seren
SUMMER 2003 - THE OFFICIAL ENGLISH-LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER OF UWB STUDENTS’ UNION - FREE
SUMMER BALL: ARE YOU GOING?
have been complaining Students about the date and cost of the Summer Ball this year, claiming that it comes in the middle of exams and is too expensive. The Ball, to be held on Friday May 31st, has traditionally been on the last Friday of the Summer Term, the day before students have to leave
Halls of Residence by lunchtime. By this time the exams had finished and all students could go out and celebrate together at the Ball. This year, however, many students have had to choose whether or not to disrupt their revision for important exams, to attend the event, help in the PJ Hall in Main Arts.
The problem of choosing the date stems from previous complaints of having to leave Halls of Residence the morning after the Ball. Many students would then drive home whilst possibly still being over the limit. This year, concerns for students’ safety and the refusal by the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
EMBROIDERED OR PRINTED UNI-CLOTHING. SMALL QUANTITIES OUR SPECIALITY
2 SUMMER 2003
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NEWS
Letter from the Editor.
Hello and welcome to another edition of Seren and the last one of this academic year! We had such a huge response to the last issue; the debate board on the Bangor Intranet was swamped with your opinions about what we printed. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to respond to some points raised over the last month. The style for Seren is ever changing, we aim to be the happy medium between a Broadsheet and a Tabloid paper: both factual and fun. We are a student paper; we should appeal to and cater for you the students. Our style must therefore be versatile in order to do this.
EDITOR - Clare Chadwick editor@seren.bangor.ac.uk Editor
In regard to our choice of stories we print, we have had much more of a selection to choose from as the team has increased massively since the last issue. We are all able to spend more time covering individual stories and research articles to the best of our ability.
News
As to the direction we wish to take concerning Seren’s future, we are aiming to provide more University sport; this has been vastly improved already, as we now have five pages covering this year’s matches and tournaments. Seren’s Sports Editor, Keyan Milanian, has worked hard to establish lines of communication with all the Team Captains, unfortunately some were slow to respond and not all reports could be published. We hope to build up a stronger working relationship with all clubs and societies and use this to bolster our detailed Union coverage.
Production PRODUCTION - Daniel Turner Assoc. Editor production@seren.bangor.ac.uk ASSOC. EDITOR - Frank Swain Sports asseditor@seren.bangor.ac.uk Lifestyle SPORTS -Music Keyan Milanian Movies sports@seren.bangor.ac.uk
Culture
MUSIC-AOB Manoj Koeri news@seren.bangor.ac.uk LIFESTYLE - Lucy Hill lifestyle@seren.bangor.ac.uk What’s a Seren? Seren is the official English-language newspaper of the Students’ Union of the University of Wales, Bangor. It is written and produced entirely by students and will be published monthly during term time from September. Get involved! If you’d like to write for Seren, or get involved in any other way, email the relevant section editor or contact the editor directly at editor@seren.bang or.ac.uk.
This team and I have taken into account all advice and constructive criticism kindly given to us over the past month; we have used this to produce a more informative and better quality student paper and will continue to do so! Please do keep emailing us and posting on the Intranet with your views and opinions about Seren; we appreciate hearing your ideas and encourage anyone interested to join us, particularly with our biggest issue of the year coming out in September’s Welcome Week! We will have a stall at the next Serendipity so feel free to come and meet the team and hopefully join us! Finally, we hope you all have a fantastic summer and look forward to seeing you again in September! Happy reading,
Clare Chadwick, Seren Editor
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
such as “Big Brovaz” and “Shed Seven” cost £40 for a ticket in the first week of sales, which then increased to £45. This price is just for entry, as students must pay for all their own drinks and food (there is a hot dog stand).
Seren was informed that sales of the Ball tickets have not dwindled this year at all, they have in fact continued to sell fast; suggesting that the students have decided to allow one night during the stressful exam period for some serious partying.
This has been an issue for ticket buyers; many have complained that the price is too much for entry alone. One student who bought a ticket said: “I would understand if the cost was to cover a champagne reception and buffet like other University Balls provide, but this isn’t on offer to us.” The student went on to say that Liverpool University
business which runs the Halls to have them kept open for an extra day, has led the organisers of the Ball to bring the date forward a week from June 6th to May 31st.
The Ball, which this year features acts
provides a huge buffet and charges ten pounds less than Bangor. Some students are calling for cheaper prices next year if a buffet can not be arranged; others have pointed out that the date of the event is more of an issue to them than the price; these largely being Arts and Languages students, some of whom have exams until June 6th. Members of the Seren team will be taking photographs of students at the Summer Ball to print in the next issue in September, so check to see if yours appears!
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NEWS
SUMMER 2003 3
UNI LEAGUE TABLES REFLECT BANGOR’S EXCELLENT TEACHING the A sversity
Briefly... STUDENT BANKRUPTCY
The Student Loans Company are set to pay back £75,000 plus interest to 198 graduates across Britain, who had carried on paying their debts after declaring bankruptcy. NUS is advising graduates to: “consider all their options very carefully and seek expert legal advice” before filling for bankruptcy.
VIRGINITY AUCTION
A Chilean student is auctioning off her virginity to raise the money to complete her studies. The 21-yearold, from Santiago, told La Cuarta online: “I will provide a certificate signed by a doctor to prove I am a virgin. No man has ever touched me.” The auction is being conducted by Chilean radio station W Radio CRC and the opening bid was £350. Station director Mariano Perez said: “I am personally against this kind of thing but people are free to do what they want with their lives.”
MONKEYS
A group of students spent £2,000 of taxpayer’s money to find out monkeys can’t write Shakespeare. The students from Plymouth University left a computer in a monkey enclosure at Paignton Zoo in Devon for four weeks. They were researching the theory of whether an infinite number of monkeys, given an infinite number of typewriters would eventually produce the complete works of Shakespeare? The results of this trial involving six Sulawesi crested macaque monkeys showed they couldn’t. In fact the six - Elmo, Gum, Heather, Holly, Mistletoe and Rowan - produced just five pages of text between them, primarily filled with the letter S. The monkeys allegedly spent more time excreting on the computers, than typing on them.
MARKING
University students will be used to mark GCSE and A Level papers under government plans to tackle a shortage of examiners. Do you think you are capable of marking important A Level papers already? Tell Seren what you think!
season of Unileague tables arrives, Bangor is delighted with how it fares according to the different criteria set by the various broadsheets. According to The Guardian’s table, released on May 20th 2003, Bangor is the best University for anyone choosing to study in Wales, being placed at 35th in the UK, 7 places above its nearest competitor Cardiff University; 16 places above the University of Wales, Swansea; 23 places above the University of Glamorgan and 31 places above the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Also according to The Guardian, “The general consensus is that Bangor is a safe, clean and affordable place to live, and comes highly recommended.” It is certainly the best place in the UK to study Electronic Engineering according to the tables- helped by its value added score which compares entry qualifications of its students with their degree classifications on completing their courses. The University’s Sports and Exercise Science Department is beaten in the UK only by Loughborough, who also share an excellent reputation for teaching and research in the subject. Bangor’s renowned Psychology Department is listed 5th in the top 10 of UK University Psychology Departments by the Guardian and 12th by the Times and Times Higher Education Supplement (out of 83 universities offering the subject). Carys Roberts, Head of Student Recruitment at Bangor, said: “We hope that
our appearance in the tables will encourage a large number of prospective students to visit Bangor for the University’s Open day on June 28.” “We take great pride in the quality of teaching and student support that is provided to our students and much of this is reflected in these tables,” commented Dr David Roberts, the University’s Registrar. “The University also fared well in the independent Research Assessment Exercise which saw the University emerging as a research institution of international standing, surpassed in Wales only by Cardiff University,” he added. The categories chosen by the tables do not always conform to subject areas and schools and Departments at the University. Bangor Departments appear under the following: - Bangor appears at 14th for Environmental Sciences (a subject covered by degree courses at the University’s School of Biological Sciences, School of Ocean Sciences, Institute of Environmental Sciences and Agriculture and Forest Sciences) out of 45 institutions teaching the subject - Bangor is 16th out of 77 according to the Times and Times Higher Education Supplement for organismal biosciences (covering courses taught at the Schools of Biological Sciences and Ocean Sciences) - Bangor is 3rd for Celtic Studies according to the Times Higher Education Supplement - Theology and Religious Studies - 10th (out of 30) - Molecular Biosciences ( a relatively new subject) Bangor is at 23 out of 81 in the Times
4 SUMMER 2003
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NEWS
STUDENTS PAY MORE AT LOCAL STORE!
An investigation by: Rob Harris
I t’sthe
been all over intranet debate boards recently and now it’s here in Seren: the Tesco and Safeway price difference which, we believe, can safely be called a scandal! Everyone knows Aldi is just about the cheapest place in town to shop at, followed by KwikSave and Iceland. However, the choice is much more limited (and at times, poorer quality) in those places compared to both Safeway and Tesco; and all our shopping cannot be done at just Iceland for obvious reasons: Student Hall accommodation does not have big enough freezers plus it isn’t always convenient to go there. Prices were therefore compared between the two ‘quality’ supermarkets. Out of 24 items all, bar one, is cheaper at Tesco than Safeway and the cheaper item, a 750g box of Frosties, was on offer: buy two for £3.00. All in all buying just those 24 items would save a person a surprising £8.56! I shop at Safeway because it is convenient, as it is for anyone else living on the Ffriddoedd site or in Upper Bangor; but to me it seems an astonishing price to pay just for having a convenient supermarket to shop at. Even such a basic item as milk is more expensive at Safeway. Some Bangor students were questioned as to their thoughts on the price difference. One described it as: “shocking” whilst the other said: “Safeway regularly has cheap offers on but they have no clothes and not much choice of books, CD’s or videos. The higher prices are unjustifiable.” Safeway indeed has offers on every week, however, so does Tesco,
TESCO - SAFEWAY - Difference
albeit not so well advertised. But should we all have to shop around for cheaper but of good quality food? The manager of Safeway was asked to comment on the price difference, but did not reply to the letter sent. The reason for the same products being more expensive at Safeway remains unknown. Safeway is a big chain with over 25 stores nationwide, admittedly they are not quite as big as Tesco, but with that much buying power it is difficult to see why the price difference is so considerable. We did some sums here at Seren and found something which will be of significant interest to our readers. If a few students walked to Tesco (as opposed to shopping at Safeway) and did their average weekly shopping there, the total savings made would pay for a taxi back to the Ffriddoedd Site AND leave enough for a beer! It is up to you to decide whether £8.56 is the right price to pay for convenience but we at Seren certainly do not think so.
Warburton’s medium sliced bread £0.75 £0.89 £0.14 Schweppes 2 litre bottle of lemonade £0.83 £0.99 £0.16 2 litre bottle of Coca-Cola £1.27 £1.35 £0.08 4pk of Stella Artois 440ml Cans £3.94 £4.49 £0.55 8pk of Richmond Thick Sausages £1.44 £1.79 £0.35 Own Cheapest Brand Sausages pk 8 £0.55 £0.65 £0.10 Heinz Beans 415g tin £0.35 £0.45 £0.10 Own Cheapest Brand of Beans £0.21 £0.28 £0.07 Heinz Tomato Soup 400g tin £0.46 £0.58 £0.12 Royal Gala Apples per kg £1.29 £1.69 £0.40 Own Brand of Bananas per kg £0.81 £1.09 £0.28 4pts/2litres of Milk £0.98 £1.04 £0.06 2pts/1ltr of Milk £0.56 £0.59 £0.03 Clover Spread 500g £1.11 £1.45 £0.34 Lurpak Spreadable 250g £0.90 £1.09 £0.19 Kellogg’s Frosties 750g Box £1.98 £1.84 £-0.14 Golden Grahams 375g box £1.68 £1.99 £0.31 Heinz Tomato Sauce 700g £1.09 £1.39 £0.30 Heinz Salad Cream 425g £1.29 £1.45 £0.16 6 large free range eggs £0.88 £1.15 £0.27 50cl bottle of Evian water £0.34 £0.41 £0.07 Jacobs Creek Red Shiraz Cabernet £4.94 £5.49 £0.55 Road to Perdition Video £9.97 £10.99 £1.02 Standard new CD Price not on offer £9.94 £12.99 £3.05
TOTAL DIFFERENCE +£8.56 All prices were collected in the first week of the Summer term. Any errors are my own fault and I take full responsibility. R. Harris
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CLUBS & SOCIETIES
SUMMER 2003 5
UNIVERSITY MOUNTAIN WALKING CLUB (UMWC) By Andy Hall UMWC (University Mountain T heWalking Club) is Bangor’s answer to how to get up mountains whilst enjoying yourself. The club provides weekly walks for the 140 members, making it one of the largest clubs in Bangor. As with most clubs, it also has a busy social calendar with events such as the famous Christmas Ball, right through to, most recently, a day on the beach! Bangor is situated right next to mountain territory with the highest mountain in the UK outside Scotland only 15 minutes away by coach. Most university walking clubs travel miles to visit this area and therefore the members of the UMWC consider themselves very lucky to have the mountains of Snowdonia on their doorstep.
Andy Hall, the UMWC Gear Officer, spoke to Seren about the club, and how new members should go about joining… “We leave the SU at 9.30am (by coach) and return at about 4 or 5 pm. We then continue the day down at The Skerries from 8 until we get kicked out! The club also holds away trips for members. Most recently a mini bus travelled to the Lake District, where again some great mountain walking can be found. More away trips are currently being planned for next year and hopefully there will also be the possibility of going a bit further a field. No
experience
is
required
when
coming out with the club and all levels of fitness are catered for. Easy, medium and hard walks are always offered where possible. An easy walk is provided for people who are suffering from a bad hangover or who feel that they would just like an easier day. This walk is generally shorter in length or makes a longer ascent with less of an incline; it is usually the group with the most people in and is always a great laugh. Medium walks are for those who wish to be slightly more daring. Hard walks are generally for the loonies that the club have picked up along the way; they are usually long or very strenuous. Some days, depending on the weather and area, a scramble is also offered. This is basically a walk that will require the use of hands at some point. The club insists that all students on the walk must wear walking boots; trainers are not allowed for the walkers’ own safety. Membership is £5 (bargain); this gets you a 15% discount at the Great Arete down on the High Street, so once you buy a new pair of boots the discount generally pays for the membership
cost. Every member must be a member of the AU; you can join at the Freshers’ Fair in September. If, however, you would like to join us now that’s fine, as long as you are a member of the AU. So just turn up on any Saturday during term time (last walk is 31st May, details to be announced), at about 9.15am with £3 towards the bus, a packed lunch and sensible clothing (no jeans). Hope to see you soon!” If you have any questions or queries contact- umwc@undeb.bangor.ac.uk or check out the website w w w. u n d e b . b a n g o r. a c . u k / u m w c where more information can be found. If you would like to put information about your club or society in Seren, then send an email to the Editor for details. (Contact List on Page 2.)
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S.U.
YOUR NEW S.U. TEAM!
Back Row - (From left to right) Mal Faloon - Mature Students’ Officer; Sam Burnett - Campaigns Officer; Katherine Croft - Student Advice & Representation Officer (S); Ifan Wyn Llywydd Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Bangor (Welsh Students’ Union President) (S); Draz Quinn - Communications, Clubs & Societies Officer (S); Rebecca Kavanagh - Students’ Union President (S); Nicola Ferry - Women’s Officer; Matt Kelly - Executive without Portfolio Front Row - (From left to right) Tony Heaney - Athletic Union President (S); Llion Dafydd - Welsh Affairs Officer; Mike Quinn - Union Chairperson (Claire Jardine, Executive Secretarty unfortunatly could not be in the photo as she was unwell on the day) Contact details of Officers will be printed in the Welcome Week edition of Seren.
An appeal from the current tearful out-going S.U. President Andrew Wilson! (Don’t worry the removal van’s coming to take him away July 31st!)
WANT TO GET INVOLVED? The Students’ Union is here to provide you with Advice, Representation, Clubs & Societies, Entertainments and a whole host of other things. To do this we need your help to form a strong Executive Committee. We still have the following unfilled positions on next year’s Executive: Disabilities Officer Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Officer International Students’ Officer If you think you can be the voice of Disabled, LGB or International students within the SU, and help form a strong SU, then we want to hear from you. To find out more email president@unded.ban gor.ac.uk Thankyou, Andrew Wilson Student Union’s President 02/03
POST-GRAD
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SUMMER 2003 7
BE A WINNER AT THE GAME OF LIFE! and journalism, film and creative writing. Skills and know-how become valuable commodities outside the comforting walls of the University. However, society is ridden with paradoxes. To gain experience in a job you have to get a job. Yet, you can’t get the job without first possessing experience.
By Marty Drury was then I trepresentatives
that of different professional fields came to talk to us about careers. It was then that we panicked.’(Journalist Victoria Coren). In my garden shed between the BMX I shouldn’t ride if I ever want to be a father, and the newspaper pile the mice praise as a roof, sits something that has not seen daylight for years. ‘The Game of Life’ stole the world of work and moulded it into an after-dinner amusement. The family watched Dad become a millionaire, marry a supermodel and lose all his money at the casino. Final year students will soon have to place their bets on a similar wheel. Four Bangor students were asked about their plans for after graduation. The first wishes to discover enlightenment through travelling. The second is pursuing a PGSCE. The third will attend a top London drama school and the fourth gave me the same answer he gave the careers advisor. After graduation he’s going to drink a lot of beer and stay out all night. The government needs maths teachers, doctors and nurses. Yet more people are opting to for a career in the ‘creative industries.’ The glamour of enlisting in the forces of Fleet Street or sowing success on the stage is irresistible. However, we forget that tedium is the attendant of the beginner. We all have to start at the bottom. ‘After leaving university I spent years touring the country in low budget theatre productions. I was doing four shows a night, playing syphilitic whores in dreadful fringe productions.’ (Sally Phillips, Interviewed by BBC
Worldwide, 2002). Assistant Editor of I-d magazine Helen Mead told Channel 4: ‘The key thing is to take a chance in your career.’ One needs to remember that gusto and hunches fail to create job satisfaction or a fiscal framework. Students can drive and get drunk enough to think the Clangers should form a government. Yet many find it hard to marry fantasies of fame and fortune to the wants of employers. The commerce sector regularly laments what it perceives as the decline in educational standards in this country. ‘They don’t know a comma from a semi-colon, don’t understand possessive commas, can’t distinguish between ‘was’ and ‘were’, or affect from effect, don’t understand tenses, can’t conjugate verbs, and can’t spell. This even applies to English graduates.’[Director of the National Council for the Training of Journalists.] Companies are more likely to hire the applicant who stands out on paper; or perhaps someone with a Masters qualification. MA courses are popular with students across Wales. One of the degrees available at Bangor University is the MA Creative Studies programme presided over by Dr Graeme Harper. The degree format offers opportunities in: drama theory, drama practice, media
Living is about getting your foot in the door. As Lotto insist upon preaching: “you have to be in it to win it.” If you want to glimpse the architect of your future then look in the mirror. ITN once concluded its broadcasts with the signature: ‘we leave you now with the images of the day.’ After graduation, all students are left with is the opportunity to sketch the images of tomorrow.
Cash prizes for finalyear projects! The Welsh Development Agency Technology Prizes competition is now entering its 16th year. The WDA is the leading enabler of business support in Wales; the scheme aims to stimulate and encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators - and support the development of ideas through to commercialisation. Over £10,000 in cash prizes is available to final year under-graduates in Welsh Universities and Institutions of Higher Education. Further information and application forms are available on-line at: www.WDA.co.uk or alternatively by contacting: Kellie-Ann Cridland Tel: 01792 - 459805 / 646955 Email: kellie@williambattle.com
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REVIEWS
Films In Cinemas Now
The Matrix Reloaded Finally after years of waiting The Matrix sequel is finally here. With miles of freeway being built to shoot the climatic car chase and new special effects invented for the fight sequences, you just know it’s going to be amazing! If you havn’t already, then go see it... NOW!
ISOR @ Jocks Bar, Bangor Students Union Played: 9th April 2003 Reviewed by Manoj Koeri
Die Another Day Bond number 20 is the usual mixture of guns and girls, but Halle Berry as CIA agent Jinx and some excellent action set pieces make this the best in the series since GoldenEye. Bulletproof Monk Genius the matrix may be but it’s responsible for inspiring a lot of crap films, of which bullet proof monk is the worst. Even the low gravity fight scenes are terrible. The most tragic thing about the film though is the waste of Hong Kong action god, Chow-yun-fat, in a sub Mr. Myagi role. Please, for the love of God, don’t go and see, it’ll just encourage them to make a sequel.
Donnie Darko Donnie is a troubled teenager in 80’s Middle America, who meets a giant evil rabbit called Frank who tells him the world is going to end. Weird, scary, funny and surprisingly touching this is a rare example of truly original film making. Get it!
Out now on DVD
Red Dragon The first novel in Thomas Harris’s “Hannibal Lecter” trilogy gets the film treatment for a second time. Lecter makes little more than a cameo appearance though as FBI agent Ed Norton hunts for serial killer the tooth fairy (Ralph Fiennes). An excellent cast with standout performances from Fiennes, and Emily Watson as his blind girlfriend makes this an accomplished thriller.
28 Days Later Superior British zombie film directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) and written by Alex Garland (The Beach). A virus has turned the population of Britain into flesh eating zombies, a lot scarier than it sounds.
Well it’s about time a band like ISOR played in Bangor! The gig made the £1 admission seem like the best pound I ever spent. Based “up the road” in Rhyl, a metalcore band from this part of the world is very encouraging as ISOR set the best example of what a band in this genre should be doing. Even though the turnout was poor (they missed out!), Dave, Dylan and Nick were not phased by this lack of atmosphere, but provided a metallic feeling in their loud and honest music. The band played a workman-like set, starting with a roaring version of “She Stole My Orgasm,” which despite the name contains no references to sex, but provided a fair representation of what the rest of the evening held from the band! The band use wireless instruments which allowed the band to be “in your face” while having a mosh around the confinements of the intimate “Jock’s Bar.” “The Twenty Second Day of Summer,” was the bands shortest track and for me summed up the versatility of Dave Merrick’s voice. After playing “Pull Mary Embolism” from the latest EP entitled “Nought To Sixty in Twenty Seven Feet,” the next three tracks provided an insight into what the future holds for ISOR’s new album. Trash, punk and fundamental metal were all combined into each song with immense effect, which will show how important this band will become, as an up and coming UK metalcore band. Respected amongst their peeps, they have toured with the likes of Knuckledust, Freebase and the mighty Defenestratration. Going from strength to strength combining self belief with a fantastic live show, ISOR is what is needed to show everyone that British metal is back!
REVIEWS
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SUMMER 2003 9
WINNEBAGO DEAL “Plata O Plomo”
(X) is greater than (Y) “Negative Snow”
The curiously named Winnebago Deal are two men, both called Ben, who like to shout a lot and make music. Picked up by Fierce Panda after supporting Fugazi at London’s Forum, the two twenty-somethings spent 3 days at London’s Fortress Studios, resulting in their debut noise-fest, “Plata O Plomo”. Winnebago Deal hails from that rocking town of Oxford, home to such giants as Radiohead, Supergrass, and er... Rock of Travolta. Regardless, Winnebago Deal owe their style to sources much further from home, resulting in something that sounds like The Strokes on crack in a bar brawl with Ikara Colt and the White Stripes. Having finished a tour with Blood Brothers, Ben and Ben completed a string of dates with Burning Brides, showing that rock and roll still has a healthy respect for alliteration. Plata O Plomo is a breakneck street-race of moody lyrics, crunchy guitars and sweary rock shouting, all delivered with a relentless fervour. Serious rock for all occasions, but especially good for entertaining people in your room at 4am when your next-door neighbour has an exam in the morning!
There’s something strangely reminiscent about (x) is greater than (y)’s debut album, “Negative Snow”. My first impression was that this was a band that should have been wedged between Annie Christian and Symposium on a mid-90s homemade compilation tape. A quick rummage through the dusty corners of my CD collection confirms this to some extent – there’s definitely a sense of jet lag to the album, like you’ve accidentally tuned into a mysterious radio station that plays archived Steve Lamacq tapes. Regardless, “Negative Snow” is immensely enjoyable, described in the media blurb as “paranoiariddled pop with a side order of sky-scraping grandeur.” The album has a distinctive style that’s exclusively property of (x)... - once heard, impossible to confuse with anyone else. Melodic, crashing, punk pop that’s instantly likeable. Punk pop in a Pixies sense that is, not a squidgy wet sponge Sum 41 sense. If you’re old enough to remember the classic punk popsters like Midget, Cable and Inter, and then add a slice of seriousness, you might be in the right ballpark.
Reviewed by Frank Swain.
Reviwed by Frank Swain
Buy if you like: Six by Seven, Pixies, Abandoned Pools, grown-up punk pop.
10 SUMMER 2003
By Marty Drury brings with it surprises. Showtime In terms of the theatre, apathy
struts through Bangor Labour through the Rhonda. Pub triumphs over performance time after time and even established drama societies such as ROSTRA and SODA have looked the problem of ‘turnout’ square in the face. A new presence has arisen in the archipelago of the arts: B.E.D.S [Bangor English Dramatics Society], which has proved phenomenally successful since their “re-birth” in 2000. Rosey Walters (President of the society and a founder member who provided the jumper cables in 2000) informed me that: “Talent really isn’t the issue. Everyone has a talent. To join B.E.D.S one needs to be fluent in tenacity.” The group produce one production per academic year with sidelines into other forms of media. Where Her Kisses Hide (an anthology production which included original work submitted by B.E.D.S members) served to highlight the versatility of such a troupe. The acclaimed production of new writing was followed by a brief sojourn into theatre in education (Somnia, performed in Germany in the summer of 2002) and a performance
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of Blue Remembered Hills by the late Dennis Potter. As well as illustrating the profits of performance to the wider student cliental, B.E.D.S organises a number of social events for its membership. Treasure Rachel Haines explained: ‘Rehearsals are a great place to meet new faces. We’re friends first and thespians second.’ The group includes free tickets to forthcoming productions with membership and it is through glimpsing what the society achieves on stage that new members are inspired to become involved. Affiliated with The Students Union and The English Department of Bangor University, B.E.D.S offers opportunities to budding writers, directors, actors, musicians, singers, set designers, lighting staff and producers. Group decision and co-operation is of paramount importance to B.E.D.S. All members have a say in the future projects and the policy of the society. First year student Matt Tucker joined the directorial staff of the company’s most recent production (Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer. April 2003). The armbands he wore in this river of responsibility were a team who had previously directed 15 productions.
CLUBS & SOCIETIES
Welsh liaison officer Laith Jawzi told me that: “B.E.D.S uses theatre to bridge the gap between students and the local community. Between the expert and the beginner. Between the extravagant and the shy. What some students don’t seem to understand is that we don’t take the pubs away from Bangor. You can see a show and still have time for a pint.” Plans for the future include an ‘adult pantomime’ and a main production in 2004. Technical manager Michael Jones added that: ‘We are as open to new projects as we are to new members.’ The biggest test for the society will be the loss of most of its founder members. Graduation is coming and the brains behind Find Me in 2000 are moving off to pastures new. The proud parents who told the story of a young girl with a damaged psyche (wholesome family entertainment wasn’t really the aim of the game) have accepted that their offspring (B.E.D.S) wants to set up house with a dozen of its mates, has had sex with a number of partners and is seriously looking into the benefits of surviving on Pop Tarts. The only thing these parents cannot accept is wasted potential. The chance to grow has arrived. The show must go on.
LIFESTYLE
SUMMER 2003 11
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Lifestyle
SUNBATHING FOR HEALTH? By Clare Chadwick
approaches, students A Asall summer over Bangor will be catching
some rays to top up their tan. Many of them, however, won’t be going outside to improve their looks. Sunbeds have been increasing in popularity for over twenty years, as the tanned look has become a ‘must have’ accessory for both men and women. As students in Bangor, we are hoping for a hot summer, particularly with the beaches to take full advantage of! This has led more of us paying to pre-bronze our bodies to avoid looking pale on the beach. In this issue of Seren, we look at the pros and cons of sunbed tanning to help you decide whether your tan will come from the beach, the bed, or the bottle! PROS - Sunbathing for health - Sunbathing gives you far more than just a healthy colour, most people feel better and more active after tanning. - The sun has a positive influence on the whole system: greater fitness, better oxygen supply and improved resistance. - Vitamin D, formed when UV strikes the skin, is thought to play an important part in the immune system and it is known that it improves mineral metabolism, important for healthy bones. - Further to this, two recent studies clearly shows that exposure to sunlight, whether it is natural or on a sunbed, acts as a “major deterrent” to cancers of the breast and colon. - The new technology sunbeds are said to emit “safe” UV radiation. CONS - The damage it can do. - Sunbed radiation can produce adverse health effects similar to those of natural sunlight, most notably in fair-skinned persistent users. Approximately 40 per cent of sunbed users in the United Kingdom have fair skin. - Increasing numbers of people rely on sunbeds for whole-body tanning and to tan beyond their normal complexion. This forced tanning is associated with DNA damage in melanocytes. Forced tanning in fair-skinned individuals is associated with a lot of DNA damage.
Users have reported a range of short-term symptoms including itching, dryness and redness of skin, freckling and photosensitivity. - Sagging and wrinkling of the skin are an almost certain price to be paid by frequent sunbed users. - The exposed skin area in sunbed tanning is at least twice as large as the average sunbather’s, and exposes parts of the body that is too sensitive for prolonged tanning exposure. - Even though the causes of malignant melanoma are not fully understood, tumour development appears to be linked to occasional exposure to intense sunlight. In turn, tumours are most frequent on body sites that are rarely exposed to the sun. - Sunbeds subject their users to intermittent high exposures of UVA and UVB radiation – this may provide the ideal setting for the development of malignant skin cancer. The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection states that regular exposure should not exceed two sessions per week with a maximum of 30 sessions per year. Who should never use sunbeds? − People who have very fair skin − People who burn easily or tan poorly − People with a lot of freckles or moles − People who have had skin cancer or have a family history of the disease
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− People using medication that could make their skin more sensitive to UV . Women who are pregnant or taking the contraceptive pill should seek advice from their doctor before tanning.
So, whether you choose to tan indoors or out, do it in moderation. Remember, a bronzed look may appear to many as more healthy and attractive, but it is in fact one of the body’s first signs of skin damage, so don’t over do it!
Need Advice?
In the Students’ Union there is one area that is very important for the student population as a whole: the Student Advice and Representation Centre. It is a place where anyone can go to get advice on all areas of student life, or just to have a chat if they feel that they need a listening ear. It also, of course, has its serious side; it can represent students at a Disciplinary of Small Claims court, something that is very important if it is needed. Also, if you need someone to listen while you think about your decisions, whether it is about changing courses, dropping out, or housing, to name just a few, there is always someone there. Katherine Croft was voted in at the last election to become the SARC officer for next year, if you ever need anything and don’t know where to turn, you can always ask her.
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CLUBS & SOCIETIES
UWB SUB AQUA
By Alasdair Crawford of Wales Bangor Sub University Aqua Club (UWBSAC) The university diving club is very active and social. Whether you are an experienced diver or want to learn from scratch, the club has the facilities and the experience. The club owns full sets of kit for people to learn in, access to the Bangor pool for training, our own brand new compressor and two boats. Training for beginners commences at the start of every academic year and is carried out in accordance with the British sub aqua club (BSAC) training scheme by qualified instructors. Training for more advanced qualifications is also carried out within the club including sports diver, dive leader, boat handling and oxygen administration. Club membership is £67 for existing divers and £120 for trainee divers. This cost covers BSAC membership, insurance, maintenance of equipment, pool costs etc. Diving round North Wales takes place most weekends throughout the year. The club has dived extensively at sites
such as Treadur bay, point Lynas, Puffin Island, Abersoch, Llyn Penninsula and the crystal clear waters of the Menai strait. In addition to this expeditions are organised during holidays. The Red Sea and the Skelligg Islands off Ireland have been visited in the past. This Easter we had a weeks diving in the sound of Mull near Oban. With weather more reminiscent of the Red Sea than Scotland we dived the wrecks of the Thesis, Hispania, Rondo, John Preston and the under water cliffs of the sound of Mull. The Thesis sunk in 1889 and lies nearly intact in 20-30m of water. The open holds and missing bits of hull allowed divers to access much of the interior of the wreck. The Rondo which we dived twice, is quite badly damaged but is very popular owing to the fact that it lies nearly vertical with the stern 3m below the surface and the bows, buried in the sea bed, at around 50m; a great spot for an under water Easter egg hunt! The wreck of the Hispania is the areas most famous wreck as it is nearly entirely intact and lying upright, allowing you to go down
inside the holds and through the deck housings. The John Preston was built in Port Dinorwic and sank while carrying slate from North Wales. There is little more than slates and the ribs left, but she sits on a ledge on an under water cliff that drops off to over 100m, which makes for a very good wall dive! A very successful weeks diving topped off with plenty of Tennants and flaming Drambuies on the last night. Further trips have already been organised with a group going to Scapa Flow in the Orkney’s this summer. There they plan to dive the wrecks of the German fleet which was scuttled on mass at the end of the First World War. The club meets every Tuesday night in the Skerries Inn at the bottom of the high street where we organise dives for the weekend. If anyone is interested in joining the club next academic year (beginning September), this is the best point of contact. To see a full report of the Easter diving trips and the pictures taken, go to: http://uk.geocities.com/ ian110saunders/minkyglove.html Contact Alasdair Crawford for more information at: osua2e@bangor.ac.uk
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SUMMER 2003 13
UWB MEN’S RUGBY
By Matt Derbyshire
season has been relatively T his successful with some very
positive advances being made. We have just elected the new committee which now consists of: -Matthew Derbyshire: 1st Team Captain -Andrew Tobutt: Club Captain -David Nicholas: 2nd Team Captain
Women’s Football Report it! Well what can H aaavvvveee I say? A grrreat year all round! With a fantastic bunch of girls that have both skill and enthusiasm we were made to be victorious this season. With a squad of 20 players who really enjoy each others company and who each possess a brilliant sense of humour, tormenting each other on and off the pitch, there were no bad points to being their Club Captain this year! With promotion in the BUSA league and success all round we are a bunch of happy bunnies. Now we are on the road to a Welsh Cup Final having beaten last year’s champions, Glamorgan, in the semis with 11 glorious goals to 1! With the team spirit on our side we should put up a really good fight against Cardiff, who also has a great side. With Twiggy performing operations on and off the pitch we were never sick on tour! The team have really got skill and are a pleasure to work with, never refusing punishment at training or getting hassle from me. The Amsterdam tour was brilliant and never a dull moment. It was a clean trip with lots of showers and moist with Johnson’s Baby Lotion (!). Best of luck girls for Wednesday 14th and watch out Cardiff ‘coz here we come! With ‘Fairy’ on our side, how could we lose? Aisling Montgomery Women’s Football Captain 02/03
The highlight of our season was our away win against Central Lancashire whilst they were currently top of the BUSA league. We had a few key players unavailable but the morale and determination of the team could not be faulted. That game showed true team spirit and commitment from each player. After trailing 10 - 0 at half time we came back to take the game, winning 17-10. We have progressively built upon our performances from this game and ended up finishing in a respectable mid position in the league. Disappointments included a loss to Keele University away. Taking no credit away from them, they managed to capitalize upon a weakened side, with injuries sustained within the first week of university, winning 14 - 7. Both the players and committee will bring changes and better preparation that will hopefully help to eradicate any major disappointments for next year. We are now approaching the end of our season and have just played Welshpool away. They are 4th in the league and a tremendous side. Due to the timing of examinations
and number of 3rd years busy finalizing their dissertations, we took 16 players yet led the first half 10 - 7. The team fought throughout the game, once more showing determination that we hope will show next season with success in the BUSA league, we want promotion!! We feel that the combination of playing in two leagues means we have to adapt to different ways of playing. The Welsh league is very physical and due to the teams being consistent for many years, we do struggle. One particular point that has been previously focused on is the standard of refereeing in the welsh league which a newspaper has described as being slightly favorable to the Welsh sides. The BUSA league calls for a fast paced game with more skill involved. This has helped our side to adapt from one type of play to another which is beneficial to all our players and the team. We have great support from many people and our sponsor, Patrick’s Bar. We appreciate all the support that Paddy provides and believe that the support shown by him helps to provide a good team spirit.
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SPORT
UWB LADIES HOCKEY By Bryony Sharpen (2nd Team Captain 2002-03) season has provided much T his exciting hockey from three teams and a radically fun and entertaining social scene!
The firsts played quality hockey in their Saturday league, with the winners of the league, Colwyn Bay, commenting on the great strength of our side. It was a shame that four games had to be conceded due to no umpire, therefore the end league result not truly reflecting the efforts of the team and the good hockey played. The highlight for the second team has been in their cup matches, showing great teamwork and effort to produce some excellent hockey. In the Welsh BUSA Cup they reached the semi final and despite the long journey to Swansea and injuries occurring in the run of play, the team showed they could have brilliant fun! The thirds have enjoyed playing various friendlies this season, learning with much zeal and enjoying the matches they have played. This year the club hosted the Gwynedd Tournament which happened near the close of the season. It was a lovely sunny day and proved to be successful on the pitch too with the seconds getting to the semi final and the firsts
2002/03 UWB WOMEN’S HOCKEY TEAM
gaining a place in the final being unfortunate to lose on penalty flicks. In the Easter holidays members of every team, numbering twenty-eight in total, went on tour to Salou, Spain, for what was a wild week of fun, frolics and hockey! It was a fantastic way to end the season, having an absolute laugh a minute! With the new committee chosen and ready to improve the club further and bring more successes its way, the next season looks to be action packed and fun filled too.
Badminton Tournament Badminton club T heran University a successful tournament
in the Maes Glas Sports Centre on Sunday April 6th. Organised by the club’s captain, Ian Boast, the tournament was the first of hopefully what will be an annual event! Many people entered and great fun was had by all. The results are as follows: Raj won the Men’s Singles, with Rob Ogden as the runner up. In the Ladies Singles the winner was Anke Willms; the runner up was Nicky Ridgers. These four winners also took part in the doubles; Raj and Pradeep took the trophy for the Men’s Doubles, with Paul Heganbarth and Rob Ogden coming second. Anke Willms and Sarah Peake won the Ladies Doubles; Collette Byrne and Nicky Ridgers were the runner ups. Well done to everyone that took part and congratulations to the winners! We look forward to more exciting tournaments held by the Badminton Club, which has in it some fantastic players who are sure to go far.
KAROKE ON TOUR THIS YEAR
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SUMMER 2003 15
YEAR SUMMARY FROM A.U. PRESIDENT BECKY ALLEN Hi Guys, Here we are at the end of another (hopefully) successful academic year. I cannot believe that my year in post is nearly over and that soon enough, my office chair will be acquainted with yet another male arse! As you all probably know, I will be handing over to Tony Heaney who, for his sins, begins his year on 1st August. I hope that you all give him the help and support you have given me so that he can have a term in office as enjoyable as mine and I wish him the best of luck. Here’s a quick round up of this year in the AU…
BUSA, as ever, has been the main focus for the year with many teams achieving their aims and some even surpassing them, with Men’s Hockey winning the Shield and Women’s Basketball and Football both enjoying promotion. Aside from BUSA, Bangor has also enjoyed success in the Welsh Cup with Women’s Football and Netball still flying the flag for Bangor by reaching the finals. They will be travelling to Glamorgan on 14th May to face tough opposition but go with high hopes of success. Alongside competition, we have seen yet another successful Annual AU Dinner. This year, awards went to: Club of Year: Octopush -They have turned their club around this year and became champions in their sport in recent competition held in Aberdeen Team of Year: Men’s Hockey 1sts - Having won the BUSA Shield, gained promotion and enjoyed league success too. Sportsman: Kris Davies - A superb long jumper and representative of Bangor on a National scale as well as representing his Cardiff Club internationally. Sportswoman: Rachel Brown - Women’s rugby captain plays for North Wales and recently picked for the Welsh A Squad travelling to Europe and training every w/e down in Cardiff Special notice must be made of the Badminton Club who held their first tournament in April this year, Sub-Aqua Club for their skilled and well organised efforts this year (and also their find of a dead body!), Mountain Walking for having such a high membership retained throughout the year, Ladies Gaelic Football who became this year’s Railway Cup Winners, Judo members who received many medal positions in competition throughout the year and great results in Gymnastics, Riding, Archery and Tennis. There has been a slight delay in the Varsity competition with NEWI due to the Welsh Cup, however, I am confident it will take place twice a year in the future beginning in May this year. We have been granted funding by the Sports Council for Wales and hope that it will begin to create better links between the two unions. A successful AU Tour to Spain was held over Easter and 94 of us bussed ourselves off for a week of sporting fun. This year, men’s and women’s basketball narrowly lost in the finals, women’s rugby, hockey and netball all reached the semis and the men’s hockey won the plate. As always, we had the Intra-Mural Football league and also this year Intra-Mural Rounders. I have had a brilliant year in post. Thanks to ALL Club Captains for your hard work and support and the AU Exec team for their efforts throughout the year. I wish you all the best of luck with whatever you do in the future and hope you enjoy University life just as much as I have. Please remember to pick up your copy of the AU Calendar during Serendipity next year and if you’re a leaver, put your orders into the AU Office now! Becky Allen Athletic Union President 02/03
BANGOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR year the Athletics’ Union have T his chosen a particularly outstanding
student for the title of Sportsman of the Year. Kris Davies, a 3rd Year student of English Literature and Creative Writing, is the current Welsh Long Jump Champion and has competed for Bangor University in the BUSA competitions held each year. Last year he won a Bronze medal for the University and won the Llew Rhys Memorial Award, which is given to the athlete who most advances the University through sport. As Welsh Champion he competes at a European level throughout summer, enabling him to travel all over the world; he has been Welsh Champion, both indoor and outdoor, since he was 17. Kris said: “Last summer I qualified for the Commonwealth team but an injury prevented me from competiting. The next Games will be held in Sydney in 2006, where I hope to make the final.” The talented sportsman also competes for Cardiff A.A.C. at a British level. We wish him all the best for the future, and will keep our fingers crossed for him in the Games in 2006!
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GOLD MEDAL FOR BANGOR IN BUSA MENS HOCKEY PLATE an unstoppable season in A fter the BUSA league phase, Bangor had wiped the floor with anyone they had faced, only losing their last game against Manchester Metropolitan University. Bangor took the league phase by a clear 6 points scoring over 50 goals, averaging more than 5 goals a game. This allowed them to enter the knockout phase with very high confidence, gaining both home ground advantage and a clear upper hand against the visitors from Teeside University, who lost 4 - 1.
With final day upon them the Bangor hockey boys approached the game at full strength and were well prepared for a fierce and skilful game. With a band of at least fifty supporters strung along the sidelines and a further twenty in the Glasgow corner, this was predicted to be a loud and passionate game! Despite all their efforts in the intense game, Bangor had to settle for a 0-0 score line at the half time break. Half way through the second half however,
Bangor finally got their break with some build up play from Mark, Reay and Mikey, to put the home side ahead 1-0.
As the minutes rolled on, Glasgow’s need for organisation further frustrated Bangor, not being able to further capitalise on their momentum and greater hunger for the game. By this point the game became a bit more physical with some tempers beginning to show, with Noel picking up a green card for a second stick tackle. Bangor seemed slightly unorganised and tired, letting Glasgow pick up an equalizer with only two minutes to play. After the blow of losing their lead right at the death, the Bangor lads were determined not to let their hard work go unrewarded and only victory would be good enough for them. Both teams came desperately close to stealing the game in extra time but couldn’t make the telling strike. The game was now into penalty flicks, exactly where both
SPORT
teams didn’t want to be. With Hutch in goal and some fantastic shots from Vern, Noel and “Pie-Man” Evans, Bangor went on to win 3-2 on flicks, not even having to take their last one. The team unity and confidence in each other had won them this game and so many more in the past, now becoming a trademark of Bangor University Hockey. The Bangor lads were then able to relax and let the win sink in with a pint or fifteen. Team Captain, Stewy, said: “Today I’m proud to be Captain, it’s been a fantastic season and we deserved to win today!” Congratulations to the boys, you earned every goal, every win and now you have got a BUSA gold medal to show for it! A pity that the people at BUSA headquarters didn’t send one delegate to present the medals and a Plate in a Final of one of their competitions. The team would like to thank everyone who supported them, it made a massive difference. Weldone again lads!