look at Barack Obama. This is a man who can stand on a stage and keep an audience in rapture without ever straying off message.

Is personality politics a bad thing?

I would say not. Is it new? No. The one thing that has changed, however, is the fact that politicians nowadays never cease to let us know just how nice and normal they are. Whilst earlier politicians would not necessarily flaunt their private lives, modern

politicians make sure we know every detail. What is more, the politicians of the early 20th Century tended not to be the most savoury of characters; turning up to the House of Commons drunk would not be unusual, while extramarital affairs would be common.

Nowadays everybody has to be nice.

Even those politicians that claim not to concern themselves with matters of style are, in effect, claiming that they are nice and profound.

The reason for this seems to be the rising number of opportunities available for politicians to communicate with the voter. The internet has made sure that we are never too far away from the lives of our politicians. Politicians habitually set themselves up on Facebook or MySpace, and everybody remembers WebCameron. So does this make things worse?

To a certain extent, we are to blame for this. The fact that we keep buying Heat or OK has convinced our leaders that we have a constant hunger for every inane fact about the lives of everybody from Jordan to Gordon Brown, and they kindly oblige. Barack Obama has written two autobiog-

raphies already.

What we seem to be witnessing is the birth of a new kind of politician: one who is well versed in the art of flaunting themselves and making a big deal of their personality, despite the fact that they seemingly don’t have much of one. British politics is increasingly full of boring, middle of the road politicians who never cease to provide us with regular injections of their ‘personality’ via their webcams or blogs. The truly charismatic politicians who aren’t afraid to tell us what they really think, are meanwhile left outside in the cold.

cause Dave any problems.

Those who talk of ‘style over substance’ are offering us a false choice.

They are not mutually exclusive. Silvio Berlusconi, the gaffe-prone Italian Prime Minister, certainly can’t be accused of lacking a personality, yet even if you don’t agree with him he certainly has a clear idea of what he believes.

The best politicians, such as Barack Obama, offer us both style and substance in equal measure. The worst ones, such as Gordon Brown or David Cameron, may only offer us one or the other.

British politicians have become dull Just look at Boris Johnson, who spent several years as Shadow Culture Secretary before being fired for having an affair, something which would have been considered the norm 50 years ago but is now considered too dangerous. He has now been exiled to London’s City Hall where he can’t

Charming: Silvio Berlusconi

Robin De Peyer considers Gordon Brown's dour image and serious approach to politics, and asks if personality really is that vital.

L

ast week, an ICM poll for The Guardian newspaper revealed that, ahead of what could potentially prove the tightest general election in several decades, Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s image is discouraging voters from allowing Labour the opportunity of a third term in office.

Voters appear to be struggling to relate to Brown’s notoriously stuffy personality, with a clear-cut 63 per cent majority suggesting that Labour’s chances would be lifted under new leadership.

These results are particularly damaging when it is considered that, of those who voted for Labour in 2005, 45% would stick with Brown’s leadership while 49% would rather the party was under different leadership.

Brown had been expected to continue to gain support as the economic crisis worsened, as Labour’s argument that the Tories are ill-equipped to guide the UK back to a position of a world economic super-power has appeared to be gaining momentum.

Brown is widely considered to be a great asset to Labour in the current climate. Several Western countries endorsing his economic policies. helping Labour in their argument that they represent Britain’s best chance of beating the depression.

Shadow-Chancellor George Osborne and Conservative leader David

Cameron have shown their inexperience on several occasions in recent months. However the figures released

by The Guardian last week demonstrate that Cameron’s slick PR machine is working its magic as Brown’s dour image continues to indicate that voters are struggling to relate to him on a personal level.

Voters are demanding leaders with sound policies Such revelations inevitably raise issues over the changing nature of politics in the 21st Century, particular with the intricate role the media now plays in politics and the important ability of politicians’ to relate to voters.

The fact that the media remains a political force to be reckoned with is indisputable, despite Cabinet Office minister Liam Byrne’s recent assertion that; ‘The idea that [the] Daily Mail sets the agenda for government is in the past.’ Whilst this is largely true, The Daily Mail, along with any other newspaper, magazine or TV broadcaster, has serious potential to influence the voting habits and choices of large portions of the population.

Such an outlook therefore throws significant light on the recent results concerning Brown’s declining popu-

larity, with tabloid newspapers seemingly keen to emphasise Brown’s interpersonal inadequacies. The Daily Mail’s headline of ‘You’re not flash Gordon, just boring’ typifies the approach of traditionally right-of-centre publications in reporting Brown’s politics, and goes some way towards demonstrating the media’s ability to influence the voting habits of much of the population. Whilst the government now appears less susceptible to the whims and demands of the media, the British public seem less resilient.

Whilst sections of the media appear to be undermining Brown’s chances of being re-elected, David Cameron fully understands the importance of public relations and smooth talking in relation to 21st Century politics: "Do you basically understand the instincts of those you’re trying to govern?

That’s all about character, and in the end I think that’s more important than any one particular policy."

The British public remain swayed by the mass media Cameron’s focus on personality rather than policy carries significant weight, especially given the recent revelations in the opinion polls. However, it also serves to reinforce all that

is at fault in British politics today.

Charisma is undoubtedly important, but for Cameron to say that his character, not his policies, will guide us out of the economic and social doldrums in which we now find ourselves stranded, is beyond despicable.

The contrast between Brown and Cameron could not be greater, but neither appears fully equipped with all the ingredients of a successful 21st Century leader. Increasingly, particularly in light of the election of Barack Obama, voters are demanding leaders with sound policies, but with lifestyles and personalities that they can relate to.

British politics is currently at a crossroads.

Brown’s image is lacking and his policies receiving international acclaim, while Cameron’s image is blossoming and his policies are under fire for being too vague and smacking of inexperience.

The happy medium evident in American politics remains, unfortunately, a dis-

tant proposition for the UK, with no standout leaders waiting in the wings to replace the ‘notso-flash Gordon.’

14 POLITICS

MARCH.09.2009 POLITICS@gairrhydd.COM

To join or not to join Deep in recession, is now a good time for Britain to join the Euro? Paul Stollery and Jake Gooding argue both sides

YES Paul Stollery Politics reporter

P

ounds Sterling is the oldest currency in the world. We all love a good bit of heritage, but in today’s climate we must ask ourselves how much money we are willing to lose for the sake of nostalgia.

The world is getting smaller, metaphorically speaking at least. Every company from the Dorothy’s chip shop to the multinational entity that is McDonalds depends on foreign trade.

Fact.

Whether the company is selling directly to foreign markets,or simply importing their stock from cheap overseas sources, everyone relies on foreign trade and therefore every company’s profits, and indeed losses, are governed by exchange rates.

For Britain to survive in this ever-

shrinking, ever-richer world (credit crunch aside), we need to be part of one large market, such as that in the USA. To be part of such a market would not only allow sellers to reach a larger audience, but allow buyers to source from a wider and therefore cheaper range of suppliers.

This is the reason Margaret Thatcher helped create the tax-free European Single Market in the first place. We need a large, unified marketplace, and it has become clear that we need a single currency to achieve that.

Many people who oppose the idea of joining the Euro are quick to point out that economically speaking, we are closer to the United States than Europe. Our ‘business cycles’ are more closely linked, so we may have o u r re-

cessions and our ‘booms’ at similar times to our transatlantic cousins.

However, with an estimated 50 per cent of our foreign trade going directly to the Euro zone, mainland Europe is our biggest foreign market. To put this into perspective, just 16 per cent goes to America.

So why is it that we so desperately need to ditch our independent currency to be part of a large unified market?

Many will argue that in this little credit crisis we’ve found ourselves in over the past year or two, the free-floating currency has saved us from further turmoil. They’re wrong.

Most economic boffins have agreed that out of all the

Europe is by far our biggest foreign market today At the current point in time, trying to predict the future exchange rates affecting Sterling is about as worthwhile as trying to predict the sound of a song before hearing it. To use a cliché, it is a lottery. Foreign companies have no idea either.

Think about it. If we are trying to raise investment to build, for example, a new shopping centre to revitalise an area and create a couple of thousand jobs in the process, we may choose to go abroad to raise funds.

Having established w e have

less than no clue what the exchange rate is going to be next week, let alone next year, why on earth would any foreign company invest in the UK? If exchange rates are going to continue to fluctuate like they currently are (25 per cent in the last twelve months), foreign investors are much more likely to simply eliminate the ‘exchange rate risk’ and put their money into a project within their own currency.

In that respect independent fiscal policy puts us at a disadvantage, as with every change comes increased uncertainty. Effectively it's a case of short-term gains for long-term drawbacks.

Trade has grown 20 per cent faster in the countries within the Euro-zone compared to European countries outside the monetary union. Currently we’re lagging behind, just as we did before we joined the European Union in 1973.

However with every passing year the benefits recede slightly as the Euro grows and we lose the influence to dictate our terms of entry.

It is an inevitable necessity; we need to join, and we need to join now.

NO

Jake Gooding Politics reporter

T

he current recession dramatically besieging the UK has reopened debate as to whether or not Britain should join the Euro. It’s not uncommon to hear sentiments such as ‘if we had the Euro we wouldn’t be in this mess’.

It’s often highlighted that the pound has fallen sharply since the onset of the credit crunch. Isn’t the fact that the pound has devalued during the crisis a prime example of why we shouldn’t join the Euro?

Surely, the variability allows us to create additional value for money on our exports in harsh times to revive the economy, whilst strength during times of plenty allows for cheaper imports.

In fact, there are several countries which are not part of the Euro whose economies are performing just as well or in some cases more strongly than those that have adopted the Euro. For instance, Norway and Switzerland have kept their respective currencies and they are doing just fine. The same thing is happening with Canada and the US. Clearly free trade agreements can exist and prosper without a single currency.

countries in the world, the UK will be the worst hit, and that includes America. Oh yes, the free-floating currency has worked marvelously.

With the single currency also comes a complete loss of control of monetary policy: yet another drawback that arises when considering taking up the Euro. We would have no input in the creation of the policy, yet our economies would have to implement them.

It might be the right policy for other countries such as Italy or Germany, but their economies are structured differently than the UK's. I also don’t think that monetary policy has ever been considered a panacea which can work in over 20 different member states.

In fact, it has even been suggested that some former Communist countries whose economies are suffering terribly

Several countries without the Euro are still doing well at the moment may devalue the single currency. If this happens, the value of the currency used in France, Germany etc. will devalue, leaving them with a weak currency and limited actions they could take to change the situa-

tion.

Overall, it may have been a completely different picture if we had joined the Euro when the currency was first launched. But the problems faced by entering into it later are too numerous to seriously contemplate. When we were first considering membership of the Euro we ended up with Black Monday which resulted in a crash of the pound, which was based on speculators selling pounds short in the knowledge that the British government would be forced to buy pounds to keep the pound equal to three Marks. It’s quite possible that this would happen again, with equally disastrous consequences.

Since the Euro has been introduced, generally speaking the growth of the British economy has been stronger

than many of its European counterparts. Obviously this is not including the new member states, but it is arguable that their strong growth is arising from investment (a consequence of a free trade area and low labour costs).

I remember when the UK was outperforming the ‘Eurozone’ and while they suffered recession the UK economy continued to grow.

The Euro is not a simple panacea for the credit crunch Regardless of the assumed benefits of joining, it is not just something we can ‘pull out of’; once we have it, we have it. It would be either incredibly difficult or nigh on impossible for us to leave - this would be absolutely disastrous if the currency were to fail.

Yep, this is one issue where I think it’s definitely better for our European buddies to experiment with.

LETTERS 15

MARCH.09.2009 LETTERS@gairrhydd.COM

letters@gairrhydd.com All My Sins Dear gair rhydd, Amidst the boredom of another lecture, I found myself indulged in an article about the demise of Wednesday nights in the Union once again. However, I'm not the slightest bit surprised by this, and in my humble opinion it's due to the downfall of something else to do with the University, IMG, and most noticeably IMG rugby.

Think about it, if IMG rugby underwent a rebirth to its former glory, the ticket sales would shoot up.

Nowhere else in Cardiff on a weekday offers or would allow/cope with five or six teams of half man/ half bear parading around in bikinis and skirts covered in body paint and throwing up over each after the 20th pint, (you fresher shit!). This sort of thing can only go on in the Union,

you can bet your ass Oceana and Revs wouldn't put up with the levels of vomit and sheer testosterone that a rugby social induces. Added to that, ticket sales would then go up exponentially when all the young, desperate quim and the netball teams realise that the only way they can get poleaxed by a bear on a Wednesday is to return to the Union. It makes sense. Now IMG football's going down the shitter, Sin Bin is truly f***ed. If you want to save Sin Bin, you need to save IMG first. Over to you Lammy.

Matthew Wade

Fickle Freedom Fighters Dear gair rhydd, This is the first time I have

written to any kind of paper, but I felt compelled to after your article “Victory”, concerning the protest over Cardiff’s investment in ‘arms company’ BAE systems, caught my eye. Well, I say caught my eye, more infuriated me.

What right do these dreadlock wearing lunatics have to tell the University what to do with its money? If I disagreed with their investments would I go into their house, commandeer a bedroom, burn some incense, then sing Kumbayah?

NO! Of course not! As long as it provides a decent education the university should be free to do anything it feels like with its money, use it for loft-insulation, burn it in front of the homeless, anything. It’s THEIR money. If these students disagree with how it’s spent then they are free to choose another university.

As for Cardiff’s investment in BAE, £225,000 is quite modest considering the company's £2.4

billion profits last year. It wouldn’t even pay for the wing tip of the company’s Eurofighter! The same plane used by the RAF. I wouldn’t have minded the protest so much, but for the drivel spouted by those involved. “This is a victory for Gaza,” said Megan Price. Just how was this piss-poor glorified bunk-off in anyway a victory for the people of that country? And as for “raising awareness” these people clearly missed the months of news coverage. What do they expect from this pathetic display? For Israel to say “My God! Some philosophy students in Cardiff nicked a lecture theatre for two days and missed their one lecture! Things are getting serious!”?

This whole display was patronising and disrespectful to the people of Gaza.

As part of their demands the protestors called for the removal of all Israeli products in the union shop.

I am unable to think of a single

the Comments from the week’s news, opinion, features and sport at www.gairrhydd.com Protesting the Protest zachary esterson ------As a Jewish student, I was rather disturbed to see that the alleged victims of BAe systems on whose behalf protestors were chiefly concerned were those of Israeli Jews.

US, UK and NATO forces equipted with rather more BAe systems have killed over 27 000 civilians in Afghanistan, many more in Iraq.

Yet the giant coffin apparently represented none of these, only the 1400 Gazans killed in the recent conflict, a far higher proportion of whom were combatants than among those killed by American or European cultural Christians (and perhaps by other people of other creeds or cultures also equipped with BAe systems).

However disproportionate one might regard Israeli responses to Gazan missiles, no Iraqi or Afghani missiles fell on US, British or European towns or cities. Yet these last have arguably used BAe systems to kill rather more with considerably less justification.

Further, since as a disabled student I was unable to address any protestors in person, I spoke to an organiser on his mobile. He confirmed that he wished to see all Israeli academic publications banned from the Union bookshop. I explained that in my research I need to consult some of the latest papers from Israeli universities

and academics, and that such a ban would disproportionately adversely affect Hebrew and Jewish studies, not to mention Jewish students engaged in them.

I hope we shall not have a situation such as pervades at SOAS where the Union of Jewish Students may not hold activities in the union because it reflects the pro-Israel and Zionist affinities and sympathies which most of its members hold.

Like most Jews, I do not think Zionism is a dirty word, and I have a broad, if critical, sympathy for Israel and the Jewish national movement that bore it.

I hope the university of the capital of a country in which it is considered perfectly acceptable for British or other cultural Christians, Muslims or others to be pro-Welsh or Palestinian Christian and Muslim nationalist will not deny Jews the equivalent right to sympathise with the Jewish nationalism that effected for the Jewish dispossessed of the earth a return to an historical homeland the like of which Welsh and Palestinians have had the privilege to enjoy for centuries.

of Jewish people that felt they had to stay away from the main building for fear of intimidation and this is not an acceptable way to form a protest.

Whilst I support the uni backing out from the funding of the arms trade, for this campaign to be hijacked by people wanting to make an opinion on the Middle East is not right.

The fears of students on campus was legitimate as this occupation was a model on other universities such as Manchester which has seen threatening and violent behavior towards other students.

Sam Knight -------

Adamski -------

As ethical and environmental officer I would like to make my views clear as I am mentioned in the article but was never asked my opinion before this went to press.

I am against any occupation that intimidates other students. I am aware

Zachary seeks to conflate a political position – support for the Israeli state, with being Jewish.

In fact, many Jews oppose the policies of the Israeli government, and many non-Jewish people also support the actions of the Israeli state.

One can recall the powerful speech

Marcelo Svirsky ------Unfortunately, I wasn’t aware of the demonstration last week; I want to submit my total support and admiration for those activists and their important achievement. Hope it is a sign for more.

I’m from Israel, conducting a post-doctoral research here in Cardiff University. I adhere to the just cause of pressing Israel to change its policies.

product I have ever bought in my life that ever started in Israel. Not one.

These protestors aren’t Gandhi, they weren’t really trying to help anyone, and after being asked to leave they gave up. Why not stay a bit longer? Until everyone sits up and takes notice? These are obviously the actions of people for whom a plight is like a fad, this week Gaza next week ‘Save the whale’. So well done everyone, congratulations on your self-centred self-satisfying protest, Gaza thanks you.

This was a shameful display by all involved.

Shame on you protestors.

Shame on you the security guards and lecturers who allowed this.

And most of all shame on the University for giving in to the demands of a narrow minded few who obviously had nothing better to do during their degree.

Peter Cullen

forum

made by a former Jewish founder of Labour Friends of Israel in parliament, Gerald Kaufman MP for Manchester Gorton: 'My grandmother was ill in bed when the Nazis came to her home town of Staszow. A German soldier shot her dead in her bed. My grandmother did not die to provide cover for Israeli soldiers murdering Palestinian grandmothers in Gaza.’

One should also recall that the head of Liberal Judaism in Britain refused to speak at pro-Israel rally during the recent conflict choosing to speak at peace rally organised by Muslim organisations.

One of the occupiers was a Jewish student at Cardiff University, the occupation received messages of support from probably the most famous Jewish intellectual alive today – Professor Noam Chomsky and also from the respected Israeli historian, Ilan Pappe. The Manchester sit-in that Sam Knight slurs has received messages of support from Israeli academics also.

The occupation also discussed building up links with the Shministim, the movement of Israeli Jewish sixth-form students. As people may be aware many Israeli teenagers and students are currently in prison because they refused to do compulsory military service or take part in military operations against the Palestinians.

Finally, I would ask Sam Knight to immediately retract his offensive comments. The occupation was entirely peaceful and was a stand for

universal human rights that are unfortunately denied to the people of Palestine. As someone with ‘Ethical’ in his title, I am disappointed with your failure to affirm that Palestinians must be given their human rights.

Finally Sam, one of my heroes has always been Ronnie Kasrils, one of the leaders of the ANC struggle against Apartheid, and most well known Jewish political figure in South Africa, who has written: “The violence of the apartheid regime, as inhuman as it was, ‘was a picnic’ (in the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu) in comparison with the utter brutality of Israel’s occupation of Palestine. I refer to the whole of Biblical Palestine from which Palestinian Arabs have been driven or are struggling to survive from the 1948 ethnic cleansing to the violence in the occupied West Bank and Gaza today. We did not see tanks with guns blazing protecting armored bulldozers reducing homes and bones to dust. We did not see helicopter gunships ‘taking out’ militants with their families, children and their homes with calculated precision. In South Africa we did not see the destruction by bombing of apartment blocks such as in Rafah in the Gaza Strip where children were sleeping. We did not see town centers such as Jenin and Ramallah razed to the ground reminiscent of the bloody suppression of the Jewish uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Second World War.”

16 FEATURES

MARCH.09.2008 FEATURES@gairrhydd.COM

Red Nose Da

As Comic Relief prepares to break the staggering £40 million raise Cardiff University students can help with this year's efforts and lo

I

t’s that time again. Celebrities willingly look ridiculous by wearing red noses to raise awareness of the fact that, very soon, even more celebrities will be making even bigger fools of themselves - all in the name of charity.

While it doesn’t seem like a whole two years since Girls Aloud and the Sugababes slaughtered the Aerosmith classic Walk This Way, Red Nose Day 2009 is nearly upon us.

And although it seems difficult to accept that an event which in the past has urged us to buy Gareth Gates’ Spirit in the Sky and Westlife’s Uptown Girl can be a force for good, Red Nose Day helps raise millions of pounds for Comic Relief.

In 1985, when most of us weren’t even born, Ethiopia was in the midst of a crippling famine. Whereas Bob Geldof decided to raise money through music, Richard Curtis decided to raise money through comedy, making people laugh in order to raise money for people in dire need.

Comic Relief was launched on Christmas Day 1985 with the first Red Nose Day being held in 1988, raising

£15 million.

Since then, the eleven Red Nose Days have raised over £420 million, with all money going directly to Comic Relief projects.

While most charities use at least a

Around 50 million red noses have been sold in the last 24 years small proportion of their donations for running costs, Comic Relief proudly guarantees that all operating costs are covered by supporters, such as corporate sponsors and donors, rather than contributors.

The money raised is allocated to a wide range of projects in the United Kingdom and Africa, with Comic Relief describing their vision as ‘a just world without poverty.'

In Africa, Comic Relief supports a variety of projects. It aims to support people affected by conflict, people living in urban slums, and people affected by HIV and AIDS.

Sub-Saharan Africa is more heavily affected by HIV and AIDS than any other region in the world, Comic Relief provides grants for a number of different projects which reduce their impact and prevalence.

One of these is Habitat for Humanity, an national African project which builds homes for AIDS orphans.

Comic Relief also helps enables poor and disadvantaged women and girls in Africa to have greater access to education, health care and the opportunity for them to earn an income.

As well as this, it also tries to enable families to support themselves through trade. One Comic Relieffunded project gives loans to people with no income to grow fruit and vegetables on their own stall.

Over time these people can make a profit, pay back the loan and thus support their own families and pay for their children’s education. Rather than simply throwing money at people, this project enables families to work their own way out of poverty.

Here in the UK, Comic Relief supports people with a wide range of problems. Young people are at the heart of many Comic Relief funded

How you can help...

Buy

! e s o an

This year you have a choice of three different noses, so choose your favourite or buy all three!

This year’s t-shirts are actually quite cool. Designed by Stella McCartney, you can choose between three iconic images of Morecambe and Wise, The Beatles, or Madonna wearing red noses.

Be

! k e e ag

On Thursday 12th March, Bounce at Walkabout is having a geek themed night. For everyone dressed as a geek Bounce will donate 50p to Comic Relief, and if you really can’t face a night out looking a bit silly you can buy a red glowstick.

The Union will be holding a series of events for Comic Relief, including Grab a Grand. But instead of grabbing cash, (sadly the Union budget doesn’t stretch that far…), you will be grabbing red balls. Ahem.

ny! n u f t

Ge

Buy hir t!

a t-s

Com e to Unio the n!

This year’s theme is ‘do something funny for money’, so why not get sponsored to do something silly? Go to lectures in fancy dress, get your face painted, anything as long as it’s funny!

projects, from keeping young people away from gangs, supporting young people with substance issues to helping young people get out of prostitution.

The eleven Red Nose Days held so far have raised £420 million At the other end of the scale, the elderly are one group also helped, with Comic Relief supporting vulnerable and isolated older people and helping tackle the issue of elder abuse. Did you know that nearly two- thirds of older people in Cardiff have no relatives?

Age Concern Cardiff makes visits to care homes, talking to older people about their concerns and making sure older people get the services they need. Comic Relief has spent £70,584 on this project over three years.

Other vulnerable people helped are victims of domestic violence. Bridgend Women’s Aid works with women and children who have experienced domestic violence and a grant from Comic Relief of £97,861 has helped

the project respond to the needs of those affected, including offering one to one support for young women who have suffered domestic violence.

Comic Relief also supports those with mental health issues. 80% of people with long term mental health problems remain unemployed despite a high desire to work, and Cardiff Mind has tried to address this issue.

Comic Relief has given £75,917 to the Mind Diggers Project gives people with mental health issues the opportunity to do voluntary work in gardens and to gain formal NVQ qualifications in order to build both their confidence and their skills.

All these different projects in the UK and Africa have the common aim of changing lives for the better.

Can Comic Relief continue to raise such amounts in the recession?

Whilst the aims of Comic Relief are very serious, its methods are not.

Its aim has always been to get people to donate their money by making them laugh, and the red nose has been sym-

MARCH.09.2008 FEATURES@gairrhydd.COM

ay 2009

FEATURES 17

ed on 2007's Red Nose Day, Daniella Graham finds out how ooks at the history of the charity event bolic of this.

Over the eleven Red Nose Day campaigns over 50 million red noses have been sold, with each campaign having its own unique nose.

For me, the first red nose I purchased was the fluffy red nose in 1997, although I admit this was mainly just so I could be like the Spice Girls in the Who Do You Think You Are? video (in my defence, I was eight years old at the time.)

In 1999 we saw a glittery red nose, and the terrible single that was Boyzone’s When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going.

£25 could pay for a nutritious lunch for over 600 children in Zambia

DOING HIS BIT: Comic Relief advocate Lenny Henry dons his red nose

Where your money goes... £1 £5

could pay for a

hot meal for a young homeless person school uniform

for a child living in extreme poverty in could pay for a Africa, where children can only attend school if they have a uniform.

£10

could pay for a young person living with domestic violence at home to talk to a

counsellor.

basic provisions

£15

could pay for two months’ worth of allowing an orphaned child in South Africa to go to school rather than have to work long and hard days.

£25

could pay for a dren living in extreme poverty in Zambia.

£75

hot, nutritious lunch for over 600 chil-

could provide a family in Africa with a loan to start their own

stall or other small businesses

market

2001 saw a nose with a sticky out tongue, J. K Rowling’s special Harry Potter books, and Celebrity Big Brother, which according to the Comic Relief website has the (somewhat dubious) honour of being the first celebrity reality show.

In 2003 there was a red nose with hair and the interesting musical experience that was Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, 2005 a nose with multi coloured hair and in 2007 they apparently ran out of ideas so just made a really big nose. It clearly worked though, as 2007 saw the most successful Red Nose Day yet, raising £67,250,099.

But the question is, can Red Nose Day continue to raise such staggering amounts in the midst of a recession? With people tightening their purse strings, will people be willing to give away their money to people they will almost certainly never even meet?

Comic Relief is certainly pulling out all the stops to try and persuade us to part with our hardearned cash.

Is-

lands in the Stream has been covered by the quite frankly genius combination of Tom Jones and Gavin and Stacey’s Nessa and Bryn, complete with equally hilarious video.

While the idea of celebrities re enacting famous dances for the programme Let’s Dance for Comic Relief would seemingly have limited comedy value, Robert Webb’s interpretation of Flashdance complete with black leotard proved otherwise.

And if that wasn’t enough for you, a selection of celebrities including Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles and Alesha Dixon are climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. If Chris Moyles is climbing the highest peak in Africa, perhaps donating a couple of quid for a good cause isn’t such a big ask after all…

For more information on Comic Relief and this year’s Red Nose Day go to www.rednoseday.com

18 FEATURES

MARCH.09.2009 FEATURES@gairrhydd.COM

“Nobody wants brain surg Imagine losing control of yourself for minutes at a time, without even being aware of it. For Caitlin Dalgleish, who suffers from epilepsy, this was a part of life - until she decided to take drastic action. Ben Bryant reports...

I

t’s the confusion that hits her first. The curious looks from friends and observers, the alarm bells ringing in her head, the gut feeling that something is wrong. Then the slow awareness that she has not, in fact, been doing what she thought she was doing, and the creeping feeling of insecurity, and finally the numb, dawning realization that she has experienced a seizure.

Caitlin Dalgleish sometimes finds it difficult to trust what her own mind is telling her. She has had epilepsy since the age of eight. But Caitlin, now 22, does not experience violent seizures.

She has never suffered physical injury as a result of her epilepsy. And it was only when Caitlin first arrived at university in 2005 that she began to feel that epilepsy actually had an impact on her lifestyle.

“Before I went to uni at Cardiff I travelled to Africa and never felt my illness affected me,” she says. “Even when I applied to Cardiff I didn’t even think about it. It was only when I got there and had my first seizure that I realized I was alone and didn’t know anybody.”

Caitlin suffers from Right Temporal Mesial Schlorosis, a form of epilepsy that affects the right temporal lobe of the brain. The seizures that she experiences are complex partial seizures, which lead to a partial loss of consciousness and a lack of awareness of what she is doing. They typically last for up to two minutes, they don’t lead to collapse and Caitlin rarely remembers them.

It’s easy to miss a complex partial seizure. It looks a little like the individual is locked in an extended daydream. The sufferer usually pauses for an indefinite period of time, perhaps performing some kind of repetitive movement such as chewing. They are unresponsive. When the seizure ends, they return to normal, sometimes not realising they have experienced a seizure.

But while the actual physical impact of Caitlin’s condition is minimal, it has had a profound affect on her self-confidence. It is an effect that

became much more noticeable when Caitlin first came to university: “Before I came to Cardiff I travelled to Africa and never felt that my illness affected me. And when I applied to Cardiff it didn’t really affect me because I didn’t really think about it. It was only when I got there and had my first seizure that I realised I was alone and didn’t know anybody!”

“It was only when I came to Cardiff and had my first seizure that I realised I was alone” That first seizure, which took Caitlin completely by surprise, set a pattern for the rest of her university experience. The seizures shook her confidence, since they set her apart from her peers and were often misinterpreted by the people she knew.

“I’m quite self-conscious and I don’t like to be centre of attention, and I think this is because of my epilepsy,” she explains. “It was upsetting when people came up to me after every seizure I had asking me if I was OK.” Seizures are caused by a sudden burst of excess electrical activity in the brain, which temporarily disrupts the normal messages passing between brain cells. This disruption results in the brain’s messages becoming halted or mixed up. In most cases, as in Caitlin’s case, doctors do not understand exactly what causes epilepsy, and at the moment there is no cure.

This lack of understanding makes epilepsy even more frustrating for its sufferers. A seizure can strike at any moment without warning, and for a student already situated in a relatively unstructured environment, this can be difficult. The unpredictability of her condition, coupled with the fear of rejection by her friends, made it difficult for her to form friendships at first: “It became an issue. I felt I had to tell people after a certain amount of time - when I trusted them. It was

always in the back of my mind that some people wouldn’t want to be my friend if they witnessed a seizure.

Luckily enough, I met some lovely friends early on and I felt I could be myself without them caring if I had a seizure in front of them” However, the demands of university lifestyle quickly caught up with Caitlin. She couldn’t drink as much as typical freshers, because alcohol increased her risk of seizures. She found it difficult to trust new people at first. And her daytime lifestyle revolved around lectures, which left her enclosed in a room for long periods of time with hundreds of people she didn’t know - and only a handful who knew her and understood her condition: “At first, no-one knew I had epilepsy other than university admin side, since I had to declare it on my application. But I don’t think even my tutor knew! There are so many people at Cardiff and lectures are so full that I don’t blame the lecturers for not knowing.”

While the seizures themselves were relatively harmless, the fear of seizures began to become an obsession for Caitlin. She could not remember what she did during a seizure, which made her feel insecure and affected her self-confidence. Worse still, her medication wasn’t working.

“My type of epilepsy occurred at any time of day and it wouldn’t matter if I had taken my medication on time or eaten the right meals. I was unlucky to be out of the bracket of seven out of ten who find the right medication.”

Like most epilepsy sufferers, Caitlin took medication in an attempt to reduce the frequency of her seizures.

Epilepsy is usually controlled through anti-epileptic drugs, which must be taken daily. Doctors do not totally understand how anti-epileptic drugs work, but their effectiveness is scientifically proven and about 70 per cent of people with epilepsy have their seizures completely controlled in this way. Unfortunately, however, Caitlin fell outside of this bracket.

Caitlin stuck with her degree - a BA in Communication - throughout her

first year, hoping that her condition or confidence would improve. However, instead things became more difficult.

Caitlin started having more seizures and, as a result, became more and more nervous. She stopped attending lectures and became reclusive, staying in her room for long periods of time.

Despite the best efforts of her friends, Caitlin found it difficult to relax in social situations. She felt that she had changed as a person altogether:

“I became a recluse and never wanted to go out!

I knew this wasn't like me at all.”

“In my first year, surprisingly, I felt calmer and more at ease. It was only in my 2nd yr that I started having more seizures and felt more isolated and stopped attending lectures.”

“I became a recluse and never wanted to go out!” she continues. “I knew this wasn’t like me at all. This

probably had more to do with the fact I was told that I had a one in 20 chance of having no seizures on any type of medication – so I felt, what is the point?”

It was this sense of helplessness that finally drove Caitlin to make a tough decision. In 2007, midway through her course, she dropped out and returned home. She decided to get a consultation for neurosurgery, which she hoped would help put paid to her condition for good.

The point of most epilepsy surgical procedures is to accurately localise and then completely remove or destroy the epileptogenic region without affecting the normal function of the brain. Like any operation, it carries risks, and so surgery is only offered to epileptics if there is a reasonably high chance of success. The risks vary according to the type of epilepsy. In the hands of a skilled surgeon, the risk of infection or clotting is usually low. However, an important factor determining the risk of surgery is the relationship of the target site to functionally important or ‘eloquent’ brain regions, because injury to these ‘eloquent’ areas can cause irreversible damage. To make matters

FEATURES 19

MARCH.09.2009 FEATURES@gairrhydd.COM

gery. It was a last resort”

Epileptic and extraordinary

Rightly or wrongly, for centuries epilepsy has been linked with genius. Here are a few its most exceptional sufferers: Caitlin and a friend at

y 2006 Cardiff University, Ma

ing surgery”.

“But if I’m honest, if I had never had surgery or it hadn’t been successful, I don’t think I would be at university now,” she muses. “Knowing how much it upset me in my second year…

I don’t think I could go through that again. Having said that, I have been seizure-free for ten months, so all is looking good seeing as I used to have at least one a week!”

Not only did Charles Dickens suffer from epilepsy, but its influence permeates his novels: many of his characters suffer from epilepsy, such as Monks in Oliver Twist.

Charles Dickens

“If I had never had surgery, I don’t think I would be going to university now” Caitlin Dalgleish, who suffers from epilepsy, with boyfriend Colin even more complicated, the location of functionally important areas can only be approximated, since it varies from individual to individual.

In most cases, doctors do not understand what causes epilepsy, and there is currently no cure For Caitlin, as for most sufferers, neurosurgery was always a last resort.

“Nobody wants brain surgery,” she asserts. “But it was either that or hope that one day I would find a medication that would work which could probably take a while!”

Caitlin underwent brain surgery in Christmas 2007. The low-risk operation involved the actual removal of a small part of Caitlin’s brain – the focus point from which the seizures emanated. The operation was a resounding success, and Caitlin has been seizure -free ever since.

Not everyone is so lucky – or so brave. Many sufferers’ conditions can be more complicated, and they may choose not to undergo neurosurgery at all. Depending on the severity of the condition, surgical procedures can range from small, localized procedures, to a hemispherectomy – the complete removal of one side of the brain. Understandably, the risks and consequences vary according to how the epilepsy manifests itself. Even if the operation is successful, there is not always a guarantee that it will prevent seizures. However, many patients notice a dramatic reduction in the number of seizures.

And if the operation is a success, the adjustment that it takes for an individual to come to terms with a life without seizures can change them completely. Caitlin is now back at university, studying Early Childhood Studies and Special Education Needs at the University of East London. But the legacy of her condition still haunts her: “Having epilepsy has controlled me as a person. I’m still that kind of person now even though I have been seizure-free for 18 months after hav-

Caitlin hopes to graduate in 2011.

But does she ever worry that she might experience another seizure and relapse to her former self?

“I do have the occasional worry.

If I feel a little sick or light headed, does this mean I’m going to fit again?

But the way I see it is that life is too short and there are far more important things to worry about. So, to anyone who has epilepsy at university, I don’t want this to sound disastrous because I have had a great life with and without it. I wouldn’t be the person I am without epilepsy.”

Richard Burton lived his life in fear of what he termed “this thing in my head”. Suspicious of doctors, he medicated himself with alcohol, which he said was “a cure of sorts”.

Richard Burton

Musician Neil Young experienced seizures onstage in his youth, but claims to have learnt to control them in later life.

Neil Young

If you suffer from epilepsy and are finding university life difficult, visit the Student Support centre at 50 Park Place or the Advice and Representation centre on the third floor of the Students’ Union. Both offer confidential advice and support to students. For more information about epilepsy, visit www.epilepsy.org.uk.

EPILEPSY: THE SCIENCE BEHIND SEIZURES >>page 21

Doctors’ reports suggest that Van Gogh suffered from seizures throughout life, which Van Gogh described in vivid detail to his brother. Some believe that the famous ear-cutting moment may have resulted from a seizure.

Vincent Van Gogh

MARCH.09.2009 SCIENCE@gairrhydd.COM

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT 21

Seizing the initiative

Priya Raj investigates the facts about epilepsy and its causes, and the various treatments available to sufferers of the illness

E

pilepsy, or recurrent seizures, is one of the most common conditions affecting the brain. One person in 50 will have epilepsy at some point in their life, and about 450,000 people in the UK have the condition.

The brain consists of more than 100 billion nerve cells. These all communicate with one another; some provoke others into sending further messages (excitation), while others tend to block them (inhibition).

The proper working of the brain depends on a balance: too many nerve cells sending messages at once without enough being blocked can produce a sort of electrical storm - or a seizure.

Common causes include brain damage from birth injuries, head injuries, stroke, brain tumours and alcoholism.

Some seizures probably have a genetic basis, although it's rare for epilepsy to run in families. Several types of epilepsy have been linked to defective genes that regulate how brain cells communicate with each other, but only a few rare types of the disorder are known to arise from specific gene defects. Otherwise, it appears that abnormalities in any of several hundred genes may play a role in the development of epilepsy. Although some forms of epilepsy tend to run in families, genetic inheritance plays only a partial role in causing epilepsy - perhaps by making a person more susceptible to environmental factors that cause seizures. However, no one cause has been found.

We're all at risk of developing epilepsy; in fact, each of us has a one in 50 chance of developing the condition at some point in our lives.

In most cases, it's possible to stop seizures with few side effects James Newton, a second year Art student has lived with the disease since he was a child: “It was difficult in the beginning, when I was at school my parents always used to worry about me having a seizure and injuring myself. Now I’m much more capable of sorting out my medications and generally looking after myself.�

Seizures can occur without any obvious cause, but the risk is much greater in those who've had brain damage.

These seizures can occur many years after the injury.

Certain recreational drugs (cocaine, for example) and alcohol can induce seizures. And while the first seizures can be brought on by the drug in question, eventually spontaneous seizures may occur even after drug use has

and how quickly the 'storm' spreads.

Seizures can take many forms and don't always involve losing consciousness or convulsions (when the muscles relax and tighten rhythmically). Most are sudden and short-lived, lasting a matter of seconds or minutes.

Simple partial seizures may be no more than the rhythmical twitching of part or all of a limb, an unusual taste, or a sensation of pins and needles in one part of the body. These can develop into other sorts of seizures, and are sometimes called 'warnings' or 'auras'.

Surgical treatment is appropriate for some patients if medication fails

HE'S LOST CONTROL: Ian Curtis famously had epilepsy stopped.

Epilepsy, except in rare circumstances, isn't inherited, although the risk of developing epilepsy may be increased slightly in relatives of those who have the condition.

Not all epileptic fits involve a loss of consciousness or convulsions There are two types of seizure: partial seizures, which begin in one part of the brain, then spread to affect other parts. A person having a partial seizure may or may not lose consciousness. In addition there may be twitching of a finger or several fingers, a hand or arm, or a leg or foot.

Speech may become slurred, unclear, or unusual during the seizure. The person's vision might be affected temporarily. He or she might feel tingling throughout one side of the body. The second kind are generalised seizures, which start in both sides of the brain at once and cause the person to lose consciousness.

Most seizures last only a few seconds or minutes. After a seizure is over, the person might feel sleepy or confused for a few minutes or even an hour or more. People who've had seizures may not remember the seizure or what happened immediately before the event. They may be alert and ready to resume whatever they were doing before the seizure happened. It varies from person to person.

What a person experiences during a seizure and what's seen by others depends on where it starts and how far

Seizures should be considered as a possible cause of recurring episodes of confusion or strange behaviour, especially if the events are short-lived.

Absence seizures - a brief interruption of consciousness - should be suspected in children who are having repeated lapses in concentration lasting seconds.

Many myths and misconceptions surround epilepsy. Some date back to the Middle Ages, when seizures were thought to be a form of possession by spirits. Other myths have existed until more recent times, one being that epilepsy can be caused by masturbation, with castration used as a 'treatment'.

Once epilepsy has been diagnosed and the doctor has discussed this with the patients, an anti-epileptic drug (AED) will be prescribed to prevent further seizures.

The choice of drugs depends on the patient and the type of epilepsy they have. The initial dose will be low and gradually increased until the seizures stop.

Sometimes patients can experience side effects, especially with higher doses of drugs. The most common are drowsiness, unsteadiness and dizziness. Rare allergic reactions to some drugs can include rashes and various blood disorders. There may also be longer term side effects such as weight gain and acne.

If there are side effects or the seizures don't stop, the doctor will try another drug. In most cases it's possible to stop the seizures with minimal or no side effects.

For the AEDs to work, the patient has to take them continuously. Not taking drugs as instructed (what doctors call 'poor compliance') is a major cause of AED failure.

Suddenly stopping AEDs can cause prolonged, severe seizures. Withdrawal of drug therapy must, therefore, take place gradually.

Many AEDs interact with other drugs, so care has to be taken when starting other medication (for example, antibiotics or painkillers). Many also make the contraceptive pill less effective, so if you're on the pill you must discuss this with your doctor.

For those whose epilepsy doesn't respond to AEDs, surgical treatment is sometimes appropriate.

The assessment for surgery is complex and involves identifying a local brain abnormality that can be removed.

It also requires confirmation that the seizures are indeed originating from the abnormality and that removal of the abnormality won't cause unacceptable side effects (for example, stroke, memory and speech problems).

The most usual curative surgery is the removal of a scarred hippocampus, as this is a common cause of epilepsy that's resistant to drugs. (The hippocampus is a part of the brain involved in memory and is very susceptible to damage.)

Sometimes neurosurgery is used not to cure the epilepsy but simply to reduce the severity or frequency of the seizures by making it more difficult for the seizures to spread.

Vagal nerve stimulation is a form of surgical treatment that doesn't involve an operation on the brain. Instead, a stimulator (pace-maker) is placed under the skin and stimulates the vagus nerve in the neck. This is a major nerve that runs from the abdomen to the brain and controls many functions.

This form of treatment doesn't usually cure the epilepsy but can reduce seizure frequency and severity.

Seizures are a sort of electrical storm in the brain

Doctors are continuing to identify more and more underlying causes of epilepsy in patients whose epilepsy is resistant to drugs and, with improved surgical techniques, it's becoming increasingly possible to cure epilepsy through neurosurgery.

For patients who aren't suitable for such surgery, the pace of research and the development of more effective AEDs is positive news.

Other experimental, but potentially valuable, approaches have been advances in brain stimulation and the possibility of injecting very young cells (stem cells) into the brain to repair damaged brain tissue.

Ultimately it is important to remember that epilepsy is not the endall: there are many treatments and options available to patients with great effort in research being made, which is invaluable in terms of future management options.

TAF-OD 23

MARCH.09.2009 TAF-OD@gairrhydd.COM

Cynnwrf y brig yn galw

ou wrote over y k 2 debat the ee e in Jo

0,0 00 words

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iau bwyd! Os nad yw hynny’n apelio, gallech weithio dramor wrth deithio, sy’n gyfle perffaith i ddysgu iaith yn iawn. Mae rhai swyddi’n gweddu’n berffaith at flwyddyn fylchu, fel tymor sgïo neu fod yn aupair.

Erbyn hyn mae nifer yn gweld blwyddyn fylchu fel rhan o addysg, fel rhyw fath o ‘finishing school’ os liciwch chi. Mae’n rhoi profiad i chi o ddiwylliant arall, o wledydd eraill, yn ogystal ag efallai gwaith ar hyd y ffordd.

Felly, o’r holl ddewisiadau hyn, be ddwi am neud efo ’mlwyddyn fylchu? Wel, heblaw’r holl bethau dwi ’di sôn amdanyn nhw’n barod (mha raid mi ddewis be’n union i’w wneud gyntaf!), dwi ’di gwneud to do list bach del hefyd. Dio ddim mor gynhyrfus â’r gweddill – ma’n cynnwys dysgu gyrru, dysgu iaith arall, darllen lot (pob llyfr yn llyfrgell Bangor?!) a dod lawr i Gaerdydd gymaint ag sy’n bosib. Nes i’m meddwl faint fyddwn i’n methu’r lle pan ddechreuais i gynllunio’r flwyddyn yma, ond erbyn hyn dwi’n eithaf nerfus – blwyddyn o’r ddinas fach hon, a’r holl ffrindiau’ dwi ’di’u gneud! Eto, dwi’n sicr y gwnâi fwynhau’r holl brofiadau gwahanol gai dros y flwyddyn, ac mae’r nerfusrwydd yn gymysg efo chynnwrf.

Beth bynnag ydych chi – a minnau – yn dewis ei wneud, cofiwch fod yn ofalus a mwynhau bob munud!

e. lin on

F

el nifer o fyfyrwyr eraill, dwi am gymryd blwyddyn fylchu – ond yn wahanol i'r mwyafrif, ar ganol fy nghwrs, ond pa ots! Mae nifer angen bach o frêc rhwng ysgol a symud ymlaen i’r brifysgol, neu rhwng y brifysgol a mynd i’r byd gwaith llawn amser.

Mae’r profiadau yr ydych chi’n si r o’u cael dros y flwyddyn – profiad gwaith, profiad o ddiwylliant gwahanol, dysgu byw ar ddim pres – yn si r o aros gyda chi am oes. Felly beth yw’r opsiynau sydd ar gael?

Mae teithio o amgylch y byd, neu ran ohono, yn denu nifer, gydag Asia, Seland Newydd, Awstralia ac Ewrop (yn enwedig ‘InterRailing’) yn boblogaidd iawn. Mae modd prynu ticedi i fynd o amgylch y byd, a allai fod yn rhatach na phrynu nifer o dicedi gwahanol. Roedd STA Travel yn cynnig ticed Llundain –L.A. – Fiji – Ynysoedd Cook– Seland Newydd – Awstralia – Singapore – Gwlad Thai – Llundain am £800 off peak, ond roedd hi bron i fil yn ddrytach os oeddech chi am adael ar adeg fwy poblogaidd o’r flwyddyn. Yn ogystal, roedd y llwybr hwn yn erbyn taith nifer o Brydeinwyr, sy’n dueddol o fynd i Asia’n gyntaf, yna i lawr i Awstralia cyn mynd draw at America. Mae mynd y ffordd yma felly yn ei wneud

yn haws i wneud ffrindiau a theithio gyda hwy yn ystod y flwyddyn.

Dewis pwysig arall i’w wneud yw dewis i deithio ar ben eich hun neu mewn grwp. Os mewn grwp, gyda phwy? Un tip – peidiwch ddewis rhywun sy’n mynd ar eich nerfau! Mae rhai’n dewis mynd â phobl nad ydyn nhw’n eu hadnabod yn rhy dda cynt – digon i siarad amdano ar y ffordd mae’n sicr! Yn amlwg, mae’n rhaid bod yn ofalus iawn os ydych chi am deithio ar ben eich hun, yn enwedig os ydych chi’n ferch. Mae ’na wefannau ar gyfer merched sy’n teithio o amgylch y byd, fel www.gapyear.com/ gaplasses.

Opsiwn arall yw ‘Meaningful Travel’, sef gwirfoddoli dramor. Gallwch ddysgu Saesneg neu chwaraeon, adeiladu tai neu ysgolion, gwneud ‘internship’ neu helpu bywyd gwyllt, ymysg pethau eraill. Mae hyd y gwirfoddoli yn amrywio, o bythefnos i flwyddyn lawn. Pa bynnag fath o deithio sy’n mynd â’ch bryd, mae llawer o help i’w gael ar y we – hyd yn oed ‘veggie travel guide’ - handi iawn i mi!

Un peth negyddol am yr holl deithio hyn yw’r gost gyda phob agwedd o'r daith yn ychwanegu swm sylweddol. Oherwydd hyn, mae’n debyg y bydd rhaid i chi weithio er mwyn talu am yr holl joli-hoitian ’ma. Gallech chi weithio gartref am dipyn, sy’n ffordd dda o arbed pres, gan mae’n debyg na fyddai rhaid talu rhent na bil-

Liberty, a fydd y ddau dîm yn ysu i fod ar y brig wedi’r gêm ar y 5ed o Ebrill. Gobeithio erbyn hynny bydd y ddau yn agosach fyth at sicrhau dyrchafiad a bydd achos dathlu ar draws De Cymru pan ddaw diwrnod ola’r tymor.

La st d.com w d y rh .

Sara Orwig Taf-Od Editor

wrth y terasau yn y gorffennol. Yn ffodus, mae problemau hwliganiaeth y 90au wedi peidio, ond eto mae’r awyrgylch mor danllyd ag erioed.

Bydd Parc Ninian yn llawn swn a chyffro mis nesa pan ddaw Abertawe i chware yng Nghaerdydd. dau gôl yr un oedd hi cyn Nadolig yn stadiwm

les o n artic g ai r

Canu’r Bwlch

Ar ôl chwiban derfynol gêm Caerdydd yn erbyn Caergrawnt yn 1998, bu rhaid i’r dyfarnwr redeg oddi ar y cae wrth i gefnogwr geisio ymosod arno. Roedd e’n agoriad llygad i fachgen 11 mlwydd oed, ac mae’r ddelwedd yna o gefnogwyr pêl droed wedi cadw llawer o deuluoedd oddi

ut

C

yn eleni, bu deng mlynedd ers i Gaerdydd ac Abertawe chwarae yn yr un gynghrair.

Bryd hynny roedd y ddau dîm yn llechu yng ngwaelodion y gynghrair bêl-droed, ond mae'r hanes hynny yn teimlo mor bell heddiw wrth weld llwyddiant diweddar y ddau dîm o Gymru.

Mae adar gleision Caerdydd erbyn hyn wedi bod yn chwarae yn y Bencampwriaeth ers 2003, ond eleni yw’r tro cyntaf i ddyrchafiad at yr Uwchgynghrair fod mor agos. Ers cyrraedd rownd derfynol cwpan Lloegr llynedd mae Dave Jones, y rheolwr, wedi cryfhau ei garfan ymhellach er mwyn cyrraedd brig y gynghrair. Un o gryfderau Dave Jones yw’r gallu i brynu chwaraewyr yn rhad, a’u gwerthu am bris uchel. Mae Cameron Jerome, Michael Chopra, Aaron Ramsey a Glen Loovens yn rhai sydd wedi gadael y clwb at glybiau mawr ond serch hyn mae’r clwb ar ei gryfaf erioed. Gyda phroblemau ariannol y clwb wedi ffoi am y tro, a stadiwm newydd yn barod ar gyfer y tymor nesaf mae'r clwb mewn sefyllfa gryf iawn. Cymaint yw brwdfrydedd y cefnogwyr am y dyfodol, gwerthwyd 14,500 o docynnau tymor ar gyfer y tymor yma.

Tra bod Caerdydd ar y ffordd i Wembley i chwarae yn erbyn Portsmouth yng nghwpan Lloegr llynedd, ffawd wahanol iawn oedd i glwb o ogledd Cymru. Diwedd tymor diwethaf syrthiodd Wrecsam o’r gynghrair bêl-droed. Bron i saith mlynedd yn ôl bu Abertawe mewn sefyllfa debyg ond ar ddiwrnod ola’r tymor llwyddodd y tîm i ddianc trwy ennill 4-2 yn erbyn Hull. Ers hyn mae Abertawe hefyd wedi goroesi problemau ariannol a symud i stadiwm y Liberty lle arweiniodd Roberto Martinez, y rheolwr ifanc, y clwb at ddyrchafiad i’r Bencampwriaeth llynedd. Mae eu tymor cyntaf yn yr adran wedi dechrau yn gymharol lwyddiannus wrth iddynt wthio am le yn y gemau ail-gyfle. Hefyd, daeth llwyddiant yng nghwpan Lloegr drwy guro'r deiliaid Portsmouth (testun hwyl mae’n sicr, yn enwedig wrth gofio iddynt guro Caerdydd!).

Mae Caerdydd ac Abertawe mewn safleoedd addawol yn y gynghrair ar hyn o bryd ac yn gobeithio efelychu campau Hull a Wigan. Dwy glwb llwyddodd i ddringo o’r drydedd adran i’r Uwch-gynghrair mewn byr amser, a dal eu tir wedi cyrraedd. Maent wedi bod yn ysbrydoliaeth i glybiau ar draws y wlad ond bydd rhaid i Gaerdydd ac Abertawe weithio yn galed yn y misoedd nesa os ydynt eisiau ymuno â nhw.

bo

Ifan Gwilym Taf-Od contributor

JOBS & MONEY 25

MARCH.09.2009 JOBS@gairrhydd.COM

Every little doesn't help

As a new Tesco Express opens in Cardiff, Simon John asks what the future holds for local shops in the age of the corporate giant

A

new Tesco Express opened up at the start of this week on North Road. Nothing special of course - just another den of commerce attracting ambiguous groups of uninformed shoppers with its bright lights and even brighter colours.

Yet I wonder. Would you feel different if you knew the people running the corner shop across the road well enough for them to refer to you as ‘my friend’ every time you went in there?

Would you feel as sympathetic to the fact that a local shop which has served the close populace (not to mention the hundreds of students in Talybont North) for years might soon be put out of business by a seemingly greedy corporation who weren’t satisfied with making a meagre £2,130 million profit, or having a shambolic revenue of £43 billion in 2008?

In a time of financial hardship across the country, it can be argued that shops such as the new Tesco Express reproducing robotically across the country is a good thing – creating new jobs, competing with prices and generally supplying us with cheap local produce is a step in the right direction for healing a bruised Britain, but is it really necessary for a more well off company to bully smaller local stores (and the families that depend on them) out of their ability to exist?

I make no false pretence about being emotionally invested in this issue at all; my own uncle started off owning and running his own convenience store and eventually built up a busi-

TESCO: Destroying small businesses? ness to support his family. Yet he didn’t have the brutish competition of multinational companies breathing down his neck.

We’ve heard the stories before: big business moves into an area, supplying rock bottom prices which other local stores can’t compete with, they shut down and move out, and then the big business chokes the local population with bigger prices.

Professor Paul Dobson, a retail expert at Loughborough University has admitted in the past that "If they [Tesco] have a local pocket of mo-

nopoly, they have the opportunity to raise prices."

The well-respected international group Friends of the Earth supports these claims motioning that, ‘Tesco already abuses its power. It pays the lowest prices to its suppliers and engages in many practices which make it hard for small suppliers to survive.’

So what makes Tesco more attractive to the uninformed shopper as opposed to the corner shops, butchers' and bakers' that we all grew up respecting?

Could it be that Tesco provides

better service? Surely not. How can a large robotic impersonal corporation compete with the warmth that you get with a family owned business?

What about Tesco’s claims that it is a green organization, ‘caring for the environment’? How can this be true when every which way we turn in a Tesco store there are reams of plastic bags and unnecessary packaging littering the shelves?

Friends of the Earth claim that, "Until [Tesco] sets ambitious targets for reducing the mountains of food packaging that it is responsible for

it cannot claim to be making a serious commitment to tackling waste".

Perhaps, in the end, people travel to Tesco solely because they are seduced by its big market name. Yes, that must be it.

To prove my point, out in town at the beginning of this week I took a taxi back to Talybont. This route took us straight past the new Tesco Express, when totally independent of my thoughts, the driver, who had lived in Cardiff for many years, blurted, "It’s open already? Hell, how can that corner shop hope to survive with that there? It’s a shame man, in a few years I predict that there’ll be no more corner shops or chemists, just rows of Tesco, innit?"

Is this what Britain will soon be in for? Not a democratic state, but one nation under Tesco. It seems a shame people don’t realize they have a choice to go for locally farmed, locally produced stock and still choose to shop with small businesses.

The Office of Fair Trading admits in its findings that 'the erosion of small shops is viewed as the erosion of the social glue that binds communities together'.

I regret the fact that one community is no longer brought together through its connection with the one corner shop, the one butcher or the one barber, but I console myself in the notion that we can regain some of our former community by not being fooled by the bright glow of a sexed up global company and support our small businesses.

Ground floor SU This week's top jobs: 027

029

031

Administration Officers x 30

Barstaff

Promotions Assistant

£14,700-£17,600 pro rata

£5.73 p/h

£5.73 p/h plus commission

Government department based in Newport requires permanent Administration Officers to work during school holidays (17 weeks per year). Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm. Please ask for further details.

A bar within the French Pyrenees is looking for summer bar staff for general duties to include manning the bar, general cleaning and customer service. You should have good customer relations skills and you must have good spoken French.

A firm that specialises in providing staff for promotional events is looking for outgoing, articulate and sales minded individuals to join their business ASAP. You must have a passion for sales and marketing, excellent interpersonal skills and great attention to detail.

26 XPRESS

MARCH.09.2009 XPRESS@gairrhydd.COM

Listen LIVE Online Hamlet

Three Girls & A Gay

Tuesday mornings were officially the worst of the week… until 3 Girls & A Gay aired on Xpress Radio that is! With plenty of easy-going chat to gently wake you up and a weekly ‘blast from the past’ record that will have you singing into your hairdryer before those early morning lectures, this show has really made breakfast listening a treat! Join in the quiz to get your brains working, enjoy some banter and hear the day’s funniest news stories, all by simply tuning in on Tuesdays 9-11am.

Don’t start your day without it!

Listen in on Sunday 15th March, 3pm-5pm, for the concluding part of Hamlet which forms part of the Cardiff University Shakespeare Festival.

The radio drama features a full cast of actors from Act One and audio production by Xpress Radio in this powerful and influential tragedy.

Kickstart your week with the naughty but nice ‘Superstar DJs’, Edwina and Lais, from midnight till 1am every Monday!

Playing everything from rock and retro, to covers and classics, these girls will have you dancing to all your favourite old school tunes, whilst talking a lot of jibber jabber along the way to keep you entertained. They may sound slightly crazy, but trust us; you’ll love ‘em.

Sunday: 3pm till 5pm

Monday: 12pm till 1am

Tuesday: 9am till 11am

Mainstream

Monday 9am-11am Filing the Gap with Emma & Alexis 2pm-3:30pm Stark and Moo Show 3:30pm-6pm Teatime with Lee

Tuesday 9am-11am Three Girls & A Gay 12pm-1:30pm B.A.M with Rebekkah and Mikey 1:30pm-3pm Loud Noises 3:30pm-6pm Teatime with Luke and Ed

Friday 9am-11am Welcome In The Weekend 12pm-1:30pm Two girls, One Mic 1:30pm-3.30pm Milo's Mashup 3.30pm-6pm Teatime with TNT

Saturday 10:30am-12pm Stay Asleep with Henry and Oscar 12pm-1:30pm Jack and Tom Delusion 1:30pm-3pm Three Man Bundle

Sunday 1pm-2:30pm Laura, Dora & Lucy Show 3pm-5pm The Student Radio Chart Show

Wednesday

Sports

9am-10am ABC 10am-11:30am Lily Star 11:30am-12:30pm Gossip Girls 12:30pm-2pm Lynn and Louisa 2pm-3:30pm Hilary and Heather Show 3:30pm-6pm Teatime with Rich and Britt

Mon 12pm-2pm Sports Show Thu 12pm-2pm Sporties

Thursday 9am-11am Kat and Ash Show 2pm-3:30pm Madame Audrey's 3:30pm-6pm Teatime with Sam and Greg

Superstar DJs, Here We Go!

Specialist

Indie Mon 6pm-7pm Xhibition Mon 8pm-9pm Gig 'n' Mix Mon 9pm-10pm Holly and Bo's Radio Show Mon 10pm-11pm Sam & Will Show Wed 10pm-11pm Hot Pap Sat 6pm-7pm Mrs Goggins Backroom Sun 5pm-6:30pm The Toni and Zoe Show

Classical and Jazz Sun 6:30pm-7:45pm Sunday Classics Sun 7:45pm-9pm Jazz Society Show

Hip-Hop/RnB Fri 10pm-12am Flo Jam Sessions Fri 12am-1am $traight Ca$h with DTR

Speech

Rock/Metal/Punk

Mon 11am-11:30am The Trawlermen's Sweethearts Mon 11:30am-12pm The Filibusters Tue 11am-11:30am The Xpress Test Tue 11:30am-12pm Speech Round-up Thu 11am-12pm The Weekly Summit Fri 11:00am-11:30am A Beginner's Guide to...

Fri 11:30am-12pm Across The Corridor Sun 12pm-1pm Hair of the Dog Sun 3pm-5pm Hamlet: Part 2 Sun 9pm-10pm Story Time with Daneka

Mon 12pm-1am Superstar DJs, Here We Go! Tue 8pm-9pm Rock! Paper Scissors Tue 10pm-11pm Hedonism Wed 11pm-12am Subversion Sat 7pm-8pm The Argument

House/Electro/ Dance Wed 8pm-9pm The Takeover Wed 9pm-10pm Housemasters Fri 8pm-9pm Hype Machine

Live Music Thu 8pm -11pm Battle Of The Bands

Pop Sat 3pm-4pm Push Pop

Pick 'n' Mix Mon 7pm-8pm Live Transmission Mon 11pm-12am Anything Alternative Tue 7pm-8pm Bill & Tom's Most Excellent Adventure Tue 9pm-10pm CUTV On The Radio Tue 11pm-12am Escape From The Pigeon Hole Wed 6pm-7pm Xposed Wed 7pm-8pm YAPS Thu 7pm-8pm Curly Joe and Ginger’s Countdown Conundrum Thu 11pm-12am Dan and Petch’s 80s Hour of Power Thu 12am-1am Pete and Coralie Fri 7pm-8pm Full Body Immobilisation Fri 9pm-10pm The Essential Gig Guide

World Music Tue 6pm-7pm Global Grooves Fri 6pm-7pm International Superhits

Contact The Studio E-mail: studio@xpressradio.co.uk Phone: 02920781530 Text: 07722263888

FIVE MINUTE FUN 27

MARCH.09.2009 FMF@gairrhydd.COM

found on facebook Housemate done something stupid?

sudoku.

1. Log on to the book of face 2. Join the group ‘Found on Facebook’ 3. Upload embarrassing photos 4. Pick up gair rhydd on Monday and laugh

EASY

Send more oddities!

MEDIUM

Quick Crossword Across

Down

7. Sudden outburst (7) 9. Indian dish made from cucumber, mint and yoghurt (5) 10. Small lie (3) 11. Towards the rising sun? (9) 12. Subtly signify (5) 14. Small territory wholly within another (7) 16. Top of the morning! (4,3) 18. Open (5) 19. Failed (6,3) 20. Hint to say your lines (3) 21. Complains constantly (5) 22. Out of control (7)

1. Forcing into (8) 2. Round lump or ball (4) 3. Gusty (6) 4. Language consisting of twenty-eight consonants, with vowels indicated by additional signs only (6) 5. Feign (8) 6. Edward ___, literary critic and author of Orientalism (4) 8. Magical ___, Beatles song (7,4) 13. Thrives, is successful (8) 15. Begs, beseeches (8) 17. Elegant, stylish (6) 18. Prompt, punctual (2,4) 19. Six-sided spotted cubes (4) 20. Jackie ___, action movie star (4)

1

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HARD

3 8

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28 LISTINGS The Listings Top Five... ...student websites!

What better way to while away a penniless and miserable night in, than cooped up in your humble abode with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s and the internet parked directly in front of your gormless face?

But what sites should you really be visting? The following five are, without a doubt, essential to student life.

1. Facebook What would the world be if this addictive online offering had not been invented? A rather dark and unpromising one to say the very least! Stalk your friends, poke your friends, let loose and throw virtual sheep at your friends... so much fun to be had at your fingertips!

2. Share notes Upload your latest lecture notes and get paid per view. A fast and easy way to make money, as long as you pay attention in class!

3. Student beans A site packed to the brim with offers and deals! Get your two for one cinema tickets Monday to Thusday and enjoy films for half the price four days of the week!

4. Ebay Auction your old textbooks, handmade crafts and housemates’ belongings to rake in the dollar and a healthier bank balance!

Monday 9th March

X FACTOR LIVE @ C.I.A Another motley assortment of popstar hopefuls compete in the annual talent search in a quest to become the next winner and achieve fame and fortune... or slip into obscurity within the year! Past finalists will be there, including Alexandra Burke, JLS and Eoghan Quigg, as will Simon Cowell and his fellow judges to unleash the latest barrage of abuse!

7.30pm, £28.50 CALENDAR GIRLS @ THE NEW THEATRE If you enjoyed the film, this is definitely worth a look. In fact, with a stellar cast including Lynda Bellingham and Brigit Forsyth, it's worth checking out even if you missed the movie! A true story that follows the Yorkshire WI as they daringly pose nude for a charity calender.

7.30pm, £8-£30, (Thurs, Sat matinee 2.30pm) PONYTAIL @ TOMMY'S BAR, CARDIFF INSTITUTE OF HIGHER EDUCATION Venture over to UWIC, if you're feeling brave enough, to see these experimental indie lads from Baltimore, who burst onto the circuit after originally been formed as part of a class project!

7.30pm, £7 FUN FACTORY @ THE UNION Another dollop of manufactured fun!

9pm-2am, free CLASH: THE ANSWERING MACHINE/CASIO KIDS/FLASHGUNS @ WELSH CLUB A night shrouded in mystery and planned to keep you guessing right until the doors open. Hosted by Clash magazine, the headliner won't be announced until the big day!

7.30pm, £6.50-7.50

MARCH.09.2009 LISTINGS@gairrhydd.COM

Tuesday

10th March BRAINIAC LIVE @ ST. DAVID'S HALL Are you a closet geek/science afficionado?

Get your safety goggles on and watch live as Sky One's Brainiac team delve into the mysteries of unexplained phenomenon and day-to-day mysteries.

7.30pm, £18.50 GRAVITAS: EARTHFALL DANCE COMPANY @ THE SHERMAN THEATRE An emotionally charged, highly energetic risk-taking dance company explore the paradox of the freedom of speech and the nature of power and protest in a contemporary, profound, cutting edge piece that incorporates live music, film, drama and ironic humour. Not for the hungover or fainthearted!

8pm, £12-8 I AM HOPE + SOLUTIONS + EVERYONE MUST WIN + DIRTY POP @ BARFLY A bit of local talent tonight. These Welsh headliners are hoping to make their big break soon with their debut mini album out mid March 7.30pm, £4 adv.

CHIC BEAT @ REVOLUTION Mojito? Yes please! Birthday cake shot?

Maybe not...Either way, head to Revs tonight for some classy (ish) cocktails, old school hip hop, funk and electro.

9.00pm - 3am, £3.50 BIG FAT TUESDAY @ TEN FEET TALL What isn't at Ten Feet Tall tonight? Jazz bands, live acts, musicians, bongo players, horn players, DJs, harmonics (including Batacuda Basics), funk soul and party hip hop. If you get bored of all that, there's classic old school board games on the Mezzanine.

10pm-3am, Free COMEDY CLUB @ STUDENT UNION Your guaranteed belly-ache after chuckling and giggling your way through tonights stand-up.

8.00pm, £4

Wednesday 11th March

LISTEN UP! @ CLWB IFOR BACH With some lethal drinks deals and 3 floors pumping everything from motown and funk to classic indie, the dancefloor will be a dangerous place tonight.

10pm, £3 CHUMBAWUMBA @ THE GLOBE These Leeds-based lads are still 'Tubthumping' after over 20 years, and a visit to The Globe will take you back to your teenagebopping days! Question is, do you remember a member of the band pouring a bucket of water over Deputy PM Prescott at the 1998 Brits...?

7.30pm, £10 JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON @ OCEANA It's marketed as the biggest karaoke night in Cardiff with huge stage games... but if that doesn't float your boat maybe the £2 drinks, dance music in the ice room and the disco-dancing next door can tempt you!

9pm, £4/£2 nus CARMEN: ELLEN KENT INTERNATIONAL @ ST. DAVID'S HALL St. David's will be transformed into a Spanish spectacular tonight to stage Bizet's famous and seductive opera as you have never seen it before. The international flamenco dancer Sam Quy will be accompanied by the renowned Spanish singer Fernando de Sevilla for a magnificent, notto-be-missed production.

7.30pm, £29.50-16.50 NO WAVE WEDNESDAY @ BUFFALO Newly made up Buffalo is better than ever.

'No Wave' offers another night of dance floor fun with post punk, glam and italo disco, to name but a few. It also showcases some of the best DJs, live acts and scenesters.

8pm-3am, Free

5. Gair Rhydd Gain reputation fast by checking out the latest Cardiff news, courtesy of yours truly, and voice your opinions on the topics that matter to you!

Students’ Union, Park Place, 02920 387421 www.cardiffstudents.com ◆ Med Club, Neuadd Meirionydd, Heath Park 02920 744948 ◆ Clwb Ifor Bach ros, Bakers Row 02920 399939 www.clubmetropolitan.com ◆ Dempseys, Castle Street 02920 252024 ◆ Move, 7 Mill Lane 02920 225592 ◆ Jazz, 21 St. Mary Street 02920 387026 www.cafejazzcardiff.com ◆ The Riverbank Hotel, Despenser Street www.riverbankjazz.co.uk ◆ St. David’s Hall, Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay 0870 0402000 www.wmc.org.uk ◆ The New Theatre, Park Place 02920 878889 www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk ◆ The Cardiff International Arena, Mary Ann Street 02920 224488 ◆ The Millennium Stadium Can’t miss it. www.millenniumstadium.com ◆

LISTINGS 29

MARCH.09.2009 LISTINGS@gairrhydd.COM

Thursday 12th March

Friday

13th March

AIDA @ ST. DAVID'S HALL An opera detailing the tragic love story centred around Ethiopian slave girl, Aida, and Egyptian hero, Radames, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Roman Collosseum.

7.30pm, £16.50 up to £29.50

ELVIS ON TOUR @ ST. DAVID’S HALL Lee ‘Memphis’ King, the world’s most successful Elvis impersonator, takes to the stage tonight bringing you some classic sixties rock and roll and hell of a lot of hip gyrating.

7.30pm, £19/£20

TWIN ATLANTIC @ BARFLY Glaswegian quartet Twin Atlantic bring their heavy rock sound to the capital tonight, showcasing their material as well as their sing-along single What Is Light? What Is Laughter?

7pm, £6

SPEEDMARKET AVENUE + THE SCHOOL + TOWN BIKE @ CLWB IFOR BACH Stockholm newcomers Speedmarket Avenue, Indie pop-band The School and pop parodies Town Bike, bring us the best in tuneful offerings tonight at Welsh club.

8.00pm, £5

MISTY’S BIG ADVENTURE @ BUFFALO BAR Brummie eight piece Misty’s Big Adventure conquer Buffalo bar tonight with their original, multi-instrumental sound.

8pm, contact venue for details

PETE DOHERTY @ THE GREAT HALL, SU Hold on to your hats, and your innocence, boys and girls, because London bad boy Pete Doherty is set to tear it up at the Union tonight. Think carefully before supplying this man with what’s left of your student loan!

7.30pm, £19

CHRIS DIFFORD @ THE GLOBE Lyricist Chris Difford, famous for his eighties partnership with Squeeze, descends on The Globe this evening, whacking out a few of the band’s hits and his own new material.

7.30pm, £12

ROBYN HITCHCOCK@ THE GLOBE Guitarist and unstoppable talent, Robyn Hitchcock, unleashes his admirable rhythmical prowess upon the students of Cardiff tonight.

Contact venue for details

Saturday 14th March

TRY STAGE FIGHTING @ ST. DAVID’S HALL Want to try something a bit different?

Taken by Welsh fight choreographer, Kevin McCurdy, this exclusive workshop teaches you the top techniques in theatrical selfdefence.

10.30am/11.45am, £7 THREATMANTICS +EITHA TAL FRANCO +Y BANDANA @ CLWB IFOR BACH Brimming with Welsh spirit, Welsh Club lives up to its name this evening by offering you three of the most new and exciting local acts around.

8.30pm, £5

Sunday

15th March TEN FOOT CWTCH @ TEN FEET TALL The freshest in Welsh talent, open mic session and Rowan Liggett holding the evening together... what more do you need? 2 for 1 cocktails? No problem, they’re available and plentiful!

8.30pm- 3am, £3 F**K LONDON: MAC 3000 + CERI + JEN LONG + FANNY PACK DJS @ BUFFALO BAR A whale of a time to be had! Take part in a Buffalo two-finger salute to London as Cardiff remains the firm choice for top British city.

8.00pm – 3.00am, free

THE TAILGATERS @ O’NEILL'S Shake what your mama gave you to the sound of The Tailgaters tonight, and moreover it’s completely freeee!

9.00pm, free

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING @ BARFLY A high-speed instrument arrangement is brought to Barfly tonight from Everything Everything – a highly enjoyable set and the product of musical magic!

7.30pm, contact venue for details

BOOMSHAKABOOMTANG/VINYL VENDETTAS @ CLWB IFOR BACH Indie, retro and contemporary Welsh sounds diffused over all three floors, brought to you by the likes of Vinyl Vendettas and Gareth Potter along with others.

10.00pm – 3.00am, £5 / £4

BAND OF HER MAJESTY’S ROYAL MARINES PLYMOUTH + PENDRYUS MALE CHOIR @ ST.DAVID’S HALL Live entertainment at its best, as this duo of outstanding talent team up in aid of the leading maritime charity Seafarers UK. And a few men in uniform... extremely appealing all of a sudden!

7.30pm, £10 – up to £17

(The Welsh Club), 11 Womanby Street 02920 232199 www.clwb.net ◆ Barfly, Kingsway, Tickets: 08709070999 www.barflyclub.com/cardiff ◆ MetIncognito, Park Place 02920 412190 ◆ Liquid, St. Mary Street 02920645464 ◆ The Philharmonic, 76-77 St. Mary Street 02920 230678 ◆ Café The Hayes 02920 878444 www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk ◆ Chapter Arts Centre, Market Road, Canton 02920 304400 www.chapter.org ◆ Wales Sherman Theatre, Senghennydd Road 02920 646900 www.shermantheatre.co.uk ◆ The Glee Club, Mermaid Quay 0870 2415093 www.glee.co.uk ◆ Tommy’s Bar, Howard Gardens (off Newport Road) 02920 416192 ◆

SPORT 31

MARCH.09.2009 SPORT@gairrhydd.COM

THE WORD ON... ...terror, politics and cricket's darkest day Alasdair Robertson Sports Editor THE TRAGIC events that unfolded last Tuesday in the Pakistani city of Lahore undoubtedly mark sport's darkest hour for several decades and will have far greater repercussions than those felt by the international cricketing fraternity.

The attack on the Sri Lankan tour bus in which seven Pakistanis were killed and several Sri Lankans injured just minutes from their destination, the Gaddafi Stadium, throws not only Pakistan but the entire subcontinent into political disarray.

Indeed, if initial reports are to be believed, these are just the latest attacks in a line of horrific terrorist activities to be committed either in Pakistan or by their countrymen on Indian soil. Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group behind the Mumbai bombings of last year, is believed to be the organisation responsible for the atrocities as Pakistan’s recently formed ,yet ever more isolated, civilian government struggles to cope with the many Islamic militants in the country.

The fact that the Sri Lankan tour was a politically arranged event to show support for the weary govern-

ment highlights its recent plight even further.

Political implications aside, it is almost impossible to imagine any sporting team, let alone a cricketing side, visiting the nation for several years, while Australia and India have refused to tour the troubled nation for some years now in light of security fears.

Strong action is now necessary to prove the credentials of the ICC The poor security described by match referee Chris Broad, after being promised “Presidential protection”, will only serve to strengthen the view that cricketers are not safe in Pakistan.

The Asian state will also most likely be stripped of the next Cricket World Cup that it is due to host jointly with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, whilst there have even been calls for Pakistan to be stripped of their status as a Test and one-day playing nation by the International Cricket Council.

Although there is no doubt that

LAID UP: Tharanga Paranavitana was shot in the attack

TERROR ATTACK: Gunmen on the loose in Pakistan almost all Pakistanis and all involved in the Pakistan Cricket Board strongly condemn the attacks, such calls are indeed warranted. Sport is one of the greatest tools available to a nation in order to express itself on an international stage and, after such devastating events as these, it is fitting for such privileges to be withdrawn.

Such a scenario was seen in South Africa whilst the apartheid regime was in place with almost all sports teams, most notably the rugby union side, banned from international competition.

Pakistan, in this case, must be no different, as although it is not the country’s rulers who are at fault, the world must show that there is no reward to be gained by such barbarous acts as were witnessed last week.

Strong action, at least in the cricketing world, is now necessary to prove the credentials of the ICC in dealing with such matters after the farce surrounding the Zimbabwean national side who have been allowed to continue playing whilst the dictator Robert Mugabe is President.

If the organisation fails to take decisive action once again then serious questions will have to be posed to those in charge. After all, cricket is

supposed to be one of the most moral and sportsmanlike games in the world.

The sanction would have a pro-

Pakistan simply cannot be allowed to compete at Lords found effect upon the nation, as cricket is by far the most popular and successful sport played in Pakistan and would perhaps go someway to provoking some sort of reaction from a government that has thus far failed to crackdown on terrorism.

The only proposed alternative would be for Pakistan to play their fixtures at neutral venues around the world, with England being touted as the first. Pakistan would, in theory, play three tests after Australia’s five one-day internationals with England in the summer of 2010 and the PCB has stated that their English counterparts, the ECB, would be comfortable with this.

However, if this eventuality becomes reality, the ECB will be in effect supporting a regime that fails to protect touring sides to their nation

and a country in which the previous president, Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated.

The border regions of the nation are not even under government control but instead ruled by Taliban-esque warlords. A country of such credentials simply cannot be allowed to compete at Lords, it goes against every principle and ethic that the home of cricket stands for.

Furthermore, Pakistan can hardly play fixtures in bordering countries, especially India, as the Mumbai attacks have already proved that Pakistani terrorists can cross the border and carry out attacks there.

More to the point, imagine the political fallout if the players attacked had been Indian. If Sachin Tendulkar or Mahendra Singh Dhoni had been those attacked, the Indian public, not favourable towards Pakistan at the best of times, would have been baying for blood. Cricket is almost a religion on the subcontinent and can hence provoke reactions of the most severe consequence.

Safety, morality and political stability have to come first. Sport, in this case, is not the real issue; we must ensure that the tragic loss of life and injury that has occurred this week is eradicated from sport, for good.

02 SPORT 32

MARCH.09.2008 SPORT@gairrhydd.COM

SPORT COMMENT England on the naughty step Lucy Morgan Sports Writer THERE'S AN air of uneasiness and tension surrounding English rugby at the moment. Martin Johnson’s reaction to Danny Care’s sinbinning against Ireland said it all –pure anger and frustration. Frus-

tration at yet another yellow card, frustration that it came at such a crucial point in the match and, above all, frustration at his side’s continuous lack of discipline.

Yes, that word ‘discipline’ (or a lack of it) seems to be haunting the England camp at the moment. In their last four tests they have received ten yellow cards and have only played

with a full team of 15 men for a shocking average of just 55 minutes per match. Their recklessness undermined their more adventurous second half performance against Ireland last weekend, costing them the chance to beat the Grand Slam contenders at Croke Park. Consequently they slipped to their lowest ever position in IRB World Rankings – now sitting 8th below Wales, Ireland and France.

England seem to be lacking a sense of self-belief

NOT A CARE IN THE WORLD: Danny Care cost England the game

Questions clearly need to be asked.

Why such indiscipline? Is it down to a lack of knowledge? Perhaps it is due to a lack of belief? Or is it simply just plain stupidity?

It certainly is not down to a lack of playing knowledge. England have plenty of experienced and talented players in their ranks, with the likes of Phil Vickery, Joe Worsley and captain Steve Borthwick. Surely these hardened veterans should be leading by example. Earlier in the week 71times-capped Vickery was keen to put

his message across to the team: “Referees do communicate and if they are asking you not to do something and you keep doing it, they are going to penalise you.” Yet he failed to listen to his own advice against Ireland and ended up another name on the evergrowing list of England offenders this Six Nations.

What seems hard to comprehend is why England feel the incessant need to cheat (after all, that is what they are doing every time they concede a penalty). They seem stuck in a vicious circle – the more they lose, the more they cheat and the more they cheat, the more they lose. Unusually for England they seem to be lacking a sense of self-belief. When they show ambition they look threatening, but their negative mindset is costing them hugely.

Martin Johnson has warned players that they will be dropped if they continue to concede stupid penalties and it is about time that his squad sat up and listened. With two games left in the Six Nations to right their recent wrongs, England need to show more patience, more composure and above all more belief in each other and the team as a whole.

Flat wicket stumps cricket Alex Bywater Sports Writer

BEFORE THE shocking terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore on Tuesday morning, the Test Series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka had been petering out into what looked like being an inevitable draw.

Both teams had been piling on the runs on the flat and true wickets of South East Asia. The ever-increasing totals scored by teams in Test match cricket are seen in parts as a threat to the game as there are less “result” pitches around the globe these days.

Traditionally pitches such as Headingly and the Wanderer’s Stadium in Johannesburg would always produce a result and draws were a rare occurrence at these locations. However, nowadays, there are many more drawn test matches.

In the first test match of the series between the two countries 1409 runs were scored in the first two innings of the match with no less than two double-hundreds and one triple.

It is clear that this kind of situation is not conducive to creating a result.

In response to Sri Lanka’s total of 644-7 declared, Jayawardene and Samaraweera scoring double hundreds,

Pakistan responded with 765-6 declared, with Younus Khan compiling a massive 313.

Although Asian pitches are renowned for being good for batting and taking spin, these huge totals have only become a recent phenomenon.

The same kind of situation occurred during the recent fourth test between the West Indies and England with 1628 runs being scored for the loss of only 17 wickets. It is not merely the sheer volume of runs being scored, it is the ease in which batsman have carried it out. Ramnaresh Sarwan looked effortless as he strolled untroubled to a huge 291 not out.

the state of Test match wickets: "It's a bit of a worry worldwide, pitches are quite benign, very flat and lifeless.

What is important is for the pitch to be true on the first two to three days and then deteriorate." He added: "You want it to spin quite a bit or go uneven in bounce - become a bit untrustworthy. That creates a chance of a result.

What you see now is pitches becoming flatter, truer and deader as the match goes on."

As a cricket fan, it is clear that a result is always favourable. More wickets and average totals are worth watching if they combine to create a cracking match with a favourable result. For this to happen, pitches must offer something for both bat and ball.

NUT JOBS

1.

Mike Tyson's exploits outside of the ring aside, biting a chunk out of Evander Holyfield's ear has to be the most ridiculous moment in boxing history.

2.

Nelson Piquet, the three times world champion, was knocked off the track in 1982 when victory looked certain. He unleashed a flurry of kicks and punches. Needless to say he was a little miffed.

3.

Vinny Jones: The silver screen's hard man was no different on the pitch and was never afraid of getting his hands dirty.

4.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, the snooker genius, has moments of madness, including prematurely conceding games and making lewd comments in press conferences.

Pitches must offer something for both bat and ball Traditional Test match wickets play well for the first two days or so and are best for batting at that time. However, pitches do usually tend to deteriorate as the match progresses into the last few days therefore tending to cause a result. However, this has not been the case recently with pitches staying true throughout all five days.

Former England Captain Graham Gooch has expressed his concern with

TOP FIVE...

5.

"You cannot be serious?!" More of a stroppy bolshy teenager than a genuine nut job. Shame Hawk Eye wasn't around to shut John McEnroe up.

SCORE ON THE UP: If there is grass on the wicket let's play cricket

FEBRUARY.02.2008 MARCH.09.2008 SPORT@gairrhydd.COM

IMG ROUNDUP IMG NETBALL

Premiership

P

W

D

L

Diff

Pts

1

Law A

5

5

0

0

90

15

2

Economics A

4

3

1

0

55

10

3

Cardiff A

4

2

2

0

18

8

4

Law B

3

2

0

1

5

6

5

Cardiff Jets A

4

2

0

2

-12

6

6

Psychology A

5

1

0

4

-27

3

7

Socsi A

4

0

1

3

-71

1

8

Pharmacy A

5

0

0

5

--61

0

P

W

D

L

Diff

Pts

Carbs A

3

3

0

0

31

9

2

Medics A

3

2

0

1

26

6

3

Dentistry

3

2

0

1

-5

6

4

Sawsa

5

2

0

1

17

6

5

Christian Union

3

2

0

3

-5

6

IMG NETBALL 1

Division 1

6

English A

1

1

0

0

9

3

7

Cardiff B

4

1

0

3

-16

3

8

Psychology B

4

0

0

4

-56

0

P

W

D

L

Diff

Pts

Medics B

3

2

1

0

15

7

2

Numatics

2

2

0

0

40

6

3

Cardiff Jets B

3

2

0

1

6

6

4

Pharmacy B

4

2

0

2

-6

6

5

Carbs B

2

1

0

1

-1

3

6

Jomec

3

1

0

2

-43

2

7

Cardiff IWC

4

0

2

1

-7

1

8

English B

4

0

1

3

-6

0

P

W

D

L

Diff

Pts

Biology

2

2

0

0

23

19

2

J-Unit

4

2

0

2

12

18

3

Socsi B

2

2

0

0

12

15

4

C- Plan

2

1

0

1

13

12

5

Gym Gym

1

1

0

0

1

10

6

Earth Soc

1

0

0

1

-7

9

7

Automotive

2

0

0

2

-15

4

8

Optom

1

0

0

1

--18

4

9

Navy

2

1

0

1

-2

1

10

Economics B

1

0

0

1

-20

1

IMG NETBALL 1

Division 2

IMG NETBALL 1

Division 3

Sight for SAWSA eyes Chris Tarquini IMG Reporter

Euros FC 4-2 SAWSA FC EUROS TOOK TO THE FIELD against SAWSA with only one point in seven league matches and without a win to their name.

But the underdogs showed resilience as they took their first impressive win of the season.

In this battle of David and Goliath, the first match of the second stage seemed like a foregone conclusion considering SAWSA’s impressive record.

In the first half Euros were the architects of their own demise.

Struggling with only eleven fit players, some sloppy defending by Euros gave SAWSA two first half-goals and a SAWSA attack stretched the Euros defence to breaking point.

Only an impressive save from Martin Belfrage, tipping a SAWSA screamer over the bar prevented Euros from being even further down.

Slumping in without momentum and already two-nil down, it was going to be a seriously uphill battle for Euros to emerge victorious in the last 45 minutes.

However, an inspirational set of half time team-talks left Euros a whole

new force. Showing more attacking drive and commitment, Euros went on to dominate the second half, with some smooth through balls from Oliete and soul-shattering clearances from Gillard, cutting the SAWSA defence wide open.

With momentum on their side strikes from Euros’ Oliete and Nogara, as well as an impressive brace from Webb, led Euros to storm into a 4-2 lead.

Despite a nervy last ten minutes with the leaders shocked they were

What is your best achievement/ moment to date?

Who is your best player and why?

Going undefeated for the whole of last season, and the one before, and the one before that!

It's pretty difficult to single out one person but I think Kyle Galtry has really stood out in the back row this season and Aki Davies and Harry Philips have really bossed the game well as half backs.

actually about to win a game, some tight defending killed the match off till the final whistle.

Considering the last time these two teams met, SAWSA rampaged to a 10-2 victory, the turnaround in Euros’ season seems quite incredible.

Certainly, master tacticians Gabriele Nogara and Chris Tarquini pulled a result out of the hat and now undefeated in one game, they have turned IMG upside down with this historic victory.

Results Netball 22.02.2009 Pharmacy B.....12-5.....Cardiff IWC J-Unit..............20-0...............Navy Automotive......4-18...........Biology Cardiff Jets B...8-15.........Carbs B

Numatics.........33-1............Jomec

25.02.2009 C PLan............20-0...Economics A J-Unit...............9-18..........Biology Carbs B...........8-16.....Nuematics Socsi B...........14-7.......Earth Soc Navy................20-2...........Optom

Medic B...........6-6 ......Cardiff IWC Cardiff Jets B..15-12......Pharmacy

Team Talk: Engin Is there any funny team banter?

Is that a silly question? Numerous shaves with the law, bikini waxing outside a kids' riding school, crashing JK's car, then a quick round of…

"SAWSA till I die."

If your team was an animal what would it be?

Not an animal but a machine. An ENGIN! What song best describes your team?

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII used to work in Chicago's …."

Any team Prima – donnas?

Aki likes to think he is the best player in the Northern Hemisphere but not even he can compete with the best (and most maintained) hair cut in the world, from Thomas Davies.

Who has the best nicknames?

ENGIN RFC: Lads on tour

SPORT 33 37

Pete 'the cannon' Hannan, so called because he likes to place Navy guns where the sun doesn't shine.

Robin 'liability' Johnston - he has just

Rugby had yet another operation after putting his hand through a glass door and has to be carried home after every social.

This year who are your biggest rivals?

Gym Gym........11-10....Automotive Socsi A............8-8 .........Cardiff A Christ. Union...12-16......Dentistry

Football 29.02.2009

Opsoccer..........4-3 .............Law C Psychology........2-0.............J- Soc

Initially I would say Law because they always provide the biggest challenge but we have our socials in the same pub as SAWSA and I’d hate to think what would happen if we ever lost to them. They are the worst winners ever, thank God they never do.

Men United FC..2-0 ...AFC Cathays

Any teams you are looking forward to playing and why?

04.03.2009

We're really looking forward to playing CARBS in a rematch of last season’s final, but I think everyone is pleased that the league structure of the tournament this year will mean we get to play everyone. If you're interested in playing for ENGIN, or any of the other teams, now is the time to get involved!

If you would like to see your team featured in gair rhydd, please email us at sport@gairrhydd.com

KLAW...............2-0 ......Philosophy SAWSA.............2-4.........Euros FC Numatics..........3-0........Jomec FC

Real Ale Mad....3-1 .Uni Hall Stars Carbs...............2-1.............Law B Samba Tigers...3-0............Momed Law A...............5-1.......Pharm AC AFC History.......8-0..............J-Unit Earth Soc.........1-5......Automotive Gym Gym.........3-1....Econmomics Locomotive......2-4..........Socsi FC

34 SPORT

MARCH.09.2009 SPORT@gairrhydd.COM

Rachael Sweet Kickboxing Reporter

AFTER A gruelling three months of training, the Cardiff kickboxers put in an incredible effort at the National Championships in Kent, which saw four of the sixteen fighters reach the final in their weight categories.

Nearly 200 fighters from universities all over the UK took part, making this the largest and toughest competition to date. Early rounds saw talented fighters lose out to some dubious judging decisions but eleven competitors progressed to the quarter and semifinal stages, displaying the quick and intense style of fighting that Cardiff is renowned for.

Supporters screamed themselves hoarse cheering the exciting and contentious rounds as the competition progressed. First-time competitors Lawrence Scott and Daniel Aldous deserve a special mention for their powerful and dynamic performances in the ring. Scott, who placed third in his category, met with an incessant and exhausting stream of fights, while an unfortunate draw for Aldous against fellow Cardiff student Nick Waldron ended in defeat.

Displaying an agility not often seen in the heavyweight category, Izzat Suhaimi battled his way through two

weightier competitors before eventually being overpowered.

The women’s fights were no less aggressive, as exemplified by welterweight Rachel Pace in her difficult second fight against a lofty Loughborough student. Cleverly getting up into her opponent’s guard, Pace landed a succession of body shots, controversially earning her an excessive contact point deduction, but was unfortunately beaten by the range of Loughborough’s kicks.

The atmosphere was anticipatory for the concluding fights as Cardiff had the highest number of competitors in the final. Lightweight Sarah Healy worked hard and dominated the initial round, repeatedly sending her opponent to the mat, before ultimately succumbing to a points defeat.

A similar fate befell middleweight Ellie McKay, whose intense, fast-paced style did not falter.

Men’s finalists Jack Hall, at lightheavyweight, and Nick Waldron, at welterweight, both faced tough opponents, with Waldron facing last year’s defending champion. Both fights showed skilful technique and aggression, but ultimately all Cardiff finalists received hard-won second place trophies.

If Cardiff can learn anything from this year’s improved performances they can be confident of bringing home some silverware next year.

PHOTO: RACHAEL SWEET

Kicked out

KICKBOXING: There will be blood

Shooting stars Quickstep to success Mark Hampton Shooting Reporter

PHOTO: MARK HAMPTON

CARDIFF UNIVERSITY shooting team brought back the silverware from the BUCS Clay Shooting Championships in perfect shooting conditions at the West Midlands Shooting Ground.

The team, made up of a wide range of experience, from seasoned international shooters to those who had joined the club and first shot a gun in October, was competing against over 300 other entrants.

Cardiff’s male competitors made an excellent start with a lot of the squad hitting most or all of their first targets. Things were looking good for the first team, made up of the top four competitors from the university, as

SHOOTING: No animals harmed

they dropped very few targets around the course.

British internationals James Mansfield and Mark Hampton were neck and neck right up until the last twenty targets when Mark kept his nerve to shoot an impressive score of 90/100, giving him 3rd place overall, with James just four behind on 86. This, along with excellent scores of 79 from Rich Pearce and 74 from Henry Parsons, pushed the team comfortably up in to second place overall with a score of 329.

The rest of the Cardiff men also faired very well. David Ruddock blew away over two thirds of his targets with a 68, a score that could have counted toward the first team taking second. Laurence Wood and Treasurer Mike Humphrey-Davis were close behind on 66 and 64 respectively. Andy Hamer, who pulled out the side-byside half way through the competition, posted a credible 57, equalling Shaun James Isitt’s score, while Alan O’Kennedy and Alan Eames scored 51 and 49 respectively.

The ladies’ team headed out to shoot the course in the early afternoon, with some brilliant shooting from freshers Harri Parfitt and Gemma Alice Harbinson-Horner as they shot their way to scores of 36 and 42 respectively.

Livvy Colson led the Cardiff Ladies with a fantastic 46, Andrea Lim just missing out on fourth place in the team on 32 to Irina Dale’s 33, giving the girls a very good 8th place.

Rachael Kellas Dancing Reporter

make the semi-final for the first time in their competitive history – overall they placed 13th of the 170 novice couples taking part. Also enjoying success were Amelia Reed and Chris Murrils, who have this year moved up to the challenging intermediate section where they reached the quarter finals and finished a commendable 15th overall.

AT THE biggest event of the year, at the stunning Blackpool Winter Gardens, Cardiff’s dance sport team brought energy and vibrancy to the dance floor. The event attracted around 800 competitors in total.

The scale and some of the standards of dancing far exceeded previous competitions this year. In such a huge competition the team was never likely to add to its silverware, but despite not reaching finals the majority of the team achieved results that nonetheless were something to be proud of.

In the novice ballroom event Cardiff entered five couples, one of which, Jessica Tanner and Ben Griffiths, were competing together for the first time, and it was an additional first for Tanner, who was competing at Novice level for the first time. It did not show in their dancing, however, and a good basic technique and precise timing earned them a place in the 3rd round of competition.

Nicola Barker and Neil Humphreyes performed difficult footwork while maintaining an elegant posture to DANCESPORT: Life's a ball

The afternoon saw the beginning of the Latin section, and 400 beginner couples danced long and hard throughout the numerous rounds to determine the winner. Cardiff’s Claire Wilson and Rachael Greenacre put forward a confident and feisty performance in the cha, to earn themselves a place in the quarter-final. The all-female partnership finished 41st in only their second competition.

The novice Latin event saw some disappointment and controversy when one of Cardiff’s strongest Latin teams, Emily Morris and Stephen Griffiths were knocked out after the second round and could only secure 79th place overall.

But while they watched from the sidelines Sophie Herrman and Helen McKensie went on to finish 51st and Amelia Reed and Chris Murrils fresh from their quarterfinal success, made another quarter-final this time finishing 20th overall.

Sadly in the team event Cardiff A failed to get started when they were knocked out in the first round. The team event was won by Cambridge A, with Oxford A in second.

The competition brings to a close another successful season for Cardiff University’s Dancesport team.

SPORT 35

MARCH.09.2009 SPORT@gairrhydd.COM

Panthers frozen out CARDIFF Redhawks B................6 WARWICK Panthers B...............4 CARDIFF REDHAWKS B squad beat the Warwick Panthers B in a potentially title-deciding league match at the Coventry Skydome.

The Redhawks made a slow start to the game and, despite man-of-thematch Tom Martin's best efforts in goal, the Panthers took the lead with a well taken goal, leaving the Cardiff side trailing for the first time this season in league action.

Despite not playing their best, the Redhawks went into the first intermission level, primarily down to Martin's heroics, but also due to the quick play of third line centre Matt Wood. Wood won the draw in the offensive zone and slipped the puck to left winger Ben Beer, who bashed the puck home

ICE HOCKEY: Icely done

Lights out Joe Davies Sport Reporters

CARDIFF Men's 1sts.................1 PORTSMOUTH Men's 1sts.........4

PHOTO: CHRISTINA MACKIE

AN ENTHRALLING floodlit hockey match in changeable weather conditions ended in defeat for Cardiff’s men's against Portsmouth at Talybont last Wednesday.

Having won their group in the BUCS league this season, victory in

their second play-off fixture against Oxford Brookes is needed to secure promotion to the premier league. After losing to Portsmouth, though, in a breathtaking, ferociously fought game, promotion will now come down to goal difference.

Despite defeat, captain Dave Hughes will have been proud of his team’s efforts in a game where much of the skill, precise passing and fitness shown this season, was on display.

With some exquisite dribbling

by Gavin Vollmer, patient build up play by Jamie Longstreet and Dave Hughes and Martyn White a force up

HOCKEY: Two sticks, one ball?

front, Cardiff showed much promise during the 80 minute encounter.

Unfortunately, it was not to be as Portsmouth created more chances and deserved the win. At half time, however, it was anyone’s game with the scoreboard reading 1-1.

Cardiff began slowly and found themselves deep in their own half in the early minutes. After only 5 minutes of play, Portsmouth scored the first of the games’ five goals.

Alarmed by their lapse in defence, Cardiff soon gathered momentum and composure with Phil Wilkinson putting in a great run only to encounter a swarm of Portsmouth players. The home side's goal eventually came courtesy of Jamie Longstreet.

As the time ran down, the game intensified, with both sides markedly improving their games. Cardiff were undoubtedly the team of the first 40 minutes though, putting the visiting side under immense pressure as half time approached, although they failed to make it pay.

Disciplinary issues on Portsmouth’s part characterised their style of play, with one player sent off and another given a talking to by the referee. The away side began to dominate the second half, though, scoring two goals in quick succession and another later on.

Cardiff were not without support as much of the club’s lower sides turned out in force to cheer them on – in what the Portsmouth bench described as “disrespectful banter” – but Cardiff appeared overwhelmed by the three goal deficit and could not find a way back into the game.

The 1sts will now have to pick themselves up for a crucial game against Oxford Brookes in the hope of gaining promotion.

for the equaliser just before the end of the period.

During the first intermission, coach Suzi Grieve questioned the teams desire to win the game, which definitely led to an improved effort from the Redhawks at the start of the second period. Despite this, the team fell behind to two scrappy goals, making the score 3-1 to the Panthers.

With not long remaining in the second period, Jim Towers won a faceoff and drove straight at the Panthers 'defence, cutting between the two defencemen before firing hard and low past the keeper, halving the Panthers' lead.

Early in the third, the Redhawks' discipline let them down and they found themselves short-handed. With the game on a knife-edge, defenceman John Dibble broke out and rounded the Panthers' keeper to grab the equalising goal.

Minutes later, debutant Jon Griffiths found his way through the Panthers defence to grab the go-ahead

goal, sending the Redhawks bench into raptures.

The team capitalised further, as Chris Kirkham grabbed his first ever point for the Redhawks, setting up Fraser Lewis for his second goal of the season.

With the game winding down, the Redhawks began to concentrate on holding on to the 5-3 lead. Despite this, Chez McArdle rounded the net and then slipped the puck under the sprawling Panthers' keeper on the wrap-around, making the game safe at 6-3 with only a few minutes to go.

The Panthers scored once more in the dying minutes of the game but it was too late, leaving the final score at 6-4.

The next chance you have to see the Redhawks in action is on March 14 & 15 March at Cardiff Bay Ice Arena as they look to pick up their first silverware of the season against Edinburgh in the Celtic Cup.

Flying high James Hinks Frisbee Reporter CALM AIR and bright sun made for a great setting for this years Frisbee outdoor regional finals, with six universities taking part. All Cardiff teams achieved well, with Cardiff 1sts winning the tournament to take them through to the nationals in two weekends time.

On the first day Cardiff 1sts (‘No Frills’) were drawn in a group with three 2nd teams, and dominated the first day. They won all three of their games in under the regulation time of an hour, as they hit the score cap of 15 each time.

On the second day, Cardiff faced a tough semi final against Exeter 1sts, a game a lot of the players felt should have been the final. Captain Tony Fuller had to drill the team ensuring that they did not rest on the previous success.

In second gear, Frills were drawing the game 6-6 against a physical

PHOTO: GARETH MITCHELL

Jim Towers Ice Hockey Reporter

and talented Exeter team. Something had to change and Frills turned up the heat, running hard and going back to basic plays to grind out a 10 – 6 win.

The final against Bristol was quite anti-climatic as Cardiff struggled to settle at the beginning of the match.

They then changed their tactics to defend with a zone, forcing Bristol to handle the disc for longer. This proved too much for their opposition and Cardiff soon ran away with the game 13 – 4. Ian King was voted Most Valuable Player of the final, with a huge dive to intercept the disc being just one of his extra-ordinary plays during the game.

Cardiff 2nds ended the tournament in 7th position, beating a 1st team along the way, while the mixed team had a blend of newcomers and old first team players and worked well to win the plate.

Cardiff 1sts can now look forward to travelling to Sheffield for the Championships, although tougher tests are waiting if they want to replicate last year’s triumph of winning the outdoor nationals.

FRISBEE: Utterly Frilling

Sport gairrhydd

INSIDE: More BUCS success, the full IMG Roundup, the Word On cricket in Pakistan and Sport Comment

PHOTO: NATALIA POPOVA

CAUSING A SPLASH

Jack Broadfoot Waterpolo Reporter BOTH THE men's and women's water polo teams paved their way to BUCS finals for a record-breaking sixth consecutive year following a compelling semi-finals competition in Walsall this weekend.

In progressing once again, both teams cemented their positions amongst the top four university teams in Great Britain.

Once again it was the men who took to the pool first against a talented Cambridge side. Looking to book a place at this year’s finals for an astonishing eleventh time in twelve years,

Cardiff established an early 2-0 lead, which laid the foundations for a landslide 11-3 win despite stiff resistance from the opposition until the final quarter.

Daniel Laxton was in top form again, his spectacular reverse shot and long range effort leaving the Cambridge keeper looking beaten. Meanwhile, club veteran Jack Broadfoot was also on target towards the end to seal victory.

This comfortable win was then followed by a nail-biting 13-13 draw against Sheffield. Within minutes of the start the opposition defence looked vulnerable as Cardiff sailed into an early 6-2 lead.

However, Sheffield fought back

strongly to take the lead and it was only from two great lobs by Tommy Watson and Giorgos Liaskos in the dying moments that Cardiff managed to secure a draw.

With Sheffield losing to Cambridge, the men’s final game against Edinburgh was a formality as both teams assured of qualification. However, both teams knew a win here could prove an important steppingstone towards finals success.

Talisman Jacob Haas starred for the Welsh outfit, ploughing through the Edinburgh defence as Cardiff kept their noses to the grindstone and ran out 13-11 winners.

The girls’ first match was against a physical Loughborough side whom

they had beaten to win the title last year. Loughborough were eager for revenge and their willingness to bend the rules went mostly unpunished by the officials as they notched up a convincing 10-2 victory.

Cardiff now knew that only victory against both Sheffield and Edinburgh would see them through. Sheffield were duly dispatched 17-3 with impressive displays from Bex Carling and the returning Emma Colley. Club president Natalie Proctor also marked a strong performance with her first BUCS goal.

Normal service was also resumed against Edinburgh as Cardiff ran out 14-4 winners. Jo Coates was a tower of strength at the back, while the effer-

vescent Jen Myo produced an almost supernatural display of goal scoring.

With both teams heading back to Cardiff successful, men’s captain Harry Gates was feeling confident about the club’s chances: ‘I feel we’re in a very strong position going into finals and while both teams were on the rocks at some point today, we showed real determination and class and I can’t see any reason why we won’t be amongst the medals.’

With the BUCS championships taking place in Sheffield in two weeks time, Cardiff’s aquatic warriors will head north ready to do battle with the cream of university waterpolo.

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