the
ISSUE 12 OCT 09
YOUR NEWS - YOUR VIEWS
DUNDEE UNIVERSITY STUDENT MAGAZINE
FREE
enough is enough why we need to get these idiots off the telly
YOURNEWS....YOURSPORT....YOURVIEWS....YOURSCIENCE....YOURMUSIC....YOURFEATURES...YOURHEALTH... YOURTRAVEL...YOURINFOCUS....YOURART.....YOURREPRESENTATION...YOURMAGDALEN
If you are interested in getting involved in The Magdalen we are still looking for graphic designers and promoters. E-mail us @ themagdalen@dusa.co.uk
current affairs We uncover what’s going on in all your latest international, local and campus news.
features yah flowchart quiz art review
sport tennis barclays report F1 racing
travel
hostels travel fashion
regulars health monthly timeline cartoons
fashion catwalk special fashion on the cheap
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Contributors Editor Natalie Coupar Travel Editor Michelle Lacey Lifestyle Editor Alasdair Forrest Fashion Editor Liz O’Hara Sports and Societies Editor Barry Davidson Finance Director Adam McVey Contributors Stina Stieding Rory Martin Jamie Butler James Sloan Jo McIntyre Kirsty Fergusson Michelle Travers Nicola Brown Ross Barrow Henrietta Evans Ruth Hunter Matt Simmonds Neil Cant Noe Favre Alice Schackley Alfie Pound Alexander Johnston
The weather is getting colder, exam’s are getting nearer and (cliche) it’ll be Christmas before you know it. Bringing you into those chillier months are our travel pages, which this edition cover the howto’s on hostelling. Our fashion pages are looking gorgeous with some useful advice on how to make the most out of charity shops. Our current affairs pages look at the growth of the Socialist Workers Party and their activity on campus. There’s also a brilliant article on social workers - do you think they get a raw deal? Ruth Hunter’s crazy cartoons are back along side an interesting exhibition which was shown at a nearby Art Exhibitionist lately. If you’re thinking about getting involved with the Magdalen on any level please give us a shout at
themagdalen@dusa.co.uk With regards to representation, have a read of Alice Shackley’s interview with Craig Kelly (Vice President of Campaigns). The next issue will see the return of CAUGHT! to our pages, so keep an eye out for your mug in the next issue. We hope you enjoy reading The Magdalen and if not please let us know! Kind Regards, Natalie Coupar Editor n.coupar@dundee.ac.uk
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news : campus Students Unite?
>Rory Martin
The ongoing financial crisis is taking it’s toll on the student body both economically and financially. The Socialist Workers Students Society, which was recently affiliated to DUSA by the Student Representative council, has been active on campus as a vehicle for the distribution of the Socialist Worker publication.
difficulties of societies when finding their feet. This indicates the difficulties of campus politics. As was found much of these societies had a small core of dedicated members. It has only been in the last year that political issues have made a clear resurgence in the daily utterances of the student body.
The radicalization of student politics albeit a more left-wing one - is indeed a return to the grassroots politics that once featured heavily on the agendas of students associations.
DUSA President Andrew Smith when posed the same questions answered: “While the nature of politics may have changed, DUSA is always actively encouraging and supporting societies in their activities.”
However, it is pertinent that students have access to a wide range of political material that covers the entire spectrum. If we are concerned with the current political climate, why is it then that we just don’t act? Speaking to some senior figures of the political societies the picture became clearer - Shane Mochrie-Cox of Labour stated that Dundee in his view: “Dundee University tended to be very apathetic campus and with many students not wanting to get involved in the bodies that debate the issues of the day.” “This I feel has a negative effect on the
whole student body as there are many current issues locally, nationally and internationally that will have a great effect on the students that will graduate soon or in the future and you can only make change from the inside.” >Rory Martin Andrew Macqueen, President of the Conservative Society, spoke about the
Since taking up office, the new student executive have increased the Societies budget by 50%. In addition to this, the “Year of Democracy” campaign has (perhaps rather imperiously) forced students to recognise numerous political issues which may not have had due attention otherwise. Campus is politicizing more-so by the day and if last years EGM is anything to place value on, then perhaps those in power should take heed of tomorrows leaders.
news : local BNP Policy >Ross Barrow With the political party conference season underway, politicians from all parties are battling for media coverage. Increasingly, politicians from different parties are coming on television to debate against one another. However, Alan Johnson has refused to debate with one party in particular, the British National Party, due to their policies on race. Whilst many agree with his sentiment, this approach will leave the electorate in the dark over BNP policy in other areas, such as the education and the environment which are, too, extremely worrying. On university education, the BNP would offer you a full grant if you happen to be studying what they refer to as a “proper subject” yet if you were studying a “fake social science” then you would be told to pay your own way. The effect of this
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would be to reduce the number of critical thinkers amongst the electorate; it is little wonder why the BNP would consider this to be a good thing. On the environment the BNP claim to be “this nation’s only true Green party.” But… er…what about the Green Party? Well, the BNP refer to them as, the “fake greens”. They argue that the ‘fake greens’ are fake because they do not recognise, that “overpopulation - whose primary driver is immigration…is the cause of the
destruction of our environment”. Linking the international problem of climate change to domestic immigration policy is not just wrong, but dangerous. One BNP tag line is ‘it’s not racism it’s just common sense’. Their position on climate change shows the party creates policy on anything but common sense. There is some good in all of this however. These policies are not serious, precisely because the BNP do not have any serious chance of being in power. The party exists only as a racist talking shop. So come on Mr Johnson, if you cannot debate against this chatter, then surely you cannot debate against anything? .
news : local & national The Future of Cuts Brown, Cameron, Clegg=Cuts, cuts, cuts There is one four letter ‘C’ word that party leaders never say. Actually I can think of two but the one I’m talking about is ‘cuts’. All three party leaders have been falling over each other to appear tough on public spending. If we are to believe the respective leaders we would think that there is no loss to public services by cutting budgets. The Schools Secretary, Ed Balls recently said he could cut £2Billion from the schools budget without compromising on quality of education. This makes two large assumptions. The first is that there is enough ‘middle management’ types within the school system that could be made redundant without having to cut teachers or classroom resources. The Second
>Adam R McVey assumption is that even if these managers exist, schools will choose to sack them rather than teachers. As uncomfortable as it is, Schools with hundreds of pupils need a lot of administration. Some schools may choose to give up teachers rather than support staff making class sizes bigger but keeping admin work off of the teacher’s desk. Assuming these two assumptions fall in Mr Ball’s favour. If he has the ability to save the tax payer £2Billion a year with no cost to education why has he waited this long to do it? During his September party conference speech the LibDem Leader, Nick Clegg, implied they would impose ‘savage’ cuts. With even the Liberals facing up to the reality that the spending bubble has burst,
Comment: Social Workers As news hit the press reporting the death of Peter Connelly (Baby P) through severe abuse and neglect suffered at the hands of mother and stepfather, even the most forgiving individuals and professionals were hard pushed not to put this down to ‘innate evil’. Unsurprisingly, this tragedy in 2007 resulted in Haringey, North London, hitting the world’s media for all the wrong reasons. More recently and painfully closer to home, Dundee has suffered similar infamy through the death of two year-old Brandon Muir. Revelations of a “massive blow” to the stomach area which broke ribs and ruptured intestines shocked our ‘civilised’ society. The question of who to blame was apparently a no brainer: of course it was not the responsibility of the parents themselves - the philosopher kings of the tabloids were out in force telling us what they’ve always told us; the blame lay directly with ‘bloody social workers’. I can empathise with those of you who have ever looked to pursue a career in social work as it is truly an admirable career choice. I can equally empathise with those of you who may have reconsidered their plan to pursue social work due to the reality of the ‘public enemy’ status which comes with the job. The burden of responsibility and abuse to field workers surely outweighs any praise and respect attained. This is not to say that social workers shouldn’t be accountable based purely on the fact
should we be worried about the trickledown effect on students? It is unlikely The Scottish Government would reintroduce tuition fees only two years after they were abolished. However, they could quietly reduce the number of funded University places. This meaning fewer Scots would be able to go to University and Universities would have to rely even more on research funds. This hypothetical situation would change the nature of universities shifting primary focus from the students to the research labs. This demonstrates that even the smallest cut can have the biggest effect. When it comes to cuts only one thing is certain. They’re coming. We don’t know where, when and by how much, but they are coming.
>Jamie Butler
that they are ‘here to help’. As with every other profession in society, social workers, ministers and officials do make mistakes: potential problems are overlooked, action
Brandon Muir and jailed Robert Cunningham is taken too quickly or action is not taken quickly enough. Is it possible that this is not a problem with individuals but with the system? With social workers in the Dundee area regularly working with caseloads of thirty families, understaffing is an ever escalating problem. On questioning what would be an ideal caseload to work with, I was simply laughed at; such a figure has never existed within local authorities. Protected caseloads are simply not an option in an area like Dundee where too many families need help. A rough estimate was that field workers realistically only have the time to deal with half that
figure to a semi-effective level. Within the profession, the evolution of social work has been described as “playing catch-up”. The understaffing issues result in social workers being more involved in responding to crisis rather than doing the much needed preventative work with families. However, steps in the right direction are being made. The recent ‘Joint Responsibility’ initiative focuses on ever-increasing communication between teachers, GP’s, midwifes and even neighbours. The purpose of this is to shed more light on child protection issues and extinguish certain problems at the source. Regardless of positive initiatives, if social work continues to be an undersubscribed career choice, it paints a grim picture for years to come. I see it as our social responsibility to develop a thick skin and do what has to be done. Numbers of social workers have to rise. It is literally a matter of life and death. After all, it costs more money to pay a family to foster a vulnerable child than it does to pay another social worker to stop it from ever getting to that stage. With every child protection decision having to be made with these financial implications in mind, it is an ongoing battle of which the resources are being drained. Changes need to be made. Pointing the finger at social workers has resulted in failing the nation’s children.
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news : international Karzai denies UN Poll
Militants Resume Attacks
Afghanistan’s premier Hamid Karzai has reportedly criticised the investigation of fraudulent practise in the recent Afghan elections. The result was delayed whilst the ECC (Electoral Complaints Commission) invesigated claims of intimidation at polling booths. As the Magdalen was going to press, the UN backed watchdog had submitted a ruling of fraud to the Afghan election commission. This will undoubtedly send into disrupute the efforts of American President Barack Obama to sending more troops into the region.
A group of Nigerian militants known as Mend (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) have claimed that they will end their ceasefire and return to more hardline methods of miltancy. This has, in the past, including the attacks on the oil industry. Since the ceasefire was declared, many of the militants surrendered to the government under an amnesty. However the group have concluded that such displays of peace are fake and that they will resume the violence in the area in order to help local people benefit.
Thai Kings Illness Impacts Shares
Ukraine Election
The health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej has caused share prices to plummet in Thailand. The recent illness of the sovereign due to fatigue has seen him hospitalised for four weeks at time of print. Shares dropped on the the stock exchange by 8% at the latest trade session. The worlds longest serving monarch has been typically seen as a figure of unification in a country where coups are common place and the role of the PM is not concrete. The finance minister has snubbed calls to introduce special measures to protect the markets.
Blast Kills 42 Pakistan have denied links to a blast that killed 42 people, including senior commanders of the Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard. The attack on the Sistan-Baluchistan province has highlighted the increasing tensions between the mainly Shiite muslim Iran bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan’s foreign ministry have condemned the attacks in refute to claims by Iranian government that Pakistans security agents have been working closely with the perpetrators.
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The Eastern European nation has set it’s election date for the 17th of January. The first election since that of the tumultous 2004 election, many are watching to see if the declining popularity of leader Viktor Yuschenko reflects in the results. Since coming to power through the Orange Revolution, Viktor Yuschenko has witnessed a sharp decline in popularity as his attempts at reform have been marred by internal and political arguments. Expected to run for the position is current Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych. Tymoshenko was seen as a close ally of the current President throughout the Orange Revolution, which saw mass
protests relating to the spurious elections of Yanokovych. The pro-western leader Yuschenko has supported the goals of Nato and EU membership, yet the financial crisis is set to top the agenda. This comes as the nation have recently recieved a £6.14bn loan from the IMF to counter the collapse of their currency. Conditions attached to the loan have been severe and damaging to the Presidents already falling support. Since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, this will be the countries 5th Presidential election.
Climate Talks British Prime Minister Gordon Brown spoke recently at the climate talks in Copenhagen with an air of austerity. The “catastrophic” future of the world where climate deals are not made will comprise of killer heatwaves and floods, according to the PM. Recent estimates from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have shown that 1.8 bn people could be short of water by 2080. Such figures are likely to provoke little angst to world leaders, who are arguing for more financial reforms to support such measures.
news : infocus Tuition Fees Tuition fees have long been a contentious issue in British politics; the question over where the burden of funding should fall is becoming hotly debated in these grim economic times. Indeed, the Liberal Democrats, once the favoured party by students with their strong stance against the introduction of top-up fees, have now abandoned this pledge in light of the recession. The debate has spread from Parliament to the world of business with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) stating that students would have to pay more towards their education in order to retain the universities high teaching and research standards. In spite of this claim, the CBI wish to have greater means testing elements in student financing yet also wish to charge “more competitive” rates of interest upon student loans. At present, student loans have an interest rate set by the government which are considerably lower than standard commercial rates, such as those found on the high street. If the CBI gets their own way, then the government target of sending 50% of school leavers into higher education could come to an end. At present, it has been alleged that certain UK universities are capping the number of home students that are being recruited in order to attract overseas, non EU students who pay a considerably higher set of tuition fees. So alongside the government’s aim of reducing
>J.McIntyre & J.Sloan spending across all sectors of the economy, universities will have to find ways to deal with the funding deficit. And one sure fire way of getting cash is foreign students, who can be charged inordinate amounts of money for the pleasure of studying in Britain. Yet, where does this leave British students? With a record number of A-level passes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2009, a drying up jobs market, alongside inaccessibility to further education. This could mean a considerable risk of university becoming inaccessible
to many with good grades, and especially those from less well off backgrounds who baulk at the already costly living expenses before the issue of tuition fees even enters the frame. As it stands university tuition fees in the rest of the UK are caped at £3145, with those non-Scottish students attending Scottish institutions paying less. However there are
increasing calls south of the border for Universities to be allowed to charge even higher fees, and with such a move, how would that affect Scottish universities? A potential influx of students from elsewhere in the UK not wishing to pay the increased fees, could have a detrimental effect upon the funding of Scottish universities. Would it be financially possible to take an even greater number of students with funding remaining unchanged, or worse, reduced? Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott has disagreed with his party leader, Nick Clegg, who wishes to abandon the parties long held policy against tuition fees. Yet the hard economic fact is that the money to finance universities must come from somewhere. The new principal of Dundee University, Peter Downes, in a recent Sunday Times interview stated his ambition to place teaching and research upon an equal footing in order to ensure that Dundee University is an institution of excellence. Yet, Dr Downes is also well aware that the funding will not be readily available from the powers above, so where does this leave the issue of funding? The choices include increasing fees, or in the Scottish case, the reintroduction of fees or the previous top-up tax. Another possibility is the increasing number of foreign students whose huge fees are surely a lifeline in these dark times, yet where does that leave British students…is it now time to pay more?
Strawpoll of students at Dundee Uni reflects:
Would you be willing to pay more towards your education? 92% No, 8%
Who should fund universities? 46% Solely the government 0% Only private enterprise 4% Students themselves 50% A mixture of the above 5
representation: Student Representative Council
The first meeting of the Student Representative Council, referred to herein as the SRC, was convened on the 29th of September in the meeting rooms of the Union. The meeting saw the affiliation of the Socialist Workers Party Society to DUSA as well as the affiliation of the Atheist Society, the Model UN Society, Students for Sensible Drug Policy Society and Medsin Dundee. The affiliation of the Socialist Workers Party to DUSA has raised concerns amongst some that many societies are being established which cover issues already recognised within other societies.
Such affiliaitions could undoubtedly detract support and funding from already established societies, stretching thin the pockets of the society budget. The independent Chair was also appointed to head the SRC. Adam McVey, who joined the SRC as School President of Social and Environmental Science, took up the position with the terms that his role should be covered by a new representative. Two new members to the Board of Trustees, Iain Francis and Charles Deog-Smith were ratified by the SRC. The Board of Trustees is the upper body of governance within the democratic realms of DUSA. Iain Francis
resided as the Junior Presiding Officer prior to taking up his role on the Board of Trustees. To find out what SRC is and who you should contact, go to: www.dusa.co.uk/src
How Representation Works
Student Representatives
University Structures
DUSA Executive
Students Representative Council (SRC)
Services & Facilities Subcommittee
Learning & Teaching Subcommittee
Court, Senate and their Committees
College Boards
School Boards
School Staff-Student Liaison Committees School Presidents
Class / module Representatives
The Student Body
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• Informal feedback to staff • Module feedback surveys • National Student Surveys (NSS) • Programme Review Panels • Hall Committees
The ìShould you have went to St.Andrews had you been more intelligent (not that weíre saying that Dundee University is not for the intelligent seeing that Abertay is CLEARLY a polytechnic but weíre not ones to split hairs)î Flowchart Quiz Do you own anything made by the purveyor of university wares company Jack wills?
Yah
no
toff Aff!
Do gilets feature heavily in your wardrobe? Yah
no
is your hair quite messy - but its ìmeant to be like thatí?
You belong at dundee, that is if youíre not hiding uggs/ canterburys/ abercrombie and fitch etc under your bed - if so: toff aff!
no
Yah
Do you wear sports trousers but you donít even play a sport?
toff Aff!
no Yah 9
travel: ? O T E R R! E U S H W N E I B , S PARI A
o ide t
ts gu
en stud
Cit the
y of
Love
>Kirsty Fergusson
P
aris is officially one of the best student city break experiences. In April all French national monuments and museums stops charging entry fees for all under 26ís in possession of a valid EU passport. Thatís right, you can visit one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, drink in as much culture as you can handle, and still have enough Euros to drink in copious amounts of the finest (or least expensive...) French wine! Getting to Paris is relatively easy as Ryanair run a Prestwick International - Paris Beauvais service which is priced very reasonably. Beauvais airport is outside Paris and costs 13 Euros by shuttle bus to get to central Paris. Paris in only a few days requires precision planning and a lot of energy, as there is simply so much to see. It is best to pick just a few of the museums to visit ñ top of my list are the Centre Pompidou for iconic modern art and some seriously weird pieces, and MusÈe DíOrsay which houses classic impressionist paintings by Monet and Renoir, and works
ap che paris
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from French artists such as Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec.
dish of onion soup with melted gruyere cheese are found really cheaply in many cafes in the back streets. Just avoid tourist To get the real Parisian experience, restaurants if you want to keep costs low. visit the sites on foot and by Metro. After your French food comes French The Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and drinking! Make like the locals and sit a walk along the River Seine in the outside a cafe or bar with a cocktail or sunshine are all essentials! The nota glass of wine. The area of Beaubourg so-hidden-gem Chateau Versaille near the Pompidou Centre has some is only a short train ride away from fabulous bars open way past the usual central Paris ñ you can even dine Scottish 2.30am curfew, some of which do like Marie Antoinette herself in the a mean Lychee Mojito! Chateau cafe serving Chocolat Chaud and colourful macaroons... For a more beautiful setting there is Cafe donít expect to be able to afford de líhomme in Plac e du TrocadÈro, which dinner afterwards though! boasts the best view of the Eiffel Tower late Eating well in Paris is not difficult as night illuminations. Drinking a few civilised the city has many student friendly glasses of Merlot whilst watching the tower options. From crepe carts in the light up is the one of the best ways to end street to the traditional peasant a break in the French capital.
PARIS FOR CHEAP: TIPS 1. Avoid ìTourist Trapî ar eas when dining out, these will usually be the hub of expensive restaurants and in your case, empty wallets.
2.Get the free stuff. Many one of the many dirtchurches and museums hold cheap hostels on offer. ìfree nightsî whic h are there to be taken advantage of. 4.When it comes to drinking, keep an eye 3.Hostels, not hotels. Paris is out for Happy Hours notorious for its expensive which are usually clearly hotels, so our advice if stay signposted in bars and clear and book yourself into cafes.
travel: FYI: HOSTELS
HOLIDAYS IN HOSTELS Anecdotes and cringey moments from students!
PRAGUE gue, After arriving late in Pra ing ed knackered and ne to a shower we decided stel. ho r ou eat dinner near hostel the us, Unfortunately for Town d Ol the was right next to total a t bu l Square ñ beautifu a nd fou tourist trap!! We s slightly restaurant which wa ordered t bu over our budget water tap d an margarita pizza
nu choice! We - classic traveller me t only to be then left our paymen rant across chased from the restau A iter shouting ë the square by our wa to d de ee oc pr TIP MADAM!í He then vel tra r ou t go ly wait until we sheepish him e giv to us wallet and instructed nt to about ale uiv eq s wa t a tip tha ney...seems like 35 pence in British mo t and fuss for a lot of embarrassmen sty Fergusson such a small tip!?! Kir
VIETNAM Everyone takes shots on a night out; the usual sambuc a, maybe a tequila or if youíre ha rd core an absenth of some sor t. In Vietnam these shots are put to shame! They only have alcoh ol with essence of dead an imal in it. On one of our nights ou t, we took shots of dead bird liqu or and afterwards a feather was pulled out of my friendís mo uth!! Ah!!
BUNOL, SPAIN ve from After the one hour dri bus the off ill Valencia we sp ople pe of s sse following the ma e the ov Ab . ets to the narrow stre and ria ng sa of s stalls selling jug ras me ca of pro expensive water m fro g rin ee ch le there are peop y wa r ou ze ee squ balconies. We n tio ac the ere wh to the centre of are le op pe ny Ma will take place. toes to see jumping and squishing s are. Soon ck tru how far away the le raise op Pe . ws a loud horn blo ting an ch sky the their hands to d fille s ck tru ral ìTOMATO!î Se ve
Talk about hard core! Michelle Travers
atoes slowly with juicy overripe tom the masses. gh make their way throu ps the side sla When the first tomato fight is the ow of your face...you kn people er, oth ch ON!!!!! Clawing ea g ltin pe ns, ski grab the slushy red The ur. bo igh ne them towards a near h the wit xed mi es stench of the tomato able. liev be un s wa electric atmosphere with seeds in Covered in the juices, rning our eyes, bu our ears, the acidity en part in tak we had successfully fight - LA ato the worldís largest tom TOMATINA!
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l e v a r T & n o i h s a F travel: travel:
>Michelle Travers
Trade In Your....
Everyone knows that when you
nts
go travelling itís not a fashion show, unfortunately you have to leave behind many of your essential beauty products! The constant travelling, long bus trips, hot weather and dodge food doesnít make you feel very attractive at the best of times, so letís face it; skinny jeans, straight hair and heaps of make-up just isnít happening. You may not be able to pull off a classy, sophisticated look, but that doesnít mean you stop trying completely, why not try the traveller look.....?
s for n a e J Skinny
riser
ted Moistu in T r o f n io Foundat
Heels for Sandals
m Pa e r a H gy
Bag
GHD’s for D e-frizz serum
Make Up for Au Naturel
It will take a while to perfect the a Market
et for Fle e r t S h ig H
traveller look. But a few weeks of irregular showers, sea, sun, dust roads, bites and scars all add to the traveller look. And letís face it the lack of full length mirrors definitely helps you not care what you look like. Eventually the traveller look is the only one that is possible to pull off.
travel: CROSS-CULTURAL ENCOUNTER French-Swiss speaking Noe from SwitZerland practices his English while being interviewed about his impressions of Dundee University and his home country by Michelle Lacey, New Zealand study abroad student.
Would you call Dundee ëFundeeí or ëScumdeeí? ìDefinitely Fundee..because every day I do something else other than studying..it seems I go out almost every night! There are so many things to do. In Switzerland we do not go straight to the pub after sports practice ñ here this it is different.î Whatís been one of your funniest/ most embarrassing moments at Dundee? ìI arrived 40 minutes late to an English test and the classroom was full of about 100 people. I had to walk all the way to the back of the class,î he laughs. ìSometimes people still recognize my face and point me out when Iím walking around the University.î How long will you be studying at Dundee for? ìOne year. I have a feeling it is going to go very fast.î Tell me something fascinating about your home country. After some very deep thinking.. ìWe have four different languages in Switzerland. We have French, German, Italian and Rumantsch (which is a mixture between the three languages). Where would you recommend visiting in SwitZerland? ìValle Verzasca, Ticino. This is in the Italian part of Switzerland. There are long valleys in the mountains, and you can swim in the river ñ it is just so nice. At the end of the river, there is a big dam where people go bungee jumping. This dam was filmed in beginning of the James Bond movie ìGolden Eyeî ñ this is also wh y this area is famous.î What would you like to bring to Scotland from your home country? ìThis is another hard question,î he gr ins. ìI would like the mountains to be here because I love snowboarding in Switzerland. Hmm.. and also Swiss chocolate. Sorry.. not very original I know,î he jok es. What are three things to describe your home country ìOnly three?î He smiles , then looks out the window in concentration. ìGood cheese, Fondue parties, and that Switzerland is a nice and small ñ compact country. That is why I like Dundee, everything is all very close.î
HAVE YOU TRIED HAGGIS YET? He scrunches up his face, ìNo, it sounds awful! Iím going to try it at some stage though or this would not be a real Scottish trip.
science: UK Should Lead Battle Against World Hunger The Royal Society have encouraged the British Government to plough £2bn into crop research in order to stave off world hunger. Food politics is an issue which is to feature high on the agenda of climate talks. The cold reality of world hunger in an age where obesity reigns king has seen much academic debate in both politics and science. The Royal Society have noted that science must play a key role in food supply if the world reaches the predicted population of 9bn in 2050. Such involvement through the uses of GM food will undoubtedly stir up public opinion in coming years.
Black Hole Made on Earth An electromagnetic “black hole” which has the capabilities to suck in surrounding light has been developed by two students at Southeast University in Najing, China. The theoretical work was carried out by students at West Layfayette, Indiana and related to microwave frequencies. The demonstration of the optical black hole is expected to take place at the end of 2009.
Airport Liquids Tested
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Researchers at Juelich in Germany have reportedly created a technique which can quickly check liquids for explosive materials. This technique would enable airports to conduct security checks more efficently. The technique, known as Hilbert spectroscopy , uses a wide spectrum of light to identify potentially explosive liquids.
Champagne Blues Uncovered The light, sparkly fizz of champagne owes its taste to the tongue’s sense of sour. New studies in mice reveal how the tongue tastes carbonation, solving an old puzzle of why some mountain climbers get the “champagne blues.” Tasting fizz begins with a special protein that’s tethered to sour-sensing taste cells on the tongue, researchers report in the Oct. 16 Science. This protein, the enzyme carbonic anhydrase 4, splits carbon dioxide into bicarbonate ions and free protons, which stimulate the soursensing cells. Scientists have long thought that the taste of carbonated beverages emerged from the physical bursting of bubbles on the tongue.However, bubbly drinks still taste distinctly carbonated when they are imbibed in a pressure chamber where bubbles don’t burst. A drug that many climbers take to prevent altitude sickness inhibits the carbonic anhydrase enzyme. When taste cells don’t get their proton hit, champagne falls flat.
“Insect Hotels” On Campus
Dundee Scientist Recognised Professor Ron Hay, Principal Investigator at the University of Dundee’s College of Life Sciences, has been elected as a member of one of the world’s most prestigious scientific organisations. The European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) recognises excellence in molecular life sciences by fostering talented scientists. Since 1964, leading scientists have been elected annually to become EMBO members based on proven excellence in research. Ron Hay is Professor of Molecular Biology at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression. His work, combining cell, molecular and structural biology, focuses on determining the function of modification in important biological processes. Recent work examining the treatment of leukaemia has led to new approaches to drug discovery being explored.
Ecologically aware students from the University of Dundee have taken steps to encourage biodiversity by creating a number of ‘insect hotels’ around campus. The participants, members of the University’s branch of People and Planet - a network of UK students campaigning on world poverty, human rights and the environment - are trying to encourage students and staff to actively take part in conserving the planet for future generations. They say that climate change and a number of other environmental factors are leading to a severe decrease in biodiversity and putting our food supply at risk. One unforeseen consequence of modern life is the impact of gardening and farming methods, according to People and Planet Dundee’s Kimberley Ellis. Kimberley said, in addition to encouraging biodiversity on campus, the insect hotels would help to increase awareness of the group’s activities and hopefully encourage more students and staff to get involved.
health: STRESS!
Tackle the stresses of Uni work and cope more in the weeks to come.
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t’s going to be a busy time for most students as we head into November. Essay’s start to pile up, you realise that journals have to be done and you just don’t know where the time went. So how do you avoid all-nighters, exhaustion and ill-health? The Magdalen is here to guide you through some basic steps which should help you get the most out of the next few months.
ORGANISE First and foremost: buy yourself a diary. They may seem a little nerdy (but you do get quite suave leather ones for cheap) but they are a lifesaver. Give yourself one or two days a week which you can dedicate to studying. Make the most out of these days by planning what you are going to do with them in advance. For those doing a dissertation/research project this year, make a week-by-week timetable outlining what you plan to achieve every week/ month. The key to organisation is being aware of your commitments and making realistic goals as to how you can achieve them. Never be too proud to turn down an extra-curricular role if it detracts majorly from your studies. Let your flatmates know which nights you plan on studying so that they can allow you to have a good nights sleep. I.E Warn them that if anyone decides to bring a club back to the house at three in the morning, they should expect their food to be laced with chilli powder.
GET FIT When stressed, it’s good for the body to burn any anxiety away through healthy eating and regular exercise. Start Running - Running is a great way to clear your head and the routes in and around Dundee also provide some brilliant views. Whack the headphones on and hit the pavement - my recommendation is “She’s A Maniac.” (Even if you are a dude) Sleep Well - On a school night, try and get to your bed at a regular time. We understand that you need your Tuesday night out but sleep does provide the best chance for your body to recharge it’s bodies. Eat Vitamins- Fruit and veg are a great way to keep you feeling on top of things. Heavier, starchier foods should be avoided as they canmake you feel lethargic and simply not in the mood to study. Water- It’s the thing you drank before you were old enough to drink alcohol all the time. Drinks loads of it to flush your system of toxins.
ESCAPE! It’s amazing what a simple break can do. When it comes to stress, it sometimes help to get away from it all. If you live away from home, head home for a few days and get some perspective on things. Nothing beats being waited on hand and foot by the parental units - roll on the free food and crap TV. If home is too far away, ask some mates if you can visit them for a few days. Having someone different to talk to about things can really breathe fresh air into your situation.
SUPPORT YOUR MATES As easy as it can be to rip into your mates for not “manning up,” sometimes all thats needed is some friendly reassurance that things are going to work out. Remember, everyone handles stress in different ways and it’s important to recognise that just because your friend seems pissed off, it’s probably because they’ve got a mountain of work to get through. There’s only a couple of months left until Xmas and noones going to remember the bitchy comments made during exam stress when you’re glugging down the mulled wine. Have consideration and respect and you should come out the other end with all your friendships intact.
CONTACT The Samaritans provide support to those who feel distressed or depressed. www.samaritans.org For a broader range of stress issues check out: www.youngminds.org.uk http://www.channel4.com/health/ microsites/0-9/4health/stress/syp_ student.html Please remember that the support of Peer Connections is always available to Dundee Students
love music: The Hype Machine: Irreverent, Trend-Setting Bunkum Since the last edition we have been made aware that our column has the same title as a well known music pilfering website. Many alternative titles were bandied about the office, most of which were obscure and rather beautiful in nature. But we thought to ourselves, nobody likes change. Change is on no level a nice thing. In fact, what is much better is to talk incessantly about change and then do nothing about it. And so to honour the President of the United States of America we’ve decided to do exactly that: keep the bloody name! So, onwards and upwards in a journey of the musical periphery we go. This month we have immersed ourselves in a snuggly blanket of hip-hop, particulary that of the Grime variation. Cool dude Master Shortie has set us ablaze with his indie-grime fusion. His latest track Dance Like A White Boy is haawwwwttt (so hot we had to
phrase it like that) and is surely a promising glimpse into his album A.D.H.D due for release soon. In the realms of rock we are worshipping the Raveonettes. Their recent studio album In and Out of Control is a maze of psychedelic riffs and impenetrable melodies. The band have never lost their 50’s/60’s edge and Heart of Stone truly is the epitome of all that they stand for. Passion Pit, Le Corps Mince De Francoise, Van She and perhaps most importantly Ou Est Le Swiming Pool. You know what we’re talking about. Filthy, electro, sexual beats that would get any cold-hearted beast up on the dance floor pogoing like its 1993. Dance The Way I Feel was superbly mixed by dance gods Armand Van Helden and is sure to set most indie clubs on fire if it hasn’t already. These Camden boy’s are ones to watch kids.
Yet we’re not here to champion the newbies in the music world and until you prove us wrong, it seems like there ain’t much going on anyway. We’d just like to pass comment on the artiste Jamie T. A man we grew to love, respect and generally quote on a day to day basis. His recent album Kings and Queens is a sign of progression from the young man we witnessed all those years ago. If you close your eyes you can almost imagine a young Tim Armstrong (aye, without the English tones). The last artist we really want to champion is Deadmau5 - you need to be listening to his material. For Lack of A Better Name, albeit one of his most commercial songs has explosive beats and and, invariably, a whole lot of OONCE going on.
The Factolator Leona Lewis originally refused to sign her record contract with her current label due to “sensitivities” regarding her ears. Lead Guitarist Mark Day of Happy Mondays is in the process of forming a band with Scott Raynor (ex Blink 182 drummer) and Ryan Jarman from The Cribs. Alice in Chains created a thriller ride for Universal Studios which was deemed “wholly inappropriate” for its target audience. The contents were never discussed.
Le Corp Mince De
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Club Tropicana by Wham was recorded over Reagans inauguration speech to much horror of the producer, who had intended to mix it into a documentary he was making for the next day.
Our Musically Adapted Social Plea Because We Just Cannot Let The Twins Win! X Factor? Anyone? Cheryl Cole in goregous outfits looking like a Goddess in comparison to that somewhat boring waste of space Dannii Minogue. We know we should be much better than car-crash telly but the fact of the matter is: John and Edward are scabs on society. Instead of approaching our arguments hotheadedly however, we are going to make like geeks and debate this baby. To the Pros and Cons Lab!
Pros: For John and Edward They have brilliant hair, they pull in a niche market of hardcore fans and they add a bit of jest to the competition. They take themselves seriously, which in turn brings joy to the audience. It’s like only 9million or so people know that they are awful!
Cons: Against John and Edward Is this all we have for British music? Keep the twats on while perfectly capably and talented musicians get kicked out. All in the name of some mind-numbing TV and admittedly, some quite comical viewing. Jokes aside though, the hairdo is on no level cool or appreciated by fellow mankind. The wooden approach to their singing is overcompensated by their wooden approach to dancing which is overcompensated entirely by their wooden personalities. These jesters of the music industry surely must be aside in the name of allthat is decent in music. If not, then the sanctity of British music is at stake. It’s in your hands now folks.
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take it as gospel: Reviews & Previews The Music Bit
Marianne Faithful Broken English
Marianne Faithfull is perhaps best known for being Mick Jagger’s bird in the 1960s and for her rather famous drug habits as well as the fact that she ended up sleeping rough on the streets of Soho in the 70s. More important however is the fact that she is a ruddy good artist. Her raspy pipes are at their best here on her critically acclaimed 1979 comeback record Broken English. The title track is a soaring slice of punky new wave with a serious message whilst tracks such as Witches’ Song and Guilt are truly magnificent! The album also includes a cover of John Lennon’s Working Class Hero as well as The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, now famous for appearing on the soundtrack to Ridley Scott’s popular 1991 film Thelma and Louise. It is impossible to talk about this album without mentioning Why’d Ya Do It? The song’s lyrics are so sexually frank that there is a good chance it could make the likes of Prince blush! This album is essential for fans of Patti Smith, PJ Harvey etc. but I would recommend it to absolutely anyone.
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The Book Bit
A Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde
Congratulations on being able to read. Now comes the hard part. Actually wanting to read. I wanted to read once. But I was put off by people, the kind of people who when I asked “what are some good books to read?” they could only answer “oh you know, Brave New World, 1984, Animal Farm, and Picture of Dorian Gray, oh they’re classics, one must read them, they’re just brilliant.” For those of you out there who share my sense of cynicism and general misanthropy, you can see why this would put me off reading these books, just so that I didn’t become one of “those people.” But I did read them. And they were good, but I couldn’t tell you why, reading is quite a personal thing, but I’ll tell you what I think about Dorian Gray. Written by Oscar Wilde, one of
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I Love You Man Film
Alien Film
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I Love You, Man - When all round niceguy Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) proposes to his girlfriend, Zooey (Rashida Jones), it slowly dawns on Peter that his success with women has come at the expense of any male friendships. And so, Peter goes on the search for a best man, eventually encountering the ultimate bachelor, Sydney Fife (Jason Segel). Rudd and Segel show real chemistry, their polarpersonalities making for some hilarious scenes that usually involves Sydney persuading Peter to say or do things out of his comfort zone. With an strong supporting cast and awesome soundtrack, this bro-mantic comedy is an absolute must-see.
In keeping with the current climate, let’s say a word or two about one of the best sci-fi horror films ever made. The first and still the most terrifying, the film pits the deadliest alien that cinema has ever seen (sorry Predator, you let people live too often) against the Sarah Conner of space, Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). Alien is a masterclass in plot structure and suspense, featuring excellent dialogue, characters with depth and groundbreaking special effects. Ridley Scott’s original venture serves as the yardstick for a whole generation of sci-fi filmmakers, and will for years to come.
Take Me To Hell Film
Sam Raimi traces his horror roots with an instant horror classic. Not only is it a return to form for Raimi after a succession of weak Spiderman sequels, but it offers strong lead performances from Alison Lohman and Justin Long. Although the plot strikes as lame (a loan officer getting cursed by a batty old woman), the freshness with which Raimi executes the film is brilliantly scary and brilliantly fun. Gross, spine-chilling hilarity.
Rating the archetypal camp queens of Christendom, it tells the story of a young man, an extraordinarily beautiful and “fit” young man, who in an attempt to retain his youthful looks makes a pact against his soul that he should retain his good looks and youthful charisma forever, and he soon discovers that this wish comes true, all grievances and sins he performs instead cause a blemish to a lifelike portrait of him painted by a close friend. Paying attention to what the book is trying to say, ignore the obvious ideas of mans superficial obsession with the surface for a second, and take the time to consider some of the other interesting ideas this book talks about. Is one ever justified in wanting to maintain ones appearance for ones own gain? What is the nature of beauty? And more equally snobby questions.
The last paragraph made me sound as bad, if not worse than the pretentious readership I told you of earlier, but I don’t care. If you can’t beat them, at least make them think you’ve beaten them. In the meantime, I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to gain a better understanding of the gothic genre in general (yes all you emos out there who have read one poem, probably The Raven, by Edgar Allen Poe, and think your suddenly clued up on the deepest recesses of gothic literature) because not only is the story interesting and compelling but its messages still hold true in this modern superficial society we now find ourselves in. And for those of you who agree with my earlier summary of stuck up literature buffs, don’t hate the books, hate the readers!
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the magdalen & the VPC The Magdalen meets up with DUSA’s Vice President of Campaigns Craig Kelly, to discuss the Year of Democracy. >Alice Shackley
Having attended the “Acoustic Launch” of the Year of Democracy, I went to visit vicepresident of campaigns, Craig Kelly to find out just what he was intending to do with this potently named campaign. The coffees were in and sleeves were rolled up in a defiantly political manner, as the pre-interview chatter ended. What is the Year of Democracy? The Year of Democracy is a year long festival or campaign. The idea is to promote debate on campus around issues of democracy. Students don’t have a platform to air their views and that’s exactly what we’re trying to create. The line up of speakers is impressive. DUSA has got speakers to inspire debate on their specific issues. Mark Kelner – he’s a really interesting one. He wrote a blog about you, didn’t he? [laughter]He’s a good guy. I thought he’d be a nice change to all the serious hardcore political people. But there are serious issues I think Kelner will be able to raise. Gandhi’s grandson is speaking. Wow! How did you get him? In the first semester, we are co-hosting with the university - the speakers have been approached by the department of external relations. In terms of speakers for the second semester, it’s all DUSA. Certain people we approached knocked us back, but generally the campaign’s gathered a lot
of excitement. Katherine Gun is the latest we have confirmed – she blew the whistle on the dodgy dossier. You’ve got the Professor of Scottish History here at Dundee giving a lecture on the impact of Burns. Is that really relevant? Burns wrote what is perceived today as nationalist views, [showing] early Scottish awareness of a potential separate state and identity. This gives a local dimension and is relevant because we have a possible referendum coming up. It also gives a political dimension. The lecture will assess that political impact. I know you’re a member of the SNP, has this choice of speaker got anything to do with your own views? Not at all actually! It was proposed to us by external relations. I would hazard a guess that the lecture is relatively anti-nationalist. The idea that Burns was writing nationalist poetry because there was a market for it has a lot of credence and Professor Whatley will explore this! What do you mean by democracy? It’s a huge term. We chose the term democracy because it can be interpreted in so many ways. In the UK we regard our system as very democratic, but is it? It’s still a Constitutional Monarchy is it not? We’ve got issues like that – we have 40% turnout at elections; is that democracy? There are places like Venezuela where socialism is coming through and the indigenous communities are being represented. “What is democracy?” is the fundamental question we will ask students over the year. One of the things we’ll hopefully be having is a freedom of speech box. This would be a box covered in blackboard, a topic put up every Monday and students can write their opinions underneath. Another idea I hope goes ahead is an essay competition. I would
like, if Magdalen agree, to publish the top three essays which will hopefully win a prize. You write about your interpretation of democracy and of the campaign. It gives an academic dimension to the year. In semester one you’re focusing on Latin America. Why not the UK? Latin America is a point of focus; if this is successful, cultural awareness campaigns are something DUSA would do on a longer term basis. Latin America is a very exciting place politically at the moment; we’ve got Chavez in Venezuela, Morales in Bolivia and to a lesser extent, the situation in Brazil. Also, it’s fun! We can have events like Rio Carnival. There are serious undertones, so it’s just to add a bit of energy to things that may at times be a bit dry. What’s the turnout for student elections? Or is that quite an ambiguous number? It depends from position to position. As far as I understand, we had about 1800 people voting for the president. One of my key aims for this campaign is to make sure that the voter turnout drastically increases. If it has worked and got students thinking, they will want to engage in wider politics. One of the things in second semester we are hoping to run is an electoral registration week on campus. We’ll get people up from the city council with a stall and students can sign up to vote. Often students aren’t registered and are being disenfranchised, so we can make it as easy as possible for students to register. So, what’s your ideal goal at the end of the Year of Democracy campaign? Is it more about student awareness or numbers? Student awareness is our ultimate goal. If people say to me at the end of the year “I’ve thought about issues that have never occurred to me before,” that’s what I’m trying to achieve. Numbers are great but that idea of coming to university to expand your general awareness and interest in wider issues is effectively what we’re trying to do.
art. In a certain centre of arts on a certain street near a certain famous Dundonan takeaway I wandered from the realm of chips and cheese in to the latest art exhibition of that particular building of contemporary culture. An installation piece, Thomas Hirschhorn’s ‘It’s Burning Everywhere’ covers the three galleries from floor to ceiling. Using everyday materials such as cardboard, plastic and paper Hirschhorn has created a 3-Dimenesional collage with media images from highly contrasting contexts. The images are pasted onto a cartoonish backdrop of sculptures of fallen forest wood and emotionless mannequins. He has taken the images of fantastical beauty in the fashion industry and combined them with the horrific casualties, losses and deformity caused by war. The leftover corpses of war, once filled with the potential for this unobtainable supernatural beauty conveyed in fashion advertising are now left to rot inall the frailty of humanity. A fantasy world of indifference and apathy portrayed by the models and cool tones of fashion photography starkly contrasts the images of fire and bodies now literally torn to pieces
Ruth Hunter
by the brutal and unforgiving consequences of real life. These, ideas are just some that come to mind when witnessing what the artist has presented for our interpretation. Unlike some philosophical and surrealist political artists the exhibition is not burdened with cryptic contrasts of seemingly unrelated images. Hirschhorn’s ‘it’s burning everywhere’ is visually satisfying in its easy conveyance of recognised images interweaved with a disturbing atmosphere of realistic horror. Engaging and politically meaningful you are not required to do battle with the dragon of cryptic artistic vision in the cave of this artist’s mind for this exhibition to really reveal something honest and poignant . Though you should be prepared to see some disturbing images of war there is much more to this exhibition than just shock value. Wandering from the insulated Dundee world of chips and cheese through this exhibition and out the other side is a surreal experience that invites you to reinterpret how we understand the images we witness everyday.
Fashion News
Nicola Brown
As we wave goodbye to Summer and welcome the transition into Autumn, the fashion industry prepare us for the imminent colder weather with their new collections: unveiled during London Fashion Week (LFW), which commenced on the 18th of September. With this year marking its 25 year anniversary, it did not disappoint in showcasing the best of that indefinable British style. Glasgow-born designer Christopher Kane was one of the prominent designers to transpire from LFW 2009, showcasing his designs to an impressive front row including American Vogue’s Anna Wintour, Donatella Versace and supermodel Natalie Vodianova. At just 27 Kane has already firmly secured his place in the fashion industry: appealing not only to those with a disposable income to rival Paris Hilton’s, but also to the average student through his ‘Christopher Kane for Topshop’ collection. The collection, which hit shops to coincide with LFW, features 39 pieces including accessories and footwear, featuring clothing ranging from the bold croc Tee dress to his edgier take on the bodycon dress. A further collaboration that has graced the
fashion headlines has two notable qualities certain of ensuring its success: profits will be going to charity, and the collaboration is with a young hot Hollywood starlet - our very own Emma Watson. The Harry Potter actress is working in partnership with People Tree on a clothing line designed for the 16-24 age market. All royalties will go to the People Tree Foundation which aims to bring the benefits of fair-trade to a greater number of farmers and increases sustainable fashion around the world. The line, which promotes the importance of ‘fashion with a conscience’ includes 26 pieces for women and 15 for men and will be unveiled in February 2010. On a final note it is worth keeping your diaries free for November 14th for the launch of H&M’s collaboration with top shoe designer Jimmy Choo. Dundee won’t be featuring the collection so head through to Edinburgh to get your hands on a pair of fabulous designer shoes without having to substitute your rent money to afford them!
Campus Chic
Joanna Rae, 21, Fine Art Inspiration: Vivienne 30 30 Westwood
Francis Butterworth, 19, Biomedical Science
Kerr Brogan, 21, Medicine
Stylish or Sloppy? When sitting in a crowded lecture theatre on the dawn of a heavy night out, there is no denying that it would be a sneaky pleasure to be wearing your most comfortable clothes. However, it does present the question of whether it is completely acceptable to walk around campus dressed as though you have just come from a game of football…or even bed.
Elizabeth O’Hara
We cheekily approached a few guys sauntering around campus in what could only be described as sportswear. Had they planned to partake in leisure activities later that day, or was this simply their chosen form of attire for uni’?
We asked the ladies: Would you go for a guy in who wore sporty clothing on a daily basis? Holly-Anne Coburn, 20, studies History
Paul Sawbridge, 19, Business Management Labels: Nike and Reebok Paul was actually fresh out of the gym when we approached him. However he admitted he would usually wear his grey joggers and hoody to university anyway.
“Not at all. You associate it with chavvy people!” Karrie Jamieson, 17, studies Microbiology
“No, I think it looks a bit sloppy” Marion Lean, 20, studies Textile Design
Geoff Denwood, 20, Molecular Genetics, Labels: Ralph Lauren, Superdy, and Diesel Geoff was recovering from a night out and explained he reaches for the trackies to accompany a hangover, but would normally throw on a pair of jeans.
“Yeah I would! I think it’s better when you see a guy looking comfortable because people are more happy when they are comfy”
An abundance of online forums, buzzing with conflicting opinions on the matter signal that we may not settle this anytime soon. So without giving the red card just yet, we leave the debate to continue!
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SWEET CHARITY
Sean Christie, 21, a 3rd year Illustration student, wears: Armani t-shirt, £5; tweed jacket, £8. Trousers and belt, models own.
In these times of economic and environmental crisis, two things shoppers are looking for more than ever in an outfit are low prices and ethical credentials. In the name of ethical fashion, our fashion team took a trip to the Shelter (Perth Road) to search for the best bargain finds, to prove that you can shop charity and still look good. We found that you don’t have to splurge to look sexy (and ended up buying a couple of things ourselves). A thank you must be said to the wonderful women at the Shelter who were a massive help and dedicated to their work.
Ben Bridge,20,Illustration Student, Striped Shirt, £6 Rest Models Own
Words: Seonaid Rogers Photography: Liz O’Hara
Josey McWilliam wears: gold skirt, £2. Top, leggings and accessories, models own.
Liz O’Hara, 2?, a 3rd year Textile Design student, wears: pink skirt, £3; gold top, £3. Accessories, models own.
Josey McWilliam, 20, a 3rd year Textile Design student, wears: white dress, £6. Accessories, models own.
Jade Thoms, 20, a 3rd year Textile Design student, wears: floral dress, £5; cardigan, £4; purple dress, £5; blue bag, £3. Tights, models own.
Sport Formula One’s Darkest Hour >Matthew Simmonds ormula One’s Darkest Hour This September the entire sporting world was shocked when Renault F1 decided not to contest their charges of race fixing. The team was alleged to have ordered one of their drivers to crash in order to benefit the other. The team has been issued a two year suspended ban from formula 1 after the world motor sports council’s investigation had found that responsibility for the incident lay with team boss Flavio Briatore and executive director of engineering Pat Symonds. Nelson Pique Jr, the driver who deliberately crashed under team orders, was given amnesty due to his co-operation in the investigation. The allegations that Briatore and Symonds had planned for Pique Jr to deliberately crash in order to benefit Fernando Alonso had originally been met with a mixture of confusion and anger by the Renault team. Nelson Pique Jr had just been fired from the Renault F1 team due to poor performance when he claimed that he had been told to crash during the 2008 Singapore grand prix. Pique’s crash happened on lap 14 of the race 2 laps after team mate Fernando Alonso had pitted for fuel and tyres. A safety car was deployed to control the pace of the field while the wreckage was removed,
this meant that Alonso could regain the time lost during his pit stop while the field was at a controlled pace, putting him in a position to win the race. The Renault team responded to the allegations by Pique Jr by filing a lawsuit against their former driver and his father claiming that it was a “blackmail attempt”. Fernando Alonso was “very surprised” by these allegations going on to say “I cannot imagine these things, these situations. It’s something that never entered my mind”. Though he refused to comment further until after the investigation was complete. Briatore and Symonds both quit the F1 team before the sentence from the WMSC but did not escape punishment for their part in the scandal. Briatore has been banned from FIA sanctioned events for an unlimited period and Symonds has also been excluded, but only for a 5-year period. The world motor sport council found that Renault was guilty of breaking its sporting code finding; “breaches relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to be of unparalleled severity. “They not only compromised the integrity of the sport but also endangered the lives of spectators, officials, other competitors and Nelson Piquet Jr. himself.
“The WMSC considers that offences of this severity merit permanent disqualification from the FIA Formula One World Championship. “However, in particular the steps taken by Renault F1 to identify and address the failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved, the WMSC has decided to suspend Renault F1’s disqualification until the end of the 2011 season.” Renault had held their own internal investigation to ascertain the team members responsible for planning the crash, concluding that only Briatore, Symonds and Pique Jr were responsible and no other team member was involved. The FIA conducted its own investigation and concluded that this was the case. The FIA imposed further sanctions on Briatore declaring that it won’t grant a license to any team that he is involved with or grant a super license to any driver associated with the Italian. This essentially prevents him from ever being involved in F1 again. Whether or not F1 will be able to recover from this scandal is unclear, with supporter numbers already down and teams pulling out for the next season this could be the fatal nail in the F1 coffin.
BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP 09/10 >Neil Cant
As we sit back and take it the first month or so of the new English Premier League season it can be argued that we may have a classic on our hands. Already we have seen high scoring matches, excellent attacking football, suspect defending, shock results and controversial refereeing decisions which have all contributed to the excellent start of the 09/10 season. The revolution at Eastland’s continues with Manchester City having recorded an excellent but unexpected 4-1 victory over Arsenal, one of the so called ‘big four’. It will also be argued by many that they were highly unlucky not to take something from the Manchester derby at Old Trafford, losing to a 96th minute Michael Owen goal in a 4-3 defeat. The victors in that match appear to be handling the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo relatively well. A new system of play has allowed Wayne Rooney to adopt a more central role as a striker, a role which he is revelling in with a tally of six goals from six games. Ultimately time will tell wither or not Manchester United can handle the loss of Ronaldo however the early signs appear optimistic. United are notoriously slow starters but five league wins from six games appears to suggest that the post Ronaldo hangover is yet to kick in. Chelsea have started very efficiently under Carlo Ancelotti, a must for any new Chelsea manager under Roman Abramovich. The new diamond system in midfield has given Chelsea
a more solid shape, contributing to a 100% record from six league games. Chelsea fans believe that finishing top of the league is the clubs priority and a 100% record will do this ambition no harm. The teams with a stated ambition of breaking into the top four have suffered mixed fortunes in the early weeks of the new season. Tottenham have gotten off to a good start beating Liverpool 2-1 on the first day of the season and going onto record wins against teams they must beat if they have any chance of breaking into the top six. Up in the North, Aston Villa have also had a solid start to the new season, recovering from a first day defeat to Wigan and going on to win their next four league games including an excellent 3-1 victory at Anfield against Liverpool and a 1-0 away win in the Birmingham derby against Birmingham City. In the lower half of the league table one team that has had bellow par start to the season is Everton. Finishing in the top six has become the norm at Goodison in recent season, so far this season however things haven’t gone according to plan. A humiliating 6-1 opening day defeat to Arsenal and a further two defeats from their first five league games have left Everton in an unfamiliar position in the lower half of the table. Results have begun to improve and with the astute signing of players such as John Heitinga and Russian midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov it appears likely that Everton will mount a sustained push for a place in the top six.
At the bottom of the table Portsmouth, Hull and Blackburn currently make up the bottom three. There are those of the belief that Blackburn may have too much quality to go down but tell that to the Leeds and Newcastle fans who now see their teams playing football at a lower level. Portsmouth are in real trouble at the moment with no points from six games and with a number of signings of apparent Championship quality it may not be long before manager Paul Hart is out of a job. Those most definitely not out of a job are the F.A disciplinary panel, with indiscipline by certain players hitting the headlines in recent weeks. Emmanuel Adebayors stamp on Robin Van Persie is probably the most high profile of all the cases. There is no defence for the stamp and the subsequent three match ban was fully justified. Needless to say it has been a frantic start to the Premiership season. The table already has a familiar look to it at such an early stage in the season but a number of twists can be expected in the coming months. Players and managers will leave, but the excellent football on show will most certainly remain. Season 09/10 will be a classic, of that there should be no doubt.
Sport Tennis Club >Barry Davidson The Tennis Club approach their new season with a renewed enthusiasm and brand spanking new courts. A much improved situation to last few years where the courts stood out next to the impressive Belmont Flats as tatty and slightly run down. The club are heading into the new university year on the back of an impressive fresher’s recruitment drive. 2nd team captain Andrew Sorrie reporting around 140 new potential members having signed up. This figure was backed by a great turnout at the first training session last Wednesday with the courts packed out. Competitively, at the time of writing this article, the team were still to see action with trials due in the next week. Anticipation is of a good season ahead though, with some of the new recruits having impressed. “We are looking forward to a successful season with a new line up, said 1st team captain Jamie Nisbet. Our hope is to push on, and we are confident of successful league campaigns for both the 1st’s and 2nd’s”. Last season the 1st team reached the final of the Conference Cup before defeat to Edinburgh. They are looking to improve on such achievements
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this year with the league appearing to be the main target. Chances of team success though are hoped to be further aided in the near future. Discussions are underway that would see usual Monday and Saturday training sessions added to by coaching sessions with a mystery tennis player, focusing on player development. So watch this space folks. As with all our sports teams our tennis team enjoy nothing better than a good piss up, this part of a strict training regime enforced by Sorrie and Nisbet. Social events are planned throughout the year with potentially unseen levels of debortuary expected. If you missed signing up for the club during fresher’s week do not fret. If still interested in joining then get yourself along to training on a Monday afternoon and speak to Jaime or Andrew who are always on the lookout for new recruits.
Ski & Snowboard Club >Barry Davidson
The Ski and Snowboarding Club are another who had an impressive recruitment drive at the recent Sports Fayre. With new blood the club look to improve upon fantastic individual success last year. Gavin Wares having been crowned British Dryslope Snowboarding Champion. With Gavin now finished university a void has been created leaving the fresher’s a daunting legacy to live up to. Early signs are good though; with some promising individuals, especially within the boarding intake. To help aid the development of club members, from beginners to more skilled boarders and skiers, ,the club arrange regular trips to the Braehead indoor centre in Glasgow, and Hillend dryslope outside Edinburgh. In addition whenever the club hear of snowfall at any range in Scotland they are quick to grab their gear and hit the slopes; an impromptu session having been held at the Lecht last Halloween for example. Excitement is building for the upcoming RAIL JAM to be held at Dundee University for the first time on the 24th October.
This will see real snow being dumped in the space between the tennis courts and Belmont Flats, and individuals from universities throughout Scotland attending for snowboarding competitions. The event is being made all the more exclusive by the fact that the completions will be judged by British Olympic boarder Lesley MacKenna. The event though, as well as competitive boarding, will include live DJ sets and a general opportunity for all those with a passion of the sport to get together for some banter boarding style. The magnitude of the event is further highlighted by the fact that early media interest is said to be high. Another highlight of the year’s calendar is the annual club trip oversees in January. This year’s destination is Lesarcs in France, and interest is huge. Already around 144 have signed up for the jolly. “The trip is about having some boarding and skiing fun during the day then basically getting pissed at night”, enthused Captain Dom Szabo. As well as social events across the globe
though, the club are spreading their fun lovin’ more locally; SUMO nights, toga parties, and curry nights all pencilled in for the near future. All in all it sounds like a fantastic club become involved in, and finding out more has become even easier with a new website having been professionally developed at; dundeeunisnow.co.uk
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