gair rhydd - Issue 951

“ “ “ gair rhydd Letters to the Editor: Henry Burton deals with your issues

Politics take a look at the AV Referendum

page 14

page 12

Features: Is drinking alcohol worse than taking drugs? page 17

Monday May 23 2011 | freeword – Est. 1972 | Issue 951

“This is the worst examination timetable I have had in my three years at Cardiff ” Morgan Applegarth News Editor Cardiff University have once again come under criticism with regard to their scheduling of exams which is leaving high numbers of students with hectic timetables during the spring examination period. gair rhydd understands that a number of students have complained to the Students’ Union about their timetables, with many feeling that their final exams of the year have been scheduled too close together.

In her final year, Chemistry student Hayley Rand told gair rhydd that she has four exams during May and June, with three taking place on consecutive days.

“I would have thought that the School’s priority would be to give us the best opportunity to do well in the exams, as they count for a lot this year, but after receipt of the exam timetable I know that’s not true.

“It has affected my revision, because I just feel completely unmotivated to do well, because no matter how prepared I am, it’s going to be a struggle and exhausting to go to three exams in a row.”

Complaining to Cardiff ’s School of Chemistry, Hayley was told that the School had asked Registry to schedule all exams during the first three weeks of the available five week exam period, partly to allow for Results Day to take place before

the end of term.

In addition, the School says that by leaving the final two weeks exam-free, it allows for Chemistry students’ project viva to be scheduled after the last written exam.

Third year Exploration and Resource Geology student, Henry Lole, expressed annoyance over his exam timetable, saying: “I have been lumbered with the worst exam timetable I have had in my three years at Cardiff.

“I have four exams in four consecutive days.

“It appears the norm this year is to have three in three days or three in four days and everyone appears to have at least one point where they have two in two days.

“Quite why this timetabling is necessary, I feel, needs to be investigated because I was not given a legitimate reason.”

A second year Civil Engineering student, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed that he has three exams in five days.

This is not the first time that the University’s exam scheduling has been criticised.

In May 2009, students criticised the University for compiling demanding exam timetables (issue 897).

Moreover, a gair rhydd investigation back in January, found that hectic timetables were being imposed on students during the autumn semester (issue 940).

Continued on page 3

PHOTO: CCHRIS GRIFFITHS

Students criticise the University over the scheduling of exams

Magicians, musicians and marquees gair rhydd takes a look at how the inaugural May Ball turned out

02News

gr EDITOR Sarah Powell

CO-ORDINATOR Elaine Morgan DEPUTY EDITOR Dom Kehat SUB-EDITOR Hannah Van den Burgh NEWS Morgan Applegarth Miranda Atty Pippa Lewis Ben Price Hannah Pendleton FEATURES Zoe Bridger Laura Brunt OPINION Holly Howe Chris Williams COLUMNIST Henry Burton POLITICS James Dunn Oliver Smith SOCIETIES Bianca London SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT Tom Clarke Jack Parker TAF OD Elliw Mair SPORT Alex Bywater Lucy Morgan Alex Winter CONTRIBUTORS Luke Baker Emma Jarrett Joanne Southerd Laura Evans Luke Slade Laura Dunn Daisy Payne Alex Calvin Ali Ishaq PROOFREADERS Joanne Southerd Sean Thorne Laura Evans Laura Amey

Monday May 23 2011 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com

Cardiff Guild of Societies vote for £4 Guild membership fee Hannah Pendleton News Editor Cardiff Guild of Societies has voted in favour of a £4 Guild fee to be implemented next academic year.

The Guild membership fee of £4, which received a majority vote is predicted to raise £19,600 worth of income, which allows more money for costs but brings with it, a potential membership loss worth up to £4,700.

A total of 71 societies voted, with 41 voting through a secret ballot in the forums and 30 voting by email or text.

Three options which had been established from discussions during society forums from each semester were available to choose from.

The second and third choices were for a minimum membership

of £4 or for the system to remain the same. The minimum membership would have generated income directly into the accounts of societies, however this would have meant no extra funds for the Union to offer.

Societies Officer, Cosimo Montagu expressed his initial concerns with the prospect of a Guild membership fee introduction. He stated: “Throughout the whole consultation and even now the final decision has been made, I have been unsure about how I have felt. I guess my worries have always been that memberships might drop, that it might not be right to charge people for membership of certain groups (i.e. cultural/religious groups or volunteering activities) and the impact this could have on diversity of societies; our greatest strength I believe."

The question of whether to introduce a fee similiar to that of the Athletic Union has been a longstanding issue. Societies candidates were asked about the potential Guild fee during Hustings in the 2010 student elections Cosimo continued: “Greater funds will enable societies to run more activities, trips, events, and hopefully take a bit of the financial weight off for some of these that can be very expensive.

"Students will also expect more from their societies. Currently lots of societies can be quite inactive through the year, and hopefully some financial investment from all students will make them expect more from their society.

"We have seen unprecedented levels of discussion and debate among our society committees, and the decision was ultimately theirs.

“I can only urge societies and students to seize the new opportunities open for them next year. I think all in all, it will be a positive step for the Guild”.

The greater funds for societies which will come as a result of the new Guild Fee seek to counteract the large number of fund requests which are often struggled with.

Over £43,000 worth of fund requests were received in just August last year, and over £15,000 worth throughout the whole year.

The £19,600 increase in income that is expected from the new Guild Fee will expand budgets that wil fund inter-university events, venue hire and trips. Budgets for new societies may be up to £6000 for central equipment and there will be an increase in storage space for societies.

University comes under criticism for cramped exam timetabling

freewords EDITORIAL est.1972 Sarah Powell Editor We’ve been here before, haven’t we? Only in January did we run a front page on this very same issue of exam timetabling. A few months on, we find ourselves in the same situation, and I can’t help but feel an uncanny sense of déjà vu.

The exam period is difficult for all students, but it seems that for students on certain course disciplines it’s a lot more stressful.

In January we reported that students from the Mathematics and Chemistry schools in particular were facing stressful timetables,

with some students having to revise for six exams compacted into two weeks. Students complained of lengthy exams taking place on consecutive days, and many told gair rhydd of the heightened pressure that this was putting them under.

At the time, both academic schools were defensive, telling gair rhydd that they knew of the problems that existed, but neither showed any indication of actually doing anything about the situation.

Yes, they gave the typical answer that they would do all that they could to help students through the difficult exam process, and we were even given an in-depth comment on how the exam schedule was compiled: using electronic software which takes into account students’ module choices and produces a timetable which is best for the entire University. But nobody from the University was actually willing

to come forward and admit that the exam timetabling was unacceptable.

Again, there was a rather noncommittal statement which said that: “The University is currently developing a University-wide policy on assessment and over-assessment, asking Schools to measure whether or not they over-examine their students.”

It just doesn’t feel like enough.

A policy? Just what the students need, right? While our students are working through the night to meet strenuous revision schedules, I’m sure they’re comforted to know that there’s some University big-wigs in a room talking about assessment policy.

To me, it seems like there’s too much discussion of policy and not enough real action.

I mean, this has been happening for years. gair rhydd has been re-

In this week's gair rhydd...

David Cameron May Ball Magic

Exams

porting on the unacceptable exam timetabling consistently.

In May 2009 we reported on the cramped timetables which were compounded by stressful coursework deadlines.

And here we are, two years later, hearing the exact same student complaints and witnessing the same situation.

I’m certain that those who are responsible for exam timetabling will promise that the issue will be investigated. And maybe if we’re lucky there’ll be a policy before the next set of January exams. But this isn’t going to alter the situation that many students currently experience.

I don’t doubt that students will rise to the stressful situation that they find themselves in. But the point is, they shouldn’t have to.

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Monday May 23 2011 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com

Didn't we have a Ball?

Morgan Applegarth News Editor Cardiff University students gathered in numbers at the May Ball on Sunday May 15, wearing their finest formal attire to celebrate the end of the academic year coming to a close.

Those in attendance were entertained with an array of talent, ranging from magicians to musicians.

The joint-held event between the Students' Union and the University was the first of it's kind, after re-

curring losses lead to the Cooper's Field Summer Ball being cancelled.

Back in October gair rhydd reported how last year's Ball made a loss of nearly £59,000.

Upon entering the University's Main Building, students were greeted by Cardiff University’s Big Band, before making their way into the Main Building Gallery where they were met by a champagne bar.

With the new-look Ball taking place in the familiar surroundings of the Main Building, a number of attractions were set-up to provide students with the chance to take their minds off of the forthcoming

exam period.Fairground rides, circus acts and live music entertained the crowds before moving into the “VIP inspired” Students’ Union.

“

University and Union unite to host the May Ball

“It was a great evening, showing exactly what we could do jointly with the space in the Union and the Main Building. The rides, cocktail bar, magicians, numerous bands and DJ acts, food and casino all

went down great,” said Cardiff Students' Union President Olly Birrell.

While the night was seemingly enjoyed by those in attendance, the organisers had come under some criticism prior to the event in regard to the date chosen for the Ball.

This year’s spring examinations began on Monday May 16, the day after the May Ball.

Birrell told gair rhydd that part of the reason for the chosen date was due to the late Easter break.

He also said that the chosen date was also influenced to coincide with other Awards Evenings and

Balls.

The AU, Societies, Student Enterprise and Enriching Student Life Awards all took place during the days leading up to the May Ball.

When asked about the future of the May Ball, and whether it would take place around a similar time next year, Birrel said: “The date will be reviewed for next year, however we already know that the Easter break is several weeks earlier so the Ball season will be placed weeks away from exams.”

PHOTOS: CHRIS GRIFFITHS AND TOM ARMSTRONG

Exam timetables cause students stress Continued from front It was found that two of the worst affected groups of students were from the School of Mathematics and the School of Chemistry.

In response to the criticism, a University spokesperson told gair rhydd: "The University examination timetable is constructed using electronic software, which takes account of students’ module choices.

"The University schedules approximately 1,100 examinations during the spring examination period and no student should have an examination timetable which is outside of the University scheduling guidelines.

"A number of Schools request that some or all of their examinations are scheduled within a specified period, this may cause examinations to be scheduled more closely together than would otherwise be the case. Where Schools request such specific scheduling, this should be discussed with students within the School prior to the

request being made.

"Examination timetables are generally published four to five weeks before the commencement of the examination period, this is broadly similar to many other universities, as no scheduling of examinations can be undertaken until students' module selections are confirmed by the end of the week three of the spring semester.

"The University keeps the issue of examination scheduling and the scheduling guidelines under review and discusses these issues with Schools on an annual basis."

Academic and University Affairs Officer Sarah Ingram appealed to all students who may have any issues regarding their exams, saying: “Please don’t suffer in silence.”

If you are affected by any issues surrounding this topic, students are encouraged to e-mail Sarah Ingram at: academicofficer@cardiff. ac.uk or visit the Advice and Representation Centre (ARC) on the third floor of the Students’ Union.

04News

Monday May 23 2011 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com

By-elections held for part time positions Students with Disabilities

Students with Disabilities

Postgraduate Officer

Cath MacKintosh

Donna Williams

Hassan Al Farra

I want to raise awareness and remove the stigma associated with disability. Attitudes towards disability is a huge problem. It leads to segregation and prevents people coming forward and getting the support they deserve.

Mainifesto points:

Voting opens Wednesday May 25 2011 For full manifestos and to vote visit www.cardiffstudents.com

Use my position on the Cardiff Mental Wealth (CMW) committee to forge links with the society so that the SWD association becomes a larger, active unit.

Ensuring invisible' disorders such as depression and eating disorders are taken seriously. Education is vital for a greater understanding of these diseases. Nobody's to blame, nobody can 'just snap out of it'.

Explore the possibility of introducing parasport to the AU.

“

I firmly believe that everybody deserves equal access to education – without the support I have received from the Student Support Services at Cardiff University and Disabled Students’ Allowance, I wouldn’t be here.

Thanks to this support, I am now studying an MA. It is with this in mind that I want to become Students With Disabilities Officer, as I feel I can use my experiences to support fellow disabled students, improve Cardiff ’s student support services and work with the NUS to fight the outrageous cuts to the education budget.

“

“

“

I'm a 2nd year psychologist who's fun, friendly and approachable.

However, when a job needs doing I'm also a force to be reckoned with!

Manifesto points:

Set up regular meetings with Student Support for students to give feedback on their services.

Ensure that all students with disabilities, irrespective of whether they be mental or physical, have equal access to their education at Cardiff, including full access to societies and associations – we like to party too!

Make sure that all publications are available in Braille and large text on request.

Cardiff alumnus achieves success in Human Resources Ben Price News Editor A Cardiff University alumnus who has become an HR entrepreneur, Life Coach and is an author of numerous articles relating to Human Resources Development, gives his thanks to the Cardiff ’s Training and Student Development Unit (SDU).

In 2009, Praveen Parameswar, was studying for an MBA at Cardiff Business School while pursuing his dream of becoming an entrepreneur in Management (HR) Training and Development industry.

In April 2010, Mr Parameswar launched his company, Thoughts Academy. One of the initial programmes conducted by the company include a Leadership Forum at Cardiff University.

Despite a few years experience in Training and Development, Mr Parameswar claimed that he had not had exposure to the global training industry and to modern techniques in training, neither did he have the

HARD AND SOFTBACK DISSERTATIONS

theoretical depth to understand exactly how a trainer should handle the sessions.

However, Mr Parameswar attributes a great deal of his current success to the mentoring and support he received from John Steele, the Training and Development Coordinator at the SDU in the Students' Union.

Since beginning his own business Mr Parameswar has had millions of pounds worth of investment and has seen his company launch its own campus in one of the prestigious Business Parks in Kerala, India. The business now has a corporate relations office in the United Kingdom and chief operations in India and the Middle East.

Mr Parameswar said: “I feel really proud of myself. I firmly believe that it is the SDU, the Enterprise society and my professors at Cardiff Business School that have helped to make this possible and made me capable of ensuring my dreams materialised.”

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Hi There!! I am a friendly and enthusiasm first year PhD scholar in Architecture. As new to Cardiff and UK as well, I started to know the struggles and difficulties which face postgraduates to be integrated into the Cardiff lifestyle and study scheme. Certain bureaucracy and routine rules must be altered in the favour of students.

In part of my role as a Postgraduate Support Officer, I think I will be very well placed to understand the problems that scholars, and I will work to overcome the difficulties.

“

By-elections are being held for Part Time Elected Officer positions in the Students' Union for the next academic year.

Three positions were originally open, Mature Students Officer, Postgraduate Support Officer and Students with Disabilities Officer.

However, no candidates came forward for the position of Mature Students Officer, so nominations will re-open for the position next term.

Part Time positions are held alongside student's academic commitments.

Rose Savage, Welfare, Campaigns and Communications officer told gair rhydd: "We are really pleased as an officer team that we will hopefully be able to begin the

term with a pretty much entire executive team which will be fully functioning and ready to start over the summer.

"Our plans to train the part time officers over the summer mean that we would need most of the positions to be elected into, which we are in process of fulfilling now.

"The team next year will be able to represent you, our members, on a diverse array of representational issues throughout the academic year 2010/11.

"I would like to take this chance to thank all those standing in elections throughout the year for their commitment to the Union which will benefit the student experience. I would also like to wish good luck to the current candidates."

Voting opens on Wednesday May 25 at 9.00am and closes at Friday May 27 at 12.00pm.

“

Pippa Lewis News Editor

Manifesto points:

Promote superb use of the Postgraduate Centre to serve attractive events, and encourage like communication with the union, and other postgrads.

Ensure that tutors and supervisors are more accessible for feedback and individual assistance.

Make sure that career support is available to all students along with better work experience opportunities as academic jobs must favour the postgrads rather than outsiders.

“

News05

Monday May 23 2011 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com

University staff and Course Reps honoured at Cardiff's first Enriching Student Life Awards Miranda Atty News Editor

received, which were then whittled down to 28.

Cardiff ’s first Enriching Student Life Awards, which took place on Monday May 9 2011, saw members of staff being recognised for their achievements in an award ceremony at Aberdare Hall.

The event, which was organised by the Students’ Union’s Academic and University Affairs Officer, Sarah Ingram, in conjunction with the University, awarded nine members of staff for their hard work, in categories that included Most Helpful Member of Staff, Best Provider of Feedback and Most Uplifting Member of Staff.

Two hundred and thirty four staff nominations were initially

“

Lecturing can sometimes be a thankless task, so this nomination has enriched my life as a lecturer too.

A panel of judges, including this year’s sabbatical officers, had to decide a winner for each category.

There were also two awards to recognise the efforts made by course reps throughout the year.

The ceremony began with a drinks reception at 6.30pm, followed by a three-course meal and the award announcements.

Each student who nominated a member of staff gave a speech explaining their reasons for nomination, before Sarah Ingram and the University’s Vice Chancellor David Grant presented the awards.

Huw Thomas, from the School of City Town and Regional Planning, was nominated for The Best Personal Tutor Award.

He said: “It’s very gratifying to be nominated and to know that you’re making a difference.”

Heather Worthington, from the School of English, Cultural Criticism and Philosophy, was nominated for her role as Most Effective Teacher.

She told gair rhydd: “I am delighted and very flattered. It is nice to think that some of what you do

actually works.”

Sarah also emailed the staff with what was written about them in their initial nominations.

One member of staff said after the awards: “It's really lovely to hear such positive feedback and I'm very touched that the student has been inspired to consider a career in my area.

“Just being nominated really is an honour and will spur me on to do even better in my teaching next year now that I know the effort really does make a difference to the students.

“Lecturing can sometimes be quite a thankless task, so this nomination has enriched my life as a lecturer too.”

Sarah Ingram said of the awards:

“The event went enormously well.

Everyone had a great time and because the students were announcing why they had nominated their member of staff, everyone understood the effort that all the shortlisted staff and course reps had put into their work and how deserving they were of recognition.”

She added, “So many staff and students have thanked the Students' Union for putting on the event that I really believe it has made an impact and I hope the awards will continue every year from now on.

"I would like to thank the University for recognising and supporting the event, as well as the Vice Chancellor for presenting the awards.”

Winners of the Enriching Student Life Awards 2011 The Most Uplifting Member of Staff

David Dawkins - Law School, receptionist The Best Provider of Feedback

Joanne Cable - School of Biosciences The Teach First Award (recognising teaching excellence in STEM subjects)

Dr Bernard Richardson – School of Physics The Employability Award

Gareth Morgan – School of Healthcare Studies The Best Personal Tutor

Rachel Brent – School of Midwifery and Nursing, ODP The Most Effective Teacher

Malcolm Anderson – Business School

Above: The guests watch the awards presentation

The Most Innovative Member of Staff

Dr Marcus Coffey – School of Medicine The Staff Member that has made the biggest difference to the Student Experience

Dr Rob Wilson - School of Mathematics The Most Helpful Member of Staff

PHOTOS: Nick Trehame

Lydia Klimecki School of Medicine, Administrator Course Rep Individual Contribution

Elizabeth Button

Course Rep Committment

Felicity Brooks – School of Business Course Rep of the Year

Cassandra Rogers - Psychology

Above: The Academic and University Affairs Officer Sarah Ingram poses with the Students' Union President, Olly Birrell

Above: Vice-Chancellor Dr David Grant presents an award

06News

Monday May 23 2011 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com

CUTV pick up gongs at National Student Television Awards (NaSTA) Cardiff Union TV has another successful haul of awards at this year's NaSTAs

Cardiff Students’ Union Television (CUTV) is celebrating its recent achievements in the National Student Television Awards (NaSTA).

CUTV picked up two awards at the ceremony held in Loughborough University.

The station picked up the penultimate award of the night, which was The Tim Marshall Award for Special Recognition 2011. This was a new award added this year, that recognises a station’s achievements in the past year, especially in light of circumstances surrounding finances, adversity and hardship of any variety.

CUTV also received an award for its coverage of Varsity 2009 and Swn Festival 2010. The filming of both events was highly commended by the judging panel.

CUTV was set-up in 2007 and has won awards at the NaSTAs in previous years, including Best Programme, for its coverage of Swn Festival 2009.

“

We won more awards than many stations with larger budgets and better equipment

Responding to the station’s success, CUTV Controller, Will Viles, said: “Winning, or even gaining a "highly commended" award at NaS-

TA is a fantastic achievement for a station as young as CUTV. “On the night, we won more awards than many stations with much larger budgets and better equipment, which is a testimony to the talent within the society.

“To produce videos which made noteworthy impressions upon professional judges, such as Chris Hollins from the BBC, is unbelievable recognition for those involved and will serve them well on CVs for the future.

“

It's great to bring success to Cardiff Student Media

“To receive the special recognition award, mainly due to the infrastructural work we've done behind the scenes this year and also the links and opportunities we've given to our members, was also a lovely moment.

“It's great to bring success to Cardiff Student Media and the awards haul is testiment to the fact we're in a great position to grow as a recognised society and improve our content streams in the coming years.”

Other winners on the night included Leeds Student's Television (LSTV) who picked up the award for the Best Broadcaster.

Next year's CUTV controller will be Beckie Saunders.

To watch CUTV's award winning programmes then go visit the website: www.cardiffunion.tv

gair rhydd takes a look at some of this year's NaSTA winners...

Above: Crowd at the NASTAs Below: CUTV controller Will Viles

Best Broadcaster LSTV

The Tim Marshall Award for Special Recognition CUTV Photos: DAVE BIRD

Ben Price News Editor

Best Station Marketing LSTV

Best Fresher's Coverage UniTV

Cardiff Born Cardiff Bred

Forget The Only Way is Essex, Made in Chelsea and Geordie Shore, here's Cardiff's answer to the popular world of reality TV Ben Price News Editor

Photo: Cardiff locals audition for CBCB

Cardiff Born Cardiff Bred (CBCB) is the creation of two former Cardiff University students.

Following the success of TV shows such as 'The Only Way is Essex' and 'Made in Chelsea', Sarah Jayne and Jody Tozer have set out to make the Welsh capital's very own reality TV show.

Around 1,000 applicants turned up to audition for the show. Auditionees included a full-time clown, a Backstreet Boys tribute band and

an ice-cream van man.

Once the cast is in place the programme will be broadcast as ten half-hour episodes and will be streamed on CBCB's own website.

The Cardiff based show has also received interest from BBC3 scouts.

Casting judge, Sarah Jayne Farthing, who will also be appearing in front of the camera, said: " The kind of thing we won’t be looking for is people on The Only Way is Essex.

“It’s not fake nonsense, it is a diverse range of people who are just completely normal, but also different in their own ways.

“We will put them in certain so-

cial situations and see how they react.

“The realistic element is that the people are going to be more real.”

Jody Tozer said: "We're really excited about finalising our cast and getting down to the filming of it.

"We don't know how successful the show will be, however, we hope that the people of South Wales and beyond will embrace it and enjoy.

"If people are interested in coming along to help us out with filming and backstage then please get in touch with us."

World News

07

womb for Karma Chameleon Make a new panda Naked Joanne Southerd Reporter

Boy George has recently returned a religious artefact to a church in Cyprus.

The singer had no idea that the painting of Jesus Christ had been stolen from a Cypriot church in 1974. The lost painting had been hanging above the fireplace in his living room for decades.

Church officials noticed the portrait when it appeared in the background of a TV interview with Boy George. Having bought the artefact from a London art dealer in 1985, the singer was unaware that it had

been looted from a church in Nicosia.

The Culture Club frontman said he was happy that the portrait was going back to its original rightful home.

Joanne Southerd Reporter A very special giant panda has begun to show signs of pregnancy.

Yuan Yuan is one of two giant pandas given to Taiwan by China in 2008.

The pandas were chosen as gifts for Taiwan to symbolise improving relations between the two.

The panda pair showed a disappointing lack of interest in each other, so Yuan Yuan was artificially inseminated in February.

The birth would be seen as a good omen for relations overlap Taiwan.

Joanne Southerd Reporter Naked swimmers are currently being recruited for an attempt to break the world record for skinny dipping.

The Midsummer Skinny Dip will take place at 7 am on Sunday 19 June. Organiser, Alison Powell, originally from Blackwood in Caerphilly county, has organised the event to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care and The National Trust.

She is hoping for a turnout of at least 300 skinny dippers to break

News

the current record of 250.

The attempt will only be successful if all participants are in the water up to their waists for a full ten minutes.

Powell stated, "we know we've got people who are really committed, who are really up for it, and are there for the right reasons."

The dip will take place at a lovely spot on the Gower.

At five miles long, Rhossili Bay has been voted the best beach in the UK, and earlier this year a team of travel writers named the beach as the top picnic spot in Britain.

Azerba......Who? Alpaca You've been planked Laura Evans Reporter Azerbaijan won the Eurovision Song contest this year with Ell and Nikki’s ‘Running Scared’. In the final they gained a total score of 221 points whilst Italy’s Raphael Gualazzi was runner up with 189.

Once receiving the trophy, the two singers thanked everyone, who voted, excited and overwhelmed: ‘Thank you very much Europe, we are so happy – we love you guys!’

Boy band 'Blue' represented the United Kingdom with top 40 single ‘I Can’ and achieved 11th place.

They were beaten by Irish twins Jedward who sang ‘Lipstick’ earning 119 points and 8th place.

Laura Evans Reporter

Laura Evans Reporter

Two South American alpacas have been bred at a farm in North West Wales to protect flocks of sheep from being killed. Arwyn Owen, who manages Hafod Y Llan farm at Nant Gwynant, said the number of lamb deaths from foxes had fallen since Emilio and Domenico were recruited. Mr Owens said: ‘the farm usually loses around 20-25 lambs each year but there have been fewer losses this year since they arrived.’

Aged four and five, the alpacas are members of the camel family, smaller than llamas and usually used for their wool.

An Australian man has fallen to his death whilst taking part in the online craze of ‘planking’.

The 20 year old fell from a balcony rail in Brisbane whilst his friend was taking his photograph.

Known in the UK as the ‘Lying Down Game’, Planking has grown in popularity in recent years especially in Australia. Aussie rugby player David Williams celebrated scoring by planking whilst television presenter Kerri-Anne Kennerley opened her show ‘planking’ on a sofa.

The prank involves lying face

down in a public place, with photos then posted on social networking sights – the more outrageous the better.

The Australian’s death has shocked many and people have been warned to ‘plank’ responsibly.

Opinion

09

Pondering Patriotism Opinion takes a look at the complexities of what it means to be a patriot in Pakistan...

The Investigations of the Library Spy.

Our library mole just loves the long weeks of revision and he's been out and about documenting the goings-on between the four walls of these glorious centres of learning. Liven up long days in the library by seeing how many of these things you can spot.

Outrageous amounts of hair flicking.

Increased chatting in surrounding area leading to tutting, eye-rolling and eventual pissed-off transferral to another table.

Somebody indulging in some surreptitious Facebook stalking.

Someone who is clearly daydreaming about their next big movie role.

Or lunch.

A woman who has decided that the library is an appropriate place for a screaming baby.

An increase in 'revision beards' as a means of gaining extra wisdom.

Someone who clearly prides themselves on having arrived to at the library first and keeps looking around with a smug expression.

Ali Ishaq Opinion Writer I am from Pakistan, a place where patriotism is a very complex science. You are allotted your place within this rigid social structure at birth and you are taught from day one to respect its confines. So I grew up supporting the Pakistani cricket team. No matter what happened, regardless of how corrupt the government was, whether we won or not, my allegiances lie to this day with the Pakistani cricket team.

Where is the dividing line between allegiance to a team and patriotism – allegiance to a country, where patriotism stands to mean a love of a country and willingness to sacrifice for it. For me, patriotism is a very personal concept but nevertheless a complex one. I know I want to make my country a better place to live in. I know that I want people to understand that Pakistanis are not savages. When I first moved to Cardiff, I made sure I answered all

the questions my flatmates had, in order to dispel any preconceptions they may have had about a person from Pakistan. I wrote blogs defending the Pakistani population, all the time trying to tell the world that we are a misunderstood nation.

But the contradiction arises here: I am not willing to sacrifice myself for my nation. I can swim in this sea all my life, but I will not bother making ripples. Perhaps, at some point in the future I may be identified as a patriot, even a nationalist, but not now, not today.

I do not know if I love Pakistan or hate Pakistan. I do not want to ask what it has done for me and I most definitely do not want to ask myself what I have done for it. I do not even know whether I want to identify myself as a Pakistani. What I do know, however, is that I am not indifferent. I want people to know the truth about us; that we are not evil.

If I have endured suffering at the hands of any state institution, I do not want any one else to go through that. I want to make Pakistan a bet-

“

I do not want the beard to be synonymous with the bomb.

ter place to live in, for myself and for every one else. I want a stable Pakistani economy, I want inspirational leaders and I want to vote.

I want a safer Pakistan. For Muslims, Christians, Hindus, for every one. I don’t just want the cricket team to succeed. I want Pakistan to succeed, I want us to succeed: as a nation. Together. As one.

I want us to stand on our own feet, I want Pakistan to shake the hand of the US, but I don’t want Pakistan to take its shoulder. I want quality higher education for everyone in Pakistan. I want to see people in mosques and not artillery. I do not want the beard to be synonymous with the bomb. I want the misgovernment and the overt/ covert corruption to stop.

But the path I tread is cobbled and uneven. I want all of this, but I cannot sacrifice myself in order to achieve all of this. So, I sit here and write about all of it, about all I want for Us, for Pakistan.

So you tell me if I am patriotic or not.

If you want to write a piece for You Reply about any Opinion articles you have read, or have any other opinions, email opinion@gairrhydd.com.

A guy in an obscure band t-shirt who is oblivious to the fact that everyone else can hear the Backstreet Boys blaring out his headphones.

Rebecca Black pondering: 'Which seat shall I take?'

Somebody who insists on wearing flip-flops - despite the fact it's raining outside.

A hot girl/guy sitting down, prompting a sizeable reduction in concentration in the surrounding area.

Two strangers engaged in an inexplicable competition to see who can stay in the library for the longest.

Many other competitors have already woefully failed.

Somebody watching videos on Youtube, laughing inappropriately and then looking embarrassed.

Somebody armed with a vast selection of multicoloured pens.

Somebody crying, post-exam.

Someone who has over-indulged on Lidl stimulation drinks and looking like at any moment they might shout 'REVISION IS STEALING MY MIND AND SOUL'.

Opinion10

Monday May 23 2011 • gair rhydd • opinion@gairrhydd.com

'Calm down, dear' - a real faux pas or just no sense of humour?

Daisy Payne Opinion Writer Recently, the Prime Minister asked the labour MP Angela Eagle to ‘calm down dear’ during an address to the House of Commons. It then caused great debate in news rooms and in the political arena. Was it the ‘calm down’ that was deemed improper and insensitive by many? Or, was it that he referred to her as ‘dear’? Has the world lost its sense of humour?

It wasn’t all that funny – granted.

But it was meant in jest. So why did many insist that he apologise?

Of course, he is the Prime Minister, and should set an example, but have people forgotten that he is also a human being?

Personally, I know I’ve been in many a situation where I’ve thought I said something extremely entertaining and it has not gone down well. Interestingly, the Conservatives all found it hilarious – including many of their female MP’s.

However, Labour MP’s all thought it terrible, and insisted he should have apologised. Surely, this shows nothing more than that party politics is still alive and kicking.

It is after all the role of the opposition party to try and beat down the party in power – it is in their best interest.

For me though, this summarises something that happens a lot, highlighting the uncomfortable line between insult and banter. It happens in everyday life, with friends, family, work colleagues etc. but for me, there is a very clear set of rules that should be abided by and David Cameron may have broken rule Number One. The first rule is to not attempt to make light of public situations that involve your political enemy. This

is something, in my opinion that he should have considered, especially given his position and role in society.

Secondly, do not attempt to make people laugh if the joke is aimed at a woman. (This though, depends on the woman – something Cameron

has probably established by now) Although, it did feel a lot like the Labour party jumped on Cameron’s words and tried to use them against

him, in an attempt to taint him, suggesting that perhaps he was beginning to show his true colours. Is this really true? I mean, everyone loves a good, witty, chauvinistic jip towards a woman don’t they? Has Angela Eagle ever even seen Sikipedia? Or, let’s face it – anything on the internet? In my opinion, she should have stood up and produced an impressive comeback.

She could have done wonders for women and feminism if she’d have stood up confidently, or waited her turn to speak and said something comical back to him. Imagine the headlines then!

They’d have been a lot more powerful and it could have symbolised the power of the female amongst the male dominated world of politics.

Perhaps if anything can be learned from this episode, it’s that: During Prime Minister’s questions in the House of Commons, members of Parliament should behave maturely and with respect. Perhaps they should also grasp the reason that they are all there. After all, we voted them in, really hoping that they would maybe this time do their very best for us and speak for and on our behalf.

I believe that it really is time to put aside petty arguments and turn the focus away from party politics and on to policy; after all, this actually matters to us; the people. Perhaps Cameron shouldn’t have said what he said, in the tone that he did.

Maybe it was one of those silly things you say in a heated, petty argument. Indeed, maybe it was one of those awful moments that comes back to haunt you for a few days – or in the political arena – a few years.

Only time can tell.

Bin Laden may be dead, but has his legacy survived?

Alex Calvin Opinion Writer News of Osama Bin Laden’s death at the start of last week was met with an overall feeling of happiness and relief. Outside the White House, Americans were chanting ‘U-S-A’ and celebrating their defeat of the world’s Most Wanted man.

Conspiracy theories have emerged regarding Pakistan’s role in harbouring Bin Laden, and the ramifications for their relationship with America. The Americans are heralding this as a victory, but is it possible that Bin Laden was the real winner?

Many Americans, and people the world over, witnessed the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers and the disruptive, violent attitude of Al Quaeda that it publicised. They witnessed the destruction and loss of life that the attack had caused to the US, but they never considered the possibility that this was not his

aim. After fighting the Russians with the Mujahideen in Afghanistan, Bin Laden saw how the war had drained Russia financially, with their defeat being key to the fall of Communist Russia in 1989. It is likely that he then realised how superpowers are only as strong as their economies, possibly contributing to the formulation of tactics which involved the attacks on the US. In the 9/11 attacks in New York, Bin Laden created bait that America could not ignore: an attack that was seen all around the world. I remember as an 11-year-old boy, watching people throwing themselves out of the windows because they knew the end was nigh, and even then knew that the world had changed.

Bin Laden knew the response would cost America dearly. The War on Terror has thus far involved an expensive war in Afghanistan ($455.4 billion) on top of the cost of trying to track down Bin Laden. This, as well as the expensive changes to security across the

“

By the end of 2011, the War on Terror will have cost the US $1,291.5 trillion

world, amounting to £28.6 billion in the US, means that America has spent a considerable amount of money in response to the 9/11 attacks. Given that by the end of the 2011 fiscal year this will have cost the US $1, 291.5 trillion, Bin Laden may have succeeded.

This weight on America’s economy is likely to have played a huge part in the 2008 recession, and Bin Laden was probably watching from the sidelines as America’s economy threatened to tumble and tear itself apart, the same way that Soviet Russia nearly twenty years before.

In 2004 Bin Laden joked about the cost of America’s response, saying that orchestrating 9/11 only cost $500, 000.

While these wars were going on in the aftermath of 9/11, America cracked down on security, enacting Orwellian laws like the Patriot Act, infringing further on the rights of their citizens, and creating Camp X-Ray at Guantanamo Bay. This in turn paints America as a brutal

and vindictive power; potentially disillusioning it’s own citizens. His death, ironically, further serves this purpose. It seems there was no attempt made to capture Bin Laden, and that the Navy SEALS were sent as an assassination squad, turning him into a martyr, murdered

by America, without the knowledge of the Pakistani government.

He should have been tried for war crimes, but it is likely that he was viewed as too dangerous to be left alive. This perception of America policing the world could also be seen as another attempt to discredit America, and turn her allies against her.

So while the man might have died, cowering behind his wife as Navy SEALS raided the compound where he was living, he did not die a failure, with his ideas changing both the landscape of the modern world, and draining America of many of her resources, leaving her half shards of the nation she used to be.

Columnist 12 '

by

Henry Burton

Letters to the Editor In which our readers ask a series of common questions. This week: A compilation of this year's greatest concerns Dear Henry, I’ve accepted an offer for Cardiff next year, but just found out that I’m being put in Gordan Hall.

Did I do something wrong?

By no means; it’s just a myth that the small, outlying halls in Cardiff are not fun places to stay. Things are getting better every year: Roy Jenkins now has electricity, and living away from Talybont means there’s none of the annoying distractions such as internet access or people. Indeed, a recent accommodation survey in The Independent suggested that Gordon Hall is now only 10% less popular than Josef Fritzel’s basement, and certainly a good deal brighter. Then again the residents there didn’t have to pay for their own lunches and laundry, so swings and roundabouts.

I’m passionate about student politics and like to campaign for positive causes. How good are the opportunites to do this at Cardiff ?

Our students have always been a drive of political change; up until the 90s women in Welsh society were still considered to be equal to sheep, but in 1998, we managed to get that haggled up to goats. Likewise, we also managed to get a petition signed against third-world sweatshops, whereby we successfully changed the maximum number of hours children can work to just 20. Unfortunately, we forgot to specify “per week”, so they’re now doing twice as much work as before - bit of a shame really, you can tell they’re tired because the stitching’s got weaker, I’ve had to start buying my trainers elsewhere.

Helo, rwy'n siarad Cymraeg ac yn dechrau yng Nghaerdydd 'leni. Oes unrhyw gyfleuoedd i gymdeithasu gyda siaradwyr Cymraeg eraill a chynnal fy mamiaeth?

Please spell-check your questions before sending them in, it is rude.

I feel like I’m ugly. I’m always wearing skimpy dresses and heels like the other girls, but no matter how much lipstick or make-up I put on, the boys never seem to look at me. Is it something I’m doing wrong?

Thank you for your letter Kevin.

Sometimes it’s easy to feel like the odd one out, but everybody’s insecure about something - I've suffered from abandonment issues for a long time, ever since my parents sold me on eBay. The truth is, it’s not about how you look, but the confidence you exude. Just look at Justin Beiber, who’s managed to achieve global heartthrob status despite looking like Squirtle, and apparently suffering from the same backwards-infancy thing as Benjamin Button.

My girlfriend of 10 years left me out of the blue. It feels like my life is over – what do I do now?

Life can be cruel, but the only way forward is to stay positive. When mum ran off twice with an am-

nesiac, my dad could easily have sunk into depression - but instead of giving up, he chose to lighten the atmosphere at home by involving us in loads of silly little games, like reversing the family car into a resevoir, or our personal favourite, 'cut daddy down from the ceiling fan'. Regular daytrips to the adoption home helped boost everyone’s spirits, even if he did often forget to pick us up again – and we soon came to learn that as long as you look for it, every cloud can have a silver lining. I don't know why he left home.

I'm meant to be starting at Cardiff next year, but I suffer from self-confidence issues and worry that I won’t fit in at university because I’m not cool enough. Is this rational?

Absolutely not. Having seen the photo you attached, I’d say you’re much more likely to not fit in because of your weight. I’d be very surprised if people judge you beyond your obvious girth. Hope this helps with your confidence issues.

Being a student, I can’t afford to shop anywhere other than the big supermarkets, but I detest the way they cut costs through unethical animal conditions. Out of all the big brands, who are the worst offenders to avoid?

Living on a student loan can make it very hard to shop ethically, but it’s important to take positive steps wherever you can. Tescos is famous for treating its livestock badly; to cut costs, animals are housed inside larger animals, and sheep are forced to spend 10 hours a day running their own abattoirs, everything from admin down. Meanwhile, poultry conditions at Lidl are pretty much the same as Guantanamo Bay – all the chickens are regularly waterboarded, wear orange jumpsuits, and one of the farmers is hired to creep round the back of the cages and whisper things in their ears like “chop chop” and “you’ll be dinner soon, you fluffy bollock.”

The prices may be low, but we must do everything we can to encourage responsible brands like M&S and Waitrose, whose animals live in the

villas from Centre Parcs and attend regular trips to the National Theatre.

I’ve fallen in love with my flatmate, but I don’t know if she likes me back. Is it a mistake to pursue something?

It’s not strictly a no-no, but it does put a lot of pressure on your friendship, as we all know sex can be awkward enough at the best of times; I still rarely talk to my uncle. If you really do want to discuss your feelings, then you have to make sure that you approach the conversation in a way that doesn’t make her feel emotionally responsible and guilty if she says no. Either that or tell her you’re dying - but make sure you chose something that has a plausible quick recovery, I’ve been dragging around a dialysis machine for two years.

I was thinking of taking up a new hobby for the summer. Any ideas?

Cardiff is home to Bute Park, one of the largest and greenest open spaces in the whole of Europe, so now is a great time to take up a new outdoor team sport, such as dogging.

It’s very social but quite physically exerting, so bring a towel.

I’m keen to join some kind of charity organisation at university next year. What options are there?

Cardiff is a great place to start volunteer work, with organisations that deliver food and water to desolate third-world countries, like the Welsh National Assembley, to education programmes like Spark, that aim to teach villages around Bangor to understand fire. Alternatively, if you’re looking to really make a difference then why not join the British Neurological Patronage, a poorly-acronymed support service for stroke patients which gets its offices burnt down on a regular basis. Help The Aged are also a good bet, especially in the Winter when the workload gets a lot lighter.

13

Monday May 23 2011 • gair rhydd

I seem to be attracted to toughman types. They make me feel safe and protected, but they invariably end up cheating on me or leaving without reason. Why is this?

Not to stereotype, but macho men are often quite unpredictable. My uncle left his wife without saying why, and he was one of the most manly men I knew – running his own wrestling lessons for sailors, and spending all his free days camping in the woods with his personal trainer Marco. At the end of the day, these men often act out of selfish impulses, which is why they fail to treat women with respect or commitment. Personally, the only thing I hate more than this kind of chauvinism is ironing my own shirts - and I’ve always maintained that bigotry is unacceptable, ever since my dad was fired for making derogatory remarks about Andy Gray.

My flatmate keeps changing my facebook status. He always leaves his laptop on during the day – what’s the best way of getting him back?

Download 40GB of child pornography and call the police. Quite a delayed payoff but definitely worth seeing, he might get preyed on a bit in jail, but odds are he’ll survive the 10-15 years and soon see the funny side.

My ex-girlfriend’s told me that she’s moving in with her new boyfriend. She’s clearly happy, but I still have strong feelings for her - how should I react?

In situations like this, the mature thing to do is respect her choice and try to move on with your life, but I can’t pretend this is easy. Much easier is the immature choice: clinging onto her leg and weeping incessently, then attempting to sabotage her boyfriend’s position by sending him forged test results from the GUM clinic and addressing copies of Wife-Beating Bimonthly to their house under his name. It’s a lot less stressful, and though no-one really comes out a winner, it is undeniably satisfying.

Whenever I go to club toilets,

I’m constantly barraged by men who shout “no spray no lay” at me and charge me for soap. Is there any way I can get them to leave me alone?

Follow them home and perch in their fridge for several days, then force them to pay £1 every time they want to use some milk and ask them repeatedly if they’re ‘having a good time’. They’ll quickly come to realise why this is quite annoying.

Failing that, you might like to try intruding into inappropriate moments from their private life whilst shouting out snappy catchphrases, like “family funeral, no fun at all,” or “fffrreshen up fffrreshen up, it’s the fifth anniversary of your divorce.” They’ll soon come to appreciate that this isn’t a service people really want to pay for, even if they do get a lolly.

I read an article in gair rhydd about new methods of identity fraud. Should I be concerned?

It’s a sad truth that as technology becomes more advanced, so do methods of theft. Most muggers these days now operate via chip & pin, and my girlfriend had her identity stolen online: it was later stolen offline too, and for several weeks I had to put up with a strange Nigerian man wearing her clothes, snuggling me in bed, and constantly berating me for not texting him enough. It’s important to be careful, as more and more internet scams are starting to target gullible people - I’m yet to see any enhancement in my penis, while my uncle lost thousands after signing away his details to someone claiming to be Nationwide, then discovering it was actually the Central Bank of Ireland.

It’s quite cold where I live, and this “global warming” idea sounds like a great solution.

How can I increase my carbon footprint?

It’s the small changes that really make a big difference. Try leaving all your appliances on standby, or reducing your need for light-bulbs by setting fire to large piles of plastic around the house. Make good use of public transport, like driving your own bus - and Virgin Atlantic have recently introduced a “carbon

Columnist

unfriendly” option onto their website, where the plane makes eight trips back and forth between airports before crash-landing into a wind turbine.

that his parents weren’t actually his real parents at all, and had only pretended to be as a joke - an 18-year payoff which might have been funny had he not needed a kidney.

My girlfriend from home just told me that she’s pregnant.

Should I drop out of university to be a father?

I went and got a tattoo while drunk but didn’t tell my boyfriend about it. Was it wrong not to let him know?

I’d play it by ear. Having a child can sound terrifying, but if Tamagotchis have taught us anything, it’s that babies require little in the way of attention or support, and can live for weeks in their own filth as long as you remember to praise them regularly. In fact, for people in Merthyr, giving birth is just looked upon as a humorous anecdote, and often means little more than rescheduling your Key Stage 3’s. I’d carry on with life as normal, and maybe remember to give it a name before it starts primary school.

I wouldn’t worry. Everyone has little secrets; my uncle’s involved the computer seizure, and I once had a Saudi-Arabian friend who liked cross-dressing - a habit he managed to conceal for years until his parents came home early and caught him wearing a burkha. Indeed, even my mother confesses that there are some things she’s kept from me in the past. I’m not quite sure what she means by this, but it might have something to do with why the milkman keeps kissing me on the forehead and telling me that he’s proud of me. Either that or why Dad doesn’t live with us.

I’ve just graduated with a 2-1 degree in Media Studies. Have I wasted three years of my life?

Not necessarily, you can make a nice paper hat out of that for parties. My friend uses his to scrape vegetable cuttings into the bin, and I know someone who got £12 for his on eBay, so no, not a waste.

My brother royally embarrassed me on April Fool’s Day. I’m desperate to top his efforts next year, do you have any tips?

You might like to try replacing his insulin with tap water, or sending his descrpiton into a Crimewatch appeal about paedophiles. But whatever you do, please make sure that you don’t take things too far, as these kind of pranks can easily get out of hand; slipping plastic lemons into my cousin’s fruitbowl lead to his untimely death in a noosewanking accident, while my friend Toby was heartbroken to discover

“

Aunties shouldn't have an Adam's Apple

Now that my course is over, I was thinking about taking a year out to do some volunteer work with underprivileged children.

Where’s the best place to start?

There are literally hundreds of children's charities looking for dedicated young graduates like yourself, so it really depends on your interests. I started volunteering with the Make a Wish Foundation, as there’s no

greater gift than taking sick children to swim with dolphins, even if their life support machines do tend to weigh them down quite quickly. Having said that, the reality of student debt means that volunteer work often takes a back seat for the first few years, so it might be a better option just to donate regularly online. A popular choice is to sponsor a child from a deprived third world country - but then once you consider that it’s only £5.10 for the Severn Bridge, you might as well deliver the goat there yourself.

My grandma keeps knitting me jumpers for my birthday, and won’t let me go out the house without them. I wouldn’t normally mind, but she’s inherently right-wing and they always have pictures of Hitler’s face on them. Is there anything I can do to get her to stop?

Unwanted gifts are a hallmark of Grandmas, but this sounds brilliant. Never mind stopping, write the word “Cameron?” on them and you’ll make an absolute killing down the next NUS protest.

See if you can get her to rustle up some biscuits in the shape of Nick Clegg, you’ll be paying back those extra tutition fees in no time.

Did re-hashing old jokes really warrant a double-page spread?

Not at all, no. But it does quietly hide the fact that I’ve run out of new ones.

And finally, the winner of this week's "Dehabilitating Haemmorage" competition goes to Deidre, 78, from Dorset, who writes in - "oo eh da smehflehehh". Well done there Diedre, best of luck with all the physio.

Politics14

AV suffers massive defeat at poll

Luke Slade offers his views on the landslide defeat of the ‘Yes’ Campaign

A

V - an alternative system that appears to be fairer, more expensive, and undemocratic all at the same time.

It is one of those things that, even after it has been explained and you understand how it works, you still do not understand how it works.

Perhaps more importantly I found myself not understanding what the effects of AV would be. That said, before the campaigns were underway I thought I would give AV a chance regardless of how ‘unBritish’ the Conservatives wanted to make it sound. Sometimes there is a real need for change but, somehow, as the campaigns continued I questioned whether a compromise was the change that many people were supposedly looking for.

AV is designed to secure 50% or more support for MPs by allowing voters to rank the candidates in order of preference (if they so wish: you can still just vote for one). So they would put "1" by their first preference candidate, "2" by their second preference, and so on. However, it may be that voters choose not to rank all the candidates, and that no candidate gets more than 50%. In that instance, whoever ends up with the most votes wins; this was the attraction. It was quite an-

noying watching the elections last year and finding that the people winning constituencies were receiving sometimes less than half of the votes and many questioned how fair this actually was. I did, however, keep reminding myself that all the other candidates would have received a far smaller percentage and so it is technically the most fair.

However, many questioned whether there was another way?

Going back to the question of ‘What will it mean?’ I thought to look to other places where the system is in use. It did not take long to find out that AV is used in three countries: Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. This was because the ‘No’ campaign used this to illustrate how unpopular the system is. However, the fact that Australia was using the system seemed quite interesting and gave it some credibility. But I carried on reading the facts and found out that they are soon to be removing the system. It is also used in a number of internal elections; most recently, the Labour Leadership Election that saw Ed Miliband elected allowed for candidates to be ranked in preference order. In my head at this point I remember thinking there is little point in AV. It seems that what I had been searching for was Proportional Representation and AV had

become discredited.

Nevertheless, I was intrigued as to what people thought of AV. Up to this point I had not seen any polls and I was worried that I might be stuck in my own mad world of thought. So with 46 million people eligible to vote, well, I just asked some people in work. But there was a resounding ‘No’ from them all.

A ‘No’ that I thought was not their own ‘No’ but the same taglines that you see on the billboards and coming from the mouth of David Cameron & Co. Then I started to wonder, was my ‘No’ my ‘No’? This confused me for a while. And I thought ‘No’, my ‘No’ is because AV is not good enough, which I settled on for a while.

A few days went by and it popped back into my head again. I remember reading somewhere that it eliminates the need for tactical voting.

Which basically means people can vote for their first choice without thinking that they had wasted their vote. I liked this because I know that I do not support the party I voted for in the general election which seems wrong. But then to balance that it seemed to me that the most likely preference to be elected under AV would be the people with the second or third preferences which just seems stupid. It is like saying ‘let's settle for the second rate party’

“

We still have our lovely little X that needs to go in its box.

as opposed to definitively saying ‘I vote you!’ So I pitched my tent back in ‘No’ camp.

Now as it turned out most people were thinking on the same lines because the ‘No’ camp won by a mile.

But the one thing that kind of frustrates me is the focus on this being a blow for Nick Clegg. Yes it was something that he was campaigning for, but not once did I think I am not voting for it because it’s what Nick Clegg wants. That seems slightly foolish. Besides he never really wanted AV in the first placed he wants Proportional Representation, this was just another Lib Dem compromise. The sheer strength of the 'No' makes it quite clear that it cannot of just been Conservative support.

So we're going to carry on as always. We still have our lovely little X that needs to go in its box. But it's hard for me to say that it is what I wanted because it just isn’t. I think we do need a new system, just not AV. It appears that the voting system needed should reflect proportional representation (PR) to get a national fair result among MPs. It's all swings and roundabouts: it will be interesting to see how such an emphatic defeat will impact upon the Liberal leadership, but that's just another question for another article.

Politics15

Monday May 23 2011 • gair rhydd • politics@gairrhydd.com • Follow @GairRhyddPol

Labour starts rebuild for the future Laura Dunn takes us through the experience of local elections in Wales

T

he posters are down, the leaflets recycled and the canvas sheets packed away; this must mean that another election campaign has come to an end.

2011 has been a bumper year for democracy, with the debate over the highly publicised AV referendum, elections in the Scottish Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly and many local council elections across the UK. None have been closer to home than the Welsh Assembly election, with 60 seats up for re-election, comprising of both constituency and regional list positions.

As a member of the Newport West Labour campaign team I have been involved at every step of the momentous journey. Rosemary Butler has represented the constituents of Newport West since the Assembly’s birth in 1999, standing for reelection for a fourth term. Keenly interested in meeting residents of the constituency and hearing their views, Rosemary frequently holds street surgeries and encourages individuals to stay in touch through newsletters and questionnaires providing the opportunity of discussion on key views.

“

We even held a street stall event in Newport

While we felt confident about our campaign and the chances of re-election, we were strongly aware that we shouldn’t take voters or the current political climate for granted. We campaigned from the outset and, when the Assembly was dissolved on March 31, we increased our momentum. We began contacting postal voters with personalised letters and leaflets, created social media profiles and began a lengthy canvassing schedule. Rosemary met with local groups and constituents throughout the campaigning period, hearing local concerns and views on important issues affecting the people of Newport West.

We even held a street stall event in Newport City Centre, a move that enabled us to meet constituents from across all areas of the city whilst gaining important exposure.

We had a notably higher campaign profile than any of the other candi-

dates, some of whom appeared to not even deliver leaflets to households in the constituency.

Six weeks of intense campaigning and canvassing eventually led to one important moment: Election Day. The day itself was quieter than I expected, with a brief canvassing session in the morning and accompanying the candidate’s agent to several polling stations later in the day. We knew we all had a long, tiring day ahead of us, with our result likely to be confirmed after 3am. After trying to catch up on some sleep and waiting for the polls to close at 10pm, we each made our way to the Newport Velodrome where the count was to be held.

Boxes were wheeled into the venue in shopping trolleys, and there was a mad scramble as they were piled up ready to be placed on tables to be opened and sorted.

I was one member of a team of counting agents, a role in which you tally the votes for your candidate as they are being counted. As the counters began separating out the three ballot papers (constituency, regional and the AV vote), it became clear that our candidate was doing well. We were after key wards to analyze how we were doing in terms of the vote share, and

make some early predictions. Early signs were positive, and our excitement continued as our tally spotting demonstrated that Rosemary was way ahead.

After a picnic pit-stop overlooking the Velodrome floor, we returned to find the ballot papers being ‘counted’ or stacked in one of the final stages of the evening.

Rosemary’s votes towered above her contenders, the pink piles of papers physically highlighting her victory. After the drawn-out procedure of checking spoilt ballot papers (of which many were humorous) people began to gather in front of the podium where the confirmation would take place.

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John Griffiths increased his majority sixfold to 5388

The votes for Newport East were confirmed first, with Labour candidate, John Griffiths increasing his majority to 5388. This is a fantastic achievement, particularly as the Lib Dems were knocked to third

place, their support decimated. The confirmation of Newport West followed soon after with Rosemary’s majority increasing by over 4000, taking 52 per cent of the total votes.

We left at 5am to the birds tweeting and the sun rising above Newport. Excited by what we had achieved many of us stayed up to watch the returns of the other Assembly candidates, with Labour’s victory of 30 seats finalized later in the day.

This was my first experience of election campaigning, and while at the beginning it felt as if we had a long journey ahead of us, the time soon sped around! The Newport West campaign team was tremendous getting the job done, delivering letters to postal voters, or knocking on thousands of doors to speak to individuals. I gained much from the experience, appreciating the hard work that our elected officials do to seek office and thereafter if successfully elected. But most of all, it was great to be part of a dedicated team sharing laughs and memorable moments on the path to success. It seems we won’t be experiencing campaign withdrawal for long with the Newport City Council elections next on our agenda.

Your Space.

Features

17

We want to hear your stories: anything goes. Just drop us a line on features@gairrhydd.com. This week, Emma Jarrett discusses the challenges the stereotype attached to gamers...

W

e’ve all played a video game.

Whether you’re a hardcore Halo fan or have simply played Angry Birds on your iPhone, video games are everywhere.

Yet the face of video games has changed. Facebook along with the App Store have been instrumental in the last few years, bringing small independent game makers to the forefront. This is not to say that these are always going to be fantastic games, (one word Farmville), but some small games can be seen to be truly influential.

Minecraft for example, is a openended, sandbox game where there are no quests, just a world for you to play in. While this may not seem exciting to most people, the game has inspired a lot of creativity within its community. From music parodies, to statues of retro game char-

Photo: A typical scene from the one of the current favourites, Call of Duty. acters, to scale reconstructions of the Starship Enterprise from Star Trek. This may just seem to nerdtalk to most, but this really shows how creative people can be outside traditional mediums.

“

This new breed of casual gamers is really dividing the camp

What makes this sort of game impact on the market is the fact that it has sold 1,765,427 copies, and was created by just one man, this game relied on no huge budget nor massive development team is assumed.

Sure, its not the best looking game in the world, but it is kind of pointing the way where games are going these days.

One factor which games bring us, something which no other medium of entertainment can is interactivity, we can truly immerse ourselves into a game world and be part of an interactive story. Games such as Mass Effect and Fable 3, are investing in the ability to let the player choose how they want to play the game and creating their own outcomes depending on the choices they make. Of course this is really still in its infancy, often these choices are failing to go beyond ‘good’ and ‘bad’, but these games are pioneering in themselves.

While I could go on for hours about why I think video games are good, what I wanted to discuss is the future of video games, where are they going, what will they be doing, how will the market move and

grow in the next few years.

Changes in technology seem to be the places to start. As I’ve mentioned things like the App Store have allowed smaller game companies to make games and sell them, using a team usually of a few people. But mainstream technology, the big consoles, are really going to dictate the market in the end.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave with nothing than your pet rock for company, you should be already familiar with movement technology, Nintendo’s Wii using almost nothing but movement controls in their recent games. Along with the PlayStation Move and Xbox Kinect, now everyone can play computer games, even Nana.

This new breed of super causal gamers is really dividing the camp, but what I think this new causal gaming phenomenon does is make ‘hardcore’ gaming seem inaccessible. If you were to watch your

friends playing Call of Duty for example you might think that it looks really hard, so decide not to give it a go, because someone has just shown you a video of a five year old playing Bejewelled, and think that it’s more on your level.

This is not to say that some people won’t find console gaming hard, some people no matter how hard they try may never be good at these sorts of games, or you simply may not even like it. Yet people shouldn’t be afraid to try video games if they haven‘t previously, find out that video games are a lot more fun than people think.

Over the years of game development, a stigma has attached itself to gamers. Making it seem that it is only teenage boys, or grown men with forlorn girlfriends, sat in the corner wanting to just watch a little bit of Come Dine With Me, or maybe even go out, just once. To say that this isn’t true today would be wrong, there is still a portion of the market who fit this demographic, but really there are people of all ages and genders who fit into the gamer category.

The main problem with the gaming market these days, is that many games developers aren’t taking risks because of the casual gamer market. If the decision is between a risky niche game, or a casual game which could be ‘fun for all the family’, the developers with often go for the casual game. In a recently leaked video from Microsoft, it seems in their opinion, the future of gaming rests in the hands of middle aged women playing Bejewelled.

This really shouldn’t be the case, there have been so many great video games produced over the years, that these should not be shoved to the back of the market all together.

Nor should we get rid of the new casual gamer market. I’m not its biggest fan I’d admit that, but there are so many people who do enjoy it.

So what can gamers hope for in the next few years? Of course video games will always have their bad and good points, and for some, at least in the next 10 years or so, be seen as something for the male teenager demographic.

But my real hope for video games is that they branch out, leave those sort of stereotypes behind, and become what films have become today, serious forms of art. But I think the most important question to ask is, will it be in 3D?

Features18

gair rhydd • Monday May 23 2010 • features@gairrhydd.com

This is a work Which is worse: necking a bottle of vodka, making a twat out of outdoors laughing uncontrollably and discussing some bullshit

O

ver my shoulder I hear the back-row conversation, Phil laughs: “Yeah, I was fucked last night”.

He is rewarded by approving giggling from his lackeys. The lecturer is penalized by irrational giggling from the backrow.

It is irrelevant who Phil is, but for context he is a final-year student in a law lecture. Phil is a significant proportion of the student population.

Building a sense of comaradery around the fact that you will let yourself spray alcohol down your throat until the point that you were 'fucked last night' has got to be flawed, hasn't it? Nah, come on...the guy's clearly got a WKD side!

This is neither a criticism of alcohol (which would be undeserved) or of the 'lad' culture (shit, even typing the word makes me cringe); but given what I wanted to discuss, this background is necessary.

Where I am from, a true suburbia desperately clinging to London, people began drinking from the age of fourteen, then regularly from the age of fifteen. I would like to write that having tried it once and not really understood the appeal, I was never part of the drinking culture and went in search of other ways to spend my time.

Truth be told, I probably came across magic mushrooms in the search, led by an inquisitive mind, for a more mind-altering substance.

After trying alcohol several times, being sick, making a twat of ourselves, avoiding the parents and then waking up hungover I can honestly say that I and several mates were oblivious to the attraction. Instead, we found a new way to spend our weekends.

A small but well-advertised shop in Leicester Square would sell us enough fungi to trip for a good four or five hours.

The first time I did it I was shitting it – I'd done drugs education at school; I knew how dangerous this was, I knew I would be out of control, I would hallucinate nightmarish scenes, I'd have flashbacks, I'd want to kill and rape people, but I was going to do it anyway, what was I, a fucking idiot?

It turns out that is exactly what they took us for when they taught us our 'drug education'.

To me, five hours spent outdoors, in awe of nature, laughing uncontrollably and discussing some bullshit crank theory about the uni-

verse has got to be a far better way to spend your days off from school than necking half a bottle of Glen's Vodka and losing control of your mind and body.

Even better was the fact that after a subtle and pleasurable comedown that left you feeling no more than slightly tired, we could all head home to dinner with the parents oblivious to what we had done all day. Though suspicions were aroused when I tried to explain how “we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively” (thank you Bill Hicks).

Summer 2004 was perfect; we spent as much time as we could outdoors, no alcohol, just the occasional treat from nature's psilocybin. An experience we optimistically looked toward continuing next summer.

On July 18 2005 all fungi containing psilocin became a Class A drug (even those that grow like wildfire throughout the Brecon Beacons

every September). Ten days before were the 7/7 London bombings, so the classification did not receive the media attention that either shroom lovers or the Labour government wanted.

This was supposed to be their bold drug statement after losing votes when Cannabis was downgraded to Class C in 2004. As their resolving statement went unnoticed, the same government, against its own advice reclassified cannabis to Class B in 2009. Anyway, I digress.

So that was that, I must now face up to the fact that I am a criminal - worthy and deserving of up to seven years in prison and an unlimited fine. If I decided to grow my own, I of course should definitely go to prison for life. Do you, the public, not agree?

The new legislation also lost the Labour government £175,000 per year of tax from the sale of magic mushrooms. To them this is pocket

change, but it could be one step toward covering the £1.7 billion that it costs NHS each year for treating alcohol-related admissions (Institute of Alcohol Studies). Every little helps, we all know that now.

Obviously neither alcohol nor

“

Why is it that such a harmless drug has been made illegal?

hallucinogenics should be a necessity for our society, and I may be avoiding a bigger question; why is there this inclination?

I cannot speak for society, but I think I can explain my own attraction. My other hobbies include travelling, reading, scuba-diving and

‘urbex’; there is a common theme – exploration.

I probe the “doors of perception” for the same reason I pursue the above activities: they take me to another world, one that few people see; they put me out of my comfort zone; I learn about myself and the world.

However, if we accept that there is a need and it is intrinsic to the society we have created then surely it is someone's personal choice to get drunk as much as it is their choice to stay sober or ingest hallucinogenic fungi... except it’s not, apparently.

So why is it that such a harmless drug has been made illegal? This isn't rhetorical. The government fails to answer the question. My school teachers failed to answer the question. My peers have failed to answer the question.

I really wish someone could convince me that it is for the greater

Features19

gair rhydd • Monday May 23 2010 • features@gairrhydd.com

of fiction... yourself and ending up in hospital, or five hours spent theory about the universe? A Cardiff University student decides.

good of society that we eradicated this massive and growing problem when we did: I'm asking a reader to do just that, but I fear that it is unlikely.

To me, it becomes even more painfully unjustified as I sit and hear Phil lauding his mate for ending up in A&E after over-indulging alcohol: “too funny!”? It is a situation stranger than fiction.

Attributing psilocybin to endangering life is wrong, it just is. It is not even considered specifically within the Office for National Statistics annual report on 'deaths related to drug poisoning'. An approximate human dose of fresh magic mushrooms is 10 grams; a 500 g rat would have to eat about 190 g of the same mushrooms to have a 50% chance of death. Psilocybin will only kill a rat after it ingests 20 times the average human dose and nearly half its own body weight in mushrooms!

The same rock'n'roll rodent would have to ingest only 22 ml (less than one shot) of vodka to have the same chance of death. These statistics are pretty abstract as most mice I know (Rastamouse et al.) just eat cheese; but human statistics do not exist because no one has died from a psilocybin overdose.

But what about the guy that ripped his own balls off ? This loony

fear-mongering story, with the help of The Sun, did the rounds with the introduction of mephedrone (I know it's a different drug, but that's not the point).

And what about the girl that tripped so intensely that she was never normal again? I do not outright deny incidents like these ever happen, but again the Office for National Statistics do consider those deaths caused by accidents induced by drugs and by drug induced “mental and behavioural disorders” and again they do not specifically implicate psilocin or psilocybin to either of such situations.

For the sake of balance, if we

“

They told me magic mushrooms were dangerous but they were actually fucking amazing

see sensational headlines such as “Death leap man ate magic mushrooms” then why do we not see “Death fall man consumed alcohol" – only last year the case of a

drowned man in Mermaid Quay was attributed to alcohol consumption.

The 2007 report by the Dutch municipal medical and health service stated that nine people were admitted to hospital for a short period in relation, to some extent, to ingesting psilocybin.

All but one were international tourists in the red-light district of Amsterdam – a fairly intense environment for most sober travellers... except these are often inexperienced and unguided people embarking on a hallucinogenic trip in an alien setting.

I think I might have panicked if I took a heavy dose of magic mushrooms for the first time, in probably the most unsavoury area of Holland, a place where most people will already feel uncomfortable.

It is a matter of education and sensibility; do not alter your consciousness for the first time in an unfamiliar environment, particularly a world-renowned seedy underworld.

The 'Coordination Centre of the Assessment and Monitoring of New Drugs', in a risk assessment specifically targeting psilocin and psilocybin, concluded that “the use of [magic mushrooms] does not, on balance, present any risk to the health of the individual”.

A view echoed by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme who have explicitly expressed to European domestic courts that neither drug is controlled under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 nor has a move been made to do so. “...But, but, but it's a gateway drug!”

It isn't.

If I'm honest, taking magic mushrooms did make me want to try different drugs, but slandering it as a 'gateway drug' is dishonest and flawed. I wanted to try different drugs because trying magic mushrooms made me realise everything I had been taught about them was a lie; from what my teachers had taught me to what the government influenced curriculum leaflets had taught me.

If they told me magic mushrooms were dangerous but they were actually fucking amazing, then what if I exaggerate this and apply it to other recreational drugs... other drugs with real, genuine dangers that I might believe to be false because, if I have been lied to about one, then why not the others too?

I agree with some aspects of the 'gateway drug' theory when applied to a particular personality; the guy that is always looking for a higher 'high'. In this example, alcohol is

just as likely a gateway drug.

Even if it isn't, the same personality might get his kicks from climbing, if one day he chooses to lose the ropes and go free-climbing for the next buzz, no-one can stop him, but I can only assume that's because it must be much safer than sitting in a park watching pretty colours...

I hope this article doesn't just appeal to those that already indulge because the case for magic mushrooms is not necessarily my point.

Although it was supposed to be the essence of the article, research and writing raised a more important question.

If one set of our laws is decided by a swine government using political motivation and such nonsensical misinformation as the driving forces, then how many others are or will be?

So here it is, an article six years too late and a question to anyone that reads this article; can you help calm the author's nerves and offer a valid explanation?

Do not worry if you fear you cannot, there is a lovely dose of soma... ahem... a bottle of red within arm’s reach.

This isn't a work of fiction. Phil got absolutely smashed last night, he is so funny. What a Lad...

21

Science

Is medication the answer?

While caffeine and alcohol already enrich our everyday lives, Luke Baker investigates what other drugs could be part of our daily diet in our 'better than human' future.

Luke Baker Science Correspondent Drugs are everywhere. In our food, in our drinks, they’re in our lifestyle. The majority of students in the UK consume alcohol on at least a weekly basis and caffeine the next morning to keep themselves awake.

In addition about 27% of people across the UK smoke Cannabis repeatedly, for medical and illegal reasons. All three drugs act to affect our brain.

Caffeine, as some of you may know, temporarily stimulates the nerves, causing alertness and warding off sleep. However, if overused, side effects may include anxiety, insomnia and respiratory disease.

On the other hand, alcohol is a poison. If overdosed it will block the passage of information between the synapses and cause severe damage to the liver, making the user extremely ill and can sometimes lead to death. Yet, moderate intake of alcohol has been shown to improve cognitive function due to the increase in blood flow around the body.

Any action that increases the amount of blood that can be supplied to the brain will always elevate cognitive function. Weed is interesting in comparison to alcohol because the side effects are less damaging. It makes the user feel

relaxed as opposed to overconfident, though it does have some side effects that can destroy a person’s mental stability from constant overuse. Like all drugs, addiction is a severe problem.

But those drugs can’t compete with the advantages of some other prescription material. Mind enhancing drugs, or Nootropics, can have far more pleasing side effects.

Take Ritalin, for example, or, as it’s known chemically, Methylphenidate. It’s a drug which makes the brain produce more Dopamine, a hormone associated with a person’s movement, pleasure and their attentiveness. Taking Ritalin will make you more focused on what you need to do and better at doing it.

However, if it’s taken too frequently or too quickly, the steep rise in Dopamine will cut off communication between the cells in the brain and give the user a state of euphoria. It’s interesting to notice that the ill-effects of Ritalin are far calmer than that of caffeine, alcohol or marijuana, but this isn’t the only type of Nootropic out there.

Provigil is the drug of choice for those who need to stay awake as it suppresses their need for sleep and Cholinergics help you to remember more for longer periods by soaking the brain in acetylcholine, whereas Serotonergics will affect a person’s mood, whether positively or nega-

Above: Our diet of the future?

“

People who take these drugs become 'better' than human

tively.

All of these drugs that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approve can only be taken with prescription, but this doesn’t stop some people. Drugs like Ritalin and Adderall, a sister drug of Ritalin, have been prescribed to some students who manage to trick their doctors into believing that they have ADHD (a mental disorder which is treated by either drug).

A professor at the University of Michigan’s Substance Abuse Research Centre reported that 4.1 percent of American undergraduates had taken drugs for off-label use, including Adderall. Students who take these drugs use it to get an edge on the competition. They can party all night and concentrate in lectures all day, go to meetings and clubs in the evening and still finish that report on the deadline before they whisk themselves off to fill their day with more achievement than any normal human could handle. People who take these drugs become ‘better’ than human.

Anjan Chatterjess, a neurologist at the University of Pennsylvania, believes that the taboo of mind enhancing drugs is something that will die away as they become more popular and eventually become commonplace, but he goes on to speculate about how high a risk of addiction some of these drugs have.

Other experts accuse the trend of giving some students an unfair advantage, but say that the arguments against using the drugs aren’t very persuasive.

One study on the effect of Modafinil, - the chemical name for Provigil - found that it boosted the performance of helicopter pilots flying on simulators who had been deprived of sleep. Another study found commercial pilots who took Donepezil - another attention enhancer, similar to Ritalin - for one month performed better than pilots on a placebo when dealing with emergencies on a flight simulator.

So, these drugged pilots were safer than our standard pilots. Would it be in the interest of health and safety to forcibly make pilots take these drugs?

Maybe we should, maybe these drugs should be just as common as caffeine and alcohol, both of which carry a similar addiction and similar mental and physical health problem. If caffeine and alcohol are legal, why can’t other drugs be, when they have more beneficial side effects? People campaign for Cannabis to be legal, and many agree that this is acceptable. So why aren’t mind enhancing drugs already purchasable without prescription? If Cannabis makes sense, then Nootropics are a no-brainer.

Taf-od

23

Newyddion yr Wythnos Elliw Mair Taf-Od

hawl gan deithwyr i fynd ag anifeiliaid o’r maint yna ar y trên.� Pwynt digon teg.

Gwerthu plentyn ar ebay

Ceffyl ar drên Yn ddiweddar ataliwyd dyn yng Ngorsaf Trenau Wrecsam rhag mynd a’i geffyl ar y trên. Ia, ceffyl.

Bu bron iddo lwyddo a llusgo’r anifail ar y trên cyn i staff ei rwystro.

Meddai llefarydd ar ran Arriva Trains Cymru: “Yn amlwg does dim

Mae’n debyg bod gwerthu pâr o dreinyrs yn ddigon anodd dros y safle we eBay, ond i un dynes 19 oed yn America (lle arall?!), bu gwerthu ei merch dwy oed yn broses gymharol rwydd. Roedd y fam wedi rhoi'r plentyn ar y wefan “er mwyn

gweld sut oedd eBay yn gweithio�.

Mae’n debyg nad dyma’r tro cyntaf i hyn ddigwydd. ‘NĂ´l yn 2008 hysbysebwyd plentyn o dan y teitl ‘almost new’, gyda’r fam yn honni mai ‘jĂ´c’ oedd y cyfan.

25,000 Big Mac Os ‘da chi wedi bwyta dros fil o Big Macs erbyn hyn, byddwch chi’n falch o glywed eich bod ar y trywydd iawn os mai eich uchel-

gais mewn bywyd yw bwyta 25,000 ohonynt. Dyma yn union a lwyddodd un dyn o America i’w wneud wythnos diwethaf. Byddai’n aml yn prynu tua pymtheg ohonynt ar ddechrau’r wythnos ac yn disgwyl tan yr amser iawn i’w bwyta. Yn rhyfeddol, tydi doctoriaid ddim yn awgrymu y fath diet.

rhai sydd yn rhoi punt ar geffyl pob p’nawn Sadwrn. Rhoddodd dyn o’r Alban 50c ‘each-way’ ar saith ceffyl gwahanol yn ddiweddar gyda pob un yn ennill. Pan aeth i edrych ar ei gyfrif ar-lein, gwelodd fod ÂŁ350,000 yn eistedd yno yn ei ddisgwyl.

Dyma’r ‘punter’ mwyaf lwcus erioed yn Ă´l llefarydd ar ran William Hill.

Tisho Bet? Yn olaf, dyma neges o gysur i’r

Want to write?

Come to our meetings on Monday at 5pm on the fourth floor of the Students' Union

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Listings

Monday

Tuesday

25 Wednesday Thursday

23rd May

24th May

25th May

26th May

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.

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 . There will also be live music courtesy of the Live Music Society.

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.

Well, there's not much going on tonight, so you should probably revise. (Sorry.)

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.

3OH!3, Solus, £13.50, 7pm You don't get more 'gangsta' than Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte – two natives of Boulder, Colorado, the nation's capital of hippies, hempwear and Hummers. Imagine JJ Fad getting down with Justice, or DMX getting all Depeche Mode on you, and you might have a clue of the kind of sonic blasphemy 3OH!3 is bringing.

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

27th May

28th May

29th May

TOPLOADER, Millennium Music Hall, £11.50, 7.30pm Guaranteed to get you dancing in the moonlight, sunlight and any other light you care to mention... A top five album, numerous festival headline slots, TV appearances and THAT song that made watching the Jamie Oliver adverts bearable have made them one of indie's shining lights.

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.

NYTH FESTIVAL: SIBRYDION + SEN SEGUR + VIOLAS + LAND OF BINGO + THE THYME MACHINE + GEORGIA RUTH WILLIAMS + POKET TREZ + IFAN DAFYDD + ALUB GAFFEY + RESIDENT DJS, Gwdihw Cafe Bar, TBC, 2pm Fly over to enjoy great music, the finest food and drink, some weird and wonderful games and the very best of company out in the lovely open air.

C.Y.N.T, Clwb, £4, 10pm Take a break from revision. This is the only legitimate thing to do on your Thursday night.

SUGAR DROP, Ten Feet Tall, FREE, 10pm Midweek dancefloor dose of roots, electro, dub, party breaks, dubstep, drum'n'bass & mashups. There's regular live acts & guest DJs and 2-4-1 cocktails.

WHAT'S THE STORY?, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, FREE, 7.15pm The hilarious topical panel game hosted by Justin Waite, is returning to BBC Radio Wales for its fourth series. Request tickets by email on: tickets@tidyproductions.co.uk.

Friday 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.

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.

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 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 is 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 theres 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.

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 Motorpoint Arena, Mary Ann Street 02920 224488 ◆

Puzzles26 sudoku.

EASY

Glamorgan Cricket is offering you the chance to win a pair of tickets for their first twenty20 game against the Middlesex Panthers on Friday June 3.

And it's more then just cricket, it's a night out, with an Elvis tribute playing from 6.30pm until the game starts, and then again after the game ends. There's also a prize on offer for the best dressed Elvis so get yourselves "all shook up" and celebrate the end of your exams!

Tickets are only ÂŁ5 for students with a valid ID. You can buy in advance online at www.glamorgancricket.co.uk or by calling 02920 419 311 To be in with the chance of winning, email editor@gairrhydd with your answer to the following: What's the name of Glamorgan's Twenty20 team: 1) Dragons 2) Gladiators 3) Bears

comic.

competition.

crossword.

Across 6. Source of sudden wealth (7) 7. Governs (5) 9. Start over (4) 10. Warranted (10) 11. Physiologically dependent (8) 13. Accumulate (6) 15. Gull-like bird (4) 17. A type of dog (5) 18. Otherwise (4) 19. It displays dinosaurs or paintings (6) 20. Porcupine (8) 23. A board mounted on wheels (10) 26. Whip (4) 27. Receded (5) 28. The sport of shooting arrows with a bow (7)

Down 1. Make drunk (10) 2. He fought in armor (6) 3. Indian music (4) 4. Planned in advance (8) 5. Dart (4) 6. You need this for a sandwich (5) 8. Long pins used to hold meat (7) 12. Bread (5) 14. From that time on (10) 16. A joint of a finger (7) 17. A stay-at-home (8) 21. Subtract (6) 22. Female internal reproductive organ (5) 24. Large brass instrument (4) 25. A Freudian stage (4)

By Daniel Judd

Societies 28

And the winners are...

Bianca London and Sophie Thomas Reporters

Last Saturday (May 14) saw Cardiff's societies celebrate their amazing achievements at the Society Awards 2011.

The night celebrated Societies' successes and memories from 20102011 and featured a three-course Black Tie event for our Societies to kick loose and revel in their glories.

Over 260 students from over 30 societies gathered in the Great Hall for the most packed Awards yet.

In 2010 only 180 students were represented at Awards, meaning that 30% more students turned up this year giving the Great Hall a fantastic atmosphere.

On arrival societies were greeted by a beautifully decked out hall, with our own Windband playing a medley of disney, movie and big band tunes... and of course, plentiful wine on the tables! After a threecourse feast the Awards began.

The Awards represent some of the greatest achievements of our 139 societies across a number of categories.

Every year, societies put on huge events, host prestigious guest speakers, raise huge amounts for charity, work in the community and improve the University experience of over 5,670 students who are members of these societies.

"The Awards is the Union's (and my) chance to thank them for all they have done this year, and for being such amazing people to work with. Like I said in my speech; I can't believe this has been my job this year. The diversity of activities and people you find in societies is our greatest strength, and I feel sorry for anyone who has not been involved in what can only be described as one of the most vibrant and exciting aspects of University life" said Cosimo Montagu, Societ-

ies Officer 2010-11.

One of Cardiff's most successful dance societies, Slash hip-hop dance society, picked up a whopping three awards (winners of Best Global Village Peformance, runners-up of Best Small Society and Society Achievement Awards.)

Committee member Chinonso Nwoguh spoke with pride about the success of her society: "We are all absolutely ecstatic about the result of three awards. It feels really good to be recognised for the hard work we've all put in this year. It makes us more excited to continue and make next year even better!"

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The winning of an award represents huge amounts of dedication and work from those within the society

Cardiff Erasmus Society also celebrated their success and were awarded runners up for the People's Choice Award: "The Erasmus Society Committee and I were so proud to get the runners-up award for the People's Choice Award, as we have really put our hearts and souls into the society this year and it's an amazing feeling to know that our members have appreciated and enjoyed all of our activities and events.

"The evening was lovely, beautiful tables with gorgeous food and enthusiastic guests. It was a really nice atmosphere with heart-felt speeches and everyone cheering and supporting each other. Being part of a society exec is such a rewarding thing to do at University and it will be something I will dearly miss when I graduate" said Erasmus Society committee member Rachel Bloom.

The Malaysian Student's Soci-

ety of Cardiff picked up the Gold Star Awards, Best Society, Peoples Choice, Best Musical Play and runner-up for Best Cultural Event. Andre Lim, Society President, thanked all of the society members: "Thank you very much to my wonderful committee and all the members for the support. It has been a tiring but amazing year and I hope there'll be continued support and participation from you all. Good luck to the new committee."

Harry Newman, next year's Societies Officer attended the awards and spoke of his excitement and anticipation for the coming year: "I was fortunate enough to be sat between the Chief Executive of the Union and a founder of the Live Music Society, Chris Thomas. Chris jointly set up the society 15 years ago and formed the first committee with his, now partner, Jessica.

It was fascinating to see the new committee of the LMS meeting their founders for the first time and I know Chris and Jessica are very proud of how the society has progressed.

"The food was brilliant; the organisation and decor fantastic and the atmosphere perfect. Thanks to Cos and Jemma, the dynamic MC duo Luke and Ed, and the staff from Food and Beverages and Ents for a cracking night. Congratulations to all those who won awards. I really can't wait to work with all these dedicated people next year."

Cosimo explained what a great pleasure it was to announce the winners of the Society Awards 2011 and how the winning of an award represents huge amounts of dedication and work from those within the society.

"Congratulations to all of those who won. But winner or not, I wish you all the best of luck for the future, I am sure Harry Newman will lead you all to even greater successes next year. It has been a great pleasure working with you all this year, I will miss you all very much."

The Awards...

Best Cultural Event: STAR Refugee Rhythms Runners-up: Malaysian Student's Society-Festival of Diversity VIII Best Society Activity: STAR Refugee and Asylum Seeker Drop-In Runners-up: Debating Society- International and National IVs Best Fundraising Event: STAR Refugee Rhythms Runners up: RAG Dolls

TuesdayMarch22

Best Webpage: Harry Potter Society Runners-up: Debating Society

ScoutGuide:DanceSession

Best Global Village Slash Hip Great Performance: Hall, 6pm Hop Society Runners-up: YUVA Harry PotterSociety: AGM

Bar 33, 7pm

Committee Member of the Year: Ashni Sedani (Asian Soc) Runner-up: Natasha Le Neveu- CHAOS Best Marketing Strategy: Act One Runners up: Live Music Society Most Charitable Society: RAG Runners-up: Welsh Pharmaceuticle Student's Association Best Musical Performance: Malaysian Student's Society-Festival of Diversity VIII Runners-up: Live Music Society - Battle of the BandsParisTrip FrenchSociety:

ThursdayMarch24 7pm

Most Committed Society Member: Salina Shah (AsianSessions Soc) Art Soc: Canvas Runner-up: Matt Courtney-Smith: Nelson Mandela Room,7pm WPSA Best Newcomer: Pole Dance Society Runners-up: Cardiff Mental Wealth Most Developed Association: RAG Runners-up: LGBT + Best Small Society: Cardiff Mental Wealth Runners-up: Slash Hip Hop Dance Society Most Imaginative Event: Star and FForwmAsylum Monologues Runners-up: Harry Potter Society - Triwizard Tournament

SaturdayMarch26

Best Society: Malaysian Society Runners-up: Act One Most Improved Society: Computer Gaming Society Runners-up: Pakistani Society The People's Choice Award: Malaysian Society Runners-up: Erasmus Society The Society Achievement Award: Green Party Runners-up: Slash Hip Hop Dance Society

Congratulations everyone!

If you would like to join a Society, or see a full list of opportunities, visit: http://groups.cardiffstudents.com/societies/home

Sport30

Joanna Lucas BUCS yachting

Cardiff University’s Yachting Team recently attended the BUCS/BUSA National Yachting Championships in Port Solent, Portsmouth. Thirty teams from 20 different universities competed in the four day event, which was sailed in brand new Sunsail F40s.

The conditions during the week were near perfect; with sun, wind and close racing within the fleet.

Monday May 23 2011 • gair rhydd • sport@gairrhydd.com

Yachting qualify Ladies cricket off to winning start for World Cup The local universities (Southampton, Southampton Solent and Portsmouth) dominated the competition, benefitting from local knowledge and plenty of practise prior to the event.

Cardiff were at an instant disadvantage, having never sailed together as a team or on these yachts before, but the team improved during the week to post some competitive results and challenge the boats around them.

The week did include some drama, with boats running aground, shredding spinnakers and wrapping ropes around propellers. Cardiff were lucky to escape any serious damage despite having a few close calls!

The event was won by Southampton White, closely followed by two Solent teams and Portsmouth in fourth, showing local knowledge really does pay off.

Cardiff finished 27th and as the first Welsh boat, have qualified for the Student Yachting World Cup, which will be held at La Rochelle, France. The week was a great experience and training for the team, who are hoping to get some more training in before the World Championships in October 2011.

TEAM: Marc Di Guisto (Skipper/ Helm), Charlie Davis, Matt Holbourn, Régis Longchamp, Jo Lucas, Dan Pearn-Henriquez, Christine Slater, Andy Smith.

Psycho claim Division 2 title

Gary Platt IMG Football

Psycho Athletico 1 SOCSI 0

With Psycho going into the game needing only a point to secure the IMG Division 2 title, expectations were high against a SOCSI team who had only won once in their first three fixtures. The match though proved to be far from straightforward.

Both teams started brightly in the damp conditions at Pontcanna, with neither able to create any clearcut opportunities. The best chance of the half came from Dave Arnold, whose well-placed header forced a brilliant save from the SOCSI keeper, turning it acrobatically onto the underside of the crossbar and giving his team an early reprieve.

After the break, the two sides took on a new sense of urgency, as Psycho’s persistence to score was met with equal desire on SOCSI’s part to play the ball around and open up the chances they lacked in the first forty-five. hkvyOpportunities were few and far between for Psycho and if it wasn’t for a num-

ber of good saves from Joe Walsh to keep the SOCSI forward line at bay, the result could have very different.

The closest Psycho could come to a goal in the early part of the second half, was a sliced clearance from a SOCSI defender that ricocheted off the crossbar, nearly resulting in an embarrassing owngoal. This avenue though brought the only goal of the game. A driven cross from Ian Smith wasn’t dealt with by the SOCSI keeper, who fumbled the ball in the six yard box under pressure from striker Matt Goolding, only for it to be cleared onto the keeper's backside and fly hopelessly into the net. Although

Psycho did subsequently hit the post, the latter part of the match in truth belonged to SOCSI, whose patient build-up through the midfield maybe deserved something from the game. Sadly for them though it wasn’t to be.

Psycho’s sixth win from as many games ensured their status as champions, after a season which didn’t start in the greatest of fashions, following a points deduction in Phase 1 for an on-field fracas. But the season was turned around and after a number of close matches, most notably against Law B and Time Team, the title is finally theirs and they can enjoy the celebrations.

Paula Matthews BUCS Cricket National indoor champions Cardiff University Ladies Cricket Club (CULCC) got their outdoor season off to a winning start with an easy victory over UWE. Invited to bat first, Cardiff's innings got off to the worst possible start, when opener Lizzie Harris was dismissed first ball, but Kathryn Hudson and number 3, Cappy Smaill, steadied the ship with a partnership of 82 for the second wicket.

Hudson departed for 42 in search of quick runs, but the middle order maintained the momentum to ensure Cardiff posted an impressive

170-3 off their allocated 30 overs.

Smaill top scored with a well made 46.

Early inroads were made during UWE's chase, with Hudson and Smaill among the wickets too.

Reduced to 15-3, UWE tried to hit back with some aggressive hitting, but Kath Taylor broke the partnership with an LBW decision and UWE collapsed from 55-3 to 65 all out, giving Cardiff a comfortale win to start their campaign.

Captain Paula Matthews was in the wickets, returning fine figures of 4-1-6-2.

CULCC welcome Bristol at home next, a tougher assignment, but approach it full of form and confidence.

Premiership Champions Greg Lynch IMG Football Pharm AC 1 Earth Soc 4 Pharm AC delayed, but did not deny Earth Soc their first ever IMG Premiership title. After arriving over an hour late, the game finally kicked off at the blustery Thornhill pitches.

Pharmacy took the initiative early on, with a strong defensive line, giving them the upper hand.

Earth squandered any possession they had with Pharm AC eager to capitalise on their mistakes. After a flurry of shots, Pharmacy finally got the goal they had been craving.

Andy Jenkins' in-swinging corner, left Earth's defence flat footed, leaving Matt Courtney-Smith to power a free head into the net.

Pharm AC continued to push, and looked like getting a second.

However, Earth Soc goalkeeper Tom Mahon was on fine form to save Pharmacy’s shots with ease. In the meantime, Earth struggled to get a foothold in the game and so, by the time the referee blew his whistle for half-time, both teams gathered separately knowing Pharm AC were dominant.

However, from the moment that Pharm AC kicked off for the second half, Earth gave them a taste of their own medicine. Immediately winning the ball back, they proceeded to pass it into the Pharm AC

half. A miss timed tackle gave Earth Soc a free-kick in a dangerous area and proved a vital gift with Dave Vincent's low driven strike catching the defensive line off guard, leaving Gavin Evan's touch to dribble into the net. Inspired by their secondhalf form, Earth soc continued to dominate possession and were soon rewarded with a second goal courtesy of Tom Rossiter's superb dribbling skills and fine finish.

Knowing that only a win would still leave them with a chance of winning the title, Pharmacy were forced to play for an equaliser, however Earth's defensive capabilities proved far superior in the second half. A change in pace suited Earth Soc, and after several minutes of sustained pressure, they benefited from an unpopular penalty decision. Gavin Evans stepped up once again and slotted it home with ease.

The third goal took the wind out of Pharm's sails, yet they remained resilient and pushed for a second goal.

Earth once again inflicted their second half physical superiority with several decisive tackles, most notably from Richard Connolly.

Playing with precision and ease, Earth Soc's midfield continued to grind their opposition with a series of fine passes, but struggled to find the finish. But, with 15 minutes to spare, an elusive Rich Peskett rifled a spectacular shot from 25 yards, scoring Earth's fourth and final goal, and more importantly securing the title.

Sport31

Monday May 23 2011 • gair rhydd • sport@gairrhydd.com

Harris has eyes on England future

Alex Winter Sports Editor James Harris only turned 21 last week, but already he is one of the leading fast bowlers in county cricket.

Quite remarkably, Harris has four seasons of first-class cricket behind him and has sights on playing at the top level in the game.

He was selected for the England Lions tour of the West Indies over the winter. He took 14 wickets at an average of 30 and scored 178 runs at 45 in the five matches in the Caribbean.

“It’s been fantastic and hopefully very beneficial,” said Harris. “A few runs was nice. Wickets wise a few more would have been good. But we played on some flat wickets against some good players.

“The pitches were incredibly flat, nothing that I’ve ever bowled on in this country. The balls didn’t really move at all. But I’m happy with the way I bowled all winter and it’s taught me a few things that’ll make me stronger throughout the summer.”

Harris, who played for Glamorgan second team aged just 14, is already hungry for England senior honours and sees success for the Lions as the best way to forge a path into the first team: “All I’m trying to do is to keep my name somewhere in the window.

"They build the Lions squad with the intent that if any of the first team boys do go down then they’re going to select from that group. So playing in that team and performing in that team is definitely the way to try and get into the England first team.

“All I can do if perform well and hopefully I’ll get the call eventually,” said Harris.

He also feels the experience of touring will be a big boost to his game. “There’s a lot you have to learn on your own sometimes. Being away by yourself for nine weeks, no friends no family and to be honest quite hard to communicate – no phones, little internet – you spend a lot of time on your own and dealing with that will hopefully get me through the summer. Summers are quite long, you’re away a lot and in

hotels for several days,” he said.

Harris is back playing for Glamorgan and looking to replicate his bowling last summer. 63 wickets at just 21 was the second-best return in Division Two of the LV= County Championship.

“I said 50 wickets and 500 runs last year but I got 60 and not enough runs. So I’ll try and score a few more runs and if the wickets are close to last year then I’ll have had a pretty good summer,” said Harris, who feels no pressure leading

“

All I can do is perform well and hopefully I'll get the call eventually

the Glamorgan attack: “Personally I feel I have done the job for the past few years and done a decent job at it. It’s a role I really enjoy and one I’d like to get better at.

“It’s always been my role,” he said.“In junior cricket I was always the guy the captain would call on to come on and take wickets and that’s something I’d like to carry on throughout my career. It’s a role that that suits me and suits me game.”

His mentor at Glamorgan is Steve Watkin who took 902 wickets in 15 years at the county and was part of the championship-winning side of 1997. Can Harris become the new Steve Watkin?

"That would be nice,” said Harris, “If I ever get to Steve’s wickets tally I’d have had a decent career.

"Steve is someone I talk to almost every day about bowling; he’s fantastic to have around and if I can end up with a career similar to Steve’s then I’ll be very happy.”

Glamorgan are glad to be back out on the field after a turbulent winter. Director of Cricket Matthew Maynard; his son Tom – a

young talented batsmen; captain Jamie Dalrymple; and club president Peter Walker all walked out of the county over the appointed of a new Cricket Manager, Colin Metson, and captain, South African Alviro Petersen.

“It’s almost a clean start,” said Harris. “There have been some personnel changes but that’s almost part and parcel of what you have to deal with in the game.

"But everyone seems fantastic about the new season. What’s gone is gone and we can only look forward.”

Many faces may have left Glamorgan but one coming the other way was Graham Wagg.

A man with a chequered past, having once been banned for cocaine use and sacked from Warwickshire, he will form the new ball partnership with Harris. “Wagg is a fantastic cricketer. To have him at the other end is great. He really does add a different dimension to the team.

“If everyone performs well and everyone does their jobs then we’ll all be good,” said Harris.

Sport

Glamorgan Cricket's James Harris << Inside

Photos: Jason Jardine

Cobras are National Champions

Above: (L-R) Larry Hunt and Jonny Langford holding the plate; the Cardiff Cobras in action Larry Hunt American Football The Cardiff University Cobras travelled up to Leeds last Friday for an overnight stay with a difference: this was their first national final appearance since 1996, and if successful, would be their first silverware since 1988.

With a team of 38 players and seven coaches, the Cobras were fresh and ready for Saturday’s fixture against Hull Sharks. The Sharks are an old rival with whom the Cobras shared national honours in 1988 but then lost to in 1989’s final.

Following the scarcely needed warm-ups given the heat, the Cobras kicked-off following the national anthems. For the first series

of play, Cardiff relied on their ever-strong defence to start off the game. Ably led by Linebacker Ollie Devon, the defence forced a Hull 3-and-out and the offence, under the guide of Quarterback Gareth Humphreys, set to work.

A long drive, in which Running Backs Alex Brew and Ayo Akintunde ran the ball hard, culminated in an inch perfect pass from Humphreys to rising star Wide Receiver Josh Hurford, who caught his second touchdown in as many games.

The touchdown gave the Cobras and the fans behind them good reason to celebrate early. Kicker Christy Caldwell converted the PAT to give the Cobras a 7-0 lead.

More of the same followed on defence, with monster hits and de-

cisive interceptions coming from first year Defensive Backs Tom List and Robin Ford. Sadly though, the offence were unable to convert possession into points until shortly before half-time.

Yachting on world stage << Inside With precious seconds left on the clock, Humphreys aired a deep ball up into the end zone for Benny Sherwood, to miraculously came down with it for a 6-point touchdown. After another successful PAT, Cardiff went into half time 14-0 up, their old rivals struggling to compete with a much stronger

Cobras side.

However, Cardiff came out sluggishly after the break with the offence failing to convert some key 3rd downs. The defence also struggled to defend against some steady Hull drives.

Eventually, lapses in concentration began to allow Hull back into the contest.

After a long Quarter-Back scramble and a long period of Shark's pressure, the Cobras eventually got back into the game.

After a series of huge hits, notably from Linebacker, Dom Bevan and Defensive Lineman, Jonny Langford, the defensive play really lifted their game.

The defensive team chipped in with three key interceptions, List,

Ford and Devon adding to the tally.

Sustained driving eventually ended with a score right on the final whistle, from Running Back and Club President, Alex Brew.

This was a fitting end to a successful year for Brew, who had an excellent campaign running and leading the team.

Exhausted but elated, the Cobras lifted the Challenge Plate after their 20-0 win. The team which started the season with two successive losses, had come back to win nine on the trot and bring some silverware back to Cardiff.

Preparations for next year’s season have begun with recruitment high on the agenda for the continued success of the club.

GAIR RHYDD AND QUENCH MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY UNIVERSITY UNION CARDIFF, PARK PLACE, CARDIFF CF10 3QN • REGISTERED AS A NEWSPAPER AT THE POST OFFICE • GAIR RHYDD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO EDIT ALL CONTRIBUTIONS • THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE PUBLISHERS • GAIR RHYDD IS WRITTEN, DESIGNED, TYPESET AND OUTPUT BY STUDENTS OF CARDIFF UNIVERSITY • WINTER LEAVES SPORT IN A HOLE- COUNTY CRICKET MORE IMPORTANT • PRICEY THE BUS CONDUCTOR • STANDARD STARBUCKS LUNCH FOR LUCY • ICE ICE BABY • JAMES DAVIES IN DEBUT FILM SHOCKER• WOULD RATHER WATCH PAINT DRY • CARDIFF CITY CHOKE AGAIN• WHO ACTUALLY WENT TO THE MAY BALL? • NOBODY • BYE BYE DAVE JONES