Seren - 175 - 2003-2004 - December 2003 by Seren

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BOGUS RAG MAGS SOLD IN STREET

DECEMBER 2003 - THE OFFICIAL ENGLISH-LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER OF UWB STUDENTS’ UNION

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SU WARNINGS OVER ROUGE ‘RAG MAG’ VENDORS

Students’ Union has B angor recently become aware of vendors in Bangor and the surrounding area claiming to sell so-called ‘RAG mags’.

Bangor Students’ Union, which is making efforts to distance themselves from any association with the conmen, do not distribute the ofﬁcial RAG mag until the RAG week commences on February 8th of next year. Groups of people posing as students working for the student group ‘RAG’ (Raise and Give) have been selling the blue coloured magazines entitled ‘Gag Mag’ under the pretence of raising money for charity but then using the proceeds for themselves. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

INSIDE

NEWS,VIEWS,MOVIES,MUSIC,LIFESTYLE,SPORT AND MORE!

2 DECEMBER 2003

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STUDENTS’S UNION, STUDENTS’S UNION, DEINIOL ROAD, BANGOR, DEINIOL ROAD, BANGOR, GWYNEDD, LL57LL57 2TH 2TH GWYNEDD, Tel: (01248) 388017 Tel: (01248) 388017 EDITOR - Clare Chadwick Editor editor@seren.bangor.ac.uk

Production Assoc. Editor PRODUCTION - Daniel Turner News production@seren.bangor.ac.uk Sports MUSICManoj Koeri Lifestyle music@seren.bangor.ac.uk Music Movies NEWS - Matt Jarratt Culture news@seren.bangor.ac.uk AOB MOVIES - Rob Harris movies@seren.bangor.ac.uk SPORTS - Keyan Milanian sports@seren.bangor.ac.uk LIFESTYLE - Gemma Buckley-Roberts lifestyle@seren.bangor.ac.uk What is 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 is published monthly during term time. Get involved! If you’d like to write for Seren, or get involved in any other way, e-mail the relevant section editor or contact the editor directly at editor@sere n.bangor.ac.uk.

CONTENTS

Page 4 Charities News Page 5 General News Page 6 Palestine Visit Page 7 Tried and Tested Page 9 Student Crime Page 12 02 Competition Page 13 Music Reviews Page 14 Lifestyle Page 15 Lifestyle Page 17 Sport - Rugby & Football Page 18 Sport - Swimming & Rowing Page 19 Sport - Ultimate Frisbee A.K.J.

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Letter from the Editor. Hi and welcome to our Christmas Issue of Seren, the third and final one this term. We have some great news stories this month, for example the front page scandal about bogus RAG mags, which we hope will encourage students to report the culprits to the police if they are approached. It is such a shame that when we students spare some of what little money we have for charity, it turns out that they were keeping the cash and buying booze with it. Make sure you save your charitable donations for RAG week in February where you will get a genuine magazine that will be worth the £2. The process of SU elections are to kick off again in February so make sure you read the report on page 5 about how to get involved. There are both paid and unpaid positions to go for, all fantastic for your CV and social life! Also in our student news is Matt Jarratt’s report of the talk which was given about the Palestine trip in October. One student who went explained the eye-opening scenes he had witnessed and how the trip entirely altered the way some of the group go about their lives. We had some fun this issue trying and testing new products on the market for students. Cedric dowsed himself in pheromones and threw himself in to Bangor’s night scene to find out if they really do bring out the animal in you. Meanwhile, all in the name of journalistic science, I got high on new energy-filled chocolate bars, said to heighten alertness and rumoured to temporarily boost your libido. You can read our accounts of our experiences on page 7. Lifestyle have focused their attention on women’s health this issue, with a page about cervical smears and the danger of putting them off. Women should start having smears within two years of becoming sexually active but many avoid the subject and delay having it done. Next issue of Seren will be covering some of men’s health problems which can be overlooked in students, such as testicular cancer. We in Seren have also had the pleasure of providing you with a fantastic competition in conjunction with 02 where you can win a brand new phone and host a huge party in Time with a £500 tab behind the bar. The offer is only available to a small amount of universities so the more people who enter from Bangor, the more chance we have of winning the party in Time, so turn to page 9 and get texting! Everyone has done brilliantly this term regarding sport, the teams have evidently put a huge amount of effort in to all competitions and events so congratulations to the AU. Read about the success of the rowing, rugby and swimming and football teams from page 17 onwards. As for our personal success, Seren is attracting more advertisers every week with our increasing readership and cheap prices. The money raised from this goes to making us a bigger and better paper. Over the next year we hope to increase the number of pages and particularly the number of those with colour. We no longer have concerns as to how we will fill these additional pages; the team has more than doubled after our success at Serendipity in Freshers Week. Articles, features and reviews are now pouring in, but as always, there is plenty room for more. Meetings will resume after the dreaded exams before our February issue so send an email this way and let me know if you are thinking of joining so I can keep you informed. I hope you all have a fabulous Christmas and good luck in your exams, See you in the New Year,

Clare Chadwick, Seren Editor

HAVE YOUR ADVERTISMENT HERE CONTACT - editor@seren.bangor.ac.uk

NEWS

Brieﬂy... UWB BANGOR’S COUNCIL DECIDES ON MATHS

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DECEMBER 2003 3

STUDENTS MISLED IN THE NAME OF CHARITY

Earlier this month the University of Wales, Bangor’s Council approved a staged development plan for securing the future of mathematics at degree level at the University. The future of mathematics had been highlighted for discussion at the University as numbers of students choosing to study the subject at Bangor have been in decline. “Our objective is that mathematics as a degree subject will be safeguarded by the adoption of this plan,” commented Vice-Chancellor, Professor Roy Evans.

NAKED CALENDARS Bangor students from various clubs and societies (including RAG, Storm, BEDS, Womens Group and LGB) have bravely stripped for charity over the past month to produce a naked calendar for 2004. The calendar will be available to buy from the Student Union shop after Christmas for just £2.50. All proceeds will go to Cancer Research so make sure you get down there and buy one!

POLICE SOON TO BE STONES THROW AWAT FROM TIME Bangor’s local police station, currently being demolished to make way for Marks & Spencer, is going to be relocated next to the Students’ Union. A recent council meeting has agreed to the station being built on land between the Town Hall (on Deiniol Road) and the Post Ofﬁce.

GROWTH IN HIGHER EDUCTION HAS CREATED MORE TOLERANT SOCIETY The annual Social Attitudes Survey has revealed that a majority of people believe that students from less advantaged backgrounds are under-represented in higher education. Three quarters of those interviewed said it was important to encourage more students from these backgrounds. A signiﬁcant number of respondents also thought no fees should be payable after graduation

CLARKE PLANS OFFENSIVE TO WIN OVER REBELS ON TOP-UP FEES Charles Clarke is embarking on a new campaign next week to win over Labour rebels on top-up fees. Backbench unease on the top-up plan is growing, with 157 Labour MPs signing a motion expressing concern over the plans.

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

The groups usually constitute two or three people, and according to Union Chairperson Mike Quinn, who works on the High Street in Threshers and has seen them at work, says they appear to be doing extremely good business. The Students’ Union contacted local police last week who are unfortunately unable to do much about the rogue vendors other than move them on. They have also been spotted selling the magazines in Caernarfon. The RAG mag is a nationwide student project which isn’t copyrighted, leading to loopholes in the law which people are able to exploit. The ofﬁcial RAG mags will only be sold by licensed student vendors during RAG week. The police are now stepping-up the intensity of their investigation and have despatched plain clothes ofﬁcers with a view to arrest for deception. Needless to say as well as selling the magazines under false pretences, these ‘vendors’ have no licence to sell on the high street, so as well

as taking money from the genuine student led ‘RAG’ charity, they are also taking trade from the many licensed vendors who sell copies of the ‘Big Issue’. The magazine itself is being sold for £2, and appears quite similar to the genuine ‘RAG Mag,’ which could be the crux of the problem. Katy Schreiber, last year’s ‘RAG’ Manager and the current secretary is understandably outraged by such blatant deception: ‘What ‘Gag’ are doing is totally unjust, if people have already given money to what they believe is ‘RAG’ then they are unlikely to give again to the real thing.’

here from the Union will be organising fundraising events so you can really make a difference. The only way we can stop these people making any money is by not buying their magazines. Besides, the jokes aren’t funny anyway.”

Mike Quinn, the SU Chairperson said: “We encourage anyone who sees these magazines being sold in town to go to the police and inform them so they can be dealt with.” Bangor Students’ Union Campaigns Ofﬁcer Sam Burnett made the following plea to students and local citizens. “None of the £2 you pay goes to charity – please wait until February when the RAG group

Katy Schreiber

4 DECEMBER 2003

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NEWS

MONEY POURS IN FOR

SPONSORED SING Community Choir and friends B angor were staggered at the generous re-

sponse to their sponsored “Sing for Water’ event held on Bangor Pier recently. They raised a stunning £1,900 for WaterAid. This contributed to a national total of over £35,000, raised at various “Sing for Water” events across the UK. Organiser of the Welsh event, Pauline Down, said: “We were delighted to support WaterAid because the provision of water and sanitation is such a basic, fundamental need. The singers relished taking part in this uplifting event, knowing that the money we raised was going to such a worthwhile cause.” A large proportion of the money raised nationally will be spent on Water Aid’s new projects in Burkina Faso, West Africa “The money will provide vital support for our work in Burkina Faso,” says Idrissa Doucoure, WaterAid’s Regional Manager for West Africa. “It will help bring clean drinking water and sanitation and a better quality of life to thousands of people currently living below the poverty line. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who took part in Sing for Water.” For more information on WaterAid’s work, please go to www.wateraid.org

Picture: WaterAid/Daniel O’Leary An example of Water Aid’s previous work in Mali

Oxfam offers travellers insight into life in developing countries exploring the Rift Valley with F ancy the Maasai or trekking the Inca Trail?

Not only seeing some of the wonders of world but also actively helping some of the world’s poorest people and gaining insight into real life in developing countries? Leading charity, Oxfam is looking for people to join its fundraising trips to the Rift Valley and Machu Picchu in spring 2004. Unlike most other charity fundraising trips, participants in Oxfam’s Overseas Challenges will visit Oxfam funded projects and see for themselves how Oxfam works and how local communities benefit. “On many trips you hardly get to see the country you are visiting, flying in and out of specially created resorts, but on an Oxfam Overseas Challenge you have the chance to gain a real insight into the issues facing local people as well contributing to the local community and their environment. We hope people will go on these trips and return enthused for the country and for Oxfam, ” says Julia Ford, Events Fundraising Executive, Oxfam. On the first Oxfam Overseas Challenge you can trek The Rift Valley, led by

Picture: Corbis Digital/Danny Lehman Quechua Woman Standing near Machu Picchu

Maasai guides, climb the extinct Losimingori volcano, trek through the ancient Silela Forest, visit a Maasai village and walk on the elephant migration trail in the traditional Maasai homelands in Tanzania. The trip is run by Tribes Travel, a fair trade travel company which was the glo-

bal winner of the British Airways Tourism of Tomorrow Award in 2002. The company works to ensure that tourism is sustainable and beneﬁts the local people, environment and wildlife. On the Inca Trail – rated as one of the top ten treks in the world - participants

will trek at an altitude of up to 4,200 metres in the Peruvian Andes to the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu. Again local guides will be used to give an insider’s view of the region and its culture. The trip is run by the leading organiser of charity fundraising trips, Classic Tours. Both Rift Valley and Inca Trail trips will be restricted to small groups of no more than 25 people. Each participant must pay a registration fee of £250 and raise a minimum of £2500 sponsorship. This covers return ﬂights, travel, accommodation, meals and tour guides as well as £1,300 donation to Oxfam’s work overcoming poverty and suffering around the world. Explore the Rift Valley takes place from 29 February – 10 March 2004 and 11 – 21 March 2004. Trek the Inca Trail takes place from 14 – 23 May 2004 and 20 – 29 May 2004. For more information about Oxfam’s Overseas Challenges call 0870 010 1046, email adventure@oxfam.org.uk or log on to www.oxfam.org.uk/adventure

DECEMBER 2003 5

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NEWS

GRADUATE EMPLOYERS IN THE HOTSEAT Chatroom opens new link between leading graduate recruiters and students communications channel enaA new bling students to put their careers questions to some of the biggest names in graduate recruitment has been introduced by Graduate Prospects.

Called Careers Chat Live, the service can be accessed via www.prospects.ac.uk/chat and comprises a weekly, moderated chatroom where students can talk online to different graduate employers and postgraduate study experts. The chatroom is live every Wednesday afternoon at 2pm and is open to all ﬁnalists and graduates. To date, representatives from graduate recruiters including BUPA, Kraft Foods and McDonalds have taken part in live sessions and a full timetable is lined up for the rest of the year with participating companies including Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks business, which will be online to chat about its graduate opportunities; and RBS which will advise on their diversity of careers. Questions faced by previous Careers Chat Live participants range from the straightforward, such as application deadlines and starting salaries, to the more complex such as the extent of business exposure recruits can expect during training programmes, or provision of support given to obtain professional qualiﬁcations.

website, employers also secure a sustained presence on prospects.ac.uk. “Students and graduates, on the other hand, receive a special opportunity to put questions that can help them prepare for job applications and interviews to potential employers,” he said. In addition to employer chats, trade, business, government and employment organisations can also take part in Careers Chat Live. John Sutton, assistant director of the Small Business Service, was clearly impressed by his experience: “Careers Chat Live provided me with a great opportunity to put the case for small businesses to students and helped highlight for me the issues that graduates face when considering their career choices. “I received a lot of interesting questions dur-

ing the hour and, as the process was so well managed, I hope I was able to provide useful responses. Careers Chat Live is very easy to use and proved an effective way of presenting SBS to a wide audience. I am deﬁnitely keen to use it again.”

The participants clearly found the environment stimulating and perhaps less intimidating than a face-to-face meeting,” she said.

Adele Perfect, HR ofﬁcer of Corus, was similarly impressed:

Wednesday 14 January - Diversity of careers in the RBS Group – not just a high street bank

“I was really interested in the range of questions asked as they were very different from the queries I usually receive at careers fairs.

An up to date list of forthcoming and archived chats can be found at the Careers Advice for Graduates section of www.prospects.ac.uk

MA Work To Be Televised television viewers will be able W elsh to view the ﬁrst work ever submitted

for an MA in Media Production at the University of Wales, Bangor, when it is screened on Monday 15 December. At 8.30 that evening, S4C will be showing a documentary by Mali Parry-Jones especially commissioned by the channel- the exact programme that Mali will be submitting for her MA degree. The programme looks at the life of a young girl who wrestles daily with cerebral palsy, presented by the young girl herself. We see how Helen Williams has succeeded to overcome all sorts of serious difﬁculties to lead an amazingly full and adventurous life.

Careers Chat Live is a valuable facility beneﬁting both employers and students as Mike Hill, chief executive of Graduate Prospects, explains:

From the early pictures of her childhood, caught on the Llyn family’s home video, to the exciting present for the Cardiff based journalist, we hear about her jumping from an aeroplane and see her preparing to be a bridesmaid.

“Participating employers can glean invaluable insights into the graduate cohort shortly applying for vacancies and, as archives of all Careers Chat Live ‘conversations’ are held online for eighteen months and include a link to the organisation’s own

Forthcoming Careers Chat Live sessions include:

Mali Parry -Jones from Morfa Nefyn is the

person responsible for the documentary, from the original idea to the final televised programme- an amazing achievement for one who has just begun her media career. Mali completed the work with the support of Sian Teifi and television company, Sianco Cyf. As a former student of the Communication and Media Department of the University of Wales, Bangor, Mali decided to return to the Department to follow a higher degree when the MA in Media Production was launched. One other student hopes to complete her MA, following the same course this year, while three students hope to complete the MA in Practical Journalism. According to the course founder, Eifion Lloyd Jones, seeing the students completing their work successfully is a dream realised. “The hope from the outset was to make these courses relevant to the world of the media and journalism in Wales, preparing young people for some of the most important fields in contemporary Wales.”

2003 SU ELECTIONS PROCESS BEGINS of year again! Don’t you It’sjustthatlovetime it? The excitement, the celebra-

tion, the anxious month long build-up to the big day… yes, in the New Year people will start deciding whether or not to run for one of the Student Union Executive Committee Posts! In case you’d forgotten, or if you weren’t here last year, then what happens is this: • 2nd February – Nominations open (close 11th February) • 27th February – Candidates begin publicising • 1st March – Ofﬁcial start of Election Campaign • 15th, 16th and 17th March –

VOTING TAKES PLACE!!!

As I’m sure you are aware the role of the Student Union is absolutely integral to the life of each student in Bangor, they are responsible for everything from many of the entertainments enjoyed within the Union, to the running and funding of the clubs, teams and societies, and the welfare of individual students, with schemes such as the Advice and Representation Centre, and Nightline. The role of the Executive is to ensure that the Union is run correctly, that students from all backgrounds and interests are catered for, and above all that we get as much as we want from our time as students in Bangor. There are ﬁve full-time paid sabbatical posts, and ten voluntary non-sabbatical posts. All will come up for re-election in March, and

are listed separately. Any student can run for a post, and successfully fulfilling one can, according to current LGB officer Polly Taylor, be a very rewarding experience, although it must not be entered into lightly: “It’s fun and rewarding, but it must be done for the right reasons, people must only run if they really want to help students.” So if you are somebody who feels strongly enough about student issues to devote a year of your time to the welfare and support of students in Bangor then you are exactly the sort of person who would be ideal to run for one of these roles. If you want to find out more about them, then feel free to come down to the Union at any time and make an appointment to see one of the present incumbents, they’d be happy to help.

LIST OF EXECUTIVE POSTS Sabbatical Posts • Advice and Representation Officer • Athletic Union President • Club’s Communications & Societies Officer • UMCB President • Union President Non-Sabbatical Posts • Campaign’s Officer • Disabilities Officer • Executive Without Portfolio • International Student’s Officer • LGB Officer • Mature Student’s Officer • Union Chairperson • Union Secretary • Welsh Affairs Officer • Women’s Officer

6 DECEMBER 2003

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NEWS

PALESTINE VISIT Report: Visit to the West Bank By Matt Jarratt questioned about the Israeli When occupation of Palestine, perhaps

even the most liberal minded of us would either look totally blank, totally bored, or just puff their cheeks and say something along the lines of: “well… they’re all just as bad as each other really aren’t they?” The West Bank is a long way away of course, as signified by news reports delivered by John Simpson in his shirtsleeves and a ‘flak-jacket,’ and as if that wasn’t distant enough, interviews with locals are conducted via translation! In short, The Middle East is so far out of our sphere of comprehension that for many of us it simply ceases to be an issue; it blends into that ‘heat-shimmering’ background along with Famine, the Taliban and Third World Debt. It’s uncomfortable, but it doesn’t affect us… It was the total destruction of such poisonous lethargy which made the talk given in Main Arts Lecture Theatre on 3rd December by a group of people linked with Bangor University about their visit to the West Bank, at once so spell-binding and yet so uncomfortable for my all-too-comfortable western arse. The trip was largely organised by Rev. John Butler, the University’s Anglican Chaplain. 23 people attended from all-walks of life, the youngest of whom was a five month old baby. The trip lasted nine days, and the impression given during the talk was that it was totally life changing for all concerned.

A major part of the evening was conducted by Steve Collings, a third year history student who went on the trip with the distinct brief of recording what he saw from the analytical perspective of a historian and coming back ready to pass on his experiences, thus increasing our awareness of the situation. Collings was so moved by what he came across that, on graduating, he intends to emigrate to Palestine and live there full-time, hopefully as a teacher at the University of Bethlehem. His reasons for this are very clear, and are brought about by what he saw for himself in Palestine in October, he simply can not stand by and watch as a nation is suffocated and abused by a wholly unjust regime. The group described how 4.5 million Palestinians are living under the military occupation of the Israelis, their whole lives conducted on a day to day basis as they attempt to exist despite the constant threat of bullets, bombs, and tanks. Their country is divided by virtually insurmountable walls and check-points, they mostly live in war-damaged huts which are regularly destroyed by a seemingly unchecked Israeli military. The people are not simply treated badly, they are quite literally not treated at all, with cases for urgent medical care being largely ignored. This account was illustrated by the personal stories of individual Palestinians who struggle to retain their dignity in almost impossible circumstances. However it was not this appalling situation which I found so shocking, (although in truth that is more a comment on how immune I have become to stories of these kinds of atrocities) it was the humbling level of goodhumour, courage and stoicism shown by the Palestinians in the face of a seemingly impossible situation, described by each of the ﬁve speakers, which I found so captivating. Collings suggests that quite simply the reason for this is that they have no option but to survive, and that this survival needs to be emotional as well as physical. He describes cases of locals ﬁnding the humour in situations which we, in our diluted world of NUS Cards and overdrafts simply have no comprehension of. The tone of the whole evening was a distinctly positive one, as the Rev. Butler took us through

Steve Collings one of the main speakers of the evening

Last years staff and studnets meeting Yasser Arafat on their visit to Palestine

photographs and stories of people who had devoted their lives to helping the situation, for no reward other than the personal satisfaction of having aided that same day-to-day survival. The group recorded their entire visit with over 600 photographs and of course 23 personal perspectives. They now intend to work on increasing our awareness of the injustices of what is happening in the Middle East, and set up links between Bangor and the Universities in Palestine, which have been forcibly closed for a total of ﬁve years (FIVE YEARS!) out if the 32 since 1971. This is where Steve Collings comes in, he sees his immediate future as being to put his privileged Western background and education to use in helping the situation as best he can by working as a volunteer activist, teacher and protestor. He acknowledges that it will be extremely dangerous, but is excited by the work he is to undertake: “I’m not really that scared, I love the way life out there is lived on such a communal, hand to mouth basis. The people are warm and friendly, and I’m extremely excited about living and working there.” His experience of Palestine on the trip last month led him to the conclusion that life in the West Bank is about as polarised from his experiences growing up

in Britain as they possibly could be; namely because, very simplistically, whilst here our government (at least in theory) protects us from physical harm, in the West Bank it is the government who cause the physical harm, and the populace are forced to protect themselves. The campaign for justice needs to achieve a high profile, because it is the Western media who realistically hold the key to its success, and the talk on Wednesday night is only a very small step towards that, but it is an extremely positive one. If anything, it puts some of our own issues as students into some perspective. As a result of what was said I will certainly listen much more carefully next time I see John Simpson in his shirt-sleeves and ‘flak-jacket’ and I now add my name to the list of those who are aware of the injustice of what is happening in Palestine. Steve Collings should be wished the very best of luck as he heads out to devote himself to the Palestinian cause next summer. (If you are interested in finding out more about the visit, then log-on to www.bangor.ac.uk/ chaplaincy to view pictures and reports.)

TRIED & TESTED

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GO-CO BARS 11:30: Uncontrollably giggly, feel like have had 5 shots of caffeine all at once. 11:50: Cheeks are quite ﬂushed, am restless just watching ﬁlm.

By Clare Chadwick, Seren Editor

There you are, laying in bed playing the 50minute-rule game (keep pressing the snooze button for 50 mins) with now only ten to go until your 9am Invertebrates lecture. You can hear your flatmates banging about in the kitchen, all of them seemingly delighted to be up at stupid o’ clock in the morning; if only you had the energy to get out of your warm, cosy bed and stop them from stealing your potato waffles (and then go to your lecture, of course). Until now us students have largely depended on coffee to provide a fast effective ‘pick-meup’ to ‘get-me-to’ lectures. But can you run to your lecture (bearing in mind you played the 50-minute game for 10 mins too long) while trying to knock back enough hot coffee to get you through the day? I think not. Surely there is something out there more apt for the hectic lives of students? It seems so. I was sent two bars of chocolate in the post accompanied with a lovely letter (the highlight of my job as editor) telling me that the team at GoCo want to: “assist in making your life easier, sexier and generally just wish to contribute to the fun had by you and your readers.” Well that’s very generous of you, GoCo team. Do go on. They quite rightly went on to tell me that with Freshers week now just a fuzzy memory, first year students finding their feet, second year’s strutting (having made all the mistakes last year) and those in their final year facing the harsh reality of paying back that loan, the arduous student lifestyle continues. This year though, help is apparently on the way with GoCo. Until recently this product has only been sold through limited outlets but is now available through NUSSL outlets and online at: www.goco.co.uk or www.firebox.com GoCo is an ‘adult energy’ delivery system cheekily masquerading as a chocolate bar. GoCo is two chunks of chocolate, packed full of guarana, delivering a power surge equivalent to at least two cups of the strongest coffee, or two and a half cans of Red Bull. All this in only 17 grammes and containing the same amount of calories as an apple (I know, it’s like christmas come early!) It is this very chocolate bar that the presenter of Channel 4’s RI:SE spectacularly lost the plot live on breakfast TV with a packet in his hand. Before feeding the bars to my unsuspecting team, I lovingly checked up on the product first to make sure it was all safe and

legal (if they got poisoned they may miss the deadline). Everything checked out good and I read some pretty interesting internet reviews about the effects. The majority of testers felt a burst of energy after about 20 mins which lasted anywhere between an hour and a whole day; others had, well, more of a libido boosting effect with the increased energy to accompany it. So I put the idea to some of the Seren team: eat these bars before you a) go to a lecture, b) partake in strenuous exercise or c) stay up late to work/go out/indulge in late night activities with your partner/self/cat. Then report to me with details of the given effects (for example, did you work harder, stay awake later or... ahem, last longer?) Indeed, there were many offers to try the bars, but for some reason they were all rather reluctant to then illustrate to you, our readers, the full details of what they were possibly going to experience. After much deliberation (and pressure from the Production Editor) I agreed to try one of the bars myself and write honestly about my experience. God help me. So last night (Dec 7th) with my trusty notepad and pen I ventured in to, what was to become, an incredibly bizarre night with the company of a similarly alert friend. 9:15pm: Had GoCo bar. Tastes fairly normal, if not a little bitter. 10:30: Feeling noticably awake. Open bottle of wine. 10:40: Deﬁnately feel more energetic than normal at this time of day.

Midnight: Very wide awake, quite peckish too. 12:10: Feeling similar to being drunk really, only without the lack of co-ordination. 01:15: Begin playing cards with friend, still very awake but not so restless. 02:15: Decide to go to Tesco in a bit for midnight shopping. 03:30: Too involved in cards to leave for shopping. Mind is considerably active. 06:30: Start making breakfast. Sun rising, am shattered but mind is still buzzing away. 08:00: Watch film to pass the time. Feel like mind could write article now, but body too tired. 09:00: Everyone waking up and coming in to kitchen, am really tired but know wouldn’t be able to sleep yet. 09:50: Lying in bed, sleepy but mind keeps whirring. Feels like I have been out clubbing all night. 10:30: Had 30 mins sleep before lecture but surprisingly still alert during it. Having just spent the entire night mentally (and legally) as high as a kite, I incredibly still have the energy to attend lectures and work on my articles (with a little help from Lucozade Energy drink). Although admittedly a fantastic product it does work differently for everyone. Where I lacked any particular increase in sexual appetite, which it is suggested to bring about in some people, I more than made up for in alertness and giggling hysteria. Would I buy this product? Yes. If I need a fast pick-meup before a long day (or night) or if I have to spend the night doing an assignment that’s in for the next morning. One thing to point out is a notable lack of appetite today. Maybe sleep deprivation is the cause of this? It does say however on the GoCo website that these chocolate bars have been used in weight loss plans. It all sounds a bit too good to be true, don’t you think? A chocolate bar which has less calories than an apple, gives you enough energy to watch the sun rise and set and rise again without so much as a catnap in-between, boosts your sex-drive and helps you to meet your partner’s demands twice over (supposedly) and then when you finally go to bed, you’re still alert enough to ponder over the day’s events. So go to the www.firebox.com and decide for yourself. I did: GoCo bars work. Trust me. I haven’t slept in 48 hours.

DECEMBER 2003 7

PULLING IN BANGOR How some scents just don’t make sense

By Cedric Krummes I admit it, I wanted to cheat! O k,I wanted to pull in Bangor! Like

being the cock among the hens or Travolta among the Grease characters. To do that, you could do it the usual way: go out, spot somebody, smile and say hi. But why do things the normal way, if you can do things in a different way? Why rely on your own pulling techniques (i.e. none) when all you need are some precious droplets of pheromones? “What are pheromones?” It’s a chemical substance secreted externally by some animals (included us humans) that influences the physiology or behaviour of other animals of the same species. And as far as research has been done, human pheromones can trigger powerful sexual responses. Great! Problem is, we shower everyday, apply soaps and remove loads of our natural body odours and thus our pheromones. In essence, it renders us genetically invisible to others. So the chance of pulling is nil. Guys, we can’t pull because we shower too much! Thank God, however, that you can buy pheromones online. And not just any pheromones, but highly specific ones: pheromones for men who want to pull women, who want to pull other men, for women who want to pull men and who want to pull other women. So whether straight or not, there’s an odour out there for you! All I had to do was apply some of that dear liquid called “5-Alpha-Androst16-En-3-One” on the usual after-shave spots: behind your ears, neck, pulse, etc. I even put some on my cheeks! So there I was, diffusing artificial pheromones and ready to shout, “Je suis sur le pull!” Step 1: in the pub now saying hi to the people already known, having a chat with them and so on. Step 2: nice person (n.p.) spotted: n.p. is having a drink. Step 3: order a drink yourself and chat to n.p. while sipping Carlsberg. Step 4: n.p. is very nice. Very friendly and quite compatible. Step 5: n.p. has had a very busy day, is very tired and decides to go home. Step 6: n.p. leaves the pub. Step 7: I’m alone. I’m sorry?! I’m alone?! Did I really have to try out artificial pheromones to be on my own in a pub? How come it didn’t work? I applied loads of it! I should have been surrounded by loads of n.p’s by now… Conclusion: after having tried out pheromones for 3 weeks now, I can tell you that these violet-scented oils don’t work. Not for me. They might trigger your self-confidence and make you actually go to that n.p. and have a chit-chat, but don’t get your hopes up.

8 DECEMBER 2003

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FEATURES

DON’T BE A STATISTIC! By James Pearson someone who is, then call Victim Support and give them the following information There’s a branch which covers the entire Gwynedd area, including Bangor, so support is readily available.

1 in 3 students were victims of crime last year, according to a Home Office report. This shocking statistic does not take into consideration the fact that 60% of crimes on students go unreported. If a l l crimes on students were reported, it would show that far more than 1 in 3 are at risk of becoming a victim of crime. While students can, of course, become victims of any crime, they are particularly liable to experience theft or attempted theft, burglary and personal or sexual assault. Indeed, the study showed that 12% were theft or attempted theft victims; 10% were burglary victims; and 6% had experienced personal or sexual assault - with 60% of all the crimes being experienced by repeat victims. Why do 1 in 3 students become victims of crime? Most students are aged 21 or under and live in shared accommodation, whether in halls of residence or in a shared house. While these factors might increase the enjoyment of being at university (which is, arguably, often the happiest time of your life), they can also increase your vulnerability and so your chance of becoming a victim. In short, students, by their general age range and living arrangements, are a vulnerable group of people. Norman Steward, Oxford University Crime Reduction Officer, said: “Students are very specifically targeted by criminals, who know what they want, and where you are.” Imagine this: you are a student and a burglary victim. You feel angry, helpless, confused and physically sick - or any number of other emotions. Do you attempt to deal with the seemingly awful effects yourself and in isolation, or do you seek help from an impartial person on your quest to return to normality? Enter Victim Support. Established in 1979, Victim Support is a registered independent national charity which helps people cope with crime. Its lifeblood is its volunteers, who happily and willingly devote their time to supporting the victims of

every and any type of crime - whether or not it has been reported and regardless of when it occurred. Helping and supporting over 1.5 million victims every year, Victim Support’s volunteers are fully trained. Their primary role is to listen and to offer both emotional support and practical information. Victims of crime can be referred to the organisation by the police or, if they prefer, they can refer themselves. Whichever way, everyone is assured of a totally free, conﬁdential and unbiased service which should help in the coping and

Contact: Victim Support Mon/Gwynedd, Divisional Police Headquarters, Maesincla, Caernarfon, LL55 1BU. Call: (01286) 684827 (there’s a 24-hour answer phone; call 0845 30 30 900 if you wish to talk to a volunteer outside ofﬁce hours) or fax (01286) 684827. The branch manager (Suzanne Fisher) and all the volunteers are extremely friendly, approachable and non-judgemental. Some simple preventative measures which should help students reduce their chances of becoming a victim – especially at Christmas, when the risks are greater – include: •

Check doors and windows are locked at night, when going out and when you are going away on holiday;

•

Think ahead - don’t walk home alone late at night. Arrange in advance to stay with a trusted friend or prebook a taxi;

•

Never leave drinks unattended in pubs or clubs. If you suspect your drink has been spiked, contact a member of staff or tell a trusted friend;

recovery process. Although crime is generally falling, it is, unfortunately, quite likely that you or I will become a student victim of crime. However, there are many ways of reducing the chance of becoming another statistic. Indeed, Bob Ainsworth, a Home Office Minister, said: “Students can take simple steps to protect themselves and their property.” He added: “Students should not be complacent. They should follow crime prevention advice to avoid their student days being marred by crime.” Despite 1 in 3 students being victims of crime, it is possible, having implemented various preventative measures, to reduce the chance of becoming another statistic. However, if you do become a victim, never forget that free, impartial and confidential support is available 24 hours a day, every day, with Victim Support – an organisation which helps people cope with crime. If you are a victim and would like to talk to someone in complete confidence and freeof-charge, or if you’re not a victim but know

•

Don’t show off your cash, mobile phone or laptop, or leave them lying around;

•

Always lock doors, windows, the boot and sunroof when leaving your car, even if it’s only for a few minutes; and

•

Never leave belongings in your car - even an old coat could tempt a thief if they think there might be something valuable in the pockets.

COOK XMAS LUNCH IN STYLE If you can’t wait till Christmas to stuff yourself with turkey (or its veggie equivalent) log on to www.beyondbakedbeans.com for an end of term feast that you can cook even if you’ve never attempted a roast before. Disregarding the difficulties of temperamental ovens and discovering you only have one roasting dish BBB talks you through an easy ‘no carve’ chicken dinner and 3 minute pud. There’s also a veggie alternative from top food writer Nigel Slater in the form of a scrummy stilton and potato pie, a festive fig and chestnut couscous for vegans and even a turkey dinner for one for students who find themselves the only meat-eater at a veggie Christmas feast. And if you’re into mulling (and why not?) mull away to your heart’s content with our specially designed (i.e. cheap) mulled wine recipe and fab mulled Christmas crumble. Launched in September by awardwinning food and drink writer Fiona Beckett to accompany her best-selling cookery book Beyond Baked Beans, www.beyondbakedbeans.com is the first dedicated student food and drink site in the UK.

WIN WITH COMPETITION

• PARTY WITH £500 BAR TAB

• LATEST 02 MOBILE PHONE

http://seren.bangor.ac.uk

O2 the only pay & go to offer lower cost mobile calls from home

To celebrate the launch of O2 Home - the only Pay & Go™ service to offer lower cost mobile calls from home, from just 2p* a minute - one lucky student has the chance to win a fabulous O2 Home on Campus party. The winner will have the chance to take over their Student’s Union, with their very own party and a special guest DJ of their choice. The O2 Home on Campus party main prize includes a £500 tab behind the bar, fully decorated O2 Home room at the party for the lucky winner and their mates, and 5,000 ﬂyers to promote the event. The winner will receive the latest O2 mobile phone, complete with Media Messaging, to record all the action. The O2 Home on Campus party will be held after exams during spring term 2004. The competition runs across ten campuses nationwide, from now until the end of term. Winners will be announced in the New Year, with 9 runners up each receiving the latest

O2 mobile phone.

Entering the competition is simple students can text ‘BANGOR’ to 84145 or pick up one of the O2 Home on Campus ﬂyers, complete their details, and hand in to their Students’ Union / Entertainments department. Students on O2 Pay & Go can add O2 Home by simply registering their postcode via text, dialing 80202 from their O2 handset or through Customer Service. They will then hear an announcement letting them know they are using minutes from their O2 Home Bolt-on before they make a call from their postcode. Payment for the Bolt-On will be deducted directly from the customers call time balance on a monthly basis. Students can change their registered O2 Home postcode every 10 weeks if desired to suit their lifestyle. For more information visit www.o2.co.uk/ o2homeoncampus

DECEMBER 2003 9

films

10 DECEMBER 2003

the writer of Four Weddings and F rom a Funeral, and Notting Hill, comes this funny, warm hearted film of similar vein. With a complete ensemble cast this film of several love stories all linked in some quick clever way, is as predictable as his previous efforts. The story starts in mid November and moves along telling the tale of radically different relationships, until Christmas time. This time round writer, Richard Curtis, directs his self penned feature film for the first time and does an excellent job in keeping the viewer entertained. True the stories have all been done before, mostly they previously have had a full film to develop, but

http://seren.bangor.ac.uk

Curtis’ style of keeping them short and sweet works wonderfully. The actors are mostly recognisable from previous films or from British sitcom television, and do their job commendably. Hugh Grant is his usual self, Emma Thompson is excellent as a woman whose husband might be straying but Bill Nighy deserves the most credit for his role as an ageing rocker, simply hilarious. Not all the stories work, and towards the middle of the film the stories are at their weakest where they tread water a little too much, and the syrupy, sugar coated ending is not for all. However if you do want a film that is romantic, fun, light hearted and will definitely get you in the Christmas mood then this is the film for you.

REVIEWS

by ROB HARRIS

people in Britain don’t know who Most Will Ferrell is, yet after Elf hopefully

all that will change. Elf is the tale of Buddy, a young orphaned baby, who climbs into Santa’s bag, is taken back to The North Pole and raised as an Elf until he is 30. When the naive Buddy discovers his true identity he sets out to New York to ﬁnd his real father. Elf offers little new to the Christmas movie genre but that does not matter when Will Ferrell is playing the lead character as the dim-witted, childlike Buddy. He is the funnier version of Jim Carrey and if no one has noticed him in Zoolander and Old School

ALSO OUT NOW The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The Return Of The King, the final Lord of the Rings film opens up nationwide on December 17th expect more of the same superb story that the first two films offered.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

f you haven’t heard of The Matrix then where have you been? In 1999 the Wachowski Brothers released their superb, high concept sci-fi film on an unsuspecting world, and a classic was born. Reloaded, the disappointing first sequel was released early this year to much critical panning but great box office success. Revolutions, the final instalment, continues straight from where Reloaded left off with Neo in a coma and the war about to start. The film centres around the fight between man and machine, and between Neo and Agent Smith, and that, sadly, is about it. Intermixed between the fighting is some very simplistic philosophy about choice, taking away the whole original philosophy about reality the trilogy somewhat loses its point. Although the special effects are excellent, and

the performances solidly reliable, the script and story is far too bland. Everything relies too much on the special effects rather than using them to add to the story, they are the story, expectations of Revolutions, were so high it could never turn out as good as people wanted yet Revolutions is a lot more than just disappointing. The huge battle scene between the citizens of Zion and the machines is full of clichéd characters which could have been taken from any war film made to date. Instead of caring who dies, the film becomes more like a laughable horror film where you start guessing who will die next. Despite its many, many failings Revolutions is a still quite a fun, fast paced, brainless, action movie, but that’s not what you want from The Matrix.

Russell Crowe plays his Gladiator act with a different accent again as a sea saptain in the dramatic Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. Brit Paul Bettany also stars as the ships doctor and Captain’s best friend.

Brother Bear

For Disney lovers out there Brother Bear, the tale of a human transformed into a Bear is also out now. A warm sentimental ﬁlm about the meaning of brotherhood told in traditional 2D cartoon Disney style with the voices of Joaquin Phoenix and Rick Moranis.

then they will notice him here. James Caan, as his human father, is also on fine form as his scrooge like father placed on Santa’s naughty list. The rest of the cast also do well in their minor roles but it is Ferrell who carries the film to its unsurprisingly Christmassy conclusion. The film will appeal to children of all ages, whether they be 5 or 50, or students pretending to be hardened by the ways of alcohol. It is a charming movie with a number of laugh out loud moments and adult in jokes. Try not to be put off by the fact that it is a Christmas story which often leads to a bad movie and you will be pleasantly surprised.

DECEMBER 2003 11

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REVIEWS

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl W hat happens when you mix a lot of money, superb actors, a worn out genre, the producer of Bad Boys, Disney and the director of the scariest Hollywood horror movie in years? How about possibly the best summer ﬁlm of 2003!

Pirates of the Caribbean is without a doubt a superb film with everything, despite not seemingly to be possible, coming together to make a film that, no pun intended, blows all the other summer blockbusters out of the water. Johnny Depp plays Captain Jack Sparrow, a pirate who lost his ship, her, is The Black Pearl and father has to go to rescue it est of and Kiera Knightly’s roles damsel in distress, to its with the help of Orlando Bloom. Like all en of good films though, there udents is a problem, the pirates ays of who stole The Black umber Pearl are cursed jokes. to be skeletons it is a by the sight of a bad moonlight, ed. which also makes them immor tal,

and they need Knightly to help them rid themselves of the curse. The ﬁlm is clever in the way it sidelines the lead romantic story to make Depp the main character and not the romantic leads Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightly, something not often done in previous ﬁlms of this genre.

This pirate-come-fantasy movie is great in every way from the loud brash music, to Johnny Depp’s crazy performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. The film almost goes over the line to becoming far too camp, spoof like and over the top but stops wonderfully at the line to becoming to being a popcorn classic, with everyone, including those behind the scenes, performing at their best. The film belongs to Depp, his portrayal of lead character Captain Jack Sparrow as a mock of his real life friend Neil Richards from The Rolling Stones, is great for laughs and has finally put him on the map as being a great character actor who can helm blockbuster movies. Pirates of the Caribbean is also a showcase for superb, yet always underpaid, British talent. The gorgeous Kiera Knightly is great as an untypical damsel in distress, showing after roles in The Hole and Bend it like Beckham she could easily be the next Catherine ZetaJones. Orlando Bloom also excels showing he can play more than an elf as the swashbuckling

blacksmith in love with Knightly. In the supporting cast stakes both Jack Davenport, from Coupling fame, as a British Navy Captain and The Ofﬁce’s Mackenzie Crook as a comically dopey pirate are also great value.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is the best pirate ﬁlm in decades, despite coming from a mixed pot of sources the ﬁlm never loses its Disney feel or the grandeur a pirate movie should have. The special effects are excellent, the w a y in which the skeletons are realised almost put sway to the fear that CGI will ruin cinema. The set pieces are mind boggling showing its excessively large $100 million budget was well spent.

recommended retail price seems a bit excessive but with a 2 disc set, one for the film and the other for a bundle of extras, be assured that it is not. With entertaining and interesting commentaries from the cast, the writers and the director, as well as 19 deleted scenes, many of which worthy of being in the film itself, and a hilarious made-for-DVD blooper reel you will be spoilt for choice, plus if you shop around you can find it for well under £20. For those people who don’t ordinarily like DVD extra’s this could be the one to get you interested. Easily the best DVD that came out, or will come out, this month; it has action, drama, romance and most importantly it doesn’t take itself too serious.

As for the D V D extras the £22.99

ROB’S TOP 10 DVDS FOR CHRISTMAS

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The best Film of 2002, just more of it with a bundle of goodies too!

Old School Unseen Hilarious teen movie

Pirates of the Caribbean 2 discs of fun, fun, fun, Best ﬁlm out on DVD in December easily.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 The rare chick ﬂick that blokes can watch as well!

The Alien Quadrilogy All the original four ﬁlms and their directors cuts as well (which are new)

Bringing Down The The oddly named Queen Latifah & Steve Martin team up for this amusing ﬁlm.

The Indiana Jones Trilogy Harrison ford at his best, plus Sean Connery

9 Bruce Almighty Jim Carry at his best, overly sentimental but who cares?

X2 X-Men United Hugh Jackman and co. return in a better-than-theﬁrst sequel.

Legally Blonde 2 Not as good as the ﬁrst movie but girls and kids will love it

12 DECEMBER 2003

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Culture

CULTURE

Christmas Concert by Rock-Gospel Revelation Bangor Choir Date: Saturday, 06 December Venue: Assemblies of God, Pentecostal Church (Princess Street) Reviewed by: Cedric Krummes me, Gospel singing always T oinvokes happy-clappy people,

Stages and Hens of enthusiastic young W ithpeopleits oncasta night out, Willy Russell’s

‘Stags and Hens’ is a natural choice of play for a student production. As it was a play I had never seen before, I was totally unfamiliar with the plot. In fact, I really only went along because a friend who was involved in the production urged me to! But by the end, I was really glad that I did. Most of the action takes place in the toilets of a seedy Liverpool nightclub. Dave and Linda are getting married tomorrow, so Dave is out with his mates on a stag night, washing a chicken curry down with lashings of lager and Southern Comfort (which puts him out of action for the entire play). Meanwhile, Linda and her pals are on a similar mission, with Linda determined to have one last fling before her big day. But the hen party has unknowingly stumbled into the same nightclub as the lads! When Linda’s friends realise this, they do their utmost to keep the future bride and groom apart, believing that disaster will strike if they see each other before the wedding. Linda, who appears to be having second thoughts about the impending marriage, doesn’t seem too bothered about it, and can’t understand why her friends are making such a fuss. When she meets up with an old flame, the now famous rock star Peter Taylor, who is playing a gig in the club, she seems resolved not to go through with marrying Dave. It’s up to her friends, as well as Dave’s, to persuade her otherwise. Will they make it to the church tomorrow? The set was simple but effective, making good use of the rather small stage in Rathbone Main Hall. We didn’t get to see the dancefloor, but the actors all came on and had a boogie just before the play started.

Reviewed by Laith Jawzi

The stage was divided in two, with one side devoted to the gents’ toilets and the other to the ladies’. The two were as different as you would imagine them to be, with the gents’ full of mess and grafﬁti, while the ladies’ was clean and immaculate – complete with ﬂowery wallpaper! This attention to detail was spot on, and very realistic-looking. Unlike many contemporary productions of ‘Stags and Hens’, Rostra decided not to set the play in the late seventies period in which it was written. This meant that the costumes were modern ‘going out’ clothes, and there were references to celebrities such as Britney Spears and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Updating the play gives it an immediacy that makes it more relevant today, particularly as the themes and characterisation have not dated since 1978, but it might have been more fun to ‘camp’ it up with a seventies setting. I was very impressed with the way the girls made up their faces in an ‘invisible’ mirror, facing the audience. It looked very skilful and convincing, and must have taken hours of practice! Willy Russell’s script contains some witty and acutely sharp observations on the relationships within groups of male and female friends, and the differences between those groups. For example, the idea that girls all stick together when they are together in a group is made clear, and contrasted with the lads’ tendency to abandon their mates when they are most in need. (In Dave’s case, unconscious, with his head down a toilet.) In spite of this, there were similar character types within each group: the attractive one, the ‘hard’ one, the nice but dim loser, etc. Russell’s play is all about character dynamics, and the cast pulled

Performed by ROSTRA 27/28/29 November, Main Hall, Rathbone this off brilliantly. As to the actual characters, the only one I found likeable was Maureen (played by Becky Toland); short, sweet and desperate for a man, she was the most funny and endearing person in the play. I never really warmed to the character of Linda (Chantel Morgan); strait-laced Eddie (Joe Fallowell) was just too angry and confrontational throughout – although his loyalty to Dave (Ben Goodge) was touching, especially compared with the devil-may-care attitude of the other lads. Billy (Dan Thomas) aroused both laughter and sympathy from the audience whilst Robby (Matt Jarratt) was wonderfully portrayed as an angry misogynist (particularly when Dave threw up on his trousers). The play ended with the stags and hens meeting up, the tensions between the two groups clearly visible. As Linda is having second thoughts about the wedding, and Dave is stuck with his head down a toilet, it’s Eddie who saves the day, bringing Linda to her senses. Ruth O’Hare’s directorial debut was a very promising one, and I look forward to seeing future productions directed by her. Oh, and special mention must be made of Matt Drury’s posterior. His cameo role as one of Peter Taylor’s ‘roadies’ was very amusing, and every time he bent down his ‘builder’s bum’ showed. Whether that was in the original script or was an afterthought from the director, I’ve no idea, but it got big laughs from the audience. A fantastic play, congratulations go to everyone involved. Rostra’s next venture will be a sketch-show on Wednesday 17th December in the Yellow Pub and then in Jock’s Bar on Thursday 18th. Both begin at 8:30pm.

names like Reverend Clarence R. Jackson and bonny elderly AfroAmerican ladies being on liquor, wearing wigs, shouting “Oh Lord, Momma!” and ﬂuttering their fans. In short, something deﬁnitely “out there”. Something “in here” was the performance done by the Revelation Bangor choir who sang over 90 minutes gospels in English and Swahili, and some traditional English Christmas carols. Songs like “Rejoice, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, or “Soon and Very Soon” were a great success and so were their encore: “Happy Days”. And I don’t mean the gospel “Happy Days”, no I mean the TV theme song with “the Fonz” and Arnold’s Drive-In: “Sunday, Monday, Happy Days...” Another good thing about this concert was that the four musicians who had only been asked two days before(!) to join them, the “Blue Peter 12 Days of Christmas How to Make a Choir recipe” drama and the fact that there was always a different conductor for each song, thus giving an opportunity for everybody. I left the concert with a feeling that whether there is a God or not it was worthwhile listening to Revelation and if my time table was not so busy I would join them. So what about you? If you’re interested in joining them, their rehearsals are in the Music Dept. every Wednesday from 6.30 to 8:30. Even though they are Christian-based, some of their members do notpractice any religion; and to top it all: you don’t even have to able to sing or read the music as it is all taught orally. Their next concert is around Easter time. Will you be one of them? Have a go: revexec@bangor.ac.uk

MUSIC

Music http://seren.bangor.ac.uk

OUTKAST Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

Reviewed by: James Ainsworth aving formed a decade ago as teenagers and toiled uncompromisingly through the industry, when Dre and Big Boi (aka, between themselves, way too many names to list) ﬁnally broke through worldwide with 2000’s Stankonia, the question wasn’t so much “Why now?” as “why the hell not sooner?”, being, as it was, fan-dabby-dozi. They are more than Miss Jackson. But, with a career that’s always managed to go from consider-

BIG BOI

JARCREW 13TH NOV. @ HENDRE HALL Reviewed by: Ben Summers t’s on a cold, damp Thursday night that your correspondent ﬁnds himself in a converted barn, ﬁve miles out of Bangor, surrounded solely by a few friends and some roadies. Are we early? Where the hell is everyone? No worry for now. Opening act Suns of Thunder come onstage to the aptly-thunderous applause of nearly twenty people, but their accomplished stoner-rock sounds so huge the walls almost seem to bulge under the pressure, making a wonderfully satisfying start to the evening. Kentucky AFC, however,

DECEMBER 2003 13

The Sound of Music’s “Favourite Things”. Crazy it is. Just Crazy! If the winky drum glitches on Hey YA were enough to turn you to the darkside. From mutant pop genius, may I suggest, dear sir, that Nickelback or some similarly suitably abysmal faceless drivel will probably have another pot-boiler on the shelves quicker

able strength to beguiling genius, it would seem a shame that this album arrives on two discs – essentially a pair of solo albums although, thankfully, they do guest on each other’s efforts. Even if the rift apparent on this album (having worked fully collaboratively throughout their conjoined career, this release sees them apparently ﬂounce off to their separate trailers) develops into a split (and there’s much um-ing and ah-ing on the matter), at least their going out in (their own, inimitable) style. This album *BLOWS* all the other competition out of the water. It’s so good, it touches deep. This album is groundbreaking and non-conventional. 39 tracks masterfully painted across a two CD canvas. 137 minutes of intelligently constructed SONIC musical architecture, So grandiose that it would tower over New York. Yet so intimate and homely that it puts the southern hospitality that reared them so well to shame. Genuinely affecting lyricism, from stark realism (Big Boi’s “Unhappy”) through battered romanticism (“Prototype” on The Love Below) all the way to the familiar ecstatic lunacy “i can’t believe that music as good and catchy as this can avoid getting to number one” single “Hey Ya” (growing from Dre’s side of this Mesopotamic garden), then Mother Teresa, God bless her cotton socks, only knows how you’re gonna react when you hear their drum-n-bass-rave-up-in-am e n - t a l - h o m e ver-sion sion of

t h a n you can iron your tweed flat-cap. If, however, madam is looking for something different for the weekend, then step right up and take this sweet offering that I give to thee.

fail to i m press. Their tinny sub- L i b e r t i n e s punk sounds like a wet fart following the shock-and-awe assault of SoF, and, in the absence of the charm and crucially, tunes, that allow bands to get away with this sort of thing, they can only disappoint. However, from the moment Jarcrew launch into the stuttering Casiofunk of ‘Boy Wonda’, everything else seen thus far becomes irrelevant. Their teasingly short set, taken mostly from their recent, eponymously titled debut, manages to mix Zeppelin-riffage, punk-funk and ambient soundscaping into something shockingly, indescribably new. Plus, in singer Kelson Mathias

they have an absolute star. As he twitches and cavorts his way around the stage, takes the time to dance individually with everyone in the audience and also wields candles in a worryingly reckless manner, he’s absolutely impossible to ignore, not least for self-preservation’s sake. Behind him meanwhile the rest of the five-piece somehow manage to stop their music from collapsing under its sheer lunacy, a task which escapes them during their astonishing, largely improvised final song, which ultimately forces bassist Ben to flee from the stage, able only to shake his head at the inspired chaos that his cohorts create. It’s a performance that leaves you with little doubt that they’re on of Wales’ most exciting new bands; whether or not they’ll be widely received in the light of their new contract with Gut records remains to be seen. Let’s hope they do; people deserve music this good.

ANDRE 3000

14 DECEMBER 2003

Lifestyle

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LIFESTYLE

by GEMMA BUCKLEY-ROBERTS

Paying too much for sex?

we have more contraceptive T oday choices than ever before but the

male condom remains the most popular. If used correctly the male condom is 98 per cent effective against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The condom comes in different sizes, shapes and thickness. You can choose lubricated, ribbed, coloured and lets not forget flavoured, there is even one that claims to enhance performance! With condom manufacturers striving for our health and pleasure can the cost of condoms be justified? The price of a condom can vary from a pound to as much as £12.99 a box depending on the brand and the type. It is no wonder that many condoms are placed behind the counters of chemists and newsagents or are on display by the CTV camera due to the shy, light fingered or poor amongst us. Condoms are expensive and are individually more costly when purchased in smaller, less embarrassing packs. A pack of three Durex condoms will cost £3.49 in Boots, that’s £1.16 each compared to 83 pence if bought in a £9.99 twelve pack. The cheapest Durex condoms are available from Safeways; it is well worth keeping an eye out for the condoms to be placed in their ‘offers of the week’ magazine. The Durex twelve packs costs as little as £5, that’s 41p each so it might be worth stocking up. Living in a student city, however, don’t expect them to be on the shelves for long so you may have to get down there early! Another option is the internet; we are all aware how much cheaper it is buying

CONTRACEPTIVE CHOICES Let’s face it, we students lead busy lives these days; we need choices of contraceptives which are effective and hassle-free, giving us the conﬁdence and freedom to fully enjoy our sex lives. Here, we aim to provide clear, factual information about the contraceptive choices available, to help you decide which one is right for you and your partner. - The Male Condom Available in as many colours, textures and ﬂavours as ice cream, the condom is the panacea of sexual worries. Properly used condoms can prevent pregnancy and protect against every sexually transmitted infection known to man. Some people claim that sex isn’t as good while wearing them, but most are unaffected by them. If having sex with someone you have only recently met and whose sexual history you don’t know, wearing a condom is the only sensible option. If you’re a man not anxious to be a dad any time soon, it also gives you

products from the net so why not shop for your contraception online? You would be amazed at the sheer number of sites who sell cheap condoms and deliver them straight to your door – there is no elderly shopkeeper singling you out or waiting in a queue with

that extra super size pack on special for twenty minutes. You get your condoms cheap and discreetly. For those of us who are using so many condoms they are breaking the budget remember there are many places you can go to

get them for free. The family planning clinic, GUM and some GPs all give out condoms, there really are no excuses for not being responsible and keeping yourself safe.

control of your own paternity.

ally transmitted diseases.

available at Bodnant Surgery once an appointment is made with the nurse.

- The Female Condom Made of very thin polyurethane (plastic). Like the male condom it has one open end and one closed end. It has two ﬂexible rings, one at each end, to keep it in place. It can be inserted at any time prior to intercourse and removed afterwards. Like the male version, a new condom should be used every time sexual intercourse occurs. It is important to read the instructions for inserting the condom before use until you get the hang of it. Again the beneﬁts of this barrier method are it prevents both pregnancy and STI’s.

- The Patch A thin, beige, smooth patch which is worn on the skin, which can be discreetly worn under clothing. The patch is a weekly hormonal contraceptive. Each patch is worn for one week (seven days) and changed every week for three weeks, followed by a ‘patch-free week’, when users experience their monthly withdrawal bleed. It is always changed on the same day of the week - which becomes ‘the patch-change day’. The contraceptive patch can be worn on four areas of the body; the buttocks, the abdomen, the upper torso (front and back but excluding breasts) or upper outer arm.

- The Pill Comes in several varieties depending on what suits your preferences. So long as a woman remembers to take the right pill at the right time each day, she should be able to have as much sex as she likes without getting pregnant. On the downside, some forms of the pill can produce side effects such as weight gain or hormone problems, so some women don’t much care for it. Also, it’s purely an anti-pregnancy method and offers no protection against sexu-

- Injections As the name suggests, this is an injected form of contraception, injected into a muscle (usually the bottom). Once injected, progestogen hormones are gradually released into the body. These are the same hormones as the progestogen only pill and IUS. One injection lasts for about three months, depending on which type is used. It is effective immediately if it is injected on days one to ﬁve of a period. It is

- Intrauterine Systems (IUS) An IUS is a small plastic T-shaped device, which slowly releases the hormone progestogen (one of the hormones in the combined pill and the same hormone as the progestogen-only pill). It is fitted by a trained doctor or nurse into the womb. It starts working immediately if it is fitted in the first seven days of the 28-day cycle. It is effective for up to five years. - Diaphragms and caps Diaphragms and caps are made of thin, flexible rubber or silicone. They are both circular domes, but caps are smaller and just cover the cervix. They must be specially fitted by a GP or nurse and checked regularly, about every 612 months, to make sure they are not damaged and still fit correctly. They can be inserted up to three hours prior to sex, but must be left in place for at least six hours after sex. Most should be carefully washed after use and kept in the case provided (some silicone caps are used only once).

LIFESTYLE

Lifestyle

http://seren.bangor.ac.uk

DECEMBER 2003 15

by GEMMA BUCKLEY-ROBERTS

SEXUAL HEALTH IN STUDENTS The words: “It wouldn’t happen to me, I’m too young” can all too often creep into our minds. We discovered that an alarming amount of young women delay having their ﬁrst smear test for anytime between a few months and a few years. Did you know women are recommended to have one within two years of becoming sexually active?

Too many young women, particularly fun-loving students like ourselves, put off smears and too many young women end up regretting it. So if this article encourages even just one person to have it done then it will be worth our work. What’s stopping you from being that person and making an appointment?

For any woman, the idea of going for a cervical smear test raises a number of worries such as what if there is something wrong? The feelings of fear, embarrassment and anxiety result in many delaying the dreaded trip to the doctor’s. The ﬁrst question many of us ask when we get a letter from our GP or Well Women is why me? The reason is that all women between the ages of 20 and 64 are invited to be screened every three years. To begin with you need to remember the cervical smear test is not a test for cancer, it is a necessity to detect possible abnormalities in cells that may develop into cancer if they are left untreated. You are also advised to have a smear test within two years of becoming sexually active. A test can be carried out at your doctor’s clinic or at your local Well Women or Family Planning Clinic, you need to attend a screening between your periods and ask for

a woman if you would prefer it when making the appointment. It is the smear test itself that fills many of us with horror but in all honesty it is nothing to worry about. It involves a qualified doctor or nurse collecting a sample of cells from the neck of the womb, though the examination can be uncomfortable and perhaps embarrassing, the screening is carried out in complete privacy, takes just a few minutes and isn’t painful, it will be over before you know it and you’ll feel ridiculous having delayed it for so long. Once you’ve had your cervical smear test the worse is over, the results are mailed to you within 4 to 6 weeks of the date of your screening, it is best not to worry as most results return normal which means that no abnormal cells were found. However you may be asked to return for a second smear test because too few cells were collected the first time around.

Through a cervical smear test inﬂammations or an infection can be found which may or may not need treatment, so there are a number of beneﬁts to you getting this done. If the test comes back as not normal that does not mean you have cancer, it means that some cell changes have been seen and may be at risk of becoming cancerous in later years if neglected. Early detection however through regular cervical smear tests result in most abnormalities being successfully treated. Despite you having a normal result if you notice any irregular or unusual bleeding or unpleasant vaginal discharge please go and see you doctor – it is essential you get any treatments needed as soon as possible. Through cervical screening, it is estimated that the development of 3,900 cases and 1,000 deaths from cervical cancer are prevented in the UK each year, for a few minutes of feeling uncomfortable and slightly embarrassed, isn’t your health worth it?

You may be more at risk of developing cervical cancer if you: · Or your partner has had several sexual partners (heterosexual or homosexual) without practising safe sex. · Had sexual intercourse or a ﬁrst pregnancy at an early age. · Have had other sexually transmitted infections or diseases, such as Chlamydia, herpes, genital warts or HIV.

· Smoke (or your partner smokes) · Have never had a smear test. This does not mean that if you fall into one of these categories that you should panic or that you will automatically develop cervical cancer. However, to reduce the risks it is wise to take the following measures. · Practice Safer Sex, preferably using barrier methods such as condoms. · Give up or cut down on your smoking.

· Have regular smear tests. It is not true that if you are a lesbian then you don’t need a smear test. And, it is not true that if you’ve never had children or are not particularly sexually active then you don’t need to be tested. All women should have regular smear tests whether engaged in sexual activity or not, to prevent the development of cervical cancer.

This month we in Lifestyle asked ourselves what students need to know about various health issues which can sometimes be overlooked. Many topics were raised (some of which will be covered next time in Seren) but one in particular stood out for the girls. The myths and doubts we seem to have about Cervical Smear Tests.

Cervical Smears Made Simple

SEX SURVEY RESULTS

A survey was done recently asking a total of 500 female students aged 17 to 24 from across the UK about their views on sex and contraception.

Relationships whilst at college/ university? • 71% of students are in a relationship and • 26% of them met their partner at college/ university • 83% of those questioned have had or expect to have, up to ﬁve partners by the time they ﬁnish their studies Are students taking risks with unpro-

tected sex? One in six female students in the UK have had unprotected sex and a pregnancy scare

Of those who have had unprotected sex, four in 10 have taken this risk after having too much to drink or just getting carried away in the heat of the moment. Other reasons include: • just forgetting (19%) • not having anything on hand to use (11%) • not thinking about it (5%) What contraceptive methods do students use? The majority of students usually rely on the Pill (77%) and condoms (69%) as their chosen

form of contraception

A quarter of those who mainly use condoms and not a more regular form of contraception, only think about contraception when they are actually having sex 35% of students always use two forms of contraception - one to prevent a pregnancy (eg. the Pill) and another to protect against sexually transmitted infections (eg. condom). For the others: • 35% sometimes do • 11% rarely do • 19% never do

Emergency Contraception - If you have had sex without using contraception, or think your contraception might have failed, there are two types of emergency contraception you could use, emergency pills or IUD (Intrauterine Device). Medical and legal opinion are clear that emergency contraception is not the same as an early abortion as the pregnancy is not established until a fertilised egg is implanted in the lining of the womb. It is the process of implanting the egg that emergency contraception prevents therefore prevents the pregnancy from being established at all. Emergency Pills (morning after pill) - The morning after pill is basically a large dose of the contraceptive pill. You take two sets of pills, the first set has to be taken within 72 hours (three days) of having unprotected sex and the second set must be taken 12 hours after that. It is most effective at preventing pregnancy if taken within the first 24 hours after sex. If you do not get a normal period within 3 weeks of taking the morning after pill you should do a pregnancy test to check you are not pregnant. You can get the morning after pill from Bodnant Surgery by the Ffriddoedd Site, or buy it in the Pharmacy of Safeways for approximately £20. IUD (Intrauterine Device) - A small plastic and copper intrauterine device, usually shaped like a ‘T’ that is fitted into the uterus by a doctor. This only takes a couple of minutes. It works by stopping sperm meeting an egg, or by stopping an egg settling in the womb. It works from the moment it is placed in the uterus and can stay in place for five years. Some IUD’s can stay in place for eight years. It can be used as an emergency method of contraception within five days of unprotected intercourse or five days after expected ovulation. It is unsuitable for women who have more than one sexual partner as this can increase the risk of infection. IUD’s may cause periods to be heavier and more painful. The doctor who fits any intrauterine device should show you how to check the IUD by feeling for the threads. The IUD offers no protection against sexually transmitted infections and HIV. You can contact any Brook Advisory Service for confidential advice through www.brook.org.uk Or you can call the national ‘contraceptive service helpline’ on 020 7837 4044.

16 DECEMBER 2003

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ADVERISTMENTS

LOOKING FOR ACCOMMODATION IN 2004? Since the start of term 31% of students coming to the Advice Center have presented a problem with their housing MAKE SURE THIS ISN’T YOU! To prevent this from being you next year, go to the Advice Centre (2nd ﬂoor of the Stidents’ Union) where they will happily check your contract over before you sign so that they can look for any unfair terms and explain some other essential things that you should be aware of before moving into private accommodation.

http://seren.bangor.ac.uk

SPORT

DECEMBER 2003 17

RUGBY TEAMS ESTABLISHED A GAME

OF TWO HALVES By David Nevins Men’s Football T hesecondUniversity team’s fortunes have

ﬂuctuated dramatically over the past two months. They remain top of their division in the Gwynedd league but have struggled in the Booster competition.

Men’s rugby ﬁrst team playing Bethesda in November

years new committee has ﬁnally T his been decided and is as follows: Matt

By Jonathan (Psycho Mouse)

Derbyshire – 1st XV Captain; Andy Tobutt – Club Captain; Dave Nicholas – 2nd XV captain; Gareth Symes – Secretary; Chris Woolley – Fixtures secretary; Neil Smith – Tour secretary; Rupert Bevan – Treasurer and 1st year representative – Jonathan Sykes.

occasions. Both of the teams have been entered in the BUSA (British Universities Sports Association) to play against other universities. The size of this year’s squad allows the players to enjoy the training sessions on both a Monday and Thursday evening (6pm to 7.30pm).

The committee for this year is pleased to announce that the total squad size for this year so far is around 54 people. This is probably due to a good trial week where freshers were welcome to turn up and join in the training sessions; it also provided a great opportunity for the freshers to meet the second and third years and for everybody to get to know each other more and discuss the team.

For the Monday evening training session a local Welsh coach comes and teaches the players new techniques and plays to use in matches. These new techniques to training have led to a positive attitude and an improved performance during games. They are certainly paying off in the BUSA and Welsh Open age games; it has led to the Bangor University teams being rumoured to be unpredictable and a team that is one to watch as it can surprise the opposition just when they least expect it.

Due to this large turnout of players the University can now ﬁeld two separate teams which it has now done on a number of

This year has also seen the development and use of the ﬁrst ever website for the University rugby team. This has provided an excellent source of information ranging from how well both teams have been doing in matches to pictures taken from the matches and also the social nights out and events held by the club. The good teamwork used in the matches has spread to the social aspect of being a part of the club. This has led to an improved morale and better feeling of being a part of the team. This has enhanced the regular social evenings after matches in Patrick’s Bar every Saturday and Wednesday after a match. Already further events have already been planned so if you haven’t seen the rugby squad out yet then you will do soon. Especially since in the next few weeks the squad will be easier to spot in their new social shirts. The rugby squad is looking forward to a good year with success on and off the pitch.

Football teams on a roll University Football Club is B angor having the best season for many

years and two of the four teams within the club are in pole position in their respective local leagues. Following a string of great results, the University’s ﬁrst team found themselves sitting pretty at the top of the Gwynedd League’s Premier Division. Good away wins over Llanfairfechan Town and Bleanau Ffestiniog coupled with home victories against Beaumaris Town, Barmouth and a draw against Caernarfon Town gave the University side their ﬁrst top spot position in the league for many years. It seemed as though the sheer number of games being played by the squad was getting the better of them as they lost 2 - 0 at home to Llanrwst United followed by a 4 - 3 home defeat at the hands of a

By Rick Higham

Porthmadog team sporting a number of first team, League of Wales, players. In their next game, the University found themselves 2 - 0 down at half time against a fighting Pwllheli team, but showed great resilience to bounce back in the second half with a Chris Gethin hat-trick to win the match 3 - 2. Most recently, the team have beaten Bleanau Ffestiniog in the return home league match, winning 5 - 3, with goals coming from a Mike Linnecar hattrick and a brace from Chris Gethin, and then beating Nantlle Vale 3 - 1 in a closely fought game. They now find themselves eight points clear of second place and hope to continue their fantastic form into the Christmas period. The University’s second team have also found themselves in first place in the

Gwynedd League’s Division One. After five games of their season they have a remarkable record of four wins and one draw and continue to play great football. Unfortunately, they crashed out of the cup, losing 4 - 3 on penalties after a fiercely competitive 120 minutes of football which ended 2 - 2. The third and fourth team continue their campaigns in the North Gwynedd and Ynys Mon Sunday Leagues and are sure to start picking up more points as the squads continue to gel. The football club has received fantastic support this season and would like to thank all those who have braved the extreme weather conditions to come and cheer us on. Anybody wishing to watch the team can find out about fixtures from the AU office in the Student Union or from the AU website.

One win and a draw in the Booster competition has left them firmly rooted in the relegation zone. A convincing 5-1 win at home against Keele University and a 0-0 draw away to Liverpool University have provided Bangor with their only points, but the threat of a docked three points threaten the team’s position. The expected removal of those points follows Bangor’s failure to provide an adequate referee for the home fixture against Liverpool John Moores on the 19th November. Incidentally, Bangor lost the game comprehensibly 7-1. This was preceded by a loss to Chester. On the 26th of November the squad consisted of nine players who travelled to Keele and were overrun 4-0. The Booster tournament has now taken a welcome break until January 28th, when the University hopes to turn around its fortunes. It must be said that depleted squads due to lectures have hurt the teams chances in the Booster league, however the team must perform in the New Year to maintain any hope of survival. On the flipside the team has excelled in the Gwynedd League. The team has gone from strength to strength winning all but one game, the opening league fixture against Llandudno Junction, which they drew 1-1. The team now top the league, ahead by three points and having two games in hand. On the 31st November, the seconds hosted Machno at Nantporth, and demolished their local rivals 4-0 with Steve Hughes scoring the pick of the bunch. An intricate passing move culminating when the affable scouser headed in after some fine attacking play. The midfield has been playing excellently of late with the two central schemers, Dale Mathews and Steve Connor getting among the goals regularly. And so, apart from a couple of exits from cup competitions due to penalty shoot out failures, the teams’ performances have been very impressive.

18 DECEMBER 2003

http://seren.bangor.ac.uk

SPORT

SWIMMING TEAM TO

COMPETE IN BUSA FINAL

Bangor competing in the 4x50 team relay at the UMIST gala with our team racing in lane 3 with the blue caps

By Neil Carpenter

Congratulations and many thanks to the 11 swimmers who won UW Bangor a place in the BUSA National Grand Final by representing the Club in Bath! Ruth Baldwin, Niamh O’Malley, Karen Sunnucks, Carla Reeves, Sian Hewitson, Andreas Wagner, Chris Lydon, Paul Carrier, Rob Brimacombe, Mark Smith and myself, Neil Carpenter, swam in BUSA Team Championship Qualifying round at Bath’s 50m pool and earned the University 4th place. Twenty teams were involved and the top 6 results at the end of the day were: Bath: 165 points London: 120 UW Aberystwyth: 108 UW Bangor: 66 St. Mark & St. John: 34 Glamorgan: 30

After an unfortunate start by the ladies in the Medley Relay, the men grabbed 5th place in the same event. Paul also got the team a 5th place in the 200m IM. If there are any ladies out there with a thing for IMs, speak to us about a place in the ﬁnal! Our joint highest placing in the competition came from Karen with a 2nd place in the 100m Free-style. Andreas picked up 4th place. This competition was getting better by the minute. Neil (100m Back), Rob (50 Fly), Karen (50 Fly), Niamh (50 Back), Ruth (50 Free) and the Ladies’ 4x50 Free Relay Team (Karen, Niamh, Carla and Sian) all picked up more 4th placings for “Team Bangor”. 5th placings were taken by Paul (100 Fly), Sian (100 Back), Carla and Chris (100 Breast). Bangor only left the lane empty for 3 events in the whole contest. Andreas (200 Free), Rob (50 Breast),

Neil (50 Free) and the Men’s Free Relay Team (Paul, Rob, Andi and Mark) only settled for 3rd placings in their events. Mark won us the other 2nd place of the day in his 100m Back sprint, despite saying “I’m not a backstroker”!!! while Carla got a 6th place for her 50m Breaststroke, getting the team valuable extra points. The top four teams from Division 2 South will meet the top four teams of the Division 2 North at the ﬁnal at the University of Nottingham on 8th May 2004. Massive thanks to all the swimmers, to Chris for driving us on the 500 mile round trip, to Team Bath for hosting the event, to Tony for getting us into Main Bar and to those of you who wished us luck, it worked! Quote of the weekend: “I’ve found my spare sheet” (Niamh) or “where are the ﬂags?” (Sian)

Best moment: when Ruth told us we were in the BUSA FINAL!!! Scariest moment: when Andreas took photos of my stomach! Why Andreas, why? Funniest moment: hearing from the hotelier that a girl in our room had told everyone about Rob’s thongs! Training is now on Fridays at Carnarfon pool and we also offer land training at Normal Site’s main gym on Fridays from 7-8. It is taken by Tom from the Rowing team and is very professional for all abilities. Come along, bring a friend, it’s only 50p! Swimming training after Christmas will be coached by Tegwyn Roberts, City of Bangor’s Head Coach. Coming up we’ve got the Aberystwyth Friendly, The Trinity College Dublin Friendly, not to mention BUSA Long Course at Ponds Forge and The BUSA FINALS!!!

ROWERS GET FIRST WIN OF THE YEAR By Andrew Wilson

Two out of four Bangor University rowing teams come home victorious from their ﬁrst race in Northwich. Wins in both the Novice Coxed Four’s and Senior Coxless Four’s categories at the 2.4km Autumn Head Race (Saturday 8th November 2003), attended by over 100 racing crews, put Bangor on the rowing map once again. The rowing team’s mens coxed fours with their cox in their hands

The two wins, the row-

ers’ ﬁrst wins in two years, mark a very successful start to the season. Carl Mitchell, Club Captain, commented “This is an excellent start to the season and a great reward to the team for all their hard work & training leading up to the race.” The Rowing Club now hopes to continue their success in the up and coming British Universities Sporting Association (BUSA) races. For anyone who would like to follow the fortunes of the clubs, up to date information can be found on their website: www.undeb.bangor.ac.uk/rowing/

SPORT

DECEMBER 2003 19

http://seren.bangor.ac.uk

The Ultimate Sport? By Keyan Milanian, Sports Editor

Ultimate Frisbee has come to Bangor. This year the Ultimate Frisbee, or simply ‘Ultimate’ club became a part of Bangor’s Athletic Union. A huge success in America for over a decade, Ultimate Frisbee is now beginning to build a stronghold on the eastern side of the Atlantic, with Bangor being just one of many Universities to pick up on its fast-flowing, end-to-end action. This semester Bangor’s club has attracted around forty regular members to its training sessions and eighteen of those went to its first beginners’ tournament in Birmingham between the 22nd and the 24th of November. Although not an officially sponsored sport, there are a huge amount of organised tournaments in the U.S. and there are even national teams whilst American colleges also help in spreading the popularity of the sport. The Frisbee is one of the most popular toys ever, having sold over 200 million since 1948, when its two inventors, Walter Frederick Morrison and Warren Franscioni, first began to market the plastic discs that were modelled on pie dishes. Sold then as ‘Flyin’ Saucer’s after numerous UFO sightings and the Roswell incident, they were then named ‘Pluto Platters’ and finally, in 1958, as the ‘Wham-O Frisbee’, the name we all know so well. Frisbee throwing didn’t end there though and it soon evolved into Ultimate Frisbee (which did not, in any way, involve fire!). Ultimate Frisbee is officially a 7-a-side sport played on a field with dimensions of 40 by 70 yards and two ‘end zones’ both 25 yards deep although due to weather conditions the Bangor team trains in the Normal site gym.

The aim of the game is to catch the Frisbee in your opponents’ ‘end zone’. This is a little more difﬁcult than it sounds though. You cannot, for instance, move your feet whilst the Frisbee or ‘disc’ is in your hands, although your teammates are free to move around as they please. You cannot hold onto the disc for more than ten seconds. If the Frisbee is intercepted, blocked or dropped it is automatically given to the opposing team. And just to make things all the more complicated, once a team has scored both t e a m s swap

Bangor took two teams to compete. Being a beginners’ competition, games were 18 minutes each and involved people who had played for three months or less.

the club and the supporters continue to grow and the society hopes its successes will help in gaining it a strong and deserved grip on its position in the A.U.

Although a member of the A.U. the club is not being properly funded so it is generally self-sufﬁcient and the results, 11th and 16th places out of twenty teams, were very respectable. Nottingham was the eventual winner.

Training times: Mondays 6-8pm Normal Site Gym Saturdays 10am-12pm Normal Site Gym

Despite its i n f a n c y,

For information please contact Lisa the Club Captain: osua43@bangor.ac.uk or see the A.U. website.

ends. A n official game lasts 90 minutes or the team ﬁrst to 21 points wins. Teams rotate players every time someone scores or if there is an injury timeout. There is self-refereeing and an emphasis on the ‘spirit of the game’, common sense and respect for opponents. The recent tournament was held in Birmingham and included other university teams such as Warwick, Nottingham and Birmingham University itself.

TOP CLIMBERS COME TO BANGOR T

o keep climbers, walkers and mountaineers entertained during the cold winter months Heason Events is organising 30 multimedia presentations around Britain. Three of Britain’s best known climbers and mountaineers, Ian Parnell, Ben Heason and Steve McClure, will present the shows via a state-of-the-art multi-media projector and sound system. Each program will incorporate stunning photography, video and photo/music compilations. The lectures will be accompanied by well sponsored competitions, including the chance to win a free planetFear coaching holiday. They will take place mostly in licensed venues (as in drinking). All three climbers will lecture in Birmingham, London, South Wales (Bargoed Wall), Bristol, Bangor, Shefﬁeld, Manchester, Leeds, The Lake District (Penrith) and Edinburgh. All lectures will start at 7.45pm. Tickets will cost £4.50 if bought in advance,

online at www.heason.net, and £5.00 on the night. Buying three tickets, one to each of the tours, online and in advance, will cost £12.00. Ian Parnell - Thursday December 11th - Hendre Hall, Aber Road, Talybont The British Disease From sea cliffs to gritstone, bouldering to expeditions, Ian will take his audience on a multi media tour of the British Climbers Year; the fear, the frustration, the run-outs and cold bivis alongside the thrills, successes, friendships and summits. Through an innovative mix of stunning photos, inspiring ﬁlm and an eclectic soundtrack this will be an evening celebrating the climbing life. Ben Heason - Thursday January 15th - Hendre Hall, Aber Road, Talybont Walking in a Dangerous Place Shortly after Christmas, gritstone aﬁcionado Ben Heason will take over where Ian left off. As a leading protagonist of the current

Winter lecture series

generation of young traditional climbers, Ben has helped usher good old British climbing into the new Millennium. An active childhood trekking in the Himalayas and tree climbing in North Wales, naturally developed into an appreciation for adventurous rock climbing. A decade later Ben has left a trail of signiﬁcant ascents across four continents. Preferring to on-sight bold and technical routes, Ben’s more publicised ascents have naturally been on the holy rock that is “Gritstone”, but there’s a lot more to his story than that... Steve McClure - Thursday February 12th - Hendre Hall, Aber Road, Talybont The Very Big and The Very Small And last, but not least Steve McClure will enlighten us during February on the secret of his success. Steve is one of the strongest and most committed climbers in the UK. Famous for pushing grades into new realms of difﬁculty he gives an insight into what it takes to succeed at the 9a grade and why the hell

Ian Parnell - one of the guest lecturers

anyone would want to go to such extremes. First inspired by the Dawes slate masterpiece ‘The Very Big and The Very Small’, Steve’s focus shifted from trad to the hardest rock routes possible. Having recently packed in his job, Steve discusses how his motivation has moved on from the very small, super hard redpoints in Britain to long onsights in Europe, and more recently to the very big trad walls of Greenland. For more information contact: Matt Heason, Heason Events, 27 The Dale Woodseats, Shefﬁeld S8 0PS. Phone: 0114 2969114 Email: matt@heason.net