Issue 22 Wednesday 14.01.09
Title
Title
Life & Style » p5
Arts & Ents » p11
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Arts & Ents » p11
Happy Bloody New Year Tom Worman
The Guru Granth Sahib
Sikh Society stalled William Hobson
Religious history was almost made at the University of Portsmouth last year. The Sikh Society planned to bring its holiest text into the Nuffield Centre for public display in December, to coincide with the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the founding of their faith. Bringing the Guru Granth Sahib into a public institution such as this would have been an unprecedented event in the UK. However, where the book can be displayed is limited by the articles of the Sikh faith, and though the University’s Sikh society and others within the religious community were in favour of breaking new ground, internal dissent meant the book could not be displayed. Opposition was raised when the move was discussed at the Sikh’s Guru Gadwa, their temple and communal centre, as the Nuffield Centre is a secular building with a secular history - one possibly tainted by inappropriate behaviour. The Sikh holy book cannot be taken to anywhere where such behaviour as consumption of alcohol or meat has taken place. This means it is limited
in many cases to holy sites, such as the Gura Gadwa’s, or to select Sikh households. Balwant Singh, a British convert to Sikhism who was one of the proponents of the idea, felt that this was a limiting interpretation of the teachings of Sikhism. “Direct access to the book, the pathway of knowledge in our religion, is extremely important if one is to truly understand it.” Balwant said. “And what better place to bring our knowledge than to a place of learning?” “It’s the knowledge within that’s important, not the material text itself. I think that limiting interpretation of ‘respect’ for the Guru Granth Sahib is stifling our real message, and our ability to reach others.” Devinder Singh, the head of the Sikh Society, was disappointed by the opposition he faced, but felt that it was “important to respect everyone in the community.” “Many people are just worried about changes in contemporary Sikhism.” said Devinder. “And I can see their concerns - we’ve had problems with attendance, for example. But people are still committed to the pursuit of knowledge described by the Guru, and what is truly important is still observed.”
An estimated 700,000 revellers braved freezing temperatures to see in 2009 on the streets of central London, stretching emergency services to near capacity. Ambulance control centres received a 999 phone call every seven seconds as binge drinkers turned nasty in the freezing temperatures. This new years saw the second highest volume of emergency calls since the Millenium. Whilst the majority of calls were legitimate, there were plenty of time wasters. One man even called to ask “if New York was in America”, and asked for the time. Some areas brought in “booze buses” to deal with injured revellers’ treatment, leaving ambulances free for more serious emergencies. Around 3,300 police officers were on duty in London alone to control the crowds, and made 103 arrests over the night. These included 20 for assault and 10 for drunkenness. In Essex, so many drunk people
were arrested that all 200 of the county’s cells were filled, and the overflow was shipped to neighbouring Kent for the night. A huge brawl at a social club in Loughton meant that 600 party-goers had to be dispersed, with two arrested for attempted murder. The emergency services found themselves directly involved in some of the most tragic events of New Year. In Reading, thugs wrecked an ambulance while the paramedics treated a sick baby boy, and in Wales an ambulance ran over and killed a 23 year old whilst responding to an emergency call. Last year the problem with the drunks was even worse, but then it was nowhere near as cold, with far more revellers out on the streets. The tempuratures also added to the risks. Spokesman Alistair Drummond said: “The high volume of calls on New Year’s Eve put the service under increased pressure. It made it harder for us to ensure we respond quickly to other patients with potentially
life-threatening emergencies. People should not be drinking so much that they wake up in hospital. We would urge them to think more carefully about the consequences of drinking, so that they can enjoy the start of 2009 safely and responsibly.” Inspector Alistair Nichols, Hampshire Constabulary’s alcohol harm reduction lead, said: “New Year’s Eve is a time when some people like to let their hair down, have a few drinks and enjoy themselves. However some people take it too far and end up regretting their actions the following morning when they wake up in a police cell and are faced with an £80 fine.” According to the Federation of Small Businesses, the first of January was a “No Show Friday”, with many employees seeking to extend their festive break into the weekend rather than bother turning up for work. However, many establishments have included the Friday as part of the Christmas Holiday period, including the University of Portsmouth.
New Years revellers in London and Norwich
News » Charity
News » Research
UPSU Media
Sportos’ Dance Off
Pompey research rated
Develop a stunning CV in multimedia
Kayleigh Marsh
Matt Calmus
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!
With nine clubs taking part, December 2008 saw the most successful Sportos’ Dance Off in history. The clubs and their sponsors raised over £1,000 for the RAG charities. The nine clubs that took part were: Rugby (both men and women), Netball, Ski and Snowboard, Cricket (both mens and womens), Gym and Tramp, Cheerleading, and Rowing. All the clubs performed in front of a packed audience, with memorable performances from Women’s Rugby, Cheerleading and Men’s Cricket. However, someone had to win and, no matter how much the contestents tried to bribe the judges, they stayed
strong, coming up with the top three, being: 1) Mens’ Rugby 2) Gym and Tramp 3) Ski and Snowboard Ski and Snowboard won the prize for most sponsorship, raising over £125. Congratulations to Mens’ Rugby, and good luck trying to retain your trophy for next year! Once again, Portsmouth students have shown their initiative and commitment by doing weird and wonderful things for charity. Thanks to all the sports clubs that took part. Find out more about RAG at upsu.net/rag
A recent survey into the quality of the University’s research placed the Univerisity’s Applied Mathematics research level with that of equal standards to the Oxbridge universities. The recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) report for 2008 shows that 75% of all research in the field undertaken in Portsmouth was worldclass. Several other University subject areas, including Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, also scored well. Findings from the sixth Research Assessment Exercise report, a University equivalent of league tables assessing research quality by faculty, con-
sidered 50,000 researchers spanning over 270 Higher Education establishments across the country. Professor Roy Maartens, Director of Research for University of Portsmouth, said: “The results show that Portsmouth has research of worldclass standard.” He continued to say that “We have improved every year since the RAE started, which helps us attract top students and researchers, and deliver world-class research across a wide subject range,”
Find out more at www.port.ac.uk/news
For more information, see: upsu.net/pugwashnews
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Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
News
Editors
Photo of the Fortnight
Jacob Leverett Editor pugwashnews@upsu.net
Tom West Comment & Opinion Editor 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
A Palestinian boy looks up from inside a damaged house after an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip
Sub Editors News Amiar Kamal & Henry Tipping
Sports Chris Hewett & Carl Jackson
Life & Style Sarah Beer & Nina Tennant
Design Sophie Abbott
Arts & Entertainment Dominique O’Mahoney & Jack Wells
photo: Amir Farshad Ebrahimi
Contributors Caz Bird, Jordan Boon, Matt Calmus, Jeannie Carter, Steph Hall, Lucy Hopkins, Ben Horsman, Robert Joyce, Simon “Darby” Leach, Katie Leaming, Chicos Malone, Kayleigh Marsh, Emily Morgan, Gamel Oki, Nicola Peat, Edward Phillips, William Preston, Kalt Smith, Chris Spackman, Deborah Stone, Henry Tipping, and Tom Worman.
Universities Round Up With thanks to: Jane Frost, Peter Hooley, Roy Maaterhans, Aakash Naik, Balwart Singh, Devinder Singh and Jess Wheeler.
Felix, Imperial College London Proposals at Imperial College London to split the Deputy President (Education and Welfare) role into two separate roles has been abandoned, after concerns that it would cost the Union too much. The role was predicted to have cost a minimum o f£25,000 a year. Cherwell, Oxford
Dates for the Diary Greg James DJs live in LUX Wednesday 14th January The Union
Vampires Rock 23rd January King’s Theatre Southsea
UoP Student’s Photography Exhibition 17th - 29th Jan Portsmouth Cathedral
Ricky Hatton 23rd January Guildhall
Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Band New Year concert Thursday 15th January Time: 7:30pm, St Mary’s Church
Lecture by the Tree Council Wednesday 14th January Time: 7:45, Church of the Resurrection Hall
Farmers’ Market Sunday 18th January Palmerston Road
Football Exhibition All year City Museum and Records Office
Oxford University’s U21 Rugby squad is to be sent on a cultural diversity course, following investigations by University the into alleged anti-Semitic behaviour by some team members. The decision came as a result of an investigation launched by the University into the “Bring A Fit Jew” social organised by the squad in November. The Blend, Bedfordshire SU Professor Les Ebdon, Vice Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire, has been awarded a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) by the Queen in the New Year’s Honours List. Professor Ebdon is one of the best known Vice Chancellors across the country and is one of only a small select number of people who receive this prestigious award each year. It is in recognition of his outstanding contribution and service to higher education. AUSA, Aberdeen University Researchers in Aberdeenshire have started a project to try to explain the “magic” properties of Bennachie mountain. Headed by a researcher from the University, they aim to speak to locals about what makes the mountain so special: “If you ask them about their childhood experiences of Bennachie you get the most fantastic stories, whether they’re ghost stories or tales from war time.” The mountain is dear to the hearts and central to the lives of many locals, and the team aim to produce a permanent record of tales aiming to demonstrate why this is.
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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. This paper is produced by volunteer student’s. Editorial control is given to the team however final decisions are made by the Union’s Media Officer.
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110209 The elusive explaination coming soon! Try and figure it out for yourself in the meantime. 110209.co.uk
Stumble Upon Helping you further discover the wonderful world wide web - trip over a fun new website! stumbleupon.com/
Etsy Buy hand made gifts online etsy.com/
The Smoking Gun An archive of documents that used to be confidential - the funnier and sillier ones thesmokinggun.com/
Cell Swapper Enables you to swap out your mobile phone contract. uk.cellswapper.com/ Crowd powered media A website compiling some of the best citizen journalism in the world. newpublic.com/
Listen to a Movie Will stream just the audio file of a movie (or movie commentary if you fancy)...why you’d want sound with no picture, we’re not sure, but if you do, here’s the website to find it at! listentoamovie.com/
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Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
News
"A call for action" A council in Cambridgeshire used anti-terror legislation against a local paper shop, to protect the nation from paper boys without permits. The Telegraph revealed that over 10,000 surveillance missions have been carried out by British councils since 2000.
Israel’s invasion of the Gaza strip, which started over the new year, has continued through to the first week. The fighting in the long contested area has led the UN to suspend all aid operations due to concerns over safety. So far, the Palestinian death toll has reached 700 people, and has sparked protests around the world. In London’s Kensington High Street, over 1000 supporters of Israel gathered outside the nation’s embassy. A UN ceasefire resolution has not met with any successful response from either side. Canada has prosecuted two Mormon men for polygamy for the first time since protecting religious freedom in law. Leftover legislation from the Victorian era conflicts with modern laws, protecting the two men for their religious practices.The two men have 22 wives between them, and are part of a fundamentalist sect which had previously escaped prosecution. German lovers were denied their chance to marry by the police - and their parents. Mika, 6, and Anna-Bell, 5, are probably the youngest people to ever try to run away and get hitched. The two were on a train to take them to a flight to Africa, when a rail guard alerted police. They wanted to get married and then “go for a stroll in the sun”. A New York doctor is suing his wife for the safe return of his kidney. Richard Batista is demanding that Dawnell, his estranged wife, return the organ he donated in 2001 when she suffered from renal failure (or compensate him with its black market cash value). He claims she is denying him access to their three children after attempts to reconcile broke down. Russia and European Union officials have signed a deal, which could pave the way for the re-opening of gas supplies to Europe. The deal, signed by Russian PM Vladimir Putin and Czech PM Mirek Topolanek, sets out how gas flowing to Europe through Ukraine will be monitored. Hundreds of thousands of European homes have no heating after gas shipments via Ukraine were halted on Wednesday.
A wind turbine in Conisholme, Lincolnshire was apparently damaged by a UFO; the MoD has refused to comment. The cover up begins... Harrods did its bit for the credit crunch and sold a £15 loaf of bread - a “Roquefort and almond sourdough”, intended to give people something special for Christmas. photo: World Development Movement at flickr.com Chris Spackman
Thousands of protesters marched on Parliament Square on December 6th 2008 as part of the “Climate March”. It was part of a day of global climate protests organized by the Campaign Against Climate Change (CACC), coinciding with the UN climate conference in Poland. The march was entirely peaceful, and police estimated the number of participants at 5000 people. Some of these were students from Portsmouth University’s old Oxfam Society. The National Climate Match in London aimed to to put real pressure on Gordon Brown and his cronies to push for the radical action necessary to save this planet from climate crisis. We marched from Grosvenor Square to Parliament Square, passing some of London’s best known tourist attractions, including Nelson’s Column. The protest called for action on four main issues. Firstly, plans to expand Heathrow Airport; abandoning these is crucial if the government is seriously going to reduce our CO2 emissions. The building of a third runway also means that the UK will breach its pollution limit as set by the European Union. Not only were there protesters marching about the wider implications of the construction of a third runway at Heathrow for the country, there was also a large contingent of local
residents with personal fears about the plans. Secondly, there was a strong call to halt expansion of coal power stations in the UK. The government has proposed seven new power stations, and faces the most opposition on its plans to build in Kingsnorth, Kent. According to the “E.on F.off” campaign, if built, this power station will emit between six and eight million tonnes of CO2 per year. This is even more than the proposed third runway at Heathrow, and would produce an equivalent of the annual CO2 emissions of Malawi. Thirdly, demands were made to stop the use of bio-fuels, which are misrepresented as being eco-friendly. The use of bio-fuels leads to increased deforestation and in turn destabilises the climate, as well as contributing to a global food crisis. Finally, demands were made to increase investment into renewable forms of energy. This is the only plausible way to achieve the 80% reduction in CO2 by the governments’ set date of 2050. The committee on climate change’s official reports in late November confirmed that this investment would be crucial in reducing Britain’s CO2 emissions. On the ground, there was a really positive atmosphere surrounding us. The fact that no arrests were made speaks volumes for the attitude of those involved. Marching down some of London’s
most famous streets, it felt like I was in the middle of a huge carnival. Us Oxfam students put on green face paint to get into the spirit of things, and it was really good fun walking down the streets chanting about issues that we care deeply about with thousands of other people. The protesters were very diverse, young children marching alongside the old and anti-capitalists protesting along with vegans - all of whom were calling for action on the same cause. The costumes that some wore were as diverse as the crowd; polar bears, pandas, and even the Grim Reaper! I thought that the face paint was enough! It’s a shame that this positive and peaceful march was overshadowed by the events that unfolded at Stansted only a few hours later. Sometimes the actions of a minority can drastically harm the image of the masses, although if the government continues to ignore the seriousness of climate change then these drastic protests will only become more frequent. Despite this, the students that I spoke to who attended the march thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They commented that it gave them a morale boosting reminder that our actions at a University level were part of a much larger national movement. Hopefully the Government will soon take this national movement seriously and enforce their own policies on what is the greatest threat to this planet.
A baby in Colorado had a foot inside his brain. Surgeons thought they were removing a tumour, but discovered a fully formed foot instead - the remains of little Samuel Esquibel’s potential twin. Sam is fine now, and will definitely have the most interesting baby pictures of any of his peers. A school in Sheffield dropped the word “School” from its title, due to “negative connotations”, as it made their institution sound “too institutional”. The world’s least threatening ASBO was issued recently, forbidding a 49 year old Kent man from carrying felt tip pens. Royton Villa and Mosborough FC’s regional cup match was called off after an enraged fan burst onto the pitch, carrying a sword and a golf club. A new Doctor Who was announced, but don’t worry: you’ll have a year to get used to the idea before you even see the debut of 26 year old Matt Smith in 2010.
News » Societies
News » Finance
Oxfam and People And Planet merge
Tax Break for Student Workers
Henry Tipping
William Hobson
Threats of closure due to a lack of numbers have led to a merger between the Portsmouth People & Planet society and newcomers The Oxfam society. People & Planet (P&P) had seen only four members show up at its weekly meetings following Freshers Fayre, despite a large amount of interest on the day. Union regulations on the minimum size of a society meant that the society was in desperate need of new blood. Aakash Naik of the Oxfam society was made aware of the situation by Pugwash’s own News editor. Seeing
a link and a common cause, he made contact with P&P to see if there was anything his group could do. After speaking to the group, Aakash proposed a merger to save the ailing society. This has met with approval from both Portsmouth P&P committee members and the Students’ Union officers. After final confirmation from the parent organisations of both societies, it should go forward in a few weeks. Jess Wheeler of People & Planet said the connection was made “in the nick of time” and is glad of the way the group has been accommodated, in light of their similar concerns over fair trade, climate change and universal health care.
Aakash originally set up the Oxfam Student group on the premise that Oxfam is more popularly known and more likely to gain a response from students. He foresees a “joint movement at Refresher’s Fayre” (in February) as their first act of collaboration. “People & Planet do amazing things” he said. “The important things here are the issues, not the names.” “’Campaigning is really important for students. This is the time to develop and push your concerns and ideas on world issues.” Find out more about Oxfam and the People And Plant merge online at: peopleandplanet.org
Students in part-time employment could be entitled to a tax refund of around £100, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Statistics show over half of students at Portsmouth have a part time job, and the government office says that many will have over paid taxes on their earnings. However, if you earned less than £5,225 between April 5 2007 and April 5 2008, then you can apply for a rebate. Like all those under 65, students are allowed a limit of £6,035 in earnings in the current tax year before deductions are valid.
Due to the nature of the tax system, eligibility to pay is often decided before the end of the tax year. Deductions are then made on the assumption that anyone due a refund will apply for it when the time comes. Those who believe they are entitled to a rebate are encouraged to contact the HMRC or the Union’s Jobshop for advice Jane Frost from HMRC said: "We encourage students to make sure they check the facts about tax, and make sure they don’t miss out on a vital tax refund.” Check if you're entitled to a refund online, use the calculator at: apps.facebook.com/uktaxrefundcalc
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Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
News
Student Council RAG Thank you Compulsory? Caz Bird
Student Support Officer
Those of you who came to Student Council last month saw a fair few debates, including responsible drinking, and how Sabbatical officers have to submit their expenses and hours. One motion in particular caused a massive stir amongst the council and observers, which was: “to increase attendance at Student Council: All Clubs and Societies to be represented at each meeting.” This motion was not passed, as we ran out of time, but it will be discussed at the next Student
Council on 22nd January. Student Council is one of the most powerful things we do here at the Students’ Union. It helps you take charge of the Union, and has the possibility to change anything within its legal limits. If you have anything you want to change, or are unhappy with, come along to it, and voice your views; they will be heard and something can be done about it. If you don’t come along, you can’t complain about the decisions made as you weren’t there to voice your concerns. Student Council 22nd January Function Room 2 at 5pm. Come and have a go if you think your hard enough.
photo: Jacob Leverett Caz Bird Student Support Officer
First of all, RAG would like to say a massive thank you to all the people who have help contribute to an awesome first semester of fundraising for charity. A special shout out has to go to all those clubs who participated in the Dance Off, and Kayleigh Marsh, who organised a magnificent show. I watched all the dance performances, and even though I am a netball girl through and through (and was so proud of my team), the sheer comedy value of the Rugby boys dance was definitely show winning! I would also like to say thank you to Tom Harrison and the Music society, as they have been out carol singing and putting on music events to fundraise for charity. Your effort and enthusiasm is outstanding. The RAG jail on the last Wednesday of term was a massive hit; plenty of Freshers were put in there by their club superiors, and I even found myself in there for many minutes at a time. (Even the big President of your Students’ Union was put in there for an hour by some of his so called friends!) The RAG team were fabulously efficient at making sure convicts were in the jail for the correct amount of time and were also selling neon glow necklaces, which brightened up the festive Wednesday night to no end. The total amount of money raised to date (end of December) for RAG is £3228.33. This is an impressive figure, but it’s not enough (sorry to put a negative on this peeps). We need anyone and everyone to get involved and
News » Environment
put the fun into fundraising. Last year RAG raised a record breaking £8,000, and the target this year is to smashW this figure by a mile. a RAG, the Raising and Giving part of the Union, raises money for charities through fundraising events amongst students and the local community. The three charities that RAG is supporting this year are Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, Women’s Aid and Diabetes UK. The RAG team have a few money raising ideas for the upcoming months, such as more themed RAG Raids around the South, and a jail break. The jail break is a new idea for RAG to embark on, but it has proved quite popular in other Student Unions. It will involve you trying to get as far away from the Union as you can for free (some people have even got as far as Tokyo). Something for you to think about doing, maybe? However, these are only a few ideas; if you have any better ways to raise money or promote the charities, then please get in touch and let us know your ideas. We also have, back this year by popular demand, the RAG sky dive, which raised a phenomenal amount last year. So, if you fancy throwing yourself out of a plane for charity, then keep a look out on the Union’s website for further details in the future. If you want to get involved with a RAG event or maybe plan one of your own then get in touch with RAG at: rag@upsu.net Alternatively you can contact Caz Bird at: caz.bird@upsu.net
News » Politics
Eco Unfriendly Obstacles for Obama as Bush makes his final stand William Hobson
Anna Wardell
North End in Portsmouth has appeared on a list of '”environmentally unfriendly” locations within the UK. The area in the north of Portsea Island was deemed the fourth most eco-hostile area by marketing specialists CACI after conducting a survey into green attitudes. Over 34% of North End’s population was identified as "environmentally unconcerned" by the same study. This group were also identified as having a lack of concern with regards to recycling, although this was environmentally offset slightly by their increased use of public transport.
On January 20th one of the most anticipated events of this century will occur; Barack Obama will take office and will become one of the most powerful men in the world. For many, this date cannot come too soon - especially with his predecessor still in power. George Bush seems to be contradicting the name given to the period between an election and an inauguration (the "lame duck presidency" period), and doing everything in his power to leave his mark. But unfortunately for Bush it seems to be seen as more of a stain. Bush has been doing everything in
his power to pass new laws in his final months. Whilst Bush’s White House staff claims these have been in consideration and in the process of implementation for some time, they will certainly cause problems for the new president. These laws will, if passed through, further allow the use of firearms and limit abortion procedures, which are traditionally considerate to be more Republican than Democrat policies, yet it is Obama's presidency that will have to implement them and inevitably who will have to work hard to reverse them later. Simply ignoring these laws when he comes into power is not an option for the President Elect, so Bush is making his job hard for him in a way.
Other laws passed in this underhand manner are going to impact on the environment. In a time when concerns about climate change are more prevalent than ever, Bush is passing laws that endanger the environment, such as allowing coal-fired power stations to increase their emissions. Another such law will enable coal companies to dump rubble into rivers. Many of these laws will benefit the large corporate companies, making it even harder to overturn them. The companies could take the issues to court if they feel the laws that benefit their interests are being threatened. A period of public consultation would also be required, which, added to court cases, could take years.
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Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
Comment & Opinion
The Credit Crunch - affecting you?
We asked a few of you among us to comment on the “credit crunch”, asking whether or not you’ve been affected by it and, if so, how.
I don’t really ever get the chance to put my own tuppence’s worth into the paper so please excuse me for grabbing at this chance with both hands. It must be something with me and companies whose name begins with ‘w’. I used to work for Woolworths and that went under a few weeks ago and I currently work for Whittard of Chelsea, which very nearly suffered a similar fate not long after! I think I should have a go working for Wal*Mart afterwards and see if I can bring down the (evil?) corporation... Who would have predicted that all of this would come out of our current financial situation? When I first heard of this so-called “credit crunch” I dismissed it as nothing more than an exaggeration by the media of someone else’s problem. Indeed, this is still the case even if I can no longer deny that whatever it is, its effect extends far beyond the United States’ mortgage crisis or indeed the Icelandic banks’ dilemma which led to the situation at my current place of work. You always think that these things affect other people without really realising we’re all “other people” in the eyes of other people. Does that make sense? Probably not. Then again, neither does this poxy economic crisis. It has hit the retail sector most, that’s for sure. I think that this is where quite a lot of the students that have
part-time jobs are employed, which means that there’s a chance of this whole thing having a direct impact on our community. Where does it leave us now that many retailers are closing their doors for good or shutting some of their shops in that wonderful thing known as a cost-cutting exercise? Not all of us fit into that category of student that is able to support himself or herself on what they get as a loan, perhaps with the additional contribution from their family and we need to work in order to make ends meet. I’m not saying that we need work more than those that have families to support; I’m saying we need work just as much. Please, if you hear someone who says that it doesn’t matter if students lose their jobs during what will no doubt become a full-blown recession (I’ve heard a few of these insensitive fools and so I know they are out there), correct them. Tell them we don’t spend all of our money on going out and getting drunk or on cheap clothes in the sales. Remind them that we have to buy books and food and that we have to pay rent and bills.Noone has made any nasty comments about the now ex-Woolworths staff, have they? No. So why are nasty comments made about people who have lost their jobs at other companies or small businesses? Loathe as I am to quote High School Musical, but seeing as we’re all in this together I think it’s time to start acting like it. Tom West
The Editor reserves the right to edit and omit contributions. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not of UPSU Media. E-mail to comment@upsu.net I'll try to tell the world about your views!
To be honest, the credit crunch hasn’t affected me in a negative way. If anything, it’s been good for me! Things getting cheaper meant that I had a little help in using the remainder of my student loan to buy presents and to put towards what I like to call “essential socialising”. The downside of it was that I ended up spending more money than I probably would as I took advantage
of the early sales and the last days of Woolies - God bless it. I still can’t believe it’s gone. Unfortunately, it’s been one of the main victims of the crunch. For me, it probably didn’t affect me as much as it would if I were older or not a student. I don’t have to worry about things like a mortgage, or providing for other people and I guess in a way that as students and because of that, we are the lucky ones. Steph Hall
The credit crunch ate my job! There is no other way to describe how I felt when I was told that the company I worked for (no it wasn’t Woolworths) was going bust and I had lost my job, other than to say I felt bad. I really felt bad. In a rather unprofessional manner, I burst into tears at my desk and mid-way through my terribly informal dismissal excused myself to the bathroom, hoping that when I came back they’d say, “you’re on candid camera!” They didn’t. I was driven home by the person who dismissed me and on the way he said, “I wonder which of us will be next?” The credit crunch sucks. I know this may make me seem somewhat silly and out of the loop, but I don’t even really understand it. All I know
is, it ate my job and has now somehow made the job market for everyone (including recent graduates, which I am soon to be) incredibly tough. With ‘difficult trading conditions’, ‘redundancy’, ‘in administration’ and ‘rising unemployment’ and ‘terrible time to graduate’ being bandied about on the news everyday in recent months, it makes the thought of leaving university seem like a stupid idea, but as a third year fast on the way into semester two – it’s inevitable and not fair. We’re about to join the ‘real world’ at a time when getting a mortgage is impossible, getting a job is near impossible and the credit crunch is still out there, free and roaming the streets ready to eat someone else’s job.
Fortunately for me, I havent been greatly affected by this credit crunch thing. I was welcomed back to Portsmouth after the Christmas holidays with an easy yet well paid job, which was much needed as the money tree (aka the holy student loan) was bare! Christmas shopping took its toll despite the cheap offerings out there at the moment and then the rest went on what appears to be a never-ending clothes sale. I’m
also going to make a Christmas confession here: when it came to buying presents for the family I could make out that they were more expensive than they actually work thanks to the huge price cuts the shops were making! Bad for businesses, brilliant for bargain hunts! So for now I’ll just wait for the new leaves to grow on my money tree before spending it all over again... Nicola Peat
Elke Morice-Atkinson
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Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
Life & Style
An Architect’s life
Robert Joyce of HLM Architects tells Pugwash News how he stepped onto the career ladder after graduating from the University of Portsmouth I graduated from the University of Portsmouth in the summer of 2005 with a BA(Hons) Degree in Architecture, and subsequently returned in 2006 to do my Diploma in Architecture, which I finished in summer 2008. One of the major benefits of my degree and diploma was their focus on both the practical and theoretical. Part of the practical side of the course involves preparing a CV, portfolio and covering letter, as well as taking part in a mock interview with a real practitioner. I would advise any student to take this seriously, as it will really help you to stand out from the crowd at interviews. In a time of recession, and therefore a time of greater competition for fewer jobs, this has never been more important. Another opportunity to exploit is the employers’ evening, where representatives from various practices visit the University to make presentations on the work they do and the potential work they could offer you as prospec-
tive employees. It is through this that I found out about my current employer, HLM Architects. HLM Architects presented to us and explained how they could offer the right experience, with interesting and varied projects, regular design reviews, professional development, and a friendly family company ethos. Like most other students, I was nearing the end of my degree and was keen to secure a job as soon as possible, so when I got home I Googled the practice, found their website, and got in touch to see if the Guildford office had any vacancies. At this point the Director was away, and I was told he would contact me on his return. It is essential when trying to find a job after your degree or diploma, that you examine all the options available to you. The RIBA online Directory of practices is an excellent place to search for Chartered practices in your area, and, once you have found the companies that appeal to you, don’t
be afraid to ring them up and ask if it is okay to send them your CV. Despite the ease and non-confrontational nature of email, I cannot stress enough how important it is to phone the company and to keep ringing them (at least until they give you a definite answer!) This shows enthusiasm and determination and will not, as you might think, be seen as annoying. While I was waiting for the Director of HLM to return, I was offered another job in Tonbridge, which I accepted. One week before I was due to start, HLM got in touch with me and offered me an interview. The interview with HLM really reflected the friendly and relaxed atmosphere they had spoken about at the employers’ evening, and it wasn’t nearly as frightening as I imagined it might be. I presented my portfolio of work to the Director and another Architect, and explained my design reasoning and process. The next day they got in touch and offered me the job.
While this put me in an awkward position - because I had to let the Tonbridge practice down - I do not for one minute regret this. As cliché as it sounds, it is important to do what is best for you, both personally and professionally, and I found HLM to be the best choice for both. I worked with HLM for one year, until I returned to start my Part 2 Diploma in Architecture at the University of Portsmouth, and during this time I gained excellent all-round experience on a variety of projects, ranging from a hospital to military accommodation. I also had a mentor who continually monitored my progress and encouraged me to complete my PEDR sheets. After my first year of Diploma, I contacted the company, and was welcomed back to work for the summer, partly because I was already familiar with the CAD system and procedures used, and partly because I had kept in touch with the company through the
occasional impromptu design crit or pint down the local I have recently returned to HLM Architects for a third time, having completed my Part 2 Diploma. The company has since expanded into a new office, but the friendly atmosphere and familiar faces remain. As a Part 2, I now have expanded responsibilities on projects, with the company pushing me to my full potential and encouraging me to begin my Part 3 studies. All in all, I consider myself lucky to be working for HLM in the current economic climate, as the company operates in many different sectors. A lot of the work is public sector, i.e. schools, hospitals, justice, which is funded by the Government and thus is less likely to feel the pinch of the recession. Remember this when looking at your options – you need a place that’s right for you, but also one that will be able to keep you.
Lucy Hopkins
(3rd Year Law)
Jeannie Carter (Office Manager UoP)
I really enjoyed my Christmas vacation. I spent Christmas Day the traditional British way; turkey and Christmas pudding, grandparents, uncle, auntie, and cousins. We all sat around the table, and pulled crackers (and told bad jokes and wore the silly hats!), and played games after the meal. My friends and I went out on Christmas Eve, which was spent in a club dressed in a full-on elf costume. New Year’s eve was also spent clubbing, with my nearest and dearest. Then, before I knew it, it was time to come back to Portsmouth. Where did the holidays go?
For the first time in my life, myself and husband Nick, spent Christmas away from home, in Gibraltar. We arrived on the 22nd December, time to relax, drink, and celebrate our escape before Christmas day. We walked around the peninsula and ate in lovely restaurants. Christmas day we awoke to champagne breakfast and had a present opening session; lovely, though friends and family were missing. At 9.30 am Glenn, Nick’s son, called – “Merry Christmas Dad and Jeannie, or should I say Gran and Granddad!”; Glenn’s daughter was born at 4.16 am on Christmas morning!
Life & Style » Christmas
My Christmas in brief Deborah Stone
(3rd Year Law)
Ben Horsham (3rd Year Architecture)
Katie Leaming
My Christmas was spent at home with my family, very traditional. It was a rare treat to have us all together. We spent the day doing the usual present opening, and the big fat Christmas dinner. The highlight of my Christmas break was going to Edinburgh for New Year with a group of my closest friends, for the famous “Hogmanay”. What better way to see in the New Year than by soaking up the atmosphere of an amazing street party with 100,000 other randomers, topped off with spectacular fireworks? They really go for New Year’s in Scotland, and I will remember the experience for a long time.
For a change, I had a Christmas with a bit of a difference. Instead of the regular heavy roast dinner at home, I spent it cruising down the sunny slopes of Italy on two planks of fiberglass. It was fantastic, apart from the fact that the ski routes marked as reds turned out to be blacks, which led to much bum sliding down hills. The most memorable event was skiing back down to the hotel with only 10 minutes until the ski lift closed, only to be chased by a member of the mountain police who informed us that we were too late. We were escorted off the mountain and taken back to our warm hotel. Overall a memorable event!
Christmas, as usual, was a time for polite conversations. I nodded and smiled as relatives described in detail their new diets, fitness plans and sewing courses, while they disapprovingly eyed my short skirt and the hole in my tights. As I gazed admiringly at my Grandma’s selection of newly embroidered handkerchiefs, my slightly senile dog hobbled into the centre of the room and showed us exactly what she thought of the proceedings, by peeing all over the floor and my Granddad’s new shoes. Cue horrified silence from all, except my Gran, who continued to describe the thrills of handkerchief embroidery. No escape!
(1st Year Journalism)
Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
Life & Style » Travel
A Christmas in Canazei, Val di Fassa
Elke Morice-Atkinson
There are 223 kilometres of ski runs in the Val di Fassa. I’ve skied 65 kilometres of them. My Christmas began at 2am on the 20th of December, when I found myself standing outside my parent’s house in Portsmouth, waiting for an airport taxi. After a teeth-rattling journey, our party of six - tired, with the grumps on - arrived at Gatwick. We flew Thomas Cook to Brescia, Italy (cramped conditions, but good breakfast), where our holiday company, Neilsons met us. We originally thought the transfer to Canazei would only take two hours, but were quickly informed by a pleasant Northern holiday rep (who, impressively, actually spoke Italian to the coach driver) that it would be three and a half hours, four if anyone wanted the toilet.
“
Corvara was full of blue runs - great for beginners or intermediate skiers having a quiet day
The transfer was smooth; we dropped off some other families at hotels on the outskirts of Canazei, then headed into town. We stopped outside the Pensione Genzianella, our home for the next seven days. It was a typical mountain building; pitched roof with thick snow and icicles, wooden shutters and an ornate image of the Dolomites painted onto the walls. Gino, the Genzianella’s owner, showed us to our rooms, which had en-suite bathrooms (tiny and oddly arranged), tonnes of storage for our gear (fantastic), a working television, lounger and desk. Absolutely great for £247 each (which included flights, accommodation and breakfast). We ditched our bags and headed out to hire equipment. After a quick cruise around the village we found Sport Walter, next to the Belvedere Gondola. Sport Walter was easy to get to, and even offered a place to store your equipment (it was 1.50 euros a day for a secure ski locker, with a 5 euros deposit). If you’ve ever been skiing, you will know this is a godsend no more having to walk gingerly down steep steps in ski boots to your hotel’s ski room. A set of skis, poles and boots was 49 euros for six days, while a snowboard was 32 euros (that’s without boots). The staff in Sport Walter didn’t mess around either; the elderly man behind the counter had all six of
us kitted out in about 20 minutes. The next morning we hit the slopes, after spending a mind blowing 198 euros on the Dolomiti Superski lift pass. Though, the pass did let us onto every single gondola, chair lift and drag lift in sight, not just those near Canazei. The lift pass also enabled you to check your ski times and kilometres skied with the help of a website. We had a range of skiing abilities in our party: fearless with a need for speed (Dad), cruisey and cool (brother), technique but easily rattled by steep slopes (me), complete beginner (boyfriend), committed to nursery slopes but could be pushed to blues (Mum), and hadn’t skied since 1984 (Mum’s friend) – Canazei was mostly a red run village, which left three of us needing to search elsewhere for our dream runs. We heard from two guys from Manchester in the rooms next to us that Arabba and Corvara were the places to go if we wanted to ski blue runs. However, these were hard places to get to if you didn’t want to ski red runs at all; I have never experienced this phenomenon in other ski resorts. We opted to hire a car, and drive to the fabled blue runs instead. Corvara was full of blue runs - great for beginners or intermediate skiers having a quiet day. We also discovered that Passo Sella had some lovely blue runs (about half an hour driving from Canazei). You could ski an entire blue circuit without having to touch any red slopes at all. If you’re not a skiing maniac, Canazei is also good for mountain walking, photography opportunities (the weather was fine and sunny the entire week) and restaurant adventures. The Hotel Italia is the place to eat (recommended to us by our local rep). This restaurant is Canazei’s local; not a hint of an English translation on the menu. Do try the “Stinco”; it’s a meltin-the-mouth pork shank with roasted potatoes and vegetables of the day, about £15. Just gorgeous, but be warned, it’s huge! If photography’s your thing, head on up to the Sass Pordoi. Reached by a cable car, it’s the highest peak in the Val di Fassa at 2950 metres. The views are spectacular. There’s a restaurant and sun terrace, where you can watch expert skiers head off-piste down these crazy slopes. These are so dangerous that skiers must go down these with a guide, wearing an avalanche detector - not for the faint hearted! After making it to Val di Fassa’s highest peak, it was time for us to leave the mountain. We wound our way back to Brescia to fly home, passing more coaches full of eager skiers. If you’re looking for a place to ski, complete with breathtaking views, head on over to Canazei. It won’t disappoint.
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Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
Life & Style » Guide to...
Rejuvenation: A new you 2: Push yourself to fitness
Tom Worman
January traditionally plays host to the most depressing day of the year; so, in a bid to aid your new year’s resolutions, break bad habits and shed the Christmas wobble, we are going to show you how to free your mind, think positively, eat properly and radiate the youth and beauty that us university students deserve to have on show. As a larger than life character (yeah, I guess that means “fat”) I’ve been doing my research into how to rejuvenate myself, and hope that you might find the following useful.
1: Refocus your mind Occasionally, if you’re lucky, you’ll manage to chuck out those mouldy carrots stinking out the back of your fridge; just as you would try and cleanse these recesses you should declutter your thoughts once in a while, and seek out new ingredients for a more vital life. Choose your direction: It is only by deciding what your priorities are that you can discover a sense of purpose. So, imagine yourslef a year from now. What have you learnt? How do you feel? Where are you working? Remember, you can’t do everything, so choose what is most important to you and focus on it. Make it happen: Give whatever you are doing your full attention; half measures just don’t cut it. Set aside a fixed time to achieve a task and just do it. If this involves wearing a Do Not Disturb hat. then so be it. Take that thing you’ve been putting off for ages, grab a stopwatch and give it 10 minutes. When the alarm goes off, stop. Just starting will go a long way toward making it happen, and you’ll probably find it wasn’t so bad after all. Slow down: How many times have you had to go back for your wallet because you rushed out of the house? As you probably already know, rushing gets you nowhere. So, stop. Identify the moments when you regularly feel rushed, and design a system that will get the task done with the least amount of effort. If you’re always late in the morning, get things ready the night before, so it becomes less of a stressful rush and more of an enjoyable start to the day. Lose the negativity: Become an eternal optimist and you won’t just think you’re better off, you actually will be. So says the psychologist Martin Seligman, who has demonstrated that mildly deluded optimists have more successful careers, live to ripe old age, attract more friends and have more fun. If your thoughts normally err on the dark side, then challenge yourself: try the opposite view and see where it takes you. You might find that you like it. Break your routine: Chose foriegn cinema instead of your usual blockbuster selection. Be open to as many new experiences as you can, from painting to paragliding, sailing to singing. We spend so much of our time blinkered in order to get through the day that we forget to open our eyes.
Next time you’re on the bus, look out of the window for five seconds, then look away and try to recall all the new things that you hadn’t noticed before. Play to your strengths: We all feel good about ourselves when we’re doing something we’re good at. It’s obvious, really. Work out where you’re using your skills, and explore how you can get more out of them in your everyday life. Where can you use the skills you already have to the best advantage? Get out of your comfort zone: Setting yourself realistic goals that challenge and excite you can help you find your “groove”. Anything that is too hard or too easy won’t get you there. To increase motivation, share your goal with others, make sure there are as many benefits as possible and keep the payoff tangible and specific. So, if your goal is to run the Great South Run, friends asking you how your training is going, gaining sponsorship for a charity and keeping the health benefits in mind will all serve to motivate you when the going gets tough. Surround yourself with inspiring people: As you change and develop, you need the world to open up in new directions. Keep adding to a pool of positive people who inspire and excite you. Don’t ditch your old and loyal friends, just keep your group fresh. Get to know the people around you, organise a party with colleagues or do an evening class. Simply start saying “yes” when people suggest new things. The more people you know, the more people you’ll meet and the more possibilities will present themselves. Take control: Sometimes, it can feel as though you are powerless when faced with a problem that’s bigger than you, but it can always be solved. Once you understand the culture in which you live, you can begin to comprehend the impact it has and use this knowledge to rejuvenate your own life. Seasonal variations: keep it fresh: What gets you up in the morning now (other than lectures) may feel very different in three month’s time. Keep experimenting by chopping and changing the ingredients in your life; as you spice up the recipe, your morning leap will follow suit.
No doubt the gym will be packed out with us fattys trying to burn off that extra weight as part of our New Year’s Resolution. We all know that they very rarely work, and we struggle to keep up that motivation to meet our fitness goals. Let’s inject a fresh look at your exercise routine and help you hit your targets on time.
Enter an event: Without direction, your fitness programme may flounder. Try signing up for the Great South Run, or take a walk somewhere, or even a bike ride (London to Brighton springs to mind). A little nervousness about an event can produce a real sense of urgency and commitment to a routine.
Try a new form of exercise: Variety is important, both physically and mentally. If you don’t usually swim, head for the pool once a week. If you always do the same gym work out, get a new one. If you always run, try cycling. However you change the routine, your body will have to work harder to adapt and, as it does, it will become fitter, leaner and more toned.
Head to the great outdoors: Central heating and air conditioning can play havoc with our bodies, slowing down circulation and making us lethargic. The great British climate doesn’t always allow for it, but try and exercise outdoors at least twice a week. Plus, running outdoors burns more calories than on a treadmill, as there is nothing helping to propel you.
Stay hydrated: Whether your goal is, weight loss, weight gain or increased fitness, no programme will be effective if you are dehydrated. Fill a 1.5 litre bottle with water in the morning and make sure you drink it all by the end of the day. Reward yourself: Everyone needs a reward, but maybe not in the form of a box of chocolates or a crate of beer. Why not try a massage; it’s a fantastic way to reduce the toxins and lactic acid that accumulate in the muscles during exercise. A massage will increase your recovery rate, which means you are able to train harder in your next work out. Some would even suggest that massages can help increase your sex drive! Don’t become addicted to the scales: Your weight fluctuates naturally by a few pounds every day - girls will tell you they have their fat days and their skinny days - so constantly monitoring it is potentially demoralising and misleading. Instead, check your weight once a week, at the same time of day, so the measurements are consistent.
The 48 hour rule: Make sure that you exercise at least every 48 hours. This means you are regularly boosting your metabolism and thereby maximising your calorie-burning potential.
Get a work out partner: The fact that you will be letting someone else down if you skip a session is a great motivator. Find a friend with similar aims and make a plan to exercise at set times each week.
Use exercise as your mode of transport: Providing you don’t live too far from where you work, walk, run or cycle the distance to make the most of your time. Exercising before work also boosts concentration.
Keep an exercise diary: By writing down what you actually did during each session, you can see if you are skipping parts of your training and not compensating. Honesty is vital if you are intent on attaining your goals.
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Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
Life & Style » Guide to...
for 2009
Hangovers
You’ve had three months to get used to them by now, so now it’s your chance to find out really what makes your head thump, your mouth dry, and your memory patchy. Human beings have suffered from hangovers for thousands of years and yet we’re still largely in the dark as to exactly why they happen, and, more importantly, how to cure them. Researchers this week revealed that many hangover cures simply don’t work. The only sure-fire cure, they say, is not to get drunk in the first place. Simpler said than done, right? Well, this is what the scientists have to say...
3: Re-think your diet Going on a drastic diet? STOP! You don’t need to (and can’t) live on a celery stick a day to help get a spring in your step and feel light years younger. Incorporate some of these strategies for a month, and feel your energy levels soar - just what you need when it comes round to the dreaded exams. Eat something raw at the start of every meal: By eating foods in their natural state, you can access their valuable nutrients more easily. So, without going to extremes, begin every meal with something raw - for example a kiwi at breakfast (I know exotic fruits are an oddity to students, but they do exist), or a stick of celery or chopped cucumber with lemon juice and olive oil at lunch and supper. Raw fruit and vegetables hydrate the skin better than water, leaving it looking plump and youthful! Drink fresh juice every day: Invest in a juicer and use it every morning (available from Amazon from £20). Drink the juice on an empty stomach, so that the vital vitamins, minerals and other antioxidants are absorbed into your system. Use whatever you have to juice from apple to carrot, tomato to orange, or even do a combination of several different fruits. With the various cold and flu bugs going round, you might be interested to know that the betacyanin in beetroot helps to detox the liver and maximise immunity. Eat essential fats: Eat healthy fats every day to keep cells well oiled - so they can hold onto water - and you will notice any dry skin soften. Hemp and flaxseeds sprinkled on porridge or yoghurt are a great start to the day; use their oils in smoothies and salad dressing, and snack on pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Eat two portions of green vegetables daily: Green vegetables are packed with detoxifying nutrients. From humble vitamin C to the glucosinolates in broccoli and kale, green veggies contain a spectrum of antioxidants that make your skin firm, keep the liver efficient and protect against illness. A happy liver means more energy, clearer skin and brighter eyes. Enjoy two servings of green veg daily (in addition to your usual five-a-day portions), especially seasonal spinach, broccoli, rocket, asparagus and watercress. Eat eggs: Eggs are a nutrient-packed, high protein food that are essential to help make sex hormones, along with the stress hormones necessary for handling our busy lives and exam worries. Eggs are also great brain food, as they are packed with choline, which is needed for healthy brain cells, and to make the memory messenger acetylcholine. You can eat up to seven eggs a week, boiled or poached, but not fried or scrambled. An egg is only as healthy as the chicken that laid it, so ideally buy organic, but definately free range! Get rid of all the trans fats: Banned in Denmark, compulsory labelled in the USA and linked to heartdisease - trans fats must go. On a trans-fat-free diet, you will eat less of the junk that clogs your gut, leaving you feeling sluggish and bloated. In the long term, you also help to stave off high cholestrol. Most “manufactured” foods contain them, including margarine, cakes, pies, biscuits, some vegetable oils, ready meals, cheap chocolate and ice cream. Watch out for hydrogenated fats on labels, as this is the nutritional (sneaky) term for trans fats.
Headache: Scientists believe that those throbbing headaches are due to a multitude of factors. The main one is dehydration; alcohol prevents the release of a hormone responsible for retaining water in the body and therefore the kidneys no longer conserve water and more fluid is excreted as urine. Added to this, alcohol widens the blood vessels in the head, creating even more pain. Concentration: Avoid any task that requires more than half a brain - no this does not count as a doctors note to get you off lectures! Studies suggest that hangover misery interferes with both short-term memory and concentration. Some studies suggest that dehydration might be to blame, while others believe that acetaldehyde, a product of alcohol breakdown, may have an impact, along with sleep deprivation. Despite alcohol sending us to sleep, it worsens the quality of our shut-eye, leaving people incredibly tired in the morning (not just because of the endless shapes you’ve been throwing on that dance floor.) Mood: Unless you’ve woken up next to the partner of your dreams or something equally spectacular happened, the world is not always the happiest of places after a big night out. Hangovers increase depression, anxiety and irritability. Scientists are still unsure exactly how alcohol exerts its mind-bending affects, but believe that it is a combination of sleep deprivation, a lack of serotonin - a mood-enhancing chemical in our brain - and an alcohol-induced drop in blood sugar. Eyes: Alcohol causes blood vessels in the eyes to dilate, and dehydration leaves them feeling dry - a sure tell-tale sign of a heavy night out when your eyes become puffy, sore and bloodshot. Mouth: The mouth and throat feel dry, furry and generally disgusting. This is caused by dehydration and is worsened by smoking. Solution: drink lots of water before going to bed! Nervous system: As anyone who has fallen asleep in the corner of a pub knows, alcohol is a sedative. But, to make sure that we don’t slip into unconsciousness, our nervous system steps up a gear and becomes more alert. When the alcohol leaves our body, however, the nervous system remains in a hyperactive state, leading to sweating, shaking and sensitivity to light, sound and touch. Further to this, sleep deprivation can aggravate these symptoms. Heart: Heart rate increases, possibly as a result of alcohol interfering with the body’s nervous system. Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to cardiomyopathy - damage to the heart muscle. Liver: Alcohol cannot be stored in the body, and so is broken down in the liver. In this two-step process, alcohol is turned into acetaldehyde, which then becomes acetate. However, this process is slow - one unit of alcohol is metabolised every hour. It is widely believed that acetaldehyde may contribute to the misery of the hangover, as accumulation in the blood causes rapid pulse, sweating, skin flushing, nausea and vomiting. Some people lack a molecule that breaks down this compound and become ill soon after drinking. Further, alcohol metabolism leads to an accumulation of fatty compounds in the liver and lactic acid in the body fluids. These inhibit glucose production, leading to low blood sugar. Body temperature: Ever felt a bit hot under the collar when you’re suffering with a hangover? Alcohol may interfere with the production of hormones that control the 24-hour body clock, leading to body temperature being abnormally high. Stomach: Alcohol irritates the stomach lining and delays it emptying, leading to nausea and vomiting. Kidneys: Alcohol affects the hormones that control water balance in the body. As a result, the kidneys fail to reabsorb water and the body becomes dehydrated. Intestines: The intestines begin to work faster after alcohol is consumed and food and liquid take less time to pass through. The ability to absorb water out of the stools is also impaired, leading to diarrhoea. Pancreas: Production of digestive juices is increased, leading to upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Muscles: Everything is an effort when you have a hangover. Muscle weakness and general fatigue are a result of low blood sugar and dehydration. The latter, together with an accumulation of lactic acid from alcohol metabolism, can cause foot and leg cramp.
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£5
Eat out from
Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
(In a Michelin Guide Recommended Restaurant)
Lemon Sole in Old Portsmouth
The South’s first pick your own fresh Fish & Seafood Restaurant and we have a brilliant offer “Eat Out from £5” which gives you the opportunity to dine out with friends and family at lunch or dinner for a fraction of normal prices. This legendary OFFER allows you to have a TWO COURSE “LUNCH FROM JUST £5” and THREE COURSE “DINNER FROM JUST £10 from a set menu, valid for Lunch from Monday to Saturday (on Sundays THREE COURSE ROAST LUNCH from just £10) and for dinner reservations between 5.30 and 7.00 pm seven days a week in the friendliest Lemon Sole Seafood Restaurant or historic, candle lit & Crofts Wine Cellar located in the basement.
All you need to do to claim this offer is to book in advance by calling
023 9281 1303 and quoting “EAT OUT FROM £5” when you make your reservation. Then cut out this voucher and hand it over to staff on arrival.
On Sundays this voucher can be redeemed for a Three-Course
ROAST SUNDAY LUNCH from £10 per person
Lemon Sole Seafood Restaurant & Crofts Wine Cellar 123 High Street • Old Portsmouth • Hampshire • PO1 2HW
Tel: (023) 9281 1303 • www.lemonsole.co.uk
Terms and Conditions: Offer is subject to availability. Prior reservation is essential quoting “Eat out from £5”. Offer cannot be combined in conjunction with any other offer. Price includes VAT but all drinks and service is extra. Maximum 6 persons per booking. Offer limited to special set Menu.
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Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
Life & Style » Food Reviews
Life & Style Reviews... Lemon Sole
Yuan Siu
Castle Road
St James Road
4/5
2/5
William Hobson
William Hobson
Possibly the most upmarket place I’ve been in the last year, this seafood specialist in Old Portsmouth (about 5 mins straight down from the library) has just started an offer that brings it into affordability. With fresh fish from the local waters and inclusion in the Michelin guides for the last three years, Lemon Sole is definitely one of Portsmouth’s special places to eat. Unfortunately the a la carte menu is a little bit too pricey, even for a special night out - £16 a main meal - but now that you can get a three course set menu for £10 its become a lot more accessible. The restaurant itself is extremely classy, and would be a perfect place for something or someone special, especially considering the huge range of wine on display next to the fish counter. (Unfortunately I don’t drink the stuff but even I was impressed by their display.) Lemon Sole’s set menu is limited in range compared to the normal menu, but it’s still impressively varied, and definitely offers value for money, considering how refined it is. Out of what we sampled, I have to recommend the mackerel salad as the best dish, though closely followed by the fried whitebait and the meaty and exotic bacon-wrapped pangasius fish fillet. The chicken salad my friend ordered was excellent too, though naturally this place excels at the seafood so I think you’d be foolish to stray from those. Your set meal includes a dessert, which is really the only low point of the menu - solid standard restaurant fare, but nothing beyond that. I recommend getting a dish that relies more on the fillet than the dressing as well, as my lemon sole was obscured a bit by its dressing. And the prawn cocktail was a great example of a standard dish but in a place this classy, we know we missed out on something special with these choices. All in all, somewhere for a more refined dinner out, and though the set menu doesn’t include sides (some dishes don’t really need them though), you’re basically looking at a high-quality meal for £15 a head (with two solid side dishes split between you) - not bad at all for an extremely posh fish supper!
This rather unassuming chippy/Chinese combo lies just in Somerstown, behind the Eldon Building – next to a Co-op and a post-office/minimarket for all you ignorant First Years – and as such occupies the vague grey area that most students don’t seem too aware of until their forced to move out of Halls. It’s the closest chippy to the Guildhall, and the only other Chinese besides the Palace (hidden behind the Co-op in the square, more of a restaurant but it’s a bit better), but unfortunately it doesn’t have much to recommend it beyond that. The prices for the Chinese food are very standard, with the deals offered not being too great – a feature shared by the food. The Singapore style chow-mein I had used the wrong kind of noodles, was a little bit greasy and, aside from being pretty bland, featured some miniscule “king” prawns - and they substituted the roast pork I’d expected for chicken without telling me. Things are much better on the chippy side to be fair, where you get a lot more bang for your buck, and standard-fare food is a lot more satisfying, but it’s nothing special. Still, better than Kens!
Life & Style Enterprise
Life & Style » Trivia
Embrace the Entrepreneur inside
You didn’t know this last year
Jordan Boon & Elke Morice
Jordan Boon, business fanatic, tells Pugwash a bit about his entrepreneurial career so far, and how the Portsmouth Centre for Enterprise can help you in your business ventures. All you need is an idea and the enthusiasm to take it forward. Jordan’s business career began at a young age – he frequented car boot sales at age 12, buying and selling items. Jordan’s business sense was growing; soon he was buying items at wholesale, and quickly discovered the miracle that is eBay at age 15. Jordan started up a number of businesses on the website, firstly selling almost everything in his family home (which
his family did not take kindly to!) His wheeling and dealing continued on to buying electrical items cheaply at auctions, then selling them on eBay. He discovered a great niche market with the introduction of DVD players; many people still used VHS players during this time, and Jordan made a great profit selling second hand VHS players to people not quite ready for the changeover. Jordan started his first fashion business when he came to university. He used stencils and spray paint to design t-shirts and hoodies, and again sold them on eBay. This wasn’t his only venture, though; he also had a market stall on Commercial Road selling clothes, memorabilia and music.
In 2008, Jordan was given an office in Mercantile House, where he now runs clothing printing company, and is currently working on other businesses, as well as helping others start and improve their own. Jordan now works closely with the Portsmouth Centre for Enterprise, and always has a heads up on events and competitions run by the Centre. Every year the Centre for Enterprise runs competitions (for bigB sums of money - perfect for starting or improving your business) and also runs an Enterprise Week once a year.
1. Cumbria is the safest county in England and Wales
8. Some 1.3 million yoghurt pots are thrown away each day in the UK
2. Every year, the world’s deserts produce 1,700 million tonnes of dust
9. The Ministry of Defence has amassed 8,000 sightings of UFOs
3. St Kilda has no rats
10. Pears sink, whilst apples float
4. 23% of plastic bags used in the UK are from Tesco
11. One of the earliest Mars Bars was pineapple-flavoured. It flopped
5. Prison pay is (on average) £9.60 a week
12. Pigs can suffer from mysophobia, a fear of dirt
6. Men eat more Brussel sprouts and broccoli than women
13. £13,400 is required to enjoy a minimum standard of living in the UK
Tip for success: Relationships build businesses
7. The Olympic torch can withstand wind of up to 65km an hour
14. Camels urine is sells in India for £1.34 a litre for its medicinal effects
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Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
Arts & Entertainment
Theatre
Singles 2.5/5
Morrissey I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
The Thief of Baghdad Linbury Studio, The Royal
Decca “Nobody needs my love/Nobody wants my love”; it’s hard to say “Cheer up Morrissey”, seeing as his entire musical career is based on the fact that, 99% of the time, he’s really miserable, and therefore feels the compulsion to sing about it. It’s hard to isolate this track from all of the dazzling backcatalogue that comes with Morrissey’s name, but I think you’ll have to. It doesn’t show the spark that his previous solo album had, which seemed a lot more genuine that this - at times it seems limp and without feeling. It leads to that old question: can we forgive the present sins of an artist whose past work is outstanding? Tallie Kane
Lily Allen - The Fear
3/5
Parlophone Welcome back Lily Allen; it seems you’ve become aware of the issues of the world and become, shock horror, satirical. It’s not that bad either. With an accompaniment of several bubble-electric instruments, Lily’s track challenges issues such as the absence of talent in our rich and famous and the diamond trade, and offers a comment on the inner workings of our economy. “I am a weapon of massive consumption/It’s not my fault, it’s how I’m programmed to function” shows a conscience to Allen’s sickly sweet Cockney warbling, and rather overpowers the actual melody itself, which provides a backdrop to Lily’s words rather than harmonising with them. Not a bad effort, and you can expect it to raise an eyebrow or two, but it’ll be interesting to see if Allen practises what she preaches. Tallie Kane
La Roux - Quicksand
5/5
Kitsune A bit of a musical underdog, but set for stardom in 2009, La Roux is a London based electro duo (Elly Jackson and ex-Kubb member Ben Langmaid). The pairing create epic, synth filled pop songs that have dark lyrical undertones which aren’t picked up until after a few listens. “Quicksand” has already been pounced on by the BBC, and rightly so; it is a triumph of 80’s electro revival that the charts has missed, thanks to the drones of empty melodied guitar bands and cereal box girl bands. Jackson’s voice is airy but with a certain power that gives the band its trademark sound; Langmaid is the silent production partner who is undoubtedly behind the finely crafted electro goodness. If you want another taste, look up the faultless beats of “Fascination”. Expect big things of La Roux - we’ll be keeping a beady eye on them. Tallie Kane
Tubelord - Feed Me a Box of Words
4/5
Big Scary Monsters Self described as “balls-out math Emo”, this Kingston three piece’s debut single is a highly fuelled explosion of driving beats, intricately picked guitars and over-excited vocals. It’s not to be classified with the type of music that is often associated with Emo - this harks back to an earlier, punkier form of the genre, which sees the music as the main outlet for heart-grabbing emotions, rather than the intent of the lyrics. Tubelord’s lyrics are not to be scoffed at however, although not as fluent as you’d expect. The jumpy shouts and perfectly crafted vocals of lead singer Joe give away more than you originally assume. The last moments of the song are almost post-coital; the aftermath of xylophones and harmonies show versatility that stops critics from calling them a shout-y rock band. For fans of the Mars Volta and Fall of Troy, Tubelord are something to be excited about. Tallie Kane
Pure FM Show of the Fortnight: A Pure Pot of Tea and a Handful of Chris
Thursday 12pm- 2pm The idea of the show is to spend an hour having fun, not only for ourselves, but for you listeners as well. We play quite a bit of new music, mixed in with student classics that everybody knows and loves. Our regular features include No Pain, No Game, with special guests, in which we throw random objects at our guest, and they have to guess what the objects are. Also, we take at look at past memories in our It was Kool at Skool feature, where we ponder the objects that kept us entertained at school; previously we have had objects like yoyos and tech decks. So basically, if you like pain and memories on the radio, but not at the same time, then we are the show for you. Tune in on Pure FM every Wednesday 12-1pm for A Pure Pot of Tea and a Handful of Chris.
Opera House, Covent Garden Dominique O’Mahoney
Opening with a bang,The Thief of Baghdad is set in a bombarded city, with fantasy thriving amid the city stage. Two sisters and a friend stumble across an old theatre and embark on a storytelling adventure in the style
of the Arabian Nights. In a dance-theatre format, the tale comprises a loopy Sultan, an unhappily betrothed princess and pet monkey, an evil king and of course, a thief. The plot is brilliantly backed up by a small group of musicians in the pit; they orchestrated the mood of the tale extremely well. My favourite part would have to be with the magic carpet - hydraulics were used to raise the carpet up and smoke machines emulated the clouds. The Genie in the story is somewhat different from the classic, as is the winged horse, which you will either like or dislike. Cast members emerged from openings all over the stage, from giant vases to a
William Preston
Hairsprayed blonde perm? Check! Tight spandex jumpsuit? Check! Grade 8 music talent? Ah, it’s only a game! Ever since the Guitar Hero series rocked the world with it’s mock rock stylings, gamers and rock fans alike have been air guitar-ing to such an extent that it was only a matter of
Gears of War 2 Gamel Oki
Marcus Fenix returns in Gears of War 2, as the COG (Coalition of Organised Governments) have been pushed back to their final strong hold, “Jacinto, by the brutal Locust Horde. The time has come to take the offensive to the genocidal Locust; it’s time to win the fight for the survival of humanity. Simplicity is bliss, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Gears of War 1 was a simple game; they’re bad (the
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Games Rock Band 2
piano. The props they use are rather imaginative and well constructed, and the dance sequences seamlessly added interest to this production.
time until they turned up the amps of rock experience on the series. Rock Band 2 perfects itself as the sequel to the greatest music-based party game of all. As well as being able to download songs off the internet (for a fee of course), songs from the first Rock Band can be uploaded as well. But with that said, Rock Band 2 has a fantastic set list in its own right. With classic songs such as AC/DC’s “Let There Be Rock” and the legendary “Living On a Prayer”, you’ll be the envy (and annoyance) of your neighbours for weeks to come. Players can take part in the new and improved Locust Horde), you’re good (the human race), here’s a small assortment of guns and a plethora of equally interesting and gruesome ways to kill your opponents (such as slamming a grenade into their face and then retreating to cover). Gears of War 2 expands all the ways which count in such a simple game; more guns, more enemies, more grenades, more enemies and more interesting and gruesome ways of killing the enemies. Oh, and more enemies. The sequel also provides a highly pleasing facelift (finally, a half decent reason to buy a HDTV), and brings a new sense of scale, immersing the player in a truly epic and brutal war for the survival of humanity.
I t P “World Tour” mode, where you takeh your freshly created band on the road,r earning fans, money, and even staff,i along the way. With Rock Band be-J ing such a perfect game, there wasn’tC need for many improvements in a sequel, but Rock Band 2 went above and beyond, by adding a drum trainer, an improved song select screen and “No Fail” mode; perfect for first timers/ drunken friends. Providing you payS the extra money for the complete in-a strument package, you have yourselfa the party experience of a lifetime. Butm as AC/DC said; “It’s a long way to the top…”
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Gears of War 2 works for one reason - you don’t go into it expecting aR deep and meaningful plot (like Metaly Gear Solid) or huge amounts of char-p acter development through dialoguet and interaction (like the Final Fantasyt games). Instead, you go in expectingw to spend the majority of your timei running from cover to cover and kill-T ing the enemy in multiple disgustingd and original ways, and essentiallyt you get just that. With enough actiono to hold the attention of an ADHD kid who’s just ingested a whole pack of blue Smarties, Gears of War 2 is must have for any Xbox 360 owner.
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Could’ve been longer though...
I I A a g c t m i c Mumford & Sons - Soulful indie-twee darlings that sing hopelesslys romantic songs about life, the universe and everything. i o Thomas Tantrum - Rising to fame from “that T-Mobile ad”, this bands have about as much energy as a Skittles factory, with talent to match. m L Strange Death of Liberal England - Portsmouth Locals whoi are becoming the talk of the town, an odd bunch of musicians that make eclec-c tic, indie-funk. m m Orphans and Vandals - A darker Belle and Sebastian, with lyrics toa make you blush and melodies to melt you completely. m i Empire of the Sun - Australian fantasy-electro outfit that are guaran-t teed to make you want to dance your space boots off. t t Florence & The Machine - A bizarre, big voiced beauty, with magi-T cally crafted music and an equally odd band of musicians to accompany. c a The Temper Trap - Epic Australian mood-rockers, that build guitarsi into a beautiful, heartfelt fortress. w g Sway - Just signed to Akon’s label and propping up the UK hip hop scene,W u expect an explosion of exposure from this fast thinking chap. E 2
A&E Stereo - Bands to Watch in 2009
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Pugwash News Wednesday 14th January 2009
Arts & Entertainment
Che
It’s a startlingly ambitious two part movie from director Steven Soderbergh, about the medical student turned legendary Marxist guerrilla, Che Guevara. The first movie looks at the high points in Che’s life as part of
Star Trek
It’s finished... but you can’t see it yet, to many Trekkies’ dismay. Since the Phantom Menace debacle, the world ehas learned to be cautious about ret,ro-novelty event films, but the Guard,ian says this film is “still a gripper”. -JJ Abrams has bestowed his very own tChristmas gift upon the hordes of d n o / ySimilar to Monsters vs Aliens, UP is -a CGI animation comedy adventure fabout a 78 year old balloon salestman, Carl Fredricksen, who finally e
UP
Role Models
Role Models is one of the funnier films you can expect to see out this year. The poster for it explains a lot towards the theme of the film; you see the character Danny relieving himself against a wall and Wheeler, his partner in hilarity, drinking from a brown paper bag. The film tells the story of two energydrink company executives, sentenced to community service mentoring kids, only to find their young charges more
Monsters vs Aliens
It looks like a cross between Monsters Inc and The Incredibles; Monsters Vs. Aliens is a CGI animation following the adventures of Susan Murphy, a young girl who is hit by an asteroid which causes her to grow 50ft tall. Alerted to the threat of this new monster, the military jumps into action, and Susan is captured and secreted away to a covert government compound. There, she is renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of other monsters: the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus. Their confinement is cut short, however, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and begins storming the country. In a moment of desperation, The President is persuaded by General W.R. Monger to enlist the motley crew of Monsters to combat the Alien Robot and save the world from imminent destruction. This film is either going to be fantastically brilliant, like Madagascar, Ice Age and the Pixar Films, or be an incredible let down; judging by the trailer, which had me in absolute stitches, its going to be a great easy-watch movie. Watch the trailer online at:
upsu.net/p/3938
Expected release: 27th March 2009
Film 2009 the 1959 Cuban revolution. Che and his soldiers wrestle the nation’s resources and affection from Batista’s grasp. Though considered a hero by some, Che becomes a hugely controversial figure, even appearing at the UN in 1964. At the height of his fame and power, he disappears. Entering South America incognito, Che recruits
another band of guerilla fighters in the harsh Bolivian jungles, which forms the plot of the second movie, detailing the drawn-out, agonised endgame where Che meets a very violent end.
Trekkies worldwide by letting us all know that the final changes to Star Trek were being made over Christmas. Posting on Facebook, Abrams had the following to say: “We’re just making final tweaks to the movie - we should be totally locked next week. Then we’re going to flash-freeze it so it’s totally fresh for you in May. I can’t wait for you to see the movie. The cast is awesome. The action and effects pushed
the stunt team and ILM beyond their limits. I’m so grateful to this cast and crew - and to all of you for your interest and patience. We’ll continue to update this page with new info and exclusives, so check back when you think of it. In the meantime, have a happy, healthy, fun holiday!”
fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 8-year-old
Boy Scout slash Wilderness Explorer named Russell. This latest offering from the great team of Disney/Pixar looks like their most creative yet.
trouble than they bargained for. Danny is paired with the decidedly dorky Augie, while Wheeler is the latest victim to take on foul-mouthed Ronnie. After a bumpy beginning, both Danny and Wheeler connect with their kids over everything from sword-and-sorcery role playing to the chick-scoring power of the band Kiss. But when these two presumptive adults put their charges’ well-being in jeopardy, they both face jail time and the loss of everyone’s respect. With their own friendship on the brink of ruin, Danny
and Wheeler - with a little help from the magic of Kiss - must reach deep inside to prove to the world how responsible they can truly be. In the spirit of films like Knocked Up and The Forty Year Old Virgin, Role Models features a healthy dose of sharp humor and juvenile gags, balanced by a feel-good message that growing up doesn’t mean giving up what makes each of us special.
Released: 2nd January and 20th February
Expected release: 8th May
Expected release: October
Released: 7th January
At the begining of the year we look forward to some of the top films of 2009. Here we give you a rundown of a few of the biggest and best due out in 2009. Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen If there’s one film out next year that epitomises the word “blockbuster”, it’s Michael Bay’s monster sequel to 2007’s Transformers. It’s perhaps appropriate, then, that Transformers 2 gives our 2009 preview a little kick start. Whilst rumours are ripe about the actual plotline (including the usual explosions, car chases and even filming on board a US Aircraft Carrier), there has been no official release. Director Michael Bay says on his blog: “[I’m] back from Egypt and Jordan – we had a wonderful shoot over there. I
will miss the crew, they were an amazing bunch of people and a lot of fun.” So, again we can assume that this sequel sees the characters travelling all over the world to accomplish their mission! Josh Duhamel, who played Captain Lennox in the original film, tells Empire Magazine that the biggest change in the sequel is “who [Lennox] is working with”, emphasizing that point. This seems to confirm speculation that the Autobots might have to form an alliance with the Deceptions to fight something bigger. Whilst any written summary of the plot doesn’t seem to exist yet, Pugwash News has scoured the internet to find some revealing photos, which all help to raise the hype of what should be another fantastic film.
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Purple Wednesdays Wednesday 14th January 2009
Sports
Varsity 2009
continued...
ing part (all subject to change): Come and support us! Whether your club is involved or not, please come and be part of “Team Portsmouth”, and get involved in the rivalry that is shaping up to be one of the fiercest University rivalries in the country. Check out www.upsu.net/varsity for travel details; a small charge will be attached to cover costs. Cheap drinks and food will be available, as well as loud music and entertainments; it really will be a fun day out for all! I hope this is an event everyone can get behind and support, as it will be the largest sports event in the Athletic Union’s History and, I hope, one of the most memorable!
Portsmouth University E The University of Portsmouth Boxing Club won the chance Boxing Club coach Wayne Gardiner takes a look at the Not only did Portsmouth University Win the English Championships for the second year in a row, but they also hosted a faultless 3 day event to a standard never seen before in University Boxing or Hampshire. Portsmouth Uni entered a small team of 8 boxers in the 140 competitor event, it may have been a small team but they were a strong team. The team consisted of 2 female boxers and 6 male box-
ers totalling 50 bouts between them with only 13 losses, not a bad average at all. First to compete for Portsmouth was James Williamson in his debut bout, James was given the opportunity to box due to his unwavering commitment to his training. James was competing against Farag from Bath University and James did not disappoint. He held his ground well
against a much more experienced opponent landing some beautiful rear hand counter punches. As the bout progressed Farags experience started to show and James was starting to flag, so coach Wayne Gardiner retired his boxer at the end of the 2nd round. “One for the future” was the only words from the smiling coach. Next up was also another low experienced boxer in the squad in Adam
Participating Teams American Football Badminton Basketball Indoor Rowing Cricket (indoor) Fencing Football Golf Hockey Roller Hockey Taekwondo Lacrosse Netball Rugby Squash Swimming Snooker Tchoukball Tenpin bowling Tennis Ultimate Frisbee Volleyball Sailing Ski & Snowboard Wakeboard
Insam, also coming against a strong opponent Adam rallied and gave his all but was 1 point shy in the judges decision, a brave effort from another future prospect. The Portsmouth team then sprung into life with a kick start from Brandon Jones at cruiserweight. Brandon put on a fine display of boxing over the first two rounds of his bout against last years English & British Cruiserweight Champion and then upping the pace to finish comfortably with a unanimous win to take him through to the Finals on Sunday. On Sunday Brandon then went against a strong opponent in Angelise from LSE, Brandon did not hold back and with flurries of combinations stopped his opponent in 1 minute and 37 seconds of the first round to take the Gold Medal and the 2008 English Cruiserweight Title. Big Georgakakis at Heavy weight had two very strong opponents in the semi finals and finals. George who reached the National semi finals this year looked that little bit more composed and in control than both opponents. In the final round of each bout George was in his stride landing solid straight shots almost at will, credit to the opponents as they did not fall and pushed George all the way to two black eyes. George smiled with his Gold Brian Ogweno the Portsmouth University team captain had a very hard draw and boxed three times within the three days of competition. In the quarter final Brian stopped his opponent with the referee stating (outclassed) due to Brian basically hitting at will. In the semi finals Brian again picked his punches with precision, dropping his hands in the final round then striking with speed as his opponent lunged in for the attack. Brian carried this forward to the final and finished with style beating strong boxer Houghton from kent University Unanimously earning the Gold Medal. Brian was also awarded Best Male Boxer of the Championships. Holly Keats, the president of the boxing club yet again led by example adding a third title to her belt by stopping her opponent Bell (Durham University) in the third round due to per-
Sport » Purple Wednesdays Editorial
Sport » Ski and Snowboard
The most manic week so far!
The BUDS weekend
Ben Endley Sports Editor
Hello everyone, and welcome back and a happy new year to you all. Before I begin my inevitable rant, I'd like to say a massive congratulations to the Boxing Team. I'll admit that I don't have a great basis of knowledge on boxing, however even I could tell that they are something special following their exemplary display at the English National Championships. I'm sure anyone who was there would agree with me that the commitment and fanatical dedication for which the Boxing Club are renowned is paying off in a big way.
This leads me on to the subject of this fortnight's editorial. Let me start by stating that this week has been one of the most manic I have ever had in all my years at uni; I won't bore you with all the details, but needless to say I have been struggling to balance my role on the paper, my commitments to the Lacrosse club and, last but probably not least, my course. I am very fortunate in all three of these to have excellent people around me, without whom I would have broken down, become a missionary and gone to live on an island years ago. Anyway, my point is that it is paramount for all Sportos to find a balance in life, and this is much harder than a lot of people think.
This is more true than ever at this time of year - no one needs reminding that exams are on the horizon. Everyone from parents, lecturers, the university chancellor and even fellow Sportos would tell you your course comes first. To an extent, they are right! Many of us will leave uni with debts in the region of £20,000, however, although very few of us will end up with a career directly attributed to our time playing university sport, it is undoubtedly an extremely important part of uni life. Without even going into the fitness element or the social side of things, reserch from NPR has shown direct links between increased physical and neurological activity and development.
Chicos Malone
British University Dry Slope (BUDS) Championship is the biggest dry slope event each year, and each year we miss it, for many reasons. This year Loughborough University had the opportunity, and hassle, of running the largest event on the calendar. It was the first time Pompey had entered this competition and we entered it with great enthusiasm and excitement, and also nervousness, as we had been told that BUDS was at a much higher level of ability than Kings, which we were used to. So…Scotland here we come. BUDS was held in Edinburgh, a long 10 hour drive away. We took a
minibus full of our first Ski and Snowboard team and also a car full of luggage, which club mascot Alex “Naked Boy” Sherman obliged to drive, accompanied by Vice President Andy “Scotty” Berwick. At half six on day one, alarms rang, as everyone had to be up and ready to be on the slope for seven. The slope, which was huge, was packed with people; University teams, all wearing hoodies in all the colours of the rainbow, except orange. In true Pompey fashion, we were late, and started our hike up the “mountain” with everyone looking at us - you could hear them saying things, it was like the first day at a new school. The skiing kicked off and the flow of free Red Bull and
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Purple Wednesdays Wednesday 14th January 2009
Sports
English Champions
Win two tickets to see Portsmouth FC vs Aston Villa
to host the English University Boxing Championships, successful event held in December last year. Overall Championship results:
Females 54kg Lee (Oxford) Gold Sidgh (Kingston) Silver 57kg Veries (Oxford) Gold Williams (Kingston) Silver 60kg Mellor (Liverpool) Gold Garcia (Kingston) Silver 64kg Keats (Portsmouth) Gold Bell (Durham) Silver Mens Under 10s 54kg Dorne (Leeds Met) Gold Gohar (LSE) Silver 57kg Massally-(Kingston) Gold Gulati (LSE) Silver 60kg Ishad (Middlesex) Gold Devonish (LeedsMet) Silver 64kg Woodward (Leeds) Gold Khan (Coventry) Silver 69kg Ogweno (Portsmouth) Gold Hulston (Kent) Silver 75kg Hammond (LeedsMet) Gold Atwall (Coventry) Silver 81kg Farag (Bath) Gold Burns (Leeds Met) Silver 86kg Jones (Portsmouth) Gold Angelis (LSE) Silver 91kg Geogakakis(P’mouth) Gold Hall (Leeds Met) Silver 91+kg Charles (R’hampton) Gold Gubsky (Bristol) Silver
sistent rear hands landing with force. Holly who was boxing a weight above her usual category due to illness before the championships can not wait for the British Championships in Sheffield. Kingsley Walker is a new member to the Portsmouth University Squad and he does not disappoint. Kingsley defeated a more experienced and stronger opponent in Ojomo (Harringey) in the semi finals, using quick footwork and movement to move hit & move. In the Finals Kingsley came against future England prospect Maxwell (Liverpool Hope Uni) who was just that little bit bigger stronger and faster than Kingsley. It was a cracking final and Kingsley put on a very good performance hopefully catching the eye of the England representatives
in the room. Kingsley will now be moving down to 57kg for the British Championships in Sheffield. Portsmouth University Coach Wayne Gardiner stated “ The team has done me very proud and to get the title when we had to pull out 5 boxers in the last week prior to the competition due to a virus hitting the squad, I could not be happier. I expect all these boxers to progress and aim for the British University title in March. University boxing has progressed immensely in the past two years and to all clubs that think university boxing is of a lower standard than club boxing, please just give us a call as we will happily come for a team match and prove them wrong”.
Toffee vodka started; everyone was soon enjoying themselves. At midday, Vice Pres “Scotty” got an angry Scottish phone call from the caravan site, threatening to kick us out for our antics last night, unless we paid a £750 fine. We thought it would be wise to save the cash (as we didn’t have any), and look for new accommodation. “Scotty”, Comms Officer Rob “Kenny” Kenefeck and myself spent the next six hours driving around Edinburgh looking for a place to stay. Meanwhile back on the piste, our GB and Welsh Skier, Alice Thelwell, came 2nd in the Ladies Individual Slalom, with Club Skier Kat Hutchings coming 19th out of 250. Half way through the day, a girl from another
University took a big tumble and lay motionless; medics rushed to the scene and all races were postponed. A helicopter needed to be called in and attempted six times to land on the slope. Everyone feared the worst, but to our relief she was back on the slope later that day with just a compressed spine. When the racing finished, we headed back to our new accommodation, had dinner and prepared for what turned out to be a great night out in Scotland’s capital city. After another night of only a few short hours sleep, we all got up and headed to the slopes for seven am. The heavens had opened during the night, and the slopes were a mud bath. The sight of 1500 students drinking and
Mens Over 10s 60kg 64kg 69kg 75kg 81kg
photos: Sam Shulman
listening to live music in the mud was somehow reminiscent of Glastonbury, but with a twist. This was the last day of the competition and it was the Boarders’ turn. Snowboard Captain Mike “Fresh” Hall came eighth in the Boarder-X, and our Board Team narrowly missed out on podium, having to settle for fourth place. The competition ended with the Freestyle finals, and everyone gathered round the freestyle jump and watched some crazy tricks and some awesome stacks. In the end, we were very happy with our performance, especially considering this was the first time we had entered the competition and the level of competitors was a lot higher. We finished fourth in the Boarders’ dual slalom,
Maxwell (Liverpool) Gold Walker (Portsmouth) Silver Cuddy (Coventry) Gold Dowdall (Leeds Met) Silver Channing (LdnMet) Gold Horgan (UWE) Silver Taylor (Sheffield) Gold Macharrafie (Bristol) Silver De Banks (Manc) Gold Hubber (Leeds Met) Silver
Best Technical Boxer J Mellor (Liverpool) Best Female Boxer B Lee (Oxford) Best Male Boxer B Ogweno (Portsmouth) Boxer of the tournament ”Maxwell” (Sheffield Hallum) Team Champions 2008 Portsmouth University (4 Golds & 1 Silver)
and second and fourth in the female individual slalom and giant slalom. The competition finished with one final night out - the BUDS ball. This year the theme was a Medieval banquet, with food, alcohol, an award ceremony and live music. In true Pompey spirit, we arrived at the ball in bright orange medieval tunics and dresses only to see a room full of black and white tuxedos and ball gowns. Unembarrassed by this, we had one of the best nights ever. After the awards ceremony, where our very own Alice Thelwell accepted a winners medal and bag of goodies, we hit the dance floor with a headphone disco. All in all, it was an amazing weekend.
Air Malta, the newly appointed official airline partner of Portsmouth FC, is offering Pugwash News readers the chance to see Pompey take on Aston Villa on 27th January. The Fratton Park fixture will be one of the first home games of 2009 and is your chance to get behind the team! With double daily flights from London Heathrow and a daily service from London Gatwick, Air Malta provides the best value full service route to Malta, from just £99 return including taxes and charges. Plus, for those keen on visiting the home of “The Godfather”, Air Malta also flies three times a week to Catania in Sicily from London Gatwick, for the same competitive price. Just three hours from the UK, the Maltese Islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino are ideal destinations for a weekend in the sun, offering a fantastic year-round climate, great Mediterranean cuisine, and a calendar of annual cultural and sporting events. The busy hub of Paceville is the place to go for nightlife, with a wealth of bars and clubs often hosting international DJ’s. In June 2009, the Isle of MTV Festival will return to the island, set to once again attract the biggest names in music, with stars including The Kooks and N*E*R*D amongst the headliners of 2008. For those who fancy something a bit more sporty, the island is a Mecca for dive enthusiasts, offering some of the best conditions in Europe. Watersports such as paragliding, windsurfing, wakeboarding, and water skiing are available all round the island, and sailing enthusiasts are greeted with regular regattas between April and November, including the Comino Regatta in June, the Malta-Syracuse race for keelboats in July and the RiminiMalta-Rimini Yacht race in August, as well as the famous Rolex Middle Sea Race in October. Culture vultures won’t be disappointed either, with historical sites dating back to 3600BC and further. Highlights include the UNESCO world heritage city of Valetta, the ancient medieval city of M’dina and the Ggantija Temples in Xaghra, Gozo, which are one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, dating back further than our very own Stonehenge. For further information on the island and to book flights, accommodation and car hire, visit www.airmalta. com or call 0845 607 3710. To win a pair of tickets to the game, all you need to tell us is which two countries Air Malta flies to from the UK? E-mail competition@upsu.net with your answer, name and contact phone number. The competition closes on Friday 23rd January
Varsity 2009 University of Portsmouth vs University of Southampton (Scum) P W DL
Simon “Darby” Leach
Sports Officer
Ever wondered why the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton are rivals? Ever thought the rivalry is always a lot more fierce than others? Ever wondered why Southampton citizens are known as “scummers”? Below is a brief history that attempts to answers these questions. Southampton and Portsmouth are separated by hundreds of years of inter-city conflict; from the twelfth century until 1835, Southampton officially owned the port of Portsmouth, which led to constant disputes over who controlled trade in the docks. Therefore the animosity between the two cities is one that stretches back for almost 800 years. The term “scummer” originates in history within the Portsmouth and Southampton docks. There was a strike, and Portsmouth agreed with Southampton to close both ports to improve conditions and pay for the workers. However, the Southampton port secretly opened whilst Portsmouth was striking, and took all the trade. Portsmouth workers then referred to the workers as “scum”, which soon evolved to '”scummer”. The choice of the word “scum’ is specific, as it is an acronym of the Southampton Port workers’ Union at the time, “Southampton Community Union Members”. The University of Portsmouth has always had a friendly rivalry with the University of Southampton, but we have had no real opportunity to adopt the city rivalry to the level it should be, as most of our sports clubs do not play against each other due to being in different regional leagues – until now! This year marks the first ever annual Varsity day between the University of Portsmouth and the University of Southampton (scum!). The event is to take place on Sunday 22nd February, with Southampton hosting. It will be the largest event of its kind in the South of England, and among the top five in the UK! There will be over 1000 participants, taking part in 45 different events and fixtures, in 24 different sports. Multiple venues across the city of Southampton will play host to these matches. For one day, and one day only, we will become “Team Portsmouth” in an effort to try and defeat the Southampton resistance. It will be tough though, as the “scummers” have a good reputation for sport and are ranked highly. Below is a list of sports tak- 14 »
photo: Sam Shulman
English Universities Boxing Championships - page 14
Hockey Men’s 1st Basketball Women’s 1st Squash Men’s 2nd Rugby Union Women’s 1st Netball 1st Lacrosse Men’s 1st Football Men’s 6th Netball 4th Hockey Mixed 1s SESSA Hockey Women’s 2nd Squash Men’s 1st Football Women’s 1st Football Men’s 3rd Rugby Union Men’s 2nd Badminton Women’s 1st Netball 3rd Hockey Women’s 1st Football Men’s 1st Tennis Men’s 2nd Football Men’s 2nd Football Men’s 4th Hockey Men’s 3rd Hockey Men’s 4th Hockey Women’s 3rd Volleyball Men’s 1st Football Men’s 5th Netball 5th Squash Men’s 3rd Rugby Union Men’s 4th Hockey Men’s 2nd Netball 6th Basketball Men’s 1st Netball 2nd Rugby Union 1st XV SESSA Lacrosse 1st Football Women’s 2nd Rugby Union Men’s 1st Rugby Union Men’s 3rd Badminton Men’s 2nd Hockey Men’s 5th Tennis Men’s 1st Basketball Men’s 2nd Badminton Men’s 1st
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Sport » Intra-Mural
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PWs needs your club news!
Kaly Smith
...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!
The biggest University Netball Club in the UK is getting even bigger! If you want to play netball with a team, or create your own with a group of friends, then join the University Intramural League. Every Thursday you can have a game of netball; it’s a great way to keep fit, meet friends, win trophies and get involved! The league is catered to all abilities, and the chance of extra training by an England coach is available. All this fun can be yours for the bargain price of £10 per team (7 - 10 people), The events start on February 12th, and at the Langstone Campus.
For more information, see: upsu.net/p/2166