The Journal - Edinburgh Issue 012

WWW.JOURNAL-ONLINE.CO.UK

EDINBURGH’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

ISSUE XII

WEDNESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2008

IRVINE WELSH WANTS CHANGE » 23

“If America elects the usual old, white, country club member type of guy then it will be a terrible disservice to democracy. I think Obama almost has to win.”

“We own the banks,” claim banking protestors - but do we really? » Comment page 20

IN NEWS

Another fiasco?

Electronic voting that disenfranchised thousands in 2007 Scottish Parliament vote is set to return for Edinburgh council by-election

NATIONAL POLITICS » 15

Breaking news

3,000 hours of footage, 10 million images: Reuters and ITN team up to deliver an invaluable online research resource

ACADEMIC NEWS » 10

Goodbye Green belt

Planned housing projects worth £7.5 million leave many greenbelt areas looking vulnerable

EDINBURGH NEWS » 9 Last week’s HBOS takeover protests saw angry campaigners demand money back from “greedy bankers” Mickael Binon

Showdown talks as Edinburgh feedback pressure intensifies Katie Oakes & Guy Robertson news@journal-online.co.uk IN AN UNPRECEDENTED public response to student concern over poor academic feedback, the vice principals of the University of Edinburgh were hauled before the Student Representative Council (SRC) meeting last week.

The university was rated the worst in the UK for feedback in the recent National Student Survey (NSS) measuring satisfaction.

The attendance of the vice principals at the SRC emphasised how seriously the matter is being taken at the highest levels, and highlighted official concern for the university’s reputation.

Head of Social and Political Studies, Professor Anthony Good said: “It’s a big issue because it’s embarrassing to be in this position. The reputation of the

IN BRIEF

THE EUSA SRC

The Students Representative Council (SRC) is an elected body of around 100 students at the University of Edinburgh existing to represent student concerns to the university.

Topics for debate are first proposed by five subcommittees (external affairs, welfare, academic services, teaching & learning and postgraduates). Elections for the SRC are held annually in the second semester.

University is at stake.”

He declared that it is of the utmost importance that the problem is addressed quickly and effectively.

At the SRC meeting the vice principals focussed on the importance of a dialogue between staff and students. The staff, they said, must know immediately when feedback is unsatisfactory.

Professor Jeff Haywood, head of Information Services, told the SRC: “We need you to push to help us do what we need to do.”

The Journal was invited by Guy Bromley, vice president of academic affairs at the Edinburgh University Student Association (EUSA), to attend a meeting with student class representatives before the SRC. It was clear that representatives were mounting pressure on the schools and are intent on voicing the concerns of students.

Their initiatives included arranging cross-department meetings to allow the comparison of successful feedback approaches and submitting informal student surveys.

A survey arranged by students in the Finance Department showed that 50 per cent of students felt that their course was too difficult. The results of the survey have been sent to course organisers.

Conversely, one of the problems being addressed is that opportunities to collect individual feedback are not being taken up by students. Last year the School of Social and Political Studies allowed nonhonours students to go through their exam scripts with a tutor; however, very few took up this opportunity.

Professor Good is puzzled by this: “We introduced these initiatives as a result of student pressure but the measures we have taken so far clearly haven’t worked.”

The vice principals reinforced this sentiment, saying: “We need to work with student representatives to find out why these opportunities aren’t always taken up, what can be done to make contact and collect feedback and why some possibilities are taken up more readily than others.”

Continued on page 2

US ‘08 SPECIAL ★ WHY AMERICANS WANT A BLACK PRESIDENT ★ NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN? ★ ON THE GROUND IN PENNSYLVANIA ★ BROLIN & FEY 2008: THE YOUTUBE TICKET US ELECTIONS BUILDUP » P16

10 Academic News

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

napier to offer £800 “bridging” masters to the public

reuters & Itn open archives to students Jen Mah

no undergraduate degree required to participate in scheme targeted at those already in employment

new online service to put thousands of hours of news footage at public's disposal Rebecca Sibbett rebecca.sibbet@journal-online.co.uk

Nicholas Gholkar nicholas.gholkar@journal-online.co.uk nAPIer UnIversIty hAs launched a new scheme offering those with no previous qualifications access to a masters degree. the ‘Bridging to Masters’ programme is the first of its kind in scotland and offers an opportunity to people who have been working for at least five years, but have no educational or professional qualification. the programme could also be designed for employees who want to refresh their skills after being out of education for an extended period of time. the dean of napier University Business school, Professor George stonehouse said: “the programme is ideal for anyone who went straight into work after leaving school, to get the university education that they missed out on, or to help them progress to a masters degree.”

Participants will have the opportunity to progress to a masters degree in just six months rather than having to study for five years in a part time undergraduate degree. the course focuses on flexibility for the students, reflecting an understanding of their greater responsibilities. there is a minimal requirement for attendance on campus.

the three modules within the course are entitled effective Learning, Leadership and Creativity. these are taught in workshops and tutorials with the opportunity to interact and pool experiences. the work-based learning model is to be undertaken in the place of work and the topic will be agreed by the employer, revolving around work-based assignments that benefit both the student and the employer. there appears to be some early interest in the programme; Gillian Oddie, hr officer at the royal Botanic Gardens in edinburgh told The Journal: “It will allow me to become professionally qualified in hr which will progress my career.”

It is expected that people with no higher education qualifications will be interested in this scheme; the average gross weekly income of full-time employees in the UK with a degree was £632 in 2003 compared with £298 for those with no qualifications.

In 2001 in scotland there were 4610 students over the age of thirty enrolling in their first year of study on a postgraduate degree. the University of edinburgh alone welcomes over 1000 mature students to the university every year. the next intake for this course is 15 January 2009. there are still places available at a price of £800.

“Father of QMU” retires Professor Anthony Cohen CBe oversaw QMU's promotion to full university status Kevin Guyan kevin.guyan@journal-online.co.uk PrOFessOr AnthOny COhen CBe, principal of Queen Margaret University (QMU) has announced he is to retire at the end of this academic year.

Professor Cohen will relinquish his position in the summer of 2009. his departure follows six years at the head of QMU which have seen the institution grow rapidly after making the transition from Queen Margaret University College to its current full university status in January 2007. the university court is now hoping to appoint a principal and vice-chancellor capable of building on the work of Professor Cohen.

It is expected that the principal’s successor will take up office on 1 August

2009.

Professor Cohen is viewed as scotland’s most prominent social anthropologist, working at the University of edinburgh between 1989 and 2003, serving as provost of Law & social sciences between 1997 and 2002. through his academic work, Professor Cohen was also heavily involved in the development of the brief to the economic and social research council relating to devolution and constitutional change. he has also written and edited ten books and published more than fifty articles, covering a range of subjects.

Prof. Cohen’s academic pursuits have earned him a fellowship with the royal society of edinburgh and the royal Anthropological Institute.

Professor Cohen also holds an honorary Dsc from the University of edinburgh.

During his time at QMU, Professor Cohen oversaw the development and relocation of the university’s new campus on the outskirts of edinburgh. More than 5,000 staff and students moved to the new site at Craighall, which was officially opened by the Queen in July 2008.

On the international scene, the strengthening of links with Asia under Professor Cohen’s reign, through the opening of QMU Asia campus in singapore in 2008, has been credited with boosting the university’s international reputation.

Foremost amongst Professor Cohen’s achievements, however, is the granting of university status to QMU in January 2007, which has allowed Queen Margaret to challenge other academic institutions nationally and internationally for students and staff.

reflecting on his career, Professor Cohen said, “It has been an enormous privilege for me to lead Queen Margaret University. the university has a distinctive character, and a crucial role to play in scotland and internationally in its areas of expertise.”

Professor Ian Percy, chairman of the Court of Queen Margaret University, who will head the task of appointing the Principal’s successor, said: “Professor Cohen has been an exceptional leader over the last few years and we are now seeking, as his successor, another inspirational individual with a clear vision of Queen Margaret University’s future role in society, who has the ability to engage with Queen Margaret’s many stakeholders, including staff and students, and to lead the University to realise its longterm potential in a globally competitive market.”

A neW InItIAtIve launched this month, entitled newsfilm Online, has made over 3,000 hours of news film from the last century available to students across the country.

Collaborating with the British Universities Film and video Council (BUFvC) and the Joint Information systems Committee (JIsC), news corporation Itn have made it possible for university and college students in the UK to access more than 65,000 film and television news broadcasts online.

As well as moving images, the database includes over 10 million stills and associated data from the Itn/reuters Archive, which is one of the largest of its kind.

Murray Weston, chief executive of the BUFvC believes that “this commitment recognises the value of providing long-term access to archive moving image content for learning.

“Archive newsfilm is an essential resource for researchers, and much valued by teachers and students across a diverse range of subject disciplines.” the online collection is being lauded as an invaluable resource, allowing access to these primary sources on a greater scale than has ever been possible before.

A host of historical events are recorded in the archive, from the first moon landing in 1969 to the 11 september terrorist attacks. In addition to major breaking news and political stories, footage of cultural, sporting and scientific developments from the last 100 years are also charted.

Dr richard howells, director of the centre of culture, media and creative industries research at King’s College London, said: “newsfilm Online is going to prove invaluable to scholars and researchers throughout the arts, humanities and human sciences. “newsfilm to date has been an underused resource, partly due to its relative inaccessibility. the beauty of newsfilm Online is that in addition to providing a wide and searchable catalogue, it delivers newsfilm for viewing on the researcher’s own PC.” the archive, to which academic institutions can subscribe free of charge is downloadable, can be held locally, and is intended for use both in independent research and as a teaching aid across a range of subjects.

While staff and students have unlimited access to the whole of the database, the collection of stills can be searched and browsed by the general public on the database website. http://newsfilm.bufvc.ac.uk

Academic News 11

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Heriot-Watt unlocks energy secrets Cameron Robinson cameron.robinson@journal-online.co.uk A pilOt prOject lead by Heriot-Watt University’s international centre for inland technology (icit) in Orkney has been set up to map tidal currents in the pentland Firth.

Working alongside the environmental research institute (eri) in thurso the project, dubbed rAScAl, will use high frequency radar to map and monitor tidal currents. the aim of the pilot scheme is to assess the areas precise prospects as a renewable tidal energy source for the future. the pentland Firth’s potential for such development is already thought to be extensive. According to Dr Sandy Kerr, lecturer in environmental management at Heriot-Watt, this is due to “its unique make-up: a fast tidal race over a large area, about 36 square miles, with the tides to the west, in the North Atlantic, slightly out of phase with that in the North Sea.” this means that huge quantities of water flow from the west to the east, and back again, all within a confined space.

Due to this vast movement of water, the sea of the pentland Firth is renowned for

being treacherous. professor jonathan Side, Director of icit, said: “We know there is a tremendous amount of energy in the pentland Firth, our knowledge of the complex tidal currents there, and how they interact with waves, is extremely limited, with existing models of the tidal regime in the Firth failing to describe what is really happening.” it is hoped however that by installing high frequency radar technology in both caithness and Orkney, rAScAl will be able to solve this problem and identify key areas for the future deployment of tidal generators to best utilise the energy available. the news of this project follows in the wake of interest in the area from the Scottish Government. First Minister Scotland Alex Salmond recently spoke of the pentland Firth as having the potential to be “the Saudi Arabia of marine energy.” the team behind the rAScAl project includes leading international experts in the field. they hope to secure the necessary £4-5 million funding to construct a detailed model of tidal flows in the region. if all goes to plan the Scottish Government hope to have the first renewable energy developments operational in the area by 2020.

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12 Student News

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Universities risk £77 million in Icelandic financial collapse Laura Robertson

BRIAN CHAN

laura.robertson@journal-online.co.uk AS THE GLOBAL financial crisis begins to take effect beyond the trading floors of world’s financial centres, it has emerged that twelve British universities are at risk of losing £77 million of funds frozen in Icelandic bank accounts.

The money was deposited in the failing institutions Landsbanki, Glitnir and Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander, with Oxford, Cambridge, the Open University and Manchester Metropolitan University standing to suffer the worst losses.

Giles Kerr, Oxford University’s director of finance, said it had £8.5 million invested in Iceland’s Heritable bank—a subsidiary of Landsbanki—and £2.5 million in Glitnir, while Manchester Metropolitan University had £10 million invested in Heritable.

The University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh have confirmed that they do not have any funds invested in Icelandic banks. A University of Edinburgh spokesperson said: “We have investments in a range of equities and bonds, which will include many of the major UK banks.

It is thought that none of Edinburgh other four universities had investments in the affected Icelandic banks.

“Clearly in the last year there have been a substantial fall in the capital value of those investments, but they are longterm investments, and their capital value does not directly impact in the short term on the activity of the university.”

Oxford University stated that it had made no financial investments in Icelandic banks in the last 18 months. At the time the deposits were made, Iceland’s banks held an AAA credit assurance rating, the highest possible credit rating, according to Moody’s Investors Service.

LYDUR SKULASON

Brown has declared his anger with the lack of assurances from the Icelandic government as British universities— including Oxford and Cambridge—risk losing over £77 million from frozen bank accounts

Under Iceland’s financial regulations, the Icelandic government is obliged to pay up to £16,000 compensation per frozen account until the £2.2 billion mark is reached. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has declared his anger with the lack of assurances from the Icelandic government that they will meet even this initial commitment.

It is estimated that British investors have a total of £8 billion deposited in the Icelandic banks.

In response to fears over the prospective losses faced by Oxford University, Mr Kerr, in a statement published on the university’s website, assured that the university’s cash pool had more than sufficient

liquidity to meet their financial requirements. He also said that the university would make every effort to recover the deposits in full.

A statement from the University of Oxford said: “We’re not in a position to fully determine how much we’ll recover,” adding: “We’ve notified the funding council, and seek to coordinate recovery through them.”

Mr Kerr has written to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) urging it to do everything in its power to aid the institutions affected.

Mr Kerr said: “It is important that we get co-ordinated action and I know that HEFCE, the Department for Universities,

Innovation and Skills (DUIS) and the Treasury are well aware of the challenges faced by the sector.

“We expect them to do all they can to protect the position of higher education institutions, which are vital to the country’s future prosperity.”

In a written statement to parliament, John Denham, secretary of state for DUIS said: “Clearly this is a serious matter for each of these universities, and officials from HM Treasury are engaging with them and HEFCE about their concerns.

“However, it should be noted that HEFCE has concluded that no university is at risk as a result of its exposure to Icelandic banks. Certainly no university

faces a level of exposure that would raise questions about its continuing solvency.

“Students, businesses, charities and others may deal with universities with exactly the same level of confidence as before.”

Professor Brenda Gourley, vice-chancellor of the Open University which stands to lose more than £6 million, stated: “The funds at risk with these banks, although significant, represent less than 4 percent of the University’s cash holdings and 1.5 per cent of the university’s expenditure this budget this year.

“There is no threat to the university’s operations and staff, and suppliers will be paid as normal.”

A spokesman for Manchester Metropolitan University said: “We are hopeful that the authorities will secure the unfreezing of our assets, particularly in the light of John Denham’s assurance in the House of Commons on 14 October.

“We would like to emphasise that the freezing of these investments will not have a negative impact on the day-today functioning of the university. MMU remains a financially strong university, and will continue with its current development plans.”

The announcement of Cambridge University’s potential losses comes only 18 months after the institution appointed its first chief investment officer, Nick Cavalla, an investment professional.

In April 2007, the university created the first professional in-house investment office of any UK university in order to help spread the university’s financial risk.

A Cambridge spokesman insisted the investment board had helped the university minimise its financial risk: “It was all about diversification, and having a broad spread of investments to diversify risks.

There’s no doubt the board has helped with that.”

Students reap financial rewards from top degrees BOON LOW

Liam Martin liam.martin@journal-online.co.uk RECENT RESEARCH HAS revealed that graduates from top UK universities go on to earn significantly more than those from lower ranking institutions.

The research conducted at London School of Economics (LSE) shows graduates from the top-ranked quarter of universities can expect to earn up to 16 per cent more than those with an equivalent degree from the bottom quarter. Incomes for graduates from the second quarter are, on average, seven per cent higher.

The report concludes that “those who go to the top universities should be prepared to contribute more towards the cost of their education than most students.”

However, this has led to concerns that poorer students could effectively be financially barred from attending top universities.

Wes Streeting, president of the

National Union of Students, said: “The NUS believes that if graduates are to contribute to the cost of higher education, they must do so in a way that is progressively linked to actual future earnings, rather than to a notional and, therefore, inaccurate course price based on hypothetical average earnings.”

Despite projected higher graduate earning, many graduates now struggle to secure graduate-level employment. This is particularly true of graduates from former polytechnics.

Francis Green, professor of economics at the University of Kent, has researched the phenomenon and recently stated: “If you are coming into university with not very good qualifications and do an arts degree at a low-ranked university, you are not really doing yourself any favours.”

According to the Confederation of British Industry there are currently 10.1 million graduates in the UK but only 9 million graduate level jobs. Graduates in non-graduate level jobs are, on average,

40 per cent worse off than those in graduate level employment.

The government is set to review university funding next year as some universities, including Oxford, have begun calling for the £3,000 per year cap on fees to be lifted.

Scottish students studying in Scotland would be unaffected by any decision, although changes would apply to students from abroad and elsewhere in the UK. Education is an area of policy devolved to the Scottish Parliament; last year the Scottish Government scrapped the £2,000 graduate endowment previously paid by students on the completion of a degree.

According to The Times Good University Guide, only one of Edinburgh’s universities, the University of Edinburgh, is in the top quarter of UK institutions.

Amongst the 133 institutions listed Heriot-Watt, Napier and Queen Margaret are ranked 47th, 64th and 68th respectively.

In Edinburgh, only the University of Edinburgh lists in the top quarter

Student News 13

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

“Too many universities,” says higher education minister

MATT WRITTLE

Liam Martin liam.martin@journal-online.co.uk The neW minsTer for higher education, David Lammy has warned that, in order to survive and prosper, universities will need to consider mergers and seek less conventional sources of funding. his remarks come on the back of the revelation that 12 UK universities had a total of £77m invested in collapsed icelandic banks. in an address delivered at a Universities UK (UUK) event entitled ‘The Future size and shape of the higher education sector’, Lammy questioned whether there were too many universities in the UK and outlined his ideas on what might be done to secure their relevance and financial survival.

The minister said: “in the commercial sector there would have to be many mergers over the next few decades – far more than we have seen in higher education.” he went on to speak about “choices which may be uncomfortable ones for those who have grown used to thinking about a traditional model of university.”

Along with mergers and less conventional sources of funding, these choices included greater institutional specialization and the widening of the student demographic to include more adults in full time employment. in August 2007 a new university was created in scotland as a result of

a merger between Paisley University and Bell College. The University of the West of scotland is now the largest modern university in scotland, with the merger being supported by the thendeputy First minister and minister for enterprise and lifelong learning, nicol stephen.

One of the stated aims of the project was to make the university “more sustainable” by virtue of its increased size. not all mergers have gone so smoothly. Prior to the amalgamation of Darlington College of Arts and University College Falmouth in April of this year, campaigners warned that Darlington would be “annihilated” and its status as a small, specialised institution lost.

Current talk of mergers, or “federations” as Lammy variously referred to them, buck the trend started in 1992 by the Further and higher education Act. since the act, which allowed former polytechnics to apply for university status, the UK has seen some 60 new universities come into being.

According to UUK figures there are 109 universities in the UK, while the University and College Admissions service has approximately 325 institutions in its system. even with the government’s current 2010 target of having 50 per cent of 18 to 30 year olds involved in higher education, this raises questions regarding competitiveness of entry. indeed, last year all undergraduate and postgraduate courses at napier University went to clearing.

laura.robertson@journal-online.co.uk GrADUATes WhO hAve studied overseas as part of their degree are more employable in today’s global job market, according to a recent study carried out by the Council for industry and higher education (Cihe).

The report, entitled Global Horizons and the Role of Employers, found that internships and study-abroad programmes, such as sOCrATes and erAsmUs, increase graduates’ global awareness.

Graduates who have studied abroad tend to be more comfortable working in a multicultural environment and are more open to working all over the world as part of their career. Language skills are also a highly valued asset in the global marketplace. however, the Cihe report comes at a time when British students are studying overseas less than ever. The report stated that the number of english home students going on european schemes such as erasmus had fallen from 9,500 to 5,500 in the last ten years. in Germany or France equivalent

in BrieF

ERASMUS & SOCRATES

The european region Action scheme for the mobility of University students (erAsmUs) exchange programme was established in 1987. The programme’s 31 member countries include the current 27 eU states, as well as switzerland, Turkey, iceland and norway. Almost 2,200 higher education institions participate in the erAsmUs programme; to date, roughly 1.6 million students have taken part in exchanges under its auspices. named for Desiderius erasmus roterodamus—the renaissance 16th century Dutch philosopher dubbed ‘Prince of the humanists’—the programme was initially based on the sOCrATes initiative for european educational cooperation. sOCrATes has been re-formed as the Lifelong Learning Programme, chartered until 2013.

Lecturers’ union sued by members following controversial foray into middle east politics Lizzy Matthews lizzy.matthews@journal-online.co.uk

David Lammy MP, with finalists at the Apprenticeship of the Year Awards Universities currently rely on students and their fees to remain financially viable, and it is this “traditional model” of funding that Lammy believes is unsustainable in the current environment of higher education.

Contradicting government policy, John Denham, secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills, said in August this year: “There are certainly young people who currently go to university who would have been better off on an advanced apprenticeship.

“We have been in danger of making it sound as if university is the only real aspiration.”

Whilst the proliferation of universities raises questions regarding the value of a degree, Lammy’s concerns focus more on securing the financial survival of institutions. however, he said he regarded ensuring a global reputation of excellence for UK universities to be an “important part of [the] job.”

Lammy himself is a graduate of the University of London and harvard Law school, and regularly receives requests for donations from the latter. Contributions from alumni are a source of funding the minister highlighted for future consideration by UK universities.

studying abroad increases employability, study discovers Laura Robertson

UCU unrest over israel boycott

figures are over 20,000 and are consistently rising.

British universities and funding bodies are being urged to impress on students the importance of studying abroad and also to help facilitate the process. Pat Killingley, director of higher education at the British Council, said plans were already being put in to action to encourage more UK students to spend periods of study abroad.

Bill rammell, minister of state for the Department for Universities, innovation and skills backed the findings, saying: “For students, a period of study or work abroad brings positive benefits both personally and professionally. “it enhances their understanding of other languages and cultures, and increases their confidence and self–reliance. “in a global economy, these skills and competencies are increasingly sought by employers, and students with this experience will find that their employability is higher than without it.”

As part of a survey by graduate research service, i-graduate, head of UK resourcing for PricewaterhouseCoopers Charles macleod said: “The value of [a student’s] international

experience goes beyond purely the acquisition of language – it lies in the ability to see business and personal issues from other than your own cultural perspective.”

The report urges British companies to offer more work placements and internships to international students in order to put Britain at the centre of the exchange between international businesses and graduates with a ‘global vision’.

A survey of international graduates as part of the report showed they think they are more likely to win higher paid jobs at more senior positions than UK graduates or those in their home country who did not travel to the UK. richard Brown, chief executive of the Cihe, said: “The UK can be the preferred worldwide location for mobile students and global recruiters.

“Businesses consider that the UK develops some of the best graduates in the world. But our home-grown ones need to get that wider global perspective.

“Universities could help by developing more partnerships with overseas universities that involve more student and staff exchanges,” he added.

The UniversiTy COLLeGe Union this week denied allegations that asking union members to question their contracts with israel is in violation of their legal powers. The denial comes amid allegations from several anonymous members from within the union itself.

The union, whose membership numbers approximately 120,000 higher and further education staff around Britain, instead argues that it is within legal right to express concerns about its member’s links with israel – especially concerning the ongoing moral and political debate surrounding the region.

The union could face court action if the israeli motion, passed during the UCU’s national conference this year, is not rescinded. Furthermore, the plaintiffs argue that any money spent by the union on the israeli motion should be reimbursed and that UCU’s trustees—Professor neil macfarlane, Dr Dennis Wright, Fawzi ibrahim and Paul russell—should personally return any money spent. in response to the claims, the union leadership argued that a court case would be excessive, and that the union has a right to express its concerns. Furthermore, UCU’s general secretary, sally hunt, was quoted in The Guardian saying “UCU has full respect for the court of law and will therefore not be commenting directly on the case or any documents that may have found their way to the press.”

The motion this year marks the second time that the UCU has been involved in debates over israel, when in may 2007 academics from universities across the country backed calls for a debate on the boycott of israeli institutions. interestingly however, general secretary sally hunt then argued against the boycott, citing that she did not believe that members of the UCU would support the motion for a boycott.

The 2007 motion, which argued that “passivity or neutrality was unacceptable”, was originally suggested by philosophy lecturer, Tom hickey, from Brighton University.

While it appeared that many further educational staff supported the move, it was condemned by both the British and israeli governments.

Furthermore, the fact that the original 2007 motion was passed by the UCU by 158 voted to 99, with 17 abstentions, makes many members question where the dissent of the motion comes from; especially since the first debate took place over a year ago.

The union insists that it will meet with all discontented members in order to come to a peaceful resolution.

14 Student Politics

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

£20,000 up for grabs at Napier Hiran Balasuriya hiran.balasuriya@gmail.com Napier UNiversity has set in motion its 2008 student grant initiative in which students are given the chance to win a grant of up to £1000 for research projects to help further their studies. the initiative offers full-time students in second year or above, including postgraduate students, the opportunity to win funding for projects that they would otherwise have been unable to finance. the scheme is offered twice a year, during april and October. since its conception in 2005, over a hundred students have benefited from the award. euan Kennedy, development administrator at Napier University, told The

Journal that trustees make a decision on whether to allow a grant after administration has processed the applications. trustees consider students who have the ability and motivation, yet lack the necessary funding to embark on such projects. the money comes from charitable donations made to the university. piotr Wojtczuk, a student studying electronic and computer engineering, won a grant last year to fund the building of his autonomous indoor blimp robot. With the money he and his colleagues were able to purchase all the necessary parts that they were otherwise unable to afford.

Mr Wojtczuk told The Journal that he and his colleagues gained valuable expertise from working on the project. he said that the scheme had enabled students to commit to projects which a

lack of funding would not have permitted. he said: “to me it was a little bit like a push towards realising a dream… and to keep expanding my knowledge in the subjects related to my studies.” the only downside, he claimed, was being given no advice on the project proposal until the point where final documentation had to be submitted. all in all, he said that the project was “a very cool experience.”

Other students who were awarded the grant undertook projects related variously to journalism, nursing, biomedical science and sport.

Napier University has a total of £20,000 to award students who wish to pursue further research. applications for this years’ grants close on Wednesday 29 October at 2pm, with successful candidates to be announced over the coming weeks.

past recipients Sarah Harrison, BA Hons Journalism: sarah received a grant to undertake a placement with a reuters/BBC journalist in Ghana. the placement formed part of her research towards her fourth year dissertation on cultural and political censorship of images in the media.

Gerald Cormeraie, PG Diploma in Business Management: Gerald submitted a successful application for funding to assist with the costs of travelling to Los angeles to undertake further research into Williams Worldwide television. the aim of the trip was to better understand how a small sized company can become one of the world’s leaders of direct marketing.

Charline Joiner, BSc Sport & Exercise Science: Charline was invited to join the City of edinburgh racing Club with a view to becoming a member of the track cycling squad at the next Commonwealth Games. she was awarded a grant to assist with the costs of attending a number of training camps across the UK. Information courtesy of Napier University Students’ Union

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Uofe student minorities to get “liberation officers” Corinne Redfern corrine.redfern@journal-online.co.uk FOLLOWiNG a preCedeNt set by scottish universities such as heriot-Watt, Glasgow and aberdeen, the University of edinburgh’s students’ representative Council (srC) are deliberating the introduction of “liberation and minority officers” to work alongside the equal opportunities co-ordinator. the officers would have the task of developing fairer representation for minority students. the srC discussed introducing liberation officers in 2005 but the motion was never passed. the proposed positions include a women’s officer, a black and minority ethnic (BMe) officer, a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBt) officer and representatives for international and mature students. the officers will define themselves as members of their respective liberation and minority groups, and will be responsible for confronting the issues relevant to their cause.

Mr thomas Graham, external convener for the srC, outlined the ongoing debate regarding the organisation of the officers’ committee representation. he said: “if a student has problems reading lecture notes because they aren’t printed in a big enough font-size or on the right colour of paper, then it’s a teaching & learning issue. if a student can’t get access to a building because it isn’t accessible to them, then it’s an academic services issue. if a student is concerned about childcare on campus then it’s a welfare issue. if a student isn’t getting the support they need to continue their studies because their parents won’t fund them after learning that they are gay, and the means-testing system doesn’t account for this possibility, then it’s an external issue. pigeon holing any of the liberation and minority groups into a single issue or a single committee wouldn’t be constructive.” as a university leading the way in terms of minority representation, heriot-Watt recently elected emma Little as their 2008/09 LGBt officer at a meeting open to all self-defining lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgendered students studying on campus.

Ms Little told The Journal: “Many students come to university who aren’t ‘out’ yet, or who have had negative experiences in the past, and who need some support adjusting to a university environment. i hope to play a very active role in finding out what issues are affecting them, and helping to improve the quality of their university careers overall.”

Miss Naomi hunter, vice president of societies and activities for eUsa, explained the apparent delay on edinburgh University’s part: “the introduction of liberation and minority officers is very important and long overdue. the srC previously tried to pass this at the annual General Meeting (aGM) in 2005, but the meeting was not quorate. it’s all too easy for issues that affect a minority of students to get lost. these officers will ensure these groups have someone fighting for them now.” if the motion to introduce the new positions is passed at the aGM on Wednesday 12th of November, the officers will be elected at the edinburgh University student association’s general election in spring 2009.

Local & National Politics 15

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Electronic voting to return despite 2007 vote disaster Megan Taylor megan.taylor@journal-online.co.uk The eDiNbuRGh COuNCil by-election due to be held early next month is to adopt the same electronic voting system as was used for the last national election in May 2007, sparking fears that history will be unnecessarily repeated.

The election, due to be held on 6 November following the death of labour councillor elizabeth Maginnis last month, will be using a single transferable vote system (STV) which asks registered voters to rank candidates in order of preference.

This system is the reason why the electronic counting system must be utilised as the council chief executive Tom aitchison explains.

“The use of the STV makes a manual count more complicated, staff-intensive and time-consuming than previous by-elections. “it is likely that a manual count, held the following day, would take several hours to complete, depending on the number of candidates.” however, concerns have been raised that a repeat of last year’s fiasco is inevitable. The 2007 national election was the first instance in which electronic counting and the STV system for the local government elections were utilised in Scotland. along with these new additions, the Scottish parliamentary vote was called for the same date. it was therefore decided that both votes would be placed

beside each other on the same ballot paper despite the fact the parliamentary vote continued to use the original additional Members System (aMS).

The results were unprofessionally hindered as 146,099 ballot papers were rejected – almost 131,000 more than were rejected in 2003.

The initial blame fell on the shoulders of Douglas alexander, the then Scottish secretary and organiser of Scottish parliamentary elections for his role in overseeing the changes to the voting and counting system despite pre-election research indicating that four per cent of votes would be rejected; a prediction that later turned out to be true.

The investigation into the problems of last year’s Scottish elections, led by long-standing member of the Canadian electoral commission Ron Gould, confirmed Parliament and the public’s suspicions.

The report concluded, “there is very strong evidence to suggest that the combined Scottish parliamentary ballot sheet was the main cause of the problem.” however, with the upcoming by-election being just a single event, Mr aitchison has assured voters that the election should go without a hitch. “an identical e-counting process was successfully used at a recent by-election in Glasgow, where the result was delivered within two hours of the close of the poll. “i am confident that the lessons of the elections in 2007 have been learned and that an accurate result can be delivered smoothly via an electronic count.”

Proposed “information hub” already under attack Alice Stanes alice.stanes@journal-online.co.uk NeW PROPOSalS TO build a central database of all mobile phone and internet networking data have already met with fierce opposition across party lines. The system, designed to aid crime investigation and the elimination of terrorist activity, has been condemned as “Orwellian” and has caused controversial debate amongst party leaders. home Secretary Jacqui Smith stated that the police and security services needed to implement new measures in order to keep up with technology. She said, “Our ability to intercept communications and obtain communications data is vital to fighting terrorism and combating serious crime, including child sex abuse, murder and drugs trafficking.”

She continued, “the communications revolution has been rapid in this country and the way in which we intercept communications and collect communications data needs to change.”

While the home secretary maintains that the content of the conversations will not be stored, purely the times, dates and locations of calls and messages, the system was slammed by the

Silvia Pavlova Foteva

liberal Democrats who maintained it was “incompatible with a free country.”

The Conservative party, too, rejected the proposal, calling on the government to justify its plans.

The necessary details of times, dates, duration and location of mobile phone calls, numbers called, websites visited and email correspondence is currently already stored by Telecommunication companies for up to 12 months, and can be accessed by police and security services on request. however, the Government plans to take charge of this process and create a single accessible database in a bid to ease crime investigation and comply with a new eu directive.

Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve, for the Conservatives, echoed views of the lib Dems maintaining that “these proposals would mark a substantial shift in the powers of the state to obtain personal information on individuals.

“The government must present convincing justification for such an exponential increase in the powers of the state” Jacqui Smith emphasised the necessity of this proposal to bbC News, and why communication interception had to change. “if it does not we will lose this vital capability... the capability that

enabled us to convict ian huntley for the Soham murders and that enabled us to achieve the convictions of those responsible for the 21/7 terrorist plots against london.” in response to societal worries regarding the intrusive nature of the database plan, Ms Smith said, “There are no plans for an enormous database which will contain the content of your emails, the texts that you send or the chats you have on the phone or online.” however, despite this, there are still widespread concerns regarding the mass storage of such data. The government’s own reviewer of anti-terror laws, lord Carlile said: “The raw idea of simply handing over all this information to any government, however benign, and sticking it in an electronic warehouse is an awful idea if there are not very strict controls about it.”

Keith Vaz, the chairman of the home affairs committee repeated these concerns: “extreme caution needs to be taken when considering the extension of state surveillance powers,” he said.

“There are around 500,000 mistakes on the DNa database. before the information the state takes is extended, there needs to be a major clean-up and a full scale review of future processes.”

brown reaps rewards in Glenrothes poll Kevin Guyan kevin.guyan@journal-online.co.uk The bailOuT Of Scottish banks has been seized on by unionist parties weighing in against first minister, alex Salmond’s plans for Scottish independence this week. in the cauldron of the Glenrothes by-election, labour, the Conservatives and the liberal Democrats have been queuing up to highlight the union’s role in saving Scotland’s ailing banking system.

Noting the £1 billion discrepency between the £32 billion uK government investment in halifax bank of Scotland (hbOS) and Royal bank of Scotland (RbS) and the £31 billion Scottish budget, Gordon brown has been thrilled to point out the benefits of the union to Scottish voters, while labour MPs have been similarly excited by the chance to attack the previously surging SNP. Salmond had previously identified an “arc of prosperity” stretching from Denmark and Norway to ireland and iceland – countries he chose as models of successful small economies. however, with icelandic banks facing bankruptcy and recession-hit ireland—an economy

previously revered as the “Celtic tiger”— passing an emergency tax-raising budget, the arc is now described by many as one of insolvency. hitting back through the SNP website this week, Salmond argued that “far from making independence unviable, the banking crisis has shown exactly why it is needed.

“The uS, the biggest and most powerful economy on the planet, has seen 17 of its banks laid low by the crisis.

Germany, Japan and Russia are also hurting – size has offered them no immunity or protection,” he added.

The much-reported failings of the world’s economic heavyweights is, according to Salmond, not matched across every european state: “Norway is forecast to keep growing economically this year and next. So are Denmark, finland and Sweden – all smaller european nations. The same iMf forecast predicts that the uK will move into recession.” however, Gordon brown’s handling of the economic crisis has allowed labour to leapfrog the SNP in a recent YouGov poll of Scottish voters, climbing six points to 38 per cent while the nationalists have dropped five to 29 per cent.

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Josh MacAlister is currently campaigning in Pennsylvania’s sixth congressional district, encompassing Philadelphia’s suburbs, for Barack Obama and a congressional candidate

From left to right: An indicator of interest in the election, Edinburgh’s Bar Kohl throws its weight behind Barack Obama; canteens at Edinburgh University serve up McCain and Obama burgers; Senator George Allen calls volunteer S. R. Sidarth “macaca”; spot the difference – Sarah Palin vs Tina “Feylin” Fey

helen.walker@journal-online.co.uk

see what “macaca moments” (as they have now been dubbed) lay in store and they will most definitely not have been disappointed.

First there was the anonymous YouTube video posted back in March 2007, which depicted Hillary Clinton as an Orwellian Big Brother. The “Vote Different” video was a mash-up of Ridley Scott’s famous Apple Mac ad from 1984 and was soon being emailed around the world. The ad transposed Hillary Clinton’s face on the large screen that is brainwashing all the zombiefied workers who sit beneath it. The beauty of the ad was its simplicity. The snippets from Hillary Clinton’s own speeches, where she refers to “our conversation,” were hugely ironic in the context and enough to successfully draw a parallel between Clinton and Orwell’s nightmare conception of an all-controlling dictator.

The anonymous ParkRidge47, who posted the ad, was eventually exposed by the weblog Huffingtonpost.com as Phil de Vellis, but the fact he had created the video at home one Sunday afternoon using his Mac Book laptop and Final Cut software made him the poster boy for grass roots, internet, political activism. The clip has so far received over six million views, spawned many articles and proved how impossible it has become for campaigns to control the message.

The next month followed with a

GUILIA FRONTINI

SOMETHING NEW IS happening in American politics. It all began when a Republican senator, George Allan called a man of Indian American descent a “macaca.” The comment was made in a rally speech during Allan’s 2006 senate bid and the recipient caught the comments on his video recorder. Once upon a time such a racial slur might have been deniable and therefore only mildly damaging. However, when a video of the incident was posted on a new filesharing site called YouTube, everything changed. The video went viral and Allan’s campaign spiralled towards defeat.

Suddenly America’s multi-million pound campaign industry was threatened by an interminable source of opposition. Developments in social software have meant that uploaders of content no longer need to be fluent in computer languages such as html. This in turn has meant PC whizz-kids and their employers have lost their monopoly over content production on the internet. With this has come the creation of sites such as YouTube who rely on user-generated content for their very existence.

What the macaca incident did was to show the impact these developments could have on politics. The ease with which a so called “ordinary Joe” could dramatically affect the political scene both excited those who saw American politics as elitist and unnerved politicians and their campaign strategists.

So it was with baited breath that political pundits awaited the 2008 election; the first American general election since the creation of sites like Facebook and YouTube. They waited to

Student Politics 17

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camera phone clip of John McCain singing “bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran” taken at a campaign stop in South Carolina. This version of the opening lines of the famous Beach Boys song ‘Barbara Ann’ seemed to go down much better with the laughing crowd than it has in publicity resulting from the YouTube posting.

Even if candidates are careful of what they do now, that is no guarantee of avoiding a “macaca moment” as candidates’ pasts have also come back to haunt them. The political storm created by the videos of Obama’s outspoken Pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, only began to abate when a different YouTube scandal engulfed Hillary Clinton later that month.

For months Clinton had denied accusations that she had lied about a trip to Bosnia as first lady. However when footage appeared on YouTube of Clinton’s arriving in Bosnia to a greeting ceremony, she was forced to admit that she “misspoke” when she described being forced to run from the aircraft under sniper fire.

YouTube has also been used for more light hearted political fun. For a start the “Obama Girl” and her catchy tune ‘I’ve got a Crush on Obama’ has had people singing “you can barack me tonight” all over America. Similarly, Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.I.Am’s celebrity studded ‘Yes We Can’ video, which is a musical

US ELECTIONS 2008

support ad for Obama, is the most popular video on the internet in the last year.

The various campaigns have tried to get in on the YouTube act by producing their own videos but with little significant success. Hillary Clinton’s cringe making Sopranos spoof did manage around 500,000 views, but nowhere close to the numbers that other grassroots viral political ads have received.

Instead, political campaigns have attempted to harness some of the buzz from unofficial support videos. The announcement by the Obama campaign that they will be releasing an album entitled Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement demonstrates two interesting things: firstly, it shows how aware political campaigns are becoming of online grass roots power. Secondly, the eight months between the posting of the video and the announcement by Obama’s campaign of the fundraising initiative shows that the political elite are still playing catch up with the new web developments.

In fact students and other young people are likely to be more au fait with the internet and are thus particularly well positioned to take advantage of the new possibilities for armchair activism. Research conducted by the Pew Research Centre indicates that students are demographically far more likely to be “content creators” than many other groups in American society. It is therefore no coincidence that the majority of positive uses of new media by grass roots have been directed at Obama. This correlates with the fact that Obama has considerably more support from young people than McCain.

With polling day just around the corner it is still hard to tell whether these events have had a decisive role.

What they most definitely have done is shaken up traditional politics and made campaign strategists sit up and take note. They also indicate that young people and celebrities may be proving particularly resourceful at utilising this new medium. Overall they have helped to challenge the idea, that in America, money wins elections. How has this been done? By levelling, if just a little, the political playing field.

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A GALLUP/WASHINGTON POST poll published in The Guardian earlier this month has suggested that US voters are overwhelmingly ready to elect an African-American as president.

Charting the views of white voters from both parties, the poll suggests views have changed significantly over the past 50 years.

In 1958, only 34 per cent of whites would have voted for a qualified black candidate from their own party; in 2007, 93 per cent indicated they would choose a black candidate.

The issue of race has pervaded the current presidential race. On 18 October Joe Biden, Democratic nominee for vice-president said: “Undecided people are having a difficult time just culturally making the change, making

Is the US ready for a black president?

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sarah.clark@journal-online.co.uk

the move for the first African-American president in the history of the United States of America.”

Although a poll conducted between 19 and 22 October by The Washington Post and ABC News revealed that 90 per cent of those questioned would be comfortable with an AfricanAmerican as president, versus 50 per cent who would be comfortable with Senator John McCain beginning his term at 72 years of age, many believe that race could nontheless contribute to Obama’s defeat in the November elections.

For 220 years, the United States has elected only white male Christians to the White House, amongst whom only John F. Kennedy was Catholic.

Currently only six out of 100 members of the Senate and four out of 50 governors are from ethnic minorities.

Randall Kennedy, professor of law at Harvard University and the

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US voting intentions promise “post-racial world”

1958

“CHARACTER MATTERS TO me. Everyone says it but its true: gays, guns and god usually set my vote.” Harry Tucker is from York County, a reliably Republican part of Pennsylvania. He voted for Bush both times but is now leaning towards voting for Barack Obama. “This election is different – I could lose my job if things get much worse. I’m not sure I can afford to vote for McCain.”

Pennsylvania is a state that usually gets hit first when the economy slows.

Harry lives in the middle of the state which is largely rural with considerable pockets of deprivation. The city of Pittsburgh to the west used to be an engine of manufacturing industry for the country but as a result of outsourcing it has relatively high unemployment. To the east is Philadelphia with its expansive suburbs where families are feeling the direct pain of the subprime housing collapse.

Michael Anchorage works in Philly and earns a modest wage but worries about losing his home. Three homes have been repossessed in his area in the last few months. “How has this happened? We could lose our home.

President Bush gave tax cuts to the rich, spent more money than the government had and didn’t stop the people on Wall Street taking risks with my money. I honestly don’t think the Republicans can fix it – they caused it.” Michael is now campaigning for Obama.

The economy has changed this election. The events of the last month have shifted voter’s attention away from “character issues” that have dominated recent elections and made them think about their jobs and homes. And this can only be a good thing for Obama.

Pennsylvania is a must win state for the Democrats but it has caused Obama difficulties before. Hillary Clinton pounded him here in the primaries for not connecting with working class America and he has had some problems convincing these white working class men, like Harry, to support him.

Polls now show that he is sealing the deal with these all important voters, and not just in Pennsylvania. As the economy has gone down hill, Obama’s numbers have gone up. Nationally, the reliable CNN poll of polls gives Obama an eight per cent advantage over McCain and in Pennsylvania Obama has a ten point lead over McCain. But polls in the “keystone state” have a reputation for being wildly misleading. Both Democratic and Republican internal polls last week showed the state near neck and neck. It’s true that Pennsylvania has voted for a Democrat for the last twenty

Helen Walker

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josh@journal-online.co.uk

years, but never decisively. No Democrat since 1964 has ever won the state with more than 51 per cent.

Republican strategists have been quoted saying that they believe McCain is just the sort of Republican—with his appeal to independents—who can steal Pennsylvania from the Democrats.

They point out that if they can take only 2,000 votes from the Democrats in every county then he can win the keystone state’s 21 electoral college votes which could very well put McCain in the White House.

This will be tough given that the economic climate is hurting Republicans and pinning hopes of winning on a historically Democratic state is a risky strategy. But if you wanted proof of McCain’s effort then look at how he is spending his money. He has already spent $9m on adverts in Philly alone and nearly $20m across the state. Between the campaigns $50m has been spent in the state – more than anywhere else.

The Obama campaign in Pennsylvania reminds reporters that the registration of Democrats is twice that of Republicans and that their ground effort is considerable. Philadelphia is a big student city and Obama’s campaign has done a solid job of registering young voters. But the Democrats know the importance of the state: “If we don’t win this state it probably means that we’ve lost the election. We need to win here.”

An unknown is what impact Obama’s race will have on voter’s decisions. In 2006 a black candidate, Harold Ford, ran for a senate seat in Tennessee and had a commanding poll lead running up to election day. Exit polls indicated that voters weren’t influenced by race and everyone expected the Ford to win. Ford was decisively beaten in that election.

The attitude in the UK is that this election is decided – it is assumed that Barack Obama will be America’s next President. But it is worth remembering that Reagan was stuck ten points behind Carter in the ‘80s and on the day of the election in 2000 Gore was six points ahead of Bush. We all know what happened next. Obama is the favourite but this election is still far from certain.

It isn’t worth much, but here’s my prediction: if McCain wins Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida then he will win the election. And this scenario is not unimaginable. On the other hand, when you are watching the results come in remember this: if Obama wins Pennsylvania and either Ohio or Florida it will be over for the Republican hopeful.

YouTube, you choose...

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Josh MacAllister

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McCain pins last hopes on Pennsylvania

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The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

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The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

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16 Student Politics

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Question: Would you vote for a black presidential candidate from your own party?

Results from white male voters from 1958-2007

author of Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal, has anticipated in an opinion piece for The Washington Post that “most black Americans will believe that an Obama defeat will have stemmed in substantial part from a prejudice that robbed 40 million Americans of the chance to become president on the day they were born black.

“They will of course understand that race wasn’t the only significant variable – that party affiliation, ideological proclivities, strategic choices and dumb luck also mattered.

“But deep in their bones, they will believe—and probably rightly—that race was a key element, that had the racial shoe been on the other foot, had John McCain been black and Obama white, the result would have been different.”

Other critics have argued that racism is present in both the Republican

and Democrat camps. Indeed, Senator Obama’s campaign team has made no secret of their deliberate attempts to reach out to African-American voters.

The Washington Post/ABC News poll also revealed that Mr Obama’s campaign had contacted 56 per cent of African-Americans, compared with 15 per cent of white Protestants.

Conversely, Senator McCain’s team had contacted 16 per cent of African Americans and 26 per cent of white Protestants.

Claudio Simpson, a black third year law student at Harvard Law School and a supporter of Mr McCain, finds it difficult to believe that he is an “unwitting victim of subconscious racism.”

Mr Simpson said: “Going on personal experience, I have little faith that America is ready to follow the words of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and judge blacks not ‘by the color of their skin but by the content of their

character.’

“How many blacks have evaluated both candidates on the policies and how many are supporting Obama simply because he is a black man?

“How many use ‘blackness’ as a litmus test for candidates – both Democratic and Republican? Unfortunately, still too many.

“Barack Obama has shattered many of the assumptions America holds regarding the black race, our capacity to lead and to change, and our role within the nation and its government.

“However, until he or, better yet, we ourselves learn to let go of race and racial identity politics we will continue to suffer from the very same sinister force we have bumped up against for centuries. Racism is alive and well in America, white and black, and the true test of this campaign is whether we can call it for what really is wherever it rears its ugly head.”

University of Edinburgh Conservatives endorse McCain EUCUA issues statement attacking the "liberal media" and defending Sarah Palin as a moderate

Paris Gourtsoyannis paris@journal-online.co.uk IN A MOVE unlikely to impact upon this year’s election, the Edinburgh University Conservative and Unionist Association (EUCUA), has thrown itself into the US presidential race in an effort to provide “a banner under which to come together” to “those who feel a distinct anti-Obama sentiment.”

Issuing a statement last week, the group’s chairman, former EUSA presidential candidate Harry Cole, and vice chairman, Ed Kozak, announced their “full endorsement” of Republican presidential nominee John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin.

In a letter to Senator McCain, Mr Cole and Mr Kozak declared their support, citing their shared values and highlighting “the infringements and wrongdoings of a strong, leftist state” suffered by citizens of the UK. Mr Cole said: “During this campaign the rather lovely Sarah Palin has not said or done anything that could be remotely perceived as ‘fundamentalist’.

“When questioning those who attack Palin and ask them to cite when she had expressed these ‘fundamentalist’ views in this campaign, or when she had allowed her personal views to affect her judgment as governor of Alaska, not one person could give me an example.”

The statement continues: “It is clear to see that the students of Edinburgh University have all formed this prejudiced view of Governor Palin thanks to successful smears of her reputation by the bias of the BBC and liberal media.

“When people look into the integrity of Barack Obama they are accused of smear politics or worse. However unlike the attacks on Palin, these are not smears, they are fact.

Adding his voice to the endorsement, Mr Kozak said: “‘It really disturbs me how blindly people support Obama in this race... What disturbs me even more is how people are blaming the Republicans for the current financial crisis.”

The EUCUA statement is accompanied by artwork which features a declaration of endorsement for the Republican presidential ticket superimposed on an image of governor Palin’s legs.

Earlier this year, Mr Cole attracted accusations of sexism against EUCUA by displaying a poster at the Freshers’ Fair which read, “Life is better under a conservative,” with an image of an attractive woman.

Mr Cole notes, however, that the views of EUCUA do not reflect those of the Conservative Party.

It is not yet known how the McCain presidential campaign has reacted to EUCUA’s show of support.

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Comment 19

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Comment Discussion&Debate

Climate action:

Enough procrastination As politicians around the world continue to dither, Britain must take the lead in tackling climate change

Sarah Lonsdale University of Kent

s.lonsdale@journal-online.co.uk

I

N THE MONTHS before the outbreak of the First World War, the leaders of Europe seemed to be gripped by some kind of collective paralysis. While nobody wanted a war that everyone knew would lead to mass slaughter of the continent’s youth and then to economic chaos, no one seemed able or willing to prevent the looming disaster.

While all the time dreading the prospect of war, Tsar Nicholas, Asquith, Franz Josef, Pasic et al led themselves and their countries— through their tangled web of “I will if you will” alliances and their inability to look outside their narrow corridors of self interest—to the brink of disaster and over the edge.

European leaders are now facing a new challenge: climate change, which may yet claim more lives than the First and Second World Wars combined. Though the dangers, both mortal and economic, have been spelled out to them by the likes of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and economist Sir Nicholas Stern, many of Europe’s 27 governments are working on ways to weasel out of their emissions promises.

They know that inaction will bring rising sea levels, drought, floods, mass extinction of species and the deaths of millions as well as economic disaster, yet they seem incapable of manoeuvring outside their agenda of shortsighted and short term self interest.

EU leaders have until mid December to make firm their oft-stated ambition to reduce Europe-wide carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and that by the same time 20 per cent of EU energy should come from renewable sources like wind, sun and waves. Nicholas Sarkozy in his six-month role as EU president has warned leaders that they face ridicule if they abandon the 20 per cent target, first announced in March 2007.

The stakes are high. On 1 January, the presidency rotates to the Czech Republic, whose leader has publicly questioned man’s role in climate change.

Yet faced with the immediate problems of recession and banking collapse, and unable to see beyond the next few months, EU leaders are demanding opt-outs, watering down and postponements of these “ambitious” targets.

Some of the special pleading is downright ridiculous; Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi and Poland’s Donald Tusk claim that because they weren’t their countries’ leaders in March 2007 they have no obligation to honour the targets. That’s like a Conservative prime minister abolishing the NHS because a Labour government instituted it.

Other arguments need to be listened to and addressed, however.

Some of the more recent entrants to the EU—and poorer members— such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania complain that their task is harder because they are less well developed and more reliant on heavily polluting energy sources like coal.

They do have a point and the richer EU members—who after all have been pumping out CO2 for longer—need to take a lead here. A sliding scale might work, where Britain, Germany and France take an earlier cut in emissions than poorer EU members.

Let us not forget that while the average per capita emissions of CO2 across Europe is 8.6 tonnes per year, in Britain the figure is 11 tonnes.

When we look beyond Europe, in China it is 5.1 tonnes, India 1.8 and in Kenya, just 200kg.

The moral imperative for Europe to take a lead in cutting emissions was spelled out by British MEP Chris Davies: “Anyone reneging on earlier commitments would undermine the collective effort and our credibility as a union in persuading countries like China and India to follow suit,” he warned after the squabbling broke out in mid October.

For once, the British Government seems to be doing the right thing. At the same time as Poland and Italy started wriggling, Ed Miliband, the new energy and climate change secretary announced that a binding pledge to cut Britain’s emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 would be written into the Climate Change Bill, which gets its third reading at the end of October. Up until now Britain has not enjoyed the best reputation on this issue – we’re still one of the lowest producers of renewable energy despite our massive

resources of wind and wave power.

And despite many positive words from Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, our carbon emissions—if you include those from aviation and shipping— have gone up since 1997.

But let us for the present give Miliband the benefit of the doubt. Could he make an alliance with France and Germany to persuade others to pull

back from the brink? Could their hand be strengthened by the election of a pro-green US president in November?

Their task is enormous: to persuade the doubters that Keynesian-style investment in renewable technology—the mass manufacture of solar panels and giant wind turbines—could create jobs as well as help us make good our 20 per cent

commitments. The alternative, a stumbling sleep-walk towards runaway climate change, is surely unthinkable.

But so was war in early 1914.

Sarah Lonsdale is lecturer in reporting and writing at the University of Kent’s Centre for Journalism and is the author of the fortnightly “Echomes” column in the Sunday Telegraph.

2 News

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

EDiNBuRGH’S STuDENT NEWSPAPER

Editor Evan Beswick Deputy Editor Chris Williams Art Director Matthew MacLeod Deputy Editor (News) Paris Gourtsoyannis Deputy Editor (Comment/Features) Simon Mundy Deputy Editor (Sport) Graham Mackay Copy Editors Alex Reynolds, Gemma Pirnie, Helen Broadfoot General News Sarah Clark Edinburgh News Nick Eardley Academic News Rob Church-Taylor Student Politics Guy Robertson National Politics Ross Melton Comment Helen O’Shea Music Jacqui Kavanagh Theatre Lucy Jackson Art Colleen Patterson Football Elvira Kemp Rugby John Geddie Hockey Emily Glass Crossword Chris Williams Chief Illustrator Lewis Killin Photo Editors Giulia Frontini & Silvia Pavlova Foteva Web Editor Marthe Sandvik

Board of Directors Ben Judge Devon Walshe Matthew MacLeod

CORRECTIONS in Tom Bristow’s report on Edinburgh 1st Xi Football vs Craigroyston in the image Printers Cup, the results box should have read Edinburgh 5 - 1 Craigroyston. in Amadeus Finlay’s report on Edinburgh 1st Hockey vs Granite City Wanderers the score should have read was Edinburgh 3 - 2 Granite City. in Lewis Mallen’s piece on Edinburgh vs Leinster in the Heineken Cup, Andy Robertson was refered to as the Scotland manager. Her is, of course, the Edinburgh manager.

The Journal is published by The Edinburgh Journal Ltd., registered address 52 Clerk Street, Edinburgh EH8 9JB. Registered in Scotland number SC322146. For enquiries call 0131 662 6766 or email info@journal-online.co.uk.

The Journal is a free newspaper for and written by students and graduates in the City of Edinburgh. Contact us if you’d like to get involved. Printed by Morton’s Printers, Licolnshire. Copyright © 2008 The Edinburgh Journal Ltd. Elements of this publication are distributed under a Creative Commons license - contact us for more information.Distributed byTwo Heads Media, www.twoheadsmedia.co.uk. Our thanks to PSYBT, Scottish Enterprise, and all who make this publication possible.

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Showdown talks as Edinburgh feedback pressure intensifies » unprecedented steps taken following bottom ranking in National Student Survey » 50 per cent of students at university of Edinburgh claim courses are "too difficult" Continued from page 1 The vice principals and Professor Good were both strongly opposed to the idea that apathy amongst students is to blame for unsuccessful measures to improve feedback. However, they encouraged students to take the initiative in approaching tutors and pointed out that “there is responsibility on both sides.”

Students approached by The Journal have claimed that they are actively seeking out feedback. Douglas Campbell, a second-year Law student said: “i just get a mark and a comment [as feedback], but if i’ve got a problem, my tutors are very approachable.”

However, complaints were still being lodged at the SRC about the lack of feedback on exam papers at the time of the meeting. Many departments do not offer students the chance to recoup their papers.

The English Literature department destroys all exam papers after three months. A lecturer in the department told The Journal: “i can understand that though i don’t get paid anything in my salary for marking per script it’s just part of the job.”

He said that advice was available from course organisers, tutors, the director of studies system and dissertation supervisors.

Detractors continue to blame a lack in university funding alongside the poor feedback results. it was suggested at the SRC that it is the less confident, under-achieving students who suffer most from a lack of feedback. The vice prinicpals were told that the university should actively seek out under performing students and offer feedback for improvement.

Student Thomas Graham suggested the problem was related to the imbalance of research over teaching at the university of Edinburgh. Professor April McMahon, Head of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, disagreed: “Research and teaching are not antithetical. When i was at university i remember being inspired by teachers who were often very good researchers.”

She later added: “in your shoes, we’d rather be taught by an academic who wrote the key book or article on a subject, than by someone who doesn’t have such a strong research reputation. “it is important that we value both teaching and research, and that we take excellence in both into account in staff appraisal and in considering cases for promotion.”

However, students have complained that research-orientated tutors are often incomprehensible in a lecture hall

environment and that undergraduates are looked down upon. it was suggested that more rigorous teacher training and monitoring should be emplaced.

Following the SRC meeting a session was held of the Senatus Academicus – the most senior academic committee which meets five times a year to discuss teaching, disciplinary and research issues. unusually, the Senate was devoted to the single issue of poor feedback. The vice principals had pushed for feedback plans to be top of the agenda and each of the 21 Heads of School were asked to present evidence on their moves to improve feedback.

Adam Ramsay, Edinburgh university Students’ Association (EuSA) president, attended the meeting and was pleased with the outcome. He said: “The matter is being taken very seriously. As well as structural changes, little tricks were suggested to improve feedback.”

The Head of informatics was absent from the Senate meeting but presented his ideas through a video recording to introduce an initiative on video feedback, which would see tutors posting comments on marked papers as video segments on the internet.

The vice principals will also be attending the EuSA Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 12 November.

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20 Comment

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

European politics:

Why don't we care?

John Edward

European Parliament j.edward@journal-online.co.uk

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HAT IS IT about the United States that makes its politics so exciting to us? Is it the shared language? Is it the vast amounts of money and influence at play? Or is it just the sheen of “West Wing”-esque celebrity that just makes it more attractive than the varieties closer to home?

It is an issue well worth pondering as it relates to the UK and Scotland’s place in Europe. Why should it be that EU politics should be too distant, too complicated, too bureaucratic, too far removed from daily life - and yet the results of the Iowa caucus are a matter of headline news? Ponder too as to why such a huge amount of media resources are spent covering an election, and its primaries, the result of which will affect our foreign and trade relations, but will not substantially alter our daily life.

Compare that to the role of the European Union, and your directly elected Members of the European Parliament.

Admittedly they don’t influence every aspect of your daily life – despite what some commentators would have us believe. But the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat, the hours you work, and the ultimately usefulness and transferability of the subjects you study, are the day-to-day matter of EU legislation – as are more immediate

concerns such as mobile phone costs.

That legislation is decided upon by MEPs who rely on the vote of EU citizens for their mandate – albeit that over 50% of EU voters chose not to exercise it in 2004, at the last time of asking.

And yet the names of those MEPs remain an unknown quantity to many voters and tax-payers in Scotland, who are nevertheless well versed in Joe the Plumber and Bristol Palin. This sin of ignorance is often put down to impotence – that Scotland’s voters exercise no real control over their third Parliament. But in most cases, the European Parliament democratic deficit is as much a matter of perception as reality – it seems undemocratic, therefore it is.

There are several entirely reasonable justifications for this, most of which stem from the human impulse to compare like with like – think of representations of scale in terms of football pitches or double decker buses. But the EU’s parliament can no more easily be compared to a national or sub-national one than the EU can be compared to a nation state. The European Parliament is not a full sovereign parliament, and appears to have little realistic aspiration of becoming one, just as the heady days of EU state-building—if they were ever with us—have died out with the expansion of the EU to the east and with the overblown and unsuccessful EU Constitution.

The European Parliament is an oddman-out in many ways. It works—in written and spoken word—in 23 different languages. This cumbersome and expensive tradition is not so much born of the joys

of linguistic diversity, but from the realistic expectation of voters and tax-payers that their elected assembly should be accessible to them in their own national tongue. But the colour and range that those languages bring do little to lower barriers of public awareness. Simultaneous translation is rarely the mother of the most inspiring or lofty political discourse, and parliamentary jokes and barbs are literally lost in translation.

The Parliament is unique in another respect, namely that its powers and responsibilities change depending on what it is discussing. The member states’ governments have passed the Parliament full decision-making powers—in co-operation with those governments—on all the man areas that make up the internal social and economic market of the EU’s 27 member states. Consider environmental levels, workplace standards, free movement of people and qualifications – in short, the rules of Europe’s level playing field. However, on the really big budget issues, agriculture and funding to more deprived regions, the Parliament does not have full line by line budgetary control (and will not, as long as the Lisbon Treaty remains encased in the ice of its rejection by Ireland).

Last but not least, public opinion of the Parliament’s effectiveness and worth is damaged by a string of unfavourable articles about MEPs pay and allowances and the Parliament curious habit of shuttling between Brussels and Strasbourg – where most of the formal votes take place. As it happens, MEPs are currently paid no more than their own national

Rape:

Pointing the finger The growing tendency to blame women for rape is unacceptable in modern Britain

Jill Saward

Anti-rape Campaigner jill.saward@journal-online.co.uk

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N A SOCIETY increasingly insensitive to victims of rape, this month saw one of the most shocking revelations yet – nearly half of Northern Irish students, according to an Amnesty International poll, consider a woman to blame for her own rape if she has been flirting. Holding women responsible for rape is a growing phenomenon, shifting the stigma away from the perpetrators, and creating a culture that makes rape much harder to report.

Most reported rapes are linked to alcohol consumption. What is not often considered is who it is that supplies the alcohol and why. A drunk woman is hardly the most attractive catch. The “ladette” culture of the nineties has left a generation of young girls who are confused about alcohol, its dangers, and its effects.

As a society we have denied responsible behaviour in both sexes and now we have to face the consequences. But we ignore at our peril the fact that men know women won’t get a fair hearing if

they were drunk. All too often, she will feel guilty and the rapist will win; the conviction rate for Scottish rape cases stands at less than two per cent.

Women’s clothing is often said to be responsible for “leading men on.”

The dilemma is, do you follow fashion, fashion often created by men, or do you do your own thing? Do you copy celebrity and celebrity behaviour or are you the odd one out?

What is clear is that girls are only being given half a message – that you wear what you like. What they are not being told is that although they should have the choice in what they wear, that there is a risk in wearing some clothing.

Media that promote tight, revealing clothing don’t carry a health and safety warning; and those within the celebrity culture don’t get photographed with their body guards in tow. But you can guarantee they are there. We deceive each other and wonder why women get hurt.

A new poster campaign by Rape Crisis Scotland has the right idea, featuring photographs of sexily-dressed women alongside the slogan: “This is not an invitation to rape me.”

“The biggest hurdle we face is changing people’s attitudes towards rape,” the organisation’s national

coordinator Sandy Brindley said recently. “It is clear from research that we have some work to do to towards this.” There is indeed a mountain to climb, but this blunt approach had a big impact when it was tried in Canada, and one hopes that it will be equally successful in Scotland.

But these issues have to be seen in the light of rapists’ beliefs. Those who rape seem to feel they have a divine right to satisfy their own desires, irrespective of the views of others.

They have a need to abuse power and a desire to humiliate. They claim that they were “led on,” that “she was up for it,” that “it got out of hand” rather than admit that they planned the abuse, that they were going to have sex at any cost, and if that meant forcing the situation that the need justified the action.

It is time to take responsibility for our actions, and re-learn how to respect. Choice is not an optional extra in any relationship, and rape is not a woman’s fantasy. Rape is a violent act, an abusive act and one that leaves victims devastated. It is inexcusable to compound this by leaving them feeling to blame.

Jill Saward is the author of Rape: My Story (Bloomsbury/Pan Books)

The decisions taken by our representatives in Brussels have a direct impact on nearly every area of our lives. Yet British voters remain stubbornly apathetic toward EU affairs equivalents, and the allowances for work and for assistants have all been the result of substantial recent reform, which will kick in after the 2009 election. The Strasbourg “question” is one for the member states to answer, as they decided on the co-location in the first place. It is fair to say that the monthly pilgrimage hardly chimes well in these carbon cautious days, and the EU enlargements of 2004 and 2007 have left the continent with many more sights of historic reunification rehabilitation than Alsace-Lorraine.

That all being said, the Parliament still does what parliaments do. It scrutinises and legislates. It supervises the work and appointments of the other EU institutions. It has the final say on the shape and approval of the overall EU budget. But on a crowded field, where Scottish voters have 129 MSPs, 59 MPs and 1222 local councillors to reach the ever-reducing variety of mainstream media outlets, 7 MEPs are always going to struggle to have their voices heard (and this is despite funding existing to defray the costs of journalists who may wish to cover Strasbourg in person).

So the deficit that Europe’s elected members suffer from is more one of perception and process than of basic structure. The avenues for democratic

engagement exist, they are just hard to find on the complicated road-map of 21st century participative democracy. But next time you fret abut the political balance of the US Supreme Court, or the shift on polls in Florida, or the executive power of Dick Cheney, pause for thought, and wonder why it is that you fret so much less about the European institutions that you can actually do something about.

And try and do so before polls open on 4 June 2009.

John Edward is Head of the European Parliament’s Office in Scotland. For more info visit the office on Holyrood Road or www.europarl.org.uk

Comment 21

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Higher education:

Value for money Adam Ramsay adamramsay@googlemail.com

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Liquidity crisis:

Stopping the rot Critics of the banking bail-out are missing the point – if our financial system were to fail, the consequences would be disastrous for rich and poor alike Sam Karasik sam.karasik@journal-online.co.uk

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AST FRIDAY’S PROTEST of the government’s bank bailout plan throws into sharp relief a very legitimate question: why is it that irresponsible banks are receiving tens of billions from the government when ordinary citizens are bearing the brunt of this financial crisis? If you had asked one of the Socialist Party members protesting outside the HBOS headquarters on the Mound, you would have undoubtedly received an answer about how the government should be protecting people’s jobs and homes instead of supporting City fat cats and their corporate greed.

Class warfare aside, this is certainly a question that should be asked in the name of both fiscal responsibility and the welfare of the nation. The economic crisis we face now is unlike anything we have seen in our lifetimes, and the actions we take to resolve it will reverberate for decades.

Even those with no interest in finance will have heard about the causes and effects of the sub-prime mortgage crisis and the credit crunch, so I will refrain from repeating the lurid details. In the most concise terms, what we are facing is a rapidly deteriorating lending system that could potentially freeze up without swift and substantial intervention.

The plan put forward by the government consists of three parts: £50 billion for equity stakes in troubled banks, £200 billion for a Special Liquidity Scheme that will help money markets and a further £250 billion that will be available to banks to secure medium-term debt. Out of this potential £500 billion expenditure,

only the equity stakes in banks will be financed through taxation, with the rest coming from the Bank of England. The per capita tax bill of this bailout is just over £800.

Why shouldn’t the government let us keep £800 in taxes and use the Treasury’s £450 billion to protect people’s homes and jobs? Though it may sound harsh, the short-term financial difficulties of the citizenry come a distant second to the importance of preserving our banking system.

Assume HBOS and RBS are allowed to fail, and the government gives each of us £8,000 with which to pay our mortgages, credit card debt, and so on.

Without these banks, people will be hard-pressed to get loans, mortgages, and credit cards. Foreign companies will leave Britain for countries that were bold enough to ensure the survival of their financial system. British businesses will not be able to get loans; jobs will be cut, homes will be lost. Young people should be especially concerned about preserving the financial system because, as they leave university, the next serious steps in life, such as home ownership, depend entirely on their ability to borrow money.

Proposing that a government handout to individuals is the solution to this financial crisis is both short sighted and dangerous. Like it or not, the foundation of our economic system depends on the ability to borrow money. Without banks, or with severely damaged banks, growth will come to a standstill. Socialist critics might riposte that economic growth is not a necessity; jobs and housing are what people need. Need to survive, yes, but the social and environmental challenges that will arise in the coming years will depend exclusively on the ability of this country

to innovate. We must give those with the knowledge and talent to solve these problems the incentive and opportunity to do so.

The short-term rise in welfare from subsidising personal debt pales in comparison to the increase in welfare provided by ensuring the future of the financial system. Worries of moral hazard must be addressed: regulators must ensure the markets are watched with a careful eye, banks must take the responsibility of ensuring their investments are both viable and intelligent and executives must not be enriched with the government’s money.

Slowly and surely, the financial system will coalesce. By taking the initiative to bail out banks now, a larger and much more devastating crisis has been avoided.

In the best case, taxpayers might see an increase in the value of their investment. When the United States bailed out banks in the Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s, the assets it nationalised returned 80% of the government’s investment when those assets were sold. With any luck, the equity stakes the United Kingdom has taken in its banks will eventually see a similar rise in value.

It is undoubtedly frustrating that the banks that hold much of the responsibility for the current crisis are receiving an injection of government money at a time when ordinary people are losing their jobs and struggling to pay their bills. However, as exasperating as it is, putting our future prosperity and security at stake in the name of teaching the City a lesson is one risk we cannot afford to take.

Sam Karasik is the editor of Edinburgh University’s Trading and Investment Club

ORDON BROWN SAYS he wants to spend his way out of the recession. Where should he spend this money? More relevantly to us, how can the SNP best spend Scotland’s money in order to kickstart the economy?

There is no one answer to this question. However, we can set three criteria: how do we prevent the unemployment and poverty of a recession in the short term, how do we ensure progress in the medium term and what do we want our society to look like in the long term?

There are some obvious ways in which we can spend to deliver short, medium and long term gains and help to transform our society. After some lobbying by EUSA, for example, the City Council has agreed to work towards giving every Edinburgher free insulation.

This helps creates jobs and cut fuel bills and carbon emissions. Likewise, investment in public transport and renewable energy are, I would argue, a good use of this money.

However, on all three measures, there is one investment that is hard to beat.

University education delivers huge wins now, in the medium term, and into the future.

The reason why increased government spending is the best way to get out of a recession is, partly, because of the phenomenon known as the multiplier effect. Every pound the government spends can, potentially, deliver spin off wealth. The money invested by a government creates more jobs, which in turn will mean more spending and so on. But the extent of this effect depends on how you spend this money.

The multiplier effect from universities is enormous. The short term impact on the local economy of a pound spent on a university is huge. A recent study by respected economists has shown that a pound invested in our university multiplies up to £2.25 additional wealth in the Scottish economy. A pound invested in banking only multiplies up to £1.50.

For every full time equivalent employee of the university, a further 2.05 people are employed in the city. Whilst progress should not be measured through economic growth alone, protecting jobs is crucial at the moment.

A key medium term impact of recession is that people will want to re-train.

If the government does not step in to help with the masters programs they want, the medium term progress of our skills based economy will seriously suffer from the lack of versatility in the labour market.

And while higher education is important in the short term, it is vital for the future. It will be highly trained and versatile graduates who will rebuild a new economy and society fit for twenty-first century challenges like climate change, depleting resources and growing wealth inequality.

As we face a global recession, the Scottish Government has a choice about where it is going to spend its money.

We do need to spend our way out of this recession; universities and students are one of the best ways to spend this money.

If the government ignores this, Scotland will suffer for generations to come.

Adam Ramsay is president of Edinburgh University Students’ Association

22 Editorial

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Letters letters@journal-online.co.uk Edinburgh’s studEnt nEwspapEr | issuE Xii

US Elections:

negative endorsement WHEn THE WOrLd wakes up on 5 november, it will learn who the people of the United States have elected as its new president.

It will be a momentous day no matter who is the victor. The end of the most disastrous presidency in recent history is occasion enough; but for the first time in living memory, the often fraught workings of the American political machine have produced two candidates worthy of the post. despite the enormous personal differences that separate Barack Obama and John McCain—to say nothing of their policies—they both exude the dignity and assurance of statesmen.

The campaign of one candidate, however, has been sadly lacking in dignity or assurance. It is a shame that the collective memory of a patriot and public servant as committed as Mr McCain might forever be tarnished by the unsavoury pandering and despondency of his party’s message. Having survived a lifetime of combat—political and military—it would be an ill-fitting end to his career if Mr McCain were undone by as unworthy a figure as Sarah Palin.

Sadly, it is the patronisingly termed “lovely Sarah Palin,” plus the worst elements of the republican campaign, upon which the Edinburgh University Conservative and Unionist Association (EUCUA) have seized in announcing their endorsement for the McCain-Palin ticket.

EUCUA’s epistle to McCain, while perhaps a touch hubristic, might at least have some value in the debate were it not

couched in the most ill-informed, even bigoted terms.

EUCUA chairman Harry Cole declares: “When questioning those who attack Palin and ask them to cite when she had expressed these ‘fundamentalist’ views in this campaign, or when she had allowed her personal views to affect her judgment as governor of Alaska, not one person could give me an example.”

One wonders who he might have asked: log on to YouTube and you would discover that Mrs Palin—who is currently under investigation for having improperly used her powers as governor to seek the dismissal of her sister’s exhusband from the state police force— declared in a CBS interview with US journalist Katie Couric that she would consider going to war with russia over the issue of Georgian sovereignty.

The tide of drivel, were it not so patently false, would be hateful. “He has consorted with a self-confessed domestic terrorist,” continues Mr Cole. “He worshipped for 20 years in a church led by a man who called on God to damn the USA, and referred to his own nation as the ‘US of KKK.’” As has been widely reported by the US and UK news media, Ayers—an expert in inner city education—served alongside Obama between december 1999 and december 2002 on the board of the not-for-profit Woods Fund of Chicago.

They also served on separate boards of the Chicago School reform Collaborative and would occasionally see each other in

these roles. A year ago, the pair met while walking through the neighbourhood in which they both live.

At the time of Mr Ayers’ dissident activities with his group, the Weather Underground, senator Obama was eight years old.

On the subject of Obama’s pastor problem, in a speech entitled ‘A More Perfect Union’ delivered in 2007, Senator Obama disavowed the remarks made by his parish priest, reverend Jeremiah Wright, calling his comments “not only wrong but divisive... at a time when we need unity.”

But the most incredible EUCUA comment comes from vice-chairman Ed Kozak: “It was a democratic president, Jimmy Carter, who brought in the community reinvestment act forcing banks to lend to high-risk individuals.”

The community reinvestment act is targeted at pushing banks to lend to small businesses in inner cities and deprived communities, previously denied credit by the discriminatory practice of blanket “red-lining” entire areas. The legislation has been credited with increasing entrepreneurship amongst minority business owners; these are the “high risk individuals” to which Mr Kozak alludes.

If meaningless endorsements are the order of the day, then this paper is backing Barack Obama for president. But any patronage—for whichever candidate— should be given on the basis of real information, not by piggybacking upon headline-grabbing nonsense.

University funding:

His remarks reflect a growing concern among leading education figures that British universities, lacking the funds to keep up with rivals in the United States and Asia, are set for a mighty tumble from their current perch amid the international elite.

While the UK remains—for the moment—the second-best represented nation in most international university tables, a yawning gulf has opened between this country and the United States where university funding is concerned. Harvard’s endowment alone is bigger than the total annual public funding available to all British universities. In an increasingly globalised academic sector, the vastly superior pay cheques on offer at American universities have caused a growing “brain drain” across the Atlantic that threatens to undermine profoundly the quality of teaching and research in Britain.

And with resurgent China and India determined to make their universities among the world’s finest, the situation is unlikely to become any easier.

The exorbitant fees charged by Ivy League institutions are well known.

What is less commonly appreciated is the speed with which they have amassed their vast endowments, which were treated until the 1980s as mere “rainy-day funds” according to the US

(name supplied) dEAr SIr, re. 'Animal testing: no time for hysteria' I’d like to thank Matthew Hartfield for raising an important topic – animal testing is a controversial issue that should be debated properly, rationally and openly.

However, I must take issue with the assertion that people other than researchers should not be entitled to an opinion and take part in such a debate. One wouldn’t argue that antiterror measures should only be determined by the security services and the police with no consultation with civil liberties groups. The same principle applies here.

I am a scientist by training myself and I know that many of my peers like me welcome the challenge of debating with colleagues in the legal profession, the media and beyond the issues that arise when science meets ethics and morality. For example, if we only listened to

medical researchers we would think that all the animal testing that goes on is all about finding cures for diseases, when in actual fact in 2006 (the latest figures available) only 21 per cent of procedures licensed by the Home Office were for testing human medicines.

It’s easy to trade examples of instances of the perceived efficacy of animal testing. What can’t be argued with, though, is their outdated unreliability and the need to invest in developing alternatives that will actually deliver the cures we all agree we so desperately need.

According to a recent official statement from US regulator, the Food and drug Administration, "currently, nine out of ten experimental drugs fail in clinical studies because we cannot accurately predict how they will behave in people based on laboratory and animal studies."

Its important that people concerned with ethics from outside the scientific establishment as well as within should maintain pressure using peaceful and professional means on policy-makers and regulators to ensure our progress towards a world where nobody wants or believes we need to test on animals is kept on full speed ahead.

Dr. Katy Taylor, BSc PhD Scientific Co-ordinator, BUAV. ICAPPP Secretary (International Council on Animal Protection in Pharmaceutical Programs) dEAr SIr, re. 'Cigarette Packets: kicking up a stink' You talk about "the deaths of thousands from passive smoking" but fail to offer any facts to back this claim up. Strangely nO anti-smokers are ever able to provide such evidence. To which we simply say "name three."

Go on!

George Speller (via www.journal-online.co.uk)

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Tough times ahead THErE WAS GOOd news last week from universities secretary John denham, who reassured parliament that none of the 12 British universities with funds invested in Icelandic banks was at risk from its exposure. Yet Mr denham’s soothing words went almost unnoticed amid the dark clouds gathering on the economic horizon of our further education sector. david Lammy, the recently appointed higher education minister, did little to allay fears of forthcoming upheaval with talk of mergers between struggling universities. Mr Lammy noted that we are likely to see a growing number of mergers between commercial firms in coming years as the new economic landscape takes shape, pondering: “Could more be done to encourage that among universities?”

To draw parallels between the business and tertiary education sectors takes a politician onto dangerous ground.

Universities differ fundamentally from corporate bodies in their need to consider factors related to the breadth and depth of their teaching and the social implications of their admissions policy alongside—and often ahead of—the issue of the “bottom line.”

Mr Lammy knows this, of course, and he does not suggest that universities should pursue wealth for its own sake.

dEAr SIr, re. 'Freudian self-harm' behind Mandelson appointment' I occasionally write for an anti-quackery blog and covered the statements by Lucy Beresford on the daily Politics programme as referred to in the above article. Ms Beresford is not a psychologist, as you and the daily Politics programme have claimed, nor do her comments about Gordon Brown reflect any expertise or personal knowledge on her part. I regard the actions of the daily Politics programme as deeply unethical as they have conferred false authority on Ms Beresford and broadcast her views without qualifying her lack of expertise and knowledge and I am sad to see the claims repeated uncritically in your newspaper.

I urge you to remove the references to Ms Beresford and her claims from your article as her opinions are without merit.

Chronicle of Higher Education. Crucial to the successful wealth drives of top American universities in the last twenty years has been the generosity of alumni, who are targeted by ruthlessly organised fundraising departments.

It is this systematic harvesting of wealth from alumni—along with university “federations”—that could hold the key to our universities’ futures, according to Mr Lammy, who spoke of “the great opportunity” for British universities to expand their fundraising operations. Certainly, there’s a good deal of untapped potential, and UK fundraising departments are still tiny and amateurish compared with their American counterparts.

But the striking sense of community among American university alumni is lacking at most British universities, and dragging alumni donation rates from single figures to the nearly 60 per cent level enjoyed by Princeton will take decades. Even if we come close to the pace of growth in America, it could be too late before our universities start to reap the rewards. For all the vehement opposition of the national Union of Students, a higher cap for tuition fees—with rigorous means testing and a first-rate bursary system—is beginning to look as though it might be worth considering.

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1) Cause of inaccurate polls; boy’s

1) Formula at the heart of the West Lothian Question (7) 2) Almost pointed (7) 3) Where George met Oleg (5) 5) African home of freed slaves (7) 6) Bundle of neurones (5) 9) Post script (2) 11) Longest division of geological time (3) 13) Twisted (7) 14) Labium oris (3) 15) Make dirty (in politics) (7) 16) US political dynasty (7) 17) Original Prince of Wales’ money spinner 18) If (Fr.) (2) 19) Messiah? (5)

name (7) 4) Conservative pin-up; Python star (5) 7) Confine (8) 8) Hyper (Ger.) (4) 10) Educated guesses (9) 12) Journey of Orpheus (2,4,3,4) 18) Athlete (9) 20) Cold War protagonist (Cyr.) (4) 21) Willingness to endure (8) 22) Black Sea conference (5) 23) Lawlessness (7)

GET lAST iSSuE’S SOluTiONS ONliNE AT WWW.JOuRNAl-ONliNE.CO.uk

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Profile 23

Coming home to muse even with a collection of old works and a prequel to Trainspotting in the pipeline, Irvine Welsh manages to find time out to chew over American politics Chris McCall chris.mccall@journal-online.co.uk

I

rvIne Welsh needs no introduction. he is a familiar name even to those who have never read any of his half-dozen works of fiction or numerous short stories. The startling success of Trainspotting, the 1996 film adaption of Welsh’s novel of the same name, turned what had been an alt-lit classic into a cultural phenomenon. such is the film’s legacy that when I phone Welsh, I half expect Iggy Pop’s ‘lust for life’ to kick in when he picks up. Instead I’m greeted by a man with a who still speaks with a thick edinburgh accent, despite not having lived permanently in the city for a number of years.

These days Welsh divides time between dublin, Miami Beach and Chicago, but still regularly returns to the capital. By his own admission, he just can’t seem to keep away. “no matter how long I’ve been away for, it feels like I’ve just nipped out for a packet of fags, and I’m waiting to get back. Its weird – when I’m in edinburgh, I’m thinking I’ll be off soon, and when I’m no there, I’m just set on getting back.

Its the sort of relationship I have with the place.” his enduring relationship with Auld reekie is no surprise. edinburgh is as central to Welsh as new York was to Fitzgerald; the two are inextricably linked. “edinburgh’s my home town and it’s my muse” he admits. “It’s the thing that inspires me when I write.”

It was whilst living across the Irish sea however that Welsh had the idea for his most recent novel, Crime. “Its an existential thriller,” he explains.

“It’s about a cop who is not so much trying to solve a crime, but trying to solve his own past. The mystery is him rather than what’s going on around him.” set in and around Florida, the cop in question ends up responsible for a young girl who has escaped from a paedophile ring. Why did he choose to write about such a harrowing topic?

“I think a lot of it is to do with living in Ireland. since the ‘Celtic Tiger’ phenomenon started, a lot of stuff about paedophilic priests has come to light. Because of the way Ireland is, you know there’s no separation of church and state, it’s meant traditionally the roman Catholic church has had a lot of power in things like education, social welfare, etc. It’s provided these services direct, so there’s always been opportunities for abuse of power. With the increase of affluence with the ‘Celtic Tiger’, and the secularisation that goes along with affluence, people are coming forward. You can’t pick up a newspaper here, or switch on the Tv, without someone taking some case against either an individual priest or a diocese. so I think just being saturated in that over here made very aware of it.”

Crime, despite its subject matter, is not a brutal portrait of social realism in the classic Welsh style. Indeed, the novel marks something of a departure for him. he even describes it as his most uplifting book to date. “The thing about paedophilla, it’s just fucking evil.

There’s no redemption in it. Taking loads of drugs for example, eventually it will fuck people up, but it is good fun as well. People do and say funny things when they are on drugs. With pornography, it’s damaging, but it’s interesting as well. But there’s nothing about paedophilia that’s redemptive.

You have to be very sober about it.

But also with that subject you need to have an upbeat ending I think. Usually I write about people who fuck up, but with this one it couldn’t be about that, it had to be about how people heal themselves, how they get through bad times.”

Getting through bad times is something that Welsh has been thinking a lot about recently. like the rest of the adult populace of the Western world, he has been watching open mouthed at the unfolding global financial meltdown. “Its absolutely fucking obscene.

Governments should be regulating these financial markets to make sure abuses can’t take place.” Who’s to blame, I ask.

“Well it’s kind of obvious whose to blame, we’ve had this kind of society where there is no real politics, there’s no alternative to capitalism. It’s all about how to make capitalism better. We have to bail out these people who will turn round and continue to exploit us. The great tragedy is that capitalism is a mess, and we just don’t have the intellectual resonance to come up with some kind of alternative.”

Welsh could talk about politics all day. he’s never short of an opinion on any subject. It was only a matter of time before we touched upon the forthcoming Us presidential election. needless to say, Welsh suspects Obama will take it. “I’m not massively impressed by his politics, but he’s got the whole kind of Myspace generation into the political system, which can only be a good thing for democracy. If America slams the door in their face, and elects the usual old, white, country club member type of guy then it will be a terrible disservice to democracy. I think he almost has to win.”

Obama might be the future for America, but what does the future have in store for Welsh? Our old friends sick Boy and renton look set to make a reappeareance; Welsh plans to start writing a prequel to Trainspotting at the end of next year.

Before that there will be a compilation of various short stories he wrote during the 90s, which will be released next summer under the appropriate title of Re-heated Cabbage. In the mean time, he plans to travel. “I’ve had a new book out every year for the past four years.

I want to kick back and have a bit of fun.” Time then, for Welsh to pop out for fags once more.

Crime is published by Jonathan Cape

24 Feature

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

24-hour Farsi People For all the aggressive rhetoric of its politicians, a visit to Tehran shows that cultural change is well underway among Iran's younger generation

IN BRIEF:

History of Iran

James Montague features@journal-online.co.uk

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The history of modern Iran can be traced to 1501, with the formation of a Shia Islamic state by Shah Ismail I. Despite losing nearly half its territory to Britain and Russia in the nineteenth century, the state then known as Persia managed to resist full colonisation. A constitutional revolution in 1906 established the country’s first democratic parliament.

AMIR FARSHAD EBRAHIMI

entry and trudge back to whence they came, past a huge motivational sign that mockingly adorns the entrance. It reads: “The Most Powerful Person is That That Can Keep Their Hunger.”

It’s a hopeless, unrewarding task.

But the protests—along with my arrival at Sharjah Airport in the United Arab Emirates—gave me a hint that not everything in Iran was what it seemed.

I didn’t have to travel far to my hotel.

The Olympic was Tehran’s finest, the place where visiting football teams would stay, attached as it was to the national stadium like an angular, drab carbuncle. When the ayatollah’s forces took over the country, they did more than occupy the institutions of power.

The city’s hotels—the Sheratons, Hyatts and Hiltons—had also been forcibly nationalised, stripped of their insignia and given more Persian names.

Cutting off Western companies also meant isolating Iran from the rest of the financial world – ATMs didn’t work and neither did credit cards. The exchange rate from rial to sterling was so high (£1=IRR18,100) that most Iranians simply dropped the last few zeros to combat inflation. Not surprisingly, Iranian luxury hotels were hard to come by and the Olympic marked the upper class.

My wood-panelled room was sparse but comfortable with little in the way of entertainment. After flicking through the Farsi television channels to see if I’d made it onto the 9 o’clock news—I hadn’t—and making a stab of reading the Koran, I was bored senseless. By 9:15 pm I was climbing the walls. I called Armin, and went to see what Tehran’s nightlife had to offer.

I wasn’t expecting much. Being a dry Islamic country, Iran was always going to be one of the world’s few countries not to have an Irish bar but I wanted to find out what young Iranians did at night. I met Arash, a young FrenchIranian journalist, at Vanak Square, the Piccadilly Circus of northern Tehran where handsome twentysomethings

Alarmed by prime minister Mohammed Mosaddeq’s decision to nationalise Iran’s oil reserves, US president Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized Mosaddeq’s removal in a 1953 coup d’etat funded and organised primarily by the United States and Britain.

Following the coup, the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, became increasingly autocratic, and was finally dethroned in the Islamic Revolution of 1979. After proposals to establish a theocratic state won overwhelming approval in a referendum, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini became the country’s Supreme Leader – a position he held until his death in 1989, when the office passed to Ali Khamenei.

Relations between Iran and the West—particularly the United States—have been fraught ever since the revolution. Concerns over the possible military implications of Iran’s nuclear programme have led to incessant speculation over the likelihood of preemptive strikes by the United States or Israel, while Iran’s support of Shia militants in Iraq has enraged coalition commanders.

Matters nearly came to a head last year when 15 Royal Navy personnel were taken prisoner by Iranian forces.

LAPAH

UTSIDE TEHRAN’S HULKING, grey Azadi national football stadium a riot was fermenting.

A mob, 70 strong, with whistles, drums and banners, pushed on the crush barriers and screamed slogans in strangulated Farsi. I hadn’t expected my first taste of Iran to involve a loud and angry protest. Iran, we are led to believe, isn’t a place where dissent is tolerated unless it’s the power to “dissent” against Western cultural imperialism, burn hastily constructed effigies of George W. Bush or protest vigorously in favour of the Iranian government’s right to enrich nuclear fuel.

Equally, I hadn’t expected my first taste of Iran to involve a loud and angry protest exclusively made up of abayaclad women, faces painted the colour of the Iranian flag and one and all clutching a national football team scarf. They berated the hundred or so riot officers who had constructed a Kevlar wall between themselves and the stadium, as dozens of men—only men—streamed past unmolested towards the stadium’s huge gates and that afternoon’s main event: a World Cup warm-up match between Iran and Costa Rica. No one looked surprised and no one looked back.

The riot police looked on perplexed.

You could almost see the dilemma etched into their faces: at riot police school they were taught how to deal with enemies of the state – wade in first and ask questions later. Instead they were frozen, stuck between a conservative culture where women were revered and protected from the wicked mores of the modern world and the demands of the state to crack some skull. Paralysis broke out. They looked impotently on as the women’s angry cries broke on their body armour.

Inside the car, our driver interrupted the silence. “Not the women again,” he rasped as we slalomed past the protest and through the crowd. “Again?” I asked, surprised. “This is normal?” “They come here before every game to protest in their scarves,” sighed Amir, my guide, of the familiar sight. I wanted to go and speak to them, ask them about their protest, but the doors were locked. Amir didn’t think it was a good idea to try and talk to the women with police around.

“It’s dangerous,” he said.

I pulled the handle anyway. The doors stayed firmly shut as we glided past. “It’s not a religion thing why they can’t come to a football match,” Amir hastily tried to explain, sensing my disappointment.

“They can go to a cinema with a man.

But it’s the atmosphere in the ground: the swearing, the bad language. It’s just not suitable.”

Three hours before every home game the female fans of Team Melli – as the Iranian national football team is affectionately known – trudge to the Azadi Stadium in the western suburbs of Tehran. And every game they are denied

Iran has become increasingly socially conservative since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president in 2005. Ahmadinejad has repeatedly described the Holocaust as a “myth,” and famously told an audience at Columbia University: “In Iran, we don’t have homosexuals, like in your country.” Those caught drinking alcohol face public flogging, while anyone convicted of adultery can expect to be stoned to death.

Feature 25

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Kamyar adl

Kamyar adl

technology had helped people to flirt more easily, explained Roxanna, there was an automobile version going on up and down Jordan Street every night.

Known as the “Jordan Game,” cars full of single men and women would cruise up and down looking for prospective partners whilst the police sat in their patrol cars and did nothing. We climbed into Pegah’s small battered car to take the short drive to Jordan Street.

“I like this a lot,” she smiled, as she pulled out a well-used tape and jammed it into the dusty car radio. Chris Rea replied back. “Do you like it?” I’ve never been much of a Chris Rea fan but I didn’t have the heart to tell the truth. “I love him.” With ‘Road to Hell’ blaring, we hit Jordan Street and the throng of horny Iranians looking for a date. Dozens of cars inched slowly up the hill full of expectant cargo: groups of men hoping to get lucky for a quick fumble streamed by and shouted bawdy slogans in Farsi.

One group, spotting me, shouted something in unison in their mother tongue before the entire car collapsed in laughter. “What did he say?” I asked Arash. “He said: ‘Nuclear energy is our right’. It is supposed to be a joke.”

Ahmadinejad’s much-used slogan of nuclear self-determination and defiance might have struck a chord with his devout minority fan base, but to the youth of Tehran, the phrase was something to be mocked, an illogical rant that their elders had bought into but which should be viewed with disdain by their children.

A second car passed by us slowly, this time containing a pair of heavily made up girls smiling ferociously.

I smiled back and waved before they laughed and sped off. Finally, a lone patrol car glided up the strip. The cars disappeared down side roads as quickly as they had arrived, like in a scene from The Truman Show. The Jordan Game was over, for tonight at least.

It was time to return to the Olympic.

I said my goodbyes, climbed into my taxi and looked out of the back window as it pulled away. Behind me Arash and Pegah flirted openly whilst considering where to go next. Despite being in a country where pre-marital sex can still be punished by the flick of a whip, I got the feeling that out of everyone I’d seen that night, I was one of the few people going to bed alone.

James Montague is a freelance journalist who contributes regularly to publications including The Observer, GQ and New Statesman. This article is an edited

Hamed masoumi

with duck-fin haircuts and turned up jeans strolled the streets hand-in-hand with girlfriends sporting hijabs so far back they only stayed on by virtue of a stiff pony tail, making them almost redundant.

Arash provided me with my answer.

“The youth are so bored, they don’t have anywhere to go,” he said as we walked down to a local restaurant he had recommended. “Especially the middle class.

They have money, but nothing to do. So they sit around and take drugs.” It’s hard to imagine somewhere like Iran having a drug problem, but all the vices that are open to the youth of the west also seem to be prevalent in Tehran. “There are no nightclubs but people have parties at home and drink or take drugs. Tehran has a really big crystal meth problem.”

I was incredulous. “Crystal meth?

How the hell do you find that here?” I asked, making it clear I had no interest in scoring a drug better known for making your face cave in after a few hits.

“You have to remember, Iran has some of the best scientists in the world!

Last year, the city was full of heroin and everyone would go to ‘ex parties’. They would give you ecstasy at the door and let you loose.” Arash didn’t take drugs, and I got the impression he didn’t overly approve. But I thought of my lonely room at the Olympic and secretly wished that an opportunity to attend an impromptu “ex party” would present itself.

We arrived at the restaurant, a small, strip-lit affair that sold Iranian staples like lamb with rice and sultanas and iced vermicelli, where Pegah was waiting for us. She was studying art at Tehran University and wore a brown hijab adorned with intricate stitching at the edges. Again, it hung off the back of her head, as if wearing it was little more than fulfilling a technicality. “Most would probably say they’d rather not,” she admitted when I asked whether Iranian women resented having to cover up all the time. “It’s just the fashion, the way people wear it a little further back every year.”

The incremental inching back of the hijab could be a metaphor for the increasing social freedoms that Iran’s under-30s enjoy. Even under Ahmadinejad and an increasingly conservative political culture, the small gains that make a young person’s life tolerable go on unabated. “They [the police] know that they can’t turn things back,” agreed Arash.

One area where this had been put to the test on a nightly basis was in the field of dating. Although bluetooth

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Arts & Entertainment 27

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

feature

Land of nowhere hit Italian film Gomorrah has its flaws but its dystopian vision of naples rings true

Francesco Cirillo

francesco.cirillo@journal-online.co.uk

Art

Footlights: Capturing the Essence of Performance

 small and restricted, but worth stumbling upon

nATIOnAl GAlleRY Of sCOTlAnd unTIl 16 nOv

Robin Stewart

robin.stewart@journal-online.co.uk

The sOund Of helicopter blades cutting through the air is a regular feature of naples life these days – as well as the thunder of guns and rifles that kill criminals and innocents alike. The potentially fatal consequences of a single “wrong” glance is something of which many residents are all too aware. now all the world is watching the situation which is going on in the old Parthenope thanks to the critically acclaimed film Gomorrah, based on Roberto saviano’s bestselling book.

Matteo Garrone’s film aims to show the workings of “O’ sistema” – the implausibly far-reaching operation of the Camorra mafia syndicate in naples and throughout Italy. naples is depicted as a land of nowhere, lost in its corruption and long-established criminal traditions. unfortunately, the tale rings true.

After ten years as a reporter in naples, I’ve had the opportunity to gain an intimate knowledge of the dark side of the city, frequently coming into contact with the criminal element that now seems more dominant than ever.

Gomorrah shows the world what I have spent a decade investigating – the impressive reach of the Camorra, which has used an oligarchy of power and violence to harvest annual profits estimated at $233 billion per year. The film concentrates primarily on the poor neopolitans whose squalid existence helps to line the fat cats’ pockets, making use of the dingy cement housing projects of the scampìa suburb. It does full justice to the area’s crumbling causeways that feel like prison interiors and offer as much hope as the inside of death row.

Through five distinct yet interlinked plot lines, the film evokes the web of nesTled snuGGlY As it is within the bowels of the national Gallery of scotland, the low key Footlights: Capturing the Essence of Performance show was somewhat overshadowed by the major emin and Impressionist exhibitions at this year’s festival. Tucked away in a dimly-lit, shoe-box sized space in the heart of the scottish collection, this more informal display continues to lurk below the radar in the less culture heavy Autumn months. drawn primarily from the collections of the national Galleries of scotland as well as some private loans, Footlights focuses on the manner in which artists have captured the heart and soul of performance. Covering an expansive period from eighteenth century lithography to modern day photography, the few works on display depict actors, singers, comedians and dancers, as well as costume and set designs, and broader social commentaries on audiences throughout the ages.

Organised to coincide with the Glasgow international theatre conference back in August, as well as the edinburgh International and fringe festivals, there is certainly a feeling that this exhibition is geared quite specifically towards an audience of theatre buffs. such fans may, however, be disappointed by the small amount of material on show, which restricts the exhibition to little more than a mere introduction to the theme. for those that do not fall into this particular category there is a certain familiarity that accompanies the faces of hogarth’s satirical lithographs and Toulouse-lautrec’s Moulin Rouge performer, Jane Avril.

If you do find yourself in the gallery complex, perhaps there for the headline Impressionist exhibition, then Footlights is a perfect adjunct to its more crowded and serious neighbour.

corruption in which neopolitans from every background become entangled.

The air of authenticity is reinforced by the decision to feature real-life mafia members in many of the leading acting roles. Two cast members have been imprisoned since Gomorrah was made.

Yet the film omits to depict the deep relationship between the Camorristi and the local politicians, failing to portray the failures of the leaders who have let the city down over the last 15 years.

The problem stems from saviano’s book, which neglected to name many of the most significant figures in naples’

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criminal structure & their cnnections with local politicians. still, Garrone does well to linger on the mafia’s racket in illegal waste disposal – the worst problem of all for naples residents over the past 15 years.

In a touching scene, a gang associate is forced to throw away an old lady’s present of peaches from her garden, knowing that they have been poisoned by the toxic airport waste that he has been dumping nearby. The Camorra make billions from this “service” – but it has served to increase cancer rates in some areas by up to 60 per cent.

no matter how abhorrent the mafia’s activities, young neapolitans will be driven to join as long as unemployment remains at its current levels. Anyone watching Gomorrah will be struck by the shortage of viable alternatives to a life of crime that are available to young people. sadly, the picture is not unrealistic – even before the credit crunch, naples’ unemployment rate was approaching 40 per cent. The stunningly beautiful city that illuminated all europe with the revolutionary ideas of domenico filangieri and Tommaso Campanella is now a distant memory.

28 Arts & Entertainment Music

Mogwai

 Rock masterclass let down by an unresponsive crowd

CORn ExChangE 24 OCt

Chris Hammond

chris.hammond@journal-online.co.uk

thE PhOEnix nights-EsquE sports bar yards from Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange was home to quite a few disgruntled punters at about 8pm on tuesday night. it would seem that gremlins were running amok inside the hall – nothing was working and one of the most highly anticipated Edinburgh gigs of 2008 was about to be ruined.

Problems eventually solved, proceedings kicked off with effervescent electronic entertainers, the Errors, a band whose only let down (albeit a major one) was that they lacked a vocalist. One more eccentric support act later and the headliners were set to wrest themselves away from sky sports and make an appearance. seconds after Manchester united’s punishing victory over Celtic, Mogwai took to the stage – half to tell us the scoreline, half to promote their critically acclaimed new album, The Hawk Is Howling. that said, having truly broken through the tricky arty/ commercial barrier with their previous work, this evening was going to be less of a PR job and more of a masterclass in epic, post rock soundscapes. Drifting effortlessly from one distorted, anthemic, electronic effort to the next, their set was gloriously accomplished and offered both newcomer and long time fan more than just a glimpse of their prodigious talent. all this without even having been afforded the luxury of a souncheck. however, despite an impeccable, frenetic, pitch perfect show, it has to be said that tonight’s performance was undermined by the slightly lethargic, limp wristed applause of a curiously quiet crowd. apparently Edinburgh’s reputation for conservative audiences lives on, but Mogwai won’t be phased by that.

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

art

Close Up

 surrealist exhibition fails to captivate the viewer

FRuitMaRkEt gaLLERy untiL 11 Jan

Polly Bennett

polly.bennett@journal-online.co.uk

a RazOR is sharpened, a deep breath is taken and a doe-eyed woman’s eyeball is sliced. it puckers and tissue spills, encouraging a full-bodied wince from those enticed by the infamously shocking images of the film, Un Chien Undalou. the following sixteen minutes of intimate tape by surrealists salvador Dali and Luis Buñuel are dislocated and warped scenes, which render any analysis redundant, yet epitomise the point of the ‘Close-up’ exhibition; to appreciate the images you see and not seek an explanation.

With the Fruitmarket’s latest offering in its series by guest curators—this time scholars Dawn ades and simon Baker—comes the pleasure of seeing a variety of lens-based material juxtaposed in one space. From the obscure marine biologist and photographer partnership of Jean Painlevé and Eli Lotar and their forerunning footage of undersea creatures, to Brassaï’s moody, intimate portrait of a thimble, the exhibition punctuates historical experiments in close-up film and photography. Much of the early work is focused on the natural world with mid-19th century microscopic slides of insect wings and butterfly eyes. the images are complicated in magnification – the architectural design of a plant spore,

Music

Music

Mumford and Sons

Nizlopi



 Bluegrass boys with captivating songs but work still to do

VOODOO ROOMs 11 OCt

Dan Moss

dan.moss@journal-online.co.uk

thE DECaDEnCE OF the recently refurbished Voodoo Rooms melds the saloon culture of the america’s cowboy frontiers with the refinement of contemporary Britain. Mumford and sons come across as this venue’s conceptual twin, dressed for a Levi’s catalogue photoshoot while exuding an unmistakably British personality.

Leaders of London’s new folk revival, Mumford and sons took advantage of their appropriately faux-rustic setting and carried a willing audience to a bucolic universe replete with rolling hills, unrequited love and corruptible souls. “it’s been a long drive up here, and we’re a bit cranky,” warn the Mumford boys as they tune up. But the delicious harmony-driven opener, ‘Little Lion Man’, quashes any possibility that this might turn out to be a lukewarm affair. the bluegrass act rattle through a well-rehearsed repertoire which finds its climax in the glorious ‘White Blank Page’, for which the audience reserve their heartiest applause of the evening.

Despite their unusual linear formation, the absence of an imposing drum arrangement ensures that the much-hyped quartet avoid appearing cramped on stage. Ben Lovett provides

a synthesized, but authentic-sounding percussion throughout, until Johnstone whimsically produces a kit for the climactic ‘Dust Bowl Dance’, the only song that really deviates from the comfortable territory of melodic folk.

Each rendition is visceral, sincere and professionally executed. however, it is between songs that the audience can identify a project still in development. to fill time, the outfit mistakenly leaves much of the work to banjoist, Country Winston who plays for immature laughs with contrived awkward silences, unfinished sentences and stories about photographing his companions urinating, incongruously shattering the established reverie. it is in these moments of untidiness that the exasperating, though no doubt well intended, shouts of “Ben Lovett bloody loves it!” resound from over-familiar sections of the crowd.

Mumford and sons are already regarded as pioneers of the contemporary folk scene along with the likes of Laura Marling and noah and the Whale. however, it is clear that if they are to exceed the achievements of their peers, the boys must devise a consistent onstage formula that maintains the dreamy spell cast by their music.

after half an hour the only real sensation you feel is boredom

CaBaREt VOLtaiRE 14 OCt

Ben Judge

ben.judge@journal-online.co.uk

for example, is reminiscent of the dome of an arabic temple. the spread of Man Ray’s experimental photographic work is a mentionable treat. the strangeness of his eponymous “rayographs,” created by placing objects on light sensitive paper and then exposing them to a lamp, culminates in his last-minute contribution to a Dadaist show, Le Retour a la Raison. in their magnification, Man Ray distorts everyday objects from sprinkles of salt to household springs into an animation of inverted shadow puppets.

Despite the images shown being highly detailed frames of what Dali would call “unknown reality,” you find yourself squinting your eyes and pressing your nose up to the glass so it wouldn’t matter whether you were looking at the interior structure of a stem or the wall outside. Perhaps this is the point – but this tendency could be a sign that once things are displayed close-up, there’s not much further to go. the dominating small, black and white images become unstimulating and suffocate the viewer. it is only when you ascend to the upper gallery that colour prevails and John hilliard’s provocative The Most Plausible Theory series nudges your brain into action again.

POP Fans OF a certain vintage will have fond memories of nizlopi. in 2004, the plucky indie upstarts stormed to the top of the uk charts with the surprise hit, ‘JCB song’. For a while it even looked like they would steal the inexplicably important Christmas number one before having it snatched away by the banal behemoth, shane Ward. y’know, x-Factor winner. no?

Four years later and two-piece, Luke Concannon and John Parker (double-bassist, human beatbox and Ed Byrne lookalike extraordinaire) are on tour promoting their third album. in the intervening years, nizlopi have cultivated a reputation as one of Britain’s hardest working live acts and Cabaret Voltaire is seemingly playing host to the scottish branch of the fan club. it’s not hard to see where this loyalty comes from: this is not a band that do things by half measures. standing, facing the stage and packed in like a sardine, i am shunted forward several paces along with the front four rows. as thirty people turn around to collectively remonstrate those behind them, nizlopi have set up in the middle of the audience, with double-bass and accoustic guitar, and begin playing. this intimacy is carried on throughout the set, which jumps back and forth from stage to dance-floor more than once. the seeming lack of a barrier between band and crowd gives the gig the feeling of a fire side struma-long and the gentle, folk-inspired rock is perfectly suited to the mood. unfortunately, nizlopi are such a minimalist band that there is no real diversity in the gig and as a result the 70-minute set feels 30 minutes too long. as with all camp-fire sing-alongs, the enthusiastic strumming is entertaining for the first few songs – but after half an hour the only real sensation you feel is boredom.

Eating & Drinking 29

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

California, here we come fusion restaurant Calistoga proves there's more to Californian cuisine than a glance at nicole richie might suggest Mikhael Binon

Ailsa Ross ailsa.ross@journal-online.co.uk

B

efOre arriving at Calistoga Central, my dining companion and i feared dinner at edinburgh’s only California-inspired restaurant might leave us still ravenous enough to eat whatever languished in our unloved kitchen cupboards. Sushi and dressing-free salad may be the food du jour of any self-respecting La starlet, but limp lettuce leaves are far from tempting on a bitingly cold autumn evening in Scotland. for journalistic integrity, and to satisfy my daydream of a life spent in 60s California listening to the Beach Boys, i checked out the visit California website for a less stereotyped idea of the sunshine State’s cuisine. armed with the tip to look for anything “fresh, local, organic and always innovative”, Calistoga was beginning to sound much more enticing.

Despite the restaurant’s proximity to george Street, the atmosphere could not be further apart from the pretentious air of many of Calistoga’s more showy contemporaries. the juxtaposition of upmarket linen tablecloths and plush leather chairs with Californian radio streaming ‘Sweet Home alabama’ and waiters in t-shirts bearing the restaurant name might seem odd – but the mix is perfect for making dinner at Calistoga’s feel like an event, without the niggling worry that the haughty waiter is close to telling you off for having elbows on the table. the appreciation of good wine by the owner, gordon Minnis, is evident – from the impressive wine racks which make up a key feature of the room, to the wine tasting events the restaurant holds. With a mark-up of only £5 on wine, we took the chance to relax in this cosy atmosphere with Ménage a trois, a delicately

the one that got away fishers in the City needs to work harder to live up to its namesake Paris Gourtsoyannis paris@journal-online.co.uk

t

He BOnD BetWeen Leith and the great grey waters that bound it go back so far even the Old Man and the Sea have trouble remembering. the link between edinburgh’s coastal community and fine dining is far more recent, but runs just as deep; the start of any history of Leith’s culinary credibility would have to include fishers Bistro, for twenty years edinburgh’s finest seafood restaurant by a nautical mile. in 1997, fighting the tide of gentrification that has swept through its territorial waters, the restaurant spawned a twin, fishers in the City. now that the original is even less convenient to edinburgh landlubbers thanks to the tram works, it seemed the appropriate time to pay the latest edition a visit. tucked away, like so many great eateries, on the quiet cobbles of thistle Street, the atmosphere inside fishers in the City is like too few other local restaurants. Warmly lit and artfully decorated with nautical

references, the interior is ingeniously laid out in multiple levels, keeping diners cozy without forgoing privacy, and giving all guests a view of the bar and the kitchen. Modernity and style follow comfort, and you are immediately put at ease. the service echoes the best qualities of the space: quietly efficient, kind and welcoming; without any pretension, the waiting staff projects a feeling that you’re being looked after with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail.

Unfortunately, on the evening in question the trio of rock oysters – three tantalizing preparations, each promising to do what nature could not and make palatable, if not delicious, her most unappitizing delicacy – is off the menu; we settle for a smoked mackerel omelette for her, and the spinach gnocchi with sautéed mushrooms for me. the former would be impossible to get wrong, and so is suitably light and punctuated with savoury morsels of fish. the gnocchi, however, are glutinous, stodgy and bland, with a mean sprinkling of accompanying fungus. the entire ensemble has been overcooked.

the mains, too, are also disappointingly hit-and-miss. a selection of panfried scallops with black pudding is fantastic – moreish, beautifully cooked and seasoned, the scallops melt in the mouth as readily as the rich, meaty black pudding which beats even the best results of a threeyear odyssey around edinburgh’s butchers for what is a personal favourite. My companion’s crab fettucini is a letdown from the moment it arrives, with pasta and mean-spirited shredded crab languishing in a brown sauce that is begging to be left alone on the plate. So it should be: it is briny in a way that does a disservice to the expertise with which good seafood is handled. a dessert menu that performs all the classics admirably well, as well as a few surprises—such as my plum frangipane with lime cream—does little to dispel the feeling that in the face of leviathan expectations, fishers in the City was the one that got away.

Fishers in the City 58 Thistle Street 0131 225 5109

sweet rosé priced at £13.50.

Our complimentary appetiser of crunchy edamame beans in vinaigrette and spice dressing was a perfect tease and we could not wait for our starters.

Luckily the efficient staff ensured that we did not have to. We opted for the three-course meal, which comes in at a reasonable £13.50 for lunch and pretheatre dining and £23 until last orders at 10pm.

My partner’s choice of lemon peppered chicken with black bean and basil couscous was reminiscent of a David Hockney painting, the abstract splashes of Southern colour looking good enough to frame. it was as revitalising as a starter should be, and demanded high praise from my companion who proclaimed that her life-long phobia of onions was cured in a mouthful. We later found out that the “onion” was actually white radish, but that ruins the story. i tucked into a comforting starter of cheese and chive fritters with a plumb tomato chilli jam. it was the perfect antidote to the cold weather outside our Californian haven. the melted Mexican cheese alongside the asian inspired chilli jam summed up all that is good about fusion food. for the main course, i plumped for sesame seared duck breast with scallion mash and a raspberry and tomato fondue. the duck was perfectly cooked, tender and slightly pink in the middle, although it was let down by the fondue. the overpowering tomatoes thwarted any hint of raspberry flavour, a blend i was looking forward to tasting. the potato could not be faulted. it was encouraging to see that Calistoga has not fallen for the fashion of turning honest mash into an unappetising puree.

My companion had the goat’s cheese and spinach flan with a garlic cherry tomato skewer and vanilla confit

potatoes. the vibrant beach colours of her starter were maintained, and while the goat’s cheese was too overpowering for her taste, the meal was nevertheless devoured. While the vanilla addition to the potatoes was too delicate to note, it was still an excellent dish. the proof was in the pudding, as a modern take on american staples was evident in the innovative peanut butter and jelly pancake cheesecake. Creamy mascarpone mixed with peanut butter was layered into thick and fluffy pancakes in what was a fun and original cake, perfectly befitting a restaurant that does not take itself too seriously. it was absolutely delicious, and i was disappointed that the generously portioned starter and main course stopped me from finishing a desert that would have calorie-shy nicole richie quaking in her Louboutins.

My companion, who normally lacks a sweet tooth, loved the butternut brûlée with blueberry compote. the surface had the reassuring crackle that makes you adamant that the one essential for your kitchen is a blowtorch, and watching the juicy blueberries tumble into the brûlée as the pudding opened up was more seductive than any Marks & Spencer advertisement.

Calistoga Southside and its accompanying wine store, Sideways, are already well established and this new addition looks to fare just as well, with monthly changes to the menu ensuring that there is always a reason to visit this laid-back restaurant. as one customer succinctly put it in the comments book that the bill comes charmingly enveloped in, Calistoga Central is “bloody marvellous.”

Calistoga Central 70 Rose Street North Lane www.calistoga.co.uk 0131 225 1233

GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT TO 60,000 STUDENTS IN EDINBURGH

SPECIAL ADVERTISING DEALS FOR SOCIETIES AND STUDENT GROUPS CALL 0870 919 4909 OR EMAIL ADS@JOURNAL-ONLINE.CO.UK FOR MORE INFORMATION

News 3

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Rooting around in Ramsay’s veg box With well-meaning students trapped between being green and surviving a looming recession, The Journal asks important questions of EUSA president Adam Ramsay's 'veg box' initiative: anyone for beets?

Magnus Huntly-Grant &Henry McTavish news@journal-online.co.uk IN THE CURRENT economic climate the cost of a cabbage matters. Now the age-old student predicament of balancing low-cost living with green ethics has been compounded by the eagerlyawaited ‘veg box’ scheme, which helped put Adam Ramsay at the top of University of Edinburgh student politics.

A Journal investigation can reveal that the contents of the highly-publicized £9 veg-box—including a ten per cent student discount—from Damhead Farm can be bought from high street supermarkets for half the price.

Students are therefore being asked to choose between ethics and economics: environmentally friendly organic vegetables or low-cost pre-packaged produce from Tesco or Lidl.

While no one doubts Ramsay’s noble intentions or dares question the impeccable green credentials of his veg box it is worth noting that not all Damhead products are sourced locally – their tomatoes come from Spain, their courgettes from France.

Lidl’s was the cheapest highstreet alternative with an amount of vegetables equivalent to a Damhead delivery costing just £4.15. Tesco was a close second, coming in at £4.79. The Journal even managed to get organic onions and carrots in its Lidl basket. Taking into consideration the student discount, an organic savoy cabbage from Damhead costs £1.30 whilst from Tesco it cost 68p and at Lidl just 49p.

As a central tenet of his election manifesto, Mr Ramsay promised to “cut the cost of student living.” The vegbox scheme, he claimed, would save students £350 a year.

In response to our investigation Mr Ramsay said: “Before the election I surveyed around 400 students about how they spend money. The average student surveyed spent £10 a week on veg. It may well be true that, if you buy in bulk or take the time to shop around, you can find cheaper deals.

“However, the evidence is that this isn’t how most students shop. Box deliveries save money not just because they are relatively cheap, but also because they are delivered predictably.

“This helps you budget, and means you don’t end up popping out to the corner shop late at night and paying through the nose.”

The previously buoyant organic foods market has become a casualty of the credit crunch. Farms planning to convert to organic methods have put changes on hold due to mounting costs and plummeting sales. The Soil Association, which certifies much of Britain’s organic food production, said it expects sales growth of about five per cent this year, compared to 30 per

cent in previous years. Veg boxes themselves, along with market stall sales, account for 25 per cent of the £1.1bn organics market.

This raises the question of whether veg-box schemes are just another fad of previously prosperous living. Do students have the ethical tenacity to pursue the organic cause when the chips are down? James Gerard the owner of Damhead Farm, however, isn’t feeling the effects of a slump – quite the contrary. He said: “We have noticed that sales have increased substantially.

Although people are reducing their spend they are also looking at what matters and thinking that their health is the foremost concern.”

Damhead’s success in the face of the prevailing economic climate owes something to the 262 Edinburgh University students who have signed up for the veg box. Mr Gerard said: “After Adam announced the veg-box project we had approximately 1343 hits on the website within the first day. I’m fitter than ever from running up and down stairs with all the boxes.”

He put forward the case for staying organic, saying: “Organic farming is not attached to the price of oil because it does not use fertilizers. There are 5000 chemicals to be found in conventional food, all of which have to be paid for.

“Lets think about end use value, supermarkets are very good at what they do – getting you to pile it high in the trolley. But waste is a huge problem. Our stuff is all fresh and when we say fresh we mean we are picking it from the countryside and it is within the home in eight hours.

“We start sourcing our product in Scotland and source locally where possible but make no apologies for importing where there is no alternative. We are buying from other organic producers across Europe.

It means that we offer the same seasonal range for the same price all year round.”

The veg box predicament seems to draw together certain time honoured stereotypes; that of the liberal organic consumer and that of the penniless student. Herein lies the quandary.

However the judicious observer will note that there are other avenues of obtaining good local produce at minimal cost, ones which allow for the individual to chose what they purchase specifically without using environmentally unfriendly packaging and supporting a faceless corporation. Edinburgh has a multitude of small independently run green grocers and while there seems to be no consistent pricing structure there are some deals to be had.

Indeed, there is a school of thought which argues that it is a superlative endeavor to spend your money in small local businesses than over the internet.

The Leith “Shop Local, Shop Smart” campaign recently outlined the benefits

Damhead £1.30 Lidl Tesco £0.49 £0.47

Damhead £0.60 Lidl Tesco £0.32 £0.35

Damhead £0.76 Lidl Tesco £0.20 £0.41

Getting to grips with your veg bag of supporting your local corner shop rather than cutting them out of the loop.

Moreover, the Damhead veg boxes— which turned out to be bags—have posed problems for the culinary creativity of many students. Giulia Zuzic, a fourth year student and a vegetarian who voted for Ramsay because of his veg bag scheme, was at a loss with what to do with her solitary Damhead leek. The only solution, she resolved, was soup. At the launch of the scheme during Green Week Ramsay, a qualified chef, demonstrated the veg bag’s practical applications by making a soup with more vegetables than a vegan’s larder.

The website www.vegbox-recipes. co.uk features almost forty soup recipes. Our favourite looks to be the Halloween special, pumpkin soup; we’re looking forward to seeing a pumpkin fit in our veg bag.

ROSA BRANSKY, A fourth year Development student at Edinburgh University, told The Journal of her veg box ordeal.

“The veg box arrived and we all stood cooing around it, commenting on all the soil covering the potatoes, picking up apples and saying ‘Ooh, look at that apple, its so knobbly!’ We smugly pointed out how ‘natural’ all our fruit and veg looked, and vowed never to eat another Lidl onion again. Any visitor to the house for the next two days was marched to the veg box: ‘Look, look at our veg-box, look how bloody organic we are.’

“The novelty began to wear off after two days when we realized that we actually had to cook the vegetables. ‘Oooh, look at the veg-box’ was replaced with, ‘Um, I think we should do something about the veg box.’ We started out small, mashed potatoes,

a salad, mushroomy pastas. We got more confident, everything we ate for the next two days had grated beetroot in it, someone made a giant pot of neeps and tatties. We started sneaking bits of cabbage into other meals, we ate anything with a side of cabbage for a week. And still the cabbage remained.

“There is still some cabbage left two weeks later, looking slightly floppy, at the bottom of our now empty veg box.

“We don’t talk about the veg box anymore. Last week I ‘forgot’ to place the order and no one has said anything. Secretly, we’re all thinking how much easier it is to go and buy those lovely washed potatoes in plastic bags from Tesco. But of course, who’s going to admit that these days? if anyone would like to come and collect the remaining peace of cabbage please let us know, its a panful reminder of that time we tried to be a bit more green – but couldn’t quite manage it.”

30 Sport

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

celtic affirm champion status at home to hibs

Sport Results FooTball Scottish Conference Men’s 1a heriot-Watt 1st 2 - 1

Glasgow 1st

Scottish Conference Men’s 3a

Football celtic 4 hibernian 2

Elvira Kemp elvira.kemp@journal-online.co.uk celtic secured a three point lead at the top of the scottish premier league after an impressive display against an offensive 4-3-3 hibernian set-up. the wet and windy conditions failed to hold back Gordon strachan’s side, who sailed passed the edinburgh outfit with ease and style. shaun maloney stated celtic’s intent in the first minute when he combined with scott mcdonald before firing over the crossbar. at the other end of the park, derek riordan marked his debut appearance against former club, celtic, since re-joining hibernian, by testing the giant artur Boruc following a foul on striker steven Fletcher. From 28 yards out, riordan found the target, but goalkeeper Boruc neatly gripped the ball over the bar. celtic’s scot Brown found an opening after 25 minutes when sol Bamba

napier student called up for rugby league World cup John Geddie

conceded possession midway inside his own half. the midfielder saw that ‘keeper Yves ma-kalambay was off his line and responded with a chip that drifted marginally over the crossbar. similarly, hibernian wasted a very good chance when, with space on the right, colin nish’s poor pass failed to find an open team-mate. riordan then pushed Boruc to make an excellent one-handed save of a deflected shot. steven Fletcher was almost in on goal after a neat through ball by riordan, but the hibs striker could not control the ball and celtic cleared the danger in a untidy manner. it was stephen mcmanus who put the home side ahead inside 31 minutes as hibs failed to clear shunsuke nakamura’s corner and the forward fired home from close range with his right foot. celtic’s lead was doubled minutes afterwards, when mcdonalds’ slick pass was flicked on to find young cillian sheridan, who comfortably found the back of the hibs net to open his goal-scoring account for the club. the hibs fight-back began five minutes before half time, when in-form steven Fletcher confidently fired a shot

“i have played for the students’ team for the last three years and the scotland ‘a’ team for two years. to be selected for the actual scotland squad is a great honour and a dream come true.” euan strathie, senior lecturer at napier university’s school of life sciences said: “this is a fantastic achievement for patrick to be playing with the elite squad. “although rugby league is not played much in scotland, this is a sport that napier excels in, particularly against the best english university teams.” scotland will face France on sunday 26 October and Fiji on Wednesday 5 november in the Group stages of the World cup.

strathclyde 1st 1 – 0 napier 1st

Scottish Conference Men’s Conference Cup Pool 1: edinburgh 4

1– 2 rob. Gordon 2

Pool 2: Glasgow 2nd 0–1 heriot-Watt 3 strathclyde 1st 1–0 napier 1st

Pool 3: edinburgh 2nd 1–0 abertay 1st

Pool 4: edinburgh 3

1–0 h-Watt 2

Scottish Conference Men’s Conference Plate Pool 1: napier 2nd 3 – 4 st. andrew’s 2nd

Pool 2: strathclyde 3rd 3 – 3 Qmu1st

Pool 4: aberdeen 3rd 5 – 2 napier 3rd

MEN’S HoCKEY Scottish Conference Men’s 1a h-Watt 2nd

3–4 Ggow men’s 1st

strathclyde 1st 2 – 3 napier 1st

Pool 2: edinburgh 2nd 7–0 st andrews 2nd

Pool 4:

st andrews 1st 6–1 edinburgh 3rd

WoMEN’S HoCKEY Scottish Conference Women’s 1a edinburgh 1st 5 – 0 strathclyde 1st

Scottish Conference Women’s 5a Ggow cal. 2nd 4 – 4 h-Watt 2nd

Scottish Conference Women’s Conference Cup Pool 1: heriot-Watt 1st 2 – 0 Qmu 1st

Pool 4:

Ggow cal. 2nd 4 – 4 h-Watt 2nd

Pool 5: aberdeen 1st 1 – 3 edinburgh 3rd

Pool 6:

Glasgow 3rd 14 – 0 Qmu 2nd

RUGbY Scottish Conference Men’s Conference Cup Pool 1: h-Watt 2nd 29 - 36 h-Watt 1st

Pool 6: aberdeen 2nd 31 – 7 edinburgh 3rd

Pool 8:

dundee 2nd 3 – 24 edinburgh 2nd

aberdeen hold hearts to draw at tynecastle Football aberdeen 1 hearts 1

Tom bristow tom.bristow@journal-online.co.uk

john.geddie@journal-online.co.uk a napier universitY student, patrick coupar, has been selected as part of the 24-man squad to represent scotland in the rugby league World cup in australia this month. patrick, a former rugby union aficionado, is studying sports science in his third year. he began playing rugby union as a child in his hometown of Blairgowrie, inspired by his father, who coached at the local club. patrick later went on to represent perth and edinburgh academicals at a senior level. it was not until he began studying at napier that he chose to convert disciplines. patrick said: “earlier this year i went with five other napier students to the universities World cup to captain the scotland students squad.

which deflected off colin nish to reignite the voices of the hibs fans. the visitors continued to push for an equaliser, but celtic retaliated with a quick offensive move. however the hoops’ passes were foiled at the last stage when ma-kalambay saved well from andreas hinkel’s attempt. the final ten minutes saw Barry robson’s free-kick directed around the post by ma-kalambay at full stretch for a corner. maloney’s cross found loovens, who headed into the net as hibernian’s ian murray failed to make an impact marking the post. celtic made it four when Brown’s left-foot drive was smashed into the goal as the hibs fans started to make their way out of celtic park on the 83 minutes. this comprehensive victory was precisely what celtic needed in the wake of a sore mid-week defeat at the hands of manchester united in the champions league. nonetheless, credit should be given to an offensive-minded hibs line-up. their striking trio attempted to break a solid celtic defence, but lacked technical impetus to really challenge the champions.

Scottish Conference Men’s Conference Cup Pool 1:

emOtiOns ran hiGh in near gale conditions at tynecastle as aberdeen held hearts to a 1-1 draw.

Backed by the emphatic vocal support of the away fans, the dons deserved to take the lead in the 14th minute, when andrew considine’s hopeful clearance found darren mackie, who shrugged off Zaliukas’s half-hearted attempt at a tackle and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the hearts net. the home side looked disjointed in the early stages, with the fans having little to sing about until the 20th minute. left-back lee Wallace powered forward, playing a neat one-two with christian nade before blasting the ball over aberdeen ‘keeper james langfield

and into the roof of the net for the equaliser. hearts’ spirits were raised after the goal as they strode forward looking to test the nervous langfield in the rainsodden conditions. Bruno aguiar’s well executed set-pieces provided them with their most dangerous chances and posed a real threat to the aberdeen defence. neither side were able to stamp any clear authority on remainder of the first half, though some decent flowing football was on display from both teams. heart’s superior midfield in the form of christos karipidis and michael stewart threatened without creating further chances, as the crowd became increasingly frustrated with referee’s steve conroy’s decision-making. the slippery pitch allowed little opportunity for eye-pleasing football in the second-half, with both sets of players struggling to find any rhythm. the home side, however, looked the more positive, troubling the aberdeen defence with some well-crafted setpieces and starting to dominate

possession. nade should have done better than head over the bar from another impressive aguiar corner, whilst stewart made a couple of dangerous breaks from the midfield to rock the aberdeen defence. a fine cross from nade saw aguiar come close in the 74th minute, though the score remained deadlocked as 1-1. it was aberdeen who came closest to taking the lead in the 56th minute, when jared hodgkiss rattled the home team’s bar with a thundering strike from outside the penalty area. twenty minutes later, janos Balogh was saved by his woodwork again, when lee miller’s low drive hit the foot of his right-hand post. hearts manager csaba laszlo responded by making two attacking substitutions and aberdeen soon found themselves on the back-foot. jamie mole, who replaced nade, proved a handful for aberdeen defence, as hearts took the game to their opponents. the final ten minutes were marred by controversy. stewart, on a forward break from midfield, forced his way into the

aberdeen box and rounded langfield, who then appeared to bring him down.

Without hesitation, the referee pointed to the penalty spot and even don’s manager jimmy calderwood offered little protest from the dugout. chants of “off, off” reverberated around the stadium as it seemed certain that langfield would be shown the red card to accompany the hearts penalty. however, in bizarre circumstances, referee conroy then reversed his decision and awarded aberdeen a goal-kick, to the outrage of laszlo and the hearts fans. When the final whistle was blown, laszlo, who had been taking his anger out on the roof of his dug-out, ran onto the pitch in a clear-cut fit of rage. the referee seemed to be his primary target, but the fourth official stepped in the way as the hearts boss lashed out in anger. a bad-tempered but quality match saw aberdeen emerge clearly the happier side, as hearts supporters left tynecastle seething at the unorthodox refereeing decision that cost them the game.

Get it On the WeB Get up-tO-the-minute neWs updates Online WWW.jOurnal-Online.cO.uk WWW.jOurnal-Online.cO.uk

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

A MALIGN LOOK AT THE WORLD OF SPORT : R E K C A H

Cockiness is next to godliness

FLICKR.COM/AJAGENDORF25

Deputy Editor

graham@journal-online.co.uk

“So, are we to resign ourselves to the fact that this new generation of elite British sportsmen are little more than a crop of cocky egomaniacs, not worthy of the praise that is showered upon them from all four corners of the UK?”

E

VERY NOW AND then (admittedly more “then” than “now”) British sports fans get the chance to witness the rise of a young, home-grown athletic starlet who—we all hope—will succeed in putting GB back on the sporting map.

Just so we’re clear, I’m talking exclusively about solo sports here, as history has so relentlessly proven that no matter how many decent individuals you place in a British sports team, favourable results are by no means guaranteed.

In fact, now that legendary names such as Paula Radcliffe and Steve Redgrave have begun to fade from the nation’s collective consciousness, the same could be said for British sport on an individual level. Personally, I can’t think of a sportsman from the home countries with a more impressive track record over recent years than Stokeon-Trent’s beer-swilling favourite son, Phil “The Power” Taylor. Far be it from my intention to undermine the merit of the 13-time world darts champion, but let’s be honest, we want a little more than a fat man in a hula shirt on whom to pin our hopes for global sporting achievement.

And it seems that our prayers have been answered. In fact, in a phenomenon more akin to the British public transport system, we spend ages waiting for one, then two come along at the same time. Enter the fray Messrs Andy Murray and Lewis Hamilton.

In the past two weeks, Britain’s level of credibility on the world’s sporting stage has been raised substantially by two epic performances from the UK’s most exciting up-and-coming sportsmen. Victory over Gilles Simon at the Madrid Masters saw Murray become the first British tennis player to claim four ATP titles in a single season, while a near-perfect race at the Chinese Grand Prix brought Hamilton tantalisingly close to his first Formula One world championship.

I think we can all agree that at last we have two worthy sporting champions in the making, but can these men do more than just win? Can they complete the package by embodying the traditional British virtues of integrity, humility and style; of modesty in victory, grace in defeat? Qualities that our parents constantly remind us are absent in the “Rooney generation” of today.

There’s nothing that we, the public, lap up more than a heart-warming fairy tale of how a young lad’s dream became a reality, and what greater story is there than that of a starry-eyed, nine-yearold Lewis Hamilton striding up to Ron Dennis and announcing that one day he would drive for McLaren, only to fulfil his prophecy in spectacular style on the Formula One stage some 13 years later?

That in itself is enough to warm the cockles of many a sentimental British heart, serving as a reminder that any youngster from our small island can make his or her dreams come true with enough hard graft, commitment and zeal. In addition, Hamilton’s charm,

boyish good looks and almost trademark emphasis on family values must surely make him a pillar of British sporting success, not to mention a more than adequate role-model.

But what some have come to see as youthful confidence, others have seen as arrogant and unjustified, particularly his fellow F1 drivers. He may not possess the haughty public persona of a Jose Mourinho, but it has become apparent at times throughout his brief Formula One career that Hamilton sees himself as a “special one.” At the Monaco Grand Prix Earlier this season, Hamilton had no qualms about comparing himself to racing legend Ayrton Senna, a comment which was heavily criticised by fans and drivers alike, particularly from one so young and inexperienced.

Moreover, Hamilton’s debut season with Formula One was largely characterised by his much-publicised rift with former team-mate Fernando Alonso and boss Ron Dennis, beginning when Alonso remained stationary in front of Hamilton at a pit stop during a pre-race time-trial, thus slowing Hamilton’s time and ensuring the Spaniard would start the race in pole position. Knowing that the order had come from senior staff at McLaren, Hamilton is reported to have returned to the pits, saying: “Don’t ever fucking do that to me again!... Go fucking swivel!” This public outburst added fuel to the fire for Hamilton’s critics, who argued that no driver, let alone a 22-year-old in his first Formula One season, should ever presume to speak to his superiors in such a way.

Erratic driving behind a safety car at the Japanese Grand Prix last year, as well as aggressive overtaking during last month’s race in Italy—resulting in fellow fans’-favourite, Kimi Raikkonen, being run off the track—further served to alienate Hamilton from his rival drivers and sections of supporters.

Now let us turn to Murray – no doubt a young British player who is destined leave a mark on modern tennis. But can he be relied on to teach future generations of sportsmen and women the virtues and values of British sporting behaviour? With the all-toorecent image of the 21-year-old Scot repeatedly flexing his surprisingly unimpressive biceps in front of various sections of the Wimbledon crowd this summer, the immediate answer to this question would have to be “no, he’s an arse.”

Moreover, following his petulant claim that he would support any football team that played against England, it is no surprise that Murray’s character and commitment to Team GB has been brought into question. Then there is the most annoying thing of all: his unfailing obsession with celebrating every point his wins as though he had just won a grand slam, a trait which has led to his being labelled arrogant, self-righteous and highly ungraceful – terms that I’m sure we would rather not regard as synonymous with the only British tennis player in the world’s top 100.

SPORT

SHORTS SNIPPETS OF SPORTS NEWS AND EVENTS FROM THE LAST FORTNIGHT GUTSY EDINBURGH SECURE AWAY WIN IN HEINEKEN CUP

Hey, whatever makes 'em win

Graham Mackay

Sport 31

Edinburgh produced a defiant display to claim their first ever away win on French soil, giving them a real chance of progressing past the group stages of the Heineken Cup. Two early infringements by the visitor’s and a missed penalty by Phil Godman allowed Castres to open up a 6-0 lead. Mark Robertson touched down for Edinburgh in the 15th minute and Chris Paterson converted to take in a half time lead of 7-6.

Two easy penalties were converted by Paterson early in the second half to the frustration of the home side who were unable to break Edinburgh’s defensive line. The visitors dealt well with an onslaught of late pressure to seal the 6-13 win, leaving Pool 2 wide open.

So, are we to resign ourselves to the fact that this new generation of elite British sportsmen are little more than a crop of cocky egomaniacs, not worthy of the praise that is showered upon them from all four corners of the UK? I’d have to say no – in fact, I don’t think it’s such a bad thing at all. Let us consider what the two men in question would like be without their cheeky idiosyncrasies.

Had he not his renowned air of overconfidence, Hamilton would never be the driver that he is. Reckless moves on a slippery track and flash corner-cutting may not be the most honourable way to reach pole position, but it sure as hell brings home the bacon. Without his daring and self-assured attitude, Hamilton would almost certainly not be leading the pack in what is only his second season in Formula One. In fact he would probably be little more than a homely British racer who, at times, achieves marginal success but will eventually fade into anonymity. Oh alright, I’m going to say it: he’d be Jenson Button.

Similarly, Murray’s unremitting need to assert himself as the alpha male of the tennis world, though at times painful, is unquestionably the driving force behind his success. Moreover, there is no doubt that without it, he would never be able to stir up the crowd the way he does, with every proud British man, woman and child screaming “Come on Andy!” at the tops of their voices. Seeing him flaunt his muscles and rejoice frenetically at the drop of a hat has become part of the package for the adoring British masses who don’t seem to give a damn about his pompous distain for all things English, as they roar in celebration of his every move. It’s as though Murray is putting on a sideshow just to give his frenzied supporters an excuse to squeeze every last ounce of vocal cheer from their lungs. After all, who the hell else are they going to use it on?

Whilst we may not have recaptured the romanticised virtues of a bygone sporting era, we have certainly witnessed the rise of two outstanding British talents. What’s more, if a cocky comment or a flash of “muscle” is all it takes to set them on the path to glory, then I for one will not be standing in their way –especially if one of them is driving a Formula One car.

NOVO WOULD BE KEEN TO PLAY FOR SCOTLAND Rangers striker Nacho Novo has revealed he would be keen to take up the opportunity of playing for Scotland, should he receive the all-clear to do so.

The uncapped Spaniard could be the first foreign player to don a Scotland jersey if the SFA choose to take advantage of FIFA’s new five-year residency rule.

However, in order to represent Scotland, the country he has lived in for the past eight years, Novo would need to successfully apply for UK citizenship, which he does not currently have.

An SFA spokesman said: “At present, he does not hold a British passport and is therefore not eligible to play for any of the home nations. If that situation were to change then he would be considered like any other player.”

SCOTTISH WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM WANT TO PLAY IN EDINBURGH After years of being ensconced in Perth, the Scottish women’s national football team has expressed its desire to make Edinburgh its stronghold.

With matches at St. Johnstone’s McDiarmid Park drawing disappointing crowds, often of less than 1000, Scotland’s women are excited at the prospect of relocating to the capital, where they took on Russia in the European Championship play-off first leg at Tynecastle on Sunday.

The team are confident that if they are able to make it past the Russians over the two legs, their status on the international stage will be significantly boosted, and they could well be returning to the Gorgie venue for matches in the future.

Celtic’s Julie Fergusson, who has represented Scotland 41 times, said: "The good thing about the SFA is they listen to us as players. If something is working for us then they will back us on it.

If we win this play-off I think we will definitely be back at Tynecastle again for the next qualification campaign, which is for the World Cup."

32 Sport

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Sport Rain ruins weekend of sport Graham Mackay graham.mackay@journal-online.co.uk As mOst peOple in edinburgh will have noticed, last weekend was not an occasion for outdoor pursuits of any kind.

Although edinburgh’s hockey men were able to play out the duration of a wet and windy encounter at Watsonians’ tipperlinn ground, the vast majority of weekend fixtures had to be cancelled due to the appalling weather conditions across the city.

It was not just fixtures in the capital that had to be cancelled, however. edinburgh University’s 1st XV rugby were set to take on Annan RFC at Violetbank, Dumfriesshire on saturday, an encounter which was called off by match officials. likewise, the 2nd XV were unable to get their game against Hamilton underway at peffermill, with the ground deemed

unplayable. things looked no brighter for edinburgh University’s football teams, with the 1st, 2nd and U21 sides all seeing their weekend fixtures cancelled. Keen to brave the weather if it meant having the chance to play, edinburgh’s 1st XI travelled to Dalkeith to take on easthouses lily in the east of scotland premier league. However, a late pitch inspection ruled out any possibility of the encounter. the 2nd XI and U21 sides were unable to take on liberton and murieston respectively, though a university reserve side were able to slog out a 1-0 victory in what were referred to as “ridiculous conditions” on the Astroturf at peffermill.

Despite the disappointment of the weekend, sports teams across midlothian should find themselves in luck this weekend, with weather forecasts predicting sunshine with minimal cloud cover.

University sides were left ruing bad conditions Sonja Pieper

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4 News

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Uncovering lost heroes

edinburgh campaigner named top UK New BBC documentary will reveal unknown scottish figures as nation-building champions environmentalist Elisabeth Evans elisabeth.evans@journal-online.co.uk A series Of documentaries to be aired on the BBC next month will uncover a range of Dark Age scottish figures including ead, Giric and King Constantine, who are to emerge as nation-building heroes.

Characters such as William Wallace, Mary Queen of scots and robert the Bruce are to be discussed alongside introductions to unfamiliar figures in a quest to demythologise scottish history.

The series, presented by Neil Oliver and shown on both BBC scotland and BBC2, is the culmination of two years’ work.

Neil McDonald, creative director of documentaries for BBC scotland claimed, “We’ve all heard of the big names. We had the opportunity here to come afresh. Many scots are familiar with Columba and Kenneth MacAlpin— who feature in the first episode—but very few will have heard tales of ead, Giric and Constantine.”

The three were “crucially important figures,” Mr McDonald said. “They have been overlooked because of a tendency, in scotland, to cluster around the big names. The end result is not nearly as informed a view of history as people deserve.

“Within the limited resources of a television series, that is what we are trying to address.”

Historians such as Hugh Trevorroper have criticised past accounts of scotland’s history, claiming that most were reliant on myth rather than fact; however, the first private screening of the programme in Glasgow last week was well recieved as an effort to correct these mistakes.

The series opens with the question: “so where to begin?” The starting point

Robert the Bruce: all-round good-guy? Mickael Binon is Calagacus, a leader of one of the Caledonian tribes who made an inspiring speech to his warrioirs before a battle with the romans and was the first scot named in history.

The opening is combined with a warning, however, by Neil Oliver in his narration: “This is where the mythologising of scottish history starts. Be warned.” indeed, if Calagacus did exist at all it is likely that his speech was written for him by the roman historian Tacitus in a passage written to improve the standing of the emperor Agricola.

Mr Oliver has also said that this objective viewpoint is to be applied to all of the figures, including Mary Queen of scots, who has recently been the object of dramatically contrasting viewpoints.

Christine Grahame, the sNP MsP, called for the bones of this “iconic historical figure” to be repatriated, while University of edinburgh historian Jenny Wormald said that the “dreadful woman” should remain in Westminster Abbey.

Mr Oliver asserted that the such contrasting viewpoints showed the

importance of this topic. The 9th century world of ead is explored in the programme through an obscure medieval text called The Chronicles of the Kings of Alba, kept at the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, which Oliver has dubbed “scotland’s birth certificate”. it contains the first reference from scottish sources to a land called “Albaniam”—the Gaelic word for scotland—of which Constantine was one of the first rulers. The Open University has co-produced the series of documentaries.

The makers of the programme have said that they were pleased to be probing sensitive issues such as the Act of Union, and that the series would have a strong evidential basis.

The series will also be seeking to address the controversy as the show was in its embryonic stages when Professor Allan Macinnes claimed that he thought “the whole production was dreadful,” and resigned from the advisory board.

Professor Macinnes said: “The first provisional script i got was so Anglocentric i couldn’t believe it. it was written on the basis that scotland was a divided country until the Union [with england] came along and civilised it. i felt it was just nonsense.”

University of edinburgh Professor Tom Devine, one of scotland’s top historians, made it known that he had turned down the offer of a place on the board, complaining of an “old-fashioned” approach to scottish history and the choice of an archaeologist Neil Oliver as the presenter.

Dr Wormald has remained involved in the programme despite claiming, “i had my own worries.”

A History of Scotland is due to air on sunday 9 November 9 and the series is set to coincide with a programme of events and concerts by the BBC to celebrate scottish history.

Northerners are dirtier, study finds Juliet Grant juliet.grant@journal-online.co.uk A sTUDy iNTO the nation’s hygiene conducted by the london school of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (lsHTM) has revealed that the further north you go, the more likely people are to have faecal bacteria on their hands.

The study, conducted in conjunction with the world’s first global handwashing day, involved taking swabs from the hands of 409 commuters hands at bus stops outside the main railways stations of five major British cities: london euston, liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle and Cardiff.

The results showed that almost 30 per cent of test subjects nationally had traces of faecal bacteria on their hands.

Newcastle commuters were exposed as being the least sanitary, with harmful bacteria found on 44 percent of those tested, compared to 13 percent in london, a differential of more than three to one.

The study’s authors are at a loss to explain the phenomenon; socioeconomic factors are unsatisfactory as manual workers were observed to

have cleaner hands than those in other occupations.

Dr Val Curtis, director of the Hygiene Centre at the lsHTM says, “i suspect something cultural so we will do another study to try to get to the bottom of it.”

Those in Birmingham and Cardiff had roughly equal results, with 23 percent and 24 percent respectively. liverpool commuters, however, have a relatively high contamination rate of 34 percent. in the three southern cities, the study revealed that women are more likely to be contaminated with harmful bacteria than their male counterparts. Women at london euston fared the worst, and are three times more likely than men to have bacteria ridden hands.

The bacteria most commonly found were enterococci, found in 22 per cent of samples, and escherichia coli, commonly known as e. coli, found in 9 per cent. These strands of bacteria may not always cause disease, but e. coli can kill if not properly treated.

Dr Curtis commented: “if any of these people had been suffering from a diarrhoeal disease, the potential for it to be passed around would be greatly increased by their failure to wash their hands.”

Jodi Mullen jodi.mullen@journal-online.co.uk A NeW lisT of Britain’s top 100 environmentalists, published by the Independent on Sunday, has named edinburgh-raised transport campaigner John stewart as the UK’s leading environmental activist.

The newspaper’s “green list” has defied expectations by focusing on relatively unknown academics, politicians and campaigners at the expense of high-profile figures, including celebrities and members of the royal family. recently, Mr stewart has campaigned against airport expansion and noise pollution caused by aircraft crossing urban areas. His ideas have influenced Conservative Party leader David Cameron, who announced his party’s opposition to the construction of a third runway at london Heathrow in June of this year.

John stewart’s career as an activist began in the late 1980s at the head of All london Against the road-building Menace (AlArM) campaign, a group that protested against the government’s plans to restructure the capital’s transport network. following initial success in london, AlArM became a nationwide movement and was credited with the demise of the Major government’s plans for 600 road construction or redevelopment projects at the expense of spending on Britain’s rail network.

Professor Bob Watson, Chief scientific Advisor to the Department for environment, food and rural Affairs (DefrA) was runner-up to stewart for his work promoting sustainable development and climate awareness within the government. in third place was Jane Davidson, the Welsh environment minister who has pledged that the principality’s electricity will be supplied entirely by renewable sources by 2020.

Monty Don, the former presenter of the BBC’s Gardener’s World programme, who encourages people to grow their own organic vegetables, came fourth, and Professor Peter Wadham, a leading polar scientist who has raised awareness of the planet’s shrinking icecaps won fifth place.

While the Green list is dominated by luminaries with a proven track record in environmental activism, it features several surprising entries. James Murdoch, heirapparent of News Corp, is at number eight, credited with reducing the company’s overall carbon footprint and introducing his father, rupert, to green issues.

Controversial artist Damien Hirst is placed twenty-second, praised by judges for his pioneering work in converting his warehouses to use solar panelling. David Cameron’s inclusion on the list, at number 40, for raising awareness of environmental issues in the political arena proved a controversial decision for the panel of four judges, some of whom speculated that his green politics may lack substance.

Despite winner stewart, who grew up in edinburgh, scottish environmentalists may be disappointed by the fact that only five people on the Green list were from north of the border in a list dominated by english entries.

The high number of relatively low-profile entries on the green list has led to the omission of several major public figures with bona fide environmental credentials. entrepreneur richard Branson failed to make the Top 100, despite launching a number of global green initiatives over the last two years, as did Prince Philip, well known for his work raising public awareness of countryside issues for more than half a century.

News 5

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

No escape for Palestinian students trapped by conflict The right to education is universal, and in the West, universally taken for granted; in occupied Palestine, a state of seige prevents students from taking up their degrees Sarah Clark

CHRIS YUNKER

sarah.clark@journal-online.co.uk THE RIGHT TO education is a fundamental human right - one not often honoured in the occupied Palestinian Territories, where thousands of students are blockaded by the Israeli authorities who refuse them the right to freedom of movement.

Rami Abdu, who last month succeeded in crossing the Rafah border to take up his PhD in finance at Manchester Metropolitan University, is one such victim. “I got a full scholarship to Manchester one and a half years ago.

I tried to cross the border four times and I sent messages to human rights groups, but like many students I was unsuccessful.

“As the offer was only valid for a short period, I lost my scholarship. I reapplied to Manchester amongst other universities this year and after waiting for four days without sleeping at the border, I have become one of the lucky ones able to take up my place in England.

“I’m married with three daughters, and I was forced to leave them in Palestine. I know that I won’t see them again until after I have completed my studies in three or four year’s time. This is an unimaginable feeling.”Mr Abdu is one of few students that have been fortunate enough to take up places in higher education abroad. Gisha Legal Centre for Freedom of Movement is an Israeli human rights group lobbying on behalf of Palestinian students against the closure policy. The executive director, Sari Bashi claims that as universities in Gaza offer only undergraduate degrees, close to 1,000 students attempt to leave the Palestine territories to pursue higher education every year, and this year only about a third of them were allowed out. Moreover, Gisha estimates that there are hundreds of students trapped in the OPT that after having returned for the holidays, have been prevented from leaving to recommence courses at foreign universities.

However, pressure from world leaders over the ban, led to Israeli officials earlier this year to declare that they would allow a few students who hold “recognized scholarships” seeking access to educational institutions in “friendly countries” to leave Gaza. Mr Bashi also commented that, “By letting out a few people, Israel has been able to deflect attention from the hundreds of students and 1.5 million people still trapped in Gaza.

Punishing innocent civilians for the behaviour of political leaders violates international prohibitions, and qualifies as collective punishment.”

Indeed, article 13 section (c) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) 1966, states

Israeli elect Tzipi Livni (pictured) swept to power promising reconciliation with Palestinians; however, sufficient political will to undo the legacy of Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert’s security policies will be hard to come by - in the meantime, Palestinian students remain stranded TINOOU BAO

“Higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education”. This was ratified

by Israel in 1999.

As Mr Abdu describes, these committments are not being met. “More than 1,200 students can’t reach their universities, with many having won scholarships at foreign universities.

These students have their hopes and ambitions for the future, not just for themselves but for the future of Palestine, hopes that the Israeli authorities continually destroy.

“These students are the future leaders of Palestine; many are post-grads whose degrees are not offered in Palestine, who want to help solve the problems our country faces, for example, with regard to poverty, medical and educational issues. It is necessary for us to receive a higher level of training and expertise not available in Gaza.”

Furthermore, Mr Abdu alleges that the Israeli authorities egregiously violate the human rights of prospective students “by not allowing us to leave, imprisoning us, subjecting us to examination, torture and bribery and sieging some students who do manage to get out. The Israeli government send false information and security tags to the country of destination, so that upon arrival they have their visas revoked and are sent back, I know these students and they have no political agenda, as is the case with the US Fulbright scholar who upon arrival in Washington was denied entry.”

Mr Abdu concluded: “I cannot describe the feeling of turmoil, and the effect these actions have on students, and their families. The plight of students highlights the wider Palestinian problem of Israeli occupation and the everyday suffering Palestinians endure that has intensified over the past two years.”

Israeli prime minister-elect Tzipi Livni - foreign minister under Ehud Olmert - summed up Israel’s official position in a letter on July 7: “The policy of not permitting exit abroad for students from Gaza is part of the Security Cabinet decision from October 19, 2007 which defined Gaza as a hostile entity

and placed restrictions on the borders for passage of goods and movement of people... except for humanitarian cases.” Israel declared Gaza a “hostile entity” after they failed to overthrow the elected government in an attempted coup, assisted by US-trained Fatah fighters during summer 2007.

The Israeli occupation has not only circumscribed students seeking access to education externally, but restricted movement within Gaza itself, which has resulted in students’ education being significantly compromised. Anan Quzmar, organiser of Action Palestine, left An-Najah university in Gaza to study in the UK due to the occupation.

Mr Quzmar told The Journal: “AnNajah is the biggest university in the Palestinian territories, and can cater for almost 17,000 students, but the education of Palestinians, due to Israeli occupation, is awful.

“Students are subjected to daily checkpoints, roadblocks and arbitrary detention. The sean of affairs at An-Najah has estimated that approximately 100 students and six members of staff are in jail. Many lecturers and students have been denied entry and have difficulty in entering the Nablus region where the university is located; five lecturers have had to stop teaching because of this.”

In addition to reports from the Palestinian Red Crescent that 42 students were killed between 2000 and 2005, Action Palestine alleges that many students are subjected to abuse and violence by the Israeli military if detained at checkpoints.

The case of Qasem, 19, a student at An-Najah National University, is one example documented by Action Palestine. Qasem and a group of friends were stopped at a checkpoint by Israeli soldiers, and assaulted. “...the soldier, laughing at his ability to bear pain, then took a piece of glass and broke it. He took Qasem’s arm and began to cut into it a Star of David. When Qasem struggled to break free the captain beat his legs and held his arm still. Qasem was released but he was not permitted to pass through the checkpoint, but instead he had to take the back roads. He still bears the scar today,” states Action Palestine’s report.

» BRITISH LECTURERS EMBROILED IN MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT IN MAY, AT the University and College Union (UCU) annual conference lecturers voted overwhelmingly to call on colleagues to “consider the moral and political implications of educational links with Israeli institutions, and to discuss the occupation with individuals and institutions concerned, including Israeli colleagues with whom they are collaborating.” The UCU is now facing legal action if it doesn’t retract its decision.

In reaction, a spokesperson for the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) said: “The Government is completely opposed to any

form of academic boycott of Israel, which will harm rather than help moves towards peace and reconciliation in the middle-east.”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Israeli Prime Minister Elud Omert launched the British Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership (BIRAX) in July 2008. BIRAX, developed by the British Council and Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) will receive £700,000 of funding over five years and is intended to strengthen academic collaboration between Britain and Israel.

6 News

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Social problems ignored as Glasgow hits top ten

News Shorts

wear them AT LEAST HE DIDN'T HAVE CRABS

A San Diego man accused of poaching lobsters, was caught with six of the crustaceans stuffed down his trousers last week. 33 year old Binh Quang Chau, who has been cited four times previously for poaching, was attempting to smuggle the lobsters out of the La Jolla Conservation Area. US Department of Fish and Game warden Daryl Simmons said that he only suspected when he noticed “odd bulges” moving in Mr Chau’s trousers. All six of the newspaperwrapped lobsters were still alive and returned to the ocean. Warden Simmons’s closing comments were “Thank god they don’t have pincers round here!”

Travel guide Lonely Planet names Glasgow fourth best city in the world to visit

Adam Carrington adam.carrington@journal-online.co.uk

SECRET PASSAGES

A mile of Labyrinthine tunnels has recently come up for sale in London.

The tunnels are being sold by BT in the hopes that an entrepreneur with imagination and vision can “return them to productive use”.

The tunnels conceal a dark history, originally constructed as an air raid shelter during the height of the 1940 Blitz then taken over by MI6 in 1944 with rumours of torture and interrogations having been held there hidden, underground.

In the 1960s the tunnels came to prominence again when they were used as part of the route for the direct Washington-Moscow private telephone line.

ILJA KLUTMAN

SHELLING OUT FOR REPAIRS

ILJA KLUTMAN

A FORMER MP has defended Glasgow’s billing as one of the top tourist destinations in the world following criticism of the city’s widespread social problems.

Lonely Planet named Glasgow as the fourth best city in the world to visit in their ‘Best in Travel 2009’ shortlist, after Antwerp, Beirut and Chicago.

Colin McNicol, a retired Labour MP who represented Mount Vernon in the East End of Glasgow throughout the 1990s, has expressed his happiness that the city is finally getting the recognition he believes it deserves.

“Glasgow has a lot to offer tourists,” he said. “It’s a brilliant city with a unique atmosphere that appeals to all sorts of people and the past twenty years have seen big improvements in social and economic terms.

“It’s the largest city in Scotland and is within reasonable distance from popular spots like Loch Lomond and has strong transport links to all over Scotland.

“The city has so much to offer, I don’t find it surprising that Lonely Planet holds Glasgow in such high esteem.”

Glasgow was the only British city in the top ten, prompting surprise within the UK. Critics have pointed out that the city has made little progress in terms

of curing its social ills, and suggested Lonely Planet’s rating could draw attention away from resolving these issues.

Poverty in some areas of Glasgow equals that of the most deprived regions in the world, with male life expectancy as low as 53 years.

The city holds the unenviable title of “murder capital of Europe.” One in nine Glaswegians live in homes that are condemned and one in five are unemployed. The rate of knife crime is 3.5 times higher than in England.

Although the guide praises the city centre’s shopping experience and the West End’s fashionable pubs, tourists are not encouraged to venture beyond Glasgow’s most affluent areas.

There is, however, cause for optimism: Glasgow will host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and several ambitious projects, including a new sports stadium and the extension of the metro, have been confirmed. Several luxury hotels will be built to accommodate the expected boom in tourism – the help of Lonely Planet’s endorsement.

80 year old life-long resident, Annie Stewart told The Journal: “You can’t run down Glasgow for the slums and the crime. Sao Paulo and Beirut can’t be any worse than us.

“Glasgow’s a great place to visit and live in. You have all the museums and art galleries, and the folk here are friendly – something that can’t always be said about those from Edinburgh.”

World's largest 'spam gang' caught Kristijonas Kancleris kristijonas.kancleris@journal-online.co.uk A NON-PROFIT ANTI-SPAM research group, SpamHaus has celebrated The US Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) legal victory against the largest ‘spam gang’ in the world.

After a long investigation involving police agencies across the world, the US court in Chicago and court in New Zealand ordered the assets of Lance Atkinson, a New Zealander currently residing in Australia, and Jody Smith of Texas to be frozen.

The duo are allegedly responsible for one third of the world’s spam, at a time where spam accounts for 90 per cent of messages sent over the internet.

The FTC said that, “Their enterprise included participants in Australia, New Zealand, China, Russia, Canada and the United States.”

Documents filed by the court also name four companies that the defendants control: Inet Ventures Pty Ltd., Tango Pay Inc., Click Fusion Inc., and TwoBucks Trading Ltd.

The organisation best known as HerbalKing were marketing herbal and prescription drugs over email. With an alleged “botnet” of 35,000 hacked computers they were capable of sending up to 10 billion unsolicited messages a day – equivalent to three emails in two days for each individual on the planet.

The duo was clearing $400,000 every month from visa charges only, despite the pills, contrary to advertisements being neither a 100 per cent herbal nor 100 per cent safe.

Furthermore, the defendants made false claims about consumers’ credit card information security. They also recruited spammers all over the world to send solicited email messages.

HerbalKing violated CAN-SPAM (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) Act of 2003 which provides civil and criminal penalties, by using deceptive advertising practice and failing to give opt-out link and physical postal address.

Mr Atkinson has previously faced legal action against him. Three years ago, he was fined $2.2 million for selling herbal medicine over the internet.

Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is to offer MOTs for tortoises to ensure that they are healthy enough to hibernate over the winter.

The checkups which include a weigh in, followed by a search for problems such as mouth ulcers and pneumonia, are important to ensure that tortoises are not suffering from anything which could prove fatal over the long winter’s rest.

Pre-hibernation MOTs will be given at clinics held at the Hospital for Small Animals; the two clinics will be held on Thursday, 30 October, at 3pm and 5pm. The council and the DVLA have not commented on whether they will be issuing parking permits or collecting road tax.

HIBBEE-HAVING BADLY

Hibernian’s Portuguese midfielder Filipe Morais has appeared in court in Edinburgh to face allegations that he assaulted a doorman in the city last month.

The incident involving Morais, who signed for the Edinburgh side last summer, is alleged to have taken place at York Place’s Maxim Casino on 26 September. Reports indicated that 22 year-old Morais kicked doorman Robert Brown in the head. It is understood that Mr Brown had already been knocked to the floor before Mr Morais’ alleged intervention.

Mr Morais and his co defendant Paul Whytock, 26, both deny charges of assault, and were granted bail pending trials next year. A spokesperson for Hibernian Football Club declined to comment when contacted by The Journal, saying that it would be innapropriate as the matter was still to be determined by the courts.

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Edinburgh News 9

The Journal Wednesday 29 October 2008

Ministers ignore post Office protests Alec Bruce

Nick Eardley nick.eardley@journal-online.co.uk LOcaL pOLiticians in Edinburgh have criticised the decision to shut eleven local post office branches, including the popular Warrender park Road branch at the centre of a campaign against the closures. the announcement came at the end of a six week consultation period over closures, proposed earlier this year.

Despite the fact that upwards of three thousand local residents signed a petition calling for the Marchmont branch to be saved, it will be amongst those post offices lost. the first closures are set to begin as early as november this year.

Jenny Dawe, leader of Edinburgh city council has hit out at the decision, saying: “i am hugely disappointed that the enormous volume of local support for the Warrender park Road post office has been ignored in this cynical attack on local services for local communities.

“Excellent arguments for retention were put forward in heart-felt pleas at a public meeting and the council submitted strong views against the closure.”

Michael Moore, deputy leader of the scottish Liberal Democrats, also attacked the verdict, saying that it failed to sufficiently take local opinions into account.

Mr Moore said: “people have got small change out of this review. they will be right to be very bitter and angry about this outcome.

“the strong response this consultation received will only increase the sense of betrayal, since nothing meaningful has changed.” two of the post offices earmarked for closure in the original proposal, Elm Row and calder crossway, will remain open, but the Royal Mail has now started a consultation on plans to close its branch at Oxgangs Broadway in order to cut costs. a total of 24 branches will be closed throughout scotland. the decision has been defended by Royal Mail, which has highlighted that 99.6 per cent of those in affected areas will still live within one mile of their local branch, in line with government standards. in response to Mr Moore’s argument over the consultation process, it was also highlighted that procedure had been approved by postwatch, the body which represents post office customers. sally Buchanan, post Office Ltd’s network development manager for scotland, said: “these are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly.

We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the public consultation.

“We believe that the amended plan announced today offers our customers across Edinburgh, the Lothians and the south of scotland the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future, bearing in mind the UK Government’s minimum access criteria and the other factors it has asked us to consider.”

17 per cent increase in city centre pedestrians provides ray of light in bleak economic climate Nick Eardley nick.eardley@journal-online.co.uk

Development threatens green belt status of Edinburgh’s Braid hills DAve Morris

Alice Stanes alice.stanes@journal-online.co.uk £7.5 BiLLiOn WORth of development has been proposed for the city of Edinburgh, threatening the green belt status of several areas including Braid hills – the popular tourist site near Morningside.

Despite the continuing economic crisis, Edinburgh looks set for a large scale renovation as the government confirms a number of structural developments. these include projects on the waterfront and in the city centre, as well as in the southeast and west of Edinburgh, in a bid to sustain a vibrant city image. the Edinburgh green belt aims to reduce the city’s increasing urbanisation and subsequently protect attractive landscapes that surround the capital by prohibiting site development.

Duncan campbell, spokesman for Friends of the Edinburgh green belt, said: “We appreciate the city has to expand, but the way to do that is through a proper technical survey to find the areas better suited for development.”

Development schemes in the south of Edinburgh present risks to areas such as Braid hill. the rural site acts as a wildlife and nature reserve, and is a popular walking route for locals and tourists alike. it’s extensive landscape views, however, may be compromised, with a significant rise in development plans proposed for the surrounding areas. although initial proposals have been modified in keeping with the spp

(scottish planning policy), there is still a risk for green belt areas. Edinburgh city council has conducted a re-evaluation of certain areas, and even deleted particular sites, such as newcraighall, south East of Edinburgh, from the green belt entirely, conducive to their response to objections which have been raised. allan Lundmark, director of planning at homes for scotland, favoured the plans to remove green belt sites. he told the Edinburgh Evening News: “there is simply insufficient land being made available.” he added “Green belt land is not necessarily all of high quality, nor does it always serve a useful function. it’s time to debate how we balance the protection

Edinburgh shoppers vote with their feet

of the environment and enhancement of green space with the needs of local people for family housing.” the planning proposals and subsequent evaluations are the result of the Edinburgh city local plan which has replaced the south East Edinburgh local plan, finalised in august 2005. this local plan implements policies and proposals of the Edinburgh and Lothians structure plan 2015, a long-term vision for overall development.

One major development scheme proposed by the council is the increase in student accommodation. the number of students enrolled at Edinburgh University has increased dramatically over the last decade, rising 50 per cent to 66,000.

this in turn has led to a significant loss in family housing.

Jason hogg, director of development land at property consultants Jones Lang Lasalle, praised the proposal earlier this year, telling the Evening News “this is exactly the type of housing which Edinburgh requires at the moment. there is a significant demand for quality family accommodation servicing the city.” strong objection to such development still remains, however. Local snp councillor colin Keir maintained he was, “absolutely against” the proposal. “i’m all for more affordable housing, but this is the wrong place and the wrong time for a development like this on green belt land.”

FOOtFaLL FiGUREs FOR Edinburgh have revealed a 17 per cent year-onyear increase in city centre pedestrians, giving an encouraging sign of the city’s retail sector’s ability to withstand a recession. the study by Edinburgh city council has shown that from June to august, an average of 345,764 pedestrians took to princes street, whilst daily figures reached as high as 90,655 outside Marks and spencer in the east end of the busy shopping thoroughfare. similarly, there was an increase of 34 per cent on the high street, and increases of between 20 and 25 per cent on George street. councillor tom Buchanan, economic development convener for the council praised the results. he said: “these figures show that despite the economic downturn, Edinburgh continued to do well over the summer period and that our city centre is still seen as a vibrant place to visit and shop in.” the system counts the number of pedestrians in specific areas 24 hours a day. 18 counting “pads” were strategically placed around the city centre, including on Lothian Road and shandwick place. the largest increase reported was outside the Lothian Buses shop on Lothian Road, which saw a jump of 38.5 per cent in footfall. the findings have been welcomed by the Edinburgh chamber of commerce, whose chief executive, Ron hewitt said: “a thriving city centre is key to Edinburgh’s self image and the face we show to the world.

“Good footfall reflects a healthy economy, not just from the retailers who benefit but for the hospitality and entertainment sectors also, and the feel good factor which keeps Edinburgh a desirable place to live and work.” however, it has been acknowledged that the study was conducted before the onset of many of the current financial problems facing consumers, and the difficulties with city centre access after the closure of the Mound junction to accommodate tram infrastructure work. it is so far unclear what effect this will have on city centre footfall. cllr Buchanan warned that the city would have to continue to work hard in order to build on these increases, saying: “We’re not complacent about this and we continue to work to encourage people to come into the city centre, including expanding our christmas parking promotion to cover november.

“We’re also still committed to delivering the ‘string of pearls’ concept which will see the potential of princes street as a mixed-use retail, business and leisure destination maximised.”