Gair Rhydd - Issue 1100 - Freshers 2017

gair rhydd

gair rhydd | free word Cardiff’s student weekly Papur wythnosol myfyrwyr Caerdydd Issue 1100 | Rhifyn 1100 25th September 2017 | 25ain o Fedi 2017

Cardiff Uni’s student paper | est . 1972

Cardiff makes top

100 Universities in the World!

In Depth: Colombian Peace Deal p.16

Who represents you in the Students’ Union? p.24

page 4

Meningitis: What you need to know! p.26

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EDITORIAL Gair Rhydd Coordinator Elaine Morgan Editor-in-Chief Liam Ketcher News George Watkins Emma Videan Comment George Cook Silvia Martelli Jessica Warren Unsafe Space Harry Heath Politics Gareth Axenderrie Tanya Harrington Conor Holohan Hannah Woodward Advice Alice Dent Sarah Harris Ask At Your Own Risk Charlie Knights Science Louange Lubangu Stephanie Ma Campus Life Vacant Taf-od Elen Davies Osian Wyn Morgan Aled Huw Russell Sport Rich Jones Mark Wyatt Digital Media Editor Alice Dent Cartoonist Louis Mertens Photographer Takura Nyamowa Write to the editor editor@gairrhydd.com Tweet us @gairrhydd @gairrhyddsport @cmccaerdydd Instagram @gairrhydd

At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards. Sometimes, because of deadline pressures, we may make some mistakes. If you believe we have fallen below the standards we seek to uphold, please email editor@gairrhydd.com.

You can view our Ethical Policy Statement and Complaints Procedure at cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/complaints Opinions expressed in editorials are not reflective of Cardiff Student Media, who act as the publisher of Gair Rhydd in legal terms, and should not be considered official communications or the organisation’s stance. Gair Rhydd is a Post Office registered newspaper.

the free word

Out with the old and in with the new!

If you’re reading this I actually managed to put together a newspaper Liam Ketcher

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elcome to Cardiff freshers, and also welcome back to everyone returning to Cardiff this year! I’d like to start by introducing myself, my name is Liam and I’m a third year (I can’t believe it’s my last one) studying Welsh. I first came across Gair Rhydd in my first year whilst passing it in the John Percival building, proudly placed on top of the bins (how ironic), and got involved early on in writing for Tafod, our Welsh language section. I then became an editor for that section the following year along with my good friend Osian Wyn Morgan.

And now I’m actually in charge of the whole thing, I can’t quite believe it sometimes.

I’d like to thank Maria Mellor, my predecessor for firstly giving me the opportunity to follow in her footsteps and continue the high standards that she has set for this publication. I hope that I can continue the good work and introduce new ideas and original content and I’m certain this will be a trend for years to come. I also look forward to the many phone calls that we’re going to have when I’m stuck or unsure and in need of your guidance.

We are also lucky enough to be celebrating the 45th anniversary of Gair Rhydd next week. To mark this occasion we’ve had a bit of a make-over,

introducing a sapphire-blue colour to our logo and stylish curved edged boxes (very modern I know). We’re also going to look back at some of the best headlines and stories over the course of the last five decades of print at Cardiff Student Media. I also have some exciting news to announce, in honour of the 45th anniversary we will be releasing the first ever issue of Gair Rhydd from 1972 on our digital platform. It’s something that I’m super excited about and I can’t wait for everyone to see it. This year, we want to celebrate the work of many throughout Gair Rhydd’s rich history as a student publication, so watch this space, I’m sure there are a many surprises on the way.

Our design isn’t the only thing new this year. Again we have a team of new and old editors who help me pitch article ideas to contributors and design the sections inside for you the readers. I know they’re going to do a great job and I’m looking forward to working with each and every one of them.

With a ‘crazy’ year of politics last year, our politics section has doubled in numbers from previous years. I’d like to thank the politics desk for all their hard work during the general election special in May, they have a infectious passion for politics and I know we can expect great things from them this year.

Taf-od (the Welsh language section) keeps growing and growing.

The Welsh language coverage within student media continues to improve, and with the launch of UMCC (Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd) and CMCC (Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd) this year, I’m sure it’ll become a vital part of student media for many years to come.

We have also introduced an extra two columnists to this year’s team. Our Advice columnist Charlie Knights has been writing away all summer giving you advice on A-level results, how best to deal with summer boredom and even some tips for you whilst on social media. Osian Wyn Morgan our Welsh language columnist has been away for the last month out in Patagonia in South America. I’m really looking forward to him sharing his experiences with us in his columns this year. Last but certainly not least Harry Heath and his Unsafe Space will be our columnist for comment this year, sharing his opinions on all manner of different things. I can’t wait to read more from all three over the year.

I’m not going to lie, it’s been a difficult issue to produce, with the dynamic team that is Gair Rhydd having editors all across the globe all summer. Some are as far flung as Italy, South America and Birmingham as I write this, and with numbers stretched as we’ve designed the paper, it really has been a challenge. I’d like to thank all the editors for their work towards this issue. However special thanks are owed to Charlie

Knights, Gareth Axenderrie, Tanya Harrington, Jess Warren, George Watkins, and Louis Mertens for all their hard work. It’s been a tough job but I’m proud of it!

So, what can you expect in this issue? We have a great mix of topics being discussed across all sections, from sexual health advice, to a comment piece about the recent drugs testing during music festivals this summer, and even an article about the best nights out in the ‘Diff. One of our biggest news stories is Cardiff University making it to 99th in the Shanghai University World University Ranking. Congratulations, you don’t only go to the best University in Wales (sorry Swansea) but we’ve made it to the top 100 in the world!

If you’re interested in getting involved with us here at Gair Rhydd and Cardiff Student Media don’t forget to come along to the All Sections Meeting on the 4th of October, in the Main Building. Come along and chat with myself the other Media Heads, and our teams. If you have any questions, please do ask and come to see what we have on offer.

Finally I would like wish the best of luck to the other section heads of Cardiff Student Media, Rachel Jefferies, Editor-in-Chief of Quench Magazine, Liz Mills, Head of CUTV and duo Emma McGuigan and Charlie ‘Dave’ Edmunds the Station Managers of Xpress Radio.

Good luck to you all, I hope we have some fun working together and give Student Media it’s best year yet!

EDITORIAL

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Campus in Brief Content: Tanya Harrington, George Watkins.

Design: Liam Ketcher, Charlie Knights, Louis Mertens, Jessica Warren, George Watkins.

Baby Names

The Emmys

Golden Pineapples

Toys R Us

Nigel has tanked as a baby name, becoming increasingly unpopular in recent years. Why could that be, we wonder?

For boys, the most popular names are now Oliver, Harry and George. For girls, Olivia was the winner, followed

by Amelia and Emily. Names that were very popular in Wales but not in the rest of the UK include Seren and Ffion.

The 69th Emmys has been and gone.

The Handmaid’s Tale did well, picking up Best Drama Series and Lead Actress in a Drama Series, as did Big Little Lies, on a politically charged evening. If you feel that anybody was snubbed, won unfairly, or have any other comments on the awards, let us know and your comments may be featured in the next issue.

Glam’s (that nightclub next to Pryzm) latest promo strategy involved hiding golden pineapples around Cardiff which promised free entry and drinks to anyone who found them.

Although that’s done with now, keep your eyes peeled for all of the fun events and freebies you can get during Freshers’ week!

Much to the dismay of nostalgic students everywhere, Toys R Us is going bankrupt. The days of creepy plastic baby dolls and magic sand may soon be over for all.

All of us editors here at Gair Rhydd remember many childhood hours spent there. It’ll take a lot of cheap VK to drown out the sorrows of that one.

On this day...

1066

Battle of Stamford Bridge King Harold defeats invading Norwegians led by Harald Hardrada and Harold’s brother Tostig (both killed).

The event played a key part in the Battle of Hastings soon after.

The Centre For Student Life (due for completion in 2020)

What’s on?

As well as the Give it a Go guide, which you’ll find on page 30, here are some events happening in Cardiff to kick-start your semester: Loads of places in the student favourite Womanby St are hosting “The Alternative Freshers’ Fair” on October 8th, full of societies, stalls, food and drink, music and more.

Pryzm has its own version of the Freshers’ night out - including Quids In! Feat.

S Club Live (with £1 VK!!) on the 25th, a “Project X House Party” on the 26th, and the Basshunter Freshers’ Tour on the 27th.

On the 28th, Pryzm and Glam are both hosting the Freshers’ Fiesta Street Party. While the SU is usually a guaranteed great night out, it’s always good to know what’s going on elsewhere as well.

The building will cost a total of £50 million

The site will cover 46-49 Park

It will sit in front of the current building, which dates from the 1970s

It will be a central hub for many student support and advice services

It will hold a 550-seat lecture theatre

Work began on the project this summer

NEWS

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news

#GRNews news@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/news

On Campus

Cardiff University enters the Top 100 of World Universities Ahead of Swansea, but lagging behind Bristol

Emma Videan

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Swansea University ranked 601-700, after overtaking Cardiff in a previous list compiled last year.

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n the 15 August 2017, the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities placed Cardiff University at 99th in the world in it’s annual ranking. This puts the university on a par with the University of Arizona.

While 2016’s official score was not released, the university was only ranked between places 101-150, whereas this year it broke through the top 100 with a score of 25.9, only 0.1 behind the 98th position. Not only has the university reached the top 100, but it has been ranked ninth best in the country.

Pictured: Cardiff now sits proudly amongst the international elite (Photographer: George Watkins) Below: Preparations underway for the Half Marathon (Source: Marc

The United Kingdom had only 8 universities in the top 100 In order to find the scores of the universities, several indicators including highly cited researchers, papers published in Nature and/or Science and alumni or staff winning Nobel Prizes and Field Medals.

For each of the indicators the highest scoring institution is given a score of 100 and all others are calculated as a percentage of the top score. Each indicator has a weighted percentage of 10 or 20 percent,

which when added creates the institutions total score.

The United Kingdom had only 8 universities in the top 100 rankings, including Cardiff University. In comparison, Swansea University ranked

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Other selected universities Source: ARWU Rankings (2017) Harvard: 1 Stanford: 2 Cambridge: 3 MIT: 4 Oxford: 7 UCL: 16 Toronto: 23 Tokyo: 24 Imperial: 27 Copenhagen: 30 Edinburgh: 32 Manchester: 38 Melbourne: 39 Heidelberg: 42

Bristol: 61 Oslo: 62 Erasmus: 73 Boston: 80 Liverpool: 101-150 LSE: 151-200 Exeter: 151-200 Queen Mary: 151-200 Durham: 201-300 Newcastle: 201-300 York: 201-300 Lancaster: 301-400 Queen’s Belfast: 301-400 Leicester: 301-400

601-700, after overtaking Cardiff in a previous list compiled last year.

However the University of Bristol ranked 61st.

The university is keen to invest heavily into the student experience

over the coming years, including the new Centre for Student Life (see overleaf ), and it would be unsurprising to see the overall rank rise as the works continue to benefit future cohorts of students.

Goings On...

Excitement Builds for Half Marathon After the success of the record-breaking 8,000 runners in the cardiff 10K at the start of September, anticipation grows for the Cardiff University Half Marathon on October 1st.

It is set to be the largest run to date with over 25,000 signed up to take part. This iconic route will take the runners around all the main sights in Cardiff with the start line outside Cardiff Castle and the finish line outside the main university building.

Included in these 25,000 people are a handful of runners that are hoping to get their names in the Guinness Book of World Records. Included in this is a team of firefighters, including Kevin Summerhayes, hoping to beat his record from last year to secure a place as a world record breaker.

Another recognisable runner to look out for if you plan on being a spectator is Sir Runalot, known as Tudor Jones in his day-to-day life.

Jones is raising money for Ty Hafan children’s hospice and will be running in a full suit of armour. He hopes to break the world record that

he sadly missed out on last year due to spending 14 minutes fixing his armour.

Cardiff University will also be hosting a series of fun runs for families, students and any other keen runners on the Saturday before the race, so if you are keen to get involved, whilst helping support research into cancer, neuroscience and the like.

NEWS

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National

60,000 Homes Lose Power From Storm Aileen

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fter a heavy night of winds reaching 75 mph, over 60,000 homes in Wales were left without power.

Storm Aileen swept across the country throughout the night of the 12th of September, bringing heavy rain and winds peaking at 74mph at Mumbles Head, not far from Swansea.

There were a number of homes affected by the weather, with the Severn Bridge (M48) closing for some time due to the weather. Western Power Distribution said that much of the country was affected, but all power has since been restored to full capacity.

In The City

Cardiff 10k Breaks Records

In The City

Cardiff Pride events a roaring success

George Watkins

Pictured: A technicolour crowd brightening up a drab August (Source: National Assembly for Wales)

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ride Cymru, Wales’ largest celebration of equality and diversity, returned to Cardiff over the August Bank Holiday, being hailed as a great success.

After initial uncertainty surrounding the policing of the event, it went on without a hitch, with a technicolour crowd descending on the capital for three days.

The City Hall Lawns held Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend, a mix of Pride and Cardiff ’s Big Weekend, last held in 2011, seeing three days of live music and ‘extravagant entertainment’, attracting an estimated total crowd of over 200,000 to the city.

A key highlight for many was the march, which meandered through the city centre in a joyous celebration of noise and colour, brightening up the recent spells of disappointing weather.

Niall, Social Secretary for Cardiff

On Campus

Emma Videan

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Not only will it be a focal point for the university campus, it will also provide a space for support and advice for students.

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his summer, work has begun to build a new student centre that will cost Cardiff University £50million. The project is in direct response from student feedback and is in partnership with Cardiff University’s Student Union and is part of the biggest upgrade that the university has seen for a generation, which is an overall investment of £600 million.

The plans are for the building to cover the current site of 46-49 Park Place as well as the Student Union building that was originally constructed in the 1970s. This will be a huge space covering four floors. Included in the building will be a 550seat lecture theatre with up-to-date technology, bookable study spaces and consultation rooms. The building will also give the students more retail and catering outlets than the Students Union currently provides.

University Pride, related ‘how amazing it felt walking down the streets and seeing the large amounts of people lining the side walk during the march supporting us and cheering’, adding that ‘seeing all the society together again for such a good cause made it extra special’.

The music itself was typically wide-ranging, including everything from tribute acts of Queen and Whitney Houston, to Fun Lovin’ Criminals and Charlotte Church’s Late Night Pop Dungeon. The Cardiff-born artist regaled hits from famous divas, such as Beyonce and Britney Spears, whilst including some of her own numbers for good measure.

As it drew closer to the festival, security concerns had been raised, due to recent attacks in London, Manchester and across Europe, but the anxiety seemed unfounded, as

it went on without issue. Cooper’s Field, the usual residence for the event, was in the process of being returfed after the Champions League final took place in the city during June, and organisers were worried about the new location, metres from the city centre.

Chairwoman Lu Thomas noted that it would have been “devastating”, had the event not taken place, describing the preparations as “touch-and-go”, but the worries of the organisers were resolved by a massive fundraising effort, drawing up funds of £360,000 from sponsorships, tickets and donations, enabling everything to run as smoothly as possible.

Although the celebration was at risk of being overshadowed by recent political events, this did not overshadow a joyous few days of entertainment for the capital.

Work begins on new Centre For Student Life

Not only will it be a focal point to the university campus but it will also provide a space for support and advice for students. These pastoral care services will focus on careers, mental health, international student support, and advice on money. All of these are vital services for the university to provide for its 30,000 students of whom many will be living away from home for the first time in Cardiff.

An overall investment of £600 million For the university’s healthcare students whom are based at Heath Park or students that are not located locally to the Cathays campus there are plans for the virtual services that the university provides to also be updated ensuring access for all.

A key feature of the project is the

sustainability of the build. With such a large project to complete it is important to ensure that the building is both energy efficient and allows for renewable technology to reduce the carbon footprint of the building. The plan includes using natural ventilation and a green roof.

To ensure that these sustainable plans are to the upmost standard, the building will be assessed under

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he beginning of September saw the annual 10k run take place in Cardiff despite the typical Welsh rain making an appearance. The race was organized by Kidney Wales, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary this year. The amount of entries this year broke the record and ensured a successful event.

Out of the 8,000 runners who took part, the winner was Dewi Griffiths, Swansea, who completed the race in an outstanding 28 minutes and 47 seconds. This is not his final run for the year however, as he plans on competing in the upcoming Cardiff Half Marathon on the 1st October, where he hopes to take first place again.

On Campus

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Joshua Fight Bruising Punters

ickets for Anthony Joshua’s bout against Kubrat Pulev are selling out fast, and costing a large amount of money. At the time of writing, some VIP tickets were set to fetch an eye-watering £5,250, with some standard tickets at over £200.

Joshua will fight Pulev at the Principality Stadium in October to defend his World Heavyweight title, after defeating Vladimir Klitschko earlier this year.

With tickets set to sell out as the event draws closer, it is clear that anyone keen on getting a ticket might need to shell out more than they bargained for to attend the fight.

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). So far, the centre is likely to achieve an Excellent score through measurements in categories such as energy and ecology.

While the building work aims to create an environmentally advanced building, factors cannot be ignored about the disruption that this building work will create.

Pictured: The new centre, situated on Park Place (Source: Cardiff University)

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NEWS

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National

Student mental health rates rise by five times in 10 years George Watkins

75% Of adult conditions diagnosed by 24

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he number of students disclosing a mental health condition to their university has risen by nearly five times since 2006, according to a framework report published by Universities UK. The academic year 2015-16 saw a rise from 3000 in 2006 to over 15,000 of first-years disclosing the information.

Universities need to work harder to ‘coordinate care for students’, according to Professor Steve West, the Chair of the UK Mental Health in Higher Education Working Group, for the sake of the students, and the university as a whole.

The ‘#stepchange’ framework seeks to encourage leaders in higher education to raise the importance of mental health in their institutions. It comes at a time of growing publicity around mental health amongst students, with six students taking their own lives at Bristol university in the last academic year alone.

Citing that 1 in 4 people will face a mental health problem at some point in their lives, they raise the case for early intervention. 50 percent of adult conditions manifest themselves during teenage years, whilst over 75 percentage manifest themselves by the age of 24, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Student suicide is seen as a key symptom of inadequate care by authorities, although identifying those

at risk is often ‘challenging’, as only 28 percentage of those who take their own lives reach out for help in the year before their death, with only 12% seeing university counselling services, suggesting that the vast majority of students at risk tend to go under the radar.

Pictured: Rates of mental health conditions are skyrocketing (Source: Jens Schott Knudsen via Flickr)

2015-16 saw a rise from 3000 in 2006 to over 15,000 reported conditions Four reasons are presented as to why mental health needs to be a ‘strategic priority’, including Risk, Reputation, Success, and Policy, aiming to protect students at risk, abide by their duty of care, improve university experiences both pastorally and academically, and to reflect recent political moves around the topic.

Reputation is a key factor for universities, and negative media narratives ‘can be enormously damaging’.

Earlier this year it was reported that certain institutions needed to ‘triple’ their mental health provision to cope with rising demand and battle inadequate accessibility, according to the Higher Education Policy Institute.

Mental health has received a large amount of publicity recently, in light of both the Royals William and Harry being frank about the impact of their mother’s death, and the election. Politically, it has been a sensitive issue,

with national campaigns calling for a much greater investment, rather than sidelining funds to cover other areas of the NHS which have suffered from austerity measures.

However, despite being expected to be welcomed by universities and students alike, it remains to be seen to what extent the new proposals are enacted, appearing to depend on the financial investment each institution

is willing to make.

Considering the prevalence of conditions during teenage years and early 20s, the report recommends early intervention as a sensible measure to stem this worrying rise in conditions.

The new measures are only advisory at this stage, so without a firm commitment, change could be hard to come.

International

Tab Media Receives Backing From Controversial Investor One of a series of investments totalling $6m George Watkins

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ab Media has received an investment of $6m from investors including a majority injection from the Rupert Murdochbacked News Corp. Self-proclaimed as ‘anti-establishment’, the controversial student news outlet, founded

by Cambridge students in 2009, was overjoyed by the backing.

Other investors in the deal include the London-based Knight Ventures, Balderton Capital, with previous key investments including gambling organisations and Bebo, and entrepreneur-supporting Downing Ventures. In return for its investment, News Corp has a minority stake in the company. Also, the deputy editor of The Times, Emma Tucker, is set to sit on its board of directors, giving the corporation influence on the output of the operation The Tab currently operates in both London and New York, keen to expand their US presence, with an aim of appealing to an audience born ‘after the 1990s’, with over 70 percent of their revenue coming from sponsored stories by youth-orientated companies such as Spotify, the rest from standard advertising from similar companies, like Netflix.Currently, they receive 50 million views of their content a year (unverified),

rising year upon year.

Currently they receive 50 million views of their content a year (unverified), rising year upon year.

With over 2300 writers per year contributing to articles, the format of the organisation relies on centralised editors based in campuses, with the appeal of future job prospects at their London office a key incentive.

Writers are encouraged to source their own stories, with the key focus of encouraging shares, financial incentives being offered for a specific number.

Often compared to Buzzfeed, or similar youth-directed press, the outlet thrives only in online format, targeting university-age students as its predominant focus. It has received a fair share of criticism from its development, often as a result of its broad spread of writers, including misreporting and the nationallypublicised “Rear of the Year” competition, despite being keen to shake this image.

It has often been accused of exploitation, manipulating its writers without proper remuneration, according to the National Union of

Journalists, and former contributors, despite this pay-for-shares approach.

Executive Editor Joshi Herrmann defended the approach in 2014, suggesting that its authors did not ask to be paid, and received guidance in media law and preparation for future careers in journalism as a form of remuneration.

News Corp. has a chequered, and controversial past in the United Kingdom. Based in New York, it sat as the world’s fourth-largest group of media outlets in 2014 (revenue).

In 2011, the publication News of the World was shut down after allegations of phone-hacking, including trying to access former prime-minister Gordon Brown’s voicemails, medical records and bank accounts.

Allegations released by The Guardian also listed the exploitation with intent to access or use private details, including 91 PIN codes and 4332 names/ partial names, including British victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and family of victims of the London 7/7 bombings.

It has often been accused of exploitation, manipulating its writers without proper remuneration.

After this series of scandals, due to concern by its shareholders, its assets were divided. News International, the British branch of newspaper publishers, currently owns The Sun and The Times. Concerns were raised about alleged tax avoidance

by Murdoch’s ventures in the leadup to the 2017 General Election, the Labour Party scrutinising the contribution of larger companies and corporations to the HMRC. As the scope of the company continues to grow, this investment will surely be a welcome bonus, as the average readership continues to grow, and spread from campus to campus. It remains to be seen how the group will expand beyond its university basis.

Pictured: Rupert Murdoch’s investment brings the funds up to $6m Source: Aaron Fulkerson (via Flickr)

Providing a range of certified courses aimed at building your confidence and increasing your employability potential.

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COMMENT

comment

#GRComment comment@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/comment

Danger does not lie in Korean nuclear expansion, but in the West’s response Pictured: North Korean Flags Source: stephan (via Flickr)

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ithin recent weeks, North Korea has claimed to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb capable of being loaded onto a long-range missile.

Whilst these claims must be treated with caution, the alleged tests represent a significant milestone in North Korea’s military build-up, and the country’s continued defiance of international opposition to its nuclear programme. But is this development really a problem? Upon looking at the history of nuclear conflict, one may think not. After all, nuclear weapons have only ever been used twice in warfare, despite the huge arsenals of the USA and USSR, the Cold War never turned ‘hot’, due largely to a shared understanding of Mutually Assured Destruction. However, the current stand-off between the USA and North Korea is a far more perilous situation. The caution and calculation of the Cold War era has faded.

North Korea’s motives for nuclear expansion remain largely shrouded in secrecy, and the opposing alliance of states have been left guessing. For me, therefore, the danger does not lie within the Korean nuclear development itself, but rather within the uncertainty surrounding the style of response that the USA and its allies choose to make. Act too lightly, and North Korea may grow increasingly threatening. Act too firmly, and a nuclear apocalypse could follow.

In August, President Trump warned that further provocations from the Koreans would be met with “fire and fury”, having consistently championed hard power over diplomacy during his presidency. Whilst the USA certainly has the militarily capability to back up Trump’s confrontational rhetoric, now is not the

time for peacocking. Dealing with a potential nuclear conflict requires a steady and calculative approach, something for which the President is hardly famed. If Trump continues this dangerous war of words with Pyongyang, then he is not only putting the USA’s security at risk, but also that of its East Asian allies. If he was lured into launching an offensive against Kim Jong-Un, retaliation would surely follow against Japan and South Korea. Another option is to increase sanctions against North Korea, but, as Vladimir Putin has argued, Jong-Un is so determined to expand his nuclear capabilities that he would likely allow his people to starve at the expense of his regime’s survival. History supports Putin’s view; sanctions have been imposed ever since North Korea’s first nuclear test in 2006, but a further five major tests have followed, with increasing severity. A final alternative for the West would be a return to diplomacy with North Korea; however, this too has few takers, due to limited past success, and, more recently, Pyongyang’s refusal to hold talks with either the USA or South Korea.

The only thing that all parties in the North Korean crisis can agree upon is that there is simply no easy solution.

However, what is clear, is that this is not just a matter between Pyongyang and Washington. Rather, it is truly in the global interest that a sustainable resolve to this issue is found. Responsibility lies mainly with the world’s political elite, but success will only be achieved through cooperation with all concerned.

There should be no opportunity for Trump’s hot head to rule negotiations.

This is no place for risk-taking, and a calm, measured approach must be adopted. Millions of lives depend on it.

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The only thing that all parties in the North Korean Crisis can agree on is that there is simply no easy solution.

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John Jones

COMMENT

Drugs at festivals aren’t a No, they’re a Must-Know

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As someone who enjoys attending festivals and many different live music events with friends, it seems that a service that will test the purity of many substances is only going to be valuable.

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Liam Ketcher

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his summer, hundreds of thousands of young people attended festivals across the country, celebrating a break from schools, exams and university deadlines. I’m sure we all know, festivals are commonplace for the consumption of illegal drugs, so much so, that to enforce a complete ban would be impractical in terms of resources.

This would also act as a huge stand against liberal movements for the legalisation of cannabis, and increased awareness around other drugs such as MDMA, and ecstasy. Whatever your opinion may be on the legality of recreational drugs, it is clear more needs to be done to protect people from harm. This is something that was acted upon across a wide variety of live music events this summer.

The Loop are a harm reduction, non-profit charity that provide drug safety testing at nightclubs and festivals. Although established in 2013, their presence at festivals has grown exponentially in the past few years, heralded as being particularly successful at Parklife, The Secret Garden Party, Boomtown Fair and many more this year. In a festival situation, The Loop have pop-up labs that can test the content and potency of illegal drugs. The technology allows for purity testing with an accuracy of 90-95%. They would then de-

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stroy the sample given to them, but allow the festival-goers to decide if they want to take the drugs themselves. This is hoped to give people more information and choice before they consume the drugs they have bought, particularly as many substances are sold under the label of another. In 2016, the scheme found that ground-up malaria tablets were being falsely sold as cocaine, as well as tablets designed for cleaning dentures being branded as ecstasy. The Loop aim to take away the danger of putting something unknown into your body.

The move for safety-testing facilities at more festivals and live music events is supported by Police forces, and the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), who have linked the recent increase in deaths from the usage of recreational drugs to stronger substances, and a lack of information on the contents of pills and powders. It is a well known fact that many festival-goers will purchase, smuggle in, and then consume a variety of illegal drugs, but police are supporting the scheme, as it is hoped to reduce drug-related deaths and hospitalisations. In 2016, Lewis Haunch, aged seventeen, died after taking drugs at Leeds Festival, with two other teenagers reportedly dying of drug-related incidents at T in

the Park. Tragic as these losses are, it is important to learn something from these deaths, and roll-out drug testing facilities across the entirety of festivals in the UK. As someone who enjoys attending festivals and different live music events with friends, it seems that a service that will test the purity of many substances is only going to be valuable. As well as this, RSPH have suggested the work of The Loop can significantly help in revealing and reducing the number of superstrength or adulterated pills. Whilst some critics would argue the scheme is falsely branding the drugs as safer

to take after they have been tested, yet knowing what they contain is surely a step forward in the safer usage of recreational drugs.

The issue has generated much controversy and concern that even high profile politicians have felt the need to comment on it. PM Theresa May, a critic to the testing of drugs stated, “If somebody has purchased something that the state has deemed illegal, it’s not then for the state to go and test it for you.” Arguably, it is this short-sightedness and dismissal of public safety that further decreases her popularity among many young people.

Conversely, former Deputy PM and fomer Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg supports the work of The Loop as “it will literally save lives”.

Perhaps it is the support from liberal politicians that could explain why festival-goes can be heard for miles chanting ‘Oh Jeremy Corbyn’.

Pictured: Drugs are becoming more and more of a conversation in festival life Source: Global Panorama and Victor (via Flickr)

I’m keen on Welsh and you should be too

he BBC have only gone and done it again, their anti-Welsh language antics resumed during the summer. Putting a knife to the heart of every Welsh language speaker in the Nation. This time it comes from an item of Newsnight, where the discussion was whether people are ‘Keen on Welsh’. Not only was the topic of debate incredibly insulting to all Welsh speakers, but what made it worse was that this debate was unbalanced, unfair and completely unnecessary.

Speaking was the editor of the Welsh Conversation Ruth Dawson (who doesn’t speak Welsh), and novelist and all-round knob head Julian Ruck (who also, doesn’t speak Welsh). Ruth who is described by Evan Davis on the program as someone who feels “strongly about Welsh”, can only speak the basics. “Bore da” (Good morning), the colours and the numbers is about as far as her Welsh understanding goes. She shows no sign of passion or desire to speak the language, she even laughs at the fact that she wishes she could speak a bit more of the language. Yet this wom-

an is meant to be representing the Welsh language community. On the other hand, Julian Ruck, who I despise by the way, compares the funding that the Welsh language receives as basically the cause of the waiting times that the NHS provide here in Wales. This however is something that we have seen before, with Radio 5 live earlier this year searching for people to speak on why the government should let the Welsh language die out. What was needed here was a strong Welsh language representative, for example the Welsh language commissioner Meri Huws, or Heledd Gwyndaf, Chair of the Welsh language society. Either of these individuals could’ve presented a stronger voice for the Welsh language thus creating a well-rounded debate which would’ve angered people far less.

Julian Ruck argued during the item that “you can go to a Welsh medium school and come out of it and you cannot speak Welsh.” Let me just tell you, that this is simply not true.

Having gone through Welsh medium education from the age of 4 right

through to today, I have always and will always be a fluent Welsh speaker. Of course I have many friends who I went to school with who don’t use the language as much anymore, because they aren’t studying through the medium of Welsh. Their parents don’t speak Welsh therefore they are not using it at home, yet they are still fluent in the language. As well as this, many Welsh speaking students at Cardiff University and Universities across Wales live their lives through the medium of Welsh, therefore you cannot say that people come out of Welsh medium education unable to speak Welsh.

Newsnight was not the only antiWelsh language campaign to voice opinion of the Welsh language over the summer. Sports Direct in Bangor actually banned staff from speaking the language during their shifts, and The Week Junior published an article discussing why we should let minority languages die, using the Welsh language as their prime example. It’s clear to see that the media at the moment is presenting itself as anti-Welsh, and just pro English. To

me this is narrow-minded and stuck up.

The Welsh language has also been a debate at Cardiff University over the years, with the students voting against having a Welsh language sabbatical officer in 2015. Also exassistant editor of the Tab, Oli Dugmore, mocked the Welsh language, with students standing beneath bilingual signs and questioning what the Welsh meant.

Little tip for you freshers, it says the same as the English, but in Welsh. Wow, how clever is that? But seriously though if you’re coming to Cardiff from outside of Wales and you have similar views on the Welsh language, firstly no-one cares, and secondly your opinion doesn’t matter so keep it to yourself. Embrace the Welsh language and its culture, after all you chose to come here, no one made you.

We should be celebrating the different cultures and languages that Britain has, let’s be proud of our bilingual nation. The English language is here to stay, and so is Welsh. Get over it!

‘‘

We should be celebrating the different cultures and languages that Britain has, let’s be proud of our bilingual nation.

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Jess Warren

9

10

COMMENT

Gender conditioning, and the burden of being a ‘real man’ Pictured: How do gender roles shape society?

Source: Micagoto (via Flickr)

A

s a sociology student, I’ve spent hours discussing the ways in which society conditions people of different sexes to think. First of all, it’s important to note that gender is inherently different from sex, with the dictionary definition of gender being ‘the state of being male or female (typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones)’.

Beloved British actor and comedian, Robert Webb recently released his first memoir, ‘How Not to be a Boy.’ In his soul bearing autobiography, Webb talks us through the most personal details of his life, from his crushes as a child to the emotions he felt after the death of his parents. He correlates all this with the demanding burdens of male life. It’s alarm-

ing to see that in a day and age where human rights are ever expanding, males are still being told to ‘act more manly.’

So what really defines ‘masculinity’? According to Robert Webb, society has raised us to think ‘real men’ love sport, drink beer and of course never, ever talk about their emotions. Cardiff University’s Mental Health Officer and Gair Rhydd News Editor, George Watkins, recently began the campaign ‘Boys Do Cry’ in aim of breaking down societal gender norms and persuading men that it is okay to talk about their feelings.

His campaign features a series of male students from the University discussing their problems with mental health and raising awareness on the lack of attention on the matter.

The Office of National Statistics

found that out of the 130 students who took their own lives in 2015, 97 were male.

It’s not just males that society is conditioning to behave in a certain manner. In many cultures, women are still expected to behave in a ‘feminine’ manner, with some of them not even being allowed to drive a car in specific countries. Although Western societies are far more advanced in this term, there’s still a lingering perception that women should dress, eat, and talk in a way that isn’t too extravagant, yet still attracts the attention of potential pursuers. Despite hours of research being done on the topic by Marxists, Functionalists and Feminists, it’s still difficult to pinpoint exactly why we’re still gender conditioning our society.

Maybe the blame lies on our predecessors and their outdated ways of thinking, but if this is the case, why are male millennials still conforming to these rules and so afraid to express themselves? Not only has Webb now touched on the matter, but so have other famous male personalities such as Prince Harry, Zayn Malik and Ryan Reynolds amongst the many. It’s clear that as a society, we still have a long way to go to fight these stereotypes and break down the barriers, but in the meantime we need to encourage people to feel comfortable expressing themselves, whatever their gender.

Meanwhile, if you do happen to feel overwhelmed by the gender conditioning of society, the University Counseling and Wellbeing Services offer a free and confidential service for you to express your feelings and concerns.

‘‘

... society has raised us to think ‘real men’ love sport, drink beer and of course never, ever talk about their emotions.

‘‘

Sarah Harris

COMMENT 11

Silvia Martelli

‘‘

While the battle of the social media site is annihilating the rising amount of fake news among its two billion monthly active users, editors are busy in their fight to the death to maintain their audience.

F

The future of journalism… on Facebook

acebook and editors have always been two parallel planets.

On one side, there is Facebook the Giant, which collects the revenue of almost half of the world’s digital advertising; on the other, there are editors. While the battle of the social media site is annihilating the rising amount of fake news among its two billion monthly active users, editors are busy in their fight to the death to maintain their audience, despite the threatening contraction of the traditional advertising market.

Two distinct worlds that share a mutual destiny: collaborating with each other to achieve their respective aims. While Facebook needs editors to provide the platform with

news of quality, editors need to orbit where there are readers - no better place than social media. The negotiations have already started, and Facebook has now introduced a new function of ‘Instant Articles’, the tool launched back in 2015 to create fast, interactive articles. The latest service promotes subscriptions to the newspapers present on the whiteand-blue platform, with the plan being that, after a fixed amount of free articles, users will have to subscribe for accessing further ones.

A new source of revenue for the already outrageously wealthy Facebook? Most probably. However, it is undeniable that the tool will also be beneficial for those users who now

‘‘

Anna Dutton

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Signalling the nights end are the words “let’s get chips”.

heavily rely on the platform for accurate news. It seems very likely, in fact, that Facebook has introduced this new feature to keep influential outlets on the platform, following the threat of Forbes, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal to leave due to scarce profitability. This new way of subscribing, now directly on the social media site with one click (quick, easy and immediate, the imperatives of the century) will hopefully provide the newspapers with the profit they need and the readership they deserve, while diverting users away from fake news.

In addition, since August, publishers’ logos have been put alongside articles in the ‘Trending’ and ‘Search’ sections, in order to make sources more visible.

‘Instant Articles’ are only a tiny piece of a bigger puzzle, the so called ‘Facebook Journalism Project’. In an effort to foster relationships with journalists and news organizations, the initiative is aimed at a collaborative development of news products (e.g. exchanging data on readers with editors), and providing training and tools for both journalists and an informed community.

In a response to the sharp criticism of being a distributor of fake news, Facebook has certainly taken

some steps towards becoming a better home for journalists. However, even though it’s now trying to help news organizations to survive in the digital world it has created, it still is the royal of the court. Whether it is a ruler with a genuine concern for the creation of a healthy ecosystem of news, or simply a profit-driven magnate, is still up for debate. The next few years will provide the answer.

A night out in the ‘Diff, from taxis to takeaways B efore the night begins, predrinks, prinks (as the welsh say) or pres take place. This is my favourite part of the night! You get to know your new flat/house mates a little better, and the good music playing gets you in the zone.

Pres can be tricky; drink enough to buy fewest drinks in the club, but not too much or you’ll get refused entry- speak to anyone in their second/ third year and they will assure you it’s a balancing act.

Getting into town is phase two.

Walking is for the brave (it’s a bit far from Taly) or those kept warm by their beer jackets. As for taxis, Dragon Taxis are quite reliable, and Uber is a brilliant addition to the city. Both have Apps available making booking easier once a head-count takes place.

In town, each different venue offers a distinct atmosphere and vibe.

Greyfriars Road is closest, with the chain clubs Pryzm, Glam and Tiger Tiger residing here. Pryzm contains different rooms, with varying music- the disco room attracts most.

Opposite the castle stands Revs (Revolution) attracting students on a Tuesday for some R&B and Hip Hop. Slightly pricey drinks, but after dressing up, magically, they become affordable! Womanby St homes Clwb Ifor Bach, commonly known as The Welsh Club. Attracting an alternative audience, you’ll find indie music event ‘Propaganda’ hosted here. Although some drinks are expensive, splurge a tenner, and some Red Stripe is great to share.

Finally, Live Lounge, another town-based venue, is worth mentioning. A free-entry venue, open until 4 am with live music every night. The music varies and drinks are cheap. The average age is difficult to trace; you’ll have 18-year olds in the same room as 50- year olds, but everyone gets involved. Arriving as late as 2am still gives you time to dance on the stage!

The SU is my favourite night out in Cardiff. SU nights are Wednesdays, where you’ll be accompanied by societies, and has free entry before 11.

Saturday nights, branded ‘Juice’ (paid entry of £5) is my weekend preference over town because it’s a guaranteed fun night (the entry price is also the same).

Within the SU, fast food is available at cheap prices to avoid venturing further.

Compared to town; it’s closer, you’ll always bump into someone you know when you lose friends, and the atmosphere is great.

Signalling the nights end are the words “let’s get chips”. In town, the main food venue is McDonalds, venture deeper into town and you’ll find Chippy Alley; a whole street dedicated to postponing a hangover. Heading towards Cathays, you’ll notice lots of kebab shops. For convenience last year, I preferred T&A’s, but others include Mumma’s, Chicken Cottage, and Family Fish Bar. Prices are cheap; chips (always with cheese) are £2.50- all portions are hearty too.

The above is by no means extensive to your average night out, and there’s a whole host of venues that I’ve yet to experience myself. Wherever you go, if you’re with the right people it’ll be a fun night in the ‘Diff!

Pictured: [Left] Facebook logoSource: Marco Paköeningrat (via Flickr) [Right] Keyboard Source: Jamespia (via Flickr)

Pictured: Club nights in the Students Union Source: Cardiff Students’

‘‘

COMMENT

George Cook

W

hen I first came to Cardiff, I’ll be honest in saying that I hadn’t really thought about getting involved with student media. After a first term where I spent too much money and too much of it drunk, I wanted to find something that opened new opportunities whilst also catering to my strong passion for politics, news and current affairs. Gair Rhydd offered the opportunity for me to do just that and since writing my first article, I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Whatever your interests, there will be something you can write about through student media at Cardiff University. As mentioned, I am interested in politics, current affairs and sport but, especially through the Comment Section which I am an editor of, you can write about almost anything due to the breadth of topics

CSM, an opportunity too good to miss

that have previously been covered in this section.

Gair Rhydd is not the only entity to Cardiff Student Media. There is also Xpress, the University radio station, which is multi-award winning.

Whether you are interested in DJing, commenting on news and sport or even advancing the Welsh language, Xpress Radio offers opportunities to cater to those interests. Despite broadcasting a number of shows, Xpress Radio is still hoping to expand its interests especially in sport, looking to cover more than just football. Therefore, if you have a passion for a sport and radio you could help Xpress Radio in their attempts to broaden their coverage.

Quench is another part of Cardiff Student Media; which is a magazine commenting on TV, advice and a number of other issues. They are looking for people who want to write features for the magazine and also those who want to design parts of Quench with a distinctive popcultural focus. This is a great opportunity for those who are wishing to write whilst also focussing on design, providing a combination between writing and artistic production.

The final part of Cardiff Student Media is Cardiff Union TV. Much like Xpress, it presents a number of issues from news to sport, and also more creative avenues such as entertainment. This is a fantastic platform

Interested in finding out more or joining Gair Rhydd, Cardiff Union Television, Xpress Radio, or Quench? Why not find us online at cardiffstudentmedia.com, or by searching for us on Facebook. If you want to be a contributor and write for us, it’s as simple as scanning the QR code to the side and join our contributor page, new articles every week and see your name in print!

Twitter: @gairrhydd | @CardiffUnionTV | @XpressRadio | @Quenchmag Facebook: @gairrhydd | @CardiffUnionTV | @XpressRadio | @Quenchmagazine gairrhydd.com | cardiffunion.tv | xpressradio.co.uk | quenchmag.com

for people who are innovative working towards the goal of crafting content that is engaging for audiences.

And there are still positions available for this year, if you want to get involved.

Since being a part Student Media at Cardiff University, it has been an extremely worthwhile experience offering the chance to develop new interests, my writing techniques and style. Moreover, when things became stressful, the ability to write about topics that are engaging was a wonderful form of escapism. Over the next year, I hope to continue to learn about a wide range of issues and become more involved with all parts of Student Media.

‘‘

This is a fantastic platform for people who are innovative working towards the goal of crafting content that is engaging for audiences.

‘‘

12

Full Moon party

FRIDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 22:00-03:00 TICKETS: £5 AT CARDIFFSTUDENTS.COM

column

UNSAFE SPACE

15

@harryheath_ | #UnsafeSpace gairrhydd.com/category/column

We cannot surrender to campus censorship

The war on free expression at our universities is an attack on liberty

Harry Heath

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A university should be a centre of academic excellence, a beacon of rigorous and far-reaching debate, a marketplace of ideas without curbs on free expression.

Unfortunately, it appears not.

W

ith over two million starting or returning to student life in the weeks to come, now seems a fitting time to reaffirm what purpose higher education should serve in society. The costs and benefits of tuition fees to the economy have grabbed headlines, but at least we can all agree that a university should be a centre of academic excellence, a beacon of rigorous and far-reaching debate, a marketplace of ideas without curbs on free expression. Unfortunately, it appears not.

The sad truth is that most universities and students’ unions in the UK have established a culture of censorship to protect us from certain opinions that differ from our own, in case heaven forbid, we may be offended by them. According to the ground-breaking research of the radical magazine Spiked, 63% of British universities actively censor with a further 30% excessively regulating speech. As a free-speech liberal with a column titled Unsafe Space, I believe that the restriction of free expression at universities is a tragedy of our times.

What Spiked’s analysis also shows is that our own university is one of the most hostile to freedom of speech within the UK. Cardiff University itself has banned certain ideas on campus and the students’ union

has implemented censorial policies including the banning of newspapers such as The Sun and the Daily Star. How could it come to pass that you are unable to purchase two of the highest circulating papers in the country at a Russell Group university that should be an institution of political pluralism? Students with objections to certain media should not seek to ban them, they simply shouldn’t buy them. And how patronising it is to ban newspapers, pop songs or magazines as if students require protecting from their contents.

The censorship doesn’t end with the conservative press however.

Those who have on occasion been ‘no-platformed’ include the activist Peter Tatchell. This came after Fran Cowling of the NUS refused to share a stage with him on the grounds that he is ‘transphobic’; evidently his fifty years of championing gay rights was insufficient. Another example is the tragic irony in comedian Kate Smurthwaite’s show on the topic of free speech at Goldsmiths being cancelled because of her views on the sex industry. In my first months at Cardiff, there were considerable efforts made to get a lecture by the feminist writer Germaine Greer stopped because she apparently does not hold the correct views on transgender women. The list goes on.

The intellectual cowardice in kicking swathes of people out of the debate should be replaced by an eagerness to argue with those who we passionately disagree with. We have laws on hate speech and incitement to violence already in place to protect, and university bodies are setting an extremely dangerous precedent if they are to appoint themselves as judge and jury for what speech is permissible within the law. The establishment of policies that curb free speech renders the safe space a euphemism for a new form of tyranny that does no favours for students.

One may look to South Park’s interpretation of this, ‘In My Safe Space’, where the only character to fear goes by the name of Reality.

In crushing certain voices that they do not agree with, the campus censors are not only denying liberty but are making a gross tactical error.

One of my first memories of politics was watching the former British National Party leader Nick Griffin getting ridiculed on the panel of Question Time. The BBC allowed Griffin his platform, and this proved to be the most effective possible rebuttal to the abhorrent race politics that he represents. The same can be said of when Louis Theroux travelled America to meet crackpot neo-Nazis and the bigots at the Westboro Baptist

Church. More recently, we have witnessed the coverage that Tim Farron and Jacob Rees-Mogg have received since having their socially conservative religious views challenged. Antichoice positions on abortion and the view that homosexuality is sinful will undoubtedly cause offence, but in the marketplace of ideas, such views will be exposed as what they are: prehistoric and morally redundant. We should seek to defeat inferior ideas rather than supress them and as attenders of a modern, diverse university we should be more than confident of defeating bigotry wherever it may arise.

Finally, I should make clear that I am not writing this piece to be deliberately provocative, nor to irritate anyone who holds a different opinion. Mine however is that I believe it to be high time for us to shake off the label of ‘Generation Snowflake’. Our universities and students’ unions have become places where nonconformists better self-censor or face the consequences of no-platforming.

This trend on our campuses is intensifying and if we do not tackle it now, this plague of intolerance shall spread further in the years to come.

Such attacks on classical liberal values threaten our ability to debate, achieve and progress; I think we should be able to do better.

Pictured: Does campus censorship encroach upon freedom of speech?

Source: Free-Photos (via Pixabay)

‘‘

POLITICS

16

politics

INTERNATIONAL

#GRPolitics politics@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/poltics

Colombian Peace Deal:

Colombia’s new dawn, or just a drop in its ocean of conflict?

Gareth Axenderrie

P

eace, defined as ‘a state or period in which there is no war’. It is something many countries strive for and fail to achieve either politically or militarily, across the world. So, one would assume that given the option, a populous would always vote for peace if given the option, right? That assumption proved incorrect in Colombia last October, when a referendum on a peace deal with the country’s oldest rebel guerrilla group, FARC-EP, delivered a no vote from the public. It appeared, to the outside world at least, that the country had voted against peace.

Those inside South America’s oldest democracy weren’t so surprised however.

Colombia’s history is ravaged with violence and saturated in bloodshed.

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To many, this peace agreement ignored ordinary Colombians, who have become desensitised to the violence.

Instead, it is viewed as a deeply suspicious handshake with a much-hated band of violent extremists, pedalled by an out-of-touch president.

Ever since populist politician Jorge Eliécer Gaitán was assassinated during his presidential campaign in 1948, the country has been deeply divided along geographical and economic chasms.

Such divides between urban and rural, and rich and poor have been extremely violent. As liberal and conservative politicians have exchanged control of the corridors of power in Bogota, the state’s lack of control across the country’s vast periphery has resulted in a power vacuum, filled by some of the most violent groups on earth. From Marxist-Leninist groups like FARC-EP and the ELN, to paramilitary groups funded and enabled by the government, Colombians have lived with violence for more than half a century.

Trust of government is low due to the country’s record of corruption. Hatred of FARC-EP and other groups is all encompassing, with over eight million victims recorded, not forgetting the hundreds of thousands of dead and disappeared. With turnout a meagre 37% last October, to many, this peace agreement ignores ordinary Colombians, who have become desensitised to the violence. Instead, it is viewed as a deeply suspicious handshake with a much-hated band of violent extremists, pedalled by an out-of-touch president.

One year on from the plebiscite, the Colombian government has pushed on with the peace agreement, against the wishes of over 50% of the population.

In June, the world’s oldest guerrilla group, operating in Colombia for over fifty years, laid down their weapons in

a transition from internationally recognised terrorist organisation to political party. Many of its members are set to stand for election next year.

This progression has left President Manuel Santos, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016, with approval ratings around the 20% mark, just one year out from the country’s presidential elections. With a swing to the right predicted, several candidates standing on platforms opposed to the peace deal, and a population still deeply divided, what are the chances of a lasting peace in Colombia?

Despite the vote, there is still a heavy desire for peace in the country, not least of all within the country’s huge victim population. Over six and a half million citizens are internally displaced, migrating from rural areas where the conflict has been especially violent to major cities like Bogota and Medellin.

Statistics from the Centre for Victims suggest most of these people voted yes to the deal. Alan Jara, a former governor of Colombia’s Meta Department, was himself held captive by FARC-EP for eight years between 2001 and 2009.

Now director at the Centre for Victims, Jara is forthright in his belief that Colombians should embrace the deal.

“If you don’t forgive, you will always live your life as a victim.”

“I have suffered enough already, being away from my family for a decade, I don’t want that for future generations.

Silence of the guns is an opportunity that has never happened before. We all deserve an opportunity to enjoy this peace.”

Likewise, FARC-EP and their estimated 7,000 demobilising members are also intent on a genuine road to peace. A three-hour bus ride from Bogota, along dusty beat up roads, is the Icononzo Demilitarised Zone. Here the United Nations are overseeing the ‘laying down’ of FARC-EP’s weapons. Just a day after the peace deal was officially signed, I visited the 295-member camp.

There, clad in Marxist regalia, many meeting British and Americans for the first time in their lives, members outlined why the deal is so important to both them and Colombia on the whole.

“We want to show the world we are not monsters as the media would portray us.”

“Peace must contain several main elements to have a positive impact on everybody in this country. Accessible education for everybody, justice for the proletariat and the government must implement measures to help all communities.”

It is rhetoric that echoes socialist and left-wing voices around the world, but in Colombia these are views that many see as a path to a more equal and prosperous nation. At this point, the demobilising members were quick to clarify their role in the nation’s violent past.

One of the most important things is memory, and remembering that there were actors behind actions of evil on all sides.” It is an important point. Despite FARC-EP being painted as enemies of the people for the last half century, around 80% of all violence is attributed to the state’s forces and associated paramilitary groups.

Clearly there is an appetite for peace, but the issue that concerns Colombia’s voters appears to be the process rather than the result. The deal, negotiated between 2012 and 2016, is complex and built around a six-point framework.

Two of those points are especially controversial: establishment of FARC-EP as a political party and amnesty for many of its members.

As Luis, a tour guide in Co lombia’s coffee region explains, “Guerrillas have killed many people. I have had family members murdered.”

“I am not against a peace, but I am against these people going free. They should pay for the atrocities they have caused.” The maximum sentence an ex-

combatant can serve under the peace deal is eight years, all of which are noncustodial.

This sentiment is exacerbated by political motivations to obstruct the peace process. Colombia, unlike many of its Latin American neighbours, is widely a right-wing country, and there are many individuals for whom it is possible to assume that peace is not desirable. Previous president Álvaro Uribe, a hugely popular figure in Colombia’s political establishment, led the ‘No’ campaign last year. Uribe’s communications teams produced campaign propaganda that included fear mongering and homophobic rhetoric.

As the as a source close to the President admitted, “When a political giant with the influence of Uribe plays on the fear and suspicion of huge parts of the population, including the use of fake news, it’s incredibly hard to counteract.”

The resentment toward the deal has certainly continued through the last year. Despite the implementation, many of the issues influencing the vote of the population intensify going into a year of presidential elections. Colombia’s peace deal faces huge challenges from public opinion and the looming uncertainty of whether or not the next government will respect the process.

Pictured: Inset: Colombian President Manuel Santos and FARC-EP’s leader ‘Timochenko’ Source: PresidenciaRD (via Flickrw) Background: Street Art in Bogota Source: Svenwerk (via Flickr)

Security is also a huge concern. Attacks on demobilised zones have already occurred, and assassination attempts on future political candidates are deemed likely.

Corruption is rife at both a local and national level, and Colombia ranks 94th globally. Illegal cocaine production, where Colombia once again leads international producers, is nearing an all-time high. Many fear the deal does little to address many of these issues.

Colombia has come a long way since its war-ravaged years of the mid to late 20th century. Over three million foreign tourists visit its sandy beaches, picturesque mountains and multicultural metropolises last year, a huge amount compared to levels during the 1990s. President Santos, and those on the ‘Yes’ side, will hope the deal is the next step on the long road to lasting peace and prosperity.

We return to former captive Alan Jara for an analogy of peace that many who’ve suffered for generations will hope can inspire a positive outcome.

When quizzed on how it feels to have her husband back, Jara’s wife Claudia replied, “It’s a new life with an old friend.” Colombia must make new friends with old enemies if peace is to prosper and endure into a new life.

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Colombia must make new friends with old enemies if peace is to prosper and endure into a new life.

‘‘

Gareth Axenderrie studied Peacebuilding at Universidad de los Andes, Bogota. Here he met members of the Colombian military, government and demobilising members of the world’s oldest rebel group: FARC-EP.

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POLITICS

17

Catchup on the continent:

Not all about Brexit, where else are Europe’s key battlegrounds?

Christopher Jones

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Macron’s centre position has made him enemies on both the right and left, and alienated him from voters who don’t identify themselves as centrist.

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Tanya Harrington

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Staff have circulated in and out of the White House like children on a merry-goround of public mishaps and disappointment.

D

espite recent talk that victory in politics (particularly in Europe) now requires politicians to either fight from the extreme-left, or extreme-right, the current political battle in Germany takes place in the centre. Sunday’s federal election saw current Chancellor Angela Merkel, leader of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union, hoping to win a fourth term in office. Opposing her was Martin Schulz, leader of the centre-left Social Democratic Party. These warring politicians, and their respective centre-bound parties, represented the current political climate in Germany.

The Bertelsmann Foundation, an independent foundation based in Germany, found that 80% of Germans view themselves as ‘centrist’.

For comparison, the average ‘centrist’ result across the EU is 66%, with the UK having 67% of people identifying as either centre-right or centre-left. 77% of Germans surveyed said their financial situation had either improved or remained the same over the past two years. This would explain the lack of polarized viewpoints from the German population, as the country continues its course of political pragmatism that began following the end of the Sec-

ond World War. At the time of writing, the polls find Merkel’s CDU with 38% of the prospective vote, with Schulz’s SDP at 23%. Germany’s recently amended electoral system is about to enter its second round of voting, with the CDU expected to win but without a majority.

In May, French President Emmanuel Macron won an unprecedented landslide victory for his centrist party En Marche! by utilising resentment towards the far-right National Front and its leader Marine Le Pen. Since then, however, Macron’s centre position has made him enemies on both the right and left, and alienated him from voters who don’t identify themselves as centrist. The Bertelsmann Foundation survey found that only 51% of French voters view themselves as ‘politically central’.

Macron has also vowed to cut €58 billion (£53 billion) in federal spending by 2022 and is pursuing this aggressively. Socialists who viewed Macron as a superior liberal alternative to Le Pen in May have been angered by the promised cuts, while conservatives have rallied against the proposed €831 million (£763 million) cut to military spending.

Macron has further alienated his base by appearing uninterested in

Pictured: German Chancellor Angela Merkel Source: Wikimedia Commons.

appealing to their demands. The President regularly refuses to participate in interviews, deciding instead to simply send out photos. In June, he broke with tradition by cancelling the Bastille Day press conference, which has been a staple of the President’s public image since the 1970s. Macron defended his decision by reportedly saying his ‘complex thoughts’ would be too much for the journalists at the conference.

Finally, Brexit talks are underway between Britain and the European Union. The negotiations finally began on 19 June, almost a year after the UK voted to leave the EU. For one week per month, the UK’s negotiating team will meet with their EU counterpart to discuss the policies of

Britain’s exit. Chief among these are the rights of UK and EU citizens, the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, immigration, and the ‘divorce bill’ (essentially how much money the UK will need to pay to exit the EU.). As per Article 50, these negotiating teams have until 29 March 2019 to settle these disputes, as this is when the UK will officially leave the EU. While Brexit made an impact politically on the country, it has not done so economically, as the economy continues to expand as it did before the referendum vote. Inflation has risen somewhat, but unemployment has fallen to 42-year low, while the rate of house price increases has also fallen.

Trump’s Wet Hot American Summer

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t’s been a tumultuous Summer for the United States, with enough political back-and-forth to give any onlooker whiplash. Staff have circulated in and out of the White House like children on a merry-goround of public mishaps and disappointment. There have been fires and hurricanes and floods, protests and counter-protests, statements made and taken back, opinions tweeted and deleted.

There is a lot to recap - they say a week is a long time in politics, and we’ve had the whole Summer off.

Let’s start with the White House staff. The rise and fall of Anthony Scaramucci was a quick one, with his arrival to the White House, public meltdown, and subsequent firing all taking place within ten short days.

During his limited time as communications director, he managed to ensure the loss of Sean Spicer, who seemingly resigned in protest to his appointment, White House aide Michael Short, and perhaps even chief of staff Reince Priebus, who was fired by the President. Funnily enough, it was Priebus’ replacement who ended up finishing Scaramucci.

There were multiple controversial proposals made, a notable one being the move to ban transgender people from serving in the military – which the President revealed via Twitter.

Preceding this was an attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), with no real

replacement form of health insurance help included in the package.

If the bill had passed, there was the potential for it to leave as many as twenty-two million Americans without proper health insurance.

Although healthcare and progressive values might not be doing so hot, the war and conflict business continues to boom. Tensions rose between North Korea and the States as the former took to developing their nuclear arsenal and Trump took to Twitter, threatening “fire and fury,” in retaliation to any threats. As well as this, the President also committed more troops to Afghanistan, while encouraging other NATO allies to do the same.

Civil disrupt emerged, fuelled by a movement to remove Confederate statues from areas in America. The most notable of these was in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Heather Heyer, in attendance at a counterprotest to a neo-Nazi rally, was murdered. These events sparked international debate over moral differences between groups of protestors, such as Nazis and Antifa, and whether or not the removal of Confederate statues could be considered as an erasure of history.

President Trump was accused by some of handling the several natural disasters, from forest fires to hurricanes and flooding, across America badly – especially Hurricane Harvey, which left huge parts of Texas almost

entirely underwater, and a death toll that officials speculate could be as high as 82. These disasters also sparked a fierce climate change debate, as many initiatives led by the Trump administration have caused a decrease in climate change regulation, and many in America dispute the effects of climate change entirely. Bids for funding to help rebuild

and recover the affected areas are in place.

Although we are in the UK, it is important for us as students to remain informed and develop our own opinions on all of these matters, the repercussions of which will likely follow us into the Autumn Semester and beyond.

Pictured: National Guard members aid Houston residents.

Source: The National Guard (via Flickr).

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POLITICS

18 UK

Whilst we were away...

...there was an election that didn’t really go to plan...

Gareth Axenderrie Pictured in timeline: [from top right] Tiocfaidh ár lá 1916, Recliner, MPD01605, UK Parliament, NICVA, Rees Mogg, Toms Norde, Herry Lawford, Liberal Democrats, Chris Beckett, UK Parliament, Jason, Megan Trace, Herry Lawford, Plaid Cymru (all via Flickr)

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f things seemed a full gone conclusion when Theresa May announced 2017’s General Election in April, the six weeks that followed saw certainty slip into a free-for-all, where polls were as obscure and incorrect as opinions were plentiful.

Counting halls on the evening of Thursday 8th June delivered a series of shocks, delivering an overall result that left people asking: “Where does this leave the United Kingdom now, and what was the point of it all anyway?” As constituencies like Canterbury kicked out Conservative MPs for the first time in nearly a hundred years, and political heavyweights including Nick Clegg and Alex Salmond suffered defeats, we were left with a hung parliament.

It’s important to analyse the results carefully, and not get swept into a wave

June 21st: Queen’s Speech The formal announcement of the British government’s legislative programme commences two days later than initially planned due to the hung parliament.

June 19th: Brexit negotiations begin EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier meets Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis for the first round of Brexit negotiations.

September 5th: Parliament returns The House of Commons resumes after a two and a half week hiatus.

September 12th: ‘Power grab’ passes A motion allowing the Conservative Party to command a majority on crucial legislative committees passes through the house despite huge criticism.

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A major battleground, perhaps not predicted in the build-up, was Scotland.

The SNP lost 21 seats, with the Tories gaining 12, Labour 6 and the Liberal Democrats 3. Tim Farron’s party hadn’t done as well as hoped, and failed to capitalise on any anti-Brexit sentiment in the country. It appears the UK has slid toward being a two-party state once again.

And what about Wales? Well, Labour walked it, gaining three seats from the Tories. Plaid Cymru captured Ceredigion from the Lib Dems, but it really was Labour’s night. This resounding Welsh success was epitomised by the result in Cardiff North, where Labour’s Anna McMorrin gained 7,000 votes to gazump Tory Craig Williams. However you interpret the national result, Cardiff is undoubtedly red.

...then a summer of unknowns followed...

June 26th: Conservatives do deal with DUP ‘There’s no magic money tree’, but the Tories find £1 billion from somewhere in a deal with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party.

Connor Holohan

of euphoria or excitement. Despite not being delivered the mandate she craved, Theresa May’s Conservative Party did win 42.3% of the popular vote, up 5.5% on their 2015 victory. Where they lost ground was in turning that extraordinary popular vote share into seats.

Contrary to the doom and gloom squad in the Labour Party, and the vast majority of pollsters, Jeremy Corbyn delivered results across the country that were beyond campaigners’ wildest dreams. Labour won 40% of the popular vote and gained 30 seats from their 2015 total. That said, they were still 55 short of the Conservatives. Corbyn had excelled expectation, but not beaten the Tories to government, and not dented their popular vote share despite what many in Tory HQ describe as the worst election campaign ever.

ooking forward, despite immense speculation over the summer about the security of her position, Theresa May is likely to limp through to March 2019 when Brexit is due to conclude. Most Eurosceptic MPs fear that a coup before 2019 could damage Brexit negotiations, and will therefore back May despite their misgivings about her since the snap election.

As May is expected to step down or be forced out in 2019, the press will continue to analyse possible leadership candidates. David Davis, Amber Rudd, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Phillip

July 8th: Moggmentum time Tory backbencher Jacob ReesMogg finds himself getting a lot of friendly press over the summer, with many tipping him to lead the party after Theresa May. August 18th: Khan won’t speak at conference.

A source in the Labour Party reveals London mayor Sadiq Khan won’t be invited to speak at party conference to the dismay of many in the party.

September 13th: Opposition motions pass Just a day later, the DUP back Labour’s motions in favour of increases to NHS pay and against rise in tuition fees to deliver big blow to May’s slender government.

June 14th: Grenfell disaster Fire engulfs a 24-storey block of flats. 71 people perish. The local Conservative council come under criticism for maintenance of standards of health and safety.

July 17th: Second round of Brexit negotiations Davis and Barnier’s teams negotiate again, with citizens rights and the UK’s Brexit Bill of paramount importance.

July 24th: Welsh Aseembly summer recess The Welsh Assembly takes its summer recess, due to resume on 17th September.

September 14th: Parliamentary recess (again) Just nine days after returning from the summer recess, Parliament rises again.

June 9th: May stays on Theresa May expected a landslide. Instead, her election call put her job on the precipice. Other Tories sharpened their knives, but the PM held firm in the face ridicule.

July 20th: Parliamentary recess The House of Commons takes its summer recess.

July 20th: Cable becomes Lib-Dem leader Vince Cable is appointed leader of the Lib Dems just six weeks after being reelected as an MP. Nobody stands against him in leadership election.

September 16th: Conference season Party Conference season begins as all major parties host their annual events. Many are in a much different position to where they were a year ago .

...so, what happens next?

Hammond will be among those vetted by the press, as Tories who hope to appear loyal will have to watch what they say to the media.

Meanwhile, there is much to be seen about how much Labour’s change in stance to favour a ‘soft’ Brexit will play with their voters in the North and other Eurosceptic hotspots.

Brexit negotiations will continue to be turbulent, the Brexit Secretary has said, and both the House of Commons and House of Lords will fight viciously over the EU Withdrawal Bill. The bill, which transfers all EU law into British law, is seen as an essential tool for

keeping Brexit on time. The bill is criticised by some for allowing the government too much unchecked power.

The bill invokes ‘Henry VIII powers’, effectively allowing ministers to bypass parliament, when changing laws brought back from the EU. There will be many MPs who rebel against their party whips during the readings of the Bill.

Although it has passed through its first reading in the Commons, the government has no majority there, nor in the House of Lords, and the fighting between and within the parties is likely to be long and ugly.

POLITICS 19 WALES

Devolution celebrates 20 year anniversary

Devolution provides a greater voice for Welsh politics and society, and therefore means a greater outlook for Wales.

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George Cook

Lewis Reynolds

represent individual constituencies, and 20 are chosen to represent the five regions of Wales. Assembly Members represent their area which are subsequently elected to govern on devolved powers, which in the case of Wales are: Education; Envrionment; Health; Social Care; Housing; Local Government; Agriculture; Forestry; Fishing; Fire and Rescue Services; Highways and Transport.

Devolution provides a greater voice for Welsh politics and society, and therefore means a greater outlook for Wales, as a newly formed assembly enabled a more inclusive and acquiescent deliverance of politics. A corporate body structure proved to be problematic however. The difficulties experienced by the minority Labour administration in securing consistent agreement from other parties in the Assembly, and the replacement of the First Secretary in February 2000, highlighted the need for constitutional change and stability.

A report in 2004 stated that the Assembly’s ability to achieve its legislative requirements since 1999 had been hampered by practical difficulties. It

argued that problems within the Assembly could be overcome by enhancing the National Assembly’s legislative powers to levels similar to those of the Scottish Parliament. The report influenced the content of the UK Labour Government’s White Paper, Better Governance for Wales, published in June 2005. This became the backbone

of the Government of Wales Act in 2006, allowing the National Assembly powers to make laws for Wales in defined areas.

Devolved powers have continued in recent years, and in March 2011, the Welsh electorate once again voted in favour of further powers to the National Assembly.

Do we want further powers? A debate

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ales has had its own Assembly in Cardiff since the successful devolution referendum in 1997, yet the settlement has proved to be rather incomplete, resulting in an evolutionary process in comparison to the original settlement.

After the Richard Commission in 2006, separating legislative and executive powers, the Welsh Assembly did manage to achieve some more useful

functions in terms of law making. Despite this, more powers need to be devolved, in order to give the Welsh Government more autonomy and control over policy direction and social issues.

Although it is anticipated the Assembly will eventually receive taxation powers like Scotland, they are yet to be included in the current arrangement.

This is a significant limitation due to the limited amount of

money the Welsh Government currently has available to spend. If they had powers to increase taxation, extra money could be made available to spend on vital services.

Furthermore, due to much higher levels of unemployment in many parts of Wales, more control over services available and employment opportunities would be of huge benefit to all regions.

Once again, much of the

modern and most recent discussions regarding devolution come down one thing: Brexit (like almost everything since the referendum last year). The powers that are currently possessed by the European Union, especially some farming measures, will be of better use in the hands of people in Wales than those in Westminster, who many believe are disconnected from the lives of ordinary Welsh communities.

he poor track record of Carwyn Jones’s Labour Party over issues such as healthcare, demonstrates why further Welsh devolution would be a bad idea. On average, patients in Wales must wait over 100 days longer than those in England for vital operations such as hip surgery.

This position only worsened between 2011 and 2015, as average waiting times increased by a fifth. To grant a govern-

ment that has continually failed to address this problem greater autonomy will see Wales fall even further behind the rest of the United Kingdom in healthcare and other policy areas.

The low turnouts in Wales for National Assembly Elections (normally between 38-46%), in comparison to the turnout in UK General Elections (average around 68%), also suggest further devolution is not required. This low turnout is

in part a result of dissatisfaction with the fact that Labour has held a hegemonic grip on power since 1999, but also reflects a 49% vote against the Welsh Assembly in the 1997 referendum. To grant further powers to a Labour dominated National Assembly who few actually support tramples over a substantial minority who look to governance from Westminster or those who are not Labour voters.

Further devolution would inevitably increase the associated governing bureaucracy.

This increases the likelihood of duplication and inefficiency as well as conflict between the Senedd and Westminster, and raises the costs of government during a period of reduced public spending.

I strongly believe political reform is needed in the United Kingdom, but devolution is not the correct way to go about it.

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Pictured: The Senedd Chamber Source: Chris Bewick (via Flickr)

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Most recent discussions regarding devolution come down to one thing: Brexit

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Low turnouts in Wales for Assembly elections suggest further devolution is not required

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evolution, the process by which powers are transferred from the UK parliament to the Welsh Assembly Government. For twenty years the Welsh Assembly has been at the heart of Wales and devolution since the 1997 Welsh Referendum; which established the National Assembly as a corporate body with the government and assembly operating as one body.

Devolution within Wales has not been resigned to the 20th and 21st century however. Despite the events

by Owain Glyndwr in 1400, and the 1536 Acts of Union, the campaign for a measure of home rule for Wales gained momentum during the 19th century, with the creation of a series of Welsh public institutions at the end of the Victorian period and the beginning of the 20th century. Pressure for more formal political devolution grew in the years after World War Two. Whilst an initial vote in Wales took place on 1 March 1979, hindering the quest for devolution, by 1997 the Welsh people voted in favour of the National Assembly.

The Assembly is made up of 60 elected members. Forty are chosen to

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Hannah Woodward

20

SCIENCE

science

#GRScience science@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/science

Statins could lower risk of dying from breast cancer by almst 40% Rachael Hutchings

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n a ground-breaking new advance in research, scientists have found that the daily statins many people take to lower blood pressure and fight heart disease can also drastically reduce the risk of breast cancer cases becoming incurable. The study suggested that the cholesterol-lowering drug could massively condense the risk of dying as a result of breast cancers by as much as 38%.

The discovery was presented earlier this week by a study team from the National Cancer Centre in Beijing, and has reformed a sense of hope and optimism in the 50,000 women who are each year diagnosed with the disease in the United Kingdom. With current figures showing that one in eight women will develop some form of breast cancer in their lifetime, it is evidently the most commonly diagnosed disease of its type.

Pictured: Petri Dish Source: Drew Hays (via Unsplash )

One in eight women will develop some form of breast cancer in their lifetime

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Breast cancer patients who took the lipophilic form of statins were less likely to see their cancer return.

Despite an increase in survivors due to medical advances, nearly 1,000 women in the UK die a month from breast cancer. Rachel Rawson, who performs as a Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist at Breast Cancer Care, shared that in her experience “every day we hear that for many women, fear of their breast cancer coming back or spreading never goes away” and this new study follows previous research earlier this year which revealed that breast cancer patients who took the lipophilic form of statins were less likely to see their cancer return.

Professor Arnie Purushotham, a senior clinical advisor for Cancer Research

advised that it is perhaps too early for this research to paint a clear picture. The new study’s findings which were offered at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, looked at seven prevailing pieces of research covering over 197,000 women.

Overall, researchers found that the use of any statins reduced risk of death from breast cancer by 27%, and death from any cause by 28%.

However, lipophilic statin (the most common

type of this particular drug) showed a predominantly strong protective effect in breast cancer patients, compared with hydrophilic statins, which had a far more feeble outcome.

Although this news comes as a positive and pleasant surprise on the whole, many medical professionals and other UK cancer charity members were also approaching the information with cautious excitement. Baroness Delyth Morgan, CEO of Breast Cancer Now, met the new study with

positivity, but called for more research to take place into the drug’s side effects. She stated that “this study adds to the emerging picture that some statins could be useful for treating breast cancer, but we would need to see clinical trials to answer this question definitively”.

She added that “while this research suggests some benefit of lipophilic statins in preventing earlier deaths… their effect in the long-term remains unclear and further investigation of the risks and benefits is now needed.”

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Your science questions answered

Stephanie Ma

What’s at the bottom of the ocean?

It is surprising to note that up until this day, 95% of the ocean is actually unexplored. Getting to the bottom of the ocean has proven to be exceedingly difficult, such that scientists resort to sending unmanned devices such as scouts, hydrophones and remotely operated vehicles in search for answers. Ranging from bizarre marine species such as the transparent-head barreleye fish to a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s made by crustaceans, these amazing discoveries, however, only revealed a tiny fraction of the strange yet amazing world hidden underneath the billowing waves.

Why is the sky blue?

When the sun’s light reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, it is scattered or deflected in all directions by all the gases and particles in the air. Located at the short-wavelength end of the visible spectrum, blue light travels as shorter, smaller waves and is therefore more strongly scattered than other long-wavelength colors in the atmosphere. Therefore, when we look towards parts of the sky other than the sun, the human eye perceives them to be blue.

Can sleeping in a fridge kill you?

A refreshing escape from big-city summers might essentially be a good night’s sleep in the fridge, but don’t do it – it might actually kill you. When closed, these devices are air-tight, leaving the person trapped inside with a limited supply of oxygen and an eventual death by suffocation. Since early refrigerators could only be opened from the outside, refrigerator deaths were not uncommon for children in the States before the passage of the Refrigerator Safety Act in 1956. Luckily, modern designs are equipped with a magnetic mechanism that can be opened from the inside.

SCIENCE

21

Hurricane Harvey: A signifer of worse to come

Sarah Harris

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X-ray body scanners... could potentially lead to health problems such as cancer or miscarriage.

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treme rainfall, that when coupled with the higher sea level, can result in far more powerful storms and hurricanes. These disasters are increasing in number too, as natural disasters relating to climate

change – droughts, forest fires, mass flooding – were at an all-time high last year at 749 separate recorded events.

Climate change has a further reaching impact than is seen immediately. The Syrian civil war and the refugee crisis that followed, though seemingly unrelated, are directly connected to the effects of climate change.

One of t h e main

causes of the conflict, was a terrible drought – one of the country’s worst. Millions of rural workers were driven into cities, straining their infrastruc-

ture, while widespread crop shortage left many without food. Water supplies remain low to this day.

The problem isn’t going away, either. 2016 stands as the hottest year to date, taking the title from the year before.

Climate change is an escalating issue, one caused by human production and consumption. 9 out of 10 climate scientists agree that global warming is real and caused by carbon emissions.

The problem is solvable, however, particularly with the current meteoric rise of solar energy.

In 2010, the cost of generating solar energy was $300 per megawatt-hour.

Today, it stands at only $100.

The cost of solar panels has plummeted as more countries invest in an energy source that is cheap and projected to become even cheaper, endlessly renewable, and does not negatively impact the environment.

Along with wind, solar energy presents one of several viable ways we can make a difference and set the climate on the right course.

It will take dedication from the entire world, however, and if we fail to meet the demand, the recent slew of extreme weather will become an increasingly familiar reality.

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Climate change is an escalating issue, one caused by human production and consumption.

Are Airport body scanners safe?

n a post 9/11 world, security is as tight and present as ever. Within 2017 alone, the world has suffered from devastating attacks in Manchester, Spain, Paris and Germany just to name a few. In 2007, airports all over the universe introduced full body scanners, which in most places replaced metal detectors. With terrorist attacks on the rise, it is no surprise that governments are taking extreme precautions to keep their people safe from radical groups.

Despite this, since the use of body scanners became a must in airports, many people have been adamant in pointing out both the health and privacy implications on the matter.

Full–body scanners or Millimetre Wave scanners mainly use nonionizing electromagnetic radiation.

Although, in various airports across the world, backscatter X-ray ma-

chines are used which are scrutinized for their penetrating radiation waves. In 2011 it was found that some full-body scanners in the US were emitting 10 times the level of radiation they usually do. It is often advised by airports that young children and pregnant women do not pass through full-body scanners at airports and are instead recommended to have a ‘pat down’ instead.

The effects of these scanners may not be extreme and instant, however it could have an adverse effect on a frequent flier. Several world-renowned biochemists have addressed letters to Dr. John Holdren, the US President of Science and Technology, expressing their concerns on the long-term impacts of X-ray body scanners and how they could potentially lead to health problems such as cancer or miscarriage.

Of course, not only is society concerned about the health implications but also the matter of privacy.

With high security becoming more and more of a priority due to the recent terrorist attacks, it is surprising that some are still questioning the practicality of airport scanners. ‘Pat downs’ are an alternative, however, privacy is still an issue, as there is a narrow difference between both measures. Is this the new norm? A society where privacy no longer exists? In 2010 it was reported that a female traveler at For Lauderdale Airport decided against a full-body scan and was as a result handcuffed to a chair and her boarding ticket torn apart. It brings us to question whether these full-body checks are doing more harm than good?

It is clear that although the health consequences may not be as severe

as perceived by many people, the breach of privacy as a result of fullbody scanners is imminent. However, with it becoming increasingly dangerous to travel via airplanes due to the threat of terrorism, it’s important to enforce such measures and prevent further travesty.

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Tweet us, email us, or message us with your questions.

Are we alone in the universe?

Pictured: Hurricane Harvey Source: NASA (via Unsplash )

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Christopher Jones

he recent devastation in Texas following the arrival of Hurricane Harvey, the first major hurricane to touch the country since 2005, maybe labelled one of the costliest hurricanes of its kind. In the interim, Hurricane Irma has torn through the Caribbean, destroying whole islands and uprooting communities, while hurricanes Jose and Katia are following close behind.

The two category 4 hurricanes have emerged in the same relative area, and all at once.

This may seem like a shocking turn of cruel luck for those who live there, but really, this is an unfortunate reminder that the current state of the climate, is a problem in dire need of solving. In recent years, climate change has made global weather and weather events sporadic and dangerous.

It’s well known that climate change is warming the planet, causing ice caps, such as those in Greenland in Antarctica, to melt and cause global sea levels to rise.

The immediate effect of this is an increase in coastal flooding, and warmer oceans are causing more humidity.

This in turn leads to more ex-

The Earth may not be the only life-sustaining planet in the universe. From Mars to planets countless light years away, astronomers have embarked on different journeys to search for places where water worlds might have given rise to intelligent extraterrestrial civilizations.

Advanced astronomical technology has enabled the discovery of new exoplanets and scientists such have claimed to have enough evidence proving that aliens have certainly existed at some point in cosmic history. Perhaps we are not alone, but the next few decades will most certainly be an exciting age of revolution on the astrobiology front.

Can a penny falling from the Empire State Building kill you?

A coin only weighs about one gram and it tumbles as it hits the ground. Due to its light weight and the tumbling action, there is so much air resistance, such that the penny doesn’t really pick up that much speed before reaching its terminal velocity. Instead of boring into your head like a bullet, a gram of weight traveling at a relatively slow speed will only give your head a light sting. You’ll definitely live.

How do whales and dolphins sleep without drowning?

Underwater dwelling mammals such as whales and dolphins are not equipped with gills like fish, therefore their sleep patterns are also different. Observation of wild whales and dolphins have revealed that marine mammalian sleeping methods can be roughly divided into two categories. When sleeping, whales and dolphins rest quietly in the water either vertically or horizontally, or sleep whilst swimming on the side of another animal.

Pictured: Luggage before a flight Source: Skitterphoto (via Pixabay)

22 SCIENCE HEALTH

Freshers Flu or Meningitis?

Don’t ignore the symptoms

Louange Lubangu

Pictured: Sympotoms to be on the lookout for (Source: Meningitis Research Foundation)

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reshers flu or not freshers flu?

That really is the question. It is not uncommon for one to mistake the sometimes deadly meningitis, for the less severe but equally disruptive freshers flu. So what is the difference exactly? And can one evade this fresher’s flu?

Freshers flu does exactly what it says on the tin, it is an influenza virus that affects first year students or ‘freshers’. The flu spreads rapidly due to a large number of students being in one place at one time. With plenty of interaction between the students, this is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, headaches and high temperature. Such symptoms normally subside after a week, ac-

cording to the NHS choices.

Meningitis on the other hand, though initially appearing alike, is dissimilar on various levels. This infection is one that affects the protective barrier along the spinal cord and around the brain. As mentioned earlier, this infection is deadly, therefore it is crucial to acknowledge the signs and seek the right help. According to the Meningitis Research Foundation, the symptoms are: fever, rash, severe headache, seizures and delusion to name a few.

The question remains thus: can this influenza be avoided? Perhaps not, but the power to stop it from spreading is in your hands… literally.

The most common way for germs to spread, is through the hands.

A study carried out by the University of Colorado, USA, found that by simply employing the use of alcohol hand sanitisers, the health of the students improved, reducing illness symptoms by 14.8%-39.9%.

As a result, lecture attendance improved as there was a total of 43% fewer absences.

The

experiment included 430 students from the university split into control groups and product groups.

The product groups were supplied with hand sanitisers to use, in every room, bathroom and dining hall.

The data collected from each group were then compared to measure the overall effect of improved hand hygiene. In conclusion to this study, the conductors of the study explain: “Teaching appropriate hand-hygiene practices can promote wellness and have numerous benefits in a wide variety of settings including learning institutions such as child-care centers, elementary and high schools, and universities.”

It is evident that bacteria lurks around everywhere and it is impossible to see by the naked eye, but don’t underestimate it’s power.

Bacteria can undergo binary fission at an impressive rate, in fact; “One single bacterium can multiply into more than eight million cells in less than 24 hours.”. With this in mind, it then becomes a necessity to invest in antibacterial cleaning products around the home, paying particular attention to the areas that are more susceptible to bacterial growth. Although it is suspected that the most unclean part of the house is the toilet, the truth is that it is actually the kitchen sink that harbours the most bacterial growth. According to the NHS, the kitchen sink contains 100,000 times more bacteria than the bathroom. Ensuring the communal areas are clean and sanitised, will result in one being less likely to catch the virus.

Registering with a Surgery is quick and easy, you can find your nearest surgery on the Cardiff University website, under ‘New Students’.

Although all students in Cardiff University Accomodation are required to register for a GP before collecting their key, this is not the case for non-university residences.

Finally, another means by which the dreaded freshers flu can be stopped from spreading is by drinking more water. Ditch the Coca Cola, give Starbucks a break, and opt for some calorie free water. Water is known to improve the immune system, and flush out the bad types of bacteria that can be harmful to our health. It is recommended that one should drink around “six or eight 8-ounce glasses of water or other fluid every day”, according to WebMD.

Pictured: Someone sneezing (Source: Mojpe via Pixabay)

Local Surgeries around Cardiff Uni North Road Medical Practice 182 North Road Gabalfa Cardiff CF14 3XQ 029 2061 9188 Cathays Surgery 137 Cathays Terrace Cardiff CF24 4HU 029 2035 3020

Salisbury Road Surgery 92 Salisbury Road Cathays Cardiff CF24 4AE 029 2037 9500

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The City Surgery 187 City Road Roath Cardiff CF24 3WD 029 2043 7980

The Penylan Surgery 74 Penylan Road Cardiff CF23 5SY 029 2049 8181

NEWS

6

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24

ADVICE

advice

#GRAdvice advice@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/advice

How to make the most out of Freshers’ Week

Gemma Gibson

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Finally, make the most of your Freshers’ Week by getting to know the wonderful city of Cardiff.

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reshers’ Week- the week that every university student counts down to. A week of partying, making new friends, and learning all about the place you will be calling ‘home’ for the upcoming years. Moving to a completely new city, however, can be pretty daunting. You are saying goodbye to the easy life; indulging in Mum’s cooking every day, meeting up with the regular friendship circle for a gossip and winging your way through your A Levels. It is now time to stand on your own two feet and move away from home, to (rest assured) begin the best years of your life. Freshers’ is the golden week before the hard work- the time to settle in before the essay deadlines, the immense reading lists, and the all-nighters at the library begin.

So make your Freshers’ Week count.

The hardest part about moving to university is gaining the courage to get out there and make friends.

Once you’re unpacked and settled into your halls, meet your neighbours, because these amazing peo-

ple are your family for the next nine months. Within one night it will be like you have known each other for months, so bite the bullet and make the first move. And don’t just stay in your flat- go knock on the doors of the surrounding halls and see if they want to join you for a night out. Freshers’ is renowned for big nights out spent essentially with strangers, but by the time you are heading home with a Fattoush in tow (the best takeaway for Talybont residents) you will all be the best of friends.

Collecting your student card is another important part of Freshers’ Week. This small piece of plastic will be what you need to carry around with you at all times in order to successfully power through university life. Inevitably, you will be hungover when getting your photo taken, but hold back the nausea for thirty seconds to smile and disguise your sweaty, green complexion. This will be your identity for the next three years, after all. There is always a

small wait when collecting student cards and getting your photo taken, so use this time productively to explore the Student Union, head into the city centre, or just cram in that much needed nap.

The main components of university (apart from your degree obviously) are the societies and sport teams that are on offer. There is something for everyone, so whether you want to continue a hobby or try something new, make sure you head down to the Freshers’ Fair to find out about the latest clubs and how to sign up.

And you can do this while collecting as many freebies as humanly possible. Sweets, cakes, pens, vouchers, Dominos- even if you explore Freshers’ Fair with no intention of signing up to anything, you will leave with an array of goodies. Most of the sports and societies offer a Give It A Go session, so students have the chance to trial a club or class before investing in the year membership.

Do not fret about trying these sessions on your own; you will probably

have a lot in common with other participants, so these sessions are the best place to make new friends.

Finally, make the most of your Freshers’ Week by getting to know the wonderful city of Cardiff. Now is the time to explore the secret gems of the capital such as the arcades that are bursting with vintage fashion and cream tea, or you could weave through St. David’s Shopping Centre from top to bottom. Source the best places for a night out, or where boasts the cheapest food and drink. Get to know your way around Bute Park, which in the summer becomes BBQ central. From locating the best venue for a boozy night of karaoke, to the best place to find fancy dress or do your food shop (Lidl), use Freshers’ to explore Cardiff inside and out.

The main way to make the most of Freshers’ Week is to get out there and explore your beautiful new city, learn about the university and take part in everything, even if it only slightly takes your fancy- and as a bonus you will make friends for life along the way.

Pictured: The best places to visit in Cardiff.

Source: [Top Left] MargaretD [Bottom Left] juliaavisphillips [Top Right] TomosArcher1 -80 [Bottom Right] Tidy

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ADVICE

25

The best way to bag yourself a banging job after you graduate W hen it comes to writing CVs and cover letters, most of my friends have come to me for help. To add a bit of context, let’s just say I freak out about my future a lot. Thus, I am always on top of CV updates and always checking job sites despite the fact that I’m staying in Cardiff University for one more year to do a Masters’ course. It also helps having a teacher as a father who has always stressed the importance of taking note of your achievements. Also, my LinkedIn profile has an ‘All-Star’ rating, so hear me out if you’re graduating this year and hoping to get hired promptly!

Start writing your CV as soon as possible. Keep your CV as simple

Pictured: [Left] Woman at work Source: FirmBee (via Pixabay) [Top right] Mind map on ‘How to write a CV’ Source: quinntheislande r (via Pixabay)

as possible. Make sure you state your GCSEs, A Levels (or college equivalent) and University academic achievements. Employers and recruiters are also very interested in your hobbies, external achievements and skills. If you know how to speak another language, this can be seen as a plus in many jobs, as it shows you are able to communicate in various cultural groups. By stating that you even tried to learn a foreign language (even in school) will make you an appealing candidate. If you’re feeling confident, try adding an adequate photo of yourself at the top of your CV. However, I do stress that you should think about this twice depending on the course you studied and the line of work you are trying to go into. For example, if the job you’re applying to involve a lot of human interaction, employers like to see a photo of candidates smiling to give a sense of reassurance that you are a ‘peoples person’. Just make sure you add a professional-looking photograph – not a selfie.

Again, I stress the idea of writing your CV as soon as possible if you are hoping to get a grad job straight after uni. Why? Because many job openings open early in the year and deadlines close long before employ-

Sex and the Diff Let’s talk about Sex!

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1 in 4 young people develop an STI during their first year and in my opinion that’s one too many

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Sarah Harris

F

resher’s week marks a lot of ‘first time’ moments for many people, from the first time you live alone, the first time you do your own laundry or your first kiss. A lot of freshers go to University with the assumption that everyone will be highly experienced in both the relationship and bedroom department when often this isn’t the case.

I remember one of the first conversations I had with my flat mates a few days in to the term was about sex.

At the time only 2 of my housemates were in committed relationships with one being engaged, and the

other having been with his partner since the Justin Bieber era. I myself had just gotten out of a long-term relationship and was downright set on focusing on my academic future and leaving ‘love’ to the side. Nonetheless, a few weeks into University and the ‘who slept with who’ game was becoming complicated and hard to keep up with.

In a world full of sexual freedom, developing human rights and strawberry milkshake flavored condoms, it was nice to see everyone feeling comfortable in their own skin and exploring their new found bounda-

ers choose their ideal candidate. So, always make sure you have a masterfully crafted CV at the ready when eyeing job openings.

There are many websites that focus on jobs that are related to your specific course or desired line of work, but the best employment-oriented site I can recommend is LinkedIn. The website is free (premium membership also available) and allows you to create an online and public CV, ‘add’ people that work in your desired job industry, and you can show off your portfolio and skills. The site easily allows employers

and recruiters to headhunt people by quickly skimming through their profile, instead of the traditional sendyour-CV-and-cover-letter-shabang.

The site also recommends you a number of jobs postings that revolve around the ‘interests’ that you chose when creating your profile. Many millennial-steered companies, such as the BBC, prefer LinkedIn accounts instead of the traditional method of applying for postings, as it is much quicker and efficient for them. Therefore you won’t regret creating your own account.

ries but regardless, chlamydia was spreading around faster than the fresher’s flu and it was alarming.

I know at this point you may be thinking, oh here goes another person giving us the same old boring talk about STIs but in reality, 1 in 4 young people develop an STI during their first year, and in my opinion that’s one too many. Having accompanied more than a handful of friends to the Royal Infirmary for their free STI screening and sat with another handful whilst they waited for the little stick they peed on to tell them whether they were pregnant or not, I seriously began to question why young people weren’t taking there sexual health seriously?

It’s clear that despite advancements we’re making in a more liberated society, some people just need to reaffirm their basic knowledge and hence the purpose of this article.

It may come as no surprise to you that the main way to practice safe sex is sat in a bucket in the SU. Yes, condoms are to be your new best friends during fresher’s week and beyond.

That is unless you want mini versions of you running around whilst you try to complete your dissertation or your junk to smell a bit funky.

It is still however possible to spread an STI with the use of condoms and that’s why if you do ever practice unsafe sex, it’s best to go get yourself checked out as soon as you can. Symptoms of STIs such as Chlamydia can often go weeks unnoticed and sometimes even months, but can have a serious impact on

your fertility and can lead to further problems such as UTIs and Inflamed Testicles (not the best thing to have when things are going well with your Tinder date).

Females who want to take further precautions can always schedule an appointment at the Family Planning Clinic where they’ll discuss different forms of hormonal contraceptives from the pill to IUDs. I’ll point out now that you shouldn’t always rely on the other person to have protection as it’s not their job, and the possibilities of what may happen are the results of both people consenting.

It’s not hard to practice safe sex, especially with free condoms and check ups available to everyone. So go wild and make the most out of our tinder obsessed society but remember to take pre-cautions.

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Just make sure you add a professionallooking photograph – not a selfie

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Marielle Wilkinson

Pictured: [Left] Young couple Source: stokpic (via Pixabay ) [Right] Condoms Source: kerryank (via Pixabay)

26

ADVICE

Badvice: How to pass first year without actually going to lectures Sarah Harris

Pictured: You don’t actually have to go to your lectures in first year.

Source: Wokandapix (via Pixabay)

Alice Dent

Pictured: Alice Dent, giving you the advice you need (Photographer Charlie Knights)

S

most of you will still manage to continue on to second year despite the fact that you started most of your essays just 12 hours before the submission deadline and were slightly tipsy.

I even had one friend who turned up to an exam drunk and still managed to come out of it with 98 percent.

Although at this point the key to passing seems like it would be alcohol, it’s a lot simpler and less damaging to your body. Keeping on top of your emails is essential to making sure you don’t miss the rare lectures that you actually need to attend or change of any deadlines.

You might also want to cozy up to that one person who always attends

Ask Alice:

tarting university and moving away from the comfort of your family home is an undeniably daunting prospect. Luckily, there is no better time than Freshers’ week to throw yourself into making new friends.

First up, give the people you’re living with a chance. First impressions are not always the most accurate when nerves take over, and remember that even the loudest person in your house may be missing home.

Resist the urge to compare your flatmates to your long-term home friends, as this is unfair and a futile exercise. It may take a while for the people you live with to relax and the bravado to wear off.

There is a ton of pressure that comes with starting university, and you may feel embarrassed to admit how many people you have (not) slept with, or which drugs you have (not) taken. Don’t believe everything that’s said in “Never Have I Ever”. Some people will try and create a new identity for themselves, but this can only last so long. In my first week at university, I panicked and said that I smoked. Someone handed me a cigarette and I lit it at the wrong end… to the bemusement

lectures and bombard them on Facebook with questions because you had a ‘cold’ and couldn’t ‘leave your bed all weekend.’

It’ll most likely be that one mature student in your whole year group and who also without fail, sticks their hand up at the end of every lecture when your professor asks if ‘anyone has any questions?’ which everyone clearly knows means, ‘you can start packing your bag and get the hell out of here so I can start making my way down to the pub.’

You’ve probably gathered by now, attending lectures and seminars really aren’t important. We live in 2017 people, everything is available at the

click of a button so really, I mean it when I say you don’t need to go to those 9AM lectures on a cold Wednesday morning for a whole year.

It’s clearly not hard to pass all your modules in first year, I mean you did manage to make it in to a Russell Group University, so most of you could probably make it through in your sleep or alternatively with the aid of coffee and lots of last minute planning.

So see this as an opportunity to spend your entire maintenance loan on cheap Tesco branded booze and cheesy chips from Family Fish bar putting yourself in an alarming amount of debt for no reason.

“What shall I do if I don’t get on with my flatmates?”

of the people around me. This is not recommended. The best advice I could give is to be honest with people. The likelihood is that they are thinking exactly the same thing as you are.

If the people in your flat really aren’t your cup of tea, all is not lost.

Knock at the doors of different flats in your block and introduce yourself.

As well as this, don’t forget about the Societies Fair. This is a fantastic opportunity to find people with similar interests to you. Most societies will run taster sessions in the first couple of weeks, so go along and meet people that float your boat. Aside from this, you will definitely share common interests with the people on your course, so strike up a conversation with those sat next to you in a lecture. Exchange names so you can add them on Facebook later; social media can work wonders in forging those friendships early on. During my first Freshers’ week I would meet people on nights out and write their names in my phone with the intention of adding them the next day.

Suffice to say this usually ended in a jumbled note saying: “Lcuy Eeew-

vans. Girl with preety dress xx”. Oh Lucy from Glam toilets, I guess we’ll never know what our friendship could have been.

If all else fails, Cardiff University offer a fantastic student support service if you have any problems with settling in. Keep in mind that everyone is in the same boat, and will be experiencing similar emotions

to you in the coming weeks. Take every opportunity that comes your way and give those around you a chance – even if on first impressions they may not present themselves as a likely friend. University is all about mixing with people that you have little or no common ground with, but they usually make the most interesting new friends. Good luck!

‘‘

Oh Lucy from Glam toilets, I guess we’ll never know what our friendship could have been.

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I

n my honest opinion, first year is a bit pointless from an academic point of view. You’re basically paying a whopping 9K to spend your mornings recovering from the results of last nights outing to Pryzm.

I guarantee you’ll leave over 95% of your lectures in the 5 minute break to go sit in the SU and listen to your mate tell you about the lad she met last night from Cardiff Met. I think overall, I probably went to 1 in 10 lectures in first year and somehow, I still shockingly managed to pass.

The first year of University is basically a chance for you to get to grips with your new home and increase your alcohol tolerance. I guarantee,

column

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27

@KnightsCharlie | #AskAtYourOwnRisk gairrhydd.com/category/advicecolumn

Dear Freshers, Good luck!

ou pull up in the front seat of your mum’s Nissan Qashqai, staring wide eyed at the thousand steps of the students’ union, big and brown. The glamour of Main Building sits behind you, and you look forward to having all your lectures there in those halls of real grown up study (you study English Lit, you won’t ever be in there). The streets throng with a thousand new students, some with parents teary eyed fussing over them, some just wondering around with a map and a backpack. You get cat-called by the promoters from places that you can’t tell whether they are club nights or new street names for drugs (what the heck is Mode anyway).

Eventually you find your way to your halls. Nine times out of ten you are in the student council estate that makes up Talybont, and you are guided through a series of forms changing doctor’s surgery and registering. “What a smart idea!” your mother will inevitably exclaim, happy to know that her not-so-little darling will be looked after when they get the sniffles, or chlamydia.

You get your keys, which you can already attach three bottle openers from those goody-bags you somehow seem to be holding six of - even though you swear you turned them all down?

You find your flat, and move in.

This place is your new home, your paradise. Didn’t you hear, you have a cleaner? And your flat will be super nice, and you will all be best friends, and you won’t ever argue, and will cook for each other, and and and a

million other things that are running through your head at this point.

Until you find out somehow Dan has already been here three days and the kitchen smells faintly of weed, and Chloe has found out all your names and labelled every cupboard, with her matching cutlery, dishware, and cup set displayed proudly on the side.

Dear Fresher, oh ye noble and innocent one, we were all in your shoes. As much as myself and the rest of the elitist third years will pretend that we are older and wiser, we really aren’t. We may have been round the block a few times, but we still remember the fear that came with that week. We all remember the little cry you had on your first night missing your parents. We all remember the first time we got to Y Plas for a club night and was confused by everything that’s going on (what the heck is a YOYO?). We all remember over enthusiastically signing up for a million clubs and societies and hating your freshly acquired university inbox for the rest of the year.

But welcome to Charlie Knights’ patent pending list of advice for you, my soon-to-be avid reader.

Do not be afraid to ask for help.

Throughout the week, you will see a host of people in brightly coloured tops, exclaiming that they are one of a million different possible people within the union designated to helping you. Advice exec, give it a go, your Vice Presidents, these do just sound like words I know, but they are all great people with a whole

mess of training to tell you where to go and help you find the interpretive dance workshop you aren’t quite sure why you are doing at 9 on a Thursday morning. The brighter the top, the more trustworthy really, and if it’s a polo they probably know what they are doing.

Go to the club nights, but also everything else. Put down that book that is the last on your reading list, literally it probably won’t make any difference. This is your one week of no deadlines, of meeting the union and university you are going to be a part of for the next 3+ years! Go on an open topped bus with a stranger you met in the smoking area of Glam, go to all the freshers’ fairs, go to the Give It A Go for hiking or baking or comedy society. Join a sports team and do try-outs and the first session even if you aren’t at all sporty, the weirder the sport the better (what the heck is Korfball anyway).

Don’t listen when everyone takes the piss because you will be signing up for every club and society. You will walk into the Great Hall telling yourself that you would be different, you’ll only sign up for the ones you really want. Do not Pidgeon hole yourself like that! When I walked into those society fairs, I was sure what I wanted to be part of was my course based society, I wanted to play ice hockey, and I wanted to join an outdoorsy society. Now I am entering my third year and the only two groups I have consistently been a member of is that of Student Media (we are the best though) and A

Cappella (I cannot sing to save my life). Try something new, accept the flood of spam for the next year, it wouldn’t be first year without it.

Keep your door open, you don’t want to be the flatmate that is more interested in self lovin’ than keeping up with the rest of the people you will spend most of your year with. I can guarantee you will hate one of your housemates (I’m looking at you Chaz) but so what. That still leaves like 5 others, or maybe 13 others if you are up at Uni Halls.

Be civil, and try and be as relaxed as possible. The more rotas, rules, and regulations, the more arguments I found. Do what need’s doing when it needs doing. Sorry hun to burst your bubble, but you are a grown up now.

Finally, keep up to date with the union. Your union is fantastic, consistently being voted one of the best in the UK, and there is always something going on. It’s led by a team of officers who YOU elect and who will always be available to help.

It contains great places for food (Snack Shack Chicken Burger you are my one and only) and is at the end of the day an alright night out.

You’ll have to spend time there, so read the student paper, listen to the student radio station Xpress, check the What’s On section of the website.

Good luck my friends, this week will seem like stress and hell, but you will come out of it with some of the best friends of your life, and more Revs leaflets than you know what to do with.

Pictured: Moving to university is a bit of an experience...

Source: Cardiff Student Media

‘‘

Do what needs doing when it needs doing.

Sorry hun to burst your bubble, but you are a grown up now

‘‘

Charlie Knights

ASK AT YOUR OWN RISK

28

CAMPUS LIFE

campus life Tom Kelly VP Sport

Pictured: Cardiff University Students Union logo Source: @CardiffStudents (via Twitter) quinntheislander (via Pixabay) [LeftHhosHos(Photographer: Jeremy Segrott via Flickr)

Your sabbatical officers are an elected group of seven students who work full time to represent you on the issues that matter to students. This year Gair Rhydd thought they would get in contact and find out a bit more about the people behind the manifestos, and what makes the heads of the Students Union tick...

To find out more, look them up at cardiffstudents.com/yourvoice/elected-officers. There you can read their manifestos and official bios, and even use the campaign tracker to see how good a job they have been doing so far.

Introduce yourself (About you, your role and your plans for the year ahead.)

My name is Tom, I’m your Vice President Sport here at Cardiff University. I’ve just finished my Chemistry degree and I am crazy about sport my favourite being Ice Hockey.

My job this year is to represent your views on sport and support the running of the sports clubs in my capacity as Athletic Union President. So, if there is ever anything you think I can do to help, please let me know.

There are lots of things I want to do this year some of them include: increasing participation in sport, work with the University to invest in facilities and improving Inclusivity & Equality in sport. The first thing you might come across is the Out in Sport Campaign this aims to promote and improve the LGBT+ inclusiveness within sports clubs.

Who inspires you to be better?

As cheesy as it sounds, I’m going to say my friends. They’re amazing and they’ve helped me campaign for this position. They are my support network and my biggest reason to do better.

What is the best single day in the calendar?

Welsh Varsity is by far the best day in my calender; last year, 14,500 people attended watching 40 different sports compete. Highly recommended!

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning gold for?

Ice Hockey rules.

What is something you will never do again?

Run out of fuel whilst driving a minibus on a Students’ Union trip with all the other sabbatical officers.

What age do you wish you could permanently be?

19, never ending fun at university.

What would be your specialised subject on mastermind?

Ice Hockey rules.

If you could go back to freshers, what one piece of advice would you give to yourself?

Jump in and get involved, take every opportunity and also get a haircut sooner.

#GRCampusLife campuslife@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/campuslife

Lamorna Hooker VP Societies

Introduce yourself (About you, your role and your plans for the year ahead.)

Hi there! I’m Lamorna and I’m your Vice President Societies and I’ve just graduated in French and German. This year I’m going to give course-based societies more support to make them better, make non-student memberships to the Guild of Societies more accessible and lobby to transform the Great Hall to be better suited to the needs of societies.

Who inspires you to be better?

I am forever being inspired by my fellow students as there are so many amazing people at Cardiff University! I really want to do all I can to make societies the best they can be for everyone to enjoy them and develop themselves.

What is the best single day in the calendar?

I absolutely love Go Global, which is a celebration of all our different cultural societies at Cardiff Uni Students’ Union! It’s at the beginning of Cardiff Fringe week (also not to be missed) in March.

What songs have you completely memorized?

I’m a massive Disney fan, so I can sing all of Let It Go in both English and German!

What fictional place would you most like to live?

Neverland – I’ve always wanted to be a mermaid.

What TV show or movie do you refuse to watch?

Made In Chelsea (#sorrynotsorry) If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning gold for?

Watching Netflix – I’m a serial TV binger!!!

What is something you will never do again?

High ropes – I have a massive fear of heights and every time I do a high ropes course (it’s happened like 3 times). I am a mess!

If you could go back to freshers, what one piece of advice would you give to yourself?

Join a society!! Even if it’s just your course based society, it’s so so great to find people with similar interests to you and have something fun to do in the evenings – it’s also really good if you don’t get on with your housemates.

Kirsty Hepburn VP Heath Park

Introduce yourself (About you, your role and your plans for the year ahead.)

My name’s Kirsty and I am your new Vice President Heath Park. I have just finished four years of my medical degree, so at the end of this year I will return to my studies for one (hopefully only one, as long as I pass), final year before graduating!

Before coming to university I was a keen swimmer but decided to take up netball whilst at University instead. In general though, I love pretty much all things active and outdoors, unless it includes food, in which case I am happy inside or out!

My priorities for the Heath include: to develop Student Support and the availability of this service, to improve placements for students, to increase engagement with students, to develop bicycle parking facilities for students, and to increase awareness and improve social and kitchen spaces.

Who inspires you to be better?

Everyone I meet influences me in some way, so I don’t think I can name just one person.

What is the best single day in the calendar?

Christmas Day, not for the religious aspect, but because it is the one day in the calender year that the whole of the family priorities coming together and that’s one of the most special things for me.

What songs have you completely memorized?

Super human because when I was about 15 years old my best friend honestly played it on repeat 26 times (yes it was counted on itunes) and she still couldn’t get the words right; I however, have it ingrained forever.

What fictional place would you most like to live?

Hogwarts – I wanted to be Hermione for the majority of my childhood so much so that I cried when I realised I wasn’t going to be and my Mum told me that I had to stop reading Harry Potter for a while.

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning gold for?

Organising stuff? ... I’m not boring though, I promise!

If you could go back to freshers, what one piece of advice would you give to yourself?

Enjoy every minute!

CAMPUS LIFE

29

Meet your sabbatical officers for 2017-18

Find out who represents you on the issues that matter, their priorites, and which sabb does a great Ed Milliband impression...

Jake Smith VP Postgrad

Fadhila Al Dhahouri VP Education

Introduce yourself (About you, your role and your plans for the year ahead.)

I’m Jake, your Vice President Postgraduate Students. I’ve been elected to help lead the Students’ Union along with the other officers and specifically to represent all postgraduate students at Cardiff University. I studied Politics for my undergraduate degree at Cardiff before moving onto a Master’s degree in Public Policy. In my role I represent postgrads on university committees, in the union and campaign on postgraduate issues. Some of my priorities include supporting postgrads who teach in the university, helping undergraduates transition to postgraduate study, building a postgrad social community and campaigning to improve postgraduate welfare.

Introduce yourself (About you, your role and your plans for the year ahead.)

I am Fadhila, your Vice President Education. My role is to represent all 30,000 students on academic issues from feedback and assessments to providing more study spaces. I have a very ambitious manifesto and my main priorities are: Free printing for compulsory assessments and more e-assessments (which is done), No Saturday/late exams: Better timetabling, Lecture-recording implementation, Make the Student Academic Rep system more accessible, and Resolve the attainment gap issue of international students.

Who inspires you to be better?

The students who come to me for help with an issue.

What is the best single day in the calendar?

Eid (Muslim celebration). Because I can clearly see the many races, nationalities and cultures becoming one fabric across the globe, cherishing eachother’s happiness and joy.

What is the best single day in the calendar?

May the 4th.

What songs have you completely memorized?

Mr Brightside.

What TV show or movie do you refuse to watch?

Cardiff (The Doctor Who version) What TV show or movie do you refuse to watch?

Any horror films.

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning gold for?

Doing Ed Miliband impressions.

What is something you will never do again?

Run out of Nutella at home.

What age do you wish you could permanently be?

23 (current age) What would be your specialised subject on mastermind?

Star Wars If you could go back to freshers, what one piece of advice would you give to yourself?

Be brave and get involved, there’s so many opportunities for everyone in the union.

Who inspires you to be better?

Children, because they are very pure, authentic and genuine.

What songs have you completely memorized?

None. All I know are partly memorised.

What TV show or movie do you refuse to watch?

John Wick because its all just mindless violence and bloodshed.

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning gold for?

Memorisation (except songs lol) What is something you will never do again?

Living in a basement flat. Seriously, never do it, unless you love mould.

What age do you wish you could permanently be?

For now: 23 years old as I faced many challenges and I overcame them.

What would be your specialised subject on mastermind?

Genetics, because I studied it for 4 LOOONG years of my life.

If you could go back to freshers, what one piece of advice would you give to yourself?

I would find out what freshers was and make the most out of it! So don’t miss it, because you will miss out.

Nicholas Fox VP Welfare

Introduce yourself (About you, your role and your plans for the year ahead.)

I’m Nick Fox the Vice President Welfare here at the SU and I’m the youngest officer in the bowl. My main plans this year include implementing a Letting Agent review system, better sexual health access and awareness, and setting up a mental health Student Led Service. I was that guy that pestered you for a week in fox ears and a tail.

What is the best single day in the calendar?

Christmas day! Or Valentines – I love flowers and chocolate.

What songs have you completely memorized?

Apart from every Disney song ever... Lighthouse Family – High, it used to be our flat song in first year. I’m also one of those people who pretend they know all the words to songs on nights out but I really don’t manage to pull it off.

What fictional place would you most like to live?

Bit generic but Willy Wonker’s chocolate factory, not that this would help with the ‘sabb flab’ though!

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning gold for?

I recon my closest chance of becoming an olympian would be when they finaly recognise the total numbers of VKs that can be held in one hand as a sport. Perhaps I’ll have a word with Tom to include this for Varsity this year. If you want to come and train, the training events are Wednesday and Saturday nights in Y Plas.

What is something you will never do again?

Wear my favourite shoes in Glam. I swear the sole ripped off after getting stuck to the floor.

What would be your specialised subject on mastermind?

My wallet hates me for it, but the variety of lunch options in the meal deal in Co-op on the ground floor.

If you could go back to freshers, what one piece of advice would you give to yourself?

Clean your room it’s disgusting, also don’t stand on your Ray Bans they’ll break.

Hollie Cooke SU President

Introduce yourself (About you, your role and your plans for the year ahead.)

So I’m Hollie, your new Students’ Union President! This means I lead the Students’ Union and the whole Elected Officer team, whilst also acting as the key student representative to the senior members of the University.

My main plans are to work with the University to increase the amount that is invested in sport, improve the mental health support on offer, and introduce a freshers planning team run by students.

What is the best single day in the calendar?

Probably 31st August, it’s my parents wedding anniversary and my sister’s birthday, so I am always guaranteed to be doing something nice with my family.

What songs have you completely memorized?

I’m a big Coldplay fan, so pretty much every single one of their songs What fictional place would you most like to live?

The Shire. It’s so pretty with the homes built in the hills. I’d obviously need to shrink a bit before moving in!

What TV show or movie do you refuse to watch?

I am legend, the zombie things only come out in the dark which made me terrified. I had to sleep with a light on for a week. (I’m not normally scared of much, it’s just this was very life like).

What is something you will never do again?

Live with 13 people! It was great for my first year of university but never again.

What age do you wish you could permanently be?

21, I’ve loved my time at university so I would quite happily play these years out again (without the exams though!)

If you could go back to freshers, what one piece of advice would you give to yourself?

Don’t be scared of getting involved in things. Do lots and get to know loads of people, it’s the people you meet that make your university experience. Remember everyone is in the same boat. Oh and also don’t be scared to ask for help, it’s never far away if you need it!

30

CAMPUS LIFE

Freshers Week 2017 What’s on and where to go

Lost and confused this Freshers week? Have no fear! Campus Life has put together a handy calendar for your freshers week to let you know when all the fair, all the film nights, and what is going down in Y Plas that evening.

All of these events are at the Students Union, and if you want more information check out cardiffstudents.com.

Day Time Events

Film Night

Club Night

Monday 25th

Volunteering Fair, Cardiff Bay Trip, Cardiff Bay Barrage Walk, Cathays Campus Tour, Barry Island Trip, SU Tour, Big Red Bus Cardiff Tour, City Centre Tour, IKEA.

Silver Linings

Krispy Kreme Night

Tuesday 26th

Athletic Union Fair, Cathays Campus Tour, Welsh Cake Making, SU Tour, Welsh Lesson, City Centre Tour, Cardiff Castle Tour, National Museum tour.

Despicable Me

Pure Garage

Spectre

YOLO Relaunch

Wednesday 27th Societies Fair Day 1, Cardiff Bay Trip, Cardiff Bay Senedd

Tour, Cathays Campus Tour, St Faggins Trip, SU Tour, Big Red Bus Cardiff Tour, City Centre Tour, IKEA.

Thursday 28th

Societies Fair Day 2, Cathays Campus Tour, Welsh Cake Making, SU Tour, Welsh Lessons, City Centre Tour, Principality Tour, National Museum Tour.

Inside Out

Bingo Lingo

Friday 29th

Cardiff Bay Trip, Cardiff Bay Barrage Walk, Cathays Campus Tour, Castle Coch Trip, SU Tour, Big Red Bus Cardiff Tour, City Centre Tour, IKEA.

The Imitation Game

Full Moon Party

Saturday 30th

Rhossili Day Trip, Cathays Campus Tour, SU Tour, City Centre Tour, Lasser Tag.

Zootropolis

Juice Relaunch Party

Sunday 31st

Caerphilly Day Trip, Cathays Campus tour, SU Tour, City Centre Tour.

Pride

No Club Night

Cardiff University’s award-winning lifestyle magazine

column | features | culture | food & drink | travel | music | fashion & beauty | film & tv | technology | agony aunt

Enjoy Enjoy writing, writing, editing editing or or designing? designing?

Contribute Contribute to to Quench Quench to to see see your your work work published! published!

Join Join our our Facebook Facebook groups groups ‘Quench ‘Quench Contributors Contributors 17/18’ 17/18’ & & ‘Quench ‘Quench Design Design Team Team 17/18’ 17/18’ or or email email us us at at editor@quenchmag.co.uk editor@quenchmag.co.uk

@QuenchMag @QuenchMagCardiff www.cardiffstudentmedia/quench/

32

TAF-OD

taf-od

Yn y llun: Logo Cyfryngau Myfrywyr Cymraeg Caerdydd, cysylltwch gyda ni os oes gyda chi ddiddordeb mewn cyfrannu.

D

tafod@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/tafod

Cyflwyno Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd

wi’n hyderus wrth ddweud ei bod hi erioed wedi bod yn amser gwell i fod yn fyfyriwr Cymraeg ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Fedrai hefyd ddim mynegi pa mor ddiolchgar ydw i fod gennai dwy flynedd ar ôl i fwynhau ac i dyfu’r gynrychiolaeth newydd sydd gan fyfyrwyr Cymraeg. Mae’n anodd credu doedd ddim Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg annibynnol ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd tan y flwyddyn academaidd yma, wrth ystyried lle Caerdydd fel prifddinas Cymru yn ogystal â bodolaeth undebau tebyg ym Mangor ac Aberystwyth ers blynyddoedd. Er tegwch mae’r Brifysgol wedi cymryd camau i gadarnhau statws y Gymraeg yn y Brifysgol ond teimlaf weithiau fod fersiynau cyfiaethol o’r Undeb braidd yn ddibwer a ddim mor dda a chael corff annibynnol Gymraeg. Ond diolch i flynyddoedd o frwydro gan Gymry’r brifysgol mae UMCC wedi ei eni, ac mae’n fraint wedi gallu cyd-sefy-

dlu Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd yr un adeg a hynny.

Mi roedd hi’n anghredadwy i mi fod yna ddiffyg rhyw fath o fudiad oedd yn glynu’r cyfleuon iaith Gymraeg yng nghyfryngau myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd yn ogystal ag un a oedd yn ceisio creu rhai newydd.

Mae’r adran Gymraeg yma yn Gair Rhydd wedi bodoli ers rhyw ddegawd nawr ac wedi bod yn gyfle gwych, ond prin i siaradwyr Cymraeg gymryd rhan yng nghyfryngau’r Brifysgol. I gredyd Xpress Radio mae gennyt hefyd rôl Cydlynydd y Gymraeg ar eu bwrdd gweithredol.

Fy sioe gerddoriaeth i oedd yr unig sioe Gymraeg ar yr orsaf y llynedd ac er cefnogaeth ffantastig gan reolwyr y sianel teimlais fy mod i ar ben fy hun yn nhermau gwthio cynnwys yn y Gymraeg. Wedi cymryd ymlaen y rôl yna flwyddyn yma teimlaf gan fy mod i lawer mwy o ddweud a gallaf fewnbynnu a chymell nid yn unig cynnwys Cymraeg ond recriwtio si-

Proffil: UMCC

Beth yw UMCC?

Eleni yw blwyddyn gyntaf Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd, ar ôl ymgyrchu brwd i’w sefydlu llynedd. Cafodd UMCC ei sefydlu i gynnig cynrychiolaeth well a fwy cyflawn i fyfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd, ac er mwyn uno’r gymuned gref a bywiog o siaradwyr a dysgwyr Cymraeg sydd yma yn y brifddinas, boed yn siaradwr rhugl neu’n ddysgwr pur. Yn ôl Osian Wyn Morgan, llywydd cyntaf UMCC: ‘Mae nifer o broblemau wedi codi yn narpariaeth Cymraeg y Brifysgol dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac mae’r berthynas rhwng y gymuned Gymraeg yng Nghaerdydd, gyda’r Undeb a’r Brifysgol, wedi bod yn un gwael ac annigonol.’

‘Gobeithiaf, gyda sefydliad UMCC, a’r undod a’r nerth a ddaw law yn llaw a hynny, y bydd y berthynas honno yn gwella, ac y bydd y problemau sy’n bodoli eisoes yn cael eu datrys.

Mae Osian yn mynd ymlaen i bwysleisio pwysigrwydd rôl UMCC fel gorff democrataidd; ‘Mae UMCC yn gorff democrataidd sydd, yn y bôn, yn cael ei redeg gennych chi, ei aelodau. Os oes yna unrhyw agwedd o UMCC yr ydych yn anfodlon â, neu os oes gennych chi syniadau am sut i wella a chryfhau ar UMCC, mae’n hanfodol eich bod yn lleisio’ch barn, ac yn dylanwadu ar sut y caiff UMCC ei redeg.’

Pa gymdeithasau sydd yn dod o dan orchwyliaeth UMCC?

Y Gym Gym Y Gym Gym yw Cymdeithas Gymraeg mwyaf

Prifysgol Caerdydd, a chyda bron i 200 o aelodau, mae’n un o gymdeithasau mwyaf bywiog y Brifysgol. Mae cymryd rhan yng ngweithgareddau’r Gym Gym yn ffordd wych ichi ddod i adnabod siaradwyr Cymraeg eraill y Brifysgol, ac mae’n eich galluogi i fyw a bod drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg yng Nghaerdydd. Mae’r aelodau’n cwrdd yn gyson ar gyfer ‘crôls’, fel y ‘crôl teulu’, y ‘crôl teircoes’, a’r ‘crôl cymeriadau’ ac mae’r Wythnos Gym Gym, sy’n cael ei gynnal ar ddiwedd bob blwyddyn, yn uchafbwynt ar galendr cymdeithasol myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd.

Yn ogystal, os ydych yn hoff o chwaraeon, gallech chwarae i dîm pêl-droed, rygbi neu bêl-rwyd y Gym Gym sy’n cystadlu yng nghynghrair y Brifysgol yn wythnosol.

Cymdeithas Iolo Bwriad Cymdeithas Iolo yw dod â myfyrwyr o gefndiroedd gwahanol ynghyd i fwynhau’r gorau o ddiwylliant Cymraeg Caerdydd. Rho’r gymdeithas bwyslais mawr ar weithgareddau diwylliannol Cymraeg a Chymreig, fel trefnu tripiau i weld dramâu, nosweithiau comedi a gigs Cymraeg. Yn ogystal, mae’r gymdeithas yn trefnu stomp farddonol flynyddol rhwng ei haelodau a darlithwyr Ysgol y Gymraeg. Bwriad hyn oll yw cyfoethogi’r profiad o fod yn fyfyriwr sy’n medru neu’n dysgu’r Gymraeg yng Nghaerdydd, a chwrdd â phobl sy’n angerddol am y Gymraeg o bob cefndir a phob cwr o Gymru.

Aelwyd y Waun Ddyfal Mae ymuno a Aelwyd y Waun Ddyfal yn eich galluogi i gymryd rhan mewn côr llwyddiannus o

aradwyr Cymraeg i ymuno a’r tîm.

Y gobaith ydi fod CMCC am fynd o nerth i nerth o’i ddechreuad diweddar i fod yn hwb soffistigedig o gynnwys Cymraeg a fydd yn parhau ymhell yn y dyfodol. Rydw i a chyd-sefydlwr Liam Ketcher wedi hefyd bod yn trafod hefo ‘Cardiff Union TV’ a ‘Quench Magazine’, adrannau arall o gyfryngau myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd, ynglŷn a chyfleodd yn y Gymraeg

am y tro cyntaf erioed. Yn sicr mae’n gallu bod yn her i berswadio pobol i groesawu’r Gymraeg gan fod yna dal lefel uchel o anwybodaeth ynglŷn â’r Gymraeg, dangosir hyn gan rhai o’r ymatebion dwi wedi derbyn wrth geisio rhwydweithio gyda myfyrwyr o Brifysgol fy hun. Dwi’n gyffroes fy mod i’n rhan o rywbeth mor arloesol ag dwi’n gobeithio bydda chi, y Cymry yn manteisio ar y cyfle unigryw yma.

‘‘

Y gobaith ydi fod CMCC am fynd o nerth i nerth o’i ddechreuad diweddar i fod yn hwb soffistigedig o gynnwys Cymraeg a fydd yn parhau ymhell yn y dyfodol.

‘‘

Aled Russell

@cmccaerdydd | #GRTafod

safon uchel, yn ogystal â rhoi’r cyfle i chi gwrdd a siaradwyr Cymraeg o ledled Cymru. Pob blwyddyn mae’r côr yn cystadlu yn Eisteddfod yr Urdd ac maent hefyd yn perfformio yn gyhoeddus yn y ddinas, gan berfformio mewn cyngherddau Nadolig, canu carolau, ac yn y gorffennol maent wedi cefnogi cantorion proffesiynol megis Russel Watson a Sam Bailey, mewn cyngherddau yng Nghanolfan y Mileniwm. Yn ogystal, bob blwyddyn mae criw o’r Waun Ddyfal yn teithio i Baris, i ganu yng Ngwŷl Gymreig Disneyland Paris.

Clwb y Mynydd Bychan Cymdeithas Cymraeg myfyrwyr meddygaeth a gofal iechyd Caerdydd yw Clwb y Mynydd Bychan. Mae’r gymdeithas yn rhoi’r cyfle i fyfyrwyr gofal iechyd gymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau cymdeithasol ac allgyrsiol drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Mae’r digwyddiadau cymdeithasol y gymdeithas yn cynnwys ‘Bingo Lingo’ a chawl i ddathlu Dydd Gwˆ yl Dewi. Yn ogystal, rho’r gymdeithas bwyslais mawr ar drefnu gweithgareddau allgyrsiol ac academaidd, ac yn y gorffennol maent wedi ymweld ag ysgolion cynradd Caerdydd i addysgu disgyblion am Asthma, dylunio cyflyniad i gymhorthi ddisgyblion ysgol uwchradd i wneud ceisiadau ar gyfer Ysgol Feddygaeth Caerdydd, a chynnal sesiynau adolygu. Gallech wirfoddoli drwy’r clwb yn ogystal â rhwydweithio â doctoriaid a nyrsys.

A pha wasanaethau?

Cymraeg i Bawb Cafodd y cynllun ‘Cymraeg i Bawb’ ei sefydlu yn 2015 er mwyn rhoi’r cyfle i fyfyrwyr dderbyn gwersi Cymraeg yn rhad ac am ddim ochr yn ochr â’u cyrsiau. Mae nifer o gwmnïau a chyflogwyr yn chwilio am raddedigion sy’n gallu cyfathrebu yn Gymraeg a dyma gyfle i fyfyrwyr fanteisio ar ddar-

pariaeth broffesiynol ac arbenigol. Mae cyrsiau ar amrywiaeth o lefelu yn cael eu cynnig, ar gyfer dechreuwyr pur, ac ar gyfer myfyrwyr sydd eisiau gwella ar y Gymraeg sydd ganddynt yn barod.

Cangen Caerdydd Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Mae Cangen Caerdydd yn rhan allweddol o drefniadaeth datblygiadau addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg y Brifysgol. Mae’r gangen yn hybu, hyrwyddo, monitro a chynghori ysgolion ar draws y Brifysgol ar ddarpariaeth cyfrwng Cymraeg y sefydliad.

Mae’r gangen yn gweithio i sicrhau fod y Brifysgol yn cynnig darpariaeth Gymraeg digonol a theg i’w myfyrwyr, ac maent yn barod i gymhorthi unrhyw fyfyriwr gydag unrhyw fater sy’n ymwneud a’r Gymraeg o fewn eu haddysg. Yn ogystal, mae’r gangen hefyd yn trefnu digwyddiadau cymdeithasol, fel nosweithiau comedi, a gigs.

Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd Mae Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd (CMCC) yn wasanaeth newydd sbon a fydd yn creu platfform i siaradwyr Cymraeg y brifysgol o fewn cyfryngau myfyrwyr Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd. Bydd CMCC yn cydweithio gyda’r 4 gwahanol fath o gyfryngau myfyrwyr sydd eisoes yn bodoli sef y Gair Rhydd, y papur newydd wythnosol, Quench, y cylchgrawn pythefnosol, Xpress Radio, yr orsaf radio, a CUTV, yr orsaf deledu. Ar hyn o bryd, mae yna gyfleoedd i gyfrannu’n Gymraeg i’r Gair Rhydd ac Xpress Radio, fodd bynnag, mae CMCC yn anelu at sicrhau fod yna gyfleoedd i fyfyrwyr gyfrannu’n Gymraeg i’r pedwar math o gyfryngau myfyrwyr. Mae manteisio ar gyfleodd fel hyn yn gyfle gwych ichi ddatblygu sgiliau defnyddiol dros ben, ac mae’n gyfle i chi gwrdd â ffrindiau newydd.

TAF-OD

Dysgu Cymraeg gyda Taf-od | Learn Welsh with Taf-od Shwmae - Hi / Hello / How are things?

Shoo-my Fy enw i yw... - My name is...

Vy enw ee ew....

Caerdydd - Cardiff Kayr-deeth Glasfyfyriwr - Fresher Glass-vyv-yreewr Undeb Myfyrwyr - Students’ Union Indeb Myv-yr-wyr

33

Yswiriant dyfeisiau.

Ar eich cyfer chi.

Rydyn ni gyd yn caru’n ffonau, ein tabledi a’n consolau. Gyda’n hyswiriant hyblyg a fforddiadwy ar gyfer dyfeisiau, gallwch chi sicrhau eich bod chi’n gwarchod yr hyn sy’n bwysig i chi.

Gyda’n proses newid eich dyfais am un newydd o fewn un diwrnod gwaith ar ôl cymeradwyo’ch hawliad, hyd yn oed os digwydd y gwaethaf, fydd byth rhaid i chi aros yn hir am y pethau sydd pwysicaf i chi.

Mae ein hyswiriant dyfeisiau’n cynnwys: 9 Yswiriant ar gyfer lladrad, colled, niwed damweiniol a hylifol 9 Dyfais newydd i gymryd lle’r hen un 9 Gwasanaeth newid dyfais 24 awr, ar ôl cymeradwyo’ch hawliad Eithriadau allweddol: • Rhaid i’r dyfeisiau fod yn iau na thair blwydd oed o ddyddiad dechrau’r polisi • Ceir tâl atodol i’r polisi

Crëwch eich yswiriant ar endsleigh.co.uk/university

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267x338_Cardiff_Welsh_Ad.indd 1

19/09/2017 12:54:49

SPORT

37

Cardiff Crackers: How RWC hero Finegan dreamt of his golden moment

Rich Jones speaks exclusively to a range of sports stars about their careers that took place in the welsh capital

Rich Jones

‘‘

The game was amazing and the atmosphere in Cardiff on a test match day is amazing

W

hen Owen Finegan crossed the whitewash in the final moment of the 1999 Rugby World Cup Final, it was quite literally a dream come true.

The powerful flanker secured Australia’s 35-12 win over France at the Millennium Stadium as they lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy for the second time in their history.

It was the defining moment of a glittering career for Finegan, who won 56 caps for the Wallabies between 1996 and 2003.

And he has recalled how he predicted his try scoring effort in the Final before the tournament even began!

“It was literally a dream come true,” he revealed. “I had a barbecue at my parents’ place as a farewell in Sydney before we flew over for the tournament.

“We looked at the schedule and knew it was likely to be a quarter-final in Cardiff, then back to Twickenham for the semi-final before the final in Cardiff if we got there.

“I told them all that I’d had a dream I was going to score in the World Cup Final, so I guess it was meant to be.

“I put through Ben Tune for his try with about five or 10 minutes to go and thought maybe that was what I’d been dreaming about, but then a couple of minutes later I got one of my own which was amazing.”

A well-worked line-out move was brilliantly finished by Finegan as he linked up with scrum-half George Gregan and powered through the French defence with a fine solo effort.

It was a magical moment to cap off an unforgettable day for the Wallabies, and Finegan says it came straight from the training ground.

But he says they almost called off their plan after bringing a new hooker onto the field just moments before the line-out was taken.

“It was something we picked up during the week and worked on during training. France, with Olivier Magne at the back of the line-out, were aggressive and trying to close the space of the half-back and cut off the supply to the back line.

“George Gregan called it, but we almost called the play off. It was a difficult throw to the back of the line-out, and Jeremy Paul had only just come onto the field.

“We thought about whether to give him an easier throw, but we threw him in at the deep end and John Eales caught the line-out at the back.

“He knocked it down to Gregan who put me in, and it was an unbelievable feeling to go in under the posts.”

After disposing of England at Twickenham at the semi-final stage, most were anticipating a showdown with arch rivals New Zealand in the Final.

But the All Blacks were stunned by France in a game which Finegan says had the Australian side on their feet at their Cardiff Bay hotel.

He recalled: “We played the semifinal at Twickenham, then travelled to Cardiff on the Sunday and were staying down in Cardiff Bay. “We were a little bit out of down, but I remember being in the pool there

watching the All Blacks play France.

“We were like grown men acting like children to be honest, because we were quite excited watching how the French came back.

“I think because Australia have had such an ongoing rivalry with New Zealand, I think there was always going to be a bit more of an air of confidence going into a game against France compared to the All Blacks.

“The early part of that week was just all about getting a better understanding of the French players and what they were going to do to challenge us.”

Once down in Cardiff, the Australian side made sure to soak in the atmosphere both before the game and in their post-victory celebrations.

Finegan, who was joined in the Welsh capital by many family and friends, believes they could not have won the famous trophy in a better city.

“The game was amazing and the atmosphere in Cardiff on a test match day is amazing,” he said.

“During the week there was a real buzz around the town. We took the opportunity to get about between training sessions, and having a full week to be part of that was a great experience.

“We got to game day, and I think I came on with 25 or 30 minutes gone when the score was 9-6. The game was tight for 50 or 60 minutes until we pulled away a bit towards the end.

“There were brilliant celebrations, obviously. It was a great opportunity to catch up with friends, supporters and family who were at the ground. I think

I had something like 40 tickets for that test match.

“Obviously with my parents being Irish, my Mom is one of 14 brothers or sisters so I had a lot of my Aunties and Uncles there and some friends as well from Australia.

“I caught up with them initially then the rest of the team, and we just celebrated it with everyone because everybody wanted to be a part of it.

“Where better to have it than down at Cardiff? It was a wonderful spot to be after a test match and a great way to celebrate winning the World Cup.” Since moving back to Australia following the conclusion of his rugby career, Finegan has become CEO of The Kids’ Cancer Project Australia.

It’s an admirable path taken by the former World Cup winner, and he admits it’s a pleasure to be able to support children suffering from the terrible disease.

He added: “I moved back to Sydney about two years ago, so I’ve been working for this charity ever since to try and help with Children’s Cancer Research.

“They were founded over 20 years ago and have invested over $36million over the years, and we now invest about $3million each year.

“At the moment we’ve got 28 research projects and 14 institutions across Australia, so it’s about trying to find better treatments and improve survival rates of childhood cancer.

“Kids don’t have a very loud voice, so it’s nice to be able to be a representative of theirs and try to fight their corner.”

Pictured: The Principality Stadium.

Source: David Farquhar (via Flickr )

‘‘

38 SPORT WALES

Pro 12 becomes 14 in South African expansion

Rich Jones

I

t has been a huge winter for newly-rebranded Pro14, with the ambitious expansion of the league earning plenty of headlines across the rugby world.

Originally created as the Celtic League back in 2001 with teams from Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the tournament introduced Italian teams in 2010. The move has now been made to bring two South African sides, Southern Kings and Cheetahs, into the competition after they lost their places in the southern hemisphere’s Super Rugby competition following a restructure.

The news has been met with mixed reaction, with trips of over 20,000 miles for some fixtures certainly creating a degree of concern.

Bosses have worked hard to address schedule concerns with a split into two conferences and a five-day travel-free spell before any fixtures in South Africa.

Derby fixtures between teams from the same country have been protected, and there certainly appears to have been plenty of effort to find the most appealing and workable fixture list possible for all clubs.

It is hoped that the expansion of the Pro14 will attract a wider audience from across the globe, and it is already being earmarked as the first step of a global expansion, which could incorporate teams from countries such as Georgia or elsewhere in the future.

There does however seem to be early concerns regarding the number of fans lost by the South African clubs following their move away from Super Rugby.

Pictures of an almost entirely empty Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth as the Southern Kings lost to Leinster in the first ever Pro14 game in South Africa quickly went viral.

There was a crowd in excess of 20,000 who turned out to support the Cheetahs in their home opener with Zebre, in which they earned their first win of the season.

It is clear that the South African public may take some time to buy into the concept of their sides playing rugby in the Northern Hemisphere.

From the perspective of the remaining sides in the competition, the move can be viewed as an exciting opportunity to ply their trade against two new sides.

They will face a different brand of rugby that they are not used to facing from the Southern Hemisphere, whilst getting the opportunity to visit a new part of the world in the process.

Whilst it has initially been a tough introduction for the two teams, they are already showing flashes of their potential.

Both have pieced together their

squads from regional sides at short notice after plans were finalised at the final hour.

After starting at an initial disadvantage, they can certainly be expected to become a threat to the Welsh sides in the competition by the latter stages of the season.

Some may feel the changes are destined for disaster, but one has to commend the efforts made by Pro14 chiefs to grow the game and appeal to a wider audience.

Sports bigwigs from leagues across the globe are sure to be watching with interest to see how this expansion develops and view whether there is scope for similar moves in other sports.

The marketplace of sport is an increasingly globalised business. The Pro14 are the first major sports league to have truly grasped this and taken it to the next level, and you would be foolish to believe nobody else will be looking at opportunities to follow suit.

Cardiff Blues Columnist Wanted

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If you would like to apply, please send a 400 word column piece and a brief summary of why you think to you are suited to the role to sport@gairrhydd.com

Pictured: Pro 14 launch in Cape Town Source: Huw Evans Agency

SPORT 39 CARDIFF

Continued: “We want to develop the Cardiff way” Rich Jones

Continued from back page

‘‘

As far as I’m concerned, Varsity was great but it’s done now and it will mean something if we can repeat that result and performance again this season as well.

“It was a horrendous day at Cardiff Arms Park. It was gale force winds and the weather was atrocious, and it was unfortunate.

“We should have won the league, but it wasn’t to be. The leadership group we have within the club now have set their own values and goals this year for the season.

“Winning the league for the first team, as well as the second and third teams, is something we want to prioritise this season.

“We put a lot of emphasis on the first and third teams last year, but this season will be slightly different because we’ll have a senior two.

“We’ll have a large group of players who will play both first and second team to try and be as competitive as possible, because you’re only as good as the team below you.

“The second team last year didn’t really come to the table at all until after Christmas, and I’d say the same for the first team to be perfectly honest.

“It wasn’t until then that we changed things with the new identity and style, and if we’d done that a few months before I personally think we’d have won the league with two games in hand.

“This year it’s certainly something we want to target. I’m governed by the players in terms of setting targets, and if they have grand ambitions to win the league then we’ll support them.”

They recovered from their league

disappointment to secure a Varsity victory is fresh in the minds of many heading into the new season.

Davies, however, insists they can only focus on trying to achieve a repeat performance at the end of the season.

They have also opted to make a return to the SWALEC Bowl, winning their first round tie 19-7 against Cardiff Medicals RFC earlier this month.

And he hopes they can secure a return to the Principality Stadium by going all the way in the national competition.

He commented: “As far as I’m concerned, Varsity was great but it’s done now and it will mean something if we can repeat that result and performance again this season as well.

“If I’m being honest, the psychology we put on the group leading up to Varsity was very much to treat it as the next game.

“We didn’t look at it as being a bigger game than the rest and being Varsity, just because I know a lot of players have not been in that environment before.

“We’ve just played in the SWALEC Bowl and won so we’re through to the next round. The Cardiff University team has been pulled out of that competition the last couple of years, but we put it to the players this year and they wanted to enter.

“I can’t see any reason why we can’t go all the way to the Principality Stadium again in the SWALEC Bowl, so that’s something else we’d

love to achieve.”

Another key focus for the club remains improving the integration between male and female teams.

Last year saw the women’s team play Welsh Varsity at the Principality Stadium for the first time – and Davies is putting an ongoing focus on offering more support to women’s boss Richard Jones entering the new campaign.

“It is still a club, and the men and women teams have been two separate entities for a while,” he added.

“I feel like we bridged that gap last year, especially getting the girls to

play at the Principality Stadium before us at Varsity.

“That was a massive step not just for equality, but for us as a club and the girls as rugby players in their own right.

“We’re putting more value on them next year, where we’re going to give the coach, Richard Jones, more support again because he felt the benefit of that last year.

“He’s been doing it for 10+ years pretty much on his own, but having the whole club as one is a positive step for everyone and will ensure everyone benefits.”

‘‘

World Champion Anthony Joshua set for Cardiff title defence

Kitty Weale

C

ardiff ’s Principality Stadium is set to host IBF and WBA heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua’s, next title defence against Bulgarian, Kubrat Pulev, on October 28th.

This will be the unbeaten Briton’s first fight after defeating Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley back in April, where Joshua was finally knocked down in the sixth round by Klitschko but managed to lower the

veteran in the fifth and two more times in the 11th before the fight was ended.

The fight has come after Klitschko announced his retirement instead of taking on Joshua in a Las Vegas based rematch, now unified heavyweight champion Joshua has switched his focus to mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev.

Pulev has had 26 fights, where his only loss was against Wladimir

Klitschko back in November 2014.

Out of his 25 wins, 13 have been KOs and having 7 more fights under his belt than currently unbeaten Joshua Pulev has the advantage of experience.

This won’t be the first time that the Principality Stadium has hosted a boxing event, in November 2007 the stadium hosted Joe Calzaghe’s victory on home territory over Mikkel Kessler in front of a crowd of

50,000, a number which is almost guaranteed to be beaten by the proposed Joshua/Pulev bout.

Of the fight and proposed location Joshua has said to Stubhub; ‘My heart always tells me the UK, because a lot of people that have supported me since the amateurs are from here, and it gives them a chance to come down and watch a heavyweight title fight without having to travel.’

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Pictured: Cardiff Celebrate their Varsity victory Source: Huw Evans Agency

40

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Davies: “We want to develop the Cardiff way” Rich Jones

N

ow in his second year as Director of Rugby, Alun Wyn Davies is determined to “continue to develop the Cardiff way”.

After a slow start before Christmas, Davies and his side instilled a new culture within the club over the second half of the campaign and reaped the rewards.

A late charge for the BUCS South A title saw them fall just short and finish second to Bristol before an unbelievable Welsh

Varsity victory at the Principality Stadium.

They certainly made significant strides over the second half of the campaign, which Davies believes comes down to a focus on enjoyment.

And he has revealed an ongoing focus on allowing their players to express themselves will remain at the forefront of their approach.

“It’s my second year as Director of Rugby, and it’s exciting times,” Davies said. “We changed a lot of the philosophy post-Christmas last year, and we tried to make the training environment more fun.

“We wanted to give the players more ability to express themselves, because at the end of the day, everyone is there to have fun even at the performance end.

“As a coaching group we’ve got a duty of care to give them the ability to express themselves accurately, so we’ve done a lot of work over the pre-season and especially last season on a select skill set we feel is going to give us the best opportunity to play an expressive brand of rugby.

“We want to continue to develop the Cardiff way, if you can call it that. We want the boys to express themselves with ball in

hand and enjoy it, because smiles on faces produce better results in my opinion.”

An 8-0 defeat against Bristol on a wet, windy afternoon at Cardiff Arms Park in February put paid to their bid for title glory last season.

It was a loss which Davies says has stayed with him throughout the off-season – but he reckons they have the leadership within their ranks to respond to that disappointment and go one better this time around.

“I’m the type of guy, that loss has stayed with me to be perfectly honest,” he admitted.

Pictured: Cardiff smashed Swansea at the Principality in May Source: Huw Evans Agency

Continued on p39

Cardiff City Columnist Wanted p.39>>

Cardiff Blues Columnist Wanted p.38>>