The Human Rights Issue
gair rhydd Monday March 14 2011 | freeword – Est. 1972 | Issue 946
Petition asks more of JSTOR Miranda Atty News Editor Cardiff Students are petitioning the University to buy the third section of an electronic journal archive giving access to journals dating back twenty years. An online petition is being developed proposing that Cardiff University subscribes to section three of the Journal Storage company JSTOR. JSTOR section three would cost £4000 per year for the University to get a site license for, which would enable all students and staff to use the archive. The Academic and University Affairs Officer, Sarah Ingram, created the petition, as a response to concerns that some relevant journals could not be accessed because they were written between ten and 20 years prior. Currently, the University subscribes to sections one and two of JSTOR, which have journals dating back to a maximum of ten years. Section one contains material from the past four years, while section two contains journals produced within the last ten years. Access to section three would give students and staff the right to use journals and articles dating back between
ten and twenty years. History and Archaeology student, Jessica Franklin, approached Sarah Ingram about the lack of access to section three, after it was brought up at an Archaeology Staff and Student Panel. She subsequently told gair rhydd: “Without full access to JSTOR it is difficult to use the best articles for assignments and to keep up-to-date with developing themes within history, archaeology and conservation.” Jessica continued: “After a short discussion, we realised that this issue would not solely affect our department but the University as a whole and therefore, that as Chair of the Staff and Student Panel, I would take this issue further and try and find the best route to gain University-wide staff and student support for JSTOR three. “Sarah assisted greatly in this, and this has now led to the petition that is available to all students to voice their support of the venture.” Sarah Ingram subsequently raised the issue at Academic Council to see how many students it affected. The inability to access older journals was revealed to affect humanities students and lecturers in particular.
Politics interview Sarah Brown Monday March 14 2011
Continued on page 3
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02News
gr EDITOR Sarah Powell
CO-ORDINATOR Elaine Morgan DEPUTY EDITOR Dom Kehat SUB-EDITORS Anna Redbond Isabelle Roberts Hannah Van Den Bergh
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com
Council set to make changes to parking policy Bethan Cable Reporter Cardiff City Council are looking to make substantial changes to residential parking in the city which may affect student areas. Consultation has just finished on a scheme set to limit the number of parking permits allowed per household to two and to raise the level of resident-only parking to 75% on
Laura Haines 3rd year Zoology
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OPINION Holly Howe Chris Williams
Gemma Nicholls 3rd year History
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Loads of people drive into Uni and it’s already a nightmare trying to find parking. I drive in because the price of trains makes it cheaper just to jump in the car, so this will make my life much more difficult if it’s introduced.
It’s ridiculous – if they’re doing all this then we need better public services first. The trains are rubbish and I have a two-mile walk to my nearest bus stop, with only one bus every forty minutes.
POLITICS James Dunn Oliver Smith SOCIETIES Bianca London
PROOFREADERS Bethan Cable Steph Pugh
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I live in a five-bedroom house and we’ve got four permits and three cars, so this is going to cause massive difficulties. Our fourth permit is for guests, so I have no idea what we’ll do when people come to visit us without it.
Michael Willett PhD Language & Communication
COLUMNIST Greg Rees
CONTRIBUTORS Hugh Roger Hannah Sparks Bethan Cable David Hopes Samantha Mueller Becky Bartlett Jamie Evans Tom Parry-Jones Millie Flint Chris Andrews Craig McDowell Emma Jarrett Laura Dunn Thomas Whitehurst Elizabeth Crandon Rosey Brown Libby van den Bosch Jo Greet Owain Mortimer Nick Case Darren Wong Helen Jarvis James Ward
in a table of towns and cities across the UK that judged cities based on criteria that included levels of car crime, cost of petrol and parking charges. The council wrote to all the households in Cardiff which already have residents holding parking permits, and also distributed the survey via the Capital Times.
Leanna Lewis 3rd year History
I live in a three-person house and we’ve all got cars, so the plans will affect me hugely. Parking’s already bad enough around the University and it will be incredibly awkward for friends coming to stay if they can’t park without a permit.
FEATURES Zoe Bridger Laura Brunt
SPORT Alex Bywater Lucy Morgan Alex Winter
“It’s difficult, each ward is very difficult…with the parking we have in our ward, it’s definitely students we have parking problems with,” she continued. The proposed changes come in the wake of the news that Cardiff may be one of the least car-friendly cities in the country. The survey, which was carried out by Virgin Money Car Insurance, ranked Cardiff 63rd out of 65
Parking permit changes: gair rhydd gets your thoughts on Cardiff City Council's newly announced plans
NEWS Morgan Applegarth Miranda Atty Pippa Lewis Ben Price Hannah Pendleton
SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT Tom Clarke Jack Parker
some streets. Cathays is one of the main areas facing change, with Llandaff North also a main area targeted by the proposals. The proposals are designed to tackle the congestion and lack of parking in some of Cardiff ’s main housing areas. “At the moment we have a massive parking problem,” claimed Llandaff North Councillor Jacqui Hooper.
Student Elections see fall in candidate applications Hannah Pendleton News Editor The number of candidates for this year's Student Elections is down compared to the number of applicants last year. Three out of the eight full-time positions have seen a decrease in the number of applicants, falling short of the Students' Unions plans for six applicants per position.
Although the full-time positions offer a year of paid work, the lack of participation does not reflect student concerns over the current state of the graduate job market. Candidates campaigning for President have decreased from seven in 2010, to four in 2011. Welfare, Campaigns and Communication officer has attracted just four candidates this year, compared to six in 2010.
In the Head of Student Media category there are three candidates, compared to four in 2010. Just two out of the eight full-time positions increased in numbers. Candidates for the Healthcare Student Integration Officer has increased from one in 2010, to three this year. Applications for Societies, Events and Acitivities Officer has risen up to six from just four in 2010.
Candidate numbers for many positions have remained the same as the previous year, including Athletic Union President with eight, Finance and Commercial officer with five and Academic and University Affairs with three. However, although many figures have proved consistent, they fail to reach the Union's target for full time positions.
In this week's gair rhydd... hockey
Global NUS support CO2
advice Cardiff Referendum Parking Magazine
Politics
Sexism Extinction Sport Sheen Cardiff Volunteering Rugby Insomnia
Science Tiger blood Fossil fuel Netball Elections JSTOR Sarah Brown Strike
News03
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"As a Russell Group University it is abysmal that we cannot access the leading research" Continued from front A number of postgraduate students, including a Mathematics postgraduate, also expressed a desire to have full access to all of JSTOR’s sections. After the matter was raised at Student Council, Students with Disabilities Officer Claire Travers highlighted the fact that online journals benefited disabled students who could access them from anywhere. In response to student concerns, Sarah Ingram set up an online form to be filled in by students who would like access to the journal archive. At the time of going to print the
form had been online for two days, and 50 students had filled out the petition. The students were from Schools including: History, Archaeology and Religion, English, Communication and Philosophy, Engineering, Mathematics, Welsh, Music, European Studies, Social Sciences, and Earth and Ocean Studies. Each School that would use JSTOR section three is being petitioned to fill out an access form. All of the Humanities Schools are currently involved. Sarah Ingram told gair rhydd that a paper suggesting access to section three will be written for the next Academic Information Resources (AIR) forum in May. If the
paper is accepted, the forum will then make recommendations to the Academic Strategy Committee, which has the power to commit to the extra funding. The AIR budget, which comes from the University income and funding it receives, is set every year based on spending throughout the previous year on items such as textbooks, online subscriptions and journals, as well as taking account of inflation. The £4000 required to fund section three would not be a part of the fixed AIR budget for this year but would be an additional cost received from the University’s monetary funds distributed to the AIR. Sarah Ingram said: "Access to
JSTOR section three is something that a large number of students would like and would use, this is a need that has arisen from the student body and I hope that if enough students fill in the online form, then the University will treat this request seriously and allow the extra funding for this older section of the archive. “Currently, articles that have been written by our lecturers, in areas that they are teaching about, cannot be accessed by students because they are too old. “Cardiff University aspires to be a world-leading research institution and, as a result, should allow their students and staff access to all relevant journals, so that they can
research effectively." Jessica Franklin echoed these sentiments, stating: “It is a great feeling that while holding the role of Chair of the Staff and Student Panel, I could be involved in something that really will, if successful, help and assist students within all departments across the University. “After all, as a Russell Group research-led University, it is abysmal that we cannot access all the leading research to develop our assignments, knowledge and passion for the subjects we study.” The online petition can be found at www.cardiffstudents.com/JSTOR.
Welsh referendum results
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gair rhydd breaks down the latest results of the recent Welsh referendum
YES
63.5%
Declaration: Cardiff
NO
36.5%
Voter turnout
248,062
Total electorate size
53,427 Yes 61.39%
87,228
29.45%
Turnout 43.39%
35.16%
Turnout as a percentage
87,033
39.68%
Number of valid votes cast
33,606 No 38.61%
177
Number of spoilt ballots
0.22% Spoilt ballots as a percentage
38.73%
27.9%
35.16%
04News
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com
PHOTOS: Chris Griffiths
Sleep-out success
Miranda Atty News Editor Last month students from Student Action For Refugees (STAR) and Amnesty International took part in a sleepout to raise awareness of
forced destitution. It focused on the plight of failed asylum seekers and their basic human rights. The sleepout, held at St. John’s Garden by St. David’s Centre, included live music and speeches. STAR society was joined in its
efforts by refugees and asylum -seekers from within the local community. The efforts also raised money for local organisation Homes4U, which provides temporary housing for asylum seekers who have had applications that have been rejected.
Battle of the Bands David Hopes Reporter The Live Music Society is holding their annual Battle of the Bands competition throughout March and April. The contest sees four bands play per night, with the top two progressing to the next round based on judge and audience votes. Battle of the Bands was created by an ex-treasurer in 2006, and, after selling out Clwb Ifor Bach in its first two years, was moved to Solus in the Union in 2008. A spokesperson for the Live Music Society described the inspiration behind the contest: “It's the sort of competition that many of us
attended in our home towns while at school, but rather than listen to a load of 16-year-olds playing Green Day covers we felt that it would be much more fun to listen to the cream of Cardiff's unsigned talent instead, and be able to offer prizes worthy of their performances.” This year all acts reaching the final will win at least £50. The runner-up will receive £100, and the winner will receive a monetary prize of £200 and the opportunity to play a slot at the summer festival Breach Break Live. All of the heats are free to attend and all members of the audience have a vote, and all votes count. Last year, almost 1000 votes were cast throughout the whole competi-
tion. Whytel, who were judged the winners, played at the last-ever Summer Ball in Cooper's Field.
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All acts reaching the final will win at least £50.
At the 2010 Society Awards, Battle of the Bands won the Best Musical Performance. The first semi-final takes place at Koko Gorillaz on March 17, and the Grand Final is scheduled for April 7.
Student burglaries Samantha Mueller Reporter A recent report released by South Wales police has revealed that around half of burglaries in student houses occurred in houses that were left unlocked. The police have launched a ‘Lock it, Hide it, Keep it’ campaign at the students’ union aimed at providing advice to help prevent crime. Although the overall burglary rate is down by 3.1%, the student areas of Roath and Cathays have suffered more burglaries than elsewhere. There have been 40 student burglaries since Christmas alone, with 21 of these deemed to have occurred in ‘insecure properties’, which had unlocked doors or open
windows. According to Student Liaison Officer PC Tim Davies, this issue is “something students can easily address.” Officers are urging students, especially those in the Cathays area, to register their valuables on a free online property database (www.immobilise.com), where they can be contacted if their stolen property is found. South Wales Police stated that most stolen items were normally sold within the Cardiff area. PC Davies said: “I will be in the Students’ Union on the first Tuesday of every month with my laptop and would encourage all students to call in to see me for this free service and extra crime prevention advice.”
Report reveals expensive University website
Becky Bartlett Reporter A recent report has revealed that Cardiff University is spending as much as three times more on its website than other universities throughout the country. Using the Freedom of Information legislation, the report found that Cardiff spent £240,868 overall on its website last year, compared to
an average annual spend of £60,375. The results reveal that Cardiff has the second most expensive website of all those investigated. The website is the main port of call for students, lecturers and the public. Paying staff salaries, maintaining and frequently redesigning the website all contribute to the final cost. However, a recent survey by Webcredible, showed that a quarter of
all students believe that there are many basic functionalities missing from their University websites, prompting them to feel let-down by inadequate websites. A spokesperson for the University said: "We did not and do not accept that there is any credible evidence that the University is spending more on its website than other universities of its type. “The data quoted was based on
an uninformed question to which the interpretation and the associated responses were hugely different across the sector, resulting in inaccurate and misleading comparisons.” The spokesperson continued: "Consistent with its open and transparent approach, Cardiff University provided the actual total full costs – of all web software, hardware, applications, licences, host-
ing fees etc and including full pay (and associated) costs. “The service provided is also a different model to what is provided in many universities; the central web team provides services to academic schools and other areas of the University which in many instances avoids the need for localised web specialists, reducing the overall cost to the organisation further.”
News05
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com
University accused of Potential axe for restricting freedom of speech courses due to funding Ben Price News Editor Concerns regarding the University's 'restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of expression on campus' have been expressed in an open letter to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr David Grant. The letter lists various occassions on which it has been felt that students' freedom of movement has been infringed upon by the University. The most memorable example of the University restricting students' peaceful protest actions to date was the mass protest against a proposed rise in tuition fees. During the protest, staged last November, the University's actions to 'stop students' freedom of movement to and from the lecture theatre' that they occupied for over 24 hours. It is stated in the letter that this sort of behaviour on behalf of Cardiff University was 'a clear infringement of students' right to peaceful protest, freedom of movement and freedom of expression'. Students were refused re-entry
into the occupied lecture theatre if they left the room to use the toilet, they were also refused being given food and water. The BBC and ITV were also refused access to University premises. The letter also criticises the University and the Students' Union for a number of other instances in the past three years where it has been felt that attempts have been made to obstruct the freedom of expression. The University's dealings with an arranged visit by Noam Chomsky are criticised.
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University accused of double standards
Similarly the letter expressed the frustration felt by many as it describes how the University used a number of 'excuses' to justify why journalist and blogger, Jody McIntyre, was initally prevented from speaking at the Institution. One of the main reasons given for denying the visits of both these men was the security risks such
events could attract. In the letter, the author accuses
Laura Amey Reporter
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With the threat of funding cuts in higher education looming, courses with low student numbers could be axed altogether. At the eleven higher education institutes across Wales there are more than 1100 courses with 10 or fewer students. These include the BSc in Equestrian Psychology at Glyndwr University, which has seven students enrolled, and Swansea’s Serious Mental Illness with just one student. Glyndwr University admitted to 'having to prioritise its curriculum in the light of increasing financial pressures' while Swansea also stressed it would continue to 'review its portfolio and remain responsive to changing patterns of student demand'. UWIC had two courses running this academic year with ten or fewer students and both have already been cancelled. Students on the MSc in Interprofessional Studies and the BA in Tourist Guiding do not attend lectures or seminars but
Universities should be hubs of debate
the University of double standards. This is due to the 'willingness' of the University's management to accept the visit of the Israeli Ambassador, despite the need for a large security operation needing to be implemented for the Ambassador's visit to go ahead. The letter also accuses the University of being in breach of the Education (2) Act 1986. It is stated that if it was "reasonably practicable" to welcome the Israeli Ambassador to the University, then it would also be the "reasonably practicable" to accept visits by both Professor Chomsky and Jody McIntyre. The letter concludes that 'Universities should be hubs of debate and discussion and intellectual centres not only for students but for the entire city and wider community'.
remain enrolled to complete assessment at the end of the year, according to the university. However, these new figures for low demand courses can be misleading.
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We may see a reduction in number of institutions
Cardiff University has 214 small courses. A University spokesperson said: “Degree programmes often have modules shared with other courses so enrolment numbers for particular courses do not necessarily reflect teaching group size." Neither Aberystwyth nor Glamorgan Universities were available for comment. The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, which is responsible for funding all Welsh universities, has already stated that within two years mergers must be agreed in order to reduce the number of institutions from 11 to six.
Cuts to student visas could force course closures Hugh Rodger Reporter Cuts to the number of visas for international students risk the closure of science and engineering courses, universities have warned. In a joint letter to The Observer, 16 university vice-chancellors expressed their “profound concern”, wishing to persuade Home Secretary, Theresa May, to drop a government proposal to limit the amount of foreign student visas given out. They argue the proposal will damage the income of universities. The plans include raising the English language requirement, increasing the difficulty for entry into the UK, particularly affecting non-EU students who account for two-thirds of the 273,000 applicants who were awarded visas in 2009
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Courses may no longer viable
The coalition government aims to reduce net migration to the “tens of thousands” by 2015. Current levels are estimated at
around 196,000. However, in the letter to the Observer, the vice-chancellors wrote: “International students coming to universities contribute over £5 billion each year to the UK economy through tuition fees and off-campus expenditure. "Reductions in student numbers will lead to reductions in income and jobs. "Without international students, many university courses, particularly science and engineering courses, may no longer be viable. "This will in turn reduce the courses available to UK students “At a time of financial austerity, this issue is of immeasurable importance to the UK.” A spokeswoman for the Home Office responded: “Any criticism can only be based on speculation as no decisions have yet been made on the changes to the student visa route. However, universities that are confident in the product they have to offer genuine students should have nothing to fear from policies that root out abuses in the student visa system.”
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UCU Strike action to hit Cardiff students
Police call for victims to come forward
Cardiff University comments on the strike action set to hit Wales
Hannah Pendleton News Editor
Hannah Pendleton News Editor Cardiff University has responded to the UCU strike action planned for this month, following the UCU's announcement last Tuesday of the dates in which strikes will take place in 63 universities across the UK.
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The University's over-riding concern will be to keep education running as normally as possible
Issue 945 of gair rhydd reported on the UCU's calls for talks that seek to settle disputes over pay and pensions.
Now, up to 1,241,655 students will be affected by the strikes if the disputes are not resolved. Wales is set to see strike action on Friday March 18 2011. In a reaction to the proposed strikes Cardiff University have commented: "The University has not been formally notified of any strike action by the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) as of March 9. "We therefore have been given no details on the form of any action or the date on which it will take place. "UCU membership at Cardiff University is presently 976 - around 22 % of those staff eligible to join. "There was a 33.9% turnout and 233 members voted to strike. "If strike action goes ahead, the University's over-riding concern will be to keep education running as normally as possible. "Students can be assured that everything will be done to avoid any direct impact on them. "While the University respects
the right to strike, it believes the Union is wrong in this case to consider action which will disrupt students and other colleagues. "The particular issue behind this possible strike is the proposed changes to the national USS pension scheme for higher education staff. "Following two years of discussions with UCU, a package of changes was proposed last year by the USS national board and all UK members were consulted. "Following the consultation, the USS Joint Negotiating Committee approved an amended package, which the UCU has not accepted. "The Union is entitled to its view, but this is a national issue. It is unfair that Cardiff University and its students should suffer strike action over a decision they played no part in." Sally Hunt, the UCU General Secretary, has stated: “University staff really value their pension rights and have made their views of the
detrimental changes crystal clear and if a settlement is not reached, they are prepared to strike to defend their pensions.
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The ball is in the employers' court and we are still waiting for their response
“Strike action is always a last resort and I am ready and willing to clear my diary to meet the employers through ACAS immediately. "We can avoid widespread disruptions on campus, but both sides must be prepared to go that extra mile and move quickly. "The ball is in the employers' court and we are still waiting for their response.”
Cardiff Police are urging vicitms of an assault to step forward after an incident outside the Cardiff Students' Union. The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday February 27 2011 on Senghennydd Road, Cathays. Four males, aged 13,15,17 and 19 have been arrested, but have been bailed pending further inquiries. A mobile phone was taken during the asssault. Detective Constable Esyr Jones from Roath CID has stated: “The incident is captured in its entirety by University CCTV operators and we can tell from this that the victims, both believed to be male, will have sustained some injuries. “I am obviously keen to trace them to, firstly, check on their welfare and secondly to speak to them about the incident.” Anyone with information should contact DC Jones at Roath CID on 02920 527 261,.
World News 'Judge'd 07
22-inch man Jamie Evans Reporter Seventeen year-old Junrey Balawing is set to break the record as the smallest man on earth when he turns 18 in June. Teen Balawing, who hails from Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines stands at a remarkable 22-inches tall, which is the average height for a one-year-old toddler. The current holder of the ‘World’s Shortest Man Alive’ title in the Guinness Book of World Records is Colombian, Edward Niño Hernandez, who is 4.4 inches taller
than Balawing. Balawing’s condition means that he cannot stand or walk for prolonged periods of time. Speaking of his new fame and soon-to-be-announced title, the Filipino said: "If I were the smallest man in the world, it would be very cool." His parents and supporters want him to take the title as it would lead to 'greater opportunities' and a better life, having come from an impoverished background.
Sick collection
Becky Bartlett Reporter A convicted sex offender, who attempted to flee court, was halted when the Judge rugby-tackled him. Paul Reid, 34, who was on trial for an unspecified crime, saw his opportunity for freedom when the Jury went to leave, running out of the open door and towards a nearby fire exit. Judge Douglas Marks Moore gave chase, before rugby tackling him to the ground and holding him until assistance arrived.
Up, up and away Pancake Millie Flint Reporter A team of National Geographic scientists have made a house ‘fly’, after being inspired by the 2009 Pixar production Up. The team from Los Angeles have tried to replicate scenes from the film in which main character attaches hundreds of helium filled balloons to his house with the ambition of exploring South America. Three-hundred helium filled weather balloons were attached to a house that stretched to 4.5m in height. The house was manned by a pilot, engineer and two scientists.
Unlike the film, the house did not reach another continent, but managed to soar to a height of 10,000 feet and set a new record for the largest cluster balloon flight ever attempted.
race win Chris Andrews Reporter The House of Lords' team have won this year’s annual Rehab Parliamentary Pancake Race against their rivals from the Commons. Held every Shrove Tuesday, the race is contested outside the Houses of Parliament to help raise awareness for Rehab – a charity which supports people with disabilities and mental health difficulties. The race sees Lords and MPs run a circuit in Westminster's Victoria Gardens, dressed as chefs, whilst flipping pancakes.
Tom Parry-Jones Reporter A Dutch male has set a new World Record for the largest collection of a rather unusual item – airline sickbags. Niek Vermeulen from Wormerveer, Netherlands has amassed a total amount of 6,016 bags from 1,142 different airlines, across 160 countries. Seventy-four-year-old Vermeulen began acquiring the bags as a result of a bet between him and a friend to see who could set a World Record for the largest collection of any one
item first. After more than 40 years of collecting, Vermeulen said: "I'm old now and my medical situation is best described as 'the time is coming'. I've started looking for a successor to take over my collection." The star piece in Vermeulen's hoard is a sickbag from the space shuttle Columbia that was in space for 16 days.
Street tweets Chris Andrews Reporter A homeless man from New York has been reunited with his daughter thanks to an appeal over Twitter. Fifty-eight-year-old Daniel Morales, was one of four men provided a prepaid mobile phone as part of a project to document the lives of homeless people. Tweeting to his 3,000 followers, Morales posted: “Hi thi is to let yo people know that in lookin eoq my daughter her name is sarah m rivera [sic].” Posting his phone number and a picture of his daughter, Morales received a phone call from his daugh-
ter, Sarah Rivera, the following day. The two reunited after an 11-year absence. Speaking on the reunion, Morales said: “It’s awesome. I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep them near me.”
Opinion
09
Charlie Sheen: A tale of drugs, sex and tiger blood Libby van den Bosch Opinion Writer Move aside Britney and Kerry Katona, for drug-addled psychosis has a new poster-boy. This time in the form of the “Tiger Blood” swilling, self-professed “WINNER”, Charlie Sheen. Almost overnight, Sheen has gone from being ‘that guy from that show’ to an internet sensation with a record-breaking number of new Twitter followers and a dubstep homage on youtube, in which his words, “man, I was banging seven gram rocks” are catchily immortalised to a throbbing bass-line. Although Sheen has been in the public eye for some time for his drug-taking, violence and relationships with various porn-stars, it has only been recently that he came to real international media attention. During a recent national television interview, he demanded a 50% raise for the show in which he plays one of the leads, Two and a Half Men. Already the highest-paid actor on US television, Sheen demanded his fee be raised to three million dollars per episode, claiming that in comparison to the amount that the series was making, he was “underpaid.” Then, on the March 3 this year, following public attacks on his employees and a series of bizarre and outlandish interviews, he was finally fired from the show and urged by his bosses at Warner Bros. to seek medical help. Sheen himself said in an interview, that they should “blame the studio for giving me this much dough knowing who they were giving it to,” and indeed for many, Sheen’s path to self-destruction is being held up as a cautionary tale about the tragic consequences that growing up in the limelight (he is the son of veteran actor, Martin Sheen) and having too much money can have. Yet there has been a divide in the media between celebrating his descent into surprisingly eloquent madness and outrage at the public fascination with a man who has clearly got serious mental health problems. Nevertheless, in many ways it is difficult to see the tragedy in someone who appears so insanely self-assured and for whom the financial difficulties and social
Sheen's domination of Twitter
@Charliesheen Charlie Sheen
fastball; Cuban, a mad genius, proclaimed every brain cell in ths Warlock brain 2 B a weapon of mass destruction. U've been warned; by him. @scroobiuspip Scroobius Pip
Alot of people asking when International Man's Day is? Dont worry, Charlie Sheen is celebrating it everyday for the rest of us. @Charliesheen Charlie Sheen
fastball; #DogSpeed all. another record shattered. we gobbled the soft target that was 2.0 mil, like a bag of troll-house zombie chow.
isolation that would normally accompany a drug habit are not an issue. Sheen’s newly-found cult-status is easy to explain when we consider his role in Two and a Half Men. His character, Charlie Harper, is a hedonistic womaniser; in short, a watered-down version of Sheen himself. When considering that the show has 30 million viewers in the US alone, it is unsurprising that Sheen’s openness about his personal life, including his involvement with porn-stars and prostitutes and his past drug-use, has roused so much interest, when the events that are unfolding eclipse any on-screen drama. Personally, I have never been as entertained by an episode of Two and a Half Men, as I have been by the home-made video in which Sheen claims, among other things,
Above - Sheen's massive effect on twitter. Right Posing for the TV show that fired him, 2 and a half men
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I’m in team Sheen, even if it’s merely so I can adopt his lingo for my everyday life.
that there are 6,000 hours in a day and that phones are the invention of trolls. Of course, the possibility still remains that the entire thing is a publicity stunt. Although it is beyond a doubt that Sheen has had a troubled personal life, he has made a career as an actor and he knows what is required to captivate his audience. But media heist or nay, I’m decidedly team Sheen, even if it’s merely so I can adopt his lingo for my everyday life. At an appropriate moment, I fully intend to use the line: “we need to cut off his face and wear it and go on a very tightly-budgeted shopping spree in stores that don't exist yet." If nothing else, it’ll help to clear a crowded train-carriage. When watching his videos, it is easy to see why Charlie Sheen is suddenly more quotable than Anchorman and has developed a position as a kind of anti-hero. Rather
than the tiresome do-gooding, multiple-ethnic-child-adoption favoured by his saner celebrity counterparts, Sheen has proudly announced that, “I’m tired of pretending like I’m not special. I’m tired of pretending like I’m not bitchin’, a total freakin’ rock star from Mars.” His breakdown has also been different from that of other celebrities. Far from being a Britney-esque, shaven headed, watery-eyed victim, Sheen is confident in his own “Adonis DNA.” Likewise, while others in his position tend to offer up flimsy, scripted public apologies for their partying lifestyles, Sheen is hilariously unrepentant about how much fun he has actually had. After a while it’s impossible not to sort of agree when he talks about how “bitchin’” his life really is and to begin to wonder whether Amazon sells Tiger Blood.
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Opinion10
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • opinion@gairrhydd.com
Why you're paying to feel terrible Rosey Brown Opinion Writer When I haven’t got much work to do (or, more likely, I am putting it off), I like to wander down to Spar, grab a Cosmo and a Bounty, and mindlessly flick through the fashion pages with a friend. I always saw glossy magazines as a bit of harmless fun. But lately, the more I read, the more wary I become. The main focus in a fashion magazine? Self-image. We are constantly being told how to improve, how to look our best and how to achieve the elusive state of self confidence. Something I was reading today on Cosmopolitan.com entitled “Feel Sexier Naked” claimed that body insecurities stemmed from friends, parents, and improbable expectations of beauty, stemming from media pressure. The item was surrounded by pictures of women – not just women, but models: blonde, thin and airbrushed to perfection. Doesn’t this seem hypocritical? Particularly worrying is the “Best and Worst Bikini Bodies” section, often featured in a summer edition of a magazine. Here, the thinnest, most toned and tanned bodies are idolised and those who show some small natural imperfections, such as cellulite and slightly sagging skin, are treated to schoolyard-style name calling, the offending areas circled in neon colours and labelled as “gross!” Looking at these pages makes me munch my chocolate morosely, wondering what hope there is for me, if those fairy-tale women are considered ugly. Fashion magazines run on in-
security. Huge amounts of money come from their sponsors, whose adverts take up large proportions of the magazine. Miracle creams, foundations and perfumes, which all implicitly claim to improve your life significantly, are bought by unhappy women wanting fast solutions. Plastic surgery and Botox adverts are also found more and more frequently, even though in the gossip pages, celebrities are often mocked for it. This lack of ethics and values leaves me feeling confused. Glamour magazine made an effort in 2009 to include more “plussize models” in its pages, but these models were not really all that large. Crystal Renn, for example, is only a size 12; the average dress size for women in the UK is 16. Why must such a fanfare be made over this small achievement? Average size women featured in magazines should be a common thing, but at the moment editors feel the need to point out any slightly curvy model to the reader, and give themselves a pat on the back. The fashion industry makes it difficult for magazines to use larger models, as all of their sample clothes come in small sizes. Since we are exposed to thin women in magazines, we perceive this as beautiful, and designers want beautiful women to model their clothes. The ideal is self-perpetuating. Are there any solutions to this problem? For the moment, it doesn’t look like fashion publications are coming out of their rut, and while their format sells, they will keep to it. As for me, the next time I want a break, I’m going to read Quench.
Thomas Whitehurst Opinion Writer
A typical Cosmopolitan cover: Sex tips and 'Body Secrets'
Is product placement going too far? Elizabeth Crandon Opinion Writer Picture the scene – you’re curled up on the sofa of an evening, engrossed in one of ITV’s whodunit crime dramas. The archetypal badass-detective-with-a-heart-of-gold has gathered the supporting characters round for the dramatic big reveal: “For you see, I knew he was innocent from the very first time we met,” he concludes, “he was warm, smooth and refreshing…just like the cup of Nescafe Gold in his hand.” Ok, admittedly this seems rather an unlikely scenario. But since the UK ban on televisual product placement was lifted on March 1, I fear that this is the direction television programming may be headed. Many of us are familiar with product placement due to its’ use in American programmes and films. It’s essentially when product brands are visible, promoted, physically used or referred to during a film or television show. I myself became aware of product placement back when I saw I-
Robot. Will Smith made repeated references to his Converse All Stars throughout the film, and I found it utterly baffling. I kept waiting for these trainers to play a pivotal, plotdeveloping role and as the truth dawned on me, I felt a bit cheated. Subtle advertising has always been rife on television but such blatant advertising during a film seemed crass. Not long after that, I noticed product placement in many TV shows - American Idol judges sat behind Coca-Cola glasses, Modern Family showcased the features of an iPad. It was happening more and becoming more acceptable. Still, I couldn’t help but be pleased that British shows had more integrity than that. But alas here we are now in 2011, just three short years after culture secretary, Andy Burnham, reassured us that product placement was not set to ‘contaminate’ our screens. But what exactly is my issue with product placement? After all, I am able to identify with the arguments in its defence quite strongly. They are easily summed up. There’s the concern that product placement
will promote an unhealthy lifestyle, causing viewers to purchase damaging products. That’s clearly nonsense; there is too high an amount of advertising on television already for a little more to make a noticeable difference. Besides, characters have long been consuming unbranded damaging products on television and I don’t think the risk of eating more Big Macs purely because your favourite character has named them as his preferred brand is particularly high. I spent six seasons watching Tony Soprano drink from a can of clearly-labelled CocaCola and I no more copied his sodaswigging lifestyle than I did get a gun and join a gang. It’s also suggested that the UK’s restriction on product placement ensures that British television retains a degree of integrity. Product placement is not allowed to be to the detriment of a show’s artistic merit (this is where I-Robot fell down), and viewers are informed of its’ presence before and after the show. The BBC will not be lifting the ban, thus you will be able to choose not to watch product placement and
still enjoy television. These strike me as perfectly valid arguments, but it all still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I don’t think product placement is the root of all evil, but is it really necessary? I’m sick of being constantly bombarded by adverts – while I’m typing an essay, on every website, in my email account, during ad breaks, sports, in magazines – the list of mediums is endless. Is it too much to ask for an hour’s escapism to enjoy a TV show without yet more bombardment? And how long will it be before the guidelines begin to relax as we become more accepting of it? With the ban lifted we are undeniably inching ever closer to the ways of our transatlantic friends. How long will it be until product placement is an accepted norm for us too? This is the question that bothers me, and one that only time can answer. But for now, I will keep watching my favourite TV characters in the hope that they will not be reaching for their All Stars anytime soon.
Guy Kelly has written an eloquent and often hilarious article, “Jamaican Me Smile,” on the minor controversy stirred by Rastamouse, the BBC’s new stop motion children’s programme. However, he gives the impression that condemnation of the reggae-loving rodent has come only from the political right. The objectors in his article mask their fear of all things Afro-Caribbean, with a combination of conspiracy theories about subliminal references to ganja, old worries about linguistic corruption of children and a tellingly confused understanding of the concept of racism. While I’m sure this is an accurate enough summary of the position of the Daily Star or the average discussion board contributor, it is not the limit of the debate. Having a Rastafarian co-creator and fans including Dizzie Rascal, has not precluded a mixed reception for Rastamouse in the British AfroCaribbean community. Writing in The Voice (“Britain’s Best Black Newspaper”), Delroy ConstantineSimms sees Rastamouse as “a golliwog in drag,” adding, “no other ethnic group in Britain would allow their religion to be represented by a rodent.” The latter complaint is echoed by Reggae Reggae Sauce creator, Levi Roots, who cites this as the reason he declined an invitation to voice the murine protagonist. One can imagine the furore if one of the larger religions was treated in this way. Perhaps the BBC was relying on another stereotype - the perceived easy-going nature of Rastafarians - to avoid criticism. Children do not possess the highly developed sense of irony that allows Guy Kelly to amuse himself imitating patois, knowing all the while he’s satirising in a BaronCohenesque way the inauthentic attempts of a certain type of white middle class male to appropriate black culture (“…joint second in a Lil’ Wayne sound-alike competition in my Hampshire village.”). Doubtless, some kids will use vocabulary gained from Rastamouse to pick on black children. Still, what we can ask for in return for our good faith, is that Rastamouse deliver some insight into Afro-Caribbean culture beyond reggae music and cod-Jamaican accents. This would more than temper any negative impact in the schoolyard. Unfortunately, having seen all the episodes so far aired, I can report no such transferral of wisdom. Although Mouseland’s soaring crime rate doesn’t provide the best advertisement for the effectiveness of his approach, I applaud any crime-fighting hero with an ethos of redemption not retribution. By no means perfect, Rastamouse has rightly been welcomed by most as a first attempt by the BBC to better cater for a community whose children it has hitherto underserved.
Columnist
11
Just a load of old balls?
S
o once again the sublime talents of Lionel Andres Messi put paid to the Champions League dreams of Arsenal and their orc-tastic manager. At the risk of causing Sepp Blatter and his FIFA cronies to breathe down my neck, I’ll say in print that some of the decisions in the match at the Camp Nou could certainly be considered contentious, if perhaps ineligible for that favourite phrase of footballers and fans alike, ‘dodgy’. You have to feel for the Gunners though (unless you’re a White Hart Lane regular). Another year, another cruel defeat by the Catalan masters. There’s hope for 2012 yet, of course: if the pattern formed last year keeps on happening, I can confidently predict a 2-0 win at home and a 2-1 defeat away for Mr. Wenger’s side, with Arsenal progressing amid much jubilation. I’m getting good at predicting results, you know. I said days ago that it would end up Barca 3, Arsa 1. Shoulda stuck a fiver on it. Anyway, the point is, that, for yet another year, a game that promised so much for Arsenal delivered so little. Their great shining hope of carrying a slender advantage to one of the greatest stadiums in the world was stripped away, piece by piece, as Barcelona’s super-skilled strike force took them gradually apart. I wonder what words of wisdom old Arsene gave to his boys before the match. I doubt the comparison between Wenger and that other, slightly better-dressed manager of a worldfamous side, Barack Obama, has been made too often in the past, but it’s worth pondering now. Did the Frenchman stand Obama-esque, perhaps with fists raised in fervour, and shout joyously to Fabregas, Wilshere and the rest, ‘Yes we can! YES WE CAN!’? No? Well, it’s a nice thought. Football’s not that dissimilar to politics, actually, and in many respects being a football fan and being a voter aren’t that different at all. From time to time you get the chance to
voice your opinion and get a change of regime: via the ballot box, or by shouting your displeasure from the stands (and everywhere else). OK, the board, not the fans, will usually make the decisions on who the new manager should be. Yet I suppose that’s not so different to the successions of Gordon Brown or even John Major to the top job, before they’d even fought an election, due to the political turmoil and wrangling behind the scenes. And, no matter who’s in charge of the team (for team, read squad or cabinet), the money’s almost always tied up somewhere, often making the ubiquitous fat cats even fatter, be they council chairmen or sulky strikers. Moreover, with every fresh government or new coaching staff, there’s that sense of the new, the possible: a sense that things might be about to get bigger, better and brighter. Maybe not in every case, of course. Just as many Liverpool fans wanted Kenny Dalglish appointed to the dugout last summer instead of Roy Hodgson, so many voters would rather the government be wearing
a red kit (tie!), rather than a blue (or yellow) one. And, just like the resigned-to-disappointment fans of perennially struggling teams, there are the apolitical die-hards, who state that it doesn’t matter who gets in anyway, because ‘all politicians are the same’. All exactly the same? Well, let’s take a look at the party leaders. I don’t doubt that many people would scoff if I suggested that David Cameron could have ended up anything other than a Tory, but far stranger things have happened. Yes, he’s an Eton man, privileged, rich, et cetera et cetera, but all that doesn’t guarantee political allegiances. I’d lay substantial sums of money on it being a fact that many, if not most people calling themselves socialists, (or communists, or whatever) these days came from somewhat privileged backgrounds themselves. Just as not all twenty-first century Conservatives come from landed estates, not all Socialists come from the factory floor. Most don’t, in both cases. Duhh. Does the mix of backgrounds, viewpoints and lifestyles mean
WENGER: great tactics, shame about the coat... that all modern politicians are the fice with the Labour Party. Ed Milisame, though? Not necessarily, but band, too, could have gone the other they are far more interchangeable. way, and ended up a Tory. After all, Tony Blair is the classic example. despite his famously left-wing backWhatever you think of him, back in ground, Ed’s upbringing wasn’t the day he could be a bloody skilled too many rungs down the ladder politician, and would have been one of privilege from Mr. Cameron’s, ,whatever party he led: the whole and their university education and concept of ‘New Labour’ seemingly subsequent jobs aren’t all that disbred to take its place between the similar either. Whatever influences traditional Conservative right and have come to play on the two men, traditional labour Left. A hundred there are a lot of similarities beyears ago, even fifty years ago, the tween them. But I am waffling. The true tiedifferences between Tory and Lacolour chameleon is of course Nick bour politicians would in most casClegg. What with his background es have been far more obvious. It hardly needs saying that many (cosmopolitan, well-educated, relapolitical allegiances stem from tively privileged), his career choicpeople’s ideologies. Yet many have es, and his manner, with slight pomore prosaic origins: the influence litical adjustments he could be a front-bench politician for any of the of familiarity, or voting the way of one’s family, friends or workmates. three major 21st century parties. It is perhaps a shame for Mr. And of course some political allegiances stem, partly or largely, from Clegg that, unlike a real chameleon, a desire to rebel against authority, he cannot simply merge unseen into the background, but remains be it state or parental. Back to David Cameron, though. liable to be reviled by many given It’s a fair assumption that had Cam- the current political state of affairs. eron deviated a little way from the Well, people always need someone paths he took, for whatever reason, to complain about… he could have ended up in high of-
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Politics
Is there still a threat of sexism in politics?
Laura Dunn argues why women should be at the forefront of politics and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, alongside many other successful Representatives display, these characteristics on a daily basis, demonstrating that strong female leadership can not only produce results, but be an inspiration for women and girls across the globe. The Foundation cites Senator Gillibrand as one example of a female leader who brings these qualities to public life. She is the junior Senator for New York, an individual who served in the House of Representatives before running for the seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, when she became Secretary of State. Colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee have applauded her for her dogged determination in the passing of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the bill introduced to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military. As Chairman Carl Levin said, “ [Kirsten] is not shy about her views. She pressed her opinion and talked to everyone both on the Senate floor and in office visits and in hallways.” Kirsten Gillibrand was also a staunch supporter of a bill to cover the healthcare costs of 9/11 First Responders, which finally passed in late 2010. Academic research from established scholars as well as the Barbara Lee Foundation has detailed the benefits of having women in elected office. Women in the US Congress have sponsored more bills and obtain more co-sponsorship at the same time as collecting more funds for projects in their districts. The Barbara Lee Foundation’s research, highlighted that female governors have higher favourable ratings than their male counterparts when graded on a range of leadership qualities such as management, problem solving and ‘getting things done.’ With 6 current female governors in states such as Arizona, Washington and North Carolina, continued investigation over time will allow us to witness if this finding is indeed true.
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he release of the Barbara Lee Foundation’s report titled ‘What Women’s Leadership means for America’ in January, highlights the benefits of having female representatives in elected office. The US Congress currently has 89 female representatives, with 72 in the House of Representatives and 17 in the Senate. President Obama nominated 6 women to serve in his Cabinet, a total only surpassed by President Clinton’s selection of nine women during
Nancy Pelosi is the first female speaker of Congress in history his second term of office. Congress saw the first female Speaker of the House in 2006, when Nancy Pelosi was elected to the role due to the gigantic win of the Democrats in the midterm elections. Many academics, professional organisations and advocacy groups, such as the Congressional Record maintain that the 110th and 111th Congresses under Pelosi’s leadership were the “most successful ever,” with healthcare reform, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and an extension of student loans, just three of the many pieces of legislation which
were passed. The Foundation’s research raised many points which can be attributed to the leadership of women. Female candidates are expected to show a combination of competence, clarity, efficiency and decisiveness, demonstrating “poise and establishing credibility with voters,” by taking on powerful and corporate interests. They must also show tenacity, working for change even though it may endanger their character and power. Individuals such as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
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Congresses under Pelosi's leadership were the "most successful ever"
The Foundation’s research has highlighted that female representatives still face a double-bind situation, with the decision of how to be tough and popular at the same time. Hillary Clinton was perhaps criticised the most on this topic, notably during her run for the Presidency in 2008. Critics and right-wing pundits were vocal about Clinton’s ‘aggressive manner’ during speeches and debates, and were eager to continue their criticism when she shed tears
in a New Hampshire coffee shop during the state’s caucus. Many academics have researched references of Clinton within the American media measuring if she was framed as experienced, knowledgeable and competent. The findings have unfortunately been unfavourable, with blatant sexism still present within many of the samples. This is in contrast to some sectors of the media who ‘over-reported’ Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s competence and experience within government.
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A mere 16.6% of Congressional Representatives are female
For the first time since 1978, women’s representation in public office has declined. A mere 16.6% of Congressional representatives are female, with the recent 2010 midterm elections highlighting the disparity between male and female politicians in terms of equality. Research into drop-off Obama voters (individuals who voted for Obama in 2008 but did not vote Democratic in 2010), has demonstrated that there is a clear preference for representatives who are bipartisan and care for ‘the average individual on the street’. Particularly in the aftermath of the shooting in Arizona, these two qualities have never been so important. As the country moves forward to tackle the tough issues of economic security, energy independence and the implementation of healthcare reform, elected officials must remember that to be successful, is to listen. Listen to your fellow members, listen to your advisors but most importantly listen to the individuals in your district. It is clear that female representatives can do this, and successfully balance the two worlds of politics. With effective representatives such as Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and Kirsten Gillibrand in political office, the pool of female leadership will continue to expand in size, influencing the next generation of female leaders to get involved. Whether volunteering at a local charity, participating in advocacy groups or helping a local politician, women of all ages can be active in society and become leaders in their local environments. The Barbara Lee Foundation’s research highlights the tremendous impact that female politicians have in the public sphere, and with their continued effort and our continued support, we can make politics an equal arena for all that are involved.
14Politics
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • politics@gairrhydd.com • Follow @GairRhyddPol
Where does the Middle East go from here?
Almost four months on from the first revolution in the Middle East, Samantha Mueller voices the very real concern of where the violence ends, and what else can be done to end it?
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Above (L-R): Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the former Tunisian leader; people of all ages fought Mubarak; Colonel Gaddafi has now ignited a civil war in Libya
rotests have taken hold of the Middle East ever since the beginning of the year, when Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian street vendor, set himself on fire in protest of corruption. What followed was a three week-long revolution that ended on January 14, with President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fleeing the country, ending 23 years of authoritarian rule. Tunisia was merely the catalyst though. Many more protests occurred throughout the whole of North Africa and the Middle East, and are still continuing. Egypt was the second country to start protesting against corruption, authoritarian rule, unemployment and poor living standards. Its protests were seen to be the most peaceful and successful in the region. After 18 days of mostly peaceful protests in Tahrir (Liberation) Square, President Mubarak resigned. However, protests are ongoing, as the young population pushes to improve Egypt. Their demands include the tearing down of Mubarak’s National Democratic Party, the abolition of the state se-
curity agency, the end to emergency law, the prosecution of security officials who killed protesters and the release of political prisoners. The country is currently being run by the military and on 6 March, the interim Prime Minister announced a new cabinet.
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Many young Egyptians are actively trying to improve the country
A referendum on amendments to the constitution will also be held on the March 19. Egypt’s revolution and the efforts of its people afterwards seem to be the most hopeful of the protests in the Middle East. Having talked to many of my Egyptian friends who participated in the protests, I understand that many young Egyptians are actively trying to improve the country. Some examples include street clean-up groups and a wide range of committees designed to raise awareness and educate people on areas ranging
from tourism to human rights and gender equality. Mubarak and his family have been banned from travelling outside the country. Their assets have been frozen as the interim government begins legal proceedings against them. The Jasmine Revolution of Tunisia has also seen changes to the country, with the ruthless secret police being dissolved this week. The end of February saw the appointment of a new Prime Minister and a new government separated from politicians from the old regime. Over the past few weeks, over 200,000 people from Libya have been fleeing to Tunisia and Egypt, yet the number of refugees has drastically dropped in recent days. The protests in Libya have been called the bloodiest and most violent in the region. They began with a ‘day of rage’ on February 17 and since then, President Gaddafi, who has ruled for 42 years, has done all he can to try and suppress the prodemocracy protesters, including hiring fighter jets to attack demonstrators, saying he will “die a martyr,” rather than quit and dropping bombs on rebel-controlled towns. The estimated death toll is 1000-
2000 over the course of three weeks, a vast difference from what was seen in Egypt, which was around 300 in the same amount of weeks. The protests have turned into a civil war and France, Britain and the United States have started work on a UN Security Council resolution that would include a no-fly zone over Libya. NATO has also begun surveillance flights over the country as it decides what action needs to be taken. The US is discussing options that include cyber warfare and arms drops, to rebel parties. An arms embargo is already in place.
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A Facebook group has been set up calling for a "day of rage" on March 11
Protests for the same reasons as those stated above have also been taking place in Morocco, Algeria, Sudan, Yemen, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Iran. Saudi Arabia
is, as yet, unaffected, but that may change as a Facebook group has circulated, entitled ‘day of rage’ on March 11. King Abdullah has announced a series of housing and other benefits in order to try and pre-emptively shut down protests. It will be interesting to see how the international community reacts if protests do start up in Saudi Arabia, their main source of oil. So far, the international community has had no role in supporting the African citizens, and have allowed the massacre of thousands of protesters across the region continue without physical intervention, merely words of warning. It awaits to be seen if they will come to a resolution at the end of this week on what to do about Gaddafi. Getting involved is always risky and diplomatically tricky, especially considering the nature of relations in the Middle East; but, there must surely come a time when international government can no longer stand by and watch a Dictator relentlessly kill his own people, with no intent to stop. The upcoming periods of conflict are going to be a turning point for both Libya and for international communities.
Politics15 Laura Dunn reports on an exclusive interview with the wife of the former prime Minister, Sarah Brown
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • politics@gairrhydd.com • Follow @GairRhyddPol
The wife of the former Prime Minister has enjoyed an illustrious career, as a fashion icon (left) and interviewing Michelle Obama How has your life changed since departing from the No 10 bubble? The family is together back home in Scotland which is bliss for all of us. Gordon and I have been able to get on with work overlooking a beautiful view of the Firth of Forth and the boys have settled brilliantly into new schools. We still campaign with charities we’ve worked with for many years – groups like the Global Campaign for Education, the White Ribbon Alliance and the Burma Campaign. What were your memorable moments living in Downing Street? I will never forget introducing Welsh legend Ruth Jones to President Barack Obama – and hearing her say “Oh! Bama!" Just like Nessa… of course that was after she had been persuaded to come to the G20 dinner after binning her first invitation thinking it was a practical joke. How have your charitable causes developed since we last spoke in 2009? Are there any new charities that you now support? We have changed our level of involvement with some – for example Gordon is now on the Board of the World Wide Web Foundation and we are both gearing up for a big focus on girl’s education in May when the Global Campaign for Education will be really pushing the G8 for action.
I am still very involved with the White Ribbon Alliance to campaign to reduce maternal mortality as part of the Millennium Development Goal targets for 2015. And in the UK, I still have my dayto-day involvement with children’s charity PiggyBankKids. What are your concerns for the future of this country, both politically and socially? It’s not really for me to comment on domestic politics, but I do hope we as a country continue to make progress on some of the things which got so much better under the last government. For example the big drop in domestic violence was very important to me, as a patron of Women’s Aid, and of course I hope that promises are kept on spending 0.7% on international aid. How do you think young people will continue to get involved in politics? How would you encourage those individuals who are not politically active to reconsider their decision? I tweet as @SarahBrownUK and find that so many of the most energetic and entertaining political tweeters are students and other young people and I’ve always been really impressed by the idealism and fun that Labour Students bring to politics. But for those that aren’t involved already – I’d just ask you to think about what you care about and then investigate what impact politics has or could have on that
issue. Everything from the abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance and the level of student fees to whether your grandparents get the cancer care they need to whether there will be a climate deal that protects the planet for you and your kids – it all comes back to politics. Your memoir, Behind the Black Door is to be released in March. What made you want to release your memoir now, and how do you think/hope it will be received? For me it’s the story of an ordinary family in extraordinary circumstances so I hope people will read it and get more of a sense of what life was like Behind the Black Door. How do you think social media will continue to impact upon politics and society at large over the coming years? I think you see with organisations like avaaz.org and hopenothate.org. uk that their websites and mailing lists are the most important mobilising tools they have, but I’m also really interested in how new technology tools can help people talk to each other as well as receive information from charities and groups they trust. For example Gordon often talks about how the government in the Philippines was brought down by what is called ‘the coup de text’ – where a million people were mustered by text to protest against cor-
ruption. I believe that Twitter allows so many conversations to take place and for everyone to be able to see what is being talked about. It brings everyone into contact with each other more openly – which has to be a good thing. Due to your association with the British Fashion Council and London Fashion Week, who do you believe are some of the UK’s emerging talent when it comes to fashion? Over the last few years, we have seen some wonderful new designers make their mark and enter London Fashion Week – just look at the list of names who have made a splash with their shows in just the last few years from Erdem, Osman and Peter Pilotto to Mark Fast and Mary Katranzou. I am also keeping an eye on Irish designer, JW Anderson, who had his first womenswear collection this year. But our established designers and brands also continue to grow from strength to strength showing that there is no limit to their creativity and innovation. Just look at Vivienne Westwood or Paul Smith, or Mulberry, Pringle and Aquascutum - to name but a few. It has been such a delight to see Christopher Bailey at Burberry, Jonathan Saunders and Matthew Williamson return to London Fashion Week in the last couple of years and to see their collections garnering rightful accolades. And our British talent is thriving
all around the world too whether Stella McCartney at her own label in Paris, the amazing Graeme Black at Hugo Boss in Germany, and a high street fave in New York: Deborah Lloyd at Kate Spade. Accessories are also strong at the moment – I love Orla Kiely’s new designs at the moment (and especially loved the bag she designed to help the Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.) In jewellery, Katie Hillier’s new quirky animal pendants are a joy, and I love La Diosa’s beautiful big pieces – they are a rising British success story.
What role do you believe that maternal mortality and women’s health has in future legislative agendas and policy making?
It needs to be right up there at the top – because we know that it can be solved and that so many other problems are made easier to solve when this one is addressed. When we save the lives of mothers, and when women’s status is high, and their contribution valued in their communities, we see everyone thrive. When a mother survives to raise her children, she is there to feed her children, get them vaccinated, and take them to school. She also provides for her family and community economically. We know how to save lives, but we need to maintain the political will to do so. It is vital that girls and women are valued as equal citizens around the world, and that has to be guaranteed at the highest levels of legislature and policy making.
greenwords02 gr
A Word From the Editors
GREEN WORDS Tom Clarke Jack Parker COVER DESIGN Jake Yorath CONTRIBUTORS Anon Adam Clancy Edmund Locock James Chapple Jenny Lambourne PROOF READERS Adam Clancy Gareth Clarke Emma Hiller Glesni Price-Jones Sarah Powell Hannah Van Den Burgh
Keeping the theme consistent with gair rhydd, the term gair wrydd is the Welsh translation of green words.
There is no doubt that climate change is one of the most pressing issues that affect us today. Not only as a society, but also as a species, it is the greatest challenge we have faced, possibly the greatest we will ever face. Rising sea levels will inundate coastal areas, displacing millions of people and destroying entire communities. Changing climate patterns will decimate traditional farming prac-
tices in some of the most deprived regions of the globe. To overcome the challenges it presents, we will have to totally rebuild our sociological and economic model. Our current growth model based on exploiting natural resources is not sustainable, for the simple reason that these resources are finite. We must try and move away from the consumerist society we have built, towards a more con-
versationalist one where every resource is precious, because if we don’t, one day we’ll wake up and it will all be gone. From fossil fuels to precious metals, we are overusing our planets natural wealth. For example, at present copper consumption rates by the year 2100 we will have used more copper than has ever be accesable to mankind. The solutions for all these problems is within our grasp. Man has
never been more in control of his own destiny. Science provides our only route to ecological salvation. In this supplement we’re going to address some of these problems from the bottom up. Beginning with our very own University's efforts to lessen its impact on the environment and finishing with the ramifications of uncontrolled temprature rise with some snappy debate inbetween. Enjoy.
Can there ever be truly global solutions to a global problem? Edmund Locock Science Writer Is international agreement on the environment possible? Our obsession with climate change is nothing new. Indeed, dating as far back as 1273 (UK Statute against Air Pollution) there have been those calling for stricter regulations with regards to the environment, and how humankind should treat it. What we lack, however, is any agreement on the means by which our environment should be protected. As the intergovernmental organisation with the largest membership
(192 countries), the UN is undoubtedly the best forum in which to reach such an accord. Indeed, since 1972 we’ve seen a number of UN conferences dedicated to the issue; including Stockholm, Copenhagen and Cancun. However, despite steps being taken in the right direction, the world has never truly agreed
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There are still a few issues to deal with, namey a pesky superpower...
upon a set of principles by which to guide environmental protection. This is due, many believe, to the economic disparity remaining between East and West. With the noteworthy exception of the US, who remain the second largest contributor of Carbon emissions on earth, the West seem willing to recognise the inevitable consequences of continued environmental abuse. Unsurprisingly, however, the East wants their share. While European and Atlantic countries have had decades, if not centuries, in to plunder the wealth of natural resources at our feet (and the feet of other, unsuspecting countries), develop-
ing countries now, understandably, want their turn. However, the situation is not quite as bleak as you might think. With 192 countries (yup, that’s the entire UN) party to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 1994), an organisation specifically designed to deal with those environmental protocols established under the various climate change conferences, change is slowly coming about. True, there are still a few issues to deal with, namely that pesky superpower, the US, but we’re still much further along the path than ever before, and that’s a good thing.
greenwords03
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • science@gairrhydd.com
League Table Lottery? This years' university green-league is currently being compiled. Jenny Lambourne takes a look at Cardiff's performance last year and its prospects this time around.
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eople & Planet, the organisation behind the university Green League table, slammed Cardiff in their most recent publication with more than half of its assessed criteria marked ‘Poor’ or ‘Awful’. Designed to rank all UK universities by degree classification according to their environmental performance, the Green League 2010 awarded Cardiff with a Lower Second Class mark and only highlighted excellence in one area. Despite reaching the top percentile in 2009 with a rank of 17th out of 131 institutions, the University has fallen dramatically to 77th position this year. After significant improvement in the previous year, how has the university failed to maintain its position as a leading institution in environmental performance and sustainability? The Green League attempts to rank universities according to 11 environmental policy and performance-related criteria, including ethical investment, recycling rates, food sustainability and a new criteria for this year, that measures an establishment’s efforts to engage staff and students in campaigning for reduced carbon emissions. A points system is compiled through a dual assessment of the establishment, looking at commitment to systematic improvement and actual performance. In 2009, Cardiff University ranked at 17th with 44 points out of 70. By the following year, it had dropped 60 places with a score of 26, therefore falling from a First classification to a 2:2. Such a dramatic decrease must be explained. Potentially, this distinction could be accounted for by the developments made to the criteria in the later year; there is a shift towards the significance of management, as well as a whole new section of analysis focusing upon the inclusion of staff and student engagement with sustainability. Fifty nine per cent of the total score is obtainable through management - a slight increase from previous years - whereas points for environmental policy and staffing have been reduced. These are areas that Cardiff has previously excelled in. The staff and student engagement criteria were new to last year’s League and included consideration of student-run environmental awareness campaigns, availability of funding for staff/student sustainability projects, inter-hall recycling competitions and the inclusion of sustainability issues during staff inductions. Cardiff scored above average in this area, although the points only supplied four per cent
Above: The University will be hoping to improve on last years performance of the overall mark. A University spokesperson also noted these limitations: “The indicators used by People & Planet League Table to compare universities have been revised, making it more difficult to compare results year-on-year.” They also highlighted efforts made by the University as part of a wider sustainability framework, which were not included by People & Planet in their calculations, such as the establishment of Ecochampions, new lighting and heating controls, the powering down of PCs after their being inactive for 15 minutes, and improvements in recycling among others. The University’s decline in the most recent League could be attributable to the alteration of criteria between 2009 and 2010. Despite this, however, it is clear that the decreasing significance of previous criteria, inclusion of new indicators and an inability of People & Planet to include all university improvements are limitations that all other 132 Higher Education institutions had to overcome. Some universities managed to rise in the rankings by as much as 104 places (Royal College of Music, London), while Cardiff had the greatest decrease in standings apart from King’s College, Sheffield and Kent. Thus, if other universities can improve so significantly, the reason for Cardiff ’s decline must lie elsewhere.
In 2009, two main areas were highlighted for improvement. Among the glowing reports for environmental staffing, Fairtrade status and the Students' Union, the establishment was given a ‘Poor’ score for ethical investment and an ‘Awful’ score for energy sources. In 2010, each of these areas slipped even further with only the University’s use of Fairtrade products maintaining an ‘Excellent’ mark. Energy sources remained ‘Awful’, and was joined by carbon management; an area previously highlighted as a ‘Could Do Better’, far from the ‘Awful’ rank it was given in 2010.
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The sector is emitting 25% more carbon than it was five years ago
Ethical investment remained ‘Poor’ alongside environmental auditing, carbon emissions and water in the latest report. While key areas for improvement had been highlighted in 2009, standards continued to fall and were joined by areas that were previously considered commendable. Carbon management is a significant contributor to the failing of the University; the entire section failed
to score any points. This highlights the absence of a publicly-available carbon management plan detailing a specific and time-bound carbon reduction target; without it, the University failed to gain points concerning the its ambitions for carbon reduction, and the lack of such a document was damaging to the overall score. Cardiff retained a poor score regarding energy sources due to the University’s lack of energy from renewable or low or zero-carbon technology sources, despite £1.7m being invested by the University in energy saving schemes. Nevertheless, other indicators were not included in the calculations, including Cardiff joining the Welsh Assembly Government’s Sustainability Charter and achieving the Carbon Trust Standard in recognition of its past and ongoing work in reducing emissions. The amount of time and energy it would require to include every aspect of each university’s environmental procedures renders it almost impossible for People & Planet to produce an exact result for every institution. However, in the indicators it does use in its calculations, the League has shown that Cardiff still has room for improvement. Louise Hazan, People & Planet’s climate campaigner, notes: “Despite clear improvements across the board on policy and student engagement, we found that the sector as a
whole is emitting 25% more carbon now than it did five years ago. That’s obviously incredibly worrying with regards to climate change.” For the first time, the Green League compared the ambition of universities’ carbon reduction plans against sector-wide climate targets. While some of the leading universities in the League are shown to be on their way to cutting their emissions by up to 34% over the next ten years, the majority are focused on short-term targets that equate to less than three and a half per cent annual cuts. Such figures indicate that Higher Education institutions need to be doing more to keep up with the need for environmental preservation. A spokesperson for Cardiff said that the institution was committed to its environmental responsibilities: “The University will continue to work hard to implement energy saving initiatives, and raise awareness across the entire University to further reduce its carbon emissions.” With such figures being circulated, it is evident that changes need to be made and, although the University appears to be leading its contemporaries in some of its environmental policies, it is apparent that in others, it is still falling behind. We await these years’ results with interest to see if the University will climb back up the ladder.
greenwords04
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • science@gairrhydd.com
Is time running out for all of us? Are the resources we all take for granted running out? Adam Clancy takes a look. Below: The size of the symbol is proportional to the amount of resource to be found there. Note the lack of resources in Europe.
Below: Extracting oil from Tar Sands can be very environmentaly damaging, not to mention expensive
Oil Oil is certainly a finite resource, whilst it is naturally made in the ocean from the decay of marine animals under immense heat and pressure it does take millions of years to form. We consume the oil we have far quicker than it can be replaced by natural sources. Oil is ubiquitous in our society, we use it for everything, from fuel to fertilizer. We wear it as artificial fibres and we use it to make everyday objects such as biros and shopping bags. In short it is the foundation of the modern world. So with peak oil approaching, we have to get far more innovative about where we get our oil. The tar sands of Alberta are fast becoming as important to global petroleum production as the Persian Gulf. These thick tarry
Copper deposits are difficult to extract and are filled with the fractions of oil that are difficult to manipulate and process. The useful fractions of oil are the light ones; petrol for example has a molecular weight in the range of 50-80. The tar sands in Alberta on the other hand have molecular weights in the region of hundreds. These need to be cracked down before they can be used. Other lighter oil deposits are still available to be extracted, but these are locked away under the deep ocean… Thanks to Deepwater Horizon, these are extremely politically sensitive topics these days. If anything goes wrong when dealing with extreme deep water drilling, then the consequences are terrible for the environment.
Copper may not get the same focus in the headlines as fossil fuels do, but it can be seen to be a more pressing issue. We have various ways of making electricity and fuel, but there is nothing quite like copper. It is intrinsically the best large scale electrical conductor. If you want technology you need copper and there is no alternative. The problem is, that while there is a huge amount of copper in the earths crust (more than Nitrogen, Lead, Tin, Silver and Gold combined), so little of it can actually be recovered economically. The production of copper hasn’t ever dropped year on year since the 1930s and with the proliferation of technology into every aspect of modern life; that is not going to change in the immediate future. When the accessible
supply runs out, people will still want copper and with such a large demand, someone probably will sate it. While this may make it seem like there is no problem, once companies have to start extracting from the more chemically troublesome ores, their overheads will be raised. They will pass this on to whoever uses it and suddenly technology will become incredibly expensive, wires will become something of immense value, science and the advancement of modern civilisation will slow. In short, nobody will be overly happy. Luckily, this can be avoided with one of those beautifully simple concepts. Copper doesn’t rust, it doesn’t degrade with use so it can be recycled. By preserving and reusing the copper we have, we can avoid this entire debacle.
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • science@gairrhydd.com
greenwords05
Above: Strip Mining is a messy buisness, It doent help that the vast majority of the mineral wealth is in politicaly dificult areas
Rare Earths Our new smart technology needs smart materials to make it. I’m talking Rare Earth Metals. Alas, the world leader in the generation of these rarefied resources isn’t a cuddly western democracy. It’s China. Yep, the world’s largest, fastest growing nation, dominates the Rare Earth market and they aren’t afraid to use their economic dominance for political gains. They proved so last year when they cut off supplies to Japan in a dispute about a string of uninhabited islands and a trespassing fisherman. Extraction is a large-scale strip mining operation that involves dissolving rocks in strong acid and separating the elements. this generates large quantities of toxic waste that poisons rivers and kills wildlife. So we need an alternative.
Luckily as with our Copper dilemma, our electronics can be recycled, recovering the priceless milligrams of Neodynium and Platinum. Mazuma and the other phone recycling firms have spotted this market and we are recycling much more than we were ten years ago. This is however a very dirty and dangerous job to do and a lot of it is done in China. Other natural deposits exist in places such as the Congo and Madagascar, hardly the most stable countries. Previous attempts to operate in such places have not gone well for the locals. If in doubt, please see Liberia and the recent Charles Taylor warcrimes trials. if we are to exploit this abundance of wealth, we must tread carefully and responsibly.
Uranium Nuclear power is sometimes touted as the saviour of the energy crisis. Oil reserves may be running dry but surely we can always rely on dependable uranium to keep us going right? In every million atoms of the earths crust there is 1.8 atoms of uranium. That may not seem like much, but honestly its not too scarce and if all you want to do is make green crystals (U(C8H8)2 or UF5) then there's plenty available. If you want to make electricity, or bombs for that matter, then you need to be a bit more specific as 99.3% of all uranium is U-238 and has three too many neutrons to be fissile (aka doesn’t go bang). Instead, we need the other 0.3% of uranium that is U-235. Suddenly, in every billion atoms of the earth, onlyfive are usable uranium. Not only does this se-
verely limit the supply of uranium available to mankind for electricity, but we have to separate it from the near identical, more abundant U-238 and in short this is not an easy process. Suddenly, the clean and safe alternative to oil becomes a long expensive slog to get hold of the materials which could run out within 100 years. The word “could” is required, as no one has really explored uranium reserves on a global scale, the figures we have are very crude estimates compared to those of oil or iron. We can be sure our resources are finite but more work needs to be done before scaremongering headlines of impending doom become legitimate. And to be honest, there's already still plenty of issues with nuclear power. If in doubt, please see Chernobyl.
greenwords06
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • science@gairrhydd.com
Do I believe in man-made climate change?
NO
YES
by Anonymous
There are two things I feel I must make clear from the outset. Firstly, I believe that we must do all we can to recycle, save resources and use renewable energy and public transport - we live in an incredibly wasteful society. Secondly, climate change is happening as it has done since the dawn of time, It’s just that the effect of human contributed Carbon Dioxide is grossly exaggerated for political and economic reasons. The evidence used time and again to suggest the correlation of increasing temperature with CO2 in the atmosphere, is a grossly misread statistic. This “evidence” evinced by Al Gore and many leading figures in the case for global warming, comes from ice core surveys, that indeed indicate a relationship between carbon dioxide and temperature. Yet the relationship is in fact the other way around. An increased global temperature causes increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It reveals that the world temperature rises and falls ahead of the rises in carbon dioxide, which subsequently follow. Temperature changes are leading CO2 resulting in a lag centuries long. So why does increased temperature result in an increase of CO2? Carbon dioxide is a natural gas produced by all living things. What must be remembered is that humans are not the primary source of carbon dioxide. Volcanoes produce more CO2 in the atmosphere each year than all man-made carbon dioxide from motorised transport, planes and industrial emissions combined. CO2 is dissolved in rain and absorbed by rocks and oceans. So what does drive the earth’s climate? We must be reminded of humans’ insignificant position in relation to the forces of the sun. It is no surprise that many scientists believe that it is our sun that holds the key to the forces of climate change in the form of sun spots, often used to predict the weather. Sun spots are intense magnetic fields that appear at times of high solar activity. These emit high levels of solar radiation that affect weather patterns. High sun spot activity results in unpredictable weather patterns. Records
covering 400 years of solar activity have shown that they accompany temperature variation on earth identically. Piers Corbyn, meteorologist and astrophysicist, claims “The sun is driving climate change. CO2 is completely irrelevant”. So how does this explain the ice caps melting and sea levels rising? News reports frequently argue, that slight increases in temperature have resulted in melting ice caps. However, thousands of years ago, Greenland was warmer than it is today, yet there was no dramatic melting event. Ice caps naturally expand and contract. It happens all the time, however, now we have satellites tracking the events, big news is made by relating the events to global warming. Professor SyunIchi Akasofu, Director of International Arctic Research Centre, states: “Ice is always moving. What is not covered in the news, is that melting and shifting ice is as ordinary in the arctic as leaves falling on an autumn day. It is a spring break-up that happens every year.” Why global warming has become such a pressing and popular issue can be explained by Co-founder of Green Peace, Patrick Moore, considered one of the foremost environmentalists of his generation. He believes the rise in environmental extremism is a product of world communism failing. Political activists have now switched into the environmental movement, bringing with them neo-Marxism and an agenda that is anti-capitalism and anti-globalisation, and little to do with science or environmentalism. Global warming carries with it an anti-American and anti-corporate discourse; scientific facts have been distorted in favour of this populist bandwagon. It has become politically incorrect for anyone even to question climate change data, and they risk being treated as right wing, fascist petrol heads. This article is not a bid to relax attitudes on consumption. Of course we must clean up our act, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and pursue a cleaner, more sustainable energy policy. However, there are natural forces out there far more powerful than us.
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Carbon Dioxide is grossly exaggerated for political and economic reasons
by Jack Parker
It is impossible to argue that climate change is not happening at all. Temperatures have been recorded to be on the rise. But if that wasn’t enough ice has been melting, fields have been flooding on a much grander scale and hurricanes are growing all the more frequent. In the last year alone, both Pakistan and Australia have suffered severe flooding, while Russia’s droughts led to a ban on grain exports, affecting food prices worldwide. The science behind the climate is profoundly complex and scientists are hence forced to work in percentages rather than certainties. However the basic science regarding greenhouse gases is reasonably concrete. Some gases characteristically cause the planet to warm when in our atmosphere, due to the way in which they interact with radiation travelling towards and away from the planet. It is also an absolute certainty that vast quantities of these ‘greenhouse gases’ such as Carbon Dioxide and Methane have been released into the atmosphere due to human activity. Provided that we know greenhouse gases have been put into the atmosphere by man and that greenhouse gases warm the planet, it is not a very large leap of logic to conclude that humans have been warming the planet. Hence, the only credible debate on climate change is now in regard to the extent to which warming is being caused by humans and to what extent other factors are having an effect. It would be nice to have an idea of what these other factors are. Previous theories have relied upon the Sun and other arguments have rested upon Earth’s previous patterns of warm periods and ice ages. Yet no alternative theory has really been able to challenge the mammoth records of evidence supporting the prominent theme of man-made climate change. Instead, opposing theorists are left only to pick around the edges, to tear at the occasional hole or typing error in the latest climate change report. One of the most important differences between previous climatic changes and the modern day rise in temperature, is the rate of the change. Temperatures are cur-
rently rising at rates that can only be explained by our emissions of greenhouse gases. Opposing theorists have relied upon solar output, the Earth's orbit, volcanoes and ocean currents to explain the current trend, but none of these factors can be shown to explain the long term warming trend on the scale currently seen. The most established reports on the topic, suggest that a rise of three degrees Celsius is more likely to occur than not, by 2100. A two degree rise is hence likely to occur within our lifetimes, which would be catastrophic. Food prices would rise and water would become scarce enough to affect even the richer nations. Some may argue that spending the billions of pounds that would be needed to reduce carbon emissions is a waste of money, at least while the science that we are the primary cause is still uncertain. But it will always be ‘uncertain’. Even now we are still unable to predict with absolute certainty whether or not it will rain in five minutes time. The world takes large risk decisions all the time. Look at the amount of money we spent on vaccinations for Swine Flu, just in case the outbreak turned out to be worse than it actually was. Not to mention that the solutions to climate change are equally the solutions to many of our other problems, such as the decreasing stability and accessibility of the world’s oil resources. Reducing energy demand by insulating homes and investing in renewable energy is good for the economy, good for future stability and good for people. The actions we need to take to solve climate change will save lives and money in the long run. Skepticism in science is good practice, and holes in the climate change argument should always be poked. However, to doubt the significance of man's effects on our climate must be explained with rigour and with the backing of significant evidence. In all circumstances, the world should act on the side of caution and be prepared to risk money, but not our environment.
greenwords07
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • science@gairrhydd.com
Planet Earth, three degrees warmer? Last year the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impacts Research in Germany, published a report suggesting that a rise in global temperatures of three degrees Celsius was more likely to occur than not, by 2100. The report took into consideration the latest climate models, and was based upon the current expectations for world emissions leading up to the end of the century. As models used to predict climate change over the course of the next nine decades rely upon a variety of factors that are yet to be fully underastood, such as the rate of deforestation or reflective sea ice melting, the range of possibilities is large. Here, we present the potential problems that could be caused by each degree rise in warming from two degrees to five degrees. A rise of less than two degrees is now extremely unlikely, despite current political targets. Yet even a one degree rise would be damaging, leading to hurricanes in the South Atlantic and shortages of meat and grain. The extreme weather leading to grain shortages in Russia last year would become much more severe and much more frequent. The scale of possibilities go beyond five degrees too. However, the consequences of such warming by 2100, would be so significant that human civilisation as we know it would be unlikely to survive. Inevitibly the consequences are not determined simply by the amount of warming, but also how quickly the warming occurs. In Earth's history, fluctuations have usually occured over longer periods of time. But now, the changes may outpace our ability to adapt.
3°C
2°C
At two degrees warmer Greenland's glaciers begin to dissappear. Insects change their migration patterns, having impacts on the spread of disease. Many pacific islands are lost to the rising tides.
Massive defoestation occurs at three degrees, with even the Amazon rainforest drying out. Extreme weather becomes much more regular with millions at risk from hurricanes, flooding and heatwaves.
4°C
5°C
At four degrees, oceans have risen enough to cover areas currently inhabited by a billion people. Areas under threat include Bangladesh, Egypt and Venice. Rivers supplying water to millions dry out- but Northern Canada becomes the new golden land for agriculture.
Uninhabitable deserts have spread across continents, causing millions, if not billions, of environmental refugees. Civilisation itself is now under threat and future warming begins to turn the oceans into vast dead zones as the bases of the food chain begin to die off. This is 2100, at five degrees warmer.
Does Detroit dream of electric sheep? James Chapple Science Writer An electric car is driving along an A-road. Behind it, 50 cars patiently follow at a steady 35mph. Periodically, a petrol head sees a stretch of straight road and goes for it. They pull out violently, move alongside and hurl abuse at the owners of the pathetic motorised tin can that has turned a pleasant Sunday afternoon drive into a painful two hour slog. Ten years ago, this was not an uncommon sight. Electric cars were seen as almost entirely passé, a failed attempt by the world’s car companies to satisfy the green movement. They were slow, they were loud and they were hopelessly ugly. By contrast, post-millennium, the electric car, or increasingly, the hybrid car, is enjoying a new lease of life; Hollywood has adopted the Toyota Prius as its own, while Ford is preparing to introduce an entire-
ly electric line of Focuses. Heck, we’ve even seen the first bona-fide electric sports car, the Tesla. The debate rages as fiercely as ever. Electric cars have undoubtedly come a long way from the thunderous, road-hogging crimes against style that typified the pre2000 movement. But deep-down, we all know that they are seen by many as a step towards solving global warming. Electric cars produce no CO2; when driving around, they don’t directly contribute to the greenhouse effect. To charge battery packs, or fuel hybrid vehicles, however, there must inevitably be a fossil fuel sacrifice. Electricity isn’t a magical regenerative substance; it comes from burning coal, oil and gas which produces CO2, or from nuclear fission which creates dangerous radioactive waste. Above all, we live in a society that is geared towards petrol and diesel propulsion; there is no elec-
Above: The Tesla, the worlds first production elecric sportscar tric ‘fuel network’ and the range of even the most efficient vehicles is significantly below that of their petroleum-based counterparts. So, have we in fact gone full circle
again? The requirement for domestic energy production to charge batteries, also appears to nullify some of the electric car’s green credentials and on the horizon are hydro-
gen fuel cells, technology that may one day see cars powered by water. Perhaps this time, despite the hype, the electric car might actually be enjoying its last hurrah.
greenwords08
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • science@gairrhydd.com
The Solution: Nature vs Geoengineering
As the world warms, the greenwords editors debate over potential solutions. Should we rely upon renewables, or resort to further manipulation of our environment? Jack Parker Science Editor
Above: Offshore wind is a promising renewable resource
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The use of oil is not necessarily unsustainable. The problem is that we are using oil at a much faster rate than it is naturally being created. The same principle is true for almost all of our resources. Renewable energy differs in that it is using resources that exist only there and then - it captures the sun's rays or the wind, or waves that would otherwise pass by aimlessly. Relying upon nature for a solution to climate change does not involve humanity giving up the luxuries and living in the trees. It simply requires us to use our resources at a sustainable rate. The technology to do this exists now, is continuously being improved and made cheaper, and can be implemented with little sacrifice. Better home insulation and increased energy efficiency would enable us to slash energy use and our bills, while still keeping warm in winter. Electrification of the transport system, with electricity provided by renewable technologies, will not only enable us to carry on driving, but would remove the instability of current petrol prices.
Geoengineering assumes that we understand our climate
Above: Cloudseeding in action east of Moscow
Tom Clarke Science Editor In my opening remarks I said that Science holds our salvation and it does. Like it or not, our industrial society is here to stay. No one wants to give up our western lifestyle; on the contrary we want to spread it across the world. Geoengineering is a concept that has been around since the 1950’s. It involves huge planet wide engineering projects to artificially manipulate the climate to our needs. It sounds like science fiction but it is well within the reach of modern science. Indeed trial projects have already gone ahead. Back in the days of the Soviet Union, plans for a huge mirror in space were mooted, at night it would shine light down upon the Soviet cities illuminating them 24 hours a day. Alas, the project was put to one side when the Union collapsed. In terms of combating climate change it’s easy to imagine a similar but opposite solution. There have been proposals for a solar shade; a series of tiny mirrors between the earth and the sun would scatter some of the incoming light artificially cooling the planet. Sounds
Better yet, millions of car batteries would be capable of acting as a national grid, providing or storing electricity when needed - solving the unreliability concerns of current renewable energies. Small reductions in the national meat consumption will not only save money and lives, but will free up vast quantities of land all over the country. This new land can both be used to replant forests to soak up our remaining emissions, and also grow bio-fuels to run planes and other modes of transport that cannot yet be electrified. These are only examples of how natural resources provided to us on a day to day basis can be implemented to solve our environmental problems. In total, the Centre for Alternative Technology estimates that the government could comfortably afford to reduce the UK net carbon emissions to zero by as soon as 2030. The only hindrances between now and then are political and social barriers, and a lot of hard work. Relying upon nature also gives more control to the individual. Solar panels and small wind turbines can be fitted onto roofs depending on your personal needs. There is
enough land to grow both food and fuels and the increased stability of the overall system enables transportation costs and other living expenses to be better estimated. The problem with Geoengineering is that it relies upon the assumption that we understand our climate and that our technology will only affect it in the way that we expect it to. There is every reason to believe that this is not the case. Clearly environmental effects were not initially considered when we first began to deplete the ozone layer and then later began to warm the Earth. Throwing a bunch of chemicals into the higher atmosphere or otherwise attempting to significantly cool our planet could easily have disastrous consequences in the long run. It also means that the solutions to our problems lie in the hands of a few scientists and large companies. Also, the idea that there is a simple opposing force to our carbon emissions does not add much pressure onto businesses or governments to clean up their act in other areas. The transition to nature is a needed one to decrease our reliance on oil and other resources, regardless of global climate change.
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Allowing nature to take its course is unacceptable
like science fiction but a solution like this would cost a fraction of the cost of reducing emissions. There are even simpler, cheaper solutions available. All you need is a volcanic eruption… Yep, a volcano would solve all our problems. Volcanic eruptions spew out vast quantities of sulphur dioxide into the upper atmosphere. In 1883 when Krakatoa erupted it spewed out thousands of tonnes of the stuff into the upper atmosphere, lowering temperatures globally by 1.5°C. This year the Icelandic ash cloud has undoubtedly has a similar effect. If we could artificially pump Sulphur Dioxide into the stratosphere we would be able to fine-tune our climate to our needs giving us the time to develop the low carbon technology required to solve the underlying problem. We don’t even need to use dangerous chemicals like sulphur dioxide, plain old H2O (that’s water to you and me) could cool the planet. If we could increase the cloud cover of the planet we could cool it, as well as potentially irrigating arid areas of the world with much needed rain. This is easy to do, all is required
is to spray seawater high into the sky. Simple. Cloud seeding is widely used in Russia to generate artificial rain; all you do is drop harmless silver iodide crystals into the clouds and voila, bring on the rain. This tried and tested technique along side artificial clouds. could give us a double whammy of cooling the planet and irrigating the third world. Seeding the oceans with iron could promote plankton growth that would not only take in CO2 from the atmosphere but also support fish stocks that have been dangerously overexploited. These techniques are not a permanent solution to our problems by any means; the Earths natrual dynamics are far to complex to tinker with for any length of time. But they can buy us the time we need to make the transition to a low carbon economy and offset the warming we have already incurred. Allowing nature to take its course resigns us to damaging warming that would wreak havoc to the lives of billions of people worldwide when the ability and will exists to avoid it. That is unacceptable.
Your Space.
Features
17
We want to hear your stories: anything goes. Drop us an email now to: features@gairrhydd.com. This week Craig McDowell talks to two students who have suffered from insomnia at university. way from University Hall to The Bay and back, just because he was bored with sitting there ‘waiting to not sleep again.’ Only Kelsey sought professional help with his problem. He was given Zopiclone tablets which were to help him sleep. "They were amazing" he said to me, bright eyed in the bioscience café the morning after ‘a sleep so perfect you know it’s not natural’. The problem with these was that it was very difficult for him to get up in the morning, and he also experienced a bad reaction with alcohol.
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He once walked from University Hall to The Bay and back, just because he couldn't sleep
I
Sleeping in the daytime is often tempting but can lead to a sleepless nightw
nsomnia is defined by our credible source (Wikipedia) as a "difficulty sleeping". Now, I think we’ve all probably had difficulty catching a few z’s at one time or another; for me it usually happens during the weekend when I make the frightening mistake of having a lie in on a Saturday morning. I find myself unable to sleep at an appropriate time in the evening. It could also happen if you were lucky enough to be so full of vodka and Red Bull that you can see the walls moving, and sleep doesn’t appear to be an option. But, of course, those are two
isolated examples and we should count ourselves fortunate that the inability to get to sleep doesn’t plague us every night. Personally, I have spoken to two people who have suffered from insomnia. The first, Kelsey, couldn’t get to sleep because he was stressed about school/work the next day. The second, Lloyd, never reported he was anxious, just that he inexplicably couldn’t get to sleep. Kelsey reported that as he laid there in bed watching the clock tick by he’d get more anxious with every passing minute. The reason he couldn’t sleep was the worry about tomorrow’s lectures and
with each moment of unsleep, his concern for poor performance the following day would only increase, and he discovered this anxiety was also often well founded. After a rare good night’s sleep (usually following some prescribed medication), his performance would be much better. Thus his life at university was a nightmare (pun intended, but immediately regretted). The second, Lloyd, wouldn’t stay in bed for very long not sleeping. He used to wander around Cardiff at night time: "Cardiff is actually quite a nice place when the streets are empty". He once walked all the
After taking them for some time he had to wean himself off of them, because he was becoming completely reliant and didn’t like it. Another problem he had was waking up with a dry mouth, which, according to the BNF - British National Formulary, aka the bible of all the drugs - our misfortunate patients can hope to receive, is a common symptom. (Although I’m unsure if that’s going to be caused by the person being able to sleep, where our saliva flow is reduced naturally, or the tablets themselves: perhaps he hadn’t experienced the I’ve-beenasleep-for-ages-now-my-mouth-isdry that most of us have for quite some time. I was fortunate enough to speak to a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT), before writing this article about insomnia. He didn’t appear to approve of the medication, and suggested a number of steps to take if you’re struggling to sleep which I’ll outline here. Most of them are common sense and can be found on the internet, and if you can’t sleep you’re probably likely to google ‘help me sleep’ and you might see some of these too.
Things to do if you can’t sleep: 1. Save the bedroom (or if not possible, the bed) for sleep and sex alone. This one is quite obvious but may not be possible to achieve in halls of residence, where your bedroom/bed is the only place for you to hang out other than the kitchen. But, it makes sense; you need to associate the bed/room with sleeping, not staying up looking at cats on Youtube, or even diligent study. I usually sing a song as I brush my teeth, and if I go back to that bathroom during the day, I’ll usually find myself humming that same song again – I presume this is the same phenomenon. Associate the bed place with relaxation and sleep. 2. Don’t sleep during the day. This is one of the problems Kelsey was having. Having had no sleep during the night, he’d come home from university completely wiped and crash out on the sofa, even if only for 2 hours. I can’t help but think it obvious that he would be less tired when it came to night time (of course, two hours of sleep every 24 still isn’t great.) But Kelsey also thought that he had become nocturnal, and unable to sleep at night. 3. If you can’t go to sleep after 20 minutes, get up - it isn’t going to happen. This one is another common instruction. If you can’t sleep after all that tossing and turning, you may as well get up because you’re not really resting, are you. Get up, get some work done, get out of your bed, and your bedroom, if you can. Just do something. Other sources I have stumbled upon suggested ‘making a change’ was important. Open a window, go for a walk, even a shower (Once more I refer to Kelsey, who reported that a cold shower sometimes would shock his body enough to let him sleep afterwards). 4. Exercise. I find myself going to sleep much easier if I’ve had some exercise during the day. I’m sure you will too. The fact of being physically worn out would intuitively induce sleep. Those are about the four top tips for getting to sleep. I’m sure Google will yield much more. My other advice would be, if it’s becoming an issue, don’t just talk about it or complain, do something about it if you can. Go and see your doctor, who may refer you to a CBT. Or, maybe we just need someone to sit and listen to all the things we have that are dancing in the forefront of our minds before we attempt sleep?
Features18
gair rhydd • Monday March 14 2010 • features@gairrhydd.com
Cardiff Nightline
Cardiff Nightline is a student-run service designed to lend an ear to anyone who might need to talk. But what is it like to volunteer for Nightline and how can they help you? Zoe Bridger and Laura Brunt chat to a Nightline coordinator, a volunteer and a caller to find out.
Y
ou may have come across Nightline a number of times in your student life. Whether from the posters on the back of toilet doors, the stand at the Fresher’s fayre or the ever-growing facebook page, Nightline is doing its best to reach students across the whole of Cardiff. Described as ‘a confidential listening and information service for members of Cardiff University, UWIC, RWCMD, and the University of Glamorgan’. Cardiff Nightline is a service run by students, for students. It is a completely confidential, non-judgmental and nondirective listening service, which runs throughout term time. If you’re feeling lonely and want to talk to someone, or even if you just want to know a number for a pizza or a taxi, you can ring Nightline at any time between 8pm and 8am to talk to someone. They won’t lecture, they’ll listen. They won’t try to solve your problems, but will help you to do it yourself. But what is it actually like to work for Nightline? Or to call Nightline? Here we chat to a Nightline coordinator, a Nightline volunteer and a Nightline caller, to get the inside story on Cardiff ’s confidential listening service.
The Nightline Volunteer: How did you get involved with nightline? Originally, I was going to join the Samaritans, but then I heard about Nightline at the Freshers' fayre and decided I'd rather try and help people of my own age group. What made you want to get involved with Nightline? There have been times in my own life when I wish I had heard of Nightline. Sometimes with problems, people might find themselves in a situation where they don’t feel like they have someone to turn to. Life isn't perfect, and we just try to make it a little bit easier if we can. Everybody should have the opportunity to be listened to and not preached at, and Nightline provides that. Do you enjoy volunteering? I absolutely love it! Everyone who volunteers is there because they genuinely want to listen. Obviously you can't talk about anyone/thing specifically, but is it a difficult/rewarding/chal-
lenging job? Calls can sometimes be challenging because no issue is too big or too small for us to listen to, but it is such a rewarding feeling to know that you may have made a difference to somebody. The organisation places a huge emphasis on looking after their volunteers as well, so there's always support available. What are you hoping to go into when you leave university? Is Nightline a valuable work experience for the field you wish to pursue? I would like to work as a counsellor or mental health nurse, so Nightline has given me a good foundation for those fields of work. What would you say to someone who was too scared to ring nightline? No problem is too trivial or too complicated. Problems are so personal to people that sometimes they might think they’re insignificant and that no one would want to listen, but we will always be there. You don't even have to talk if you don't feel like you can and you can ring us back as many times as you need or want to. At the end of the day, we're students too. We don't have all the answers and we don't pretend to. We won't tell you what to do, but we will listen, no matter what you say. And don't worry about waking us up! The Nightline Coordinator: What is your role within Nightline? I am one of two coordinators for Cardiff Nightline, who deals with the external things to do with the service. So for example, we visit the universities who use the service and try to make good links with them. We also listen to feedback, perhaps on how to train the volunteers, and try to implement it. Additionally we deal with funding issues. Currently we are only receiving funding from one of the four universities that use the service. Who is Nightline for? The service is for any student studying at Cardiff University, UWIC, University of Glamorgan and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Why would someone use the service? If someone is calling for a listener, they are looking for a safe place where they can be reassured that the information they give won’t come back to anyone. That’s what we can provide. There is also
no judgement whatsoever from our listeners and the call is all about the caller. How do you go about recruiting your volunteers? We send out as many emails as possible to the heads of departments, who then forward it on to students. This is largely how we recruit our members. We also have a stall at the Fresher’s and Re-Fresher’s Fayre which is usually quite successful. There is the website too, which has a link for people who are looking to become a volunteer (www.cardiffnightline.com). Obviously the service is confidential, but are the listeners obligated to inform someone if they fear for the well-being or safety of a caller? Everything is confidential within Nightline, so the listeners may wish to talk to someone about a particular call, but this information is not taken any further than the Nightline group. The only exceptions are in cases of potential child abuse, terrorism or if the police are involved and hold a warrant. What kind of support do the listeners receive? There is an extensive welfare system in place for volunteers. When listeners first join the service, they are assigned to a group of four people. Each group is mentored by an experienced volunteer who remains their point of contact and sits with them on their first shift. We have a Welfare Officer in place that we have to email at the end of each shift, detailing the general nature of the calls on that shift. If a listener has had a particularly difficult call, the Welfare officer will personally check-in with that caller to see if he/she is ok. We also have numerous links with counselling services around Cardiff. What kind of information do you give out to callers? It could be anything, from directions because a person is stuck in the middle of nowhere, or examination rooms etc. We give out contact details for university members or details for various services around Cardiff. Honestly, it’s pretty much anything! Lastly, is there anything that you feel is important to add? Yes. When a person calls, it is important to know that they don’t have to say anything at the beginning if they don’t want to. Sometimes knowing someone is there listening is enough.
Features19
gair rhydd • Monday March 14 2010 • features@gairrhydd.com
Nightline 02920 870 555 www.cardiffnightline.com
I
The Nightline caller: was in my first year when I first decided to call Nightline. I had moved into Talybont South five weeks earlier and despite friendly housemates and an exciting new social life, my mood was down. I knew nothing was actually wrong; it wasn’t as if something terrible had happened or I was being isolated. However, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I was alone and that I didn’t fit in at university. My housemates were all really confident people, always keen for Tiger Tiger or the Union, always keen for drinking, always up for staying out late. I wasn’t like them. And they started to notice. They kept asking ‘why aren’t you drinking?’ and ‘why aren’t you up for going out?’ I knew they weren’t being spiteful or malicious and in fact, I was complimented that they wanted me to join in with them. I just didn’t know what to say. The problem was, and only on reflection can I really appreciate
this, I wasn’t a big drinker. I didn’t like the feeling of being out of control and I wasn’t as confident or outgoing as my housemates. I had met two people on my course that understood my problem because they weren’t big drinkers either. We spent a lot of time together during lectures and I was incredibly grateful to have them around. But I didn’t live with them and I couldn’t help but feel my mood sink as I stepped through those heavy duty fire doors and lock myself away in my small, drab bedroom. I was feeling extremely low and, in spite of the occasional phone call from home, I felt that I had no one to talk to that was truly listening. One evening, as I overheard my housemates playing a drinking game and painfully loud music that penetrated my ear drums, I just wanted to run away. I started going through my phonebook to see if there was anyone that I could call, anyone that would listen. In an effort to distract myself from my
“
I didn't feel like an outsider anymore, because she completely understood my predicament
situation I started going through the information that the university give Freshers when you first move in (you know the one, complete with condoms and Lea and Perrins). That’s when I saw it – Nightline’s telephone number. At first I was relieved, which was quickly followed by the worry that I would be wasting their time and that I didn’t have a big enough problem to warrant calling them. But I decided that I was being silly. After all, the advertisement says you can call for a pizza number if you want to! So I called them. I cried for a while and this lovely girl on the other end of the phone listened to me sob with patience, empathy and understanding. I didn’t feel like an outsider anymore because she completely understood my predicament and told me that many people have felt the same. The listeners aren’t trained psychiatrists but what they do do is priceless; they listen. She gave me a contact number for the Student Support Centre on Park
Place. You obviously can’t solve a problem overnight and I had to be willing to help myself, but that call to nightline was the first step in the right direction for me. I can’t tell you how relieved I felt just knowing that I could talk to someone completely anonymously, who was there to listen and who I didn’t have to meet face to face. If I have any advice to anyone in a similar situation or anyone feeling hopeless it would be - don’t be embarrassed, just give them a call. Nightline is a truly valuable organisation that we are privileged to have here in Cardiff. It is not only a help to those who need to talk to someone, but it is also a fantastic way of gaining experience in counseling and anonymous listening. Nightline is available on 02920 870 555 throughout term time from 8pm to 8am. Alternatively, you can visit the website www.cardiffnightline.com or join the facebook page.
Your experiences of Nightline
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,,
,, Sophie Hazell, 24
Studying an MA in Business
I had heard of Nightline, but I never really knew what it was. It sounds like a really good organisation though.
I wish I'd known more about Nightline when I first moved to Cardiff, because I found the first few weeks pretty hard
My housemate in first year was a volunteer for Nightline and I know he found it really interesting and rewarding Emily Morgan, 23 Studying a BA in History
Jon Owen, 23
Studying a BSc in Economics
Science
21
The consequences of eternity As medical and technological advances near the capability to unnaturally extend human life, Science investigates the moral and social consequences of immortality.
Above: Advances in Robotics are helping Surgeons perform the intricacies associated with procedures
Emma Jarrett Science Correspondent It is no secret in today’s society that we can live longer, healthier lives, expanding our life-spans well past the one hundred year mark. However, we still are prone to aging and its diseases, Alzheimer’s, along with the general fragility that aging brings, living to be one hundred sometimes cannot be a dignifying experience. But what if we could be young forever, resisting aging as well as resisting death for longer? What impact would it have on the world and our attitudes to the way we live our lives? We already live in a time of an aging population. By 2051 it is estimated that over a quarter of Britain’s population will be over 65, and we will see an overall population increase from 61 to over 65 million people. With people now deciding to have children later and later, or making the decision not to have children at all, the population of young people within Britain is also
shrinking. This is a huge change to what we saw only 100 years ago, in 1901 the population was just over half what it is now, and those aged over 65 made up only around 5 per cent of the overall population. Medical science is always making leaps to improve our health, whether it is finding new treatments for cancer, or protecting us against diseases which we just can’t fight off ourselves. However, there have always been issues with scientific advancement and questions about if science is going too far. The idea surrounding genetic testing for embryo’s, to screen out incurable diseases like Huntington’s disease, has raised the issue of ‘designer babies’. The film industry also manages to conjure up grim images of the future, films such as The Island, presenting us with the idea that one day we may be able to create whole clones of ourselves, in order to save ourselves from organ failure. A world where a human life may mean nothing more than spare
parts, would of course scare people, but it is possible that instead, life would actually become more valuable. With life-spans reaching way past one hundred years, we may treat life as more as an opportunity to do more meaningful things and make the most of them, without the fear that any projects may be tragically cut short. This raises the question of what kind of technology might be available in order to expand our lifespans and keep us looking young A hot topic in the medical world right now is the idea of ‘3D bio-printing’. This technology works much like an actual printer, but instead of ink, silicone gels can be used along with a 3D scan to build up a structure line by line. As the technology advances this idea will be applied to growing skin cultures and ’print out’ replacement organs such as ears, or even livers. While the idea and the technology are still in their infancy, Hod Lipson, director of the Computational Synthesis Laboratory at Cornell
University, told the BBC that he thought that “in 20 years this technology will be mainstream.” It has been questioned whether this sort of technology would be able to create complex organs that would connect properly to the rest of the body or even work at all. Stem Cell Research is another highly likely treatment, not only for growing replacement organs, but also for using the cells to help in the treatment of curing disease, such as macular degeneration, the most likely cause of blindness in older people. Cambridge University geneticist, Aubrey de Grey, believes that soon we will live to be 1000, and that the first person to live to 1000 has already been born, and might be as old as 60 now. Audrey de Grey believes that the techniques for ‘curing aging’ are “either already working in a preliminary form [in clinical trials] or is based on technologies that already exist and just need to be combined.” However, we must consider the
idea behind ‘curing aging’ critically. What would this mean for our society? For example, if we could have children throughout those years, if people can be giving birth at 500 years old- what would happen to the education system? There are also ethical concerns as anyone who may decide to use something like Cryogenics, would have to be prepared for the changes which would happen to the world around them. It seems that even the most psychologically stable person would not be prepared for the amount of change which will happen to the world while they sleep. It seems that for any of these techniques which may dramatically extend our lives, there are a lot of ethical concerns surrounding them. This is not necessarily in the manner they are developed, but also regarding the benefits reaped from them. In the next 50 years we will definitely see an extension of our life-spans, but what this may mean for our society cannot amount to more than mere speculation.
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Taf-od 24
Ie dros Gymru Gerallt Rhys Taf-Od
Digon caregog ac aneglur oedd y llwybr i Refferendwm Cynulliad Cymru 2011 gyda diffyg ymgyrchoedd swyddogol dros y bleidlais ‘Ie’ a ‘Na’ oherwydd llwfrdra Gwir Gymru wrth dynnu nôl o sefyll yn eu cornel hwy. Ond ni all y canlyniad wedi bod yn fwy clir - yng ngeiriau Roger Lewis, cadeirydd yr ymgyrch ‘Ie’ - “Mae’ n amlwg, mae pobl Cymru wedi dweud eu dweud”. Pleidleisiodd bron i ddau draean o blaid cynyddu pwerau deddfu'r Cynulliad - ffigwr calonnog tu hwnt i ddangos ein hyder fel cenedl ar hyn o bryd. Yn y genhedlaeth ifanc, yn debyg i minnau fel pleidleisiwr am y tro cynta’, roedd y brwdfrydedd am y refferendwm, a dros yr ymgyrch ‘Ie’ yn benodol, yn wych i’w weld. Doedd dim ond angen taro golwg ar Facebook neu Twitter ar fore dydd Iau i weld llu o logos ‘Ie dros Gymru’, fideos gan sêr Cymru, neu ffrindiau’n lleisio’u barn mewn statws. Er pa mor dechnegol a chymhleth oedd pwnc y refferendwm, roedd yn amlwg nad oedd hynny wedi lleihau’r brwdfrydedd. Ond gall y drafferth o ran technegolrwydd y cwestiwn fod yn ffactor dros niferoedd cymharol isel o’r rhai aeth allan i bleidleisio ar y 3ydd. Arhosodd 65% o’r boblogaeth yn eu cartrefi - yr un ganran o boblogaeth Prydain aeth allan i bleidleisio yn yr Etholiad Cyffredinol y llynedd. Gyda’r cwestiwn ar y papur pleidleisio yn 172 gair o hyd,
a’r grynodeb fwyaf cywir ohono - ‘cynyddu pwerau deddfu'r Cynulliad’ - yn amwys, nid oedd syndod ei bod hi’n anodd gwneud pen na chynffon ohono! Eto, pe bai Gwir Gymru wedi gwneud y bleidlais yn fwy dilys ag ymgyrchoedd swyddogol, gall fod llawer mwy o wybodaeth fod wedi bod ar gael i’r cyhoedd, gan ateb eu dadl hwy o ran dilysrwydd y canlyniad. Er nad oedd y refferendwm eleni mor symbolaidd o ran effaith i gymharu â’r refferendwm i ffurfio Cynulliad yn 1997, mae’n parhau i fod yn gam pwysig, yn dangos i weddill Ewrop nad ydym angen gafael llaw San Steffan i wneud penderfyniadau. Wedi’r cyfan, roedd gan Yr Alban, Gogledd Iwerddon, a hydnoed ynysoedd Guernsey a Jersey yr hawl hwn i ddeddfu ymhell cyn y cawsom ni ein cyfle! Roedd hyder y cam hwn ymlaen o 1997 hefyd yn glir ymhob ardal o Gymru. Dim ond un awdurdod, Sir Fynwy, oedd yn erbyn y tro hwn, i gymharu â 11 y refferendwm diwethaf. Fe fyddai pob un o’r 22 awdurdod wedi bod o blaid pe bai 321 pleidleisiwr ‘Ie’ yn Sir Fynwy wedi cofio mynd allan i bleidleisio! Roedd y cynnydd i’w weld yn rhai siroedd yn syndod, â llai na 40% o blaid yn Sir Ddinbych a Sir y Fflint yn 1997, wedi cynyddu i dros 60% erbyn hyn. Llwyddodd Sir Gâr, Castell-nedd Port Talbot a Rhondda Cynon Taf dderbyn cefnogaeth o dros 70%, ac ar nodyn balch personol, pleidleisiodd 76% o blaid yng Ngwynedd! Ychydig yn nerfus oeddwn i ar ôl pleidleisio yn Undeb y Myfyrwyr ar ddydd Iau mae’n rhaid dweud –
erbyn hanner dydd dim ond llond llaw o enwau oedd i’w gweld wedi eu croesi oddi ar y gofrestr, ac yn ôl rhai adroddiadau cynnar, dim ond ychydig dros 10% oedd wedi pleidleisio ar y gofrestr honno. Mae’n bosib mae diffyg gwybodaeth ar gael i bleidleiswyr ifanc oedd hyn eto – clywais gan rai oedd nad oeddent yn credu y gallent bleidleisio
heb gerdyn, neu os oeddent wedi cofrestru i bleidleisio mewn ardal arall. Canlyniad Caerdydd oedd yr olaf i gael ei gyhoeddi, ac roedd yn werth aros amdano, gyda 61% o blaid. Roedd gwen, felly, ar wyneb i ac ar wynebau’r rhan fwyaf o Gymru ar nos Wener. Yng ngeiriau Ieuan Wyn Jones, roedd y canlyniad yn
“ddechrau pennod newydd o ddatganoli”, yn dangos y gall Cymru godi ar ei ddwy draed ei hunan, a symud ymlaen. Mae synnwyr cyffredin wedi cyrraedd o’r diwedd – gall Cymru wneud y penderfyniadau sy’n ei effeithio yn ei wlad ei hunan.
Ydi r Sîn Roc Gymraeg mewn argyfwng? Osian Gruffydd Taf-Od Yng nghanol Ionawr, ymddangosodd dwy erthygl gan Owain Schiavone ar safle gwe Golwg360 yn dwyn y teitl R.I.P SRG. I unrhyw un oedd yn y gig rhyngolegol dair wythnos yn ôl, efallai fod hyn yn ymddangos fymryn yn od, ond nid Owain Schaivone ydiwr unig un sywn wrhagweld tranc y Sîn Roc Gymraegw. Does yna ddim amheuaeth fod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf wedi bod yn un ddistaw - o ran bandiau newydd, cynnyrch a gigiau. Y cwestiwn ydi, ai lleihad naturiol mewn gweithgarwch ydi hyn, neu arwydd o broblemau dyfnach? Mae yna rai fyddai'n dadlau fod y Sîn Roc Gymraeg yn mynd trwy wahanol gyfnodau o weithgarwch roedd pethau'n ddistaw ar ddiwedd y 90au, yna bu adfywiad tua canol y 00au. Mae'n ddigon posibl mai sefyllfa ddigon tebyg i ddiwedd y 90au
sy'n wynebu'r SRG heddiw, ac y daw adfywiad arall mewn ychydig flynyddoedd, ond mae'r trafferthion sy'n wynebu cerddoriaeth Gymraeg heddiw yn rhai mwy dyrys nag erioed. Y broblem fwyaf, mae'n debyg yw taliadau'r PRS (Performing Right Society), y gymdeithas sy'n gyfrifol am dalu artistiaid pan fo'u caneuon yn cael eu chwarae ar y radio. Ar Ddydd G'yl Dewi, aeth dros 100 o gerddorion Cymru ar streic, gan wrthod gadael I Radio Cymru chwarae cerddoriaeth o'u heiddo. Streic yn erbyn y PRS oedd hon, mewn gwirionedd - dim ond 49 ceiniog y funud a gaiff ei dalu i artistiaid sy'n cael eu chwarae ar Radio Cymru (o'i gymharu â £22.71 ar Radio 2, er enghraifft). Roedd hyn yn benllanw blynyddoedd o drafod gyda'r PRS, heb unrhyw lwyddiant. Y gobaith oedd y byddai'r streic yn ysgogi'r BBC - un o gwsmeriaid mwyaf y PRS - i ddwyn pwysau ar y mudiad. Yn sicr, mae hyn yn fater
allweddol - mae'r taliadau y mae bandiau'n ei gael trwy gyfrwng Radio Cymru, yr unig orsaf sydd yn chwarae cerddoriaeth Gymraeg trwy'r adeg, yn allweddol i ddyfodol y diwydiant. Heb yr arian hwn, bydd llai a llai o gynnyrch yn cael ei ryddhau, proses sydd yn barod wedi dechrau - bu'n rhaid i gylchgrawn Y Selar ddibynnu ar CDs o gasgliadau wrth lunio eu rhestr o 10 albwm orau 2010, er enghraifft. Ychydig o fandiau sy'n gobeithio am fywoliaeth o ganu'n Gymraeg, ond heb unrhyw ffynhonnell gyson o arian, nid oes llawer o obaith i'r sefyllfa yma wella. Wrth gwrs, nid taliadau'r PRS yw popeth, ac yn anffodus, nid dyna'r unig broblem sydd yn wynebu'r Sîn Roc Gymraeg. Mae'r sîn fyw yn mynd trwy gyfnod eithaf llwm ar y funud - y tu allan i Gaerdydd, ychydig o lefydd sydd yn cynnal gigs rheolaidd. Heb rai unigolion hynod o weithgar megis Dilwyn Llwyd -
trefnydd G'yl Gardd Goll a nifer o gigs yn y gogledd - rhaid holi a fyddai sîn fyw yn bodoli o gwbl. Mae hon wedi bod yn ddadl ers tro, gyda rhai yn dadlau mai cyfrifoldeb y bandiau yw sicrhau eu bod yn cael digon o gyfleoedd i chwarae'n fyw. Fodd bynnag, rhaid derbyn, os nad oes galw digonol a chynulleidfaoedd digonol, mae'n anodd beio bandiau am ddiffyg ymdrech. Efallai'n wir nad ydi'r tawelwch diweddar yn y sîn yn ddim mwy na bod y don nesaf o fandiau fymryn yn hwyr yn cyrraedd. Ymhen blwyddyn, efallai y bydd rhywfaint o gystadleuaeth am le yn rhestr 10 albwm orau Y Selar. Ond ni all neb gymryd hyn yn ganiataol. Mae cerddoriaeth Gymraeg yn wynebu her aruthrol i oroesi, ac os na ellir dwyn perswâd ar y PRS i gynyddu eu taliadau, mae'n anodd gweld y don nesaf yn torri yn y dyfodol agos.
WANT TO WRITE? email editor@ gairrhydd.com
sudoku.
25
Puzzles
crossword.
competition.
comic.
Across 8. Tibetan monk (4) 9. San Antonio fort (5) 10. Street (4) 11. Magazine feature (6) 12. Footnote (8) 13. A shout of praise to God (8) 15. Cut into (6) 17. Nervous (7) 19. Attendant (Middle Ages) (7) 22. Spreads sleeping sickness (6) 24. Vespers (8) 26. In a robust or sturdy manner (8) 28. Inadequate (6) 30. Young woman (4) 31. A synthetic fabric (5) 32. Gentlewoman (4)
Down 1. Humid (4) 2. Sidewalk (8) 3. A four-wheel covered carriage (6) 4. Paving material (7) 5. They always get their man (8) 6. Titillating (6) 7. Enticement (4) 14. Harps (5) 16. Small finch (5) 18. Unceasing (8) 20. Precarious (8) 21. Reuse (7) 23. A hinged switch (6) 25. Shorttail weasel (6) 27. Pearly-shelled mussel (4) 29. Concludes (4)
By Daniel Judd
Listings26 Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday Thursday
14th March
15th March
16th March
17th March
THE LASH, Solus, £3.50, 9.30pm The Lash promises all the best in chart and cheese, which doesn't really sound all that tempting to be honest. But if you're a sporting LAD then it's most definitely the place to be. This week, the theme is Tight and Bright UV. Sounds great, no?
NEVER MIND THE PUB QUIZ, The Taf, FREE, 8pm A pub quiz. In the Taf. It's not big, it's not clever, but it's a bloody good laugh.
FUN FACT TREE, Solus, FREE, 9pm Fun Factory is an institution among Cardiff students and you simply must check it out. Playing the very best alternative music, and with various cheap drinks promotions, you're sure to have the best night of the week here and I'm not even biased. It's a staple. If you like it alternative, if you like it rocking, and most of all, if you like it loud then there is only thing for it . Courtesy of the Live Music Society, the bands this week are: John Q Public, Detached, Rayguns. LATE NIGHT LIVE, 10 Feet Tall, FREE, 8pm Live music, acts, comedy and DJs upstairs, new music & party tunes in the bar. Plus the added bonus of two for one cocktails between 5pm and 9pm. There isn't a whole lot else going on this Monday, so Fun Factory seems like the best bet. Trust us.
Friday 18th March BOOMBOX, Solus, £3, 10pm Playing an eclectic mix of electro, funk, drum 'n' bass, hip hop, dubstep and breaks with a turntablist twist. Featuring dance classics, chart remixes and old school classics. Expect to hear Pendulum, Calvin Harris, Dr Dre, David Guetta, Major Lazor, A Skillz, High Contrast, Prodigy and much more. To be fair, it's the cheapest Friday night this side of the bridge, fulfilling all your student needs and perfect for bringing those visiting mates too. Plus, there's the added bonus of our best Xpress DJ's spinning some great tunes at the silent disco. Go ahead kids, BOOM YOUR BOX. PÉCHÉS MIGNONS PRESENTS ASM (A STATE OF MIND) + SKUNKADELIC (STARVING ARTISTS), Gwdihw Cafe Bar, £4, 9pm Péchés Mignons is honoured this month to present ASM (A State of Mind) on the Cardiff leg of their UK Tour and Skunkadelic of the Starving Artists Cardiff based label to the intimate surroundings of Gwdihw.
JUST DANCE, Clwb, £3, 10pm Just Dance returns every Tuesday night at Clwb Ifor Bach with one simple mission...to get you dancing all night long. A mixture of modern day pop, rock and R&B thrown together with some cracking blasts from the past...cheap entry, cheap drinks prices and great, GREAT tunes. 10 FEET LIVE, 10 Feet Tall, TBC, 8pm Live music, singer songwriters, bands and acoustic acts upstairs, new music & party tunes in the bar. Plus, there's the added bonus of two for one cocktails from 5pm until 9pm. GODSTICKS, Buffalo, £TBC, 8pm "Since hitting the progressive scene in 2009, Godsticks have caused a stir. Selfstyled purveyors of progressive rock/pop, Godsticks have been notoriously difficult to pigeon-hole, and one of the few new bands who can claim to possess their very own style and sound." I've never heard of them, but this isn't necessarily bad.
LISTEN UP, Clwb, £3, 9pm Listen Up has become an institution within an institution. Everybody loves Clwb. Everybody loves Listen Up. Playing a mix of motown, funk, indie and pop among three floors of cheap bars and trendy kids, this is the place to be every Wednesday. JAZZ AT DEMPSEYS, Dempseys, £5, 9pm Music ranges from piano or guitar trio, saxophone or trumpet quartet, quartet with vocals to big band. Hear jazz standards made famous by the likes of Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nina Simone, as well as original tunes.
Saturday
Sunday
19th March
20th March
COME PLAY, Solus, £3, 10pm A safe bet for a Saturday night. If none of the other events do it for you, head to the Union for guaranteed good music and cheap drinks. Not the most imaginative of nights out, but you'll be sure to have a good time. And who said that being able to predict the playlist down to the very last minute was a bad thing? BEATBOX BALLROOM, Buffalo, Free before 11pm, 8pm "Booty-busting breaks, pimped out soul & clock-stopping rhythms." Apparently.
MUNCH MUNCH, JAMES JAMES AND GUEST DJS, Buffalo, £4 with NUS, 7pm The Bristol-based duo of Thomas Carrell and Richard Manber known as Munch Munch make bedroom pop from laptops, ukelele, violin, organ and various other bits and bobs. Their songs can at times recall the sunshine harmonies of The Unicorns, the galloping glitch of Yacht or the ambient transmissions of Cocteau Twins.
10 FEET TALL SUNDAY SOCIAL, 10 Feet Tall, FREE, 8pm If you have nothing better to do on a Sunday night and fancy heading out for twofor-one cocktails, perhaps give this a go. THE BIG SUNDAY RECOVERY PROJECT, CAI, FREE, 12pm What’s the Sunday project ? It’s a regular’s social gathering to end the week. You get together over a late Sunday Roast or just laze around with fellow hung-over friends on the sofas. Enjoy a Sunday ‘Institution’, weekly - Squeaky Hill Pub Quiz are back. The only quiz that provides you with a general all-round work out, utilising the physical, mental and creative parts of your brain that other pub quizzes just can’t reach! It's free to play, and there's loads of exciting prizes to be won. HAVE A SUNDAY ROAST Gather all of your housemates together and cook a Sunday roast. Or, if you can't be arsed, why not head to the Taf or CAI for a dinner that will rival your mum's.
BOUNCE, Walkabout, £4, 9pm If you really, honestly, have nothing better to do... actually, no, even that isn't a valid excuse. If you have any personal morals, that is. C.Y.N.T, Clwb, £4, 10pm This is the only legitimate thing to do on your Thursday night. THE WOMBATS AND APPLES, Cardiff SU, Limited availability, 7.30pm The Wombats make driving indie-pop, backed up by catchy tunes and up-beat melodies that consistently teeter on the edge of the bizarre and the brilliant.
Venues Students’ Union, Park Place, 02920 814456 www.cardiffstudents.com ◆ IV Lounge, Neuadd Meirionydd, Heath Park 02920 744948 ◆ Clwb Ifor Bach, 11 Womanby Street 02920 232199 www.clwb.net ◆ Metros, Bakers Row www.clubmetropolitan.com ◆ CAI, Park Place 02920 412190 ◆ Buffalo Bar, 11 Windsor Place www.myspace.com/wearebuffalobar ◆ Chapter Arts Centre, Market Road, Canton 02920 304400 www.chapter.org ◆ Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay 0870 0402000 www.wmc.org. uk ◆ The New Theatre, Park Place 02920 878889 www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk ◆ The Sherman Theatre, Senghennydd Road 02920 646900 www.shermantheatre.co.uk ◆ Cardiff International Arena, Mary Ann Street 02920 224488 ◆
Societies
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D of E members strike gold Elisa Gunter Reporter Current and past members of Cardiff ’s Duke of Edinburgh (D of E) Society have collected their prestigious gold Duke of Edinburgh awards this month. Society members Natalie Wilding, Robert Francis and Ellie Goldsmith were invited by the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Philip to be received at St James’s Palace to col-
lect their award certificates. Once inside, they were joined by over one hundred people from Wales to receive the award. They were lucky enough to have their certificates handed to them by BBC Breakfast presenter Susannah Reid. Once the certificates were presented, His Royal Highness Prince Philip came and chatted to them to ask about their experiences and was greatly pleased to hear that the Gold D of E Award was being run within Cardiff University by stu-
dents, for students. All three awarded members were lucky enough to go on expedition in the Lake District, an area that is amazing in its natural beauty and has inspired generations of artists, including the famous poet William Wordsworth. “The expedition was tough, hiking over 50km in 4 days and 3 nights, but a challenge worth overcoming” said society members. As well as the hike, the award includes Volunteering, Physical
Recreation, Skill, and Residential sections. Activities undertaken by the above Cardiff students include Volunteering in a Red Cross Shop, Driving and Clarinet lessons as a Skill, Badminton and Karate as Physical Recreation, and a weeks training in the United States and Canada to work in a summer camp as a Residential project. Although it took a lot of dedication to complete their sections over the required time period, all of the activities they completed were defi-
nitely worth it. “Everyone was enormously pleased to have met Prince Philip and Susannah, and look forward to bringing the Gold D of E Award to the next generations!” said committee members. The Cardiff University D of E Society plan regular expeditions throughout the year. The society meets every Tuesday and always welcomes new members. Congratulations to all participants on receiving their award.
Monday March 14 Ancient History: Research Seminar -Room 4.45, Humanities, 5pm
Pole Dancing: Flexibility Class -Aneurin Bevan Room, 6pm
Arch Soc: Committee Vote -Koko Gorillaz, 8pm
Tuesday March 15 Harry Potter Society: Fiction and Art Night -Bar 33, 1pm
CHAOS: Quiz Night -Cafe Jazz, St Mary's Street, 7pm
D of E: Training and Cinema Trip -Room 1.25, Main Building, 7.30pm
Wednesday March 16 Above:Brass Band Society
TRF: Weekly Meeting
Brass band success Hugh Rodger Reporter Cardiff University Brass Band faced tough competition and secured 3rd place in the first ever National University Brass Band Championships. Twelve bands competed in the contest which took place in Lancaster. Cardiff played a wide variety of music during their performance. Songs included ‘All That Jazz’ from the musical Chicago (one highlight included the conductor taking to the stage in a bright orange suit), ‘Death or Glory’ from the film Brassed Off, ‘Fanfare and Flourishes’ originally by James Curnow and the theme from the film 'Backdraft' by composer Hans Zimmer. First year music student Michael Hearty featured as a soloist during
‘Czardas’ playing the xylophone, vibraphone and glockenspiel.
“
Cardiff were placed higher than Oxford and Cambridge universities
Cardiff ’s strong performance successfully placed them higher than groups from universities including Oxford and Cambridge, while being surpassed only by Huddersfield University, who came second, and winners Brass United – a group composed of students from the Royal Northern College of Music and Manchester University. Each band was awarded a mark out of 150, with Cardiff earning an impressive 134 points – just six less than the winning band with 140. Band president Carly Griffith expressed her delight at Cardiff ’s
success and of the event’s proceedings: “Together, the whole band put a lot of work in before Christmas to raise the funds for the contest in Lancaster through carolling in various places in Cardiff. "Fortunately this hard work continued through to the members playing at the beginning of this semester. “We were only one point behind Huddersfield, who audition their players and have a 'brass band specialist' course. "The band was the second band to perform that day, and we were all thrilled with our performance and to hear that we came third was an added bonus!” Cardiff University Brass Band’s next concert will be held on March 25 in the music department’s concert hall. Congratulations to all participatipating members.
-Nelson Mandela Room, 7pm
Asian Society: Bollywood Dance Classes -Rona Griffiths Room, 7pm
Art Society: Life Drawing -Nelson Mandela Room, 7.30pm
Thursday March 17 Pole Dancing: Conditioning Class -Aneurin Bevan Room, 6pm
Timothy Bible Study Group: Bible Study -Beverton Lecture Theatre, 7pm
Friday March 18 Students for Life: Conference -Scotland, 5pm
Saturday March 19 Malaysian Society: Cardiff European Games -Talybont Sports Village, 8am
Sunday March 20 D of E: Dartmoor 1 -Dartmoor
To feature an event or article email societies @gairrhydd.com
If you would like to join a Society, or see a full list of opportunities, visit: http://groups.cardiffstudents.com/societies/home
Sport
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The greatest show on turf. gair rhydd sport preview the Cheltenham Festival Alex Bywater Sports Editor Horse racing has never been more popular. Top jump jockey, Tony McCoy’s triumph as BBC Sport’s Personality of the Year for 2010 raised awareness of the sport to the masses, something that the equine community has never quite seen before. For the sport known as the ‘sport of kings’, the middle of March brings not only the start of Spring but also the annual highlight of the sport’s calendar year: the Cheltenham Festival. Held at the Gloucestershire race course known as Prestbury Park, the Cheltenham Festival provides four days of racing rightly regarded as the best around. The Grand National might be the most well known horse racing event, a day which sees most people have their annual bet, but it is Cheltenham which really whets the appetite of jockeys, trainers and punters alike. Four days of the finest action the sport can offer, 200,000 pints of Guinness, and 500 horses running in 27 races, competing for over three million in prize money; just some of the statistics that show the enormity of this event. This years’ festival takes place from Tuesday to Friday of this week, culminating in the event’s showpiece, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Other highlights include Tuesday's Champion Hurdle, Wednesday's Queen Mother Champion
Above: The magic of Cheltenham Chase and the World Hurdle on Thursday. The Supreme Novices hurdle, preceded by the customary roar of the crowd, kick starts the festival and four days of fantastic sporting action. Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle arguably looks like being the race of the meeting, with many of the horses making a strong case for selection. Binocular will be looking to retain his crown for McCoy, but his inconsistency frustrates me and other options look appealing. Binocular may well win but I like the look of both Menorah and Peddlers Cross, with preference for the former. Menorah is unbeaten at Cheltenham and loves the trip so should go close. Hurricane Fly is the best of the Irish in this one.
Khyber Kim, who finished second in last year’s race and is also second top rated, seems to be the forgotten horse and looks like fantastic each way value at around 20/1. Tuesday sees Master Minded bid to retain his Champion Chase crown for Paul Nicholls after finishing fourth last year. The horse looks back to near his best this year and on that form should go close, though last year’s winner Big Zeb will have something to say about that. Earlier in the day, there looks no other option than to back Time For Rupert in the RSA Chase. His form over fences this year is nothing short of spectacular. Thursday’s big race, the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, has been a cake walk recently with jockey
Ruby Walsh and Nicholls comfortably taking away the prize with Big Bucks in both the last two years. This year promises something different though, as a serious rival to Big Bucks has emerged. Grand Crus, a splendid looking grey for Trainer David Pipe, has won twice at Cheltenham this year and may well run one of Nicholls’s stable stars close. The Festival ends with a bang on Friday with the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the showpiece event of the meeting. The race this year is very much billed as the old guard versus the new. Previous winners Kauto Star, Denman and last year’s victor, Imperial Commander, will be taking on the new brigade including the King George VI winner Long Run. For what it’s worth, I think the younger generation still have something to prove. Denman’s breathing operation may well just ignite ‘The Tank’ into regaining his title while Kauto Star should have Ruby Walsh back on board this time round. Imperial Commander is this year’s favourite and again looks appealing. The Cheltenham Festival really is one of Britain’s premier sporting events. Broadcast on free to air television by Channel 4’s excellent team of presenters, the week offers fantastic viewing whether you’re an avid racing fan or if you’ve never even heard of Paddy Brennan. The unbridled atmosphere, tension and excitement make it four fantastic days of top class sporting action.
"The festival becomes more and more special." Alex Winter meets Cheltenham's Managing Director Edward Gillespie For a man who has been in a job for over a quarter of a century, Edward Gillespie wanders round Cheltenham Racecourse as if everything is brand new. He admires sculptures of horse’s heads that have been specially fashioned and an exhibition of artistic equine photographs. He appears in love with his job. His 31st festival begins on Tuesday. “Everyone is different,” he said, “now feels very different to last year. Last year was very much about one race and two horses: Kauto Star and Denman. There’s much more excitement about the other races this year. Each festival has its own character. There’s different issues and different challenges.” One of the biggest challenges is the response to the tragic incident at Newbury in January where two horses were electrocuted in the parade ring.“We’ve reviewed all the arrangements where electrical current may be: we’ve become
ultra safe. It was a tragic event at Newbury and I’m very comfortable that nothing like that could happen here.” Another challenge is against the weather. Cheltenham suffered badly under heavy snowfall in December, but Gillespie is pleased at how the course has recovered. “The course didn’t look good in January but it’s come on great. We’re thrilled by the way the racecourse looks." Racing, and the entire leisure industry, has been also been battling against the recession but Gillespie says the festival is looking strong. “We’re ahead of last year in terms of bookings. Hospitality is comfortably ahead of where it was last year.” And Gillespie hopes the recovery continues because the festival is vital for the local economy. “It brings in about £50 million into Gloucestershire alone. It’s great for the hotels. People stay as
far away as Oxford and Bristol.” Gillespie is cautiously optimistic about how racing is coping with the recession. “There’s less money coming in from the betting industry; prize money is dropping generally and there have been a lot of sports that have been competitive with us. But the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree Grand National are continuing to grow. “Here it’s not just about the horseracing; it’s the gathering of people, it’s about taking a few days off in the week and having a bit of a blast this time of year.” Gillespie says the beauty of Gloucestershire is also a big pull. “I’m lucky enough to travel quite widely but I don’t know anywhere like this.” The Cheltenham Festival is one of the iconic events on the sporting calendar and Gillespie is in no doubt about the event’s continued popularity. “It’s got a great profile.
It almost becomes more and more special. I go to a lot of other sporting events but I don’t know one that has the same breadth of interest. “It’s something people can talk about regardless of their status or social background. It’s great.” He is a proactive managing director. It has been suggested that the festival may benefit from moving to a Wednesday-Saturday slot. “We’ll consider anything that is commercially positive. Our customers will ultimately decide when we race,” he said. Constantly looking for change in his business, Gillespie is also looking for change on the course. He predicts a very open Gold Cup. “ I would be delighted if Imperial Commander, Kauto Star or Denman won it. But I think it will be one from outside the top four.” He does have one certainty: only one to back in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. “Masterminded.”
gair rhydd sport compare their predictions for some of Cheltenham's main races with those of BBC Horse Racing Correspondent Cornelius Lysaght
Champion Hurdle gair rhydd sport: "Menorah has fantastic form at Cheltenham and looks a decent bet." Cornelius Lysaght: "I'm a big Binocular fan, if he performs like he did last year, he'll win."
Queen Mother Champion Chase gair rhydd sport: "If Master Minded performs to his best he should win. Somersby may well prove a threat." Cornelius Lysaght: "Big Zeb's defeat last time should be discounted and he can regain his crown here."
World Hurdle gair rhydd sport: "Grand Crus looks a good horse but it's impossible to oppose Big Bucks." Cornelius Lysaght: "Grand Crus has rock solid form and can lower Big Buck' colours."
Gold Cup gair rhydd sport: "Midnight Chase may be an outsider with an each way chance." Cornelius Lysaght: "You must not discount Denman, he hasn't got that many miles on the clock"
Sport30
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • sport@gairrhydd.com
Landslide victory for EUROS given unbeaten English B History lesson Jo Greet IMG Netball
Owain Mortimer IMG Football
English B 23 Politics 4 English B rounded off the season in style, with a dominating win over Politics which left the team unbeaten in the IMG Netball Spring League. Luck was on English's side as they won the first centre pass after the coin toss, which was swiftly converted into an early goal by Sophie Cooke. This promising start was built upon by a superb interception in the Politics goal third by English B’s wing defence Sian Eaglestone, which prevented Politics answering the early dominance shown by the English team. Rachel Jones adapted her knowledge as English B’s regular shooter to expertly fill in as goalkeeper. The defensive partnership between Adcock and Jones proved effective, with the English team having a definite height advantage in the D. This defensive advantage enabled an attacking passage through the centre third, with a succession of passes between Sian Eaglestone as wing defence, Jo Greet as centre and Millie Flint as wing attack. This efficient play was instrumental in facilitating a string of goals for English B. Politics were not to be underestimated and they were given an opportunity to get back into the game after a free shot was awarded after a questionable tackle in the D. The half time whistle gave the English girls time to regroup and make changes to their line up. Miranda Atty took to the court as wing defence, whilst Sian Eaglestone changed to the centre
AFC History 2 FC EUROS 1
Above: The unbeaten English B team position and Jo Greet transferred to wing attack. Politics competently took the first centre of the second half and quickly gained a sideline pass after an interception from English’s Rachael Adcock went off court. The sideline pass was swiftly taken, enabling Politics to gain an early advantage in the second half. English rapidly replied, with Siawn Eaglestone delivering the ball to Jo Greet who fed it straight to the capable hands of Ellie Hobday. After an unlucky rebound, Ellie acquired another goal for English B. English B’s advantage was furthered as wing defence Miranda Atty continually intercepted Politics' attacking play. The English
B defence in the D was also superbly efficient, with Jones and Adcock proving to be a successful partnership which ultimately prevented the Politics shooters from scoring. Despite Politics fighting hard, an impressive team effort from the English girls left the score at the end of the match reading a stunning 24-4 to English B. Player of the match went to English B’s goal attack Sophie Cooke after an impressive performance which saw her score 14 goals. The English girls now look ahead to continuing their excellent form into the spring and summer months.
Econ off to winning start Nick Case IMG Football Gym Gym 1 Economics FC 2 Economics started their IMG Premier League campaign with a hardfought 2-1 win against Gym Gym at a windy Pontcanna.
All of the goals came in the final 15 minutes as Economics looked to continue the form that had seen them qualify for the Premier League on goals scored. It was Gym Gym, though, who had the first attack of the game as both sides looked to come to grips with the testing conditions. Economics were slowly grow-
ing into the game and had a good chance to open the scoring when Jamie Baird-Murray couldn’t control his volley in the penalty area. Gareth Adams-King then saw a rasping 25-yarder scrape the cross bar as Economics ended the first half on the up. Economics came out for the second half fired up and took the game
The eagerly-anticipated opening round of matches for the Cardiff University IMG Football Premier League took place last week, and the high standard of play did not disappoint despite windy conditions at Pontcanna. FC EUROS, making their first ever appearance in the Premier League, were considered massive underdogs before the game and rightly so. Their opponents, AFC History, are well known to all IMG teams as a strong and energetic outfit with experience of the big occasions. Their composure and organisation showed right from the off. The game began in a flurry of tackling from both teams. History made themselves known on the pitch with some tasty but sometimes dangerous challenges. It was this early dominance that led to History taking the lead within 10 minutes, immediately pressurising EUROS with some dangerous long balls over the top of their defence. EUROS, notorious slow starters, failed to get any kind of control on the ball and looked disorganised in the run up to the first goal. It came from a long throw, another weapon in History’s arsenal, the History striker rising highest in a confused penalty area to direct his header perfectly inside the near post. EUROS seemed shell-shocked and to make matters worse they conceded a second soon after. Another long ball over the top was latched onto by the History striker, who cut inside and rifled a brilliant to the opposition. The defence held a good line whilst Hibbard and Baird-Murray made a nuisance of themselves in attack. The latter had the first chance of the half from Adams-King’s through ball but the Gym Gym keeper tipped his shot behind for a corner. A good shout for a penalty was turned down before substitute James Lyons stung the palms of the keeper with a left footed drive. The pressure finally told with 15 minutes to go as Economics opened
shot across the face of EUROS’ goal and into the top right hand corner. Mark Douthwaite had no chance in the EUROS goal. EUROS could have collapsed, but they finally began to show how they qualified for this league. They finally got into the game, with the front two of Nicholas Jones and George Webb holding the ball up well, and giving the midfield the chance to get into the game and play. The first half ended with EUROS in the ascendancy, passing the ball well in midfield, with Jim Arthur and Owain Mortimer starting to pull the strings. History held firm, though, and the half finished 2-0. The second half started in much the same way, with EUROS growing in confidence and starting to put some meaningful attacks together. With momentum on their side, EUROS clawed a goal back ten minutes into the second half thanks to a sublime strike by the classy Nicholas Jones. An attack down the right hand side, with some neat interplay between James Barnett and Nicholas Jones culminated in a left-footed half volley from Jones, the ball nestling inside the far post. EUROS continued to look for the equaliser but History dug deep and managed to halt their progress. The pace of the game began to slow as both teams tired towards the end though this did not stop EUROS counter-attacking at every opportunity. Despite Euros’ resurgence in the second half, History never looked like losing the game. In what was a spirited encounter, the match left EUROS with plenty to be proud of, but under no illusions of the task they face in this league.
the scoring with a sublime Sam Pritchard free-kick. From the restart Gym Gym piled forward looking for a swift reply and were duly rewarded when a free-kick caught in the wind and flew into the top of the net with Andy Wilson stranded. Economics did not let their heads drop, though, and after another good penalty shout was turned down, Lyons’ pinpoint cross found Baird-Murray, who volleyed home the winner with just minutes remaining.
Sport31
Monday March 14 2011 • gair rhydd • sport@gairrhydd.com
Women's rugby continue to impress as Oxford are easily swept aside Hannah Sparks BUCS Women's Rugby Oxford 7 Cardiff 50 Cardiff Ladies Rugby Team returned from Oxford after a win on Wednesday March 9. In what was the first meeting of the season between the teams, the game began with a quick start from Sally Tuson scoring the first of her six tries in the game. Heads were held high and everyone was feeling confident for the game ahead. The first half continued with Cardiff producing some
innovative back moves. Sister-act Rosie and Emily Hutton secured a strong try, brushing through Oxford's defence after the ball came off the back of a scrum. Vice Captain, Meg Tudor, charged down a clearing kick from Oxford’s number 10, leading to the fourth try and securing Cardiff's victory before half time. Mary Pointer, back from injury, pushed well in an offensive scrum, stealing the ball from Oxford towards the end of the first half. Other impressive forwards, flanker Natasha Dickerson and captain Jen Hawkins, continuously stole and secured the ball on numerous occasions. Good hooking from Holly Cooke provided Cardiff with a strong scrum; they even took several secure of Oxford's balls against the head. This allowed forward Emily Baird to slot in well to the back row, strengthening Cardiff ’s attack.
Centre Kiri Shuttleworth was particularly strong in defence and Meg Tudor secured regular turnovers which helped Cardiff to secure a comfortable victory. Laura Sharpe and Rosie Hutton provided an equally strong set piece throughout the game, securing Cardiff ’s line-out ball and troubling Oxford's set piece. Forward Rosie Hancock, a new edition to Cardiff's team, performed well with a series of strong tackles. Hannah Browne also made some vital tackles and catches, not only from the kick-off but throughout the game, continuously putting Cardiff into strong positions. In the last ten minutes a tired defence by Cardiff resorted in a consolation try for Oxford’s number 10. However, it did not matter as Cardiff secured a thumping win, maintaining their strong position in their debut season in the Premiership.
Cardiff enjoy more Cardiff secure Canoe-Polo success badminton Helen Jarvis Canoe-Polo Cardiff University Kayakers were proud to hold their own Canoe-Polo competition in the last weekend of February. The well-established tournament is an annual event that is significant in the calendars of numerous university canoe-polo clubs throughout the UK. This year's competition was held at Taff Bargoed near Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil. Over 200 competitors from around the country took part in the tournament, including teams from London, Warwick, Cambridge and Bangor. Teams that entered included those completely new to the sport, as well as more experienced players. Cardiff entered an A, B, C, Ladies and Old Boys team in the tournament, which itself consisted of three divisions. The weekend weather left much to be desired with rain, hail and a chilling wind. The occasional sunny spell was therefore well received. The rain, however, was not enough to deter the teams from fighting fiercely for top places in their division. The competition began on Saturday morning with the group games. Each team played four games throughout the day in order to determine the group positions, placings and fixtures for Sunday. All the teams were eager and played wholeheartedly - earning a
well-deserved curry and party in the evening at the local pub. Everyone enjoyed the fancy dress in the evening, and were in high spirits to take on games the following day. Sunday’s early morning start came as a rude awakening to many of those participating in the first games of the day. However, every team embraced the challenge with gusto, an eagerness that continued throughout the day in a series of thrilling games which culminated in the finals. Bangor A team defeated the University London Union (ULU) A team in a tense and exciting Division One final; Bangor Ladies continued their University's success and overcame ULU Ladies. ULU did manage to win one of the finals with their B team defeating the Shivering Monkeys (consisting of players from Bristol, Bath
and Cambridge) in the Division Two final. The Cardiff teams were satisfied with their achievements within each of the divisions - although the Old Boys team were the only Cardiff team in a medal position, coming third in division One. The A team finished sixth in Division one; the B team sixth in division two, with the C team following closely in seventh. The ladies claimed sixth place in the Ladies Division. The whole weekend ran extremely smoothly thanks to a lot of support from Aberfan Canoe Club, who helped Cardiff University organise the event. Special mention also goes to Jonathan King from Cardiff University who made the tournament possible. A raffle held by the University raised approximately £100 and all proceeds are to be donated to the Central Mountain Rescue.
derby victory Darren Wong BUCS Badminton Cardiff II played Swansea I for the second time this season, but this time in the semi-finals of the knockout cup. Having lost their previous encounter, Cardiff were determined to win this match. Markus Kopp and Simon Schnabel were Cardiff's singles players of the day, each taking on their Swansea opponents. Swansea’s second singles player went down easily to both Kopp and Schnabel; however, their number one singles player provided a bigger challenge. Unfortunately, neither player could beat him. Phil Nicholls and Richard Townsend beat both doubles pairs as they played some exceptional badminton to put Cardiff ahead. The Cardiff pair beat the infamous Barry Garnham in straight sets, 21-16 and 21-15. Nicholls and Townsend won their next match in similar fashion, triumph in in their first game 21-11 and in the final set 21-19. Darren Wong and Ishak Ahmed won their first game easily 2111, but lost their next game 21-19. Their final game against Swansea’s second doubles pair was just as tough, and near the end it looked as though Cardiff were going to
pull through and win. At 19-15 up, things looked good, but clumsy mistakes cost them dearly, and Cardiff eventually lost the match 23-21.
“
Nicholls and Townsend played some exceptional
badminton
Their first game against Barry started badly, with the Cardiff pair falling behind 2-10. However, they eventually caught up, but were unable to win their first game. Wong and Ahmed played a much better second game, which they won 2111. In the final set, both pairs went all out to try and secure a victory. Swansea led the entire match and despite Wong having a perfect opportunity to level the scores, Swansea eventually won the final game 21-19. Even though both teams had won and lost four matches each, Cardiff came out victorious, as they had won more games. Cardiff now progress into the finals of the cup, where they face Bath in two weeks time.
Sport
Cheltenham Festival Preview << Inside
Medics soar into BUCS final
James Ward BUCS Hockey
Medics 4 Cardiff III 2
Cardiff Medics Hockey Club (CMHC) came out on top in a pulsating affair against Cardiff University Mens Hockey Club 3rds in the BUCS Cup last week. With the sidelines packed with supporters from both sides, the atmosphere was fantastic. Having never been as far as the semi-final of the BUCS Cup before, both the Medics I and Cardiff III were fired up for the big match at Talybont, and the Medics pulled out a fantastic performance to stamp their ticket for the final.
Above and below: Players from both teams fight it out The game started fast-paced, with both sides playing some excellent hockey. However, Cardiff III would be the ones to draw first blood. Oliver Lenan was too quick for the Cardiff penalty corner routine, but the ball bounced up on a plate for the Cardiff striker, who had all day to put it in the bottom corner. A goal down, the Medics found a new lease of life. Playing flowing hockey from side to side, gaps started to open up in the Cardiff defence, and after driving the baseline expertly, Jonathan Percival put the ball on a plate for substitute Oliver Mumby to slot past the diving keeper. There were chances at both ends, but both defences tightened up and the scores were level at the break.
Realising they were in the middle of a scrap, the Medics came out in the second half and began to turn up the heat. With most of the action occurring in the Cardiff half, it was only a matter of time before the pressure told, and sure enough, it did. Playing the ball around the D, Stuart Frankland found Tim Elvidge on the P spot, who hammered the ball home to give the Medics the lead for the first time in the game. Now defending a lead, the Medics had some defending of their own to do. Caught on the break a few times in the second half, Cardiff began to have some chances on goal and disaster struck ten minutes into the second period. Dispossessed in his own D, Danny Kasto could only watch
helpless as the Cardiff striker struck the equalising goal home. The Medics, however, were not done yet. Going back to basics and passing the ball around, the punishing pace of the game began to take its toll on the Cardiff defenders.
Women's rugby & IMG Football << Inside Seb Sheehan put in an excellent challenge to dispossess the Cardiff centre back, and with teammates swarming forward, found Oliver Mumby who bagged his second goal of the day. With their noses in front, the Med-
ics looked to seal victory, and their chance came just five minutes later. Stuart Frankland found PJ Russell in the D, who beat two players and, falling to his right, masterfully slotted the ball under the onrushing keeper. With a two goal lead, the Medics never looked like losing, and when the final whistle went, it was jubilation on the Medics sideline. “I’m very proud of the way we played today,” said goalkeeper and Captain Edd Broad. “It’s indicative of the season we’ve had, and we’ve been rewarded with a home final," he continued. CMHC now face Bristol University II in the BUCS Cup Final on Wednesday March 23, which is to be held at Talybont.
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