Issue 18 Wednesday 29.10.08
Spooks to snoop on Facebook William Hobson Head of News
Last week the Home Secretary signalled plans to give new powers to the security and intelligence agencies, as well as other public bodies, to allow access to the personal data of a wide range of internet sites - including social and gaming networks. Sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Bebo and others have all been highlighted by security officials as potential weak points in current surveillance methods. At present, the agencies have the power to demand telephone and email traffic from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other traditional sources, who store personal data largely for business purposes such as billing accounts. The growing expansion of new communications services present a new challenge however, as they rely on advertiser income rather than a customer basis, and so often place little emphasis on confirming the identities of their users. A Whitehall security official stated that “people have many accounts and sign up as Mickey Mouse and no one knows who they are. We have to do something.” Another senior source justified the proposal; “Criminal terrorists are exploiting free social networking sites”. The move comes after plans for a central database for all communications data was met with serious criticisms from Whitehall senior officials, who believed the approach was impractical as well as disproportionate. The recent revelations of the government’s inability to safeguard personal data have also been seen as a critical flaw in the developing plans for mass data gathering by the security services, with the loss of hundreds of Ministry of Defence files earlier in the month. Political opponents such as the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative party have issued statements warning of the dangers of the “exponential increase in the powers of the state”,
Inside... News & Comments UFO Reports Boost your brain Road to Riches
calling for a full public debate on the issue of the nation’s growing surveillance situation. In related news, a recent report also revealed that the national DNA database has reached a total of 13 million individuals - and currently grows at a rate of 660,000 people per year - many of whom have no convictions, yet will still be kept on record for the indefinite period.
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Life & Style
people have many accounts and sign up as Mickey Mouse and no one knows who they are
Complete Carnage Gap Years Drink Problems X Factor Discussion
The goverment’s continued campaign to expand the powers of the security services and their surveillance capabilities are a cause of concern for many human rights groups. Organisations such as Liberty and Amnesty International raise questions about their possible abuse and the legal precedents they set. Critics have also cited examples of what can be seen as the misuse of counter terror legislation pointing to local councils requesting use of counter terror laws to pursue benefit cheats and flytippers. Senior officials within the government itself have also voiced concerns, with Sir Ken Macdonald - the outgoing Director of Public Prosecutions warning: “We need to take very great care not to fall into a way of life in which freedom’s back is broken by the relentless pressure of a security state”.
Arts & Ents Razorlight Ben Watt Pineapple Express Tropic Thunder Quarantine
Find out more: liberty-human-rights.org.uk homeoffice.gov.uk Have your say email: comment@upsu.net
The Great South Run - results onpage 9 -
Photo courtesty Nova International
News » Union
News » Local
News » Union
UPSU Media
Rugby Apology
“Guildhall should attract bigger names”
Union Card Deadline
Want to write for Pugwash News?
On Wednesday 22nd there was an incident during a social event hosted by the Rugby club. The actions of a few individuals affected not only students but members of the public. The Rugby club, the Athletic Union and the University take incidents of this nature very seriously. Action has been taken to ensure that this incident is not repeated. Following this incident The President of UPRFC and the UPSU Sports Officer have each written an open letter which are published inside this issue
Portsmouth City Council revealed a proposed plan to take control of the Guildhall venue back from the current operator in order to attract bigger names. It has decided to let the current contract with DC Leisure lapse, and take a more direct hand in operations, as well as building a bigger profile for the building. Whilst the nearby Southampton Guildhall attracts current popular names such as the Kaiser Chiefs or The Zutons, Portsmouth has often been criticised for having a much smaller pulling power. Though some top-selling acts have come to the venue in the past few years, there have been very few contemporary crowd pullers, and instead it mainly featured comedy and other perform-
The new Union Card deadline is the end of this month. Only those holding cards will be able to take part in your activity and make bookings at the Union. UPSU must make sure you are insured to take part in any society, sports or volunteering activity. It is essential that participants have a current membership card to verify their identity. You can choose between the new Union card, which is free, and the NUS Extra card, which is £10. Both cards give the Union the information we need and you can use either card as a Union membership card. Cards can only be obtained by registering at upsu.net/register. Do it now!
Pugwash News / Purple Wednesdays is the Union’s student newspaper. If you have something to shout about, from burning issues to match reports, comment to features, or you want to photograph, design or help lay it out, get in touch!
For full details please see inside.
Continued page 4 »
ance acts. Council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson has been pursuing the move for a year now; “When things go wrong with the Guildhall, people think it is the council that runs it anyway, and this way we would be in a position to do something.” Current plans are being optioned, with a building condition report to be given to councillors in January. Ideas have been floated for a second entertainment venue in the city and a thorough revamp of the Guildhall. For more information about the Portsmouth Guildhall visit: portsmouthguildhall.co.uk
For more information, see: upsu.net/p/2166
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Pugwash News Wednesday 29th October 2008
Category
Editors
Photo of the Fortnight
Jacob Leverett Editor pugwashnews@upsu.net
Tom West Comment & Opinion comment@upsu.net
Peter Allsop Design Editor paperdesign@upsu.net
Elke Morice-Atkinson Life & Style Editor lifestyle@upsu.net
William Hobson Head of News news@upsu.net
Tallie Kane Arts & Entertainment Editor artsents@upsu.net
Laura Patricia Copy Editor copyeditor@upsu.net
Ben Endley Sports Editor sportnews@upsu.net
Athletic Union undergo a professional photoshoot with Lucy Henry
Sub Editors News Amiar Kamal & Henry Tipping
Sports Chris Hewett & Carl Jackson
Life and Style Sarah Beer & Nina Tennant
Design Sophie Abbott & Oaha Berdah
Arts and Entertainment Dominique O’Mahoney & Jack Wells
Contributors James Agar, Steve Baker, Sarah Beer, Caz Bird, Sophie Billyard, Ed Butterfield, Matt Calmus, John Cashman, Roberta “Bob” Collins, Andy Donohoe, Sara Fletcher, Wayne Gardiner, Joel Growney, Becky Hyde, Rob Knott, Simon “Darby” Leach, Marty McKinlay, Simon Munro, Gamel Oki, Rachael Penycate, James Phillips, Oyeniyi Olugbenga Samuel, Oliver Styles, Steven Topazio and Graham Troman
Universities Round Up With Thanks To:
Each fortnight we have a brief scan through other student publications
Student Direct (University of Manchester) Feedback Fiasco: A survey highlights student dissatisfaction with feedback. University in the Big freeze: £5m of Manchester university assets could be lost as the credit crunch hits Iceland hard.
London Student (University of London) Students Storm The City: Socialist Worker Student Society organises protest outside the Bank of England regarding the planned bail-out of Britain’s banking system.
Epigram (Bristol University) Bristol student Shona Collins is in the running for the title of Miss Naked Beauty, a new reality show launched on Channel 4 to redefine attractiveness.
The Journal (Edinburgh Universities) City Scheme slashes crime in Nightclubs; the scheme Unight is credited with a 21 percent fall in criminal activity in Edinburgh’s nightclubs
The Demon (De Montefort University) Two DMU Students were left homeless after being locked out of their home by their landlord and left on the streets.
X-Media (Exeter Student’s Guild) A 22 year old man who tried to blow up the Giraffe restaurant in Exeter’s City Centre pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey
Wessex Scene (Southampton University) University Council have announced the identity of the new Vice-Chancellor and successor to Professor Bill Wakeham as Professor Don Nutbeam.
Live (Imperial College, London) The King’s President, Chris Mullan, claims to have been sacked - but not by the Students’ Union, by the College.
The Badger (University of Sussex) The University of Sussex is falling behind its competitors in appealing to potential students, latest figures have revealed.
AUSA (University of Aberdeen) The Aberdeen University sailing team will travel to France this weekend to represent Scotland.
Gair Rhydd (Cardiff University) Letting the thieves stroll in: 1 in 4 students are putting themselves at risk by leaving houses insecure.
The Wire (Bournemouth University) Epidemic Proportions: Bournemouth’s chlamydia problem is fast becoming an epidemic.
Pugwash News & Purple Wednesdays
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Produced fortnightly by the University of Portsmouth Students’ Union (UPSU). Printed by Quotemeprint - www. quotemeprint.com, 0845 130 0667, and printed on 100% recycled paper. Pugwash News & Purple Wednesdays bears no allegiance to any political party and discriminates against no-one.
To get in touch with the Pugwash News & Purple Wednesdays team, please visit upsu.net/newsdesk, e-mail us at newsdesk@upsu. net, call us via the Union’s Media & Publications Officer at: 023 9284 3657, or visit us at The Student Centre, Portsmouth Students’ Union, Cambridge Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2EF.
Pugwash Online
Our sister publication, Pugwash Magazine, puts out her first issue of the year in a fortnight’s time. The award winning mag is brought to you by the same team as the Pompey Guide so look out for it around campus from the 12 November onwards.
Mike Beatty, Sophie Castle, Steven Collins, Mike Cooter, John Doe, Andy Donohoe, Sam Elliot, Steph Hall, Graham Hope, Rob Knott, Simon “Darby” Leach, Andrew “Jaffa” Machin, Phil Palmer, Scott Reason, Rachel Reed, Jack Smith, Oliver Styles, Alice Tourell, Allen Westoby, Tom Worman and the Hindu Society
Dates for the Diary Black Cat Comedy Club Saturday 1st November Fat Fox
Jedi Knight School November 1st & 2nd Spinnaker Tower
Arthur Conan Doyle Exhibition Daily 10am-5pm City Musem and Records Office
Healthy Living Week November 3rd to 7th Students’ Union
The Alien Exhibition October 25th-November 2nd Spinnaker Tower
RAG Raid November 6th Commercial Road
You can download back issues of Pugwash magazine and Pugwash News online at: pugwashnews.com
Errors & omissions: while we take every care to verify our content, we may occasionally make mistakes. Please contact us using the details above to report any inaccuracies or mistakes.
UPSU Media has a shiny new website, check it out at: upsu.net/pugwashonline
ExPix We’ve been browsing this website a fair bit recently with a whole host of photography and reports from extreme sports events around the UK expix.co.uk
Naked Calendar Naked Calendar photos can now be viewed on the Facebook group: http://tinyurl.com/623poh
It’s our Summer Special, all about what you did this summer, where you did it, and just how much fun you had! Also featuring news and reviews, in forty odd pages of glorious colour, it’s something you don’t want to miss.
If you want to see what the fuss is all about you can check out past issues at pugwashmag.com or pop by the sabbs office and pick up a retro issue.
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Pugwash News Wednesday 29th October 2008
News
Control videogames with your brain Sectarian violence has broken out in the Indian state of Orrisa, with local Christians persecuted by Hindu “lynch mobs”. At least 59 people are dead and 50,000 homeless at this time, and there is currently no sign of an end to the violence. The European Space Agency has delayed the ExoMars mission by more than two years, until at least 2016, over concerns for the high price tag (1.2bn euro) for member states. Over 50,000 Shia Iraqis staged a mass demonstration in Baghdad on Saturday (18th) over the US mandate in Iraq. There were no reported violent incidents.
William Hobson
In a development that seems to belong somewhere far in the future, a Californian company called Neurosky has demonstrated technology at 2008’s Tokyo Gameshow, which will allow users to control videogames via mental activity for the first time . Working with Square Enix, the developers of Final Fantasy and other hit console games, Neurosky’s MindSet device has been given its commercial debut. The MindSet controller looks like a pair of headphones, and, using an electrode attached to the fore-
head, monitors the user’s brainwave activity to register "states of concentration or relaxation". Though braincontrol devices are a technology that has existed for some time now; the head of Neurosky points to the lack of a "plug and play" mentality among its competitors as a reason for the limited public awareness or commercial application. Unfortunately not much information on the first game to use this technology is available - as it currently stands as little more than a technical demo - until Square Enix reveals more details. However previous innovations in peripheral technology have had a
huge impact on the current market, such as the popularity of the Wii-mote or the Guitar Hero controller, and the applications for a device allowing mental interaction with technology are extremely diverse. Neurosky’s managing director, Kikuo Ito, hopes to see sectors other than gaming peripherals make use of the technology, including schools, hospitals and physical rehabilitation. Videos of demonstrations of the technology are available online with a quick search, including footage of a tech demo featuring the popular Half Life 2 engine, where users control the gravity gun with their thoughts.
New guidelines for Police tell them to (mostly) “turn a blind eye to public sex” between consenting adults. Boy Scouts aged between 14 and 18 are to receive sexual health guidance, and may also be issued with condoms.
Germany’s parliament has overwhelmingly backed its own financial “bail out” plan; up to £387bn will be used to pour fresh money into the country’s banks.
The 2008 Tokyo Game Show where the phenominal technology is being demonstrated
India's moon mission William Hobson
Belgian police claim to have broken up a people-smuggling ring in a series of arrests which netted 15 suspects. Police revealed that the group of Indians were going to smuggle 200 of their countrymen into the UK. Two British tourists have been sentenced to three months in jail for premarital sex and public indecency in Dubai, after being caught mid-coitus on a beach.
PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) have requested that Ben & Jerry’s make their ice-cream from human breast milk instead of animal. A Nigerian man has been sentenced to a caning and six months in jail, for the crime of “idleness”. The case was started by his own father.
The former Bush Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has endorsed Barack Obama for the presidency. Powell was previously the most prominent black figure in modern American politics. The presidential elections themselves are scheduled to (finally) take place in two weeks time, on November 4th. This campaign has seen an unprecedented level of media coverage and international debate.
£1.2m worth of cocaine was seized from a cruise ship in Southampton on Monday; four UK nationals have been taken into custody.
The world’s largest ostrich sandwich was made in Iran last week. It was prepared by 1,500 chefs and measured 1.5km long, containing 1400kg of ostrich and chicken meat.
The first Indian space mission to the moon blasted off last Wednesday morning without a hitch. The Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft is an unmanned probe on a two year mission to explore our largest natural satellite. The Chandrayaan 1 weighs about 1.5 tonnes, and will carry a £45m price tag by the time the mission finishes. The Indian Space Agency (ISA) hopes to complete a 3D atlas of the lunar surface, as well as search for a variety of rare elements, and confirm
or deny the long-hoped for presence of water below the surface. The mission probe will carry instruments from NASA and the European Space Agency as well as the ISA. Comparisons with China's achievement last month of successfully carrying out an independent space walk have come from many sources, with references made to an 'Asian space race'. China, Japan and India have all set a target date of at least 2025 for a manned mission to the moon, and even smaller powers such as South Korea have ambitious plans for space programmes. This expansion of the space exploration
Ringo Starr has released a YouTube video saying “No more fan mail!” Peace and love people... A new study suggests that cartoon violence actually teaches pre-school age children to be less aggressive.
effort to Eastern powers stands in contrast to the situation in the western nations; previously this month the European Space Agency delayed its flagship ExoMars project due to budget concerns, and in the US the future of NASA has come under question over similar concerns in the current economic crisis. India has set itself a target of 2015 for a manned space mission to rival China's. However the ISA has come under strong domestic and foreign criticism as a target for misuse of badly needed public funds, in a country where 800 million people live on less than $2 a day.
Having conquered the school dinner debate, Jamie Oliver is in plans with Channel 4 to launch a new programme to assist his campaign to improve the welfare of pigs within the UK. Both US and Russian astronauts have performed experiments involving sex in space, according to a French science writer – though not with each other.
News » Science
News » Finance
News » National
More UFO reports published
Uni's Icelandic investments
Community Support Officers to be given power to detain
The Government has released new files about UFO sightings and encounters in the UK between 1986 and 1992, available from the national archives online at ufos.nationalarchives. gov.uk. A further 19 files have been added since those first declassified earlier this year, and were released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after a flood of requests from UFO enthusiasts. Aside from the usual strange stories of abductees and close encounters, there are more credible reports from USAF and RAF pilots reporting strange radar contacts and one incident involving an airliner having a reported near miss with a "missile like object" whilst en route to Heathrow.
The secretary of state for the Department of Innovations, Univerisites and Skills (DIUS), John Denham, has revealed that 12 English universities have £77 million invested in the crisisstricken Icelandic Banks. So far over half of these have been confirmed; Oxford, Durham, Cambridge, Sussex, Manchester, Manchester Met and the Open University. However none of the institutions are said to be in jeopardy, with a statement from the Higher Education Funding Council for England reporting that there is no risk of insolvency in any case. Though the sums involved are large, they only represent a small percentage of the individual overall cash deposits of the universities. The
William Hobson
biggest confirmed investor is Oxford University, with £30m at stake – just 5% of the overall deposits for it and its colleges. Three Welsh universities also have money at stake, with Aberystwyth, the University of Wales and Gyyndwyr University’s investments totalling £8.1 million between them. These Universities are among the dozens of British businesses, local councils, hospitals and other institutions that have revealed they have financial stakes at risk in the Icelandic financial crisis over the last few weeks. The University of Portsmouth is not reported to have any shares directly held in the affected Icelandic Banks, although Hampshire council are reorted to have invested. -WH
Ever since their introduction in 2002, community support officers have often been seen as toothless versions of the real thing; present but powerless, and often joked about because of it. But last Friday Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, revealed plans to increase their powers. These included the key ability to physically detain suspects until a constable arrives. Smith however stressed that this was not the power to arrest, saying that that “must remain a power for constables alone”. The move comes as part of the Home Office’s Policing Green Paper, which intends to improve confidence
in the police force in both its staff and the public. Though the new power to detain is the most high profile, other community support powers include the ability to confiscate drugs and alcohol, issue fines for graffiti, littering or cycling on a footpath, and the ability to stop and search a person in an authorized area under the Terrorism Act 2000. They hold a paid position within the force, which is often more than new police officers recive, and are not to be confused with Special Constables, who are typically unpaid public volunteers. For more information visit: tinyurl.com/yoxxd5
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Pugwash News Wednesday 29th October 2008
News
Rugby Apology
Boost your brain: When Union Council became surf the web?
Following a recent incident involving members of the University of Portsmouth Rugby Club (UPRFC) The President of UPRFC and the UPSU Sports Officer have each written an open letter which are published below.
A team at the University of California has discovered that using the internet can help boost brain power – as if you needed a reason to waste more time on Facebook! Unfortunately for students however, the study suggests that the benefits are only passed on to middle aged and older people, so this isn’t a valid excuse to spend hours surfing. The research revealed that web searches stimulated the centres in the brain that control decision making and complex reasoning. This stimulation has been said to be similar to the benefits attributed to mental activities such as crosswords and Sudoku, though web use has the added benefit of demanding more decision making with its wealth of choices. The study used 24 volunteers aged between 55 and 76, half of which were experienced internet users, and split them into book-reading and web-search groups before monitoring their brain activity. It was revealed that the increased mental activity – often said to help combat the onset of mental illness such as dementia – was most effective in experienced web users. -WH
A letter of apology: Last Wednesday (22/10/2008) the Rugby club held a social which included trips to various bars around Portsmouth. At some point during the night a large number of the members became intoxicated and behaved in an inappropriate manner, which resulted in a letter of complaint being sent to the Vice Chancellor. As Club President, I would like to apologise on behalf of the club to the rest of the Athletic Union, the Students Union and the University for the embarrassment and shame we have caused. The reputation of the Athletic Union and that of the University has been compromised and that is not acceptable. The committee have been working hard to ensure this sort of behaviour does not occur and it was a shock to find out what had happened. Although the actions came from within the Rugby club, these actions are not a representation of the club as a whole; this is an isolated incident. University of Portsmouth Students Union have investigated the matter fully with us and as a club we are going to carry out a further investigation of the reported incident over the next few days, so that those responsible are made aware of the severity of the situation. This type of behaviour is not acceptable in any way and the club would like to re-iterate how apologetic we are for this incident occurring. With Deepest Regret, Oliver Styles - President of UPRFC The Athletic Union’s reply: The Rugby club have been have been made aware of how serious the situation is and punished accordingly for their actions. Thier actions have put the reputation of student sport at risk and that is not acceptable. The punishments imposed by the Students Union are as follows: 1. The club will lose its status as a target sport including all financial and coaching assistance 2. The club will not be eligible to apply for any club or team awards at the Athletic Union Awards Dinner. As a club they have imposed the following punishments on themselves: • Cancellation of their Christmas dinner • In an effort to repair their reputation the club will participate in ‘community service’ • The club will pay for the repair of the property and apologise to the gentleman in question • The club will hold an emergency general meeting on the 29th October to ensure all members are aware of the severity of the situation - the University of Portsmouth Student Union’s President and Sports Officer will both be present. • The club will adopt a zero tolerance policy to any individuals found guilty of breaking the agreements above As the Sports Officer I am very disappointed with the club and yet also surprised. My experience dealing with the club has always been positive; it is a shame that the actions of a few have ruined the hard work and efforts of a very organised and ambitious club committee. I believe the punishments given are fitting. On a personal note, it was nice to see the club accept responsibility without making excuses, and being very co-operative - they seem determined to right their wrong in whatever way possible. I hope that this serves as an example to all clubs and societies and makes them realise that they represent the University and must act accordingly. Yours, Simon “Darby” Leach - UPSU Sports Officer
Student Council Steven Topazio
Thursday 23rd October saw the end of Union Council as we know it here at Portsmouth Students' Union. This year's Sabbatical Officers have decided to rename it as "Student Council", in an attempt to entice more students along to the monthly event, although maybe more enticing is the free tea and biscuits on offer! The first Student Council was more of an introductory session, as a total of 15 new positions had been added to the board of Student Council. Each member of the Ethics, Equality and Diversity Committee now sits on the Student Council Board, along with a Faculty Representative from the Course Rep Executive Committee. These changes have been made to make Student Council more representative of the whole University and shows how far democracy has come on at the Union in the last few years. As mentioned, it
was a day full of change and saw the end of my reign as Chair of Student Council, since the constitution (which is fun to read) states that a Sabbatical Officer cannot be Chair of the Student Council. This however gives us the opportunity to recruit new blood and I am pleased to announce that Dayalan Srikantha, Faculty Rep for the Business School has now been elected into the position of Chair. In addition to this, Tallie Kane and Elaina Sperring have been elected as student observers on the Board of Trustees for the coming year. The next Student Council will take place in the Students' Union on Tuesday 4th November at 5pm, so if you want something changed, something done, or just want to tell the Sabbatical Officers what you think of them and how good/bad a job they are doing, then come along and make yourself heard. It is your Students' Union so make sure you participate!
Gene research identifies human hair loss genes Seven gene variants linked to malepattern baldness have been revealed at Bjorn and Dusseldorf University. Aside from giving you time to prepare for the worst, and the faint possibility of curing those (distant) fears, further breakthroughs in this area could one day be used to cure deafness as well. This is because most hearing loss is caused by the inability in mammals to replace damaged hair cells - this condition causes 90% of all hearing loss. Scientists state that this research is at an extremely early stage however. -WH
Invite to Hindu Event The Hindu Society invites you to Garba, an evening of singing, dancing and prayer. Starting at 7pm on the 4th Nov there will be festivities at the Union, with refreshments. The event costs just £4.50 for members (£6 for non members). There will be no meat or alcohol served, but everyone is welcome, regardless of faith. For more information: upsu.net/p/158
Hopes for paralysis cure William Hobson
Research involving paralysed monkeys and brain implants has made a huge development in the last week, stirring hopes of a practical treatment for disabled humans at some point in the future. Macaque monkeys, at the University of Washington in Seattle, were temporarily paralysed and fitted with an implant to transmit brain signals directly to their central nervous system by researchers. They then attempted to take part in a game they had previously been trained for, and whilst at first the monkeys were unable to play the game, astonishingly they soon learned to control their wrist movements through the implant. Whilst previous research has shown that brain implants can allow users - both animal and human - to move robotic arms or cursors remotely via mental activity, this is the first study
which demonstrates how to reroute signals around a damaged nervous system using the technology. There are several major hurdles faced by the researchers in applying it safely to humans. First is the need to remove the use of wires to reduce the risk of infection, the second is the problem of inserting electrodes into brain tissue. This is because the surrounding tissue gradually becomes scarred, damaging the ability to read signals from individual neurons; however, the study has promisingly suggested that as long as the electrodes are in good contact with at least one neuron it is still possible to control muscles. A third problem is the need for a machine to magnify and clarify the signals between the brain and the muscles in question; this technology will need to be significantly miniaturised to be practical. The results of the study appeared in the journal Nature, which is available from the University Library.
News » Technology
News » Environment
Spam kings investigated
Roads to riches
William Hobson
A pair of men thought to be responsible for up to one third of all internet spam have been "shut down" by investigators from the US and New Zealand. Lance Atkinson from New Zealand and Jody Smith of Texas, both members of HerbalKing, have had their assets frozen and have been served with restraining orders preventing them from continuing their business. They are accused of making millions of dollars through the HerbalKing network, which is believed to have stretched from America to China. The US Federal Trade Commission (the FTC)
believes the two men are at least partially responsible for over 10 billion unwanted messages sent to internet users every day. Aside from the sheer irritation of their 115,741 per second rate of junk mail concerning penis enlargements and weight loss, the group is believed to have a more nefarious effect on internet users. By using a network of unsuspecting hacked computers to send the emails, the group constructed a "botnet" of "zombie computers" capable of handling the massive amounts of data. In this way, innocent computer users have their systems' power coerced without their knowledge, to benefit anonymous cyber con-men. The case has been prosecuted un-
der the US's Can-Spam Act, which outlaws sending large volumes of unsolicited emails; it requires senders to provide both a postal address and a valid opt-out option. Prosecutors from the FTC say over three million complaints have been received regarding HerbalKing messages, a small fraction of the number of people targeted by the network. Spam is believed to make up a staggering 90% of all email sent worldwide. Officials from the FTC and technology experts predict that the arrests will do little to fight spamming operations in the long term, and so it seems the fight against junk email will still be decided in your inbox rather then at the source.
A PhD student at Birmingham University has set up a company based on an innovative recycling method she developed whilst studying for her bachelors. Angela Murray was in her third year for her PhD of studying chemical engineering when she invented the novel technology which can recycle valuable minerals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium - from road dust. These minerals are lost from the catalytic converters used to filter emissions present in every automobile, and are deposited in the dust that collects there. This dust is currently collected but not filtered and recycled, even though the valuable minerals within can fetch up to £125 per gram.
Murray explains the value of the technology: “Collecting road dust and recycling [these minerals] not only generates revenue, but more importantly conserves a finite, nonrenewable valuable natural resource”. Already, Murray’s entrepreneurial idea has won £2500 in the Birmingham Business Ideas competition, and several companies have expressed an interest in trailing the technology. Officials from the university have pointed to the invention as an example of the important work that can be achieved whilst studying at a higher level. For more information tinyurl.com/6s47bl
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Pugwash News Wednesday 29th October 2008
Life & Style
Complete Carnage? Are you a new student? Have you not used the Job Shop before?
Elke Morice-Atkinson
Then come along to the Job Shop in the Students’ Union and have a look at the part-time employment vacancies available with local employers. If you are a UK student, please collect the Job Shop leaflet and the Employment Guide for UK Students. If you are an European or International Student, please collect the Job Shop leaflet and the Employment Guide for European and International Students. This has all the information that you need to work in the UK. Vacancies are advertised at the Job Shop and online at www.upsu.net/ jobshop and you will be able to search for the newest jobs and also the different types of vacancies. You will need to register first for the Union or NUS card before you can see the full details on the vacancies. To register go to upsu.net/registration Current Vacancies: Customer Service Executives, Client Liaison officer Italian speaking Customer Service advisors are required to work in a large professional and fast growing financial company based in Portsmouth. Full and part time opportunities available. We are currently looking for part time candidates to work within a dynamic team on behalf of banks and building societies. Inbound Sales Executive, Internal Sales Spanish Speaking Sales Representatives required to work for a fast growing dynamic organization. The individual will be responsible for taking inbound calls from customers who bank with many of the major and most successful banks and building societies in the UK. Weekend Gift Shop Assistant The Royal Marines Museum is looking for a self-motivated, customer-care orientated person to work at weekends in their Gift Shop. Good keyboard and IT skills, minimum of one year experience in customer services, excellent communication skills and ability to deal with customers at all levels. The ability to work unsupervised is essential, as is cash handling experience. Closing date 7th November. Set up for Life Week at Purple Door For more information about events, please visit the Set UP for Life website: port.ac.uk/setupforlife
Monday 3rd November What skills do employers look for? Are you an International Student who ewishes to gain some relevant work extperience? Come along. t eTuesday 4th November -Looking to gain volunteer experience .whilst you are studying? Work Experilence Fair. dWednesday 5th November dDo you need to update your C.V? . eThursday 6th November -Are you interested in taking part in a eplacement year? r Friday 7th November Are you interested in gaining some work experience within the Criminal Justice System?
Gap Years from the flip side
Being covered in marker pen - a Carnage tradition Sarah Beer
Definition: 1. Slaughter: the savage and excessive killing of many people. 2. Death and destruction; what remains after a massacre. 3. General term for mishap, as in a boat flipping or someone falling out. Do any of the above actually sound like fun? Well according to thousands of students, yes! The biggest student event of the year, Carnage is basically a huge pub crawl ending at Liquid & Envy in Portsmouth. But is it really such innocent fun? The theme of the most recent Carnage was "Dirty Porn Star" fancy dress, with many drunken girls sporting just a bra and knickers with a ripped Carnage T-shirt over the top. Is it right for students to be encouraged to dress this way? The T-shirts also have a check list on the back, with goals such as ‘Three Way Snog’, ‘Pull 10 People’, ‘Frolick with a Fresher’ and ‘Strip an Item of Clothing’. Why can’t students have a good night out without being encouraged to drink, strip and have sex with strangers? A recent visitor to Portsmouth, James, a 22 year old bartender from Dublin, was shocked by the state of the students stumbling down Guild-
hall Walk. “In Ireland we’re not allowed to sell alcohol so cheaply, as it encourages binge drinking. £1 or £2 a drink is ridiculous. The bars are just asking for trouble.” As for my Carnage T-shirt, he was appalled! In Dublin, girls dress up for a night out, but it is more like skinny jeans and a dressy top, rather than a competition to see who can wear the shortest skirt or the bare the most clevage. Surely dressing this way is just asking for trouble, especially when many girls still take the risk of walking home alone. If alcohol was more expensive, would you buy less of it? Do you really need to be completely drunk to have a good night? It has to be said, Carnage does aim to encourage responsible drinking, but apparently irresponsible behaviour, from pulling Freshers to getting up on stage for a wet T-shirt competition. Is it wrong for students to be encouraged to get off their face drunk and be lewd and promiscuous, or is it just a part of student life in the 21st Century? Whichever you decide, stay safe. Keep a taxi number saved in your phone and try to keep enough change with you to get home, or else leave some somewhere at home where you can get it easily after being dropped off. By all means have a brilliant night out, but don’t take any risks. It isn’t worth it.
Ever wondered why random Australians keep popping up all over Europe? As I waited for a fellow Australian expatriate in London, I heard an eerily familiar accent. “G'day. Can I have a short black? Thanks mate.” Michael, a 23 year old chef, just moved to London from Brisbane, sat in the seat opposite me and sorted his loose change. “I still can’t work out the coins here” he said. Michael is just one of a large number of Australians who live overseas. Many young Australians head for the commercial hotspots of London, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Frankfurt each year. “Hong Kong, yeah I’ve been there. I had a stopover on my way to Madeira,” Cherie, a 20 year old receptionist said. She lives in Madeira, but was taking her holiday in London, swelling the numbers or Australians there. A moment later the last of my fellow ex-Brisbanites arrived. There was Annie, 19-years-old and employed as a waitress, from Bristol, and Kelvin, 20 and unemployed (he had arrived in the country only three weeks earlier). We young Australians were now five in a million. Michael arrived in England with a fistful of money and a backpack. “I got on that plane in Brisbane and didn’t know what I was going to do when I got to London,” Michael said. He didn’t know a soul in England when he arrived. “Well, I knew of a distant cousin, who had a spare bed,” he said. But he didn’t want to just be a backpacker. “When I said I wanted to live overseas, I meant it,” he said. He is not the kind of person who takes things lightly either. His friends back home dreamt of living overseas, but none had ever made the move. “They’d all talk about how great it would be if they could live and work overseas.” Cherie on the other hand couldn’t wait until she could move overseas. With no financial support, Cherie worked the hard slog until she could afford the move. “I would put all of my wages into savings. I didn’t go out much for about six months,” she said. Cherie moved to Madeira, the small Portuguese island. Originally, she was only planning to stay for six months, but that changed when she found a job as a receptionist in a hotel. “I was really worried about the language barrier, but Madeira is such a tourist spot, everyone speaks English. Getting a job
wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be,” she said. The prospect of going home to Australia is something that has been playing on Cherie’s mind. Her move overseas was only meant to be a holiday in preparation for university. “I was so worried that I wouldn’t like the place or the people and I would be stuck. Now I love it, I don’t want to go home to Brisbane.” Annie is another young Australian sizing up her future in light of her move overseas. She made the familyfunded move to Bristol to live with her mother and stepfather for a gap year between graduating from high school and beginning university. “I want to do art at uni,” she said. “You can’t see real Picassos in Australia without it costing you loads. I went to the Tate Modern and saw them for free.” The decision wether or not to go home is going to be a large one for Annie. She said the young people in England do not know how fantastic they have it. “If you wanted to draw the Venus de Milo at home you would have to study it from books. Here you could just hop over to Paris and sit in front of it. I am going to miss that so much. But I also miss home,” Annie said. Kelvin said he has not been in the country long enough to even think about missing home. He made the move heading straight into the unknown. Unlike Michael, Cherie and Annie, Kelvin has made the ultimate move overseas. “Sold my car, quit my job, packed up all my stuff and left,” he said. Kelvin is not going back; in fact, he is trying to gain permanent residency in the United Kingdom. “I will miss Australia eventually, but my girlfriend is English and if moving to England is what I have to do, well that’s it,” he said and showed me a photo of his girlfriend. The darling Romeo, the adventurous chef, the European at heart and the mysterious artist all began their different overseas stories in Brisbane, 16,500 kilometres away from the continental playground that is Europe, yet they all feel the same way about Australia. “You heart is always in two places when you live away from your home,” Annie said. Despite having torn hearts, this group of Australians are up for the long haul in Europe. Got a travel story to tell us? Make sure you drop you us an e-mail and let us know: elke.morice@upsu.net
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Pugwash News Wednesday 29th October 2008
Life & Style
Overcoming a drink problem
Oyeniyi Olugbenga Samuel
If you think you drink too much, and you are not content with that, then you need to take action. Nobody can force you to reduce your alcohol intake, or make you seek professional help. The only person who can take responsibility for your drinking is YOU. No one else can change your lifestyle, but here are a few tips to start you on your way: First, you need to review your lifestyle; identify those times and places when you're most likely to reach for a drink, or people who make you think of drinks. From the bar after work to the weekend with friends, if you know you'll be tempted then think about steering clear. Make an excuse or go but limit yourself. Alternatively, try turning up later than usual, to minimise your drinking time, or kick off with a soft drink to stop you from feeling so thirsty. You need to drink for the right reasons, not just for the sake of it. Try to associate drinking with celebrations and events, rather than a means of blotting out your problems or propping up your self-confidence. Also think of alcohol as something you do as a complement to another activity, instead of something you turn to for its own sake. If you do indulge, pace yourself; binge drinking is dangerous, as your body can only process one unit of alcohol per hour. The more rapidly you drink, the more intense the effects will be, but that doesn't make the experience any more enjoyable. If you find it hard to apply the booze brakes, try putting your drink down more often. If it isn't in your hand all the time, you're less likely to drink it so quickly. Then try and take a break, play some pool, or leave the bar. Try phoning some old friends for a bit or try phoning somebody at home, since they may remind
suburbanslice @ flickr.com you of heading home. It can also help to learn new bar habits. If you're at the bar with a glass in your hand, try talking more. Use your mouth for something other than boozing and you're less likely to fall down at the end of the evening. Getting in something to eat can also have the same stalling effect - though be careful with salty snacks, as it could just stoke your thirst. And, the old cliché - know your limits. Before you start drinking, be sure you know when to stop. Think of a particular limit. Decide in your mind that no matter what happens you are not drinking beyond three bottles. This can be hard when everyone else is boozing, but practise makes perfect. It also avoids bad hangovers. Ideally, though I know it can be hard, try not to exceed the reccomended daily intake limits as laid down by the government - two or three units for a woman, three or four for a man. Try to take a break from your boozing. If you're worried about drinking, but you don't fancy quitting completely, then set aside an alcohol-free period every now and then, preferably two days after five boozing days or every Sunday. It might be one day in a week or a month, but even a temporary hop onto the wagon can be enough to keep the issue alive in your mind. Ultimately, the more switched on you can be about your alcohol intake the less likely it is that you'll run into problems. That's not to say you can't have fun, but go bowling or to the cinema instead! If you're really worried, don't be afraid to seek help. Facing up to the fact that you may have a drink problem takes guts. It is perhaps the most courageous step you can take towards regaining control over your life. Help is out there too, from confidential telephone support to face-to-face counselling, and more, but it's down to you to ask.
Life & Style » Education
Life & Style » Comp.
University Challenge
Win a DVD
Matt Calmus
Arguing that University is exclusively about gaining knowledge and nothing else is like saying the Olympics or Wimbledon are simply about sport. They’re not. Think brotherhood, human rights, strawberries and cream. Education is a long-time tennis ball of contention, too, debated in an age before ‘Prizes for All’ seemingly became this generation’s unfortunate epitaph. Debt rich, common-sense poor attendees of the University of Life sniff at today’s students. The riot act reads that degrees gained under Labour’s currently controversial top-up fee system are just pieces of paper bought,
never earned. Perceived wisdom, following the summer where a GCSE pupil who scribbled “Fuck off” on an English paper scored well for expressing meaning, says the country’s education system has gone to the dogs. Sick man of Europe, anyone? These disputes, in truth, are more three dimensional than the landslide of prevailing negativity suggests. Seeing that the idea of wider participation potentially looks great, but getting depressed about it anyway, is like looking for inevitable holes in Swiss cheese. Not that Higher Education is a happy land of unicorns and teddy bears. It’s just tempting to think a good case of paradise syndrome could be influencing people’s thinking.
The cynics rightly question whether an expectation that millions of youngsters can walk into top jobs with exorbitant salaries, just by waving their qualifications, is reasonable. Yet, asking if a University scheme targeting a 50 per cent enrolment rate among all A-Level graduates by 2012 is as too good to be true as it sounds might be missing the point. The exterior part of the modern University deal is that more young people get an opportunity to gain expertise and life-long experience in a system theoretically designed to allow fulfilment of potential. Note the emphasis on the word opportunity; possibility. What nobody ever promises most bright-eyed
Higher Education hopefuls is employment, because there is no scripting fate. Portsmouth students are paying for the chance to shine, not the right to demand good marks or the supposedly attendant career. Hard work is still the only valid ticket in life’s lottery. More graft increases the odds of winning without guaranteeing to do so. The University challenge facing today’s graduates, then, is to gain good credentials in the face of stigma, not to remind the detractors of something they already know: that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Take the chance, score the goal. Get the grades.
Kalimsau films are giving away five copies of their DVD Jack Says and the prequel graphic novel Jack Said, as featured in Issue 16 of Pugwash News (back issues are available on upsu.net). In order to be one of the lucky five, you just have to answer this question: In which film does Mike Reid play a diamond dealing geezer? (Hint: the answer can be found in Issue 1 of Pugwash Magazine, coming to a campus near you on the 12th November.) -LP Send your answers to: pugwashmag@upsu.net, with your name, student number and contact details, by the 1st of December. The first five correct answers drawn at random will win - good luck!
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Pugwash News Wednesday 29th October 2008
Life & Style
Don't forget your safety Portsmouth Coach while at Uni Education Programme Elke Morice-Atkinson
She packs up her laptop after a long winter day in the library. She pulls her scarf up to shield herself from the wind and heads home. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a hooded figure walking beside her. She feels unsafe and walks faster. She hugs her laptop bag against her body. The figure comes closer, eyeing the bounty. In one swift movement, the bag is ripped from her arm. It could be a page from the next best-selling crime novel, but it’s not. The Home Office estimates that one in three students becomes a victim of crime each year. The National Union of Students (NUS) says that often young people come to university with their new laptops and personal safety is not usually their top priority. Students today own more expensive consumer goods per head than the rest of the population, making us all the more vulnerable to becoming victims of crime. PC Dave Fairbrother, the University of Portsmouth’s Police Liaison Officer, said this is because most students move away from home to attend university and bring certain attitudes towards safety from their hometown: “A student may have been used to living in the country where they could leave their front door open. When they bring that attitude towards safety to a city like Portsmouth they may make themselves more vulnerable to crime." The Home Office states that the crimes mostly affecting students are mugging, vehicle related theft and burglary. Tom Messer, a third year student, thinks this is because students are easy targets, especially for muggings and burglaries: “Because a lot of uni students carry around expensive or high-tech gear like laptops and iPods, they just seem like easy targets." And it’s not just your MP3, laptop and mobile phone that are in danger of becoming someone else's MP3, laptop and mobile phone; it’s your bike or your car too. PC Fairbrother said bike theft was a significant problem at the University of Portsmouth. The NUS said that even if your car is not worth very much, thieves will still have a go. “A lot of students have older cars and they just aren’t worried about what happens to them,” agrees Tom. As you travel to university in your 1993 Ford Fiesta, have you thought
to label any of your stuff? Have you thought about how you plan to keep your stuff safe while you are at university? What are you doing to do about your personal safety? How are you going to keep safe? No idea? No clue? Don’t worry. The Home Office, your university and the NUS are aware of the levels of crime and the types of crimes that mostly affect students. There are processes in place to combat this issue and to keep all of us safe while we are students. Labelling your belongings with the initials of your university and your student ID number is just one of the many safety tips that the Home Office and the National Union of Students makes available to students everywhere, so that label maker your mum offered you as a going away present might just come in handy this year. Or, you can use the UV pens provided in your Halls room. The Home Office tells students that often perpetrators are after an easy target. Make yourself into an easy target and you could be making yourself into a victim. “Around 80% of crime is opportunistic. If you decide to walk away from the main route at night with your belongings on show and a perpetrator sees you, you could become a victim of crime,” says PC Fairbrother. While universities are aware of the levels of crime on campus and provide students with information about safety, it is certainly up to us to make use of the information they provide. PC Fairbrother stated that students should be proactive and check out the University of Portsmouth’s crime reduction website for some advice on personal safety, which include the following: • When out, especially at night, try not to be on your own • Try not to go into areas that you do not know • If possible share a taxi with friends or take the uni bus at night • Never leave personal possessions unattended, even in the library • Use the secure cycle storage areas provided by the university to lock up your bike • Park your car in a well-lit area Go to: port.ac.uk/lookup/supportservices/crimeawareness for more safety information.
Skills for Life
The coaching development workshops from Sports Coach UK (SCUK) and the coaching courses offered by the Portsmouth Coach Education Programme could be for you. Portsmouth Coach Education Programme offers a wide variety of coaching courses, including those for:
SCUK workshops include those for:
• • • • • • •
• Safeguarding and Protecting Children • Coaching Children and Young People • Equity in your Coaching
basketball football hockey lacrosse netball rugby sports first aid
If you’re interested in getting involved or for more information, please visit
www.port.ac.uk/coachingcourses
Email: dave.fairbrother@port.ac.uk or advice on a particular safety matter.
Life & Style » Safety
Life & Style » Union
Attacked: Spring Term 2008
Union Council motion
A Portsmouth student gives their account of a harrowing experience. “Putting some water on to boil, I sat down and started to flick through a magazine. As I settled in, the doorbell rang. My housemate always had friends round, so I confidently swung the door open. Before I could even see who was there, I was pushed back inside my flat. Shocked, I tried to lock myself in my bedroom but the stranger put his foot in the door and followed me in. I ran to the other end of my room as he locked the door. He pinned me down and grabbed me by the throat. Biting his arm, I managed to get away, but he punched me and my head hit the wall. I spotted my keys lying on the floor not far away. I
grabbed them and, terrified, I gauged a deep scratch down the side of his face. He yelped out in pain, giving me time to reach for my phone. "I'm calling security", I told him. Before I knew what had happened, he'd got up and ran as I sobbed down the phone. The scary thing about this attack is that it wasn't in a house in a dodgy neighbourhood. It was in Halls. Somebody had let this guy in as far as my door, and I'd been the unlucky one. So I beg you to please be careful who you let through those doors. I decided not to report the man, as I hadn't been seriously hurt, but security found out who he was and banned him from all Halls forever. Please students, don't take any risks; protect yourselves.
Steven Topazio
A statement by the Sabbatical Officers of the Students' Union with regard to the motion passed on 18th October at Students' Council titled "Motion to boycott Coca Cola from the Students' Union". "The University of Portsmouth Students' Union (UPSU) takes seriously any motion passed by its members at Student Council and will always do its utmost to facilitate the needs of its members. This particular motion has posed an interesting stumbling block for the Sabbatical team, as UPSU does
not actually sell any food or drink through its trading company. The University of Portsmouth Enterprise Limited (UPEL) runs the bars in the Student Centre and is not accountable to UPSU. UPSU has been in discussion with UPEL over changing supplier for many months, with varying degrees of success. UPEL is concerned that changing from a supplier which has a proven success in the Student Centre will have a big detrimental effect on sales and will lead to students taking their business elsewhere. UPEL also argued that whilst the motion was passed, they did not believe it was truly representative of the entire student body, as the meeting had less than 50 people attending.
However, as a result of continued discussion between UPEL and UPSU it has been decided that UPEL will provide an alternative to Coca-Cola products, again giving the students the opportunity to make the decision when purchasing their food and drink. Ubuntu will be providing the Fair Trade alternative, and will also be available from all University Catering outlets, including Via Lattea. The Sabbatical Officers would like to assure all students that they listen to and act upon all motions passed at Student Council. It is only in extreme circumstance that UPSU cannot facilitate the objectives of a motion, and will always attempt to find a suitable alternative".
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Pugwash News Wednesday 29th October 2008
9
Pugwash News Wednesday 29th October 2008
Life & Style
Comment & Opinion: Has music lost the X Factor? We often hear of music acts having to work hard, struggling in order for them to eventually have success in contributing to the music industry. For example, in the initial stages of their career they are responsible for developing their vocal and musical talents as well as publicity and marketing and an aesthetic for their group.
With the advent of the TV music contest shows, such as Pop Idol and The X Factor, things have changed. Acts that are successful in making it through the preliminary stages are “rewarded” with a team of “experts” that develop everything previously mentioned, ending up with a “perfect” act that will appeal enough to the
public to generate sales far beyond the original investment of the TV production company in these individuals. One has to question the intentions of the producers of these shows. Are they seriously interested in making a significant contribution to the music industry or are they more interested in the significant contribution to their
pockets? Have these TV shows compromised the integrity of the music industry by “creating” successful acts rather than allowing the music industry to sign acts that become successful by their own merit in their own time? Pugwash News have asked Graham Troman, a passionate music fan and
Roberta “Bob” Collins, singer and guitarist with the group Hold Fast, to derail their respective trains of thought in the hope of gathering thier views on this subject.
A few years ago, in my lovely hometown of Ashford, some friends of mine got together and started a group, calling themselves Tremors and crafting catchy indie-pop. After setting up a MySpace page and playing local gigs for a few years, they were discovered by an indie label and signed. Currently based in London, they’ve just released a song called “World Won’t Stop” and, indeed, show no signs of stopping. Furthermore, they did all of this without setting foot anywhere near a television studio. With the amount of reality TV shows hoping to cash in on the initial popularity of Popstars and American Idol, you’d be forgiven for thinking that just about every other act you see or hear must have appeared on one at some point or another. Heck, even a member of The Saturdays was once in S Club Juniors - itself another output of reality music fluff. People sign up for The X Factor and suchlike believing that they will be guided by egomaniacal impresarios
to eventually become a brand new music sensation that the world will love. Granted, these mentors are there to let the aspiring musicians know exactly what they’ll be getting themselves into. Or, at least, once they get to the final live shows they’ll know what to expect. The chances are that those who get ‘famous’ through being a particularly memorable failure in the auditions will have no clue what to expect from the publicity they may or may not receive as a result. Add to this the fact that, before they’re seen on national television, the contestants have to sign something to state that the producers will receive a portion of the royalties from any music career they get into as a result and it all seems very shallow. The most popular acts in the world today worked from the ground up to get where they are. Bands like U2 and Coldplay had been together for years before they got the recognition of the entire world. It took U2
a few albums before the world noticed them at Live Aid, when Bono danced with random crowd members. It takes the contestants of The X Factor a few weeks to be noticed by a large national audience, only for them to be forgotten mere minutes after they’re voted out by that same audience (and the panel of judges). I’ll accept that the winners of these shows can go on to have fulfilling careers – just look at Leona Lewis becoming big in America – but so many more are quite simply removed form public memory. I mean, if anyone can tell me what Steve Brookstein is doing nowadays I’ll buy them a beer. So what does the future hold for The X Factor? As long as the people watch and vote then it will surely be around for a long time. Personally, I think it makes for good Saturday night entertainment until Doctor Who comes back on, but there really is no ignoring the superficiality. In the meantime, I’m off to MySpacestalk Tremors.
rent demographic and are using it to their advantage. Gareth Gates, on the other hand, has stammered off the face of the earth it would seem, despite being the public favourite to win initially. Or Michelle McManus, who eventually found she was more suited to radio. From a producer's point of view however, a TV show that makes ordinary people an overnight "star" is a great idea and a clever way to (among other things) drive up record sales from massmarketing, sell licensed products (the Argos-friendly "X Factor Jammer Keyboard" for instance), generate revenue from phone lines and make ticket profit from X Factor arena
tours. Additionally, the single release of the winner always coincides with the coveted "Christmas #1" race, which means huge profits for Simon Cowell and chums. Even the terrible auditions - let’s face it - make great TV and fodder for a seasonal karaoke DVD! Hooray! If it was really about making a living through music, you wouldn’t have any of this "last chance", sob story nonsense. Artists would succeed on their own merits, with personal conviction, persistence, marketing research, motivation, touring and, quite likely, holding down an everyday job just to keep afloat. For most of the people entering TV contests, the overwhelming desire is for
instant fame, as opposed to the artist who has a genuine love for music and will pursue that career at any cost. Oh, and by the way, if it’s really bothering you that much, Steve Brookstein is starring in a play called "Our House" based on the music of Madness. Madness? How apt.
Graham says:
Birmingham University Campaign to keep Rhydian in the X Factor last year
“Bob” says: It's just another facet of today’s modern voyeuristic reality TV culture. The general public form an exact opinion about each contestant, phone in for their favourite, buy/download the winner's single, then retract their loyalty in time for the beginning of the next series. In the same way that Channel 4 noticed their lowest ratings ever for the last Big Brother, the same will probably happen with X Factor. The process appears to be "familiarity breeds contempt". Fame, development, criticism and disappointment are all immediate. How many times in previous series' have we heard the phrases "please Simon" and "but it's my last chance" from tearful and emotionally-vulnerable
contestants, who would be better not using X Factor/Pop Idol as the prop for a career in music anyway? The major label side of the music industry relies on monetary worth and involves those who will work incredibly hard, as well as adapt to the changes that will inevitably happen. Both listening trends and the financial climate directly influence the direction of the industry and only those artistes who evolve to meet the market will have sustained success. Will Young and Leona Lewis are a testament to shows like these actually working; they are charismatic and aesthetically pleasing, making them easily marketable. They’ve crafted their identity for the cur-
If nothing else, we’ve established that Graham now owes Bob a beer! Now it’s over to you - if you want to shake your maracas about this or anything at all, then please, shake them in the direction of my inbox: comment@upsu.net and I’ll do my best to make your voice heard.
Life & Style » Great South Run
Pounding the streets of Portsmouth Thousands of runners and spectators pounded the streets of Portsmouth on Sunday 26th October in the rain on Southsea seafront. Whilst Paula Radcliffe might have grabbed the headlines by taking the British record, the hordes of people who rumbled along the Portsmouth streets behind her were the real heroes of an event which has now grown into one of the top athletic events of the year. The participants ranged from fitness fanatics dressed in tiny shorts to ordinary mums, dads and pensioners who wanted to do try their luck at running 10 miles. Hordes of crowds braved the weather to show their support for the
runners and lined every pavement on the route, crying out supportive messages such as ‘Come On’ and ‘You’re almost there!’. The News reported “Ike Ansell, eight, from South Parade, Southsea, watched the race from the lounge window and put up the sign Paula You Can Use Our Toilet. Love the Ansells.” As a by-stander I had so much respect for everyone running, whatever there experience level they all had a personal drive to complete the long run around the city and it is this drive and enthusiasm that should be appauled, especially the army guys who pulled a Landrover around the course!
All results are taken from the Great South Run website or supplied by yourselves - add yours at upsu.net
Your results and times In no particular order: Declan Coyle: 01:19:00 Richard Weymouth: 01:27:00 Dianna Langford: 01:30:43 Alex Milligan: 01:35:19 Simon Leach: 01:38:10 Lucy Henry: 01:42:00 Adrian Fraguela: 01:45:03 Daisy Hosier: 01:52:46 Sarah Marett: 02:06:07 Michael Legg: 01:01:57 Chris Holmes: 00:59:37
Dave Brown: Thomas Roberts: Christoph Kurth: Ed Bargent: Sarah Pennycook: Matt Lovesey: Louise Appleby: Robert Sedgbeer: Joe Dickinson: Jemma Goodship: Martin Lloyd: Adam Insam:
01:06:13 01:08:00 01:08:42 01:16:20 01:18:30 01:18:59 02:05:56 01:35:00 01:36:50 01:40:00 01:41:17 01:24:37
James Bossom: Ash Leigh: Josh Leigh: Ish Al Albadi: Liam Davis: Ali Zaki: Kayleigh Rodbard: Wilson Leung: Philippa Hall: Genevieve Beard: Harriet Baker: Simon Munro:
01:16:44 01:11:13 01:11:17 01:22:08 01:02:32 01:17:13 01:30:54 01:30:52 01:45:09 01:59:02 01:45:10 01:04:00
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Pugwash News Wednesday 29th October 2008
Arts & Entertainment
Singles
Albums 1/5
Razorlight - Wire to Wire Vertigo Records
In an attempt to be subtle, Razorlight’s latest middle-of-the-road offering, “Wire to Wire”, shows the very depths of the band’s mediocrity and the overestimation of Johnny Borrell’s talent as a vocalist, which should never have happened. The song seems hell-bent on creating a Beatle-esque sentiment but they fail in their ability to see where the true problem lies in the construction of their music. If you listen carefully, you can just about see where the song writing allows for fellow band mates to quietly tap away in the background or fiddle about with a piano; either a faux pax on the producers’ side or a case of inflated egos. A tune that the great Rob Gordon would call “something you can ignore”. Tallie Kane
3/5
Ben Watt - Guinea Pig Buzzin’ Fly
Amid cries of “It’ll never be as good as Lone Cat”, Ben Watt has produced his first single in three years. Entitled ‘Guinea Pig’ so Watt could trick himself into writing again it is, of course, a splendid exploration into uncharted deep-house back country. What is endearing about Ben Watt is that he is constantly producing new music so that no two tunes ever sound the same. Whilst some of the tracks may not hit the mark in the same way his earlier work did, they are always fresh, creative and interesting to listen to and that’s what counts. James Phillips
Robert Mitchell and 3io: The Greater Good Rating:
James Phillips It seems there are positive effects of the credit crunch. Scary terms such as “mass scale downsizement” evoke the idea of a penniless, heroin addicted Gordon Brown running at your wallet. However Robert Mitchell seems to have taken on the idea of prudence and produced an album with the “3io”. Better known (among beardy jazz heads) as pianist for folk
4.5/5
Polyvinyl Records Flamboyant psycho-indie-disco-funk polysexuals of Montreal are like nothing else in this world. A glorious mess of synths, piercing screams, guitars, sex and octave-conquering vocals, “Id Engager” is all over the place, yet amazingly focused at the same time, resulting in frontman Kevin Barnes yelping lines like “I’m screaming out to you from the depths of the phalli-centric tyranny”, and somehow transforming it into a single that’s as tasty, sweet and smooth as golden syrup. It’s quite a feat for a song to take what sounds one of The Bee Gees’ greatest hits, and toy with it, turning it into something so brilliantly demented. Unashamedly superficial, this shambolic, twirling, drunken drag queen of a single both seductively and threateningly purrs “I just wanna play with you”. My advice is that you take such an invitation. Ed Butterfield
Pigeon Detectives - Say It Like You Mean It 3/5 Dance To The Radio Released by independent label Dance To The Radio and taken from the band’s recent album “Emergency”, new release and third single “Say It Like You Mean It” isn’t exactly ground breaking stuff. If you liked the first album and the previous two singles, then you’ll no doubt love this tune. To be loved by the fans, the simple shouty lyrics are catchy like “Everybody Wants Me”, but with a faster beat and drive its repetitive guitar riffs and moving bass keep the tune going. With the same likeable hooks as previous songs, it will either be danced to by many in Indie clubs or grooved to down the pub. Dominique O’Mahoney
Dananananaykroyd - Pink Sabbath
4/5
Best Before Records (I think it’s meant to be said like the Batman theme tune; you know, ‘da-na-na-nan-AYKROYD!’) The majority of praise for this Glaswegian six piece should be rightly aimed at their songs, such as Pink Sabbath, which the band themselves perfectly describe as “fight-pop”. Sweetly aggressive like a child on a Haribo high, but equally as harmless in the end, the group’s pair of drummers propel the song along, as multiple layers of vocals arguing for attention with interweaving guitar and keyboard melodies create a dizzying mix of noise over the relentlessly bounceable beat. Managing to tiptoe the fine line between radio friendliness and underground credibility is no easy feat, but with Pink Sabbath, they sound like they’re cartwheeling blindfold along that line, guzzling Red Bull and sticking their tongue out as they pass you by. Another young British band putting out new, exciting music? Fa-fa-fa-fa-fantastic. Joel Growney
“Teardrop”. Richard Spaven really excels himself by taking the lead on this and the track leaves us feeling a new found appreciation for one of the greatest pieces of music of the last 20 years. Credit crunch jazz! Yes!
Really surprising additions to the album are two of the best jazz covers this we’ve heard this year. The first is an upbeat, abstract version of Wayne Shorter’s “Dance Cadaverous”. The intent of a great cover is not to overshadow the original but to try and present the song in a way we’ve never heard before, to allow us to listen from a different angle. Mitchell achieves nothing less than this with his arrangement of Massive Attack’s
Film Pineapple Express Rating:
William Hobson
Polysexuals of Monteal - Id Engager
crossover sextet Panacea, Mitchell has scaled down to just a bassist (Tom Mason) and drummer (Richard Spaven, of Jose James quartet fame) to create a subtle yet raw sounding jazz album. The album opens with a Mitchell original “Cumulus”, which sets the tone for what follows to be a dynamic and spacious aural experience.
Possibly the most laid back action movie ever created, the latest offering from the guys behind Superbad, Juno and Knocked Up is best described as a buddy stoner movie meeting the OTT
Tropic Thunder Rating:
Gamel Oki Tropic Thunder is a spoof of war films, actors and how serious and cut throat the movie business has become. This many spoofs in one film may have you running for the hills, but as I found out, it’s not so terrible. Firstly numerous spoofs all compacted into one movie may have you wondering if this film is comparable to such cinematic STIs as Disaster Movie, Epic
Quarantine Rating:
William Hobson The only reason I can’t really recommend this movie is that a much better version of it is already out on DVD. That’s because Quarantine is the American remake of cult Spanish hor-
drama of Hot Fuzz. Just so you know what to expect, it shows a lot of the same kind of humour you saw in the above movies – not exactly clever, but extremely funny! A major part of the comedy comes from the two lead characters, acted by Seth Rogen and James Franco. Especially James Franco! The plot involves Rogen’s stoner character witnessing a brutal murder and running to his dealer in a panic, and the truly hapless pair going on the run from the crime lord they’ve annoyed.
Needless to say, hijinx ensue – mostly because neither of the two can go five minutes without smoking one – and on top of witty dialogue and crude but funny gags there’s car chases, gun fights and some of the best fight scenes in film history. But this is a far cry from Dude, Where’s My Car? There’s some decent exploration of the tangled politics of acquaintance and friendship, and almost every single character earns their screen time. This is my comedy movie of 2008, hands down.
Movie, Date Movie or mostly anything written by Jason Friedbaerg. But surprisingly I found this offering didn’t leave me cursing the directors’ name and trying to haggle to get my money back on the way out. Featuring a cast of heavyweight actors, including Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. and others, Tropic Thunder tells the tale of a group of socially inept actors who are dropped into the Burmese “Golden Triangle” in an attempt to make their film more authentic. As the actors struggle to find their way back to civilisation and survive without their P.As and mobile phones (and in one characters’ case, his drug stash), they find themselves on a com-
ical journey of self discovery. With impressive performances from Black and Downey Jr., the characters really push the story forward and allow you to get truly involved. The interaction between Downey Jr. as an Australian method actor who’s had cosmetic surgery to enable him to portray the African American Sgt. and Jackson’s authentic black character are priceless! The humour isn’t constant, but when it hits it does so with force, with each of the main characters having priceless moments and great one liners. This isn’t a must see but is definitely worth the time and money (unlike Doomsday!)
ror film, and unless you need the big screen or just can’t stand subtitles it’s probably cheaper and definitely better to go with the original. That said, the differences aren’t huge; both feature the same plot of a TV crew trapped in a quarantined apartment building whilst doing a fluff piece on a team of firemen, and both do an excellent job of making the single camera perspective work throughout - better than Blair Witch or even Cloverfield managed. It might just be because
bad acting is harder to detect in a foreign language, or just a general fatigue with American horror movies, seemed a more satisfying - and scarier - outing. And it might just be my imagination but I swear the original did a better job of making the camera work without being too dark, but now I’m just nitpicking. Quarantine’s not a bad movie, just a bit of a pointless remake.
PureFM Show of the week The Rag and Bone Show Wednesdays 3-5pm The combination of RAG and radio broadcasting has been considered the best thing since the flu vaccine, and is enjoyed by men, women, and children the world over. Andy, Matt, Lauren and long suffering Joe take over Pure FM for two hours of radio sensation, with great features "Guess the Guest" and "The Search for the next Jesus". Missing it would be a bigger disaster than burning toast.
11
Pugwash News Wednesday 29th October 2008
Arts & Entertainment
Gigs Does It Offend You, Yeah? Wedgewood Rooms Rating:
Andy Donohoe The last time I saw Does It Offend You, Yeah? I wasn’t very impressed. I didn’t like their name (I still don’t) and I was very wary of the whole “new rave” term, and everything that went with it. They were too noisy, too unorganised. There were a lot of kids there, and at the time it put me off. This time however, I enjoyed them a lot more than I thought I would. The Wedgewood Rooms was completely sold out, but the crowd was not as young as I expected. (Just a quick note on this whole age thing: I used
Does It Offend You, Yeah?
to think that the younger the crowd, the less credible the band were. This is totally wrong, as I have realised in the past year.) There was definitely a strong sense of anticipation, and by the time support act South Central had finished, half of the crowd were a bouncing, sweaty mess. This set the scene perfectly for Does It Offend You’s brand of noisy-yet-catchy electro punk. The sheer danceable power coming from the speakers totally threw me, as nine months ago it was nowhere near the same stand-
ard. Tight and full of energy, even though singer James Rushent had a broken leg and sat on a flight case for the whole set. I did find some of their shouty sing along choruses annoying, (“Lets Make Out” is one example) but when they really got going they churned out excellently filthy electro that just caused madness in the crowd. Their music isn’t all that serious, which might put some people off, but it is very danceable, and a lot of fun. Well worth checking out.
Photos courtesy of Andy Donohoe
DVD Release The Incredible Hulk Out Now on DVD Rating:
Gamel Oki
The first Hulk Movie (2003) directed by Ang Lee was kind of like crack; if you knew about it and enjoyed it in certain niche circles that made you “the man”, but the majority thought you were scum or pitied you. Now that the second movie, The Incredible Hulk, has hit the DVD stores I thought I’d see if this release would fare better then its predecessor. This movie is an odd amalgam of a fresh start and a continuation, leading on directly from the 2003 movie but retelling the story differently in the intro sequence. It also has an all new cast, now featuring heavy weights Ed Norton and Liv Tyler playing Bruce Banner and Betty Ross. Banner has a unique condition in that whenever stressed he transforms into the green, muscle-bound 12ft tall Hulk, a creature of immense power who reacts by instinct alone and whom Banner has no control over. Banner searches for a cure while hiding from General Ross, a tyrannical army leader (and also coincidently the father of his
love Betty), obsessed with capturing Banner and using his Hulk abilities as a weapon.You follow Banner as he is discovered just as he thinks he has found a cure for his “impairment”. Banner goes on the run from Ross once more, returning to America in search of his cure. The Incredible Hulk has discarded all the psychological mumbo jumbo of the previous film and instead develops the characters and their relationships. This makes it a much easier film to watch. It’s definitely not the Dark Knight, but Hulk does possess its own unique charm in the fury, power and occasional ferocity of the Hulk. As is to be expected the performances from both Norton and Tyler were excellent, and Tim Roth’s characterisation of Blonsky was also outstanding. In short, if you’re looking for a Hollywood super hero story with a little less psychology, a little more power and a few genius comedic moments, the Incredible Hulk is more than likely to please your taste.
Jose James Quartet feat. Robert Mitchell Orange Rooms, Southampton Rating:
James Phillips London. New York. Paris. Southampton? Spot the odd one out. It may seem odd that Jose James had chosen to finish off his latest tour in a small club in Southampton. However the intimate environment of the Orange Rooms proved to be the perfect place for the Quartet to really let loose to produce one of the most improvisational and inspiring gigs this crowd will ever have the pleasure of hearing. Chatting to Jose before the gig you could tell he is infused with a rich jazz heritage. His favourite album is”‘A Love Supreme” by John Coltrane, which he considers
to be “the greatest achievement of Black music”. As soon as he takes to the stage it is clear how his heritage manifests itself. There was no set list. No real sound check. The band began to jam; Jose was just scatting lyrics. Mitchell fed off Jose’s rapid vocal improvisation and began to mimic his style on the piano. There were times during the set when Mitchell’s fingers seemed to disappear into a blur of long, stylistic solos and the response to these was one of pure adoration and respect from the audience. The night almost became an improvisational tribute to the pioneers of mod-
ern jazz, featuring covers of Freddy Hubbard and Joses’ deeply spiritual, vocal version of Coltranes’ “Equinox”. Notably absent was Jose’s own master piece “The Dreamer” (a track inspired to Dr. Martin Luther King, dedicated to Barack Obama). After fifteen minutes of solid applause to their final song “Love”, the quartet finished the night off with an encore of Art Blakey’s “Moanin”. Whilst Jose is tipped to be working Flying Lotus, he has his feet placed firmly on the shoulders of some jazz giants.
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PurplePugwash Wednesdays News Wednesday Wednesday 29th 29th October October 2008 2009
3rd - 7th November
for more information contact: caz.bird@upsu.net or bradley.mckenzie@port.ac.uk
13
Purple Wednesdays Wednesday 29th October 2009
Sports
Rugby hold on for narrow victory Rugby 1st Brunell
13 12
Oliver Styles
Expectations before the start of the game were high for a well motivated First team. Brunel arrived expecting a tough game and the Pompey First team were ready to give them everything they expected and more. A solid start to the game from the Portsmouth boys meant that Brunel were very quickly aware what sort of game they were in for. The first 20 minutes saw a lot of pressure applied by the opposition forwards, with a strong attack and a great use of the crash ball. However the Pompey defence prevailed, with some great turnover balls at crucial moments. After a small spell of pressure in the
Brunel half, Portsmouth found themselves with a penalty in front of the posts; three points on the board for Pompey, but this didn’t stop the torrent waves of attack from the Brunel team. The Portsmouth defence stayed strong whilst camped on their own five metre line, but after repetitive penalties given away by Portsmouth, the referee decided to award a penalty try to Brunel. Momentarily the Portsmouth First team's spirits sank, which Brunel duly capitalised on, with a unconverted try taking them up to 12-3 at half time. After a heated half time team talk, the team rallied together for the second half. This energy took immediate affect, with the First team spending the majority of the first 10 minutes in the Brunel half. Pressure soon turned into points with a penalty being awarded to the home side, which
was slotted with precision by Simon Gregory. This brought the Portsmouth boys within six points of Brunel, which kick started the First team back several phases, and with a lot of persistence from the team they found themselves up for the second time in the game, with a try by Chris Ealey and conversion by Si Gregory. With 15 minutes to go the scores were agonisingly close at 13-12, but Brunel laid siege to the Portsmouth try line with flood after flood of attack. Portsmouth’s defence wasn’t the only thing being tested in this period; with it being so late in the game fitness became a big factor and suddenly the pre-season preparations started paying off. Thanks to a solid defensive display, the Portsmouth First team recorded yet another win at Fortress Langstone, with a 13-12 victory.
The Rugby Team playing last year photo by Tom Worman
Rugby Fifths win on the road UEL Men’s 5th
7 8
Oliver Styles
The newly spawned Fifth team found themselves with the hard task of playing their first ever game away at UEL. After a delayed arrival at the venue, the boys' spirits were high, and after an enthusiastic team talk from newly appointed Fifth team skipper Mike Ainsley, and a rushed warm-up, the match was underway. Poor weather conditions in the early parts of the game meant that both teams played a forward dominated affair. After some big hits from both sides, a hard knock on James Flower resulted in a dislocated shoulder.
The game went on and it wasn't long before the centre partnership of Chris Woodroffe and Mike Ainsley started to open up gaps in the UEL back line. After making ground from a big break down the middle, the ball came to First Year, Mark Elson (number 8) to gain his and the team's only try. The try was not converted, but a nicely taken penalty by Steve Hancock resulted in another three points for the Pompey Fifth team before half time. The team suffered numerous knocks, resulting in all of our subs being brought in in the first thirty minutes of play, which produced a tense start to the second half. This tension was capitalised on by the opposition, who scored an early converted try. This brought UEL within one point in
a matter of seconds in the second half. After this minor lapse in concentration, the Portsmouth team started to apply the pressure on the UEL try line with very strong forwards play. This set up a nice platform for the Fifthteam backs to produce some blistering running attacks, shortly followed by a nice break from Chris Woodroffe, which resulted in a slightly dubious officiating decision of a disallowed try. With no video reply available, the team got on with the rest of the game, closing it out with a well deserved 8-7 victory. The dedicated performance given by the players, which was fuelled by their willingness to prove themselves within the club, produced what the Captain hopes will be the first of many wins in the SESSA league.
Name: Mike Beatty Club: Lacrosse
Name: Scott Reason Club: American Football
What has been your most embarrassing moment? Getting in the shower with Fresh and soaping his back - what happens in Kavos...
What has been your most embarrassing moment? At home a few years ago. I’d had way too many and ended up naked in my garden and all of my sister’s friends, who were round at the time, saw me!
When were you last naked in front of someone? Two nights ago...[content deleted!]
When were you last naked in front of someone? A couple of weeks ago on my 21st birthday night, not so much someone though, as everyone!
When was the last time you cried? When I was watching Titanic, yesterday. That film changed my life.
When was the last time you cried? I think the last time was when England lost to Portugal in the World Cup.
What’s been your most expensive night out? I once spent £110 back in Essex. There may have been a more expensive night but I can’t remember it.
What’s been your most expensive night out? Well to be honest I’m pretty tight. Actually I spent nearly £200 in Cardiff once, strictly the one time only though!
If you were invisible for the day, what would you do? I think I would just walk around naked all day. In the evening I’d go to the casino and load the decks so Blackins loses!
If you were invisible for the day, what would you do? Well, after the mandatory trip to the ladies changing room I’d probably try and rob a bank - and then go back to the ladies changing room!
What was the last lie you told? My answer to question three...
What was the last lie you told? I tried to convince these girls I owned my own business. I even got my mate to send me a picture of a Porsche so I could tell them it was mine!
Who was the last sporto you chatted up or got chatted up by? That’d have to be my housemate, Fresh... Last night!
Who was the last Sporto you chatted up or got chatted up by? I generally try and chat up everyone of the cheerleaders, but so far its got me nowhere! I thought the American Footie connection would be enough!
What did your last text message say and who was it from? “Are you coming to the lecture this afternoon” - from Matt (and I didn’t go!)
What did your last text message say and who was it from? “I swear 2 god if you’ve nicked my underwear agen I’m gonna kill u!!!” from my housemate!
Sports » Offers
Sports » Editorial
Sports » Atheletics
Play golf for £2.50 a session!
Sports Editorial
Cross Country Review
This will be the third Purple Wednesday issue I have “officially” been the Sports Editor of, and I hope that some of you will have noticed changes from last year. I would be very interested to hear what you think. My role is in part to collaborate with the AU Media Exec “Chewett” on issues of content, features and accuracy. We are both determined to improve the quality and diversity of the sports media, while still providing an entertaining read. New features have been introduced and there are a number more in the pipeline. We are also looking into interviews with high profile figures connected to the University. Watch this space... - BE
Simon Munro
Simon “Darby” Leach Sports Officer
Do you want to learn how to play golf? Portsmouth Golf Centre is offering an exclusive deal to University of Portsmouth Students (and staff) by putting on sessions for us alone! For a cost of only £10 you will receive one session with an instructor a week for four weeks. That makes it £2.50 a week to learn how to play golf. Beat that if you can! The offer doesn't stop there; after the initial 4 weeks you are able to do it all again for the same price, whilst
continuing to further your golfing skills. Competitions will also take place to test your brand new (and hopefully improved) swinging ability at various points throughout the year. If you would like to try your hand at Golf contact the Sports Officer: sports@upsu.net
Saturday 12th October saw a fine, sunny day for the first fixture of the Hampshire Cross Country League, a league which the University of Portsmouth Athletics Club (UPAC) has just become affiliated with this year. Farley Mount, on the outskirts of Winchester, produced an undulating course comprising of a mixture of woods, grassland and open country. The mens’ race started with over 270 individual runners, requiring three laps of the track, culminating a total 9km distance. Of the 269 finishers, Simon Munro, the President of UPAC, was the first to come home for the
team, with a time of 34:03, in 60th position. Next to finish was Tom Roberts in 124th place (36:37), shortly followed by club Social Secretary, Liam Davis, 35 seconds later, in 133rd place. Luke Hine, an inexperienced runner, finished in a respectable time of 38:35, pursued by Christoph Kurth who crossed the line 28 seconds after. Tom Bailey, a Fresher in his first race, finished admirably in 39:07. Nick Fairbrass unfortunately suffered an injured hamstring on the second lap and could not continue any further. The three fastest runners scored for the team, so we currently lie fourth in the league. For more information in how to get involved with the athletics club go to upac.org.uk
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Purple Wednesdays Wednesday 29th October 2009
Sports
Behind the Scenes with the ...
Swim Team Committee
Want to see your club committee team here? Email: sportsnews@upsu.net
Name: Alice “Swimsuit Barbie” Tourell Role: President Comment: Alice has been a member of the Swim Team for three years, representing the Team at Student Nationals during all of these. When not in the pool Alice can usually be found straightening her hair!
Mens’ Squash First team match report Marty McKinlay
Pompey Squash began this season where they left off last year and ran riot against the Surrey Second String. Amit started the match off with a comfortable victory in his debut for the Firsts; after strolling through the first two games, he decided to give his opponent a run around and almost doubled the conventional score, winning 19-17. Fresher Jack also had an easy introduction to Uni squash, playing an opponent who was no taller than a
hobbit. Jack showed no mercy for the vertically challenged and walked away with a convincing victory, only conceding three points. Dan’s promotion three places up the order showed just how well he’s improved over previous seasons. He played the Surrey captain - he decided the ball was no longer his friend and went about destroying it for a 3-0 win. Another of our boys, Arj, continued the slaughter with another 3-0 win against an opponent intent on doing everything in his power to prevent Arj from hitting the front wall. After
several lets, Arj let rip with two body shots, before putting the Surrey new boy out of his misery. Last up was old boy Marty, who had decided that Surrey shouldn’t go away too disheartened and gave their number two a fair run about. As the game progressed and Surrey began to believe they were playing a team on their level, Marty stepped up a gear to take the game 3-0. Overall, we achieved an outstanding 15 games to 0 for the Mens’ First, who must surely be favourites for the league this year.
Women's Lacrosse earn BUCS points - fact! Name: Jack “Pirate” Smith Role: Vice-President Comment: Jack is most famous for appearing in a Will Young video, and looking scarily like Steve the Pirate from Dodgeball. Steve loves nothing more than a good moan like a grumpy old man!
Name: Rob “Wilson” Knott Role: Men’s Captain Comment: The Swim Team’s most famous looka-like is regularly spotted looking in shiny objects, straightening his hair or convincing Freshers to do “great things” with Cannon. Name: Sophie “Bouncy” Castle Role: Women’s Captian Comment: Swim Team’s very own foreign import loves nothing more than “to make party”, especially if there’s a beach involved! Name: Allen “Sue” Westoby Role: Secretary Comment: Swim Team’s financial adviser, always in charge of collecting money for another jug of snakebite. Yet another swim team look-a-like!
Women’s 1st University of Kent
9 9
Rachel Penycate
A damp October afternoon saw a stunning draw for the Portsmouth ladies, who have made a positive start to the new season on an away match versus newcomers, the ladies of the University of Kent. The journey up pased relatively uneventfully due to the recent introduction of prohibition on all university coaches. The only incedent of note was that due to a miscommunication the ladies were without a goalie stick.
The game opened with a swift goal from Dominique Shaw, closely followed by another from Captain Suzy Pope. The remainder of the first half was dominated by the Portsmouth team, seeing two goals from Lizzie Sarney and another from Pope, finishing the first half with a 5-3 score line. Had it not been for a disallowed goal following an illegal shot from the Pompey captain, or some spectacular saves from novice goalie, Emily Crockford, the halftime result could easily have been much higher for both teams. The second half started with the Portsmouth side in high spirits, spurred on by their leading goals, but it was not to last, as tiredness and
complacency kicked in, and their original lead was gradually being caught up by the Kent side. Portsmouth did manage to score a further four goals in the final half; one more from captain Pope, two from Stephanie Box and one from fresher Sarah Evans, but it was not enough to hold off the growing confidence of the Kent side, who then scored a few more goals of their own. The game eventually ended 9-9; so far, the girls’ best result for a number of years. The ladies look forward to visiting Royal Holloway on Wednesday, and hope their draw with Kent signifies more encouraging results for the coming season.
Ski & Snowboard on slippery slope Becky Hyde
A bright, sunny day greeted our racers as we set off to Brentwood, Essex to compete in the first Kings series race of the year. The day started off resembling a doctors waiting room, with two members having apparently accumulated the plague over night not ideal! This however didn’t dampen the almighty Pompey spirit. The Second team, after unfortunately suffering from some early crashes in the starting rounds, didn’t quite make the cut-off, however with the training that is occurring there is
no reason for them not to come on leaps and bounds - watch this space! Mel Hanson deserves a special mention after stepping up and putting in an excellent performance on the day and receiving a cheeky bottle of champagne. After not loosing any races in the starting rounds the first team were unfortunate to lose two at the very end, however they still placed a respectable fifth overall. This team looks to be in top shape, with one British rider, two county and two veterans, there will be a definite need to keep an eye out for them. The First team will shortly be experiencing less exotic climates, as they trek it up to
Edinburgh to compete in the British University Dryslope Nationals. With a newly put together team, our snowboarders were unsure how well they would do, but it seemed there was nothing to worry about as the Pompey Riders proved to be one of the top three teams there. Our toughest competition was Surrey and Kent, but after winning all of our qualifying races, we went into the final as favourites against Surrey. It was a tense race, with us taking the lead, but a fall caused us to place second. It was a really good start to the season and an uplifting result with the Edinburgh competition coming up.
Name: Rachel “Wifey” Reed Role: Social Sec 1 Comment: Swim Team’s social organiser, often spotted in a fancy dress while sporting permanent marker slogans such as 1 LOVE SWIM TEAM! Name: Phil “Cannon” Palmer Role: Social Sec 2
Sports » Healthy Living
Coaches Corner Ben Endley, James Agar & Caz Bird
Comment: Portsmouth Uni’s longest serving student, he’s been here so long we’ve lost track of the years. Loves a bottle of rose with a straw and has unique “mood eyes”. Name: Steven “Trigger” Collins Position: Tour Sec Comment: Swim Team’s resident special child, always ready with a special smile and wave and a slow comment to accompany it.
The right diet is absolutely essential to athletes. This can be particularly difficult to maintain at uni, with the stress of work and the easy availability of takeaways. This week, Coaches’ Corner tackles the issue of nutrition and delivers some pointers on what to eat before and after competition to maximise your performance. Research has suggested that sports performance is heavily correlated with dietary intake. Increased physical activity causes athletes to have increased energy needs, especially those who exercise strenuously, in
order to maximise and sustain performance. Athletes gain energy from carbohydrates that are stored in the muscles as glycogen prior to exercise. This must be regulated, as exercise on a full stomach hinders performance. A meal takes between one and four hours to digest. The pre match meal should consist of high carb, easily digestible foods such as bread, pasta, fruits and specially designed energy supplements. For someone who competes in University sports, the best and easiest food to eat 2-3 hours before a game is a jacket potato with a low fat, high protein filling (eg, tuna and sweetcorn) or pasta and vegetables, with a
S light sauce (eg, pesto or tomato). Although knowing what to eat pre match is important, it is equally important to know what to consume post match. It is vital that you drink plenty of water immediately after exercise to avoid dehydration. If you have been playing flat out for over 3045 minutes you should drink about a litre of water and or a drink with added energy supplements. It’s healthy living week on the 3rd-7th November where you can get the opportunity to try new sports, get tips on healthy living and ultimately learn how to change your lifestyle. Find out more information at: upsu.net/healthyliving
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Purple Wednesdays Wednesday 29th October 2009
Sports continued from page 16 blistering 6ft 5 inches tall with a significant reach advantage. This did not deter George from using his superior strength to out muscle and push back his opponent, winning on a tight margin of two points. On the Sunday we had three lads in finals, including young Terry “You Can’t Touch This” Singh, a relatively inexperienced boxer. Terry possess potential to achieve at boxing and hopefully gain a few University titles. On this occasion Terry came against a very strong and stocky opponent, who was just a bit too much for Terry, but a silver medal is a silver medal – I am sure there is more to come from this lad. Mick “The Rhino” O'Sullivan also competed for the Gold against a British lad who trains with Olympic Gold Medalist James Degale. After an enthralling bout for the crowd, Mick lost on a close points decision, but was happy to take the silver home – as ever he never disappoints. Gorgeous George was the last to compete in the medals race, and seeing his team mates take the silver, George promised he would get them a gold. In the final, George came against stocky southpaw Casper Stray from Finland and it was looking like this would be a toe to toe street fight. George however had other plans, showing growth and experience beyond his years. George moved quickly in and out of range, landing precise
solid point scoring shots, ending the first round five points up. George continued this display into the third round where he then stepped up his tempo and made the score line a staggering 16 points to six – George was awarded the Gold Medal to the cheers of the crowd. On the Sunday evening the boxers were let loose on Copenhagen and yet again they ended up in a competition, albeit a bit unusual. They were competing at singing against the locals in a very lively Karaoke Bar. As the drinks flowed, the singing got worse, but the night and weekend will not be forgotten. Coach's Comment: I am very proud of all who competed in a very hard competition. I think everyone learned valuable things towards the growth of their boxing careers. You boys never cease to amaze me - roll on Norway 09! Other Results: Matt Wilcock lost in semi-final to Andrew Joicey from Dale Youth; Paul Kapnesi was robbed in the semi-final against Leo Frimark from Iceland; Mark Coombs had a close bout with Norwegion National champion Erik Skogland; Ali Zaki also lost in the semi finals against Ronald Kerberger from Belgium; Dan Hendy was defeated by Khalid M.Barki; Matt Harding lost to Jan Harkmans from IK99; and young Michael Andrews suffered the worst decision I have seen as a coach against M Cline.
Athletic Union to hold first ‘Super Wednesday’ festival of sport Chris Hewett
The University of Portsmouth Athletic Union will be hosting their first ever “Super Wednesday” Festival of Sport between midday and 4pm on Wednesday 26th November at the Langstone Campus sports ground. “This is going to be the single biggest one day sporting event that has ever been held up at Langstone and it gives everyone the chance to get up there and support ‘Team Pompey’”, said Students’ Union Sports Officer, Simon “Darby” Leach. The carnival-style event will see no less than 17 Portsmouth teams taking on Universities from as far as Sussex, Buckinghamshire and London. As well the sporting spectacle throughout the afternoon, there will be performances from the Student Union’s Cheerleading and Dance clubs on a site that will include a bouncy castle,
a refreshments tent and lots of fun and games. Student radio station PureFM will be broadcasting live from the site, pumping out the tunes as the students compete in rugby, football, netball, hockey and lacrosse, ensuring that there is something there for everyone. The event falls toward the end of the first sporting semester and will provide a boost to the growing spectator and support culture among the University sports clubs. “We’ve seen a massive increase in spectators at our home games over the last few years, and we want this to continue so that events like this become a regular feature for the students down here in Portsmouth” continued Darby. Transport will be provided from the Students’ Union throughout the event at a minimal cost. More information will be available on upsu.net/superwednesday
Sports » Fencing
Successful Start for Fencing Sara Fletcher & John Cashman
This year, the University Fencing Club are going head on competitive. As well as participating in BUCS, they are organising their own small openstyle competition, participating in friendlies and competing in a range of tournaments, all to raise the profile of their sport. This is a fantastic opportunity for members, old and new, to experience the competitive side of sword play – or just join in for fun. Luckily for those with an interest in the sport no experience is necessary, as full training is provided. Membership is £30, and the first session is completely free.
The team recently competed in the Sussex Fencing Open and got their season off to a good start, with Simon Norman, Marina Hauer and John Cashman taking part in the epee events. All of them made it through to the direct eliminations, Marina making it into the second round. Simon and John were unfortunately knocked out, but still managed to make a good account of themselves with great, if not slightly annoying very close scores.
For training times and more information visit www.upfc.co.uk
Super Wednesdays In 28 Days
Get your Naked Calendar photos in this weeek
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Congratulations to Womens Lacrosse, First BUCS
Boxers hit the target in Denmark
Inside... Behind the Scenes This week:
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Terry “you can’t touch this” Singh, George “Gorgeous” Akakis and Mick “Mighty” O’Sullivan - photo by Wayne Gardiner Wayne Gardiner
It was 6 am on a Friday morning and as usual there was a squad of around ten or so boxers stretching and yawning in their sports gear, but this was not for a regular training session. This squad was made up of individuals that were about to travel to Denmark and compete in a multi-nation tournament. The tournament, which featured over 300 boxers traveling from over 11 nations, is one of the most competitive and demanding tournaments in the European boxing calendar.
Portsmouth University entered quite a large, but inexperienced, team into the event, with the aim of maybe achieving two medals across the board. The main goal was to gain experience for the English championships in December 08. The event was splendidly run, showing all the clubs the professional side of the amateur boxing game. The weigh in was on Friday night and then it was straight into the accommodation (this was an empty classroom). We did go prepared and all had a nice comfy sleeping bag with us, but it didn’t help much as we were sleeping
on a stone cold floor. Saturday morning at 6.30 the matches were made and boxing commenced; all bouts were conducted in two rings and there were an amazing 106 bouts in the first day. The Sunday comprised of purely finals of all categories and weights, and it was a highly attended and tense day for all. Portsmouth success stories started on the Saturday when Mick “The Rhino” O’Sullivan silenced the entire competition with a devastating knock of his opponent in the first ten seconds of the second round in his semi final event. Mick landed a left hook
and his opponent went out for over 30 seconds, with all spectators (and coaches) holding their breath. Lucky for all, Mick's Swedish opponent made a full recovery after some minor medical attention; Mick advanced to the final leaving a message for his future opponent. Also on the Saturday, Gorgeous (as nicknamed by the team) George Georgakakis took on local Danish boxer Gunnar Kristinsson for a place in the finals and also a guaranteed Gold medal. On entering the ring we knew George was in for a battle, as 15 » his opponent stood a
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Sports » Charity
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UP for Sport students inspire Kenyan children
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Sophie Billyard
A group of UP for Sport volunteers from the University of Portsmouth have applied their coaching skills to teach football, netball, athletics and dance to nearly 200 young people on Kenya’s east coast during a month long sports development expedition. The students worked in partnership with Bournemouth University to help four schools in the Ukandu district. me improving sports facilities in the schools. A two day festival marked the end of the expedition, which kicked off with the children taking part in a five kilometre fun run. The youngsters
then showed off their polished sports skills in a series of netball and football matches, athletic competitions and dancing displays. The festival awards ceremony attracted over 500 people from the local community as well as the Ukandu Chief of Education, local councillors and Headteachers from all four schools. The Chief of Education said: “This sports programme has provided the community with positive role models and given opportunities to young people they may not have otherwise had. I am particularly pleased with the positive effect the sport has had on the female children in the community.” The Sports Development Expedition was created by former Portsmouth
student, Barry Squires, who currently works at Bournemouth University as their Sports Development Manager. “The trip is all about enhancing the lives of others less fortunate, whilst using sport as a vehicle to make this happen. We hope to continue to help these communities develop in ways which don’t challenge their culture,” he said. The University of Portsmouth’s UP for Sport scheme aims to raise aspirations among disadvantaged groups in the community, give local people access to top sports facilities, help support sports development by filling gaps in sports provision, and help staff and students gain skills and qualifications to equip them to better serve the sporting community.
...and features, and photos, and socials, and anything else you want to tell us about your club! It’s easy to get a mention in PWs - just e-mail everything to sportnews@upsu.net, visit www.upsu.net/newsdesk, or come in to the Sabb Office at the Union and have a chat with us any time! For more information, see: upsu.net/p/2166