2010 Gaudie The University of Aberdeen
2nd February 2010
RE-FRESHERS 12 PAGE SPECIAL!!!
gaudie.editor@abdn.ac.uk
FREE
Est. 1934
Students Fight Cuts Campus Remembering Alfie Alexander page 3
Arts Sean McNally interviews Stuart MacBride PAGE 5
Music Your year in music Page 7
All the way to the top: Protesters outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh
Gordon Maloney NEWS
On Wednesday 27th of January, students and staff from schools and universities all over Scotland gathered outside the Scottish Parliament to demonstrate against cuts to the education budget. The protest was called by Edinburgh University’s Student Association and supported by the Educational
Institute of Scotland, UCU and NUS, in response to the cuts being faced by Moray House, the School of Education at the University of Edinburgh. The School may have to cut around 300 student places, which could in turn lead to up to forty staff redundancies. This comes as the Scottish Government abandons its election promise of cutting class sizes in primary education. One student questioned how staff were to roll out the so-called Curriculum for Excellence, which has the stated aim of achieving “a
transformation in education in Scotland by providing a coherent, more flexible and enriched curriculum,” while contracting the “excellent teachers” who could deliver it. About 150 protesters marched from Moray House to the Scottish Parliament where a delegation from UCU went in to speak to ministers. While outside, the protesters chanted and sang songs and were met by several MSPs, including Richard Baker, MSP for the North East region of
Scotland, who came out to show their support. During the protest, a class of school children were being given a tour of the parliament building and clapped and cheered when going past the protesters. Towards the end of the rally the demonstrators were addressed by the Shadow Minister for Schools, Ken Macintosh, Edinburgh University Students’ Association’s external convenor, Katherine McMahon, and a UCU representative.
Photo by Gordon Maloney
The demonstration was followed by a meeting where groups from different universities, including the Aberdeen Defend Education Campaign and the President of NUS Scotland, Liam Burns, discussed how to coordinate action against cuts to the education budget, in particular Lord Mandelson’s proposed 950 million pound cuts in higher education spending. A statement from the President of Dundee University’s Student Association called on
students to oppose the view that universities should be run as businesses. “Education is the bedrock of any society and needs investment.” Terry Wrigley from the UCU pointed out that the Government has money to bail out the banks and rebuild Trident, but that when it comes to education and other public services people are told that they will have to pay for the recession.
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News
Gaudie 2nd February 2010
gaudie.news@abdn.ac.uk
Seaton Shortcut Not So Safe
Feel Good February Welfare, Well fayre, wellbeing Katherine Ross
Bright Amponsah Looks into travelling to and from university NEWS After the media reportage on a rape case in a Welsh University, the question of security at Hillhead has fallen under the radar and talking to some of its inhabitants the thoughts of feeling safe at the infamous Seaton site seems to have crossed minds. However, until one is quizzed about security, the ideal does not commonly present itself to an individual. Well, why will it, if one of the aims of going to university to some students means fleeing free from the fetters of their family? The question of protection of Hillheadians per se has less to do with their residential site but the issue is with roads and routes to get there: due to its continuous tardiness and high price, few students opt for the bus to and from King’s College and other learning centres, the vast majority walk either through Seaton Park or via Don Street, and as it has been noted, some of these routes are not illuminated and during times of darkness it could be a threat to students’safety, in particular the Seaton walk and the slope from St Machar’s leading to the main mall of the Park. According to Ms McGrath, the Community Liaison Officer of the University, the University is aware of this, and its Campus Services’ Office, under the guidance of the Grampian police, in a form of posters-cum-maps “issued to Hillhead residents...last term concerning their safety and suggesting an alternative route along Don Street”. Yet most students still go through Seaton Park, this is because it is much more shorter than the alternative Don Street, and for people who are in a hurry to get back to halls after a long day of revision in the library, deciding between taking a longer or a shorter route is a simple one. Going through Seaton Park rather than Don Street for students living in catered halls could make the difference between missing dinner and emptying pockets to Qismat. However, the AUSA’s President insists that students should prioritise their security, in his own words: “over the past few years there have been
a number of very serious incidents in Seaton Park, that’s why it is very important that students follow the police’s advice and go around Seaton Park after dark. It is only slightly further, and that is a small price to pay for your safety”. As expected from an adequate student representative, President Parker seems to have taken an active approach in issue of Hillheadians’ security, he has “asked the City Council (who owns and manages the Park) to take better care of the north side of Seaton Park, especially the safety of the trees and the standard of the path which most students use to walk to University along. However, the City Council is in pretty dire straits with regard to its finances.” A claim which is backed up by an article (‘Fury over latest city council cutbacks’ - October 2009) reported in The Press and Journal, in which the Lib Dem-SNP led Aberdeen City Council, in response to the unforeseen economic crunch, plans to cut down on 23million pounds, and as expected, the plan has has been condemned by both the Tories and Labour. In a correspondence with the Council, Steven Shaw, the Council’s Environment Manager has also made it clear to Gaudie that the council has no plan to pay to illuminate the park, this is because it “is a huge space that has many different access points. It would be very difficult and costly to light and guarantee security and safety.” This goes to show that the chance of the council spending few pounds of tax payers’ money in making a public path less risky is very unlikely. As the deadline for this article approached a Facebook message to the President of the AUSA’s Welfare and Equal Opportunities, Katherine Ross concerning the issue had not been responded to, thus the stand of the Welfare Committee remains unknown. The message however remains clear, Aberdeen City Council is not willing to pay for lighting for the park thus students are advised that for their own security and safety,
they should use Don Street This month sees the launch of as an alternative during dark AUSA Welfare Committee’s hours. priority campaign for the year – “Feel Good February”. The Lastly, the Student campaign aims to remove the Association President would stigma surrounding mental be happy to hear students’ illness and to encourage thought on the issue, Mr students to talk about the Parker suggests people who issues which may be causing feel strong about Hillhead them stress, anxiety or security should write to him depression. (sapresident@abdn.ac.uk) and the local councillor, It’s a tough time to be a Richard Robertson student with plenty of (rirobertson@aberdeencity. factors that could affect our gov.uk) or visit his dropmental health and wellbeing. in sessions on every fourth Financial pressures, worries Saturday of the month, at of what to do once graduated, 11am in the Hub.
increased pressure to do well in order to compete in a competitive job market, family and relationship problems and much more besides. It is for these reasons that it is important students have coping strategies and take care of themselves by eating healthily, taking regular exercise, looking after the sexual health and talking about the things that are getting them down. Working in conjunction with NUS and their “Think Positive” campaign the Welfare Committee decided to tackle the sensitive issue of mental health in order to help educate students to recognise the signs and symptoms of
mental illness. Information on where to get help and how to manage things such as exam or financial stress are other important elements of the campaign. The campaign kicked off with the Well Fayre on Monday 1st February and will carry on throughout the month with a variety of different events planned. There will be free yoga sessions, movie showings, group workshops with a trained counsellor and much more besides. Details of what’s going on will be on the AUSA website but look out for posters and trusty volunteers from the Welfare Committee for more information.
Gaudie 2nd February 2010
Campus
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gaudie.campus@abdn.ac.uk
Over Alfred Herbert Alexander To (1918 - 2009) MA., Bsc. You Alfred ‘Alfie’ Alexander, who sadly passed away last December, will be fondly remembered by many at Aberdeen University.
Gaudie was fortunate to receive an account of Alfie’s life from a man who knew him well. The following words were written in Alfie’s memory by Robert McGregor, MA (Hons) 1998-2002 and former Students’ Representative Council member.
University on the eve of the Second World War. In 1941, he reluctantly left his studies to serve as an army hygiene officer. His time in the military saw him serve across the world with periods of deployment in India and alongside peers in the French Free Army. He was one of the few soldiers to have ever served with both the 51st and 52nd Highlanders. It was during this time that he met his wife, Margaret, while she was working as an ambulance driver. They married in 1944, and shared a happy and long marriage until her passing in 2008.
‘Students returning to University after the Christmas break will notice the absence on campus of a familiar figure. Just before Christmas in Alfred “Alfie” Alexander (MA, After demobilisation BSc) passed away peacefully 1946, responsible husband at Woodend Hospital aged 91. and soon-to-be father Alfie went into his grandfather’s Familiar to many as ‘Alfie’, business, the renowned throughout his time at Laing’s butcher of Woodside. Aberdeen University, Here he developed a he became the living reputation across the county embodiment of Learning as a master butcher, whose Through Life and fulfilling haggis was in particular Life Through Learning and demanded as a local delicacy. was an ambassador for North He also maintained his East Scottish hospitality. interest in military service, rising to the rank of Major I first came across Alfie if with the Territorial Army. the summer of 1998 as a preFresher reading the Freshers’ On retiring in the early Week Handbook. Here was nineties, and with the support this dapper, senior, gent with of his family, he decided a broad smile and a habit to take up where he left of singing the “Northern off. Indeed, his 1938 school Lights of Old Aberdeen” leaving certificate was still welcoming me to the seen as legitimate academic University. But who was he? qualification for re-entry to study at Aberdeen University. He was, by then, already an icon among the student He graduated successfully body and well on his way with an MA in 1996 and a to becoming the campus BSc in 2001 and I understand legend he remains today. he was only one essay and From Fresher to Professor, one exam away from gaining Alfie, with his trademark his Sociology degree when deer stalker hat and blue he taken into hospital body warmer, was the most in the summer of 2009 recognised and popular figure – worrying more about in Old Aberdeen (next to the getting an extension for is Principal and the Rector.) essay than his own health! Born in the village of Rhynie, Alfie spent much of his childhood up in Port Elphinstone, Inverurie, where his father was the School Headmaster, and later took a scholarship at Aberdeen Grammar School. Alfie entered Aberdeen
However it is for his contribution to student life that many in the University will remember him. He gave long and enthusiastic service to the Students’ Representative Council and its successor, the Students’ Association, where he
OVER TO YOU is a new section aimed entirely at you. And no, this is not in the same way that a giant mobile phone corporation tries artificially to become your best pal because their new plan is ‘built entirely around you.’ It is aimed directly at you because (hopefully) most of the input will be from you. The aim is for it to become an outlet for your rants, thoughts and musings on things that concern you. More on that in a minute. The first question that shoulds be asked, however, is thus. How does someone like yourself contact someone as distantly aloof and indomitable as the omniscient Gaudie editors, locked in their ivory tower? You have four options. You can leave a message on Facebook, use the email at the top or leave a comment on website that will be launched soon. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, there is always the option to scale the tower walls, overpower the guards and aim a tirade of words directly at us, which we will cheerfully jot down before releasing the hounds.
Alfie in 2007: from left to right - Sakthi
Sithamparanathan, Alfie Alexander, Angela Fraser campaigned successfully for many causes including better lighting on campus and in the Cruickshank Gardens. He was passionate about the welfare and wellbeing of his fellow students, proudly wearing a World Aids Day ribbon all year round.
When he wasn’t studying or campaigning with the SRC, Alfie found time to take on the establishment in pursuit of opening up lifelong learning for the older generation. Many a Government minister and University administrator found themselves the recipient of his finely crafted Many students, especially letters which pushed for from overseas, will also lifelong learning to be a reality testify to his personal and not just a sound bite. hospitality and generosity. Alfie and Margaret hosted Alfie’s philosophy was “think many students over the years young, act young and mix in their home in Leslie Road. with young people and you will never feel old”. It certainly
worked for him and all of us who knew him were privileged to call him our friend. He embodied a courage and tenacity that was an example to many and embraced life with a warm generosity that touched many lives.
So, what subjects will be up for debate? Ideally, it will be set by readers, taking the form of anything that is of any concern to anyone at all. That is, from opinions on the conspicuously absent Student Union that has failed to emerge since the closure the former one to the philosophy and merits of Liquid nightclub, from the best brand of baked beans to the best terrible student-themed alliteration you can think of. The main connecting quality should be that it promotes debate and interaction.
On 29th December his family and friends gathered at Hazlehead Crematorium to celebrate the life of and say goodbye to Alfie Alexander, Northern What’s in it for you? The Light. He will be missed.’ honour and fame from having your insights quoted in one of the best student newspapers in Aberdeen!
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Gaudie 2nd February 2010
Arts
gaudie.arts@abdn.ac.uk
Death, Cops and Biting Belgians Sean McNally met Stuart MacBride, international bestselling author, at a book signing in September of last year. He kindly agreed to answer some questions for Gaudie about his books, his characters and fighting. Gaudie: Ok, well let’s start with the really easy questions I suppose. What made you want to become a writer? Is crime always what you wanted to write? And how did you come up with the Logan character? Ok, I know that’s a lot of questions to start with but it gets the simple ones over and done with. Stuart MacBride: Believe it or not, I never wanted to be a writer, not growing up anyway. It wasn’t until I was in my mid-twenties that a couple of friends (who were writing fantasy novels at the time) told me it was a fun hobby. So I gave it a go… As for Logan, I wanted him to be as normal as possible, not the huge, larger-than-life figures normally found in crime novels. So I made him the sidekick, rather than the usual DI hero character. G: Your new book Halfhead is a fair step away from the “McRae” series of books. What made you want to move away from the McRae series? S.M: I didn’t, it’s the other way around. Halfhead was the third book I’d ever written, two books before Cold Granite, so if anything the McRae series is the departure. But Halfhead is still a serial killer thriller, so they’re not that dissimilar when you take away all the not-so-shiny future stuff. G: Halfhead ends on a bit of photo by Karolina Webb a cliffhanger, are there any chance we will be seeing two other books waiting for anymore of William Hunter? their chance to be released? Also what kinds of book were S.M: It would be nice to they? go back to the Halfhead world, there’s something S.M: There is no chance in very liberating about being badger-flavoured hell that able to make up absolutely these books will ever see the everything and not having light of day. These are the to stick to real life. But I books where I was learning to honestly don’t know if I’ll get string a sentence together... a chance – there are a lot of That said, if I had time I’d other books I’d like to write love to rewrite the first book and only so much time… as a three partner for BBC Scotland - it’s a dark crime/ G: You said Halfhead was murder/comedy kind of the third book you wrote. So thing set in the North East, does this mean that there are
S.M: Well, nobody’s perfect. Not you, not me, and not normal police officers. I think it’s important to have characters behave as honestly as possible so everyone has to have positive and negative traits. Make good decisions and bad ones. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone in real life that doesn’t have their fair share of flaws, so that’s what I try to put in the books. And normal police officers really aren’t boring – you just have to have a couple of pints with them to find that out.
tend to get fed up with them. If I kill someone off, it’s only because it seems like the logical thing to do, given the circumstances. Which means no one is safe. G: Getting away your books for now - are there any other authors you enjoy reading in your spare time? That is assuming you have spare time to read. S.M: I like reading people like Allan Guthrie, Zoë Sharp, Mark Billingham, Ray Banks, Charlie Williams, Val McDermid. And I’ve just got into Joe Abercrombie who I can wholeheartedly recommend.
G: A lot has been said in the books about “The Mastrick Monster” however, it has never been explained? Any chance the story will ever be told or is it just going to be an G: Anything else you enjoy to implied story? do in your spare time? S.M: I think by now the whole story of what happened is spread out through the books, like a thin layer of marmite. Hell, we even got to meet him in Flesh House. One of the things that I enjoyed the most about writing Cold Granite was not explaining Logan’s backstory, and letting the reader piece it together themselves. G: Is there any character you’ve ever made for a story and then instantly thought “I want to kill them” or indeed created a character with the intention of just killing them? S.M: Have I ever created a character with the intention of just killing them? Em … and the only clue I’ll give you main characters in crime that tends to be what crime is that it involves Ralgex and novels always have something novels are about. condoms. wrong with them? Is it just to make them feel more human G: Ok, that was bad wording on my part. I suppose a better question would be have Who would win in a fight between you ever created a character the intention of MacRae, Columbo, Poirot, Thorne, without killing them only to kill them Frost and Dr. Sloan? off because they started to annoy you. S.M: Thankfully that’s never G: Logan is far from the or is it simply that normal happened. I try to empathize with all my characters, even perfect police officer. Is there policemen are boring? the horrible ones, so I don’t any reason you feel that most
S.M: Cooking food and eating it. Which isn’t that good a hobby for someone who spends ten or eleven hours a day sat on his arse in front of a computer. G: If you weren’t writing what could you see yourself doing? Or indeed what would you like to be doing? S.M: Like most crime writers I’d like to be a rock star. There isn’t a lot of skimpy underwear gets thrown at the stage when you’re doing a reading in a library. G: And a quick final question. Who would win in a fight between MacRae, Columbo, Poirot, Thorne, Frost and Dr. Sloan? S.M: Poirot – he’s got a low centre of gravity and isn’t afraid to bite people in the nadgers. I would like to thank Stuart for his time and answering the questions. Stuart MacBride will hopefully be appearing on air for a live interview on ASR’s daily show in the future.
No spin.
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Gaudie 2nd February 2010
Music
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gaudie.music@abdn.ac.uk
Big in 2010 GAUDIE LOOKS AT JUST SOME OF THE TOP Albums Due in The coming year She and Him
M.I.A.
Gorillaz
Klaxons
Volume 2. March
TBA. TBA
Plastic Beach. March
TBA. TBA
Dry your eyes indie boys, yes the delectible Deschanel is off the market but check it out, round two - Volume 2 for fans of chronology - is set for release to offer a musical hankie for your tears and sniffles.
With Slumdog Millionaire propelling her Paper Planes single to dizzying chart heights and a super cool leaked video doing the internet rounds, anticipation for M.I.A. album number 3 couldn’t be higher.
Album number 3 from Damon Albarn’s favourite - and most profitable - past time features the expected cavalcade of stars, most notably the appearance of Mos Def on recent single Stylo.
Will they, won’t they? It’s anyones guess. They’ve been promising a follow-up to their 2007 debut for years now, but with two albums reportedly binned, word on the street is that the latest sessions are proving fruitful. Could this be the year when we finally dust off our “Wooo”s?
LCD Soundsystem Broken Bells
Joanna Newsom
TBA. TBA
Broken Bells. March
Have One On Me. February
James Murphy has dusted off the vintage gear and shoved it into a mansion with a swimming pool for LCD record three. No teasers have been released as yet, other than an in-studio faff about soundtracked by a saucy beat right up the Murphy alley.
James Mercer: creative force behind The Shins and Modest Mouse collaborator. Danger Mouse: likely to have produced a third of your recent music purchases. The union of these powerhouses of contemporary music has yielded the glorious High Road single. Expect melody.
Last album, Ys, was a dense, sprawling masterpiece featuring allegorical lyrics and instrumentation from Van Dyke Parks. That album had 5 songs. This album will require 3 discs. Prepare to have your mind blown by this woman.
Events and Reunion Tours in 2010: New Format From Audio Pioneers Spring 2010 will see the launch of MusicDNA, a new digital music file format from the makers of MP3. MusicDNA is a media extension that will include not only audio content but also videos, artwork, news and blog posts. Expect the file to bring “a better total media experience”, according to Norwegian developer Dagfinn Bach. Next step - 3D projection with SmellO-Vision add-on for a
realistic gigging alternative. Rage Against The Including the all important Reality TV Machine ‘Other People’s Sweat’ spray nozzle for added effect. Following Rage Against The Machine whooping the ass of X-Factor winner Joe McSnooze-Fest this December to clinch the coveted Christmas Number 1 spot, guitarist Tom Morello vows that the band “WILL PLAY A HUGE FREE CONCERT IN THE UK TO CELEBRATE THE VICTORY OF THIS HISTORIC PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN!!!!” A date for the concert has yet to be released. The band have
attempt recapture former Trials And also promised to invite Simon glories or should these groups Reformations Cowell to MC the show. A have stayed dead? hilarious proposition, I’m sure you’ll agree. Various bands have overcome internal strife and put aside their solo dabblings/side projects to end their hiatuses. Three former musical giants who will be returning to the touring life are Blink-182, Limb Bizkit and Soundgarden who are expected to unveil live dates later this year. Did one of these bands guide you through your misspent, troubled teenage years? Are you glad that the members have buried the hatchet to
gaudie.listings@abdn.ac.uk
Gaudie 2nd February 2010
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What’s On. RE-FRESHERS’ WEEK
Lots of events still going on such as CAMPUS TOURS, CLUB NIGHTS and more
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www.ausa.org.uk and click on What’s On
SNAFU COMEDY CLUB JOE HEENAN ANDY VAUGHAN JASON MURPHY
Snafu 19.30 doors
£5/£3 (students)
FUNNY REELING AND WRITHING The Lemon Tree 20.30 £10
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Electro, disco and techno SPIN THE BOTTLE, BONES, MONEY
The Moorings 20.00 £7
SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: L’ENFANCE DU CHRIST Live orchestral session Music Hall 19.30 – 22.30 £8.50 - £19
MUDHONEY Alternative disco Korova 22.00 £1
ELECTRIQUE BOUTIQUE
MODULATE
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04
FRAT HOUSE The Rig 22.00
Snafu 23.00
JONATHA BROOKE American folk-rock The Lemon Tree 19.30 – 22.30 £12
Celtic Style Scottish band with experimental Quebecois quartet Music Hall 19.30 – 22.30 £12
Is comedy the ultimate weapon?
BLAZE BAYLEY TURBYNE Metal
BREABACH, LE VENT DU NORD
FILTHY RICH Tiger Tiger 22.00 £3 before 23.00, £5 after
£3
THE DIRTY HEARTS CLUB DHC DJS Snafu 23.00 £3
DJ TECKNIQUE
Origin 23.00
www.scottishensemble.co.uk
BELHAVEN SUNDAY JAZZ ALAN MACKAY QUARTET The Lemon Tree 12.00 FREE
07 Vue
AVATAR 3D
(12A)
OPEN MIC NIGHT MUSA 20.00 - 01.00 FREE
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VODKA ISLAND Tiger Tiger 22.00 £3, £4 after 23.00 BLACK TOOTH FUDGE DJS Snafu 23.00 £3
LIVE AT THE BEACH THE LITTLE KICKS, INDIAN RED LOPEZ, CAST OF THE CAPITAL, THE UNDERKILLS Live music Beach Ballroom 19.30 – 00.00 £7.50
FUNKY MILK GILES WALKER DJS Origin 23.00 £3.50
SNAFU COMEDY CLUB MARK NELSON MARK DAVIES DUNCAN GUTHRIE ANDREW LEARMONTH Snafu 19.30 doors £4/£3 (students)
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VELVET REVOLVER TRIBUTE (III FISH) Tribute night The Warehouse 19.30 – 22.30 £5 JEANS TEAM Techno-pop The Tunnels 21.00 – 23.30
£5
MODULATE: PEDS, YOYN Origin 23.00 £5
SCOTTISH ENSEMBLE Toby Spence sings Jacques Brel Music Hall 19.30 – 22.30 £14.50
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ELECTRIQUE BOUTIQUE KAPLANK KAPOW, EEZMA TALCOLM X, KRAZZY MARTIN Electro, disco and techno Snafu 23.00 £3 MODULATE REBECCA VASMONT DJ TEZ Dubstep and drum’n’bass Origin 23.00 FREE
www.drafthouse.co.uk
FRIDAY LIVE Weekly folk and blues session The Lemon Tree 13.00 FREE
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MEXICO FALLZ, AVOID THE MORNING,ONLY THE BRAVE, HE SLEPT ON 57 The Warehouse 19.30 – 22.30 £5
TAKEOVER THURSDAYS Requests night The Rig 19.00 FREE DIRTY HEARTS CLUB DHC DJs Electro indie rock. Snafu 22.00 £3
VANITY The best in new music Tiger Tiger 22.00 MIXTAPE DJ LUNIK + GIBBY Techno and minimal
Snafu
Circus of Horrors BELHAVEN SUNDAY JAZZ Pure jazz! The Lemon Tree 12.00 FREE
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KASSIDY Alternative four-piece The Warehoue 19.00 – 22.30 £6 VALENTINE LOCK AND KEY PARTY
Party anthems plus speed dating and romantic themed room
Tiger Tiger 22.00 £5
I HATE VALENTINE’S DAY (tbc) www.sheknows.com
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RUBY TUEDAY Weekly acoustic sessions Bar 99 21.00 FREE
BRIAN KELLOCK JULIAN ARGUELLES Vibrant Scottish improvisers The Lemon Tree 19.30 – 22.30 £15
FILTHY RICH Tiger Tiger 22.00 £3, £4 after 23.00
DAY OF THE DEAD CIRCUS OF HORRORS Rock’n’roll meets an early 20th century freak show Music Hall 19.30 – 21.30 £12
FRIDAY LIVE Weekly folk and blues session The Lemon Tree 13.00 – 15.00 FREE
Romantic C comedy dealing with the pressures of Valentine’s Day
www.scifind.co.uk
23.00 £3 before midnight, £6
A unique and intimate opportunity to discover a vanishing way of life the Ken Fox family share us happens when you run away and join the circus
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THE ELVIS SUICIDE IN ATLANTA, PULSE DESTINATION New bands The Moorings Bar 20.00 – 22.30 THE DEEP END FUNKY TRANSPORT Underground, deep house and disco Snafu 23.00 £3 before midnight, £6 after
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AECC 18.30 – 19.30 and 20.30 – 21.30 £10
BLACK TOOTH FUDGE DJs Alternative Beats Snafu 23.00 £3
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RHOD GILBERT & THE CAT THAT LOOKED LIKE NICHOLAS LYNDHURST Outstanding Welsh Comic Music Hall 20.00 £16.50
WALL OF DEATH NTS
ROCKS OFF Rock Classics The Rig 19.00
SAURDAY LIVE Traditional live session with Scottish cultures The Lemon Tree 12.30 – 15.00 FREE
RUBY TUEDAY Weekly acoustic sessions Bar 99 21.00 FREE SNAFU COMEDY CLUB GARY LITTLE, BRUCE FUMMEY SEAN GRANT, GUS TAWSE JOHN AGGASLID, VIV GEE Snafu 19.30 door £4/£3 (students)
FREE
www.sheffieldcomedyfestival.com
Public Consultation Tell us what you want... The City Square Project is a radical transformation of Aberdeen city centre. By raising Union Terrace Gardens and the Denburn Valley to the surrounding street level, and covering over the railway and the dual carriageway, we can create an accessible, safe, connected and vibrant public space. However, this is a crucial point in The City Square Project. You are now being asked to decide if, and how, this ambitious project goes ahead. The public consultation runs from 11th January to 5th March 2010, and your opinion really does matter. If you want to have a say in the future of our city centre, go on, get involved!
EXHIBITIONS If you want to find out more about the proposals, chat to us or provide your feedback, then please pop along to one of our exhibitions: Union Square 29 January – 9.00am-6.00pm 30 January – 9.00am-6.00pm Inverurie Town Hall 1 February – 9.00am-5.00pm Aberdeen University Students’ Association 2 February – 9.00am-5.00pm Robert Gordon University Business School Atrium 10 February – 9.00am-7.00pm Bon Accord Centre 12 February – 9.00am-5.30pm 13 February – 9.00am-6.00pm Peterhead Leisure and Community Centre 27 February – 9.00am-5.00pm
Website
www.thecitysquareproject.com
Freephone
0800 111 4881
consultation@thecitysquareproject.com
@thecitysquare
Text message
Text 60777 followed by the word ‘square’ then your message
www.facebook.com/citysquareproject
Editorial
Gaudie 2nd February 2010
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gaudie.editor@abdn.ac.uk
President’s Corner Editorial
xams e r o Out f ybody Else) er (Like ev on back so
Robin J Parker
The centrepiece of the SA’s democracy is coming up soon, the AGM, on the 23rd of February. Put the date in your diary now! The SA is fundamentally a grassroots organisation which exists to provide services, opportunities and representation to its members, who are you guys, the students at Aberdeen Uni. The AGM is your easiest opportunity to get involved in what the SA is doing. The opportunities are there for you to hear what your elected officers have achieved on your behalf, approve the SA’s expenditure and budget, and, perhaps most importantly, submit a motion to ask the SA to take action on a particular topic. There is a guide on the SA website to explain how the AGM works and how you can make your voice heard, click on ‘Representation’ from www.ausa.org.uk.
be a discussion on the Governance Review that we have been carrying out here at the SA. The fundamentals of the Review are, how can we make the SA more accessible and responsive to you, ‘the student on the street’, and how can we create a more rigorous system at the heart of the SA, able to oversee the day-to-day running of the SA for you. The key proposals include, a greater use of referendums so that we can hear every students opinion on key decisions, being proactive by taking representation to you rather than waiting for you to come to us, and a review of the roles of the Presidents and Vice-Presidents.
to make real changes to the University and beyond to benefit students. Exec has committed itself to getting as many candidates to stand as possible and to getting turnout as high as possible, so everyone of you should consider getting involved! There is a level of involvement to suit every time commitment, from full-time paid positions to volunteer committee positions. Finally, we are continuing to develop some concrete proposals for the new Student Association home in the Butchart building. There is a survey that you can take on the www.ausa. org.uk website. This is an incredible opportunity to make the SA a bigger part of campus life, and we want you to be involved in shaping that every step of the way.
Welcome back to the new term, I hope exams went well for those of you that had them, and a special greeting to those new students joining us this term. I hope you have been enjoying Re-Freshers’ Election nominations Week, which has been open this week for our own bigger and, I’ll hope you’ll elections. The SA elections agree, better than ever: just are a unique opportunity one of the results of AUSA’s from you to go straight from commitment to continually being a student to leading a As ever, I’m here to listen, so improving what it provides The most important item charity with a £1m+ turnover come and talk... to you the students. on the AGM agenda will (the SA) and being a position
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Gaudie 2nd February 2010
Opine
gaudie.opine@abdn.ac.uk
Applicant Surge Spells Trouble Joseph Blythe Opine Editor
colleges were all full. Many young people up and down the country will have been left disappointed in similar circumstances, and this is set to get even worse next year when application rates are expected to surge once again, after spikes in the last couple of years already. Higher numbers of applicants will mean many more disapointed students at the end of the summer, as universities struggling with budgets are forced to turn many people down.
Applying for university is a competitive business; no doubt most of you will have experienced the fear or disappointment of being knocked back from their first choice course because they just barely missed the criteria. Nothing quite compares to the sense of panic that comes from opening your exam results, and the wave of absolute relief when you find out your place is secure. But for many the story is different. This week the higher education body Universities My brother applied to UK predicted that hundreds Aberdeen University last year, of thousands of students will and his entry was based on be left without a university appealing one of his higher place next year due to funding grades up by one band; he cuts and the rise in applicant was left biting his nails until numbers, which will in turn September, when he found put pressure on colleges out that he had failed in his and other educational appeal, and as it had been left establishments as they try to so late was unable to apply for cope with the large number any other university places of last minute applications. through clearing; even the This situation was easily
foreseeable when the government announced that intended to get half of all young people into university, a figure that was clearly unsustainable as the existing infrastructure was never going to be able to support such high numbers. We have seen the results of this in Aberdeen with the accommodation crisis stretching on for a third consecutive year, simply because the university has been unprepared for the high numbers of students coming here; and now the situation is set to get worse (in England at least) as funds are being cut while at the same time more young people than ever are being encouraged to apply for university places. Indeed, while obviously higher numbers of students means that universities have a higher number of graduates, the result of this is also that a degree itself is less valuable than it used to be. As more
people leave university with qualifications your degree is less likely to make you stand out from the competition in adult life, unless it is from an elite institution, which leaves many students coming out with thousands of pounds worth of debt, and no better job prospects than they had when they first began. If the government don’t address these issues then we could end up with a whole generation having the worst possible start to their adult life; saddled with debt and despite their degree not being able to stand out from the competition, they’ll be forced into jobs that they don’t want, and will feel as though their time at university was entirely wasted; and given that the years you spend at university are meant to be some of the best times of your life, making new friends and learning to live away from home for the first time, this is far from what we deserve.
Can Aberdeen University support more students?
Complaints About Exams Entirely Justified classes seem more interesting, and you’ve probably vowed OPINE to work harder and not get as complacent as you were As we finish another period before. of exams, students at Aberdeen University will be But as we exit the exam spending the next couple period and begin to look of weeks anxiously awaiting forward to next semester, their results while at the some concerns about the way same time trying to focus it has gone must be raised. on the new semester that is Many students will have been just beginning. It seems to affected by the shake-up of be an unspoken truth that exam times that we have seen the second semester is always this year; In order to make much better than the first: the exam timetable as easy The weather is better, the to cope with as possible, the
Benny Harvey
university ran some exams during the evening hours, meaning that some students had the odd experience of finishing an exam close to 10pm. I myself finished my first exam at half past nine, and the subsequent lonely walk home in the cold and the dark was hardly what I needed after such stress. A few students I talked to had expressed concern over their feeling of safety walking home at such times, which
Due to late exams some students have been forced to walk back home after dark
was of particular concern for long, so approaching the end of the second hour I rushed those based at Hillhead. to finish, and sat waiting to While the university wisely be told we could leave; but advises students to avoid nothing happened, and I walking through Seaton realised that the time had Park once the sun has set, in been a misprint, leaving me a situation where you’ll be unable to adequately add to wanting to get back home as my rushed answers. quickly as possible to get out of the cold and relax after a To top it off, the first half hour stressful exam I can hardly of the exam was interrupted blame students for wanting to by a teacher explaining the take the quick route through rules of an exam to a different the park, rather than walking class in the same hall, and half way through it started all the way up King Street. raining outside, causing the As well as this, I talked to a ceiling to drip directly above student that had an evening me. exam that finished near 10pm, and then had another Perhaps I could call this exam the next morning at bad luck, but the number of 10am. Does this reflect badly people that I know who have on the university? It certainly had complaints suggests seems as though the whole there were real concerns over exam period could have been the way this exam period handled a lot better. There was run. A friend of mine were also many complaints of complained of poorly written interruptions during exams and badly spelled question causing distractions, as well sheets in all 4 of her exams. as spelling mistakes on the At an institution that aims question sheets. to be one of the best in the In one of my own exams the world, as Aberdeen University question sheet said that the does, it is hardly fitting that exam was only two hours the exam period should have
been so poorly handled as to invoke the amount of criticism that it has. The evening exams will be perfectly acceptable in the summer, but this winter was not the best time for them to be run. Another change that people have been calling for the past couple of years is to move the first semester exams to before the Christmas break, which would allow students to enjoy their holidays rather than having to spend most of them revising or finishing off assignments. It also allows for a longer Christmas break: Stirling University, for example, has a Christmas break that runs from the 16th of December to the 14th of February! I know that this is something that Aberdeen University are looking at changing, and it’s a move that I know would be popular with a lot of students. Hopefully the issues with the exams this year will prove to be a one-off incident, and that in the summer students will have less to complain about.
Sport Gaudie
2010: The Year of the 2010 World Cup It may only be the start of the year, but the build-up to the most talked about World Cup since 2006 has begun...
2nd February 2010
Firsts Secure Top Flight Survival Julia Paterson Football On the 9th December, the women’s football team travelled to Dundee to face Abertay in the final game of their season. This game was important, in that the losing team would be relegated from the 1st division. For a number of players, this was also potentially the last game of their university careers: Kelly Forrest, Cherry Alexander and Heather Leighton, each having had long, illustrious tenures with the club and being stalwarts both on and off the pitch, and also postgraduate student Carrie MacNeil, a new member this year who integrated superbly, all look forward to graduation in 2010. With about 15 minutes played in muddy conditions,
keeper for the day, Jenni Davidson, faced one of the first real attacks on goal – by none other than her twin sister, Alana. Unfortunately, our Davidson lost out in this particular encounter, and Abertay took the lead. However, Aberdeen replied immediately with a cross from the right from Judith Shepherd to Paula Glover Uphill Struggle: a tough season for Aberdeen in the centre of Abertay’s penalty area, who sent an assured drive into the bottom corner of the net. After a good deal of pressure from the start of the second Two goals ahead with not long Aberdeen’s second goal half, Aberdeen went on top to go, it seemed relatively came from a brilliantly again when Forrest’s pass safe to make changes, and weighted corner kick by from midfield found Louise Leighton was replaced by Shepherd reaching Forrest Risnes, who then beat two Reni Olorunda, who made for a measured, powerful defenders and the keeper to the potentially critical lastheader at the back post. pass the ball into the net with minute decision of choosing Abertay levelled before the a slide. Another Aberdeen to play without her glasses, break when a clearance from goal swiftly followed, with for fear of breaking them in their defence found a striker, winger Alexander’s speedy the rough tackles that were catching Aberdeen’s back line run down the right and her the order of the day. As long unawares and allowing for a shot from distance soaring as the fact of our newlyclinical finish past Davidson. beautifully over the Abertay instated short-sighted right keeper. back was kept quiet, we’d be
Looking forward to 2010… Jack Arnold
Sports Editor
FIFA World Cup This summer’s World Cup is destined to be one of the major highlights of the year’s sporting calendar. Whilst defending champions Italy will be hoping to retain their crown, it is Spain and Brazil who are early favourites for the title. British hope will lie with England who
managed to secure qualification with an exceptional run of form in 2009 and who will be looking to continue this into the final stages of the competition. After European domination of the 2006 World Cup, with all four semi-finalists emerging from the host continent, many eyes will be on the African nations to see how they will fare on their own turf. With thirteen of the previous eighteen victors being based in the same continent as the tournament, an African success story could shock the footballing world.
Winter Olympics This February sees Vancouver play host to the Winter Olympics as Team GB takes a squad of 43 athletes to take
concluded with a crucial victory over Abertay ok. Cue serious giggles on the had dominated the game with bench. determination both in attack and defence, with continued Aberdeen’s final goal came pressure on the Abertay goal when Shepherd found some and dauntless support from space on the left deep in the back line; each player Abertay’s half, and crossed to contributed admirably. Risnes in the box, who slotted the ball neatly past the keeper. But, before Aberdeen’s Abertay answered this quite Davidson could leave the quickly with another goal, field, she was grabbed by her contentious in possibly being sister and, in a timeless act of offside. However, the final sibling vengeance, lovingly whistle blew to our delight dumped in the muddiest soon after. Overall, Aberdeen patch that could be found. on the World. Amongst our best hopes for medals are Zoë Gillings in the snowboard cross and Sarah Lindsay in the speed skating. Banchory’s own Ben Kilner will also be hoping to make an impression in the snowboard half pipe event. Welsh athlete Alan Condon becomes only the second Briton in history to compete in both Winter and Summer Olympics having made the transfer from sprinter to Bobsledder after being inspired by the movie ‘Cool Runnings’.
Rugby Six Nations February also sees the kick off of the year’s six nations tournament. After taking the title in last years competition Ireland will be hoping to enter the history books as the first nation to win back to back Grand Slams since the competition was expanded to include Italy in 2000. France however are early favourites for victory and will be looking to repeat the successes of 2006 and 2007.