Gair Rhydd - Issue 1101 - 9th of October 2017

gair rhydd Celebrating 45 Years | 1972 - 2017

gair rhydd | free word Cardiff’s student weekly Papur wythnosol myfyrwyr Caerdydd Issue 1101 | Rhifyn 1101 9th October 2017 | 9fed o Hydref 2017

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EDITORIAL Gair Rhydd Coordinator Elaine Morgan Editor-in-Chief Liam Ketcher Deputy Editors Gareth Axenderrie Tanya Harrington

the free word

45 Years and 1100 issues later...

News George Watkins Emma Videan

Happy Brithday Gair Rhydd!

Comment George Cook Silvia Martelli Jessica Warren Liam Ketcher

Unsafe Space Harry Heath Politics Gareth Axenderrie Tanya Harrington Conor Holohan Hannah Woodward Science Louange Lubangu Stephanie Ma Advice Alice Dent Sarah Harris Ask At Your Own Risk Charlie Knights Campus Life Vacant Taf-od Elen Davies Osian Wyn Morgan Aled Huw Russell Mwydron Morgan Osian Wyn Morgan Sport Rich Jones Mark Wyatt Digital Media Editor Alice Dent Cartoonist Louis Mertens Write to the editor editor@gairrhydd.com Tweet us @gairrhydd @gairrhyddsport @cmccaerdydd Instagram @gairrhydd Join our Facebook Group

Gair Rhydd Contributors 2017/18 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.

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ast week (Tuesday the 3rd to be exact) was a very special one for Gair Rhydd as we celebrated our 45th anniversary. In this issue you will see a four page spread feature of some of Gair Rhydd’s best bits throughout its history.

We have previous editors sharing their experiences of how Gair Rhydd was a part of their life as a student, and how it has helped shape their careers.

All the way back in 1972, John Hartley and Dave Aldridge published the very first issue of Gair Rhydd, which is now available digitally for the first time.

In their first editorial they emphasised on Gair Rhydd being a free publication, “because you don’t pay for it, and free because you can say what you want to in it.” This is very much still true, however a lot has changed for Gair Rhydd over the years and so has journalism as a whole.

Firstly, we are now a weekly publication discussing all manner of topics from

news, comment, politics and sport. Also different from then to now, is that we are bilingual and have a full Welsh language section, as well as including bilingual section headings. The whole of student media has taken advantage of using the language and it is an important part of how we operate. I for one, hope this continues for years to come.

When I went to see the Gair Rhydd archives back in June, I knew that celebrating the 45th anniversary was something that I wanted to do. As a student publication the paper has covered a lot of different events over the years. The way that we receive our news in recent years has changed dramatically, but I am so proud to be apart of something that embodies classic journalism.

Student newspapers are vital to freedom of speech, on and off our campuses. This is the best platform for

us to share our opinions and get our voices heard. Gair Rhydd offers this to all Cardiff University students and it always will, that is why I am proud to be the editor of this historic paper. Some of our most notable moments in history are (of course) the famous cartoon scandal, which takes centre stage on our Wikipedia page.

Other notable stories Gair Rhydd covered over the years are the ‘boat piss’ scandal, where Cardiff University Rugby team were banned from boarding a ferry after their behaviour during the outbound trip. Another personal favorite, was when a Cardiff student attempted to perform a citizen’s arrest on Tony Blair following the invasion of Iraq.

As I said, journalism has changed over the years, social media plays an important role helping break news instantly, everything is also avail-

able to us online with a few clicks of a button. With that said, why do newspapers still print? Well, it’s tradition and keeping traditions is important within our society. But also, what a newspaper does is avoid the echo chamber of social media.

If produced properly, and journalists are given freedom, a newspaper can provide real plurality. When you pick up a newspaper, there is no big data filter. There’s nothing stopping you from reading the things that you may miss or scroll past online.

For this reason I hope that Gair Rhydd continues to print on the campus for many years to come, upholding the high standards set by everyone from past to present.

I can’t wait to see what the next 45 years have in store for Gair Rhydd and student journalism alike. Penblwydd Hapus Gair Rhydd!

GOLYGYDDOL

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Campus in Brief Content: Tanya Harrington, George Watkins.

Design: George Watkins.

In case you missed it...

On this day... .

1941: US President Roosevelt approves an atomic programme.

2006: North Korea allegedly tests its first nuclear device.

What’s on?

Mind Your Head Week:

Rees-Mogg Hilary Clinton, comes to Cardiff Swansea alumni Fans of the recent viral sensation Jacob Rees-Mogg will be pleased to know that the sitting MP for Somerset North and practicing Catholic visited Cardiff to give a speech about his religious values at The Cornerstone.

Also, keep an eye out for plenty of Give it a Go taster events for many societies throughout the week.

Cat lovers rejoice! A Cardiff man has designed a zebra crossing fit for cats, in the hopes of preventing further feline casualties on our roads. The crossing, coined the CatZebra, will make its debut at the Made in Roath arts festival.

Until November, 43 differently decorated dogs are hidden around Cardiff, including one sponsored by the University. It’s open to the public, and any proceeds from donations will go to the Tŷ Hafan charity.

Aldi provided 20,000 bananas and crisps for runners

1:05:52

• Dodgeball Tournament (Monday, Great Hall)

• How’s Your Head?

Fair (Tuesday, Lodge)

Paws for thought

Cardiff Half Marathon In Numbers

A range of events promoting mental health at Cardiff University, including:

• Film Night: Inside Out (Tuesday, Lounge)

Hilary Clinton will make her first visit to Wales, receiving an Honorary Doctorate from Swansea University According to the university, this shows how they have been “noticed,” for their “excellent research.”

Animal Crossing

The new female course record, set by Kenya’s Edith Chelimo

The medal showed the university’s main building.

Brains gave every runner a free drink at their pubs.

25,000 people took part

A couple were engaged at the finish line

If every runner recycled their bananas, it would produce enough energy to power a typical home for 29 days.

1:00:47 The new male course record

by Kenya’s John Lotiang.

NEWS

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news

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

In The City

Cardiff Half Marathon brings 100,000 visitors to the city Encouraging community spirit and generosity

Alex Lamden

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Kenya’s John Lotiang beat defending champion, Shadrack Kimining in 1 hour, 47 seconds.

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n Sunday, 1st of October just over 19,500 runners took part in Cardiff ’s annual half marathon, made up of elites, clubs, and charities. The runners set off at 10am at Cardiff Castle, touring Penarth, across the Cardiff Bay barrage, then around Roath Park Lake to finally finish in Cathay’s Park. For the first time since starting in 2003, the Cardiff Half Marathon sold out and attracted up to 100,000 visitors to the city.

A new course record was set by Kenya’s John Lotiang, beating defending champion Shadrack Kimining, with a time of 1:00:47.

In the women’s race, Edith Chelimo also set a course record with a winning time of 1:05:52. Behind them, Wales own Dewi Griffiths achieved a personal best with 1:01:33, finishing fourth, with his new time placing him as the 13th best runner on the UK all time list.

Over 19,500 runners took part... made of elites, clubs and charities Last year, the participants raised

Pictured: John Lotiang crossing the line (Photographer Takura Nyamawa Below: The former Cardiff University student was in Yosemite when the accident occurred (Source: nakashi via Flickr)

2.5 million pounds for various charitable organisations. The marathon is a movement; it promotes the message of supporting, trying, and achieving. Once the runners crossed the finish line, they were welcomed with medals, crisps, bananas, and water, donated by Aldi.

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National Rimante Blvainyte

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Many runners took the opportunity to donate their free snacks to the beds of homeless people in the subway, connecting Greyfriars Road and City Hall.

It was a touching sight to see, and although the homeless people were not present at the time, it would have

given them a pleasant surprise upon their return. The half marathon is an event that unites those under a passion for running, and wanting to make a difference; whether it be to raise money, achieve a personal best or just for fun.

In The City Former Cardiff University Student Killed by Rock-Fall

British climber and former Cardiff University student, Andrew Foster was crushed by a rockfall, saving his wife, Lucy’s life in Yosemite National Park, California. The couple were hiking during their three-week trip around the National Park, celebrating their first year anniversary.

Andrew Foster, 32, was instantly killed when a 1,000 - tonne piece of granite submerged from the face of the El Capitan monolith. The climber jumped in the face of the massive piece of stone to protect his wife, who remains in critical condition at the moment. El Capitan is one of the most famous rock formations and favourite challengers for rock climbers.

The rescue team managed to help his wife out of the rocks and she was then airlifted to the hospital. She said: “Andrew saved my life.

He dived on top of me as soon as he could see what was going to happen. He saved my life.”

The couple met during their studies at Cardiff University and both were professional climbers and skiers. Andrew and Lucy were running a blog where they shared their ad-

ventures in the mountains and their outdoor activities. They described themselves as ‘passionate weekend warriors’. Through this blog they hoped to encourage others to undertake outdoor activities and ‘experience the natural world’.

Luca Peluzzi

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Cardiff Man Arrested In Connection to Parsons Green Attack

he 20-year-old man arrested on Monday 25 September in the Roath area of Cardiff was the seventh suspect detained in connection with the terrorist attack at Parsons Green station on the morning of 15 September. Police stormed a house on Pen-yWain Road at about 6 am using a battering ram, according to Owen Smith, a neighbour.

The bomb, which failed to detonate properly, injured 30 people during rush hour.

A spokesman of Cardiff University Students’ Union said: “Andy and Lucy were both active and much loved members of Cardiff University Mountaineering Club (CUMC). Both took on leadership roles within the club, teaching beginners to climb and playing a key role in the fabric of the club over a number of years.”

The suspect was then arrested and taken to a South London police station, according to South Wales Police. Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, supported by the Welsh Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit (WECTU) and South Wales Police continued to search the property for further information.

The man was released the day after, becom-

ing the sixth person to be set free after being arrested in connection to Parsons Green attack; the suspects were arrested under section 41 of the Terrorism Act (the section allow suspected terrorists to be arrested without a warrant, in conditions to be released not after 48 hours from the arrest). Police were already investigating in Wales, because other two of the arrests have been conducted in Newport.

Ahmed Hassan is currently the only person to be charged of attempted murder and causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury. He will appear at the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, on Friday 13 October. Mr Hassan, 18, was arrested in Dover, Kent, the day after the attack.

The bomb, which failed to detonate properly, injured 30 people during rush hour, when the Tube was packed of commuters and children.

It remains unclear if the target was Parsons Green station or another one, but the bomb was built with knives and screws to cause as much death and injury as possible.

NEWYDDION

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On Campus

£300m innovation campus to be a ‘beacon’

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he new innovation campus at Cardiif University, set to cost a total of £300m and due to open by 2020, has been described as a ‘beacon’ by a university professor. Prof Graham Hutching, a specialist in catalysis, was keen to emphasise the appeal of the campus, and its ability to attract talent from across the world.

It will play host to a number of new projects, such as the technology behind facial recognition for smartphones, and a system to remove impurities from water, aiming to expand university research in exciting new directions.

The new buildings themselves will give researchers plenty of work space, giving more freedom in their research.

In The City 20mph speed zone costs £180,000

On Campus

Neo-Nazi imagery displayed around campus Emma Videan

Pictured: Some of the posters displayed around camous (Source: Wales Online)

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series of posters displaying neo-Nazi imagery have been seen around Park Place and Senghenydd Road in the past few days. Police are currently investigating the imagery, one of which appears with the tagline ‘Death to Traitors’ and ‘Freedom for Britain’, with a seemingly Aryan soldier holding the head of a traitor on a spike.

Reported to authorities on Sunday, the imagery has now been removed for further examination. Around 20 or so were spotted on campus, with concerned students making a concerned effort to ensure their swift removal.

The university has been keen to calm any worry by students at the offensive imagery, and have since released the following statement in response to the incident:

Student Life

Emma Videan

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Finding a home has obvious financial pressures, with 1825 year olds in the UK spending £587.32 per month

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A number of offensive posters appeared in the vicinity of the Students’ Union over the weekend. Any such offensive posters that are found on or around the Students’ Union building will be removed immediately. We are working with South Wales Police as they investigate this incident. At Cardiff University Students’ Union we offer a safe and inclusive space to all of our student members and are committed to working with Cardiff University to uphold a culture free from discrimination.

One appears with the tagline ‘Death to Traitors’ and ‘Freedom for Britain’ Jo Stevens. the Labour MP for

Cardiff Central, said: “If these fascists think they will find like minded people in Cardiff and particularly in Cathays for their hatred and racism then they’re wrong. As Woody Guthrie so memorably sang in 1942 “All you fascists bound to lose”. He was right then and is still right today.”

This comes only a month after a national clampdown by the government on the National Action group,although links to the group have not been confirmed by authorities. The group, banned officially in late 2016, has seen four of its members, all previous soldiers, arrested

by West Midlands Police.

As the investigation continues, the university are offering support for anyone affected by these events at Student Support or Student Advice.

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new 20mph speed zone in Riverside and Canton, put into place over the summer, has already cost £180,000. Cardiff Council had said previously that the cost could be funded by the income generated by bus lane fines, but this is not currently in place.

Councillor Wild, cabinet member, noted that the scheme is ‘zonal’, with the aims ‘to reduce overall speeds across an area, not street-bystreet’, adding that other benefits would be expected like an greater accommodation for cyclists and pedestrians.

The scheme was implemented after a pilot in Cathays, and could be stretched across different parts of the city.

On Campus

Just over half of taxi clients feel safe in Cardiff

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early a third of users of taxis in Cardiff (29%) described themselves as ‘not feeling safe’ in taxis, according to new research released by AECOM. Of the 773 respondents, 57% said they felt safe, whilst 14% refused to answer.

Of those who answered, they were also requested to suggest safety improvements, the highest -ranked answer being an increased police presence near pickup areas. Around half of hackney carriage drivers admitted to being verbally assaulted in the last year, and 13% physically. 36% of respondents also agreed that there were sufficient numbers of taxis in Cardiff.

Young people spending over £1bn to find their first job

avigating the adult world for millennials is costly, both emotionally and financially, new research by Gumtree reveals.

Young adults are currently forking out over £1bn to secure their first full-time job, but this is not the only challenge facing young people today.

Georgie Barrat, leading Technology Journalist and Millennial said, “We all know that the cost of living and house prices are going up, but it speaks volumes that millennials have coined the phrase ‘adulting’. Buying your first property or setting up a savings account is such a foreign concept that it can feel like we’re imposters, somehow still playing at being adults.”

So how much does ‘adulting’ cost young people? The 2,000 poll of 18 to 25-year-olds found that this money is normally spent on the interview process. With an average of 3 inter-

views per job hunter, each person will likely spend between £50-£150 in total, on smart clothes, travel and haircuts. Men, on average spend 30% more than women with their cost being on average £57 compared to the £44 that women are likely to spend.

Unsurprisingly, for young adults their finances have an impact on their job search, with 43% of young workers relying on someone else to fund their job hunt of which 65% relied on their parental help.

The extreme cost of job seeking has meant that 27% of young British adults haven’t applied for jobs because of the travel to the interview, and a further 38% not applying because of the daily travel cost requirement of the job. Not only this but the required unpaid work experience that jobs look for is unaffordable for 28% of young adults.

In addition to finding a job, find-

ing a home has obvious financial pressures, with 18-25-year-olds in the UK spending £587.32 per month and a further £1,485.69 kitting out their new homes. Emotionally, being an adult is also tough. 81% of young people revealed that they feel under pressure financially and 35% said that this is their biggest concern. While it is said that being in

your late-teens and early-twenties should be about having fun, 21% said that they don’t have money for fun once their monthly living costs are covered.

One in four young people have no savings in place so saving and preparing for adulthood has never been as important as it has now.

Pictured: The true cost of ‘adulting’ (Source: The Open University via Flickr)

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45th ANNIVERSARY

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air Rhydd’s first edition was printed on 3rd October 1972.

The issue was twelve pages long and edited by John Hartley and Dave Aldridge.

It included an advert for a local Communist Party rally and plans for an expansion of the university. You can view all of issue 1 online now.

THROUGH THE YEARS

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y 1975, the paper had a supplement.

Hard Times cost 5p an issue, reviewing local events. Issue 4 had a heavily political cover, with a cartoon depicting the EEC asking ‘Will Britannia surrender’? We wonder what they would think now...

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ssue 421 could be described as a little sensationalist, but it made a serious point, as smoking was banned across campus.

This included lecture theatres and libraries!

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hose of you in Uni Halls may be interested in this one! Unfortunately you’re 22 years too late for the ritual that was the University Halls water fight. There were of course individuals who defied the ban, and doing so resulted in a hefty £1 fine. Also, the rugby lads were coming under scrutiny on behavioural grounds... some things eh?

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980’s Issue 76 ran with a front page revealing the resignation of UC President Steve Reickhoff. He had been embroiled in a number of controversies, not least of all the accusation of cheating in his election campaign. Reickhoff wa sthe first UC President to abdicate since Neil Kinnock, who went on to lead the Labour Party.

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ypical of the decade that it drew to a close, Issue 347 in 1989 covered the event of 100 students storming the offices of Price Waterhouse, who were accused of collaborating with government on its plans to introduce a student loans system. Uni was free then...

PEN-BLWYDD 45

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isa Andrews discussed the 1997 General Election in Issue 575, attributing Tony Blair’s Labour landslide victory to the largest ever student vote. Devolution, and where a prospective Welsh parliament would be situated, were also addressed, whilst a prediction of tuition fee introduction was to be proven correct.

45th ANNIVERSARY

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y 1991, Gair Rhydd was gaining critical acclaim. For the second year running, we won The NUS Guardian Media Award for best college newspaper.

It’s good to pat yourself on the back sometimes, and our editors certainly did on this front page.

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his comment piece by Kathy Wilshere was especially sobering on 1st October 2001. Following the 9/11 terror attacks, Kathy relays how she had been in Manhattan only weeks before.

Perhaps even more poignantly however, she went on to war how a reactive military response from the US and UK may lead to the deaths of thousands of innocent people and a destabilising of the Middle East region.

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erhaps the most bizarre story appeared on this issue when Gair Rhydd covered the story of a Cardiff students attempting to perform a citizen’s arrest on then Prime Minister Tony Blair. Creative writing student Ian Brown charged Blair with ‘crimes against the people of Iraq’.

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hen there was the day Gair Rhydd sat down to afternoon tea with Ed Miliband. The then Labour leader was described by Politics Editors Luke Slade and Sophie Gidley as being a tall man with slight hands. Below the main article is a second titled ‘Sandwich success’. Miliband would go on to have his own sandwich nightmare thanks to Rupert Murdoch’s press machine.

air Rhydd has always aimed to hold both student union and university to account as they do here in Issue 992. Some clever design work illustarted how far the publication has come.

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nd last, but certainly not least, it’s Issue 1100 from Freshers last month. We have come a long way since the paper was stuck together with glue, and we still have a fair way to go yet. We aim to improve week by week, year by year, as old editors depart and fresh ones come in. What is best is that it is as independent and student led as ever. Long may we continue!

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45th ANNIVERSARY

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n 45 years, one thing has remained a constant. Without the countless hours of effort ploughed into every single issue by every single editor and their teams of desk editors, contributors and proofreaders, Gair Rhydd simply wouldn’t exist. The fact that we can pick up a new issue

every week across campus is testament to every singl eone of them for the last five decades.

Here we take a trip down memory lane and gain an insight into just what goes into being editor of one of the United Kingdom’s oldest and most successful student newspapers.

John Hartley, founder in 1972

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air Rhydd’s first ever editor, John Hartley, says “the best thing about Gair Rhydd is that it is still going. But it was very good fun to start!”

John continues by explaining the inspiration behind taking the decision to set up the paper.

“I started it, with Dave Aldridge,

and came up with its title: Gair Rhydd. It was the first time a Welsh-language title was used for a Cardiff student paper. Dave and I wanted to launch a proper newspaper, holding the college to account during a period of development, and covering Union politics, sport, events and music. Getting it out every fortnight was a challenge.”

With many fond memories of that first year, it’s excitement and challenges, John keeps it simple whenreflecting upon his most memo rable issue.

“The very first front page: “More College Skulduggery” – trying to do investigative journalism like the Sunday Times, on a shoe-

Meirion Jones, Editor from 1979-81

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eirion Jones, Gair Rhydd’s first paid Editor has many fond memories of his two years at the editorial desk.

“I was in the office with the team on a Saturday afternoon slaving away when a small group of people knocked on the door and asked where the Great Hall was?

“Everyone else sort of froze. I told the group where to go and everyone turned round and went “wow – you were so cool you weren’t even impressed when Selecter knocked on our door”. The Selecter “too mush pressure” at that point were the coolest ska band and ska was the coolest music.

The truth was I hadn’t even looked up and as soon as I heard I ran down the corridors in pursuit of Pauline Black.

“Then there was the time when our rock editor went to see a band called Dexy’s Midnight Runners and

wrote a review saying they would never make it and three days later by the time Gair Rhydd was published “Geno” was number one in the charts. He never lived that down.

“Or there was the time that one of our team got so drunk in town that he stole a dustcart at 4.00 am in the belief that would get him home which resulted in the slowest police chase in history. He fell out of the door in the end.”

Meirion can be credited for making the paper’s production far more efficient and simple. Albeit in a rather rudimentary fashion.

“When I joined the paper it came out very irregularly and had a very prolonged production period involving putting copy on a train to Bristol where it would be typeset and come back a week later. A whole bunch of us went in at the same time and decided it would come out every two weeks – cheap and cheerful - we’d just type out the articles on card lay them out (physically) letraset the headlines and get a local printer round the corner to bang out the paper quickly.

We didn’t have any computers just a golfball typewriter (google it - I loved the sound of them). I was the Editor but we were very much a team of equals. Then the Union decided to make me sabbatical editor for a year so we brought it out weekly. Remember there was no web so students

string. But also, we wanted to go a bit tabloid, so we featured the Gair Rhydd T Shirt on selected models from the English Department...”

Many of Gair Rhydd’s editors have gone on to a vast array of careers, some in journalism, some entirely removed. John however, perhaps motivated and buoyed by his experience of editing Gair Rhydd’s first ever edition, remains heavily involved in media.

He’s now a research professor, specialising in media, culture and communication, creative industries and of course journalism.

Looking back on that very memorable first year, John has fond memories of office entertainment,

something editorial teams have all experienced over the past 45 years.

“Dave Aldridge did the Record Reviews. He had the most awesome collection of LPs: a room full of them! So we were well entertained.”

When asked whether Gair Rhydd has helped shape his career path in any way, John sticks close to Cardiff and the roots laid down while typing away at a type writer, churning out the publication’s first issues.

“I’ve always been interested in periodical publishing: Now it’s an academic journal, the International Journal of Cultural Studies. I started it in 1998 when I was Head of the Journalism School at Cardiff, and still edit, 20 years later.

relied on Gair Rhydd to know what was on and what was happening· There are many obstacles when editing a newspaper, and perhaps the most serious of those are law related.

“We had a front page about a Professor who had been given the boot and which the printers thought was so libelous that they put black lines through half the words and an English professor used it as a test for the students to try to reconstruct what we had originally written which oddly worked.”

“There was another article about a landlord in Llanbleddian Gardens who was determined to get the students who lived there out – they were friends of mine. The landlord had a flat on the top floor with a Belling mini hob. He secretly put a cylinder of butane on the hob, turned on the electric and rushed out of the house.

About fifteen minutes later it exploded. I think he thought it would make a big bang and scare them off.

He may not have been the brightest landlord in the world. In fact it took the roof off and collapsed the ceiling of the living room onto my friends who were smoking a joint on one of the decrepit sofas. Perhaps because they were so relaxed they survived without serious injury. When the police arrived they had to do a thorough search for casualties and found the garage was full of stolen

goods which the landlord was fencing. As I say maybe the landlord had not thought things though properly.

Jones now works as Investigations Editor at a non-profit, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism which is going great guns, after an incident-filled career on Newsnight and Panorama (just Google me)· “I have a drink on a Wednesday night with a lifelong friend Kev Wood who edited the paper previously. I sometimes see Sebastian O’Kelly who got back in touch when the Jimmy Savile affair happened and occasionally in touch with John Harlow in Los Angeles. Chris Jones who as President set up Gair Rhydd as sabbatical I see regularly. I’m fortunate to still be in touch with loads of my friends from Cardiff JSU. In fact I was at Tom Petty’s last London gig this summer (RIP but I gave him his big break which made him a rockstar with his gig at the JSU in 1977 - that’s another story) with three friends from when I was a student in Cardiff.

“Gair Rhydd allowed me to make mistakes where they didn’t matter, be brave without consequences, and learn my trade – just spend the hours and know that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. i would never have ended up being an investigative journalist and doing some really cool stuff without the start Gair Rhydd gave me.

PEN-BLWYDD 45 Amy Harrison, Editor in 2007/08

A Gary Andrews, Editor 2004/05

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As much as anything it was the camaraderie in the office that Gary Andrews remebers most.

“There was the right mixture of passion, talent, fun and egos that balanced out into a really good paper. What it taught us was invaluable experience, so my memories are the late nights, the office humour, and the fact that not one single section editor was prepared to leave their section and say “that’ll do.” It’s quite hard to articulate as it was as much the bond rather than anything we actually did. Obviously it was great to win the Guardian’s Student Newspaper and Magazine of the Year but by then most of us had already graduated, so we were coming together for one last hurrah.

There are a couple of stories that were particularly memorable.

One was a really fascinating story about the links between Saddam Hussein’s inner circle and Cardiff University, as a few of them had studied at Cardiff in the 80s. We got a tip off from Meirion Jones, a former Gair Rhydd editor who was working at Newsnight, and I’m really proud of that report as it wouldn’t have looked out of place in somewhere like The Times.

Gary now lives in Sydney, heading up the editorial division for a marketing agency called MercerBell.

“We do branded content for a wide range of industries like financial services, pets, and alcohol. It’s challenging and enjoyable and definitely an area a lot of journalists are moving into. Prior to Australia, I headed up Direct Line Group’s social media department.“ “I’m still in touch with lots of

people from the paper! We had a great team and I made a lot of close friends. Soon after my wife first met me she asked if I had any friends who hadn’t worked on the paper. Obviously none are in Australia but we’re in touch a lot, and plenty of them have achieved a lot. Former GR deputy editor Will Dean now edits the Guardian G2 supplement, GR music editor Sam Coare is now Deputy Editor at Kerrang, Cat Gee, who used to edit the film section, is one of the Telegraph’s leading TV journalists, former news editor Dave Doyle worked for Channel 4 News for a bit, and former sports editor John Stanton is part of the BBC Sport team.”

With such a vibrant and motivated team of editors, you may be wondering what fuelled one of Gair Rhydd’s most inovative and successful years. It appears the answer lies with a well known pizza chain.

“At the time, the TV section was sponsored by Dominos, which essentially mean we got free pizza every week. How I didn’t end up the size of a small house, I have no idea. Gair Rhydd and Quench both tended to down tools at about 8pm each night and we’d fight over what to order. Editorial nights were exhausting. I’d normally bed down in the office at 3.30am, wake up at 7.30am and get proofing before sending to print. I had a sleeping bag in my office and a good lock!”

“Gair Rhydd taught me a hell of a lot. The journalism training provided by Cardiff Journalism School was great theory and GR enabled me to put it into practice.

As a result I was ready to start work the minute I finished my postgrad. It certainly helped in the early days of finding work, but what it probably taught me most was people management skills.

That’s actually quite hard to learn and I think helped me move into more senior positions.”

my Harrison, who edited Gair Rhydd between 2007 and 2008 still takes great pleasure in seeing students reading the newspaper around the university campus. For Amy, its all about the hard work, and the reward.

“When you see the paper across campus, you realise that all the hard work, late nights and occasional tears were all worth it. Oh and the Media Awards! That was always a special time!”

Issues over the year have varied in design, format and colour. Amy prioritised the former.

“I certainly brought a lot of colour to gair rhydd with the mast head changing each week. It certainly stood out in the newspaper stands! I also brought back the weekly crossword which lots of students appreciated. It was also the year we launched CUTV so it was great to be able to add that to the student media family.

Every editor has stand out sto-

ries from their time at the editorial desk, but Amy particularly favours a story that influenced student activity.

“The Students’ Union released plans for some major redevelopment plans for the SU building. We published these and the student body had A LOT to say. The website had over 800 comments and I think around 200 of students turned up to the next student council meeting to debate the plans.”

“I’m now a freelance TV Producer/ Director working across all manner of shows from Hunted to Take Me Out to Escape to the Country.

“A lot of my friends from student media moved to London to work and we all still see each other a lot - in fact we’re out tonight so we’ll raise a glass or two to gair rhydd.

Food always graces the office on those late night, last minute office sessions, and Amy’s time was no different. Her choice of beverage however is questionable.

“There was always pizza on a deadline night! I ate so much pizza during my time on GR. It was also the early days of Facebook so there was a lot of ‘fraping’ when people left their computers unattended. And on special occasions iId bring in Lambrini for the team.

“My job now is story telling, and although i use a camera to tell those stories, i learnt the foundations of my craft writing for gr and Quench, and presenting on Xpress. My experiences from student media always impressed in my early job interviews and it still comes up 10 years later! Happy Birthday Gair Rhydd!

Maria Mellor, Editor 2016/17

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ast year’s editor, Maria Mellor, was a firm favourite amongst her desk editors, and many basked in her enthusiasm during those long days and nights in the office.

“Thursday was always my favourite day at university - Gair Rhydd proofreading night! I spent time with my friends and created a paper I loved.

My birthday ended up being on a Thursday in third year and it was great spending the whole evening surrounded by my Gair Rhydd buddies”.

With development and an ever changing environment, Maria felt the paper needed to branch out and attract an income to help sustain it.

“I brought in advertising that allowed us to fund two extra issues.

We were able to bring in money ourselves to use as we pleased and ended up having enough money to benefit the following year’s team as well.”

A scoop is something every journalist seeks, and a with a weekly issue comes limitations. That said, last year’s paper had more than its fair share.

“Our story about cuts in funding in SHARE was what I consider to be our first real ‘scoop’. Someone delivered an anonymous note to the student media office telling us about it like something out of a movie.”

Maria is now an editorial assistant at a media company in London, but she stays in touch with everybody who worked with her, colleagues who would work and eat late into the nights.

“All of my best friends are people I met through student media. A few of them have moved to London so we meet up regularly, or I come back to Cardiff at the weekends.

“We went down to the shops practically every Thursday, but working so late at night and eating junk food, me and my deputy, Toby, were always complaining about how bloated we would get. In my second year with Joseph Atkinson as editor we would listen to Hall & Oates ‘You’re making my dreams come true’ every Thursday at 7pm and ‘celebrate!’ every Friday when the paper was sent off When asked whether her time at Gair Rhydd has helped her career, her answer was simple.

“Undoubtedly”.

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

AI Sex Robots are promoting relationships isolated from humanity Pictured: Sex Robots have reached the commercial market as of this summer (Source: Flicktraveller_40 via Flickr)

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ex isn’t something you would traditionally associate with Artificial Intelligence, yet the time has come where we must discuss the two in relation to each other. The development of sex robots has been occurring within this century, with recent innovations becoming increasingly realistic . Only last month, Arran Squire, Welsh co-founder of Synthea Amatus, appeared on ITV’s This Morning with ‘Samantha’ the sex robot.

During the appearance, it was revealed that ‘Samantha’ was able to respond to a range of scenarios, with AI being designed to give users a unique experience. A robot able to talk, interact and even tell people she loves them; a statement delivered with a voice similar to the GPS in your car. Her skin has been designed to feel more human-like in texture, as opposed to the older and more simplified latex sex dolls that pre-dated her. Yet, her 12V battery is not enough to warm her skin, rendering her cold and empty, arguably corpse-like in feel. The most shocking part of Squire’s creation

is that she has a ‘family mode’: after ‘Samantha’ has fulfilled her role in the bedroom, Squire’s three and five year old children will sit downstairs, whilst his sex robot says jokes (she has 1,000 pre-programmed) or discusses animals, philosophy and science with these young and impressionable minds.

With the sex-aid industry being worth an estimated £250 million pounds a year in the UK alone, business is booming, and the sex robot industry has many companies racing to create the best and most humanlike of dolls.

Spare only £2,500 and you can buy a Samantha of your own. Willing to spend more? Roxxxy is avaliable for £7,735 and Harmony stands at £11,700 The fundamental issues surrounding these robots are strongly contended by robot ethicist Dr Kathleen

Richardson from De Montfort University, who argues that ownership of a sex robot is equal to slave ownership. In the purchasing of such a robot, the individual (research suggests mostly men) buys the right to only care for their own needs, as human empathy becomes diminished, and the female body becomes commodified and objectified.

The idea negatively promotes the female form as something purchasable, and erodes the idea that sex is part of the human experience. It’s evident that sex with a robot can never be mutual, and their submissive design, as well as ‘Frigid Farrah’ settings, become an advocate for rape culture.

Whilst some advocates for the advancement of AI sex robots claim these purchasable bodies could reduce sexual exploitation and violence against sex workers, as well as the number of rape cases, this argument dismisses the role that internet pornography plays in reinforcing the sex trade. Furthermore, McMullen, founder of Abyss Creations (a competitor to Synthea Amatus) says that

his robots will help members of society who feel isolated. What McMullen fails to recognize is that when a man can own an AI companion who exists only for his pleasure, doesn’t sing in the shower or get home late from work, and has no ambitions or needs of its own, then the socially isolated may turn further away from human relationships.

Search Trends of ‘Sex Robots’ over time.

Just because we are able to create something, it doesn’t mean we should. The creation of sex robots fall into a bigger cultural questioning of male desire and the objectification of women. We aren’t purchasable and we aren’t programmable, that’s the trouble with real women.

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It’s evident that sex with a robot can never be mutual, and their submissive design, as well as ‘Frigid Farrah’ settings become an advocate for rape culture.

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Jessica Warren

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Grenfell: The profit-over-people mentality George Cook

Pictured: Graffiti tribute to the lives lost in the grenfell tower tragedy.

Source: Duncan C (via Flickr)

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Tomos Evans

Ryan Jones Matthews

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social murder really such an extreme term to describe Grenfell? Whilst the state and the powerful did not consign the residents of Grenfell to their deathbeds, their actions in the years previous to the fire culminated in a world where such a disaster is possible in one of the richest and most developed cities in the world.

London’s shame was never more palpable.

The profit-over-people mentality suggests that social murder is not the extreme description that it may originally appear. Grenfell was a horrific tragedy and it is testament to a society that can effectively relegate the poorest to a life of ostracism.

The Crisis in Catalonia: A case of Democracy or Illegality?

ctober 2017: a dark day for democracy in Europe. The will of a nation rejected. ‘But the vote was illegal’, I hear you cry, ‘the result was invalid’. Correct - but surely if independence is what the Catalan people sought with a staggering 90% in favour, the Spanish government would do well to give them the chance to decide their future in an in-out referendum, putting the issue to bed once and for all.

Was it fear on the Spanish government’s part? Fear of losing their most affluent region? Or was it a

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cians and elites have disregarded the working-class communities which rely upon social housing. For decades, working-class people have seen their employment opportunities diminish, affordable housing become unachievable and their way of life demonised like they were criminals.

Even now, almost four months after the fire, many residents are yet to be rehoused in suitable, alternative accommodation. The disregard which they experienced has to some extent continued even months after the horrific events of the fire.

Not only are residents still destitute without the security of long-term, safe housing, but their lives are still being marginalised and disrespected by the politicians whose lack of compassion before the tragedy led to so many lives being ended at a stage that was far too premature. So, is

ollowing a chaotic independence referendum which was overshadowed by an excessively heavy-handed crackdown by Spanish authorities, President Carles Puigdemont declared that Catalonia had “won the right to statehood”. Speaking to the BBC only a couple of days later, he elaborated on his position by announcing that the region would declare independence from Spain in the next few days.

What Puigdemont has apparently failed to consider, however, is that he lacks the democratic mandate to do this. Despite an overwhelming major-

greater, Europe-wide fear that success for Catalonia would result in other regions following suit? Flanders, Basque, Brittany, Scotland, Wales?

The lack of condemnation of Spanish police brutality from the British government was clear but, of course, the government is all too familiar with Spain’s strife. David Cameron’s government thrice opted for the non-Spanish route by not only allowing, but calling, a referendum. These referenda are, arguably, the major contributing factors in

creating a more fragile United Kingdom - its future more uncertain.

Allowing the Catalan people to exercise their democratic right would have been easy in principle - in practice, perhaps less so. However, what was witnessed instead was utter carnage. Images of faces, hundreds of them - bloodied and bruised - circulated online and on the news channels.

Suddenly, the so-called illegal referendum which could have easily slipped under the radar of the average European citizen was making

international headlines. The Spanish government had, through their response, made a rod for their own backs - portraying themselves as the villain of the piece.

Recent events in Catalonia serve as a stark reminder of democracy failing to serve the people which it represents. Whilst we often bemoan and berate the series of elections and referenda in recent years, without them where would we be? What would society look like?

The answer doesn’t bear thinking about.

ity of votes cast (90%) being in favour of secession, the turnout for the referendum was abysmally low, at only 42%. There are numerous factors for this low turnout, the most obvious of which being the brutally authoritarian sabotage and suppression of the vote

by Spanish police. However, this does not change the fact that only 37% of Catalans actually voted for independence.

Crucially, the vote also lacked legal backing. The law drafted by the Catalan government to make the referendum binding was ultimately blocked by the Spanish constitutional court.

This makes the legitimacy of the result, at best, questionable.

Because of this lack of mandate and legitimacy, the Catalan government’s decision to go ahead and secede from Spain anyway will consequently only harm the independence movement – and Catalonia itself.

It seems probable that the crisis will only escalate further, with Madrid likely to bypass devolution and assume direct control of Catalonia. It is therefore vital for both sides to put aside their differences and come together constructively for the good of the people.

All Catalans have a fundamental right to choose between independence and unionism, and not just 42% of them. The Spanish constitution needs to be amended with this right to self-determination in mind. An open and national debate needs to be held on the issue, where unionists can argue their case and secessionists theirs.

Most importantly, every single Catalonian needs the opportunity to vote on the matter safely and legitimately.

Only then the will of the people will be truly heard, and only then – should Catalonia want it – Carles Puigdemont could declare independence.

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Events in Catalonia serve as a stark reminder of democracy failing to serve the people which it represents

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It seems probable that the crisis will only escalate further, with Madrid likely to bypass devolution and assume direct control of Catalonia.

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Politicians and elites have disregarded the working-class communities which rely upon social housing.

outset, let alone endured for so long.

This speaks of a society that is elitist, privileged and oblivious to the views and needs of the poorest in our country. Owen Jones described Grenfell as social murder. A term that denotes a world in which society is so heavily rigged in favour of the vested interests and the rich and the powerful. It suggests that the poorest in society were ultimately left to die in the disconnected world that they inhabited. The question we all need to ask ourselves is: Should we be using such emotive languageto describe events like Grenfell?

The Grenfell Tower fire has had wide reaching impacts. With subsequent tests on tower blocks alsodeeming them unsafe, people have questioned the safety of housing that is provided for the poorest in society.

It conforms to the idea that politi-

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o live in a society that provides safe and affordable accommodation, equality of opportunity and the chance for all to be heard were ideals that were unquestionably disparaged in the case of the Grenfell Tower fire. Not only were the homes of residents unsafe, but they themselves tried so desperately to alert those in power of the death traps that they inhabited.

Yet sadly, they were discounted simply for their attempts to make their lives more secure. They were ignored because they were poor and deemed less worthy of a safe roof over their heads and the ability to live without the fear of a painful death.

It was as if the residents of Grenfell were invisible in the richest borough in London, and the mistreatment they encountered was a process that should never have occurred from the

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Uber and its reckless tech ethos deserve ban in London Pictured: Above: Uber’s license in London is at risk.

(Source: Tonoyoshi via Flickr) Below: The app has proved a success with users over the world (Source: freestock.org via Flickr)

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n 22th September, Transport for London (TfL) announced that it would not renew Uber’s hire licence, officially banning the service in the capital after 30th September. Following this striking decision, the taxi company decided to appeal in the courts, and will continue to operate in London until the process is exhausted. Although this may take months, the 3.5 millions users and over 40.000 drivers are already expressing deep concerns and discord. The night the ban was made public, 400,000 people signed a change.org petition supporting a reversal of it.

Uber’s Chief Exec has stated ‘We got things wrong’ and made promises to change the internal operations of the company.

The decision to remove Uber from one of its biggest markets was a harsh blow to the Silicon Valley company, which has kept substantially growing since its launch in 2009, raising £52bn. However, it was for the best: the reason for the ban was that Uber is ‘not fit and proper’ to the city.

Despite the car hire operator being largely known for offering cheap, immediate and efficient services, its approach and conduct have been lacking responsibility in relation to running driver background checks, obtaining medical certificates, and reporting criminal offences. This

has already been the case in countries such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain, where some of its services have been suspended, or banned completely as in Denmark.

Contrary to what many believe, it must be said that Uber’s ban is not the result of a conflict of interests between an innovative service and some antiquated regulations. Similarly to other metropolises, London has in fact adopted new regulatory structures for ride-hailing services, delegating some responsibilities to companies themselves, in an attempt to facilitate running such businesses. Among these are setting fares, collecting data about drivers and rides, running criminal background checks, and managing more general safety affairs.

As Uber has been inadequately reckless towards such responsibilities, it is now fair and due that it pays for it. Adding to the irresponsible behavior of the company, TfL called out for Uber’s use of Greyball, a custom-built secret software used to dodge the law in cities where regulations are consciously being violated.

The programme analyzes data such as social media accounts, geolocation, and credit card information to identify suspected workers of city agencies.

By doing so, London officials were prevented from running their checks: in a sting operation, when trying to hail a taxi, they could only see icons of cars navigating nearby, but none of those would ever actually go pick them up. The adopted strategy seemed to serve well its pre-

sumed unethical purpose of avoid being ticketed.

Such facts are a blatant proof that ‘cheap and efficient’ does not always mean ‘good on the whole’. Surely, Uber’s handy services have made life much easier (and more affordable) for many Londoners caught up in the capital’s hectic life, but Uber’s failings on many levels cannot be ignored any further.

In addition, as TfL pointed out, the company has substantially increased minicab traffic in an already very busy city. Icing on the cake, although not among the reasons for the ban, is Uber’s false classification of the drivers as ‘self-employed’ rather than ‘workers’, a status that would grant

them rights to sick and holiday pay, as well as a guarantee of the national minimum wage. If it wishes to keep operating in London, the company will therefore have to quickly abandon its reckless tech ethos.

Facts you didn’t know about Uber 1.The name comes from the slang term, meaning extremely good 2. It operates in 76 countries and 450 cities 3. Only 2% of Uber drivers are female

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Uber has been inadequately reckless towards such responsibilities, it is now fair and due that it pays for it.

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Silvia Martelli

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Andrea Gaini

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Countries need to evolve and develop a system where everyone can work their way to the top without being discriminated

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Will society ever be free from white-male hegemony?

n July 2017, the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) released a study in which only 6% of the U.K. managerial jobs are held by members of minority groups.

The research has also discovered that only 54% of FTSE 100 Leaders are fighting to bring more diversity into the elite positions of their businesses.

This shocking data comes in a period when the call for equality has never been stronger. At the same time, it appears that white elites’ attachment to power would even dare putting at risk the integrity of their own country to maintain it.

It goes without saying that it’s beneficial for societies when everyone contributes to the greater good, as this allows the provision of wealth and benefits to more citizens. However, the modern world has devel-

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Karis Pearson

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Honorary doctorates only serve to undermine the hardworking students who earn them

oped a series of mechanisms that emphasises the evil nature of people, instead of recognising the good one. A blatant example are European populations, who, despite historically benefitting from a more developed society, have imposed their hegemony over other ethnic groups, both on the European continent and in their homelands.

European populations... have imposed their hegemony over other ethnic groups, both on the European continent and in their homelands White domination is facing several threats from those lines of thought that believe in equal opportunities for all and have started a process of recognition of the rights of social minorities. However, this process is still far away from being effective in changing how societies are structured. White people fill 97% of the leadership roles in British companies, which inevitably results in a lack of meritocracy; therefore, societies never perform at their full capacity.

In order to be able to embrace and fulfil their potentials, countries

need to evolve and develop a system where everyone can work their way to the top without being discriminated. There are many ways to do so, and the CMI together with the British Academy of Management (BAM) outlines seven actions that can be taken to solve the problem of discrimination in the workplace.

One of these is by starting conversations on race, and asking for a real commitment to deliver diversity in business. Furthermore, the study describes the attitude of the leaders, as well as the offices responsible for increasing diversity, as very important. Collaboration, inclusiveness, and adaptiveness represent three key elements to the development of a more diverse leadership.

Nonetheless, the power of time should never be underestimated: time changes the world, not just physiologically, but also intellectually. If accompanied with certain philosophies, it will stimulate societies to reach equality for all.

Unfortunately, discrimination is something that has been buried for hundreds of years, and will not be easily eradicated. Regardless, we have come a long way since the days of slavery and segregation. Therefore, positivity and open-mindedness are essential to understand and embrace the beauty of diversity.

Pictured: Left: The gap in diversity is something of a concern to the progression of business.

Source: GregPlom (via Flickr) Right:More diversity needed in the boadroom Source: Maryland GovPics (via Flickr)

Honorary Doctorates: Only the famous faces benefit H illary Clinton is a household name known, rather unfairly, as 42nd President Bill Clinton’s First Lady. Clinton’s resume is loaded with achievements and distinguishing titles such as a graduate of Yale Law School, former US Senator and Secretary of State and of course the Democratic Party candidate for President in 2016. It is no surprise that Hillary just received another award, this time an honorary doctorate, recognising her for the work she has done promoting the rights of families and children around the world. More surprising is that the doctorate is being awarded by a name known less widely; Swansea University.

This award is creating the latest bit of publicity for Wales as it comes with the announcement that rain or shine (most likely rain) Hillary Clinton will pay a visit to Swansea on October 14th to receive her PhD. What will such a ceremony entail I wonder? Will Swansea University hold an entire graduation ceremony just for her, where Hillary dons a cap and gown and waits alone amongst a sea of empty chairs for her name to be called. Presumably, they will make it as public as possible.

It is not a coincidence that Clinton’s visit happens to fall on one of the Universities few open days. As far as publicity ploys go it is quite hard to beat the possibility of bumping into an expresidential candidate while trying to find the talk on Chemical Engineering.

As a student I find it frustrating to see famous individuals being handed degrees as if they’re no more than a piece of paper. Is being internation-

ally recognised for what they do not enough? I enrolled in university to attain a degree and make myself more employable in the future. For this reason, I attend my lectures, do my reading and spend a ridiculous amount of money for the privilege. Without denying Clinton’s achievements or the work she has done, I am quite certain she has never been a student of Swansea University, and so what are they

doing giving her a degree?

Clinton is by no means the first nor the most ridiculous person to be awarded a degree for sitting through zero lectures and completing zero assignments. Another famous figure to have received an honorary doctorate is Kanye West, who in 2015 was awarded an honorary PhD from the Art Institute of Chicago. Kanye surely had enough credentials when it came to music without inflating his head further with a PhD. The award had no effect on his livelihood whatsoever, it merely demeaned the arduous work of actual students studying for their degrees in the arts. Others to have been honoured include Bill Cosby, Robert Mugabe (both of which have now been publicly revoked) and most absurdly Kermit the Frog. He is a Muppet. Southampton College, what were you thinking?

With over half a million students being accepted to UK universities each year there is a fear felt by myself and I’m sure many undergrads and postgrads alike that our degrees won’t make us stand out in the job market.

Honorary doctorates only undermine the students who earn them.

Pictured: Hillary Clinton Source: U.S. Department of State (via Flickr)

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I DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT STUDENT POLITICS BUT I KNOW LOTS ABOUT WHAT STUDENTS WANT. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU? NOMINATE YOURSELF NOW FOR THE AUTUMN ELECTIONS CARDIFFSTUDENTS.COM/ELECTIONS

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Sporting Role Models and the Twitter Trial of Ben Stokes

Harry Heath

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For some loud voices on social media and in the press, the police investigation is unnecessary and the courts have been bypassed; he has already been found guilty.

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n the early hours of Monday 28th September, England allrounder Ben Stokes was involved in a street brawl outside a Bristol nightclub and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of assault causing actual bodily harm. Shortly after the event The Sun obtained CCTV footage from a neighbouring building and before midday a tribe of journalists, sports pundits and ex-professionals had weighed in with their views on Stokes’ behaviour and what the consequences of it should be.

The video in question begins with a man who appears to be wielding a bottle attempting to strike another man in the street.

Stokes becomes involved and the fracas continues with swinging and grappling from both sides, the released footage lasts for around another fifty seconds. In that period, Stokes can be seen confronting various individuals and at one point appears to strike one man to the ground in the road.

There will no doubt be a wider context that extends well beyond what we the public have seen through a brief, high-angle recording. Stokes was released later that day and an investigation is now ongoing into his actions.

The due process of the law should be allowed to run its course and the way that the incident looks to us should not impact on this process. But it doesn’t look good.

Not for Ben Stokes, and not for English cricket.

Stokes must acknowledge that as his country’s star man, going out drinking until the early

hours of the morning and getting into a scrap is not suitable behaviour with an Ashes series commencing next month. The finger bone that Stokes broke shall heal. The repercussions of the event may not. We should be in absolutely no doubt that this incident represents unbelievable immaturity on his part and the England management should take appropriate action. To ensure this type of event never occurs again Stokes must wake up, listen and learn.

He has no choice but to learn because for some loud voices on social media and in the press, the police investigation is unnecessary and the courts have been bypassed; he has already been found guilty.

“Ben Stokes should never represent England again”. “Friday night thug”. “Ben Stokes career over”. “He’s vile”. These were just some of the reactions.

For these people, the clip on their Twitter or Facebook feed that surfaced that morning was enough to draw their conclusions and to convict Stokes. This view should not be surprising given the undeniably shocking nature of the footage, although public opinion (or at least online opinion) has been very much divided in its reaction. Those sympathetic to Stokes opined “Ben Stokes is a legend”, “What a top man”, “He deserves some defending here”. At least for now, the tweeters are still out, and Stokes’ fate remains undecided.

The polarisation of views expressed on social media presents us with a much deeper question

that concerns far more than the actions of one England cricketer.

This question is to what extent do we genuinely expect our national sports stars to act as role models? If our expectations are that they should abide by an elevated behavioural code then where are the lines drawn as to what is acceptable, and who draws them?

We appear to be divided into those who will accept only the highest of standards, and those who accept that sportspeople’s behaviour will on occasion stray to mirroring the imperfections of wider society.

When political or corporate misdemeanours are exposed the public are most often united in condemnation. When we see misconduct or hypocrisy among politicians or those in business we are right to shout loudly; think the expenses scandal, think Phillip Green and BHS pensions, think Liam Fox or Keith Vaz. These cases each involve the breaking of social contracts and the betrayal of the public trust.

But we do not view what we may call the anti-social behaviour of the establishment as morally equivalent to the actions of the likes of Ben Stokes because we understand that they are not.

In Britain, we respect greatly those who achieve excellence through their industry and talent. It is often true in elite-level sport that some of the greatest performers are the ones who compete on the very borderline between legitimate and illegitimate aggression, we accept that this line is a thin one. Considering many of the sporting heroes

we have enjoyed watching over the years, we often hold an admiration for characters of this kind within sport.

Sporting icons such as Sir Ian Botham or Paul Gascoigne have reached legendary status not just because they produced exceptional moments on the pitch but also because they were true personalities off it, even if their behaviour on occasion strayed outside of what is considered that of a role model. Manchester United greats such as Eric Cantona and Roy Keane were also individuals who carried a fire within them capable of both magnificence and a rush of blood. In more recent years, we have enjoyed the spark that the likes of Anthony Joshua, Dele Alli and Connor McGregor have brought to their respective fields.

We must accept that our sporting heroes are not perfect in the same way that society is not perfect. It seems that for some, we should be able to reap the rewards of the adrenaline-fuelled nature of these characters and then be straight to pointing the finger in disgust the second they stray off course and makes mistakes outside of sport. This attitude is no doubt the product of a fickle press that build the nation’s favourite characters into cultural icons only to knock them down to a status of the pantomime villain at which they can throw mud. Ben Stokes has only himself to blame for where he finds himself and he must learn, it is in all our interests that he is allowed to do so without trial by social media.

Pictured: Ben Stokes was arrested for assault prior to England’s trip to Australia next month.

Source: Ben Sutherland (via Flickr)

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POLITICS

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

Conference Season

Tanya Harrington

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The main stage included speeches from Diane Abbott, Keir Starmer, Emily Thornberry and Tom Watson.

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Conor Holohan

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Conservative MPs, activists and especially those who lost their seats have been extremely critical of May’s leadership

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Labour headed on a politicised summer holiday

very autumn (not summer, sorry), the Labour Party gets together for its annual conference. Speeches are made, motions are passed and the media works itself into a frenzy looking for as many articles as it can possibly find in all the commotion. This year, the event was held in the sunny seaside town of Brighton, home of its very own pier and the famously tall i360.

Perhaps spookier than heights for some onlookers was fear of a “cultish” atmosphere at the conference, with many speaking in praise of the party and Jeremy Corbyn’s election campaign tactics, and many apologetic for their previous doubt of the party leader.

However, rather than being a result of what has been referred to as a “cult of personality,” perhaps these buoyant vibes purely reflected the relief of a year gone far better than expected.

What can be said for sure is that the reception at the conference was mostly positive, a welcome difference from the previous one which doubled as the platform for the controversial re-election of Jeremy Corbyn.

Events began on the 23rd with the National Women’s conference, a place for Labour-supporting women to dis-

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cuss issues important to them. On Sunday 24th through Wednesday 28th was the “official,” conference (where motions could be passed), split into a main stage and the fringe events. The main stage included speeches from Diane Abbott, Keir Starmer, Emily Thornberry and Tom Watson, and served as the platform for the financial report.

The fringe is often where the more interesting (and potentially controversial) events happen – this year, there were talks with Ed Miliband and Andy Burnham, John Prescott and John McDonnell. Diane Abbott gave a speech on migration, and there was much discussion on hot button topics austerity, Brexit, diversity and socialism. Among the speakers were also media personalities Russell Brand and Owen Jones, who discussed addiction and migration respectively.

Of course, the party is still split in terms of political leaning - the divide between the moderate and more leftleaning party members is still prevalent, and with every suggestion of a more “hard-left” direction for the party came an equal and opposite reaction about how this would be a bad idea. Despite a newfound ability to get along, there are definitely still issues

Pictured: Sand, sea and socialism (Photographer: Haris Krikelis on Flickr).

among factions. As well as this, there were concerns of antisemitism at the conference, with an example being the Jewish Labour Movement being accused of ““running to the Daily Mail and the Telegraph with stories,” by campaigner Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi.

Fortunately, with the passing of the new rule which will help to crack down on antisemitic abuse within the party, it should be made clear that behaviour such as this should not be tolerated.

Finally, the conference closed with a speech by a content Jeremy Corbyn, who declared the Labour Party as the face of “the new political mainstream,” a statement which was met with controversy.

However, now at the end of a particularly apologetic and concessional Conservative Party Conference, in which the party did appear to become more “left” on topics such as student debt, can the influence of Labour politics actually be so readily dismissed?

May handed mock P45 in stuttering speech

heresa May’s speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester had for many weeks been built up as a pivotal moment in her leadership. The weeks leading up to the conference were characterised by cabinet in-fighting over Brexit.

Boris Johnson caused fury among the right-wing press for rocking the boat when he published his unauthorised 4,000-word Brexit piece in the Telegraph. The Foreign Secretary claimed that he was merely trying to explain the positive opportunities that Brexit presents. However, many accused him of trying to force the Prime Minister out of a ‘soft’ Brexit position in her speech in Florence days later. The piece was also seen as an attack on Philip Hammond, who is famously dower about Britain’s post-Brexit prospects.

There was speculation that, if May did not adhere to Johnson’s short-term transition and clean break approach in her speech, he would resign as Foreign Secretary. Johnson was accused of backseat driving by the Home Secretary Amber Rudd, and in the following mud-slinging it was revealed that Philip Hammond had texted Boris on June

8th pledging his support should Mr Johnson move against the Prime Minister. Days after this revelation, Hammond could not, when asked, bring himself to say that Theresa May would lead the party into the next election.

Since the failed attempt at increasing the Conservative’s majority, Conservative MPs, activists and especially those who lost their seats have been extremely critical of May’s leadership. The biggest question in the lead up to the conference was; can they forgive her?

In accordance with this huge question within the party, early on in her speech, the Prime Minister apologised.

She told the conference; ‘Our national campaign fell short. It was too scripted, too presidential and allowed the Labour Party to paint us as the voice of continuity. I hold my hands up for that. I take responsibility. I led the campaign and I am sorry.’ The only thing that would have been more conciliatory for the activists present would have been if May had brought out Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill in stocks and allowed conference attendees to pelt them with rotten fruit. It was exactly what the conference wanted to hear.

There was fury over the presidential style of the campaign, which shut popular ministers away from interviews and allowed Jeremy Corbyn’s personality to shine in contrast to the dull and scripted ‘Maybot’.

The Prime Minister announced £2billion to build 25,000 council homes as well as draft legislation for an energy

bills cap. Despite these significant and profoundly one-nation announcements, coverage of the speech was dominated by trivia about her coughing fit and a prank (which has now prompted a security review) by a comedian who made a career out of poking fun at working class people, the real name of whom is not worth a Google.

Pictured: Theresa May recieving a P45 from prankster Lee Nelson (Simon Brodkin) Source: Daily Politics BBC iPlayer.

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17

Progressive tax plans for Wales published in Drakeford’s draft budget Hannah Woodward

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The LTT will enbale Wales to have the highest starting threshold for property tax, meaning that increasing the threshold at which the tax is payable.

T

he quest for devolution within Wales has surpassed previous milestones, as from the first of April 2018 Wales is to be responsible for raising a proportion of its own revenue which was outlined by the Welsh Government in the 2-year revenue plans for 2018-19 and 201920. In a period of mass uncertainty the Welsh Government is trying to provide certainty and stability for local government and the health service as they plan for the future without the European Union. 3-year capital plans, worth almost £5bn, have been published, boosting infrastructure investment across Wales. Two taxes will arise in order to provide for public services – land transaction tax (LTT) and landfill disposals tax (LDT), which will supplant stamp duty land tax and landfill tax.

The LTT will enbale Wales to have the highest starting threshold for property tax, meaning that increasing the threshold at which the tax is payable; the average first-time buyer will pay no tax at all. Welsh residential properities vaued up to £400,000 will no longer pay a higher stamp duty, these valued properties will as a result pay an average of £500 less tax under the new revised progressive tax plans for Wales, meaning that 90% of Welsh home buyers will be paying the same or less tax than previous years. These new tax plans

provide a triumph for home buyers in Wales, as in a period of ambiguity devolution is at the forefront of creating assurance for Wales and Welsh politics.

The tax plans not only provide certainity for home buyers, but the new tax provides a service to helping the environment in Wales. The introduction of a higher rate of landfill tax will act as a deterrent for illegal waste disposal, and create fewer tax payers.

20 landfill operators are licensed in Wales, running 25 sites, however the number is expected to fall to fewer than 10 by 2020. The initial first two years of LDT, the lower and standard rates will remain consistent – providing certainty and stability for businesses and to stop waste crossing the border of England and Wales.

For the first 2 years of LDT, the standard and lower rates will remain consistent with those for landfill tax.

This will provide certainty and stability for businesses and reduce the risk of waste moving across the WalesEngland border. A portion of the revenue will be spent on community projects in areas affected by landfill.

The money will go to schemes that benefit biodiversity, minimize waste, or more broadly improve the environment.

Professor Drakeford the finance secretary commented on the tax reforms that “These new progres-

sive rates and bands for land transaction tax and landfill disposals tax will make a real difference to people’s lives; help change behaviors and deliver improvements to communities across Wales. We are being bold but balanced and leading the way in creating a fair and progressive tax system.” The tax reforms spark debate with the quest for devolution in Wales, with Professor Drakeford exploring further tax powers for Wales

centered on: vacant land tax, disposable plastic tax, tourism tax and levy support to social care – which will be put forward to the UK government in 2018 to test the Wales Powers Act. Further devolution within Wales has provided a brighter future for Wales in a period of political uncertainty from greater investment into housing and the environment, as a result further devolution within Wales is inevitable.

Pictured: The Senedd will gain tax raising powers from next year Source: Wojtek Gurak

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How is the 2018-19 budget being spent?

Health, well-being and Sport

Education

£7.5bn

£1.6bn

Local Government

Environment and Rural Affairs

£3.5bn

£0.3bn

Economy and infrastructure

Communities and Children

£1.2bn

£0.9bn

Central Services and Administration

Total Resource and Capital

£0.3bn

£15.3bn

18

POLITICS

INTERNATIONAL

Catalonian Independence?

Referendum descends into violence as Catalonia votes ‘Si!’ Pictured: Top: Catalonians protest the Spanish governemnts use of excessive force.

Source: Sasha Popovic (via Flickr) Bottom Left: Catalonian firefighters tried to protect voters from the Spanish police.

Source: Sasha Popovic (via Flickr) Bottom Right: Source: Catalonia within Spain and Western Europe Source: Prachatai (via Flickr)

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Catalonia leader Carles Puigdemont said the region will officially declare its independence 48 hours after the referendum result.

T

he Spanish region of Catalonia has long demanded its independence. After decades of chafing with the Spanish parliament, a proposal for a referendum on Catalonian independence was finally approved by the regional government in September and took place on October 1st. With a turnout of 42% (2.26 million), the vote leaned almost entirely in favour of independence, with 91% of voters voting ‘Si’.

The Spanish government however, has deemed the referendum void after citing the Spanish Constitution, which rules any vote on independence by a Spanish state without the government’s consent, illegal. No permission was given and the result was mass voter suppression on the day of the referendum.

After the Mossos d’Esquadra – Catalonia’s autonomous police force – failed to shut down polling stations, the Na-

tional Police Corps intervened; 839 civilians and 431 officers were injured in the resulting violence. The Mossos d’Esquadra are being investigated by the Spanish government for disobedience, while Spain itself is being urged by the UN to investigate the acts of violence that occurred on the day of the vote. European Council president Donald Tusk urged the Spanish government to avoid any further violence.

In Barcelona, the region’s capital and political centre, 15,000 protesters gathered outside the headquarters of the city’s police force chanting “Independence”. Several of Barcelona’s labour unions support the strike, urging its members to continue protesting. Several schools and universities have shut down in protest, as has FC Barcelona, which said it would close its headquarters and cease training of its professional and youth teams.

Catalonia leader Carles Puigdemont said the region will officially declare its independence 48 hours after the referendum result.

This statement was made despite King Felipe VI’s declaration that Catalonian voters acted “outside the law”. He also stressed the importance of unity.

French president Emmanuel Macron has reportedly offered his support to Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy. According to a Presidential source, Macron underlined his belief in “Spain’s constitutional unity.” At the time of writing, the EU has yet to make an official statement regarding the referendum. This silence will be broken on October 4th however, when it plans to debate the validity of the vote. Catalonian officials have made clear their desire to remain a part of the EU if they are granted independence.

If Catalonian independence does occur, it will be a major blow to Spain’s economic standing. Catalonia may cover only 6.3% of Spanish territory, but its importance is disproportionate to its size. Accounting for 16% of Spain’s population, more than one fifth of its GDP, over a quarter of its exports,

and attracting more than one quarter of foreign investment, Catalonia is an economically powerful region whose £191bn economy is larger than most countries in the EU. The Spanish government has ruled out any form of negotiation. Assuming Catalonia doesn’t concede, Article 155 will likely come into play. The article, never used before, allows the government to take control of an autonomous region. If this happens, more violence is almost a guarantee.

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The Spanish government has ruled out any form of negotiation.

Assuming Catalonia doesn’t concede, Article 155 will likely come into play. The article, never used before, allows the government to take control of an autonomous region.

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Christopher Jones

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19

German Bundestag election debrief Merkel, Jamaica, and cold kebabs

Charlotte Gehrke

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For now, the AfD appears to be caught up in inner-party fighting with party head Frauke Petry resigning days after the election. Yet, the question of how the new right-wing party has been able to receive so many votes in the first place remains.

A

s Germany voted for the members of their 19th Bundestag on Sunday 24th September, one could find the good, the bad and the ‘lesser evil’ among the results.

Overall voter turnout was high at 76.2%, almost 5% higher than the 2013 elections. The results were within the spectrum of expectation, with the exception of every major political party losing votes to the relatively new right-wing party, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD).

In first place, The Union, Germany’s largest political party made up of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian cousin the Christian Social Union (CSU), won 33%. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) made second place with 20.5%, their worst result since 1949. Third place went to the AfD at 12.6% and fourth to the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) with 10.7% of the votes. The Left (Die Linke) received 9.2% on fifth place and Alliance 90/The Greens (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) placed last with 8.9%. The remaining five percent of votes were spread out amongst various small parties.

The votes mentioned above translate into the number of delegates that the six biggest parties will send to represent their electorate in the Bundestag, which seats a total of 709 delegates. These delegates will then in turn elect the Chancellor.

The latter position will once again be taken by Dr. Angela Merkel (CDU). This will be Merkel’s fourth term as Chancellor. The 63-year-old has held the position for 12 years following in the footsteps of Helmut Kohl (14) and Konrad Adenauer (16). Many Germans value her reliability and consistency, with Merkel describing herself as realistic.

In previous years, the two biggest parties, SPD and CDU/CSU, have formed a grand coalition (GroKo).

However, the SPD have explicitly stated that it does not want to do so again, instead favouring returning to its identity of being the party of op-

position.

This has left the Union with only one viable option to get the majority of at least 355 seats in the Bundestag: a Jamaica coalition. Named after the colours of the Jamaican flag, the coalition consists of the CDU/CSU, Alliance 90/The Greens and the FDP.

This coalition’s biggest obstacle may lie in the negotiations to form it, which started last Wednesday. The greatest difficulty here lies in the unification of the Greens and FDP, two parties critically divided on almost every major issue in contemporary German politics, such as immigration.

At this point, avid mathematicians might have noticed that forming a coalition including the AfD would also help the Union to gain a majority. However, this was not regarded as an option, so much so that none of the major German newspapers have even mentioned the possibility of it. Perhaps accountable is the hatred and disrespect that many German citizens and politicians harbour for the party that employs racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic and sexist rhetoric. Most Germans are especially repulsed by their use of nationalsocialist language and rhetoric, considering the country’s past.

For now, the AfD appears to be caught up in inner-party fighting with party head Frauke Petry resigning days after the election. Yet, the question of how the new right-wing party has been able to receive so many votes in the first place remains.

Political analysts cite high numbers of unemployment paired with low education levels and few to no foreigners living in the AfD’s heartland of East Germany.

The results of the election can be viewed on two levels: nationally and globally. On the international stage with the destabilizing effects of Brexit and Trump becoming more and more evident, European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker wrote to Merkel: “now more than ever Europe needs a strong German government”.

This need for the most powerful

woman in world politics might be best illustrated in a Politico article from March 2017, where the headline “Leader of the Free World Meets Donald Trump” accompanied a picture of Merkel as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year 2015.

Within Germany, the stakes are slightly lower as the danger of losing ‘Mutti’ (Mommy – as Angela Merkel is often lovingly, or begrudgingly, referred to) has been postponed for another four years. Merkel won’t run for re-election then, and Germany will be forced to look for a new parent.

For now, the coalition negotiations, which will likely take months, are in progress. The formation of a new federal government may take until December or January, and no major decisions will be made on a national or international level in this time.

Nevertheless, the frustration about the resurgence of right wing politics is big, particularly among young voters. Some conservatives demand Merkel to change in light of the number of Union-votes lost to the AfD; demands she is unlikely to humour And so, German voters (the youth at least) return to their usual political behaviour of protesting, drinking beer and eating kebabs – or a combination of all three. As one of them writes in the aftermath of the election, “At this time, I would like to wish all AfD-voters cold kebabs and every CDU-voter warm beer. Lifelong”.

Pictured: Top Right: ‘Mutti’ clings onto powerSource: Arno Mikkor (via Flickr) Bottom Left: The results of the German election Source: Deutscher Bundestag

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20

SCIENCE

science

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

Cassini’s Final Voyage Michael Maccallam

Pictured: Cassini Source: 12019 (via Pixabay)

T

o some, the Cassini satellite may sound vaguely familiar or even have no meaning whatsoever, but to those in the scientific community, the satellite’s impact and contribution to space exploration cannot be overstated.

On October 15th 1997, the Cassini satellite was launched, beginning its vast journey to some of the outer reaches of our solar system.

For the past 13 years of this mission, the spacecraft has been sending back the most detailed and intricate images of Saturn that man has ever seen, and on the 15th September this year the spacecraft entered its final mission of hurling itself towards the surface of its home planet, as a result of Cassini running out of fuel.

Over the duration of its mission Cassini has overseen some of the most awe-

inspiring events of our universe, from the birth of a potential moon to an immense storm that gripped the entire surface of the planet.

It has encountered an alien ocean, and many of those working on the team have grown sentimental bonds with the spacecraft, having seen it from its very first take-off to its final launch into Saturn’s toxic atmosphere.

When Cassini originally took off it was accompanied by a European partner, Huygens, which was detached from the Cassini spacecraft in January 2005 to explore Saturn’s moon Titan, sending back invaluable data about its terrain, environment and geology.

Together with Cassini, Huygens has helped to discover a watery ocean under the surface of Enceladus, proved that Titan is similar to Earth in terms of its sea-

sonal cycles, and encountered a mysterious and confusing hexagonal jet stream that has raised serious questions about our understanding of physics.

The project has been widely-acclaimed over its long journey, with NASA scientist Curt Niebur describing it as ‘insanely, wildly, beautifully successful’ and Dr Linda Spilker, who has been part of the project since its inception, noting that ‘I’ve worked on Cassini for almost an entire Saturn year. A Saturn year is 30 years, and I’ve worked on Cassini for 29 years.’

One of the major discoveries of the satellite has involved unlocking the secrets of Saturn’s rings, which have captivated mankind for hundreds of years.

Cassini has revealed the rings to be a microcosm of its own, with a sort of solar system of its own hidden amongst

the rings. In a way, the rings have been described as a time machine, shedding light on the origins of our solar system, including how it was initially formed.

Alongside this, the project has massively fuelled discussions on discovering alien life in our planetary neighbourhood, with winds, rivers and lakes being discovered on Titan, as well as a flyby of Enceladus showing that dozens of Saturn’s planets could be holding deep oceans of water, the widely-accepted key to life.

As fascinating as all of the project’s successes have been, it has inevitably faced many problems, some of which were discovered just as the satellite launched from Earth.

One of the most disastrous flaws that was discovered quickly after launch was that Huygens, which was designed to launch onto the surface of Titan, wouldn’t be able to communicate with its mothership Cassini during its descent, meaning that any and all useful data would be completely lost, making this several million dollar investment almost useless.

Cassini’s program manager Earl Maize reflected back on this incident and commented that ‘there was a sense of urgency, of importance.

This was clearly one of the prime components of the mission and we had to salvage everything we could’, but miraculously a fix was actually found that would solve this catastrophic problem.

Overall, Cassini cost an eye-watering £2.54 billion, travelled 7.9 billion kilometres and lasted 19 years, 11 months and 15 days, and although it has been a turbulent mission requiring a vast amount of patience, no one can argue with the fact that it has been a resounding success.

Cassini has unlocked many doors that have been previously locked, and has taught us an invaluable amount about the origins of our universe.

Although the mission may be over, there is no doubt that this is just the start of what will be a long and prosperous journey into deep-space travel.

Your science questions answered...

Louange Lubangu & Stephanie Ma

Can your hair turn grey from stress?

Many of you will be happy to know that, no your hair will not turn grey from stress. Your hair turning grey has a lot to do with genetics than anything else. Additionally, if you have a Vitamin B-12 deficiency, that can also lead to going grey before your time according to WebMD, but as mentioned, genes have more of an influence than any outside factors.

Why do I get brain freeze from having something cold?

‘Brain freeze’ or ‘sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia’ as it is referred to scientifically, occurs because your brain is not too comfortable with sudden changes in temperature. When you eat or drink something cold really quickly, the artery that transports blood to the brain (located at the back of your throat) rapidly decreases in temperature and your artery responds to this by expanding and contracting, and signals are sent to your brain that are interpreted as pain signals, hence the headache.

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Cassini has unlocked many doors that have been previously locked, and has taught us an invaluable amount about the origins of our universe.

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The end of an era

GWYDDONIAETH

T

California climate change chaos

he scorching summer season may mean fun and downtime to a lot of people. But with the whopping amounts of wildfires scorching in California, USA, it’s really no different from an inferno to some of the state’s residents.

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, a total of 6,744 individual wildfires of all sizes have been reported so far this year as of September 2017.

The massive fires engulfing the Golden State this summer - and now into autumn - have burnt through more than 6 million acres with costs of damage snowballing up to a hefty US$2 billion.

True, California may be known to have a fire season. But looking at what’s been happening lately, CAL FIRE officials and veteran firefighters with more than 30 years of experience believed that there could only be one way of describing it: unprecedented.

Therefore, here comes the big question: Who is to blame?

Like its intense dry conditions and heavy precipitation, the state’s forest fires have long been a part of nature’s dynamic dating back millions of years. Disregarding external circumstances like human intervention, California’s cycles still

incline towards the extreme. Such extremes are, unfortunately, growing in recent years and climate change is likely to be a primary factor.

For instance, a study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences in 2016 found out that during the past 30 years, anthropogenic climate change has increased the amount of forest fire activity across the western continental United States by more than 50 percent, and that the landmass temperature of the country has risen by 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

The mammoth upsurge in the earth’s temperature brings about vapor pressure deficit, significantly enhancing fuel aridity across western United States acreage over the past several decades with 75 percent more forested area undergoing high fireseason fuel aridity during 2000-2015.

Climate change is not the only factor fanning the flames, the same study suggested. Naturally occurring forest fires have been extensively dampened down within the same region during the past 10 decades, creating a proliferation of biofuels just waiting to be triggered.

Additionally, in a recent interview with the Santa Barbara Independent, UCLA ecology and wildfire expert Glen MacDonald commented that both prolonged droughts and subse-

Pictured: Wildfire Source: skeeze (via Pizabay)

quent heavy rainfall this year act as a major driving force behind the proliferation of these disastrous wildfires. Dennis Burns, fire behavior analyst with the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, also added, “Normally, we estimate there’s a quarter-ton to a ton of grass per acre. This year, it’s two to three tons an acre.” The valley chaparral usually produces natural oils that discourage undergrowth. However, with heavy rainfall earlier this year, these oils have been considerably diluted, thus enabling grassy fuels to thrive.

The price of containing backcountry wildfires has skyrocketed so significantly that approximately 70% of Los Padres National Forest’s yearly budget is expended on fire suppression efforts.

Although it is still unclear as to what actually sparked off the rash of blazing fires this year in California, it is our imminent responsibility to help prevent wildfires originating from human error and most importantly, to minimize the likely catastrophic impacts of climate change starting from today.

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Here comes the big question: Who is to blame?

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Stephanie Ma

21

Mount Agung expected to erupt in Bali Lilly Smith

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Sometimes the intensity increases, sometimes it decreases, it’s hard to tell when the mountain will erupt.

F

ears of Bali’s Mount Agung erupting have surfaced after the National Disaster Management Authority has issued the highest warning level. Smaller tremors were first detected in late August and officials first raised the alert from normal to vigilant on September 14th.

There has been an extreme escalation in tremors and a 200m tall stream of smoke coming from the mountains crater. Volcanologists have stated that an eruption is more likely than not, though they cannot give a timeframe. Volcanologist Gede Suantika stated, “Sometimes the intensity increases, sometimes it decreases, it’s hard to tell when the mountain will erupt.”

A spokesman for the NDMA also said, “Volcanic activity remains high

and there are indications of magma rising to the surface and causing tremors,” and suggested that there should be no public activity within the area.

The mountain is located in the eastern part of the popular tourist destination Bali and is 3,000m above sea level. The warning has caused an evacuation of over 135,000 people in fear of their safety. The NDMA have imposed an evacuation zone of 12 km (7.5 miles) around the volcano, though some Balinese outside of this region have also chosen to evacuate.

The evacuees have relocated to over 500 locations sheltering in temporary camps, sports centres and other public buildings with authorities transporting in plenty of aid supplies.

Many fear that they will not be able

to return to their homes. Though some villagers are still returning in the daytime to continue normal life.

Farmers are also reportedly taking turns to return and feed the livestock that has been left behind.

Mount Agung last erupted in 1963 killing 1,100 people and remaining active for a year after. During the eruption the mountain produced lava that spread for several kilometres, as well as producing gases and clouds of scalding hot ash that were hurled 6 miles into the air. People were also killed by lahars (rivers of volcanic debris) and rock fragments that travelled down the slope of the mountain at great speed.

The area is positioned on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, that which contains more than 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoes. The

Ring of Fire is an area of seismic activity, volcanoes and earthquakes, around the edge of the Pacific coast.

There are more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, meaning that more than 75% of Indonesians live within 100 km of a Holocene volcano (a volcano that has erupted within the last 10,000 years). This is the highest percentage of any volcanic region.

The area is highly reliant on income from the tourist industry and therefore the threat of an eruption will take a severe toll on the economy.

The tourism board however have released a statement reassuring tourists that flights were operating as usual and suggesting that most areas of the island are safe, excluding those surrounding Mount Agung.

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

How do chameleons change colour?

Why is the sea salty?

The colour change occurs in different situations, for example a lizard will have one colour when relaxed, and another when in slightly more stressful situations. Lizards naturally have two layers of cells inside the skin, and they have the ability to modify the arrangement of the cells at different times, and since they reflect certain wavelengths of light, are eyes interpret this as different colours. This is incredibly simplified, but that is the general explanation.

This is because of a process called weathering. Rain water that is slightly acidic because of carbon dioxide in the air, breaks down pieces of rocks which eventually dissolve into the water. This releases ions into the sea, and over time this accumulates, making the water salty. So the short answer, is that the sea is salty because of the presence of ions such as Sodium and Chloride ions.

Why does hair get darker when wet even though water is clear?

When light strikes dry hair, some of it is absorbed by the pigment in the hair or is reflected back to our eyes. Since water is transparent, it creates a thin film that absorbs little light by itself. Therefore, when rays of light hit wet hair strands, some of it deflecting off the surface of the hair would strike the inner surface of the film at the right angle to be refracted back to the hair again. This would create a second chance for the light to be absorbed and eventually make the hair appear darker in colour.

Random fact: Back in 1963, the volcanic eruption led to around 1500 deaths, no other volcanic eruption in Indonesia has macthed the devastation caused.

22

SCIENCE

TECHNOLOGY

The battle of intelligence How intelligent are computres?

Pictured: [Top] Brain current measurement Source: ulrichw (via Pixabay) [Bottom] Neurones (Source:

A

re computers smarter than humans? It’s an enticing question. We once compared ourselves to our creators we now wonder at being surpassed by our creations. The answer, no doubt the current obsession of the entire scientific community, is proving evasive.

Defining “smarter” is tricky; does it mean raw analytical computation?

Or intuitive emotive responses?

If we use the former definition, then computers are undoubtedly far more advanced. Computers are able to receive and process raw information far quicker than we are. They can use this data to perform incredibly complex calculations at a vastly faster rate than even the smartest human. Perhaps the best example of the human/computer disparity are

the chess-trained computers that at this point can calculate the probability of moves long before they are made.

In effect, they can strategize far more effectively and quickly than even the best chess-playing humans.

Computers are able to learn a lot faster too, removing obsolete options for optimal ones with alarming capability. Obviously, humans can also learn from mistakes, but in terms of efficiency and consistency, we are far outpaced by our electronic competition.

The most famous example of this being the February 10, 1996, chess battle between IBM’s Deep Blue and world champion Garry Kasparov, the first of a series of matches. The computer outsmarted Kasperov, the first

time in history, and went on to win the entire series. An argument could be made that the computer was simply faster than Kasperov, able to compute the hundreds of potential moves its opponent could make before the Russian had even moved his piece.

Computers are also infallible.

They don’t forget information, so can be given large amounts to ‘remember’, of which they can access in an instant. They don’t require sleep, allowing them to utilise their ‘brains’ around the clock. Finally, emotions or desires do not influence their entirely logical thinking. It’s this last difference, though, that may prove humanity’s dominance.

If we define intelligence by the latter term, humans remain supe-

rior to computers. We set goals for ourselves, carry out tasks to achieve these goals, and make decisions based on social and environmental awareness. These abilities are based not solely on our raw intelligence, but from a constantly evolving and developing processing wetware.

In less finite terms, we possess abstract computational abilities we call our instincts, common sense, and the ability to draw on life experiences. Computers could potentially have these programmed into their software by exposing them to vast samples of human experiences, but this knowledge would still be second hand. Perhaps a computer would be capable of mimicking the human variety of intelligence, but it would not genuinely possess these traits. In

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Computers are able to receive and process raw information far quicker than we are.

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Christopher Jones

r e t n e o t ÂŁ10

Sign up at cardiffstudents.com / sleepout

Raising funds to support homelessness projects

24

ADVICE

advice

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

The Cardiff Mental Health Guide The help is there if you need it

George Watkins

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1 in 4 people will battle one at some point in their lives, equating to over 8000 students

C

oming to university is never easy for anyone, and for many students, the added pressures of dealing with a mental health problem can make it seem daunting to even leave your house. However, there’s plenty of things that you can do while you’re here at Cardiff University which will hopefully help you get on top of things once more.

Mental health problems are a lot more common than you might think. Statistically, 1 in 4 people will battle one at some point in their lives, equating to over 8000 students, with the rates rising significantly for LGBT students and medics. Ensuring you get the right help while studying is vital, as 50% of adult conditions are diagnosed by the age of 18, and 75% by the age of 24.

Considering that most students fall into that age bracket, it should help you realise that you aren’t alone in

how you feel.

Everyone has bad days every so often, whether they feel a bit down or anxious. If this is the case, the university offers plenty of help. Student Support is situated at 50 Park Place, and offers counselling and wellbeing appointments, and a whole lot more, ranging from disability and dyslexia aid, to appointments with a mental health adviser.

From 3-3:45 every weekday there are drop-in wellbeing appointments.

Run by trained professionals, they give you the chance to chat through some issues you may be facing, and enable you to be guided to the next step of help, as well as being provided with some resources. Note, on Wednesdays there is an extra session from 9-9:45.

I would recommend getting there 15 minutes or so earlier to guarantee a place, as they can be well-subscribed.

Then there’s Student Advice, which sits on the third floor of the Students’ Union. They can offer help on a wide range of topics including housing and mental health, giving you guidance as to what you can do next. They offer drop-in sessions from 12-2 and the option of booking appointments there and then.

Also, there’s student-run groups on campus that all do amazing jobs.

Nightline is a charity offering the chance to chat to students from 8pm8am every night in term time. You can get involved with them if you fancy volunteering and making a difference. Their number is 02920870555, and having used the service a number of times in the past, I can vouch for just how friendly and wonderful they are.

Student Minds are a national charity, and run an eating disorder peer-

support group every Thursday on the 4th floor of the students’ union. Fully trained, they will be able to listen and offer advice about where you can get more help if you, or someone you know, suffers with an eating disorder.

So, in short, there’s an awful lot you can do to make sure that your student life is supported as it needs to be. If you have just arrived at Cardiff and have already been dealing with a mental health problem, I would suggest touching base with the Student Support Centre, to ensure that help is there when you need it.

If you’re struggling, remember that the help you need is there, but you need to reach out for it to be effective. If you are worried about your mental health, it is also important to check in with your GP, so that they can help you assess your options. Asking for help can be tough, but a lot easier than fighting a mental health problem by yourself.

Pictured: Cardiff Univer- sity’s Mind Your Head Banner 2017 (via CSU)

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CYNGOR

25

The hidden truth about being a Fresher Y

Sarah Harris

our freshers’ year is the best year of your life, but there’s a lot of things they don’t tell you about being a fresher…

You meet so many people at uni: your flatmates, course mates, people in the queue for the toilets at Y Plas or on the benches outside McDonald’s. You’ll desperately try (and probably fail to remember) their names. I bet you your contact list contains about a dozen guesses at who they are and where you know them from. I highly doubt you and ‘Henry? from accounting?’ will become BFFs! Beware of your door that automatically lock. It may sound great for those of us who would forget to lock the door in a drunken haste to make it to the Lash before 11pm, but it’ll be less great when you stumble in at 4am and remember you’ve left your key-card under a pile of clothes on your bed.

Doing your laundry will become the bane of your university life.

You’d think at least turning on the washing machine would be easy.

Wrong. Circuit Laundry was created by the Devil himself. Who I’m pretty sure enjoys ripping students off and causing them more stress than their degree does. If you’ve never turned your underwear inside

F

or some strange reason, most of my friends tend to turn to me when they have relationship problems. Having been the only one out of our friendship group who has successfully dated a guy for over 5 minutes, they assume I’m some sort of relationship guru with magical powers when in reality, I have literally no clue how to talk to someone I like.

My first day at university also happened to be the first time I spoke to my boyfriend. I noticed he was cute and thought I’d pluck up the courage to talk to him as we were leaving our induction lectures. “So, are you going to this party tonight?” I casually asked him like we’d known each other for years. His answer was plain and simple; “no.” My

out and worn it for 3 days straight that’s all about to change.

No one warns you about the bins in halls. They’re overflowing by the middle of the week and everyone is pretending they can’t smell the stench of rotting food. But whoever cracks first and eventually takes them out is hailed a hero!

Be prepared to wake up and rush outside in your PJs at 4am, then again at 7am, 10am, 3pm, 5pm, etc.

In the end you’ll hope that there is an actual raging fire and you haven’t just been woken up by one of your flatmates attempting to cook. The best bit is waiting 30 minutes in the rain while the site manager checks the building, before giving you all a talk on ‘safety’.

You’ll get lost. It is inevitable. But surely all your lectures will be in your subject’s building? Absolutely not. Running from one end of the city to the other to make it to your next lecture is one way to keep fit at least.

Amongst all the fun of Freshers’ Week, you will have to experience the nightmare that is collecting your student card from the Students’ Union. It will take all day to complete, and in the end the grainy photo taken on the cheap webcam will distort you so much that you are barely rec-

Pictured: Fresher’s Week party Source: The Walking Plaster Dispenser Follow (via Flickr)

ognisable. And you’re stuck with it for the entirety of your time at university! If I were you I would accidentally misplace it and get dressed all fancy to take another one. Trust me, it’s worth the £10 to not have your mates take the piss out of you every time you fetch it out of your wallet.

As a fresher, freshers’ flu is inevitable. Millions of germs from all over the country mingling in stuffy lec-

How to Flirt 101

mind went blank at that point and I had a little verbal breakdown so without saying anything, I left and we didn’t talk again until he messaged me on Facebook 2 months later.

You see, flirting is just truly about being yourself and being the clumsy and awkward person I am, I thought it was a good idea to go and make a fool out of myself. It’s important to stay within your comfort zones when you’re talking to someone you like and if you’re not then it’s okay to not reply or let them know to calm it.

Over the years, I’ve found that no one has one particular ‘type’ like it’s portrayed in generic Hollywood rom-coms, and in reality, flirting is

usually super awkward and messy.

It’s most likely going to happen when you spot someone fit in a lecture and get your friends to do some detective work on Facebook and when you do find him, it takes about 3 weeks before you can even muster up the courage to send him a friend request let alone a flirtatious message.

You just need to remember to be relaxed and play it cool which sounds a lot harder than it seems, trust me. Your heart will probably be beating faster than a Formula 1 race car and you’re going to be super anxious that you’re sweating like a pig at the time, but think of it as if you’re talking to a friend rather than a crush.

ture theatres and sweaty clubs before inhabiting your weak body. But hey, what’s the difference between freshers’ flu and the paralysing hangovers you’ve been having for days anyway?

All in all, being a Cardiff fresher is the most fun you’ll ever have. Bump & Grind Monday, Revs Tuesday, Lash Wednesday, Walkabout Thursday, Pryzm Friday, Juice Saturday and Soda Sundays. Cardiff Freshers’ Week?

Completed it mate.

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Being a Cardiff freshers is the most fun you’ll ever have

‘‘

Phoebe Grinter

Don’t laugh at everything they say unless they’re genuinely really funny and please, try your best not to do that intense serial killer smile because they’re probably just as worried and nervous as you are, and this will only make them more so.

If you’re too nervous to flirt in person, messaging them online or texting them first is always a good place to start.

If you study the same course you could casually bring up some seminar work you have or ask if they’re going to a social.

It really doesn’t have to be as stressful as everyone makes it out to be and reminding yourself to stay cool and calm is a major key to not looking like an idiot.

Pictured: [Left] Young couple in love Source: Tammy McGary(via Pixabay )

‘‘

You just need to remember to be relaxed and play it cool

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26

ADVICE

Badvice: How to spend all of your student loan in one week Pictured: By the end of the week, only shrapnel will be left Source: Kstuttard (via Pixabay)

O

kay, I’m not going to lie to all of you; I have in fact done this. But in all fairness, I get the minimum amount you can get for student finance and when you subtract rent and bills from it, I’m usually left with about £50 to spare each term, which normally ends up being spent on a takeaway and a going-out outfit or two.

You might be wondering at this moment, what the point of this article is. Surely, I should be giving you all tips on how to save money instead of spending it all. But the whole point of Badvice is to give you awful and pointless tips which you most definitely should not follow (even

though I’m sure the odd one or two of you probably will).

In all honesty, you’re most likely going to spend a good 80% of your money on food. If you want to splurge out a little you can go to the Marks and Spencer’s Food Hall in St David’s and get yourself some fancy sounding pasta (the beetroot and lemon ravioli tastes like fairy liquid) or if you’re feeling super extravagant, head down to the seafood aisle and buy a whole lobster for £20. If I were you I’d send my mum a picture straight after and brag about how even Gordon Ramsay isn’t as classy as you.

After your 5 star meal at Castle

Ask Alice: Alice Dent

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For university relationshipsw to work, you need balance.

Make a conscious effort to give each other space.

T

his is an interesting question, and one which I’m sure a lot of people will have their own take on. The ultimate answer to this is that every relationship is entirely different, with no special list of requirements that you must fulfil in order to succeed. It goes without saying that there are a multitude of variables that come into play. So, I can only speak with reference to my own experiences.

Personally, I think that university relationships are not usually as easy as they may seem. Those of you who live far away from your other half will probably be cursing at me as you wistfully imagine all the time that university couples can spend together; all those cosy nights spent in bed with a film, and those mid-week outings spent drinking cocktails, blinded by the sight of each other’s beaming smiles.

The reality is, however, very different. If you get too comfortable with one another, sweet date nights and walks in the park can often be swapped for a situation where your most frequented hang-out spot is the Newspaper Room in Bute Library. Your idea of a romantic meal

de la Talybont North, you might as well get yourself online and splurge a little more. Why not start planning that lads holiday to Budapest you’ve all been talking about for the last few years? And while you’re at it, look for the fanciest hotel you can find – it doesn’t have to be a recreation of the Inbetweeners Movie.

My boyfriend spent about a grand on sneakers in his first year of University. His excuse was that most of them were limited edition and he was going to re-sell them for a profit but most of them are sitting unworn in the back of his closet. Maybe you could take a page out of his book and invest in an emerging company or

buy a house and rent it out (see, not all bad advice).

Of course the next step from there is to use that 20% UNIdays discount and fill up your ASOS and Missguided baskets with stuff you know you’re going to end up selling on Depop for a quarter of the price you bought it for. It does however call for a fun impromptu catwalk session with your housemates, despite the fact they have to tell you, “you look fab,” or it’ll call for some major house drama.

So give yourself a pat on the back for spending wisely over the last two weeks, but now it’s time to treat yo’ self!

‘‘

Why not start planning your lads holiday to Budapest that you’ve been talking about for the last few years?

‘‘

Sarah Harris

“Do relationships at university work?”

for two becomes a shitty pasta bake consumed on mismatching cutlery in your student house, sandwiched on a dusty sofa in between your housemates.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that for university relationships to work, you need balance. Make a conscious effort to give each other space, even if you would rather spend every moment of the day with them at first.

It’s healthy to have separate friends and different interests. If you’re both at the same university but have your own separate endeavours, it can make life easier.

I met my own boyfriend in Freshers Week of my first year (we are now both going into our fourth year and celebrating our 3rd year anniversary). I love him to bits, but we haven’t had the easiest of rides. Getting into a relationship at the start of university will mean that your friendship groups will often overlap, or in some cases, become exactly the same. By the start of third year we found ourselves in a situation where we were practically living together, socialising together and on top of that, running the university magazine together.

As much as we loved each other’s

company, we were beginning to lose sight of what we loved about the other person. We decided that it would be the best idea to take time apart for a month – no speaking, texting or socialising. Although this was so difficult, it actually worked wonders.

Despite feeling as though my left arm had been cut off, I spent the month remembering all the reasons why I missed and appreciated him.

I’m not saying everyone has to go down this route - hopefully it won’t come to that. My advice is just that sometimes, absence can make the heart grow fonder. University relationships can absolutely work - just make sure you don’t sacrifice your own individual lives, because it can only be detrimental in the long run.

You’ve got the rest of your lives to live in each other’s pockets!

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

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column

W

27

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

Smile - You’re on camera...

ith the hustle and bustle of freshers week, things got a bit crazy on the day to day. By day 3 of fairs, I found myself crashed out in the media office, lazing in a chair to catch my breath.

A friend of mine - bundle of energy in a person - swiftly informs me to smile, because “your outfit is never complete without a smile!”

This statement has kind of stuck with me all week. I love student media, and sometimes I like to pretend that life is a tv show, and here I am stuck centre stage. The supporting cast comes and goes, the location changes, and we age season on season. And throughout the university arc I feel this constant pressure to put on my costume of a smile and continue to work through the script I don’t agree with.

Who is the Truman behind the show? This is a question I ask whenever I see those overly positive people on campus. Are people genuinely that happy all the time? I have a constant issue with the very premise of this sitcom smiles and cliche of the perfect student. Sometimes I am sad, worn out, tired, and sometimes I need to vent, and sometimes I don’t feel like putting on my smile and getting on with the day.

It is talked about a lot, a common

piece of advice given to first year students - to not pretend to be someone you are not. This is inevitably a trap we all fall into, where you tentatively sip during a round of ‘Never Have I Ever’ and frantically try to come up with an exotic story to make you more intriguing to these new friends, these new screens to watch different perceptions of ourselves through.

In a way, it’s almost a vain exercise.

A competition to put on the best wardrobe change, and make yourself be the real belle of the ball. University can feel like a competition, and I know much like everyone I fell sway to it. I tried the whole pretending to be cool thing. I tried to fit in with everyone for over a year, and it didn’t work well for me in the long run. The more I took off the outfit (side note: I’m not going to go for the obvious indecent exposure joke, stop giggling you cretins) and wore my face without a smile when it needed to be, or with it when I wanted to wear it. It has no longer become a forced nature.

News Editor and Mental Health Officer George Watkins tends to point out the statistics at this point, how 75 percent of all adult mental health issues are diagnosed by the age of 24, but that doesn’t seem like the right thing to point out now.

Whilst yes, a lot of the time if you are suffering from depression you may try to hide it and pretend all things are okay, that isn’t okay because there are always people around and the best thing to do is talk about it.

If it is depression that you need to be worried about, there are always services around, and you shouldn’t feel any shame about it. Call Nightline, call the Samaritans, call your mum, and book an appointment with a doctor. Try medication, try counselling, and apply for extenuating circumstances if that is what you need to do.

But that isn’t really my sentiment for today, being sad isn’t the same as having depression (no matter what your otherwise very impressive tumblr following will tell you), and yet it is still okay to express your sadness.

Get mad! Scream at the world, tear your hair out, wallow in despair for a day, as long as you remember that at the end of the scene, when you have put in the performance you wanted, you still have to get up, and do the next scene. And the next one after that. And the one after that on and on.

Whilst I am saying be yourself, remember that there is still an end moral and curtain call to your little soap of a life, and that means even if

you wear the sad clown costume, or the angry reds, you still have to get up and go through the motions, and still act out your scene. You just don’t need to pretend that isn’t who you really are! Wear the smile when it is needed, but sometimes wear black, crash out in the comfy chair of the media office, and keep going.

At the end of the day, dear reader, if nothing else I know you can do it.

I hate getting out of bed every day (mostly because my room is really cold and I have poor circulation), I feel sometimes like putting on my smile and pretending that I’m in a family friendly rom-com, not a drama, not a slice of life documentary arrogantly narrated by a director sociologist about the life of a boring student columnist, but this happy go lucky on the up and up again kind of show. That is never healthy for me. I know that, you know that, we all do deep down.

Don’t fake it for the haters, wear what you want (unless what you want to wear involves light up trainers and you are over the age of 13), be it a smile or a frown. University is a time to work out who you are, and to not hide away. But time for me to stop writing, the music has started up again and it’s time to get back to the stage, and act this out a little more...

Pictured: The solo spotlight of life Source: David Phillips (D.A.P) (via flickr)

‘‘

I love student media, and sometimes I like to pretend that life is a tv show, and here I am stuck centre stage.

‘‘

Charlie Knights

ASK AT YOUR OWN RISK

let’s talk about the elephant in the room

Monday

wednesday

Coffee Morning With the Disabilities Association Y Plas 11:00 - 16:00 Dodgeball The Great Hall 18:30

Postgraduate Meet With VP Postgraduate Y Plas 12:00 – 14:00

tuesday

Societies Y Plas Takeover Y Plas 09:00 – 17:00 Events to be announced

inner child day Y Plas 11:00 - 15:30 How’s Your Head Fair With the LGBT+ Association The Lodge 13:00 – 17:00 Film Night: Inside Out With Psychology Society Y Plas 19:00 – 21:30

thursday

Find out more at: cardiffstudents.com

We are celebrating

VISIT CARDIFFSTUDENTS.COM TO FIND OUT MORE

30

CAMPUS LIFE

campus life

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

Languages for All’s Intensive Courses & Taking up a Fifth Language Lucy Aprahamian

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It helped me understand how much effort and care language teachers put into their work

A

rmenian born in Bulgaria with parents fond of Russian and French, I grew up in a multilingual house and was never afraid of studying languages. However, this year I realised I hadn’t started a new language since I was 15 and over the moon about how well-structured German is. I decided this was good enough of a reason to finally find out why my grandmother always referred to French as the most musical of all languages.

With a little too much confidence in my abilities and eagerness to reach the highest possible level by the time I graduate in two years time, I chose to fill up the only week of freedom I had at my disposal and sign up for Languages for All’s intensive one-week course in French Beginners Part 1. For those not familiar with the scheme, the intensive courses offer 5 consecutive days, each filled with 4 hours of language studies.

This covers the amount of information usually spread across 2 weeks throughout the semester in a single day of intense memorising and speaking exercises.

This was my first experience in studying a language on the basis of neither of my two mother tongues. I hadn’t even

considered whether that would make a difference until I walked into the first session. Suddenly, my head was a mess of different words popping into my mind in different languages, and there was no use in trying to keep all of the translations in my notes merely in English.

W h a t helped, however, was t h a t t h e lovely l e c t u r e r, French herself, didn’t use English in her teaching but rather spoke to us entirely in French. Even though most of us had a hard time understanding her instructions and there may have been some pointing and gesturing in-

volved, this tactic helped us get used to the sound of French a little quicker.

The course, fitting to its title, was truly intense for a novice such as myself.

In fact, I believe the one-week courses may have been designed for students who have studied the language in the past and need a refreshment o f their memory. I could see that, w h i l e I could barely keep up, another student with some rustic experience in French studies was improving with enviable speed and none of the stress I was facing.

Around the second day of my

course I found myself with a new housemate who just so happened to have moved to Cardiff to be one of Languages for All’s teachers. This incredibly kind Italian multi-lingual girl not only taught me a lot about her own culture (and made me appreciate how many Bulgarian words were borrowed from Italian), but It helped me understand how much effort and care language teachers put into their work Meeting her truly developed my appreciation of the person in front of the white board and the Languages for All scheme as a whole. She also encouraged me to reach out to my French teacher more and ask more questions, which definitely improved my development and made the intensive course less stressful.

While I did learn as much as could be expected to in a week’s time, unfortunately, the conclusion was that I had chosen the wrong course for my abilities. However, I was really impressed with Languages for All’s resources and skilled teachers, and have decided to continue using their services with a slightly different approach. This semester I’m taking it a bit slower and continuing my studies with regular weekly classes. Souhaite-moi bonne chance!

Pictured: Above: Welcome to the world of learning a new language Source: Anthony (via Flickr) Inset: Languages from around the globe Source: Eyesplash (via Flickr)

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BYWYD CAMPWS

31

Let’s get Quizzical...

U

niversity Challenge came onto our screens and into the hearts of British households in 1962. One of the oldest classic TV shows ever, and still airing episodes every Monday on BBC2, it shows two teams of students pitted head to head, in a battle of smarts and knowledge. And that exact love of quizzing and mental agility is alive and well here in Cardiff.

to head, hopefully doing better this year than their 240-point loss against University of Southampton last year. Maybe they could have used more ‘buzzer practice’.

But it isn’t all about University challenge; these members love quizzes of all shapes and sizes, attending pub quizzes almost weekly. They even put on their own quizzes with other societies as fun collaborative events such as Disney and Musical Theatre society, Water Aid, and Harry Potter to name a few coming up in the next few months. They don’t however have a regular meeting day, but do like to attend pub quizzes on Sundays and Thursdays more than others.

They are holding a short Introductory Talk for University Challenge this week, where the committee and former University Challenge participants will go into the applica-

tion process in greater detail! If you are interested in applying, attend this event first or register interest on the QuizSoc Student Union webpage: cardiffstudents.com/activities/society/quiz. The event will be held in John Percival 3.47, 12th October, starting at 6! The deadline for registering an interest on this page is 27th October. Don’t wait!

Want to get involved or find out more information? Email the QuizzSoc committee if you would like to get involved in future events with QuizSoc at QuizSociety@cardiff. ac.uk. We frequently post reminders to our Facebook and Twitter pages about certain upcoming events. All QuizSoc members get more direct reminders of upcoming events via email.

Got a society you want to see in the spotlight, or just want to tell us your favourite quizz team name? Tweet us @gairrhydd with your thoughts!

Pictured: Quizz Society logo (Courtesy of QuizzSoc)

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That love of quizzing and mental agility is alive and well here in Cardiff.

‘‘

Charlie Knights

QuizSoc is a relatively young society, founded only in February 2015, but has been swiftly growing every year. Throughout the year they slowly select the team who will represent Cardiff, and look not just for students with good general knowledge, but those who excel in subjects that other students do not know so well. Trials start in October and November for any student to prove their ability by answering written and spoken ‘University Challenge’ style questions. They also insist that students get important ‘buzzer practice’. “Knowing the answer is half the battle!” a committee member told Gair Rhydd, “if you know the answer but your opponent gets there first [sic] the team will get nothing!”

When the team is eventually selected, they get a chance to go on the program, and compete head

What are the Sabbs Saying?

Here in Campus Life we like catch up with Lamorna Hooker, Vice President Societies, and Kirsty Hepburn, Vice President Heath Park, to find out what is going on within the Guild of Societies, and at that far off land that is the Heath Park.

To find out more, look them up at cardiffstudents.com/your-voice/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.

S

ocieties Fairs Thanks to all Societies who attended the Freshers’ Fairs! They went really well and we had a massive turnout (about 5000 people through the door on day one!), so well done for advertising and presenting yourselves so well. I hope you all got a good number of Freshers to sign up, and maybe even some older students

Heppin’ in heath With Kirsty Hepburn VP Heath Park

S

hwmae!!

The Heath is alive with the sound of students (This is meant to be funny / cleaver …)

The Heath is looking for a make-over YAY …

Focus groups will be running this week AND there is FREE FOOD Monday 12-1pm IV Lounge Tuesday 12.30-1.30pm Main Hospital SU Meet-

just wanting to try something new! Make sure you share your photos on your facebook pages and get organising events!

Give It A Go! Societies are all starting up now so look out for Give It A Go sessions to try out something new!

Most sports clubs and societies will be running Give It A Go sessions,

ing Room (By LT1 and the common room) Wednesday 1-2pm 0.22 Cochrane Building Heath Fresher Fayre was a huge success with more clubs and societies represented there than ever before. Thank you to everyone who came along either to see what was on offer or representing your stand - we couldn’t have made it happen without

so if you’re interested in joining a society but aren’t sure, go along and see if you enjoy yourself! It’s a great way to “try before you buy”.

Mind Your Head Week The 9th-13th October is Mind Your Head Week!

This is a week of activities and events to promote mental wellbeing and to show that it is ok not to

be ok. There is a Dodgeball Tournament at 18.30 in the Great Hall so get a team together and come and have some fun! There will also be Inner Child Day on Tuesday to help students de-stress and let out their inner child, and a day of activities in Y Plas on Thursday, so make sure you come to the Students’ Union to see what’s going on!

you! Don’t forget to check out all the Give it a Go sessions running by the clubs and societies – GET INVOLVED! The first Student Family Day of the year ran on Saturday which was GREAT fun! Again, thank you to everybody who attended – children and adults, staff and students alike had a whale of a time! We will be running another

day in December so keep an eye out!

I as VP Heath Park have been out and about showing students my priorities for the year last week. If you didn’t get a chance to chat to me and you have some ideas or questions – I am here for you guys ALL YEAR so send me a message VPHeathPark@ cardiff.ac.uk or message me on Facebook!!

The ‘Morna Report With Lamora Hooker VP Societies

TAF-OD

taf-od

Elen Davies

Yn y llun: Posteri Shwmae Su’mae i ddysgwyr (Tarddiad: Shwmae Su’mae)

@cmccaerdydd | #GRTafod tafod@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/tafod

Diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae yn dathlu 5 oed eleni D dydd Sul y 15fed o Hydref, mi fydd hi’n ddiwrnod Shwmae Su’mae. Diwrnod i ymfalchïo yn y Gymraeg a’i wneud yn gyraeddadwy i bawb, boed yn ddysgwyr, yn ddi-Gymraeg neu’n siaradwyr Cymraeg.

Eleni, mae’r diwrnod yn dathlu ei phen-blwydd yn 5 oed, a’r gobaith yw cael gymaint o bobl a phosib i gymryd rhan yn y digwyddiad. Wedi ysbrydoliaeth gan ymgyrchoedd tebyg i hybu ieithoedd brodorol Gwlad y Basg a Llydaw, pwrpas diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae yw codi

ymwybyddiaeth o’r Gymraeg a rhoi hyder i eraill ei defnyddio a’i mwynhau.

Yn ystod yr wythnos sydd yn arwain at y diwrnod bydd sefydliadau, busnesau, ysgolion, grwpiau cymdeithasol, colegau a phrifysgolion yn cynnal digwyddiadau lu er mwyn gwneud y Gymraeg yn weladwy. Ac ni fydd Prifysgol Caerdydd yn eithriad.

Cynhelir bore coffi yn yr Undeb rhwng 11-1 Fore Gwener y 13eg gyda the, coffi a phicau ar y maen am ddim. Yn ogystal, mi fydd Cyfryngau

Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd yn ymuno yn yr hwyl drwy chwarae cerddoriaeth Gymraeg ar Xpress Radio.

Dywedodd Llywydd Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd, Osian Morgan; ‘’Mae diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae yn gyfle gwych inni ddathlu’r Gymraeg a’i diwylliant, a’i hybu i fyfyrwyr newydd a phresennol y Brifysgol. Mae pwrpas diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae yn mynd law yn llaw â phwrpas UMCC, sef i hybu’r Gymraeg, a sicrhau fod pawb yn cael cyfle i fwynhau a defnyddio eu

Cymraeg, boed yn siaradwyr rhugl neu’n ddysgwyr.

Rydym yn falch iawn ein bod wedi gallu cyd-weithio gyda’r Undeb a Chyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd i drefnu gweithgareddau i hybu a dathlu diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae yma yn yr Undeb.”

Os ydych chi eisiau dysgu Cymraeg, eisiau dathlu Cymreictod, neu hyd yn oed yn awyddus am sgwrs, paned a chacen, dewch i’r Undeb yng Nghaerdydd ddydd Gwener. A chofiwch ddechrau eich sgwrs gyda- Shwmae Su’mae!

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Cynhelir bore coffi yn yr Undeb rhwng 11-1 Fore Gwener y 13eg

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TAF-OD

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Trafod gyda’r Taf-od

Yn trafod gyda’r Taf-od yr wythnos hon.. Carwyn Hawkins 1. Pwy wyt ti a beth wyt ti’n astudio?

Carwyn Siôn Hawkins – Astudio Cymraeg 2. Fel Llywydd y Gym Gym eleni, beth yw dy obeithion am y flwyddyn sydd i ddod?

Sicrhau fod y nifer o aelodaeth yn cynyddu, sicrhau partneriaeth dda gyda UMCC a gwneud yn siŵr fod pawb yn mwynhau – dyna’r peth fwyaf pwysig.

3. Beth yw dy atgof cyntaf yn blentyn?

Rowlio i lawr y grisie gartre’ , bwrw pen yn erbyn plwg a cha’l i ryshan i hospital...falle ‘nath hwnna knocko bach o sense yndda i.

6. Beth yw dy hoff ddiod?

Southern Comfort, lime a lemonade.

Ond i fi – Carwyn Comfort!!!

7. Pwy fyddet ti’n ei wahodd i dy bryd fwyd delfrydol?

Cheryl Cole – dim mwy i weud (winc) 8. Beth yw dy bryd fwyd delfrydol?

Jacket potato, pasta tuna mayo, side salad, fish fingers a garlic bread , ac i bwdin, bowl o ffrwythe ac iogyrt 9. Pa air wyt ti’n ei ddefnyddio amlaf?

Pwdin – Raspberry Pavalova

13. Oes gennyt unrhyw arferion drwg?

Siarad dros bobl 14. Dy hoff le yng Nghaerdydd a pham?

Parc Bute – lle da i ga’l gwared a hangover 15. Dy hoff beth am astudio Cymraeg?

Gwneud pethe ymarferol cyflwyniade grŵp etc..

16. Disgrifia dy hun mewn tri gair

10. Beth yw dy hoff wisg ffansi?

Siaradus, Hyderus, Doniol

Gwisgo lan fel pwdin dolig yng nghrôl Nadolig Y Gym Gym

Mwynhau cymdeithasu. Fi’n joio mynd mas (I yfed!!!!!)

11. Pa ddigwyddiad gododd y fwyaf o embaras arnat ti erioed?

5. Ble yw dy hoff le i fynd ar noson allan yng Nghaerdydd?

Mynd mas i Retro’s a mynd mor feddw nes bo’ Gwen Shenton (Shentonator) yn gorfod rhoi fi’n gwely – nefyr again!!!

12. Pwy oeddet ti’n ffansio pan oeddet ti’n iau?

19. Beth yw’r noson orau i ti ei chael erioed?

Popworld a Retro’s – owff hela fi deimlo’n sic dim ond meddwl am e.

20. Pwy fydd yn ‘Trafod gyda’r Tafod’ Wythnos nesaf?

Nest Jenkins

–

“Shwchi Ponis!!!”

4. Beth wyt ti’n hoffi gwneud yn dy amser hamdden?

Popworld/Pryzm – dylech chi w’bod pam!!

Elin Fflur

17. Petaset yn gallu bod yn rhywun arall am ddiwrnod, pwy fyddai fe/hi?

Simon Cowell 18. Cwrs cyntaf, prif gwrs a phwdin - beth fyddai’r dewis?

Cwrs Cyntaf – Leek a Potato Soup Prif Gwrs – Chicken Curry ½ ½

Noson lwyddiannus i groesawu glas fyfyrwyr N Elen Davies

Elen Davies

os Fawrth y 3ydd o Hydref, cynhaliwyd noson gymdeithasol yn 29 Park Place i fyfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd. Yn bennaf, prif bwrpas y noson oedd croesawu myfyrwyr y flwyddyn gyntaf i Gaerdydd a rhoi fwy o wybodaeth iddynt am y cyfleodd di-ri sydd ar gael yn y Gymraeg, yn academaidd ac yn allgyrsiol.

“Mae’r cyfleoedd yma i chi yn y Gymraeg’’ medd Elliw Iwan, un o brif drefnwyr y noson ‘’defnyddiwch nhw, dathlwch nhw, ymfalchïwch ynddyn nhw.’’

Roedd rhai o’r cyfleoedd a soniwyd amdanynt yn cynnwys cyfle i fod yn llysgenhadon i’r Brifysgol ac i’r Coleg

Cymraeg, cyfle i gyfrannu i gyfryngau myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd, cyfle i ennill cymhwyster sgiliau Iaith a chyfle i astudio modiwlau megis Newyddiaduraeth yn y Gymraeg. Bu hefyd digon o gyfle i’r myfyrwyr ofyn cwestiynau a thrafod gydag aelodau o staff a myfyrwyr ail a thrydedd flwyddyn. ‘’Pleser o’r mwyaf oedd croesawu gymaint o fyfyrwyr brwdfrydig i’r digwyddiad newydd sbon yma.’’ medd Sara Vaughan, sy’n awyddus i annog myfyrwyr i fod yn lysgenhadon. ‘’Dyma obeithio i ni fedru meithrin perthynas gryfach gyda siaradwyr Cymraeg y Brifysgol er mwyn hyrwyddo Cymreictod ein Prifysgol.’’

Pwysleisiodd fod manteision lu i fod yn lysgennad o wneud cysylltiadau, ennyn profiadau amrywiol, datblygu sgiliau siarad cyhoeddus yn ogystal â chael gweithio o gwmpas oriau eich hun ac ennill cyflog hael.

Ategodd Aled Russell, un o olygyddion y Taf-od a chydlynydd y Gymraeg gyda Xpress Radio at lwyddiant y noson drwy ddweud, ‘’Roedd y noson yn un lwyddiannus.

Roedd llawer o ddiddordeb ar ddiwedd y noson, pobol yn awyddus i ysgrifennu ac i gyfrannu i’r cyfryngau myfyrwyr Cymraeg, ac roedd hynny’n beth da. Mae’n braf gweld fod ein hymdrech i sefydlu platfformau cyfryngol Cymraeg yn cael

eu gwerthfawrogi ac yn sbarduno diddordeb newydd.’’

Ond nid gwrando a thrafod oedd yr unig beth ar yr agenda, wrth gwrs, roedd yna bitsa a pheint yn y fargen. ‘’Roedd y ffaith ein bod wedi gorfod archebu mwy o fwyd a diod hanner ffordd trwy’r noson yn dyst i lwyddiant y digwyddiad! ‘’Braint oedd cael cwrdd a myfyrwyr o bron bob ysgol academaidd o fewn y Brifysgol. Diolch i ddatblygiadau UMCC, Cymdeithas Iolo, y Gym Gym, y Coleg Cymraeg, Cyfryngau Caerdydd a mwy, mae’n gyfnod cyffrous iawn i fod yn fyfyriwr ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd.’’

Chwe chystadleuydd, un ysgoloriaeth W edi buddugoliaeth un o gyn-fyfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd y llynedd, gyda Steffan Rhys Hughes yn ennill y gystadleuaeth, mae Ysgoloriaeth Bryn Terfel yn ôl am flwyddyn arall.

Ar nos Sadwrn, 14 Hydref bydd chwech o dalentau perfformio mwyaf dawnus Cymru yn cystadlu am wobr o £4,000 yn ogystal â’r teitl ‘Enillydd Ysgoloriaeth Urdd Gobaith Cymru Bryn Terfel 2017.’

Cafodd y cystadleuwyr eu dethol gan banel o feirniaid a oedd yn dewis y chwe unigolyn mwyaf addawol o blith holl gystadlaethau unigol y

categorïau dan 25 oed yn Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yr Urdd eleni.

Prif nod yr Ysgoloriaeth a sefydlwyd yn 1999 yw meithrin talent rhai o berfformwyr ifanc gorau Cymru.

Mewn neges o anogaeth i’r cystadleuwyr eleni, dywedodd Bryn Terfel, ‘’Rydw i’n falch iawn o weld yr Ysgoloriaeth yn mynd o nerth i nerth, a gweld safon uchel o dalent perfformio unwaith eto eleni. ‘’Gwnewch yn siŵr eich bod fel cystadleuwyr yn gwrando ar gyngor yr arbenigwyr ond gan gadw stamp

personol ac unigryw ar berfformiad, a’ch bod yn gyfforddus ar y llwyfan perfformio. Ac yn bwysicach na dim, cofiwch fwynhau perfformio a rhoi eich gorau. Ewch amdani, dyma eich cyfle i ddisgleirio.

Y chwech sy’n cystadlu eleni yw Daniel Jones o Gaerdydd; Harry Lovell-Jones o Gaerdydd; John Ieuan Jones o Fae Colwyn; Megan Llŷn o Sarn Mellteyrn, ger Pwllheli; Sioned Llewelyn o Efailwen, ger Clunderwen; a Cedron Siôn o Borthmadog.

Fel un o’r chwech y llynedd, dywedodd Rhydian Jenkins fod y profiad yn un bythgofiadwy, ac yn

brofiad a wnaeth ei helpu i ddatblygu ymhellach fel canwr. ‘’Mwynhewch y profiad’’ meddai fel gair o gyngor, ‘’oherwydd mae hi’n fraint ichi gael bod yn un o’r chwech.’’

Eleni, yn eistedd wrth ddesg y beirniaid bydd Delyth Mai Lloyd, Eirlys Britten, Catherine Ayres, Sioned Terry a Rakhi Singh. Yn ogystal, yn mentora eleni mae rhai o gyn-enillwyr Ysgoloriaeth Bryn Terfel.

Bydd yr holl gyffro yn fyw o Theatr Sony yng Ngholeg Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr lle bydd chwech yn gobeithio cipio Ysgoloriaeth Bryn Terfel 2017.

MWYDRON MORGAN

34

colofn

@osianwynmorgan | #Mwydron Morgan gairrhydd.com/category/colofncymraeg

Pa wersi all y Cymry ddysgu o Batagonia?

Yn y llun Arwydd amlieithog yn Nhrevelin (Tarddiad: Osian Morgan)

‘‘

Mae gennym obsesiwn yng Nghymru o siarad am yr iaith, tra mae’r gymuned ym Mhatagonia yn canolbwyntio mwy ar siarad yn yr iaith.

F

is diwethaf, cefais y fraint o gael treulio mis o brofiad gwaith ym Mhatagonia, gan imi a phedwar o fy nghyd fyfyrwyr ennill ysgoloriaethau gan Ysgol y Gymraeg. Rhaid cyfaddef, syrthiais mewn cariad â’r lle yn syth. Mae’n lle gwbl unigryw ac anhygoel ac roedd hi’n fraint cael treulio mis yn cyd-fyw gyda’r trigolion yna, a dysgu mwy am y gymuned Gymraeg yno. Yn amlwg, nid yw’r gymuned Gymraeg cyn gryfed ym Mhatagonia ag y mae yng Nghymru, o ganlyniad i ddiffyg cefnogaeth gan y llywodraeth a’r niferoedd bach o siaradwyr sydd yno. Mewn gwirionedd, Archentwyr, nid Cymry, yw’r trigolion yno, a dydi’r Gymraeg ddim yn iaith gyntaf i fwy na llond law o deuluoedd bellach. Er gwaethaf hyn, tra yr oeddwn yno, sylweddolais fod lawer o bethau y gallwn ni yng Nghymru ddysgu o’n cefndryd ar draws yr Iwerydd.

Un agwedd o fywyd yno a wnaeth sefyll allan imi fel rhywbeth y dylai ni’r Cymry anelu i efelychu, yw’r berthynas rhwng y Gymraeg, gyda’r iaith fwyafrifol yno, sef y Sbaeneg.

Mae’r berthynas rhwng y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg yn bwnc llosg yng Nghymru, gyda siaradwyr o’r ddwy iaith yn brwydro i sicrhau mai eu hiaith nhw a ddaw i’r brig yn y gystadleuaeth barhaol rhwng dwy iaith swyddogol Cymru. Fodd bynnag, yn y Wladfa, mae’r ddwy iaith yn cyd-fyw yn braf.

Gofynnais i gwpl o bobl os oedd unrhyw ‘gwrth-gymreictod’ yn bodoli yn y Wladfa, ac edrychodd pawb yn syn arnaf. (Yn amlwg mae polisi iaith siop

gyfatebol ‘Sports Direct’ yr Ariannin ychydig yn fwy rhyddfrydol!) Mae’r di-gymraeg yno yn fwy na bodlon i adael i’r iaith fodoli yno, yn wahanol i Gymru, lle ceir ymosodiadau parhaol ar ein hiaith frodorol, ac mae rhaid i ni (yn llythrennol) gyfiawnhau ein hawl i fodoli.

I ychwanegu at hyn, yng Nghymru, mae yna gyd-destun gwleidyddolieithyddol y tu ôl i bobeth, gydag wythnosau o drafod a dadlau yn hongian fel cwmwl uwchben bob polisi, deddf, arwydd, trydariad, a sgwrs. Yn wahanol i hyn, ym Mhatagonia, nid yw’r iaith yn cael ei ddefnyddio fel arf gwleidyddol, ond yn hytrach fel rhan annatod o amlddiwylliannedd y gymuned hybrid a fodola yno. Pan ofynnais i un athrawes pan yr oedd rhieni nad oedd ganddynt unrhyw dras Cymraeg yn anfon eu plant i ysgolion Cymraeg, dywedodd eu bod yn teimlo fod addysg ddwyieithog yn bwysig, a’u bod yn awyddus i’w plant ddysgu iaith arall, heb boeni’n ormodol pa iaith yn union yw honno. Cofiwch hwnna y tro nesaf y mae rhywun uniaith Saesneg yn gofyn ‘why can’t we scrap Welsh and teach a more useful language like French or German in schools?’.

Un gwahaniaeth mawr, yw nid oes cymaint o boeni am yr iaith yno. Wrth gwrs, mae nifer o bobl yn ymdrechu’n ddiflino i sicrhau y caiff yr iaith ei chadw’n fyw yno (mae athrawon mewn ysgolion Cymraeg wedi gweithio yn ddi-dâl yno am gyfnod er mwyn sicrhau y gallent ddarparu addysg Gymraeg), ond yn gyffredinol,

mae’r iaith yn rhywbeth i’w ddathlu a’i fwynhau yno. Yn wahanol i hyn, bob tro y caiff yr iaith ei godi fel testun trafod yng Nghymru mae fel petai’n ddiwedd y byd, gyda phob penderfyniad gan Senedd Cymru, a phob gair sy’n dod allan o geg Alun Davies fel petai’n arwydd o farwolaeth y Gymraeg. Yn wir, gellid dadlau fod gennym obsesiwn yng Nghymru o siarad am yr iaith, tra mae’r gymuned ym Mhatagonia yn canolbwyntio mwy ar siarad yn yr iaith.

Wrth gwrs, nid wyf yn awgrymu am eiliad na ddylwn boeni am ddyfodol ein hiaith yng Nghymru, a rhaid cyfaddef yr ydwyf i gymaint ag unrhyw un yn hoffi dadlau am yr iaith a chwyno y pob tro y rwy’n gweld y Gymraeg yn colli tir i’r Saesneg. Fodd bynnag, roedd hi’n brofiad pleserus iawn cael treulio mis mewn cymuned lle roeddwn yn gallu canolbwyntio ar fwynhau siarad yr iaith, yn hytrach na digalonni bob tro roeddwn yn gweld arwydd uniaith Sbaeneg.

Roedd un gair yn cael ai ail-adrodd dro ar ôl tro yn fy mhen tra roeddwn yno – sef ‘pam?’. Pam ydy pobl dal yn siarad yr iaith yma? Pam yw rhieni yn talu am addysg Gymraeg i’w plant?

Pam yw plant yn eu harddegau yn mynychu gwersi Cymraeg ar ôl ysgol?

Pan fentrais ofyn iddynt pam yr oeddent yn parhau i ymwneud ag iaith sydd bellach yn lleiafrif yn ei gwlad ei hun, edrychodd lawer ohonynt yn syn arnaf, gan fy ateb gyda dau air syml: “Pam ddim?”

A dyma, yw’r prif beth y gallwn ni’r

Cymry (boed yn Gymraeg neu’n ddigymraeg) ddysgu o’r Archentwyr am ein hiaith ein hunain. Yn hytrach na’r holl wleidyddiaeth sydd yng nghlwm â’r iaith heddiw, a’r holl ddadlau sy’n mynd yn ôl a ‘mlaen, pam na allwn ni ddod ynghyd a chwestiynu pam na ddylwn ni wneud ymdrech difrifol i gadw’n iaith yn fyw. Pam ddim sicrhau fod addysg Gymraeg i bawb yng Nghymru?! Pam ddim gosod safonau ar y sector breifat?! Mae’n rhaid i ni ddechrau sylweddoli na fodola’r un rheswm teilwng dros beidio ag ymdrechu i sicrhau y bydd yr iaith yn un llewyrchus yng Nghymru, ac y bydd y gymuned yn un wirioneddol ddwyieithog – cyn iddi droi’n rhy hwyr!

Dwi wrth fy modd gyda’r gymuned Gymraeg yng Nghymru, ac mae’n fraint imi gael bod yn rhan ohono, ond ar ôl teithio dros 7,000 o filltiroedd o dir cynhenid yr iaith Gymraeg, ni allaf beidio â theimlo fod gennym lawer i ddysgu o agwedd yr Archentwyr tuag at ein hiaith. Wrth gwrs, mae’r Gymraeg yn llawer mwy llewyrchus yng Nghymru, ac mae’r gymuned Gymraeg yma can gwaith yn fwy na un y Wladfa. Fodd bynnag, os ddysgwn ambell wers o’r Archentwyr, a mabwysiadu agwedd fwy iach at ein hiaith, dwi’n ffyddiog y byddai’r Gymraeg yn gallu bod yn iaith llawer fwy llewyrchus, ac y byddai pob un sy’n galw ei hun yn Gymro neu’n Gymraes, yn gallu manteisio ar allu siarad iaith ddiwydiannol y byd, yn ogystal â mwynhau siarad iaith ddiwylliannol ein gwlad.

‘‘

Mae’n rhaid i ni ddechrau sylweddoli na fodola’r un rheswm teilwng dros beidio ag ymdrechu i sicrhau y bydd yr iaith yn un llewyrchus yng Nghymru, ac y bydd y gymuned yn un wirioneddol ddwyieithog – cyn iddi droi’n rhy hwyr.

‘‘

Osian Morgan

‘‘

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

FIVE MINUTE FUN

Sudoku

36

medium / canolig

Cardiff Quick Crosssword

Welcome to the weekly Cardiff and Welsh themed crossword courtesy of Gair Rhydd.

Get them all right? Tweet us @gairrhydd to let us know!

Across / Ar draws 2. A Welsh thanks for doing this crossword! (6) 3. ____ bay, Cardiff port area (5) 6. National flower of Wales (8) 8. River that runs through Cardiff (3) 9. Current President of the Students’ Union (6 , 5) 12. Famous children’s author (5 , 4) 13. All the statues around the castle are of ____ (7) 14. Oldest record store in the world (8) 15 Welcome to the Welsh language... (6)

Down / I lawr 1. Last name of Welsh spine-tingling actor (7) 4. Area of Cardiff where Cardiff City FC is located (10) 5. Gair Rhydd’s sister lifestyle magazine (5) 7. Original name for the Pricipality stadium (10) 8. ____ bay, place to take your parents for cocktails (5) 10. Cardiff University’s mascot’s name (5) 11. Cardiff’s student district (7)

Kakuro Kakruo is another fun number based game for you to spend five minutes on.

You have to use the numbers 1-9 to fill in the grid. Each vertical and horizontal line has to add up to the number at the side.

For example the grid below:

1. You can find it in water, but is never wet, what is it?

2. I know a word; six letters it contains. And yet if you take one away, twelve is what remains, what is the word?

3. What is at the end of a rainbow?

4. What’s black and white and read all over?

5. Beth sydd gan pen a chynffon ond dim corff?

Croesair Cyflym Caerdydd

hard / anodd

Riddles

easy / hawdd

Answers will be printed in next weeks issue! Keep your eye out, and tweet us @gairrhydd to let us know if you have got it all right!

Got a type of puzzle you want to hear in Gair Rhydd next week? Let us know! We are always keen to try new ideas.

WELSH WORD OF THE WEEK

PÔS

PUZZLES

SPORT

37

Cardiff Crackers: How Parlour’s pearler won the 2002 FA Cup Final for Arsenal Rich Jones speaks exclusively to a range of sports stars about the golden moments in their careers which took place in the Welsh capital

‘‘

Growing up as a kid I obviously watched every single Cup Final, I loved the build-up and just to play in one was a dream come true really.

Ray Parlour

W

ith four Premier League titles, over 400 professional appearances and 10 England caps, there is no denying Ray Parlour had a glittering career.

But it was right here in Cardiff that “The Romford Pele” enjoyed one of his finest moments on a football pitch.

The score was 0-0 in the FA Cup Final as Arsenal faced Chelsea on May 4, 2002 when Parlour collected a through ball from Sylvain Wiltord in his stride and burst into the Chelsea half.

He checked back and, 25 yards from goal, curled a beautiful effort into the top corner and past the outstretched hand of Carlo Cudicini.

It was the moment of magic needed to bring the biggest game in English football to life and paved the way for a 2-0 win for the Gunners after Freddie Ljungberg sealed the deal 10 minutes later.

The victory secured the double for Arsene Wenger’s side after they had won the Premier League title, and they went on to repeat the feat during the historic Invincibles season the following year.

Bearing in mind what followed, it would be hard to understate the importance of Parlour’s stunning strike on the big stage.

And he has recalled how finding the back of the net in front of the Arsenal end in the Welsh capital was one of the highlights of his career.

“We came up against Chelsea, who were a very good side at that

time and it was a tough game,” Parlour said.

“Up against us we had Frank Lampard and Emmanuel Petit, who used to play for Arsenal, in the middle of the park.

“We had a good battle in there with me and Patrick Viera, and it was a tough game to play in just as we knew it would be.

“In the 70th minute I scored the first goal. David Seaman made a couple of good saves to keep us in it just beforehand, then I managed to get the first goal to put us ahead and Freddie Ljungberg put us two up not long afterwards.

“It was a great feeling, especially for me to score a goal in a Cup Final. Growing up as a kid I obviously watched every single Cup Final, I loved the build-up and just to play in one was a dream come true really.

“To score a goal in one was one of the highlights of my career, and luckily enough I scored at the right end with the Arsenal fans at that end.

“The atmosphere was amazing that day, and then we went back the following year and won it again against Southampton.

“That wasn’t the greatest game, but we got the job done and that spell was really successful for Arsenal as I was coming towards the end of my career there.

Parlour played in three FA Cup Finals at the Millennium Stadium, twice lifting the famous Cup. They were on the losing side against Liverpool in 2001 but re-

sponded to win the trophy twice in succession, defeating Southampton 12 months after Parlour’s Chelsea heroics.

It is easy to see why he has such fond memories of the Welsh capital, where he won two of his four FA Cup winners’ medals.

“It’s a great stadium, the Millennium Stadium,” he added.

“The Cup Final obviously moved in there when Wembley closed down, and it was a great place to play and a top venue.

“The first time we played there was not too memorable because we

lost to Liverpool. We were 1-0 up then Michael Owen came on and scored two goals.

“We should have had a penalty which wasn’t given and changed the game, so that was a bad result for us and a big disappointment.

“But we got back to the Millennium Stadium for the FA Cup Final the following year and to win it was a great response.

“We’ve obviously got a lot of fond memories of the place, because that was a good time for us as a club and we had a lot of success in some massive games there.”

Pictured: Top: Football at the Principality Stadium.

Source: Marc (via Flickr ) Bottom: Ray Parlour (via Flickr)

‘‘

We’ve obviously got a lot of fond memories of the place, because that was a good time for us as a club and we had a lot of success in some massive games there.

Ray Parlour

‘‘

Rich Jones

‘‘

38

SPORT

11-a-side Football IMG Season Preview Mark Wyatt

C

ardiff University 11-a-side IMG football has started up again for another year and the four league draws for Phase 1 were finalised last week.

Captains from all 28 sides met with the heads of IMG to finalise the draw for the first period of the season.

Current Champions CARBS FC, who finished last season only losing one match, have been drawn into La Liga in what looks like a relatively easy group for the veteran side.

Ligue 1 looks like it’ll be the ‘group of death’, featuring four sides who were in last season’s top group – Chemistry FC, Real Socsiedad, Engin Locco and Gym Gym. This year there are a handful of new clubs joining the IMG ranks including Borussia Teeth and the Vinyl and Music Appreciation Society Football Club (or VMAS FC as they’ll be known).

IMG leaders will be hoping that they can replicate the outcome of Phase 1 from last season, when no games were postponed and the fixtures were completed well before their expected deadline.

New rules will now be put in place for the 2017/18 season which will allow teams to start their Phase 2 fixtures in the autumn term if they have completed Phase 1.

This new rule will mean that there is a greater chance that all fixtures will be played in time for the end of the season before Easter.

Gair Rhydd Sport this year will be hop-

ing to bring even more IMG content and cover as many matches as possible over the season.

Fixtures begin on Wednesday 11 October and we will be bringing an update on the tables and results weekly.

If you are involved in any IMG

sport and would like to feature your club in one of our issues then please email us at sport@gairrhydd.com and we’ll do our best to get your club an exclusive.

Pictured: Phase 1 League Draw 2017/18

“Five minutes to message one” CU Rifle Club in summer success

Daniel Crook

Pictured: The Rifle Club at Bisley Shooting Ground.

Y

ou lie on the firing point, a raised strip of earth that stretches for half a mile, and stare at where the targets will appear in 360 seconds, and counting. There is a bolt-action rifle with a dioptre sight on your right and 12 rounds of 7.62mm NATO standard ammunition next to it.

A spotting scope sits on your left alongside a pencil, paper and scorecards for noting down shot-fall.

The sun is low and illuminates the ground in front of you.

It is an early morning shoot as part of the Imperial Week, which also functions as the BUCS Fullbore Rifle Competition, a week-long series of individual target rifle events.

It takes place at Bisley, the home of British rifle shooting, a behemoth of a site comprising scores of different ranges.

Many of the c.1,000 competitors stay on the camping pitches, in the huts, clubhouses, or caravans of the National Rifle Association.

Each event counts for prizes in its own right and also towards the Grand Aggregate, an accumulator of scores for the week.

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Some of the competitions consist of stages; with top scorers making it through to later rounds and these are the most prestigious in which to succeed; the St. George’s, the H.M. the Queen’s prize and the Grand Aggregate.

Each follows the same format. One first collects ammunition from the ammunition tent- enough bullets for the competition to come (seven, ten or fifteen shots) and two sighting shots- then proceeds to the lane on which one shall be firing.

This is now the time to focus.

The next move is forwards, twenty minutes later, to take all equipment to the firing point.

One exchanges scorecards with the two other competitors on the same lane, bids them well and then begins to wait.

Until you hear the message“Five minutes to message one.”

Cardiff University Rifle Club members enjoyed great success at this event this year.

Zoe Northam, a seasoned Target Rifle shooter, reached the final of the

he coaching setup at Cardiff Blues has been unstable and unstructured Keiran ManettaJones for a while, losing six coaches over Cardiff Blues the last six years speaks for itself. Currently the Blues are without a Forwards Coach or a fulltime Defence Coach with Shaun Edwards only taking a part time consultancy role.

Now the announcement that Head Coach Danny Wilson will not renew his contract at the end of the season has cast even more doubt as to the future of the capital region.

After a bad start to the season, the Blues have only managed one win out of four,

H.M. the Queen’s Prize before taking Women’s Gold and shot for England in a Junior International Match.

Daniel Crook debuted, with notable performances in a number of competitions including reaching the second stage of the H.M the Queen’s Prize

resulting in a great deal of negative press off the field. There is however hope, with glimpses of positivity and skill on the pitch even if it doesn’t last the full 80 minutes.

The young backs: Fly Half Jared Evans (21) and Fullback Rhun Williams (20) have proved that there is home grown talent in the academy system, even though the player recruitment outside the academy has been very poorly managed. Evans only took the field in the last ten minutes of the game against Connacht, in the windy city of Galway, to kick a difficult last minute conversion to win the first game of the season for

after a maximum score in the first round.

If you’d like to get involved with CURC then search for them online on the AU page of the Student Union.

There is still time to get involved for the coming year.

the Blues. Williams has shown he is a lethal runner with ball in hand and has a good eye for making breaks on the counter attack.

Defence has been an issue for the Blues but now Shaun Edwards’ influence can be observed in the efficiency of the defensive line that is improving game by game. Both Munster and Connacht struggled to break through in the first half.

The list of injuries picked up in the Blues camp may not be the longest, but they have hit key international quality players. Impacting the team in terms of ability and more importantly, experience.

The Captain, Gethin Jenkins, back row Ellis Jenkins, Lions Captain Sam Warburton and fly half Gareth Anscombe all bring stability and leadership to the pitch as well as their own rugby skillset. When present they give the Blues more confidence and structure going into the latter stages of the game, and when absent, as in the first four matches, the result is clear.

The next Blues fixture is an East Wales derby against the Dragons at Cardiff Arms facing Lyon and Toulouse in the Challenge Cup.

CHWARAEON

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Gunter wins top prize at FAW Awards

Rich Jones

F

ans’ favourite Chris Gunter capped off a memorable year by being crowned 2017 Wales Player of the Year at the annual FAW Awards last week.

Gunter, 28, has enjoyed a remarkable run by appearing in Wales’ last 58 fixtures and is rapidly closing in on Neville Southall’s all-time appearance record.

The Reading full-back has become something of a cult hero during a remarkable run for Chris Coleman’s side in recent years.

He has been ever-reliable at the back and has now ended Gareth Bale’s run having won the award for four years in succession.

Star man Bale did earn the Players’ Player of the Year gong, whilst Joe Allen was handed the Fans’ Player of the

Year Award.

Youngster Ben Woodburn was, unsurprisingly, named the Young Player of the Year after his remarkable breakthrough into the side in recent weeks.

The Liverpool teenager has burst onto the international scene and few could argue with his award after a winning goal against Austria and cross for Hal Robson-Kanu’s header in Moldova.

It was a night of celebration for all involved in Welsh football, with seven further awards handed out on the night.

Laura O’Sullivan won the Women’s Player of the Year crown, whilst Angharad James and Jess Fishlock won Players’ Player and Fans’ Player respectively plus Peyton Vincze was Young Player of the Year.

Pictured: Chris Gunter interviewed

by Sgorio (source: S4C Click) via Twitter.

Midfielder David Edwards won the Media Choice Award and goalscoring legend Ian Rush was presented with an FAW Special Award.

Finally, Craig Williams from Newport AFC was named the Welsh Premier League Clubman of the Year for his sterling work with the club.

Cardiff start their season with a 17-14 win over Exeter Taly Sargent, Kate Eagleton and Hannah Gower via UniRugby. co.uk

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C

ardiff hosted Exeter for their first BUCS fixture of the 17/18 season in breezy conditions, last year’s result of this fixture was a resounding 54-0 win for Cardiff.

Cardiff’s newest addition was in the shape of fresher Adam Sadbry (12), who had an impressive start to his season with the team.

The fixture got off to a quick start with Cardiff’s scrum-half Dan Brooks breaking through Exeter’s defensive line with Tom Bell in support to score the first try of the match within the first two minutes.

Conor Graney adding the extras with a straightforward conversion to make It 7-0.

Not long after, Cardiff produced some fantastic offloading and interplay from within their own half leading to Conor Graney scoring in the corner.

A successful touchline conversion from Graney, despite the wind, made the score 14-0.

Exeter then applied the majority of the pressure with Cardiff giving away several successive penalties.

first saw Sol Bamba on a cold NovemDaniel Gibson ber afternoon in Newcastle nearly a Cardiff City year ago. Even from a distance, the man Columnist stood quite literally head and shoulders above his fellow team-mates. The match, a fairly routine 2-1 home win for the Magpies, was largely unremarkable – Newcastle offered little, Cardiff even less. I forgot the rest of the Cardiff teamsheet in short succession after the match; but I did not forget Bamba.

Fast-forward ten months and Sol, the closest thing the Championship has to a manmountain, is now the toast of the league.

Unfortunately for Exeter, the half time whistle was called when held up on Cardiff’s line.

In a half-time interview, N.Pritchard from Exeter noted “there’s quite a strong head wind so it will be interesting to see how the game develops for Exeter with the wind behind them in this half”.

The second half began with a strong attack from Exeter in a bid to close the gap in the score.

On several occasions, Exeter’s back three made a number of promising line-breaks and soon into this half, Exeter put some points on the scoreboard with their first try of the game.

After some clarification between touch judges Exeter’s conversion was unsuccessful keeping the score at 14-5.

Following this came a successful penalty kick from both sides, in succession, bringing the score to 17-8 Cardiff.

Both teams then received yellow cards respectively for tackle related offences.

Edging closer to the end of the game, Exeter’s number fifteen made a huge breakthrough from the half way line skipping past Cardiff players and scor-

Following injuries to both Joe Ralls and Aron Gunnarsson ahead the clash with Leeds, Bamba was drafted back into the starting XI; yet instead of his usual role in defence, Warnock tasked his human wrecking-ball with a role in the centre of the park.

It would be fair to say that he did not disappoint. In the air, Bamba has always been favourite for every ball; but what was perhaps the most surprising revelations of his new role was how effectively Bamba covered every blade of grass between midfield and defence.

ing himself.

The conversion brought the score to a nail-biting 17-15.

Cardiff went on to hold possession well, kicking the ball out of play upon the full time whistle, giving them the win.

Exeter will look to recover with a home fixture against Hartpury, Cardiff will look to push onto next week with a challenging away fixture to Bath.

Cardiff XV

Pictured: Cardiff Uni 1st XV during last season’s game against USW (via Ines Teixeira-Dias)

J Mogg S Jack H Griffiths A Sabri G Mears C Graney D Brooks N Isbister R Jenkins J Holmes L Waller T Bell J Reid T Wilson C Williams Replacements M Georgiou D Hostetler J Outlaw C Stonehill O Davies T Forbes S O’Brien

Over the course of 90 minutes, the Ivorian made as many tackles and interceptions as the entire opposite back line - a stat sweetened all the further given that Leeds had deemed Bamba surplus to requirements just twelve months before.

Quite simply, for one and a half hours the away side couldn’t get past a solitary man in midfield, testament not only to his physical prowess but also to a phenomenal capacity to read the game that no-one had quite seen coming. Which brings us to a problem, albeit a very nice one to have. Gunnarsson and

Ralls have both had excellent seasons thus far, their combination in the centre of the park providing the perfect platform from which the Cardiff front four can operate.

And yet only a fool would ignore the sheer natural talent Bamba clearly has for the position all by his lonesome. The question, it seems, is whether he will continue to perform at the same absurdly high level for the foreseeable future, or if doing the work of two men will inevitably take its toll. Either way, his potential is yet another gem in a season that already promises so much.