York Vision 205

NOMINATED: GUARDIAN STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 2009

TUESDAY MARCH 9th, 2010

ISSUE 205

vision@yusu.org

FAIRTRADE SPECIAL

- PULLOUT -

THE WHIP

- Lifestyle -

- SCENE -

WWW.YORKVISION.CO.UK

8 PAGE ELECTION SPECIAL

N I Y T I S R UNIVE A T A D E T PRIVA R E D N U BL

EXCLUS

Emails leak sensitive info EXCLUSIVE

BY MARTIN WILLIAMS

A MAJOR privacy breach has released personal data of students in a mass email.

The Archaeology department accidently sent documents naming students with learning disabilities and

pending exam results.

The department then asked students to "delete it straight away." Students concerned have described the slip as an "honest mistake."

But the department have not made a formal statement on the incident.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

PLUS: STUDENTS POCKET ÂŁ400 DESPITE HAITI RAFFLE OUTRAGE - PAGE 7

2NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

ARCHEOLOGY DEPARTMENT EMAIL SLIP EXPOSES STUDENT'S PRIVATE DATA

QUOTE OF THE WEEK "By 2015, I aim to open up a campus in Andromeda" - David Hansen, YUSU President Election Candidate

GOOD WEEK bad week GOOD WEEK

Fusion

Sell out crowd, and a cracking performance!

BAD WEEK

MS PICKARD & MS SAUL Nobody likes you, not even the lads!

the number cruncher 642 ÂŁ300 0

The number of members in Ollie Hutchings Facebook election group.

The amount given in pounds by York Entrepeneurs Society to Medicins Sans Frontiers'.

The number of candidates running for Disability or Volunteering Officer.

Join the debate online!

Your constant source for everything York: www.yorkvision.co.uk Contact us: vision@yusu.org

EMAI

arning e l h t i w Students exposed s difficultie Photo:flickr.com

YOUR WEEK

DIGGING THEMSELVES INTO A HOLE

ment"

rrass a b m e n A L: "

BY MARTIN WILLIAMS A MAJOR privacy blunder has accidently released confidential and personal information of students.

A mass email, which named 70 Archaeology students, showed their exam grades and highlighted those with learning disabilities.

Minutes after the data was sent, the department wrote another message asking students to "delete it straight away".

The personal information named students with dyslexia and showed exam results that have not been finalised. An administrator claimed: "I think I mangled it when saving, so it is meaningless and misleading. I will resend your anonymised marks."

University rules say that "only your examination candidate number identifies you until marking has been completed." But some of the marks which were listed next to candidates' names have not yet been externally marked.

One 3rd year Archaeology student told Vision: "This was clearly an honest mistake, but it puts some students in a very difficult position and could cause them embarrassment.

"Most people are open about their grades and learning difficulties, but for some people this is a private matter and should have remained so."

He added: "Now that everyone can see my

exam number, none of my results can ever be anonymous."

The privacy breach has also raised questions over the fairness and anonymity of future marking within the department. It is unclear whether tutors and lecturers will be able to access the data.

The Archaeology Department were contacted by Vision but did not comment on the incident.

But, the administrator who sent the confidential data told students: "Lesson learned - when you download a new version of Excel make sure you check your work carefully.

Twice."

WHO GIVES A DUCK!?

BY DANIEL GODDARD

DISAPPOINTMENT SURROUNDS YUSU's ruling to disallow the candidate Arbitrary Party Duck to run for President in the Union elections.

The joke candidate was seconded by several members of the University of York's satirical magazine, The Lemon Press.

APD's spokesperson, Alexander J. Allison, claimed the decision had left him feeling "like we’d been shunned."

The Arbitrary Party Duck for YUSU President Facebook Group currently has 195 members, exceeding those of both David Hansen and Matthew Freckleton's, despite no campus promotion. Many students in the group expressed that they were looking forward to an alternative to the usual YUSU clique and ex-College Chair candidates.

Six candidates were allowed on the ballot for President, including a joke candidate David Hansen, whose many policies include "establishing a transparent paradigm matrix to promote synthesis and stimulate relational infrastructures." Joke candidates have mixed success in

the past, Ngwena's predecessor Mad Cap'n Tom Scott, ran as a pirate and ended up winning and serving a full term.

Democracy and Services Officer, Lewis Bretts, told Vision "To be eligible to stand for election, candidates must be members of the Union... Arbitrary Party Duck' is not a member of the union, and because he or she isn't a real person, would be disqualified from acting as a trustee. On this basis, his/her nomination was rejected."

Guardian Student Newspaper of the Year 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007 Tuesday March 9th, 2010 Editors: Paddy Harte Tom McDermott

Deputy News: Kate O'Loughlin Paul Virides

Deputy Features: Fran Salino Josie Cridland

Deputy Editors: Nicola Chapman Jack Knight

Comment Editors: Megan Graham Jack Stanley

Lifestyle Editors: Merryn Hockaday Katy Roberts

Scene Editor: David Elliot

Deputy Comment: James Masters Jamie Riley

Deputy Lifestyle: Zoe Pinder Maddy Potts

Features Editors: Chris Craddock Laura Cress

Style Editors: Emma Blake Sarah Woods

News Editors: Daniel Goddard Milana Knezevic

Deputy Style: Helen O'Brien Helen Turnbull Sports Editors: Stephen Holcroft Josh Mangham Deputy Sports Jon Cook Photo Editor: Marcus Roby

Webmaster: Edward Hartwell Goose Web Editors: Andy Nichols Jim Norton Managing Editors: Angus Hill Kate O'Loughlin Scene editorial listed in pullout

Opinions expressed in York Vision are not necessarily those of the Editors, Senior Editorial Team, membership or advertisers. Every effort is made to ensure all articles are as factually correct as possible at the time of going to press, given the information available.

Copyright Vision Newspapers, 2009.

Printed by Yorkshire Web

NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

3

CURRENT STUDENT ACTIVITIES OFFICER CRITICISIZES POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR

KINCHIN'S COMMENTS LEAVE SCARLETT'S CAMPAIGN RED FACED

BY PAUL VIRIDES

Photo by Marcus Roby

CURRENT STUDENT ACTIVITIES Officer Rhianna Kinchin has sparked controversy by speaking out against candidate Nick Scarlett's "disappointing" election policies. News of the sabb’s comments led to Scarlett's Campaign Manager, Tom Flynn, antogonisticly confronting her publicly in McQs after Thursday's Presidential Debate.

Kinchin said she was "confused" and "worried" by one or two of Scarlett's policies arguing that his policies resemble some of those from last year, such as his promises to move society administration online. Kinchin has already moved the vast majority of this admin onto the internet and thus describes his policies as "deceptive".

If elected, Scarlett would take over from K i n c h i n’s position at the end of t h i s a c a demic year.

Speaking to Vision, Scarlett admitted that the wording on his campaign "towers" regarding certain issues was misleading. In reference to society online administration, he said, "It should've said 'make available' instead of 'move'." However, he emphasised at hustings that he seeks to add further administration online, including society transport bookings and finances, which isn't yet there.

Furthermore, Kinchin pointed out that the Kids' Camp situation wasn't as black and white as Scarlett's campaign may suggest, and that the wording of the policy should perhaps have read 'safeguard' rather than “save”. Scarlett has since edited the wording of his policy on his Facebook campaign group.

Kinchin also spoke against his promise of a summer opportunities fair, as the careers service is already holding one next term in Week 5 as part of 'We Are Golden'.

Scarlett responded to this by claiming he seeks to bring all the different fairs together under one roof.

"I feel that these policies might be seen as vote winners but they're not researched.

He didn't talk to me about any of these policies," says Kinchin, to which Scarlett replies "Rhianna's claim that these policies are unresearched is also very suprising.

I've spoken to her about them on many oc-

casions this year."

Having said this, Kinchin praised Scarlett's innovative RAG policies, which are unique to his campaign. These policies would allow for greater college involvement in RAG raids 'across the North' rather than solely in York, as well as changing the shape of RAG Week with a college-based relay race to kick it off.

As one of the few sabbs open to discussing the elections, Kinchin stressed that "personality wise, the candidates are all really strong. All are good on enthusiasm and experience."

Furthermore, she emphasised the importance of policy, saying that if students want to see YUSU make a difference next year, they should consider voting for the most "tangible and realistic" policies.

UNIVERSITY PROPOSE USING TUTORS AS PORTERS

A WELFARE DEAL?

BY DAN GODDARD AND MILANA KNEZEVIC THE UNIVERSITY is looking into new plans to use college staff to make up later portering hours.

The new measures would involve college Welfare teams manning the porters lodges during the evening and weekends in order to make up the hours lost following the portering cuts.

The main argument for the scheme, which was discussed during the last student services committee, is that the costs would come under the existing college budgets and

thus not fall on the student body. A proposed alternative is to find a way to fund a student portering service through a maximum rent rise of 10p.

Derwent and Vanbrugh would be among the colleges affected by the proposed scheme after their recent loss of 24-hour portering.

Vision spoke to Derwent College tutor Oliver Lester, who commented that though his position is a demanding but essential role within the welfare system, “a college tutor can't sign your keys when you’re locked out or be in the lodge at 3am to talk to after a night out.”

However, he also stressed that the “we are there to meet all the welfare needs of students”.

On the question of whether he would be willing to take part in the scheme, he stated that “all I can say is that if a student ever

SCARLETT: NOT KINCHIN'S HERO?

SPORT CAPTAIN PUTS FOOT(BALL) IN MOUTH

needed help with something, wanted BY JACK KNIGHT some advice or just someone to chat SURto, I would be more than happy to CONTROVERSY ROUNDS the university help them out.”

Upon contacting the Vanbrugh of York Men's Football college administration, Provost Club (UYAFC) after their David Efird referred Vision to Pro own President remarked Vice Chancellor for Students, Jane that there was a "remarkGrenville. She was not available for able lack of intelligence within this club." comment.

The comments come A statement from the Chair of the student services meeting, reads after recent allegations of that the idea is currently being given electioneering by the Footserious consideration “as it is clear ball Club after a Member that unease about the absence of an of the club used the mass authority figure is causing concern email account to send out a message in to some students.” However, the support of Sam Chair also recognizes Ashfahani's that “there campaign to b appears to sab became Yorkh c i be as much m h i l W s Sport Presied hi commenpush nd liver) dent, which is a tary in the its ( r i n a against YUSU fa student metoo p to t tri election rules dia against r e c e n C h a rl e s ? banning mass a e the portering l th til emailing for e's s campaign as Ther stench of t campaigning . y h l g t for it, so the i l s en appar purposes. matter appears sick, In reto be finely balsponse, Ashanced." fahani said that he "completely disagreed" with the email being sent out and

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would "ask the football team to send out an email listing Rob Newton's policies."

When questioned by Vision about the emails Greg Gardner (the President of the Football Club) confirmed that the email had been sent out by "a slow, dopey and ignorant member of the club", but it had nothing to do with the club as a whole. He also stated that he had immediately contacted the Returning Officer and Emily Scott (the current YorkSport President) to inform them of the situation and to seek advice on the matter.

However, Gardner also went on to say that the email didn't matter anyway as "what with the apathy and remarkable lack of intelligence within this club, I doubt anyone will have understood the message, let alone allow it to sway them which way to vote!"

4NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 9th, 2010

VISION EXPOSE FINDS THAT 'VEGETARIAN CHIPS' WERE CROSS CONTAMINATED WITH MEAT

student press COURTYARD IN VEGETARIAN DISGRACE We read them... ...so you don't have to

Ents Missionary Work

CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS an Oxford University JCR elections after prospective Ents reps were challenged to perform as many sex positions as possible withinin 1 minute in order to win votes.

This has become a tradition within St Anne' College within the last few years. However, this year has seen significant opposition to the sex position electoral campaigning with the college JCR narrowly approving the continuation of the practise by 9 votes to 8.

One candidate stated "None of us felt awkward or reluctant doing the challenge."

Beauty vs Union A WARWICK University PhD student has taken a mathematical approach to dating, reports The Boar.

In his paper - “Why I don’t have a girlfriend: An application of the Drake Equation to love in the UK” - Peter Backus used a formula to calculate that out of the 30 million women in the UK only 26 would be suitable gilfriends.

Backus worked out that the odds of him finding a girlfriend are only 100 times that of finding an alien.

Fantasy Formula

A SHEFFIELD University student has decided to pursue a career in music after her success in the Chinese version of the X Factor, Forge Today reports.

Mary-Jess Leaverland, a former Music and Chinese student recently won Min Xing Chang Fan Tian ("I Want To Sing To The Stars"). However, However, she couldn't take up the record deal offer, as she was in China on a student visa.

She told Forge Today - " Since the show I have been recognised in the streets... the show was the most exciting thing I have done in my life."

Singing Success CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY has voted for a new SU President, The Tab reports.

However, controvesy surrounds the elections with only 2738 votes being cast in the elections (out of over 12,000 undergraduates). Added to this over 10 percent of those were for "Re-open Nominations".

Electoral problems were further exacerbated when The Tab revealed that more votes had been cast in the newspaper's recent "Fit College" beauty contest than in the union elections.

Jack Knight

BY PADDY HARTE A VISION INVESTIGATION has made the shocking discovery that our student union bar, The Courtyard, has been selling ‘vegetarian food’ cross-contaminated with meat products.

Our investigation found that the same oil that vegetarian chips (marked with a 'V' sign on the menu) were cooked in was also used to fry meat products such as soicy chicken pakora.

When we presented the results of our investigation to Lewis Bretts, YUSU Democracy and Services Officer, he made startling confession that, "the same oil was used to fry both meat products and chips".

A spokesperson for the University of York Vegetarian Society has responded to these findings with anger, claiming that, "this kind of thing is as serious as an Orthodox Jew unknowingly eating things contaminated with pork". Further adding that YUSU "are in the habit of treating vegetarians and vegans with contempt."

Vision's discovery follows a tip-off from an unidentified student who explained to us that the

courtyard’s chips were in fact “regularly” cooked with meat products. She told us that

upon finding this out she "felt sick" and "disgusted that they advertise chips as vegetarian when they are not".

On further enquiry, it emerged that the courtyard had only one fryer, meaning that if they were to cook meat in this fryer, they would have to empty all oil from the fryer and clean the machine out before frying ‘vegetarian’ chips again. If this lengthy proce-

on?

A menu of decepti

dure was not carried out before frying chips again, crosscontamination would have happened.

Vision then conducted a secret investigation, ordering a range of foods in The Courtyard, including a dish with ‘spicy chicken pakora’ (which staff told us was deep fried) and chips. We found that both these products were served hot, and that before and after we ordered the chicken, chips were being regularly dished out to tables around us, leaving no time for the fryer to be cleaned.

When we presented these findings to YUSU who operate the bar, Lewis Bretts, having made his shocking confession, further added that “On behalf of the Courtyard Management I sincerely apologise to anyone affected by this issue.”

Bretts has been swift to act claiming that “As of this morning [04.03.2010], the fryer will be used solely for chips and new management procedures will be put in place to ensure that a similar situation will not occur in future.”

We were also told that The Courtyard initially had two fryers, however an upgrade in kitchen equiptment on January the 11th, meant the im-

plemntation of only 1 fryer.

YUSU has further elaborated, claiming that, "the fryer cooks about 150 portions of chips per day, but just 5 chicken pakora portions". They also points out that, "We did cook the chips with the same oil in the same fryer, but we have two baskets and the two products were never cooked in the same basket."

The union also claimed that such practice was "not illegal" according to trading standards, but it was they conceded "bad practice". They also extended a rather strange offer for people to have free tours around The Kitchens.

However, such reassurances may not be enough for the hundreads of Vegetarians and vegans on campus who will inevitably feel betrayed and lied to by the Union. One second year vegan we spoke to asked “Why was it that Vision had to carry out an investigation for this to stop?”, further adding, "I will never ever eat at The Courtyard again".

With a new menu in the Courtyard things look set to change, however this has been seen as a major setback to students on campus, and such irresponsible behavior by the union has put a major dent in YUSU relations.

ARCHEOLOGY DEPARTMENT EMAIL BLUNDER EXPOSES STUDENT'S PRIVATE DATA

YOU'RE STRICTLY A SUCCESS

BY MILANA KNEZEVIC

YORK STUDENT TELEVISION (YSTV) has been shortlisted for the 2010 National Student Television Awards.

They are nominated for Best Live Show for the live portion of last term’s York Come Dancing.

Campus “celebrities” such as Emily Scott and Lewis Bretts were paired up with dancers from York Dancesport to compete and raise money for RAG. The competition, succeeded in raising over £1,000.

Current LGBT Officer and Welfare election candidate Peter Warner-Medley was the

winner, impressing both the judges and the audience with his jive. He danced alongside Abi Wilson, a member of Dancesport.

The NASTA awards will take place at the University of Glasgow from the 26th to the 28th of March. The winners will be revealed at a black tie dinner and awards ceremony in Glasgow’s Oran Mor.

Assistant Production Manager Alex Balmer told Vision that YSTV has also submitted several other entries, such as their comedy show “Man Man” and their coverage of the Battle of the Bands in the Open Category.

The station has high hopes for victory, and they have in previous years won Best Live Show as well as Best Broadcast. However, they do face steep competition from student TV stations from, among others, Bath, Cardiff and Leeds.

NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

VISION INVESTIGATION REVEALS CRIME UP BY 72%

IT'S CRIME TIME a shame s ' t I " : T STUDEN better security." 't there isn

BY MARTIN WILLIAMS STATISTICS OBTAINED by North Yorkshire Police reveal that student reports of crime on and around campus have more than doubled this year.

Last term a total of 50 crimes were reported to police, more than twice the number from the previous term. Initial hopes that the increase was seasonal were quashed after the police revealed there has also been a 72% increase compared to the same period last year.

The figures are likely to be used as part of the ongoing campaign to restore the porter service, following cuts made

at the start of last term. But the University has refuted any connection between the security cuts and the increase in crime reports.

A spokesman said that the rise was "due almost entirely to an increase in cycle theft."

He said: "Changes in portering arrangements are not a factor in the increase in cycle theft. We continue to urge students and staff to make sure that their cycles are secure. Other crime is down, indicating that the changes have had little or no effect on crime on campus."

But students have claimed that the porter cuts are having an effect on bike

5

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ere are h T " : R O CANT ecurity." s t u o b a concerns

thefts. Second year Economics and Finance student Sophie Walker told Vision that she had locked her bike up by Vanbrugh porters lodge, thinking it would be safest place. But the lodge was closed up over night because of the cutbacks.

"The next day, I went to collect my bike and it was missing," she said. "It's a shame that even right outside a residential building and a porter’s area, there isn't better security."

But the University insist that security on campus is not a problem. The spokesman said: "Security on campus is closely monitored and crime levels are reported both monthly and annually. There are

monthly meetings with North Yorkshire Police and Safer York Partnership, at which YUSU is also represented," He added: "The University of York has a safe campus with a low crime rate, in a safe city which also has a low crime rate."

However, speaking exclusively to Vision earlier this term, Vice Chancellor Brian Cantor admitted there had been "feelings of deterioration and concerns about security," amongst students.

Cantor also refused to say how much campus crime would have to increase by before he accepted that the porter cuts were a mistake.

"SEXIST" YUSU CANDIDATES BANNED FROM CAMPAIGNING

DERWENT MAN! I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN! MY LAPTOP! groups with the financial resources from the tuition fees of students who might not agree with their position."

YUSU Democracy and Services Officer, Lewis Bretts, responded to a number of complaints about the comments made during the election hustings by imposing the ban. This action was taken on the basis that Pickard and Saul had

BY KATE O'LOUGHLIN

TWO STUDENTS, who self-define as women, running for YUSU Women's Officer have been banned from campaigning until voting for the election ends on 12th March. The action was taken in response to offensive remarks made by the candidates, Mark Pickard and Peter Saul, which promoted a number of complaints from students.

Pickard and Saul, who selfdefined as female as part of their bid to run for the positions, caused controversy at last Tuesday's hustings when stating their policies and attitude towards the role of Women's Officer. They expressed their view that the position is anti-male by pointedly chanting "death to men" and claiming that last year's events had been successful in "p**sing off every man on campus". They went on to state that their policies would include banning fat women from campus and opening up opportunities for female York graduates to become housewives.

Saul said of their candidacy: "We decided to run for Women's Officer to illustrate a point. This is that the position is a joke, and so we felt it should be treated as one."

He stated that neither him nor Pickard believe that women are oppressed in wider society: "Even if we did, we wouldn't accept that Student Unions should act as pressure

NED

P

BAN : D R A ICK

breached the terms of the YUSU Equal Opportunities Policy as outlined in the Constitution by making their remarks.

Bretts said of the decision: "While I do not feel it is appropriate to remove these candidates from the ballot, I have taken the decision to impose a ban on campaigning from 0900 3rd March until 1630 12th March. During this period,

Ms Pickard and Ms Saul will be asked to surrender their identification badges, cease all physical or digital campaigning, and will not be allowed to attend any group or society meeting in order to campaign."

Saul said in response to the ban: "Although YUSU's ban was predictable it is still disgraceful and highlights an authoritarian streak. We've been accused by some of holding intolerant views but it's far more intolerant to attempt to silence people that you disagree with."

The complaints highlight opposition from members of the student body to the remarks made by the two male candidates.

Peter Warner-Medley and Elanin Vince, YUSU LGBT Officers, said: "We feel their campaign is deeply offensive and hurtful to many students. We feel they approached the issue in an immature and deeply inconsiderate way. Even though it was intended to raise a laugh rather than to offend, we feel these candidates should take responsibility for their words and actions and should be aware of the consequences of what they say and do." While Charlie Leyland, Academic Affairs Officer, described the incident as "a disgrace".

ED

AMM L S : L U SA

BY PAUL VIRIDES DERWENT COLLEGE has suffered two break-ins in the space of five days.

Max Richards, a resident of D Block, returned to his room after celebrating a friend’s birthday to find his window forced open. His laptop had been stolen.

“I can’t believe this happened in Derwent,” Richards told Vision. “This wouldn’t have happened if there was 24hour portering!”

Fellow Derwenter Joe Walsh returned to his room one evening after hockey practice to find his window shattered.

“Someone had tried to prise it open with a branch but the glass shattered,” he said, stressing that “they didn’t get into my room. Even if they had, the laptop’s locked to the desk,” Walsh went on to say that he felt the university provided adequate support after the event, though he commented that “I’d never felt particularly safe in the “Dungeon” from the start. We’re separated from C Block, my window’s hidden by hedges.”

A statement from the University press office reads; “Discussions, involving the Provost of Derwent College, and Security and Campus Services are taking place to address security concerns raised by students as a result of recent incidents at Derwent. The University is also consulting the Safer York Partnership about a range of security initiatives.”

6 NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

PORTERING BACKLASH: SABBS FACE FRESH ALLEGATIONS

MOTION SICKNESS NGWENA'S AND HUMPHRYS BEHAVIOUR IN PORTERING CRISIS LABELLED "DISAPPOINTING"

BY TOM MCDERMOTT VOTING OPENED yesterday on two Motions of Censure brought against Sabbatical officers Tim Ngwena and Ben Humphrys.

The motions, brought to Thursday’s UGM by portering campaigner Miles Layram, accuse Humphrys and Ngwena of not doing enough to ensure that 24-hour portering returns to campus, despite the fact that they were mandated to by a previous UGM. In his proposing speech at last week’s UGM, Layram suggested that the approach taken by Ngwena and Humphrys when negotiating with the University on the issue had not been as forceful as it could have been, with the Sabbs acting like “management spokespeople” when campaigns work is being done.

In his speech Layram also suggested that the Union officers had attempted to cover up their behaviour stating that these were just more of “Tim’s spins” before being forced to retract his statement as unsubstantiated.

Defending themselves, Ngwena and Humphrys told the UGM that they had “done everything they had been able to at

s" n i p S s ' m > "Ti meetings [they’d] been able to attend.”

Humphrys also asserted that plans had been put in place to get College Welfare teams to take over certain portering duties at the expense of the University and not the Union or the students themselves.

Speaking again in favour of the motion Layram asked students to “please read the motions” and to vote in favour if they agreed that the way Tim and Ben had behaved was “disappointing.”

Despite Layram’s claims that the timing of the motion is not politically motivated and has nothing to do with the ongoing YUSU elections, when speaking exclusively to Vision, Ngwena said that “The timing is frustrating as I prepare for my re-election campaign but it relates to a job I've already been elected to do and so if I'm being held to account then I will step up to the plate to face the claims made against me.”

He confirmed that, even if it wasn’t in-

tentional, it had definitely been detrimental to his re-election plans.

Speaking to Vision on Wednesday, Humphrys added that, “I know there are disagreements about how we should approach this, and some people would have preferred me to go at the university with guns and swords but we really are making progress on that and a number of other things.

On the one hand I’m really sorry that some students do feel like that.

I hope that at the UGM and next week, I have the opportunity to demonstrate that it really isn’t the case and we really have put hard work into working for students and on this campaign.”

Voting on the UGM opened yesterday at http://www.yusu.org/vote

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

7

STUDENTS POCKET £400 FROM RAFFLE THAT EXPLOITED HAITI DISASTER

HAITI RAFFLE SCANDAL

BY ANDREW NICHOLS

SINCE A Vision exposé revealing complaints about a team taking part in its 'Ten Pound Challenge," York Entrepreneurs Society has decided to donate the proceeds of a controversial raffle to charity work in Haiti.

It was only after enquiries were made to the team that they revealed that only ten pence out of every pound they were raising was going to Haiti relief, with the remaining 90% going to the team's profits.

The four members who carried out the raffle, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were not penalised for their activities and have now been declared joint winners of the competition, c a s h i n g in on a £400 prize.

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"UNETHICAL"

Vision has since been contacted by concerned students explaining that they too had bought raffle tickets from the team, with no knowledge that the raffle was not purely for Haiti. They labelled the team's tactics as, "disgraceful", "exploitative" and "unethical."

Henry Coyle, President of York Entrepreneurs Society, promised a full investigation into the allegations. “Some students were confused about the raffle and felt more money was going to charity than in reality it was." Coyle was still confident that “all teams were found to have acted without malice”.

This comes after Coyle revealed he had only sanctioned the raffle “as long as it was made clear that only a percentage was going to the charity”.

ACCUSATIONS A fellow competitor in the challenge, who wanted to remain anonymous, dismissed the findings of the investigation: "Although it is not possible to say they left information out intentionally, I imagine not mentioning that only 10% was going to charity helped them sell more tickets."

"MARSHALL" LAW

The team’s profits went to the funds of York Entrepreneurs Society, however they felt unable to keep the money from the disputed raffle and instead donated the £300 proceeds to Medicins Sans Frontiers' work in Haiti.

However, the team at the centre of the allegations were not penalised and, it has since been revealed that they were joint winners of the competition, securing a prize of £400.

Scott Bryan, a third-year Politics student, who bought a ticket because he felt it was helping the Haiti relief effort, said he was “delighted” with the decision of the Society to donate to the charity.

But he added: “those who failed to mention the true destination of our donations, have gained from exploiting the suffering of others and the good nature of students.”

Chris Etheridge, the YUSU campaigns officer who, earlier this term helped organize a charity walk for Haiti that raised over £3000 commented, "Charity work must never be confused with the interests of private individuals.”

Vision approached a member of the team for comment, but was referred to the statements made by York Entrepreneurs Society.

DISAPPROVAL When informed of events Mr Jon Meacock, Director of the Heslington East Project, who has previously acted as a judge for the York Entrepreneurs Society, claimed that, “I am against any personal profiteering from the suffering of others.”

STEP OFF

BY CEM TURHAN

BY ANGUS HILL NIGHT SECURITY staff may begin patrolling streets around campus if YUSU copy a scheme set up at a rival university.

YUSU have contacted York St John's Students' Union President, Jason Wallis, to investigate the possibility of replicating the scheme in residential areas around campus.

The "Street Marshall" plan, set up by York St. John University earlier this year involves teams of licensed door supervisors patrolling residential areas inhabited by students to keep order and reduce student caused disturbances.

The temporary scheme was considered a runaway success and is now set to become permanent. It is likely to be borrowed by YUSU in an attempt to address complaints about students made by local residents in the Heslington area.

Wallis, who ran the trial scheme declared the idea a success. He said: "Responses from the community have suggested that the majority would like to see the scheme run full time, not just at times of heightened activity by our students.

The York St John's scheme saw fully qualified bouncers patrolling local streets between 10pm and 3am, attending incidents and asking students to respect local residents by reducing noise."

"We have approached York St John about what type of arrangement they have in place," says YUSU President Tim Ngwena. He likens the potential staff used to Doorsafe, stressing that they would not need the same extensive training as porters and security staff.

However, it is not yet known whether YUSU will give the idea the go-ahead or where exactly it would be used.

In the past local residents have complained about the behaviour of York students, particularly after they return from a night out.

Earlier this year, residents on Thief Lane and Newland Park Drive wrote to local MP Hugh Bayley to complain about students. One complaint described them as "causing distress to mainly the elderly residents." Badger Hill residents have also made complaints stating that students display "a flagrant lack of consideration for their living environment."

THE REMOVAL of the "steps to nowhere" in Langwith has caused yet another unexpected blow to college spirit, and uproar amongst college residents.

The steps, which went up to the now removed bridge that connected Langwith to Alcuin, had fallen down three years ago and had been cornered off but have finally been removed in the past few days. Residents of Langwith D-Block, which connected to the bridge were notified with an email during the first few days of work.

However college officials failed to take notice the importance of the steps to Langwith students.

One student said, "I feel sad. We used to all sit on the steps and just relax. It was quite private and I could reflect there when I wanted some peace. We called it our secret spot."

With the ban of college punch and the planned move to Heslington East in 2012, college spirit is suffering. "Everything that makes Langwith what it is keeps getting moved or removed, even these buildings [accommodation blocks] will be

knocked down in two years' time."

Provost John Isset said in response: "There used to be a bridge there but now there's not, so they were steps to nowhere.

They represented a health hazard a n d were degrading and falling apart."

Langwith Chair Conor Wilcock backs Isset, saying: "They don't go anywhere.

If people want s o m e wh e r e quiet to go they can go to the quiet room, where there's a big TV and Wii." A statement from the University echoes that of the college, while adding that the steps will be replaced with a grassed embankment to provide a pleasant space.

"Any cherry trees damaged during the work will bereplaced."

However for some students this isn't enough. "The corner room is too cliquey, with mostly JCR people in it. We want somewhere outdoors to relax.

They should have put a bench on the top of the hill - it could have been a great chill out place." Langwith Welfare Rep Sarah Frew said in response "There are benches outside of B-Block if you want to sit outside when it gets summery."

8 COMMENT

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

>Comment THE VOICE OF MEGAN

PICKING OUR BATTLES Our constant criticising of uni policy is damaging our chances to make changes.

GRAHAM

Vision Says...

T

he management of The Courtyard should be ashamed of themselves, they have allowed a process of cross-contamination of vegetarian products to go on for too long.

With only one fryer, what were they thinking?

Having carried out our investigation, Vision is happy that Bretts did not beat about the bush, and owned up immediately. However we hope that such negligence will not be repeated, this occurrence has inevitably damaged the Unions relations with students, and only consistent good practice will repair this damage.

Having said this, we would advise all vegetarian students to try and reconcile the Union and start enjoying the new meat-free chips!

Thumbs up to...

T

he York Entrepreneurs swift charitable donation of £300 towards to Medicenes Sans Frontiers was a move that Vision approves of.

The action was necessary after the ignorant mistakes of their contestants in “The ten pound challenge”, which led many students feeling that all their money was going to charity.

We feel that the only way to alleviate such actions was to give the money away, however the students in questions should feel shame for not making themselves clearer. We hope they have learnt their lesson.

Thumbs down to...

T

hefts up on campus – that doesn’t surprise us. With the cuts in portering, such a pattern was an inevitability.

This time last year, campus was a safer place, what will it be like next year? We hope these early warning signs can act as a catalyst for the University to sort out its act.

Furthermore, Vision despises the thiefs that come onto campus and take advantage of the lax security on campus.

Vision is in full support of the portering campaigns, keep up the good work people! Lets bring this University back to its crime-free past.

A

s you're probably aware, the majority of organisations within York University Media generate a great percentage of their audience through varying degrees of University-bashing. Whilst we are well within our rights to be airing our grievances, it has dawned on me that we aren't being entirely fair. Perhaps we are expecting things far above and beyond the call of duty.

Take, for instance, the outcry over the new study space being created next to The Charles. I have no doubt it's inconvenient, unfair and downright annoying to everybody that library renovations are forcing us all to crowd around even fewer tables. So why are these proposals not being treated as a positive thing designed to help us?

Oh yes, because "The New Building" is next to a pub, a pub which, quite irresponsibly, will sell us all the 99p glasses of wine our revision weary hearts desire. (At least, it will until we fall off a bar stool and have to be carried home.)

All I have heard on campus this month, and last, is accusations levelled at the University over the lack of consideration of the location of the building. Why is temptation being placed so obviously in the way of our path to success? Why are we, mere mortals, being expected to resist the sweet lure of daytime cider in the sun all on our own? Why, why, why won't Jane Grenville and Brian Cantor be personally positioned outside the door of The Charles, ready and waiting to tackle us to the floor and frogmarch us back to our

JAMES MASTERS

desks should our willpower fail us?

There are some things that this University does with which we have every right to be disappointed, and even angry.

When this happens we shouldn't hesitate to express our dissatisfaction. The University making us complicit in investment in the arms trade is one such case.

We have every right to be disappointed, and even angry.

very rarely the case, and we are out of line to expect so much from our University without bearing in mind the financial and administrative restrictions placed upon it. If we as students want our grievances to be truly listened to and acted upon, we need to learn to tell the difference between what is worthy of our public outcry and what is not; which of the universities actions are bad decisions and which are the result of good decisions in bad circumstances. We need to know when we have the power to influence change and when the situation is out of our control entirely.

Sacrificing our personal safety and security by cutting porters rather than making other budget concessions is another. To me, it is so important that we stand up for ourselves and defend our rights as students; ultimately we need to have a say in the way the university is run. I am by no means suggesting that we don't speak out when we feel that it has short changed us. But we should pick our battles wisely. Protesting against one thing that the University does has limited enough success as it is. Protesting about everything it does is not exactly going to endear the people at the top to our cause. Rather, it makes us seem petty, childish, and unable to fix anything ourselves.

While it would be nice to believe that University administration has the ability to right every wrong and solve every problem, unfortunately this is

A COMEDY OF ERRORS?

The right men for the job? The politicians of our student body get it very wrong...

T

he clock strikes ten. You rub your eyes and wander into the dim, dingy kitchen for that much needed glass of water.

You're greeted with the debris of last night's takeaway, and on the table sit the revolting remnants of a greasy bag of chips. Soggy, cold and limp, they sit there, lazily. If you squint hard enough at one of these pathetic pieces of potato, sweating and dripping with fat, it looks remarkably like... a politician.

The expenses scandal and the sleaze of our national government are well documented, and rehashed regularly, so I won't waste more ink on the subject. But it is a shame to think that smarmy politics has found its way into this year's YUSU elections.

Peter Saul and Mark Pickard, running for the role of Women's Officers, sauntered onto the Hustings stage oozing a repellent scent of conceited egotism. As Saul repeated their less than euphonic slogan "Death to men!", Pickard stood innately grinning and giggling like an puerile school boy. What was meant to

be a comedic attack on political correctness saw the pair leaving the stage as class dunces, heckled by their audience. This was a real opportunity to bring up crucial issues relating to gender equality, such as the lack of a Men's

What was meant to be a comedic attack on political correctness saw the pair leaving the stage as class dunces.

Committee. However they ruined the chance to make a genuine protest, with immature and dismally pitiable attempts at irony. My favourite, "all men are rapists", was really top draw. Well done lads, you did yourself proud.

Are these really the sort of politicians we have created at York? Alan Belmore is the

anomaly: the re-hydration necessary to soften this political hangover, and wash away the slime of sleaze. At only 19 he stands as a prospective parliamentary Liberal Democrat candidate for Hemsworth, near Wakefield. This ambitious Vanbrugh fighter is not cynical and sickly, but determined to act on what he believes, in an intelligent, positive and productive manner. As the youngest PPC in England, Belmore is a student we should be proud of. He represents a new era of bright and vibrant politics emerging from the dark, sinister shadow of the expenses scandal. So let us forget about the two aforementioned nitwits and focus on what is good about our University's politics.

Chuck away the rancid chips into the bin where they belong. Pull back the curtains and let the warm, uplifting sun flow in. Open the window and fill the kitchen with sweet, revitalizing air. Take a sip from your glass, and taste the progress.

JOIN THE DEBATE AT WWW.YORKVISION.CO.UK

COMMENT

YORK VISION Tuesday March 9th, 2010

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES DESPERATELY BATTLE FOR CARDBOARD RESOURCES

9

IN THE LIGHT OF THE STATISTICAL CONTROVERSY FROM THE IPCC WE ASK...

DO YOU BELIEVE CLIMATE CHANGE IS STILL A RELEVANT ISSUE?

LAURA CRESS

T

he outcome of the Copenhagen Climate conference may have been less than satisfactory. Still let's not judge the climate chnge debate on the mistakes of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) . I feel some of these aspects need to be examined more realistically, before we too become over exaggerated in our arguments. For example, the major mistake made by the IPCC (stating that Himalayian glaciers would probably disappear at this rate by 2035, when they won’t), is that they kept the fact that they knew they had made a mistake secret for far too long. If they had bothered to admit that a mistake had been made last year, then the incredulity at the situation would not have escalated to the extent that it has done. We wouldn't have a situatuion where people don't believe that climate change exists at all. Therefore, the scientists who selfishly decided not to admit to their errors should be the ones who are blamed, instead of many others who have put a lot of hard work into helping to prove that climate change does in fact exist. In other words, in a document where one section out of 3,000 pages has been shown to be incorrect, we shouldn’t suddenly jump to the conclusion that all of it is.

Naturally it’s completely wrong for someone classed as a "leading expert" to abuse their power to over exaggerate the

YES problems of climate change, but the decades of research that has been put into this should not become undermined by a mistake that, although certainly not trivial, is only one aspect of climate change as a whole.

The problem with climate change is the ease with which it is possible to reject it by simply denying it. To believe it needs proof, something which is incredibly difficult to give with absolute certainty, and something which the IPCC have certainly not helped. However, the fact that scientists have been tirelessly working to try to close down the possibilities that man made emissions are not causing problems should illustrate that this issue is not being taken lightly. Just because there isn’t an easy equation that suddenly states “Climate Change Does 100% Exist”, it doesn’t mean we should instantly deny it! Scientists obviously believe that it is highly likely, otherwise why would they be spending so much time researching it?

I have no doubt that the fight to prove climate change has not yet been won, and that the naysayers probably have gained some ground after the follies of the IPCC. Still, the reasoned responses after the mistake, from leading environmental figures, such as Ed Miliband, the UK's representative at the UN's climate change summit, and the Met office, show that we shouldn’t lose our faith yet. Otherwise it is likely to be devastating for ours, and future generations to come.

D

NO

oing your fair share to stop climate change is a little bit like voting for the Liberal Democrats in a general election. It might be your obvious choice, but frankly, you're not going to win so why bother at all in the first place? Climate change is an issue that has occupied current news for what seems like an eternity, and as ever, we are allowing inconclusive scientific theory to govern our lifestyles.

It is simply impossible to be certain about how our climate will change, and many experts would adhere to the concept that a system as intricate as the earth's climate, is not credibly predicted using man-made methods and tools. The work of the IPCC has consistently been blemished by an inadequate system for dealing with errors, an unwillingness to listen to conflicting points of view, conflicts of interest, and political advocacy. In 2007 a report released by the organisation contained a number of shameful errors and sloppy work, such as its embarrassingly forecast that the Himalayan glaciers would disappear by 2035, rather than in several centuries or more.

More recent scandals in the public eye involves the leak of thousands of e-mails from the University of East Anglia, revealing that some scientists were so entrenched in the battle with their scientific and political opponents that they lost their perspective, going so far as to suggest evading legal requirements to disclose their data

ANNE LY upon request. If we want to continue to trust climate-scientists, they must be absolutely open and never resort to spin or PR. It is perhaps essential then that we distance ourselves from fears and speculation generated by the media, and realise that they are trusting in man's inadequate predictions of the earth's natural course.

The bottom line is, the direction and nature of climate change is not and never will be concretely known to man, and so to treat human conclusions as fact is an irrational act. What impact (if any) human activities have on the climate is not entirely conclusive and so with merit, sceptics question whether we are even able to manage climate change by adjusting one or two factors out of the thousands involved. Fundamentally and more scientifically: will reduced carbon dioxide emissions produce a linear, predictable change in climate? The answer is 'no'. In such a complex, chaotic system, not doing something is just as unpredictable as doing something. The portrayal of 'climate change' as a core issue at the heart of our society is founded upon fabricated statistics and misconstrued deductions.

You know what? I am bored of being told to monitor my carbon footprint to save a world which might not need saving.

WANT TO RESPOND? EMAIL VISION@YUSU.ORG

10 COMMENT JACK STANLEY

H

YOU WEREN'T THERE MAN...

YOU WEREN'T THERE!

THE NEW GENERATION IS NOT MUSIC TO MY EARS.

onestly this is something I've been contemplating for a while.

Yet Simon Reynolds finally confirmed it for me. His article 'When will Hip-Hop hurry up and die?' demonstrated that the last bastion of 'new' music, music which defined a generation for masses of people was over.

This isn't a tirade against modern music; I'm trying to pose a question of originality. I remember vividly a close friend bemoaning that he should live in such a bleak musical time when nothing will be 'new' or original. Imagine being in London in the 60s when bands like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles where really beginning to kick it off. Then the 70s; Woodstock, Hendrix, Zeppelin. What about standing in the Astoria, swaying with hundreds like you as Joe Strummer starts the iconic chords of 'London Calling'? Perhaps the most attainable for us is Seattle in the early 90s. When Cobain first picked up his Fender, and Dave Grohl was gifted to the world of music.

Let's not forget the birth of rap - the real glory days of the 90s and early 00s - when everything was in balance. How about Brit-Pop? Oasis and Blur battling each other with such fervent support that it defined some precious years of our culture before the end of the Millennium.

To a lesser extent let's look at the still thriving Electronic scene. A musical lifestyle that, I'll be the first to admit, I'm hardly on first name terms with - but still due recognition in the grand scheme of things.

You see I look at my iPod, my Spotify playlists and my prised vinyls. I can't find anything that I honestly believe would

get a good reception with the majority of people released since 2000. I'm not denying we've got some amazing bands. But where's something we can all get behind?

For me Hunter S. Thompson described what we are lacking best. 'It seems like a lifetime, or at least a main era - the kind of peak that never comes again...Maybe it meant something. Maybe not... but no explanation, no mix of words...or memories can touch that sense of knowing that you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world.' This is what I feel we're missing that at the moment.

We are now ten years into the mil-

I don't like the idea of being represented in history

by Flo Rida and Soulja Boy. lennium and from where I'm standing I can't see it. I don't like the idea of being represented in the annals of our cultural history by Flo Rida or Soulja Boy. I don't see the point to their music.

It 'can' be catchy, it does seem to get a specific group of people dancing. There's not much more to it than a ringtone though. This doesn't have to be a Rock group that leads the charge. I'm not asking for what's already happened because that defeats this entire purpose. What I want to know is, where are the artists

that for us will be 'new'? A group so blatantly different from everything before that it sparks an entire new genre, yet something so entirely accessible that masses can get behind it? Where's that feeling that Thompson so longingly described?

Maybe we've reached a precipice.

It's seems there's so much variety in music we can't take it all in. We can tailor-make music to fit our every need or desire. Was Led Zeppelin's success a result of the fact that the only other thing to listen to at the time was Donnie and Marie? It's difficult to say, but I can't help but feel our musical horizon looks dim.

I think there's going to be some amazing music made, some incredible artists exist in our own time. Bon Iver, Iron and Wine, Muse, DJ Shadow; all are pioneers. But they're irreplaceable because they found the niche that worked for them, now no-one can develop it.

Perhaps the lack of a scene is a good thing. It means we get further diversity. It means that music isn't an issue anymore. Whoever you talk to you can find some small common ground with them through the shared enjoyment of a music type. Music is something which can charge incredible emotion. The diversity that we are now confronted with means that more people can access music because there's more that can appeal to them. If this gets more people listening to something, anything, then perhaps that is better than one unifying genre which still alienates a vast minority of people.

Let's face it, music isn't for everybody.

FLOORED SYSTEMS? JAIME RILEY

E

xceptionally long words, incredibly varied vocabulary and evidence of actual life experience in a coursework essay all boils down to one thing; a pushy parent. I think it's safe to say that each of us had a (thick) friend who achieved brilliant coursework marks, despite the fact that they rarely showed any sign of competence in lessons. Their homework-hounding parents have a lot to answer for. I had friends who admitted that their parents literally did their work for them, or did complete re-writes. It was pretty infuriating for an independent scholar such as myself, though I knew they'd fail their exams in the end.

These mollycoddling parents have now, however, been granted with powers to 'control' schools, in a new Labour incentive to radically transform education (coincidentally just before the next general election). The government have promised that parents will be able to vote to sack leaders of their child's school, and subsequently opt for a university or business to run it instead.

LAYING DOWN THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION

On the surface, this policy sounds pretty good. Receiving feedback from parents who have dealt with schools over a lengthy period of time should, in theory, lead to improved

Why do we need to sell schools in the same way we would football clubs?

standards.

Poor leadership can be challenged and if neces s a r y re m ove d .

But who will pick up the pieces of these failing schools? So far, Bradford and Hull colleges, Sunderland University and the University of Chester have been granted leadership of certain primary schools; the holy trinity of education I'm sure you'll agree.

Educational institutions aside, there are many company direc-

tors who are jumping onto the academy bandwagon. One such man is Lord Philip Harris: director of national chain Carpet Right and an executive of student favourite Matalan.

Now, I'm all for improving school standards and boosting our country's employability. But why do we need to sell schools in the same way we would football clubs? Just because someone is rich and can run a business well, it doesn't mean they are qualified to manage a school. Or a football club in fact - just look at Portsmouth. It takes years of educational training in order to become a teacher, and yet more experience to become a Head Teacher. So why would parents elect a carpet salesman over a qualified professional? Their children may get a free carpet fitted or a job lot of new interactive whiteboards, but not necessarily a superior education.

Leaving power in the hands of these people may keep pushy parents happy for a short while, but if their children remain without motivation, it's a vicious circle which cannot be combated by entrepreneurial leaders.

YORK VISION Tuesday March 9th, 2010

JACK KNIGHT

LGBT: IT'S NOT FOR ME

T

o me the concept of LGBT is ridiculous, ludicrous and completely pointless. It's YUSU election time and you may be aware that one position up for grabs is LGBT Officer. I have a challenge for the LGBT candidates. (For anyone who might want to know, that's Tom Martin and Nell Beecham in the red corner and Helen Houghton and Philip Morris in the blue corner). Please tell me what LGBT is?

Here is my view of LGBT: LGBT is a welfare organisation for equality. It is there to aid the campaign to recognise that sleeping with the same gender, or not agreeing with your own gender, etc., is just as acceptable and justifiable as anything else. And well done LGBT of the past. You have won the battle, defeated the 'enemy' in the war and everyone else has packed up and gone home. I sit in a university where LGBT is accepted as normal and equal. Nowadays, I have seen certain Christians far more chastised for their views, as opposed to never having seen someone who comes under the broad remit of LGBT questioned accordingly.

However, this creates a problem for the LGBT "community". What is the point in having an LGBT community anymore when equality has been achieved?

Well from this conundrum we see two ideas put forward. Firstly, the idea that LGBT is, in itself, a political faction or ideology to be defended or celebrated. But wait a minute, what is this ideology? It's non-existent! Why should the fact that you sleep with Michael rather than Michelle make you have one viewpoint rather than the other?

Why should the fact that you sleep with Michael rather than Michelle make any difference?

Philip Morris announced in the YUSU election hustings that sexuality should be celebrated. Why? No one forms political groupings for food preferences or music choice. Why should gender preference be any different when it has no quantifiable effect upon your character or politics?

From this we get the second idea put forward to reformat the idea of LGBT. That it's some form of wishy washy social club where, as Tom Martin put it, people shouldn't be told to "like the same things just because they share an identity." Fair enough, someone who is bisexual and someone who is transgender should not be lumped together into one artificial group. But then, like a persistent boomerang, we return to the problem of what actually is LGBT. If people don't have the same politics, the same preferences, or even the same gender politics what is LGBT there for?

Unfortunately, LGBT is no longer a force for equality with common aims. The only thing that combines the L, the G, the B and the T is this - they are all not heterosexual. When equality has been mostly achieved why is there a need for a 'not heterosexual' vote on the Union Council? Why can't LGBT simply be represented by the Welfare Officer in the upper echelons of YUSU? What is the point of LGBT in the university? Why shouldn't LGBT be disbanded and incorporated into welfare? Please, LGBT candidates, tell me what I don't understand!

SATIRE

YORK VISION Tuesday March 9th, 2010

11

THE SKETCH

VOTINGTACTICS (SESAME STYLE!)

A B C D

is for Attractive.

Nobody wants an uggo in charge.

is for Believable Policies. Unlikely, but always possible.

is for Cocktails.

Have a few before choosing

E

is for Dartboard. Close eyes. Throw.

is for Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo...

HOW

TO WIN A YUSU ELEC • Learn to read alou TION... d. Judging by hustings , this is more of a challe thought! nge than previously • Have a "wacky" ha irstyle or odd sense of dress. This will instan able and therefore win tly make you more reco you lots of votes. gnis• Don't attempt to be a "joke" Womens' Offi cer candidate with a sa when you lack any unde tirical hustings speech rstanding of the positi on, the debate or the • Hire Alastair Campb concept of comedy. ell or Malcolm Tucker as your Press Officer.

• Be a duck, marry a duck, support ducks!

• Promise something unattainable - e.g. tu rning the lake into a sw • If all else fails, just imming pool. lie. You may as well, no one is actually listening to you anyway.

12 FEATURES

YORK VISION

>Features

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

IT'S QUESTION TIME

Nicola Chapman and Paddy Harte sit down for a chat with the Parliamentary candidates for York Outer

F

ive minutes late, walking into V/123 (a special little press room) we were suddenly subsumed by an atmosphere devoid of humour and more serious than an undertakers’ convention. But don’t worry; Vision wouldn’t want to pass that feeling onto you. Far from agreeing to conform to the uber boring press conference that was proposed by some of our reporting cousins, we bundled into the room with an idea to gain a bit more insight into who these people were and how their policies would affect us students.

Therefore we proposed a game – ‘3 minutes with’, quick-fire questions aimed to test their political personas to the limit. We braved scathing looks, bitchy comments and a sneer to end all sneers, all for you dear reader. This is the result:

C

onservative Julian Sturdy, who describes himself as a ‘local farmer’, was first to feel the force of our interrogation. We won’t lie; he didn’t get off to a great start. When asked to sum up his university days in three words, he replied with “great fun”. “Sorry Julian,” we remarked, “that’s, um, two words...moving swiftly on, what would be the soundtrack to your university days?” After little deliberation, “hmm, that would have to be New Order” he said, with an unrepentant grin.

Oh, and his favourite pub...“Sam Smiths, Bishopthorpe”. Ok, starting to impress us now Julian.

Regarding the serious questions, Sturdy was focused in his attitudes towards politics. He cares about the student body, saying that the new restrictions on student hous-

N

ext up: political maestro, ex-YUSU President and Vision ‘stalwart’, James Alexander. Describing his university days as “fantastic, fun and wasted – educationally that is”, Alexander was quick off the mark to show the student inside him. He told us that his favourite pub is Pivo; swiftly adding to the comment with copious lip-licking, that this pub has “excellent beers”.

When we quizzed him for the song that would represent his university years, Alexander wasn’t ashamed to admit, “Rhythm of the night, definitely”. When Vision asked James about his presidency, he stated that it “was three years of accelerated life, you make some of the best friends of your life, but boy do you make some bastard enemies.”

O

ur three minute interview with Madeleine Kirk was as well received as Zippo the clown would be at a wake. We began our questioning, with Kirk stating “I don’t know how we can have an in-depth discussion in three minutes”.

This, we thought, is not going to be easy.

With clear indignation of our three word request of university life, Madeleine Kirk barked “mature student- different”. We tried to break the awkwardness that accompanied her emotionless responses by asking her what song was the soundtrack to her ‘mature student’ days. Her reply followed the same blunt pattern, “Erm, motown.

'Sitting on the Dock of the Bay'.” Feeling that we may have touched a few nerves, we moved on to more familiar territory: politic Kirk was in support of the new legisla-

Vision would like to thank NGS for organising this event.

ing was “a delicate issue” and that “politicians must be careful about legislation that might damage the accessibility of university to young people today”. Furthermore, Sturdy is outright in his conviction that British politicians should be held accountable for the debacle that is the expenses scandal. Sturdy said in disgust, “We should get rid of all the MPs that broke the expenses rules.”

We concluded our interview with some election gossip. Julian was quick to point out “the banter” involved between himself and James Alexander. Although poignantly he told us, “it’s a little more cagey with Madeleine Kirk”. On further questioning he claimed that Kirk’s campaign line ‘Voting Labour only helps out the Conservatives’ was a bit “disingenuous”.

On politics, altruistic Alexander believes that organ donation should have “presumed consent”. With regards to the housing legislation, he was a little less sympathetic to students concerns, claiming that the new legislation will create more diverse neighbourhoods, adding that more “responsibility should be placed onto landlords through tenancy agreements”.

We completed our interview with the same request for election gossip, as we had asked Sturdy. Alexander, however was rather more reserved, he claimed that Kirk's slogan was "fine", suggesting that he would "probably have done the same". One can't help but feel his response was a little bit canned, after all Alexander seems the most political of this bunch.

tion to restrict student housing, claiming that “in built up areas, it has the potential to be useful in that it restricts multiple tenancy houses.” Probing her views on British politics in general, we asked her what she would change, “implement proportional representation”. In fairness, she had some extremely useful policies that would benefit students, one of which being “promoting the Liberal Democrat policy to abolish tuition fees for third years”, we liked this!

Kirk was quick to justify her tagline ‘Voting Labour only helps out the Conservatives’, claiming that it was a fact and that “voters are not unintelligent, they can work out [who to vote for] for themselves”. Kirk concluded that “Labour cannot win this seat”, although she swiftly added, “we’re not confident – don’t print that”.

YORK VISION

FEATURES

13

RESIDENT EVIL?

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

Laura Cress investigates York St John's answer to noisy students and angry residents

A

ll stereotypes turn out to be true. This is a horrifying thing about life. All those things you fought against as a youth: you begin to realise they're stereotypes because they're true.” So David Cronenberg, a famous director, once commented, but was he simply living too deeply in the world of his films, or do stereotypes have a grain of truth inside of them?

Students as a collective are often seen as noisy, wild party goers – it’s a stereotype that has existed throughout the ages, along with the presumption that because of this, it’s probably the best time of our lives. Popular culture has similarly encouraged this stereotype to exist and indeed flourish – while the antics of students Mike, Rick, Vyvyan and Neil in the sitcom The Young Ones are often ridiculous, they’re only over exaggerated concepts of how students supposedly behave.

Perhaps there is a sense of nostalgia involved in this specific stereotype, in that people who did go to university like to look back on the “good ol’ days” and reminisce about how they used to have wild, extreme lives, whereas now the craziest thing to happen to them is getting a call from BT asking them to change their internet provider, a call which they desperately keep running on for far too long just to feel some human contact...

Possibly that’s stretching it, but do students in reality have this obnoxious quality to them?

National newspapers jump on the chance to highlight that this is the case, but looking at the stories there often is some justification to it – the case of Philip Laing and the unfortunately wa-

tered poppy war memorial being one such instance.

Students of the University of York undoubtedly know how to have a good time, but in general it seems that they’re able to do this in moderation. In fact, the last wide scale disturbance on the actual campus of the University was when The Boomtown Rats played in Central Hall in 1983, where Bob Geldof urged the students to get up and dance in an all-seated arena, causing over £1,000 worth of damage. A sad time for all, as Central Hall was no longer allowed to be used for bands to perform in, and Geldof walked out of the rubble unscathed.

However, while on campus, students may be disturbed by the occasional “I love you Derwent” and annoyed by the midweek returnees from Ziggys, residents living in places containing high levels of students have for a long time battled with what they deem as students “spoiling” their area.

Residents from Badger Hill, an area well-known for its sudden “studentification”, were so roused by how students affected their neighbourhood that in 2006 a group entitled the “Badger Hill Action Group” was set up and a petition protesting the letting of family homes to students was created.

Badger Hill is still a common point of contention for residents living there, with one inhabitant complaining of “some students displaying a flagrant lack of consideration for their living environment and fellow residents”.

Nevertheless, York Uni students are not the only ones to rile the neighbours. An area known as The Groves behind York St John’s University is no-

Neighbours from hell? These guys look charming!

torious for having residents up in arms against noisy students, but recently the Students Union decided to show their support for residents, by setting up the Night Marshals Scheme. The scheme which ran during Freshers’ Week of the Uni saw a team of marshals patrolling the area between 10pm and 3am each day, and was largely deemed to be a success.

Jason Wallis, current Students’ Union President of York St John and leading member of the scheme, stated that “The Night Marshals Scheme was set up in response to complaints from residents that our students were causing Anti-Social behaviour late at night. We felt as a city centre University it is our responsibility to ensure that a minority of our students causing trouble do not spoil it for the rest of our student body.” Still, some would argue that spoiling it is exactly what this scheme is doing, with one third year York St John student commenting that they don’t want to feel like they are being hassled “merely for coming home late”.

Wallis however also points out the benefits for students in the scheme – referring to the fact that the scheme is “also there to help those that may be vulnerable on their way home from a night out or those who just want someone trustworthy to walk them to their front door through particularly dark streets.”

Whilst this could be deemed useful for areas in the centre of York, it remains to be seen how transferable the scheme would be if it was taken on by the Union here at York University.

Even in being deemed a success, the trial Night Marshal Scheme for St John’s only had to respond to two calls in the entire week, whether this was due to the scheme or in spite of it is uncertain. One bartender working at The Charles, a popular pub frequented by York students, stated that they “couldn’t remember any incidents involving students” and that in general they were “fairly polite and friendly, always leaving when told to and never violent.”

Nevertheless, it seems that noise is still the biggest problem between students and residents, and Wallis has stated that current YUSU Welfare Officer Ben Humphrys has shown “interest” in the scheme, and has “asked for some help with the possibility of setting up something similar at areas such as Badger Hill where there is a potential issue at the moment.” For York St John, after the successed of the trials, the Night Marshal Scheme is likely

Some students display a flagrant lack of consideration for their living environment and fellow residents. to become a permanent fixture but the question of how it will be funded is a major one – one that without extra funding from the Council or the University could mean that however well meaning students intentions are to help improve situations between locals, the matter of money could still ruin everything.

Students have often complained about their harsh treat-

ment from locals in York and there has been much contention as to whether this actually illustrates the ill-informed stereotypes of locals that students hold or whether this is reality. However, now the tables are turned, and whether students will come out of the situation as the solution or as a continued problem to the residents of York remains to be seen.

14 FEATURES

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

THE DRUGS DON'T WORK Vision explores the risky uptake of Ritalin by students... of drugging up primary school pupils on amphetamines is still raging. But the dangers of the drug, for both children and adults taking it on a non-prescription basis, have been made clearer by

definitely exacerbated.

Students using stimulants such as Ritalin in uncontrolled doses run a considerable risk from the short term effects of what is essentially overdosing on amphetamines.

Students using Ritalin have experienced the same effects as those taking too much speed or MCAT - insomnia, dizziness, nausea, nervousness and heart palpitations.

While these effects are generally shortterm, students who find themselves increasingly dependent on the drug in order to study and socialise run the same high risk of addiction. This danger is worsened by the relaxed attitude towards Ritalin – if eight year old kids take it, then surely its safe for a man of twenty to take it? What students don’t realise is that by using it regularly to get better grades, they may be slowly becoming physically and psychologically addicted to what is essentially an illegal drug.

I talked to two students with very different experiences.

On a molecular level, Ritalin is very similar to cocaine V

with up to 18% of students admitting having used Ritalin or other performance enhancing drugs such as Modafinyl or Reminyal to boost their studies.

Although far less students seem to be relying on amphetamine-based stimulants in the UK, the temptation of ‘Vitamin R’ is proving hard to resist; Oxford University has already registered its concern over the use of Ritalin on its campus. It is becoming obvious the use of prescription drugs is not simply a matter of surviving a rare all-nighter, with many students becoming increasingly dependent on the drug and using it regularly to simply manage the pressures of studying and to balance their work with a job, social life and involvement in societies. Studies in the US also show that those who begin using prescription stimulants as a study aid often use it increasingly like other recreational stimulants like MCAT, while BBC report makes disturbing reading in its revelation that teenagers as young as thirteen are buying Ritalin off other pupils for the high or to lose weight.

Worryingly, those who choose to see Ritalin as a method of boosting their ability to study and gain

V

I

magine that you’re still feeling the after effects of downing six tequilas the night before, you desperately need a hot water bottle and sleep, but you have three days until your assessed essay that marks the difference between passing and failing your degree needs to be handed in. The pressures of student life are being blamed for the abuse of prescription medication that has crossed the Atlantic and is sweeping through universities in the UK. In desperate circumstances, a growing number of students across the country are resorting to cheating the exam boards through the use of readily available stimulants such as methylphenidate, commonly known as Ritalin. Already infamous at primary schools up and down the country, where it is estimated that in some areas around 10% of children are given the drug at some point to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Ritalin is growing in popularity among university students. Easy to buy online, for as little as 40p a pill, or from students prescribed the drug, it is nevertheless without a prescription a Class B drug, carrying up to a 5 year prison sentence for possession or 14 years for dealing.

W h i l e prosecutions seem to be unknown, it is easy to see why authorities are treating recreational use harshly; on a molecular level Ritalin is very similar to cocaine.

Although ADHD can be treated effectively when Ritalin is taken in small controlled doses, w h e n taken as a study aid, concentration is in general still improved, but the effects are in general more like recreational drugs such as speed and can cause dangerous side effects and in some cases, addiction.

Students are increasingly turning to Ritalin during all night study sessions and writing for essay deadlines. Tablets are generally taken orally to aid concentration over long periods, meaning coffee and Red Bull are being replaced with drugs to help students study for hours at a time. Concern has been rising in the US for the previous decade,

recent studies.

Although some experts maintain that when taken under medical supervision it poses no danger, thousands of websites offer a differing opinion. Parents and schoolteachers of children taking Ritalin report that children taking the drug for a long period of time often become withdrawn and depressed, and suffer from insomnia, nervousness, skin conditions, nausea and dizziness and heart palpita-

The Facts:

centration, without it I still get really distracted”, he told me.

“When I was ten it stopped me being mental! I was awful without it!”. And is his use an unfair advantage? “No, I have adult ADHD, a certified medical condition. By using Ritalin, it levels the playing field and lets me perform as well as any other student that doesn’t suffer from it”.

Sinead* has also used Ritalin in the past, but does not have ADHD. “I have taken it occasionally when I really need to study, it helped me concentrate and work for far longer than I normally would”, she told me. Is it fair? “I work really hard at uni and it helps me work even better – it’s not like I’m cheating or undermining the work of other students by taking it”, she argues, but will she continue taking it? “Possibly not, last time I had some my heart was beating noticeably faster and it did feel a bit like I’d taken a small amount of MCAT or something, it did worry me a little. But, I was really panicking about getting my work done and it may have just been the adrenalin rush”.

Dangers aside, the illegal use of prescription stimulants on campus raises questions of ethics that mirror the debates over the use of steroids in sport. While some argue that Ritalin is a viable way of aiding concentration and boosting grades, others maintain it is little more than cheating. Is it acceptable to use ‘smart drugs’ to get a better degree when other students rely on hard work and caffeine?

Whatever the risks, many students who use prescription drugs a study aid have found that they are able to concentrate better and work for longer periods of time – should it be a matter of personal discretion or an issue for universities to devise policy on?

- Also known or Methylin as Methylphenidate, Concerta, Metadate - Approved by the FDA for the treatment of atte deficit hyperactiv ntiondisorder - Produces such ity ef fe ct alertness, co bating s as increasing or maintaining fatigue, and m proving attention - Adverse effeim ct s can include dizzines and hypersensitiv s, abdominal pain - Methylphenidateityan tigated as a chemical d amphetamine have been invescocaine dependence in replacement for the treatment of used as a replacemen the same way that methadone is t for heroin. h i g h e r marks count in their number a significant amount of experts; Professor John Harris from Manchester University has recently publicly shown his support for the adult use of Ritalin as a ‘brain-booster’, claiming the restrictions on its use are unfair.

The ethics of Ritalin use may be a grey area, but the dangers surrounding the drug have been the subject of many scientific investigations for years. The debate over the acceptability and safety

tions; children as young of 12 are also buying Ritalin as a weight loss drug, leading to some cases of anorexia.

What makes the reports online shocking is that these symptoms have all been found in children prescribed Ritalin by a doctor and taking it in controlled doses; when students use Ritalin without any medical guidance, the dangerous side effects are most

Barney* has been taking Ritalin for over ten years for a mild form of ADHD, and has never suffered from any side effects. Although he no longer takes it every day, his doctor still prescribes him Ritalin, which he uses during exams and essay weeks. “It helps me study – it improves my con-

Josie Cridland *Names have been changed for confidentiality purposes

YORK VISION

FEATURES

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

15

LIVING ON THE VEG: THE PROBLEMS CAMPUS VEGETARIANS FACE

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V

eing a vegetarian at university requires tremendous will power and self-discipline. The lures and temptations are all heightened in one of life’s greatest experiences and for these meat-abstainers, a very challenging one as well. From avoiding the enticement of a horrible pizza laden with the some of the foulest forms of meat known to man and to pass up all the various types of confectionary containing seductive gelatine, there is almost no end to the pitfalls for the vegetarian. With all of this in mind, how difficult is it to stay on the straight and narrow for a student in York?

Naturally, there are many different forms of vegetarians, but the most share very similar common ground such as the obvious avoidance of red meat with others after that varying, eating fish or even poultry. However these colloquial variations have to lead to such groups like the Vegetarian Society to clarify such diets that contain poultry and fish are not vegetarian diets since of course they are animals.

The other main issue that faces vegetarians at university is the use of cooking utensils.

This is a ter rifying prospect for those who do not want their catering apparatus to be used for the preparation of meat dishes. For students living in student accommodation this challenge is made all the greater. Drunken housemates who have

V

As a Veggie it can sometimes be hard getting the things I need.

stumbled their way home fancying an early morning fry up with a bacon sandwich or an utterly unkempt individual finding their pans are still miraculously filthy - both decide to use the unsuspecting veggies’ to cook their meat in and will always be an ever present threat.

With all these mounting problems in retaining their vegetarianism, these vehement veggies often have to watch what they eat even on campus. With the recent revelations at The Courtyard, any restaurant with a small kitchen should be considered by veggies as potentially dangerous. Furthermore, many restaurants would only consider this to be an minor offense and it would be rare for any major action to be taken. From this the most sensible and logical course is unfortunately to ask, even if there is a vegetarian sign next to the dish, as your opinion on what vegetarian means may well vary from the establishments.

Additionally, as per usual, with a more limited diet comes a more limited choice of food to buy. This lack of selection is compounded by the low quality of vegetarian food on campus with the range of salads and green vegetables at Costcutters bemoaned by a Goodricke second year who said “As a veggie it can sometimes be hard getting the things I need at Costcutter, often there's not a very wide selection of vegetables, and they often run out quickly of the things they do have. It would be great if there was a few more provisions for vegetarians and vegans”. This view is shared by many students.

This undoubtedly increases and intensifies the pressure of those veggies living on campus. Yet, in spite of all these difficulties and demanding predicaments there are many on campus that persevere through it all and come out the other side with no blood on their hands or teeth.

They achieve this feat by either accepting the low

SWEET DISPOSITION I

n recent years there has been a sharp rise in figures of type 2 diabetes among young adults and teenagers, especially those of a South Asian background. Previously called adult-onset because precisely as it implies, it used to be only commonly diagnosed among adults over the age of 30, the figures for type 2 diabetes have risen so much so that some medical experts are calling it an ‘epidemic’. Researchers think these rising figures are for the most part due to obesity and unhealthy lifestyles amongst the young. This particularly applies to the lifestyle that some students lead at university, as it is much easier to get another take away rather than cook and getting some exercise can be the last thing on anyone’s mind when there’s an essay deadline to think about.

Professor Alan MaryonDavies says that being in the, ‘early stages’, of obesity can easily, ‘creep up’, on someone and,‘people do not realise how closely linked it is with serious conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes’. A quarter of the adults in the U.K are now obese, and according to an NHS report on obesity in England, Yorkshire is one of the regions where the statistics are higher than the national average.

However although smoking, drinking, a genetic history of the condition and an unhealthy lifestyle is thought to effect type 2 diabetes, researchers do still not fully un-

derstand the reason for this dramatic change in figures.

‘Diabetes (types 1 and 2) is thought to be due to genetic and environmental factors, not all of which have been identified’, states a paper written by the University of Iowa health and science department in 2000.

Some of the symptoms of diabetes include thirst, weight loss (even though the same amount of food is being eaten) and a lack of energy, but it can also show no symptoms and be present for years without the person realising or being diagnosed. Dr Sarah Frankton of the Royal London hospital states ‘the symptoms may not be very obvious- you might feel slightly more tired than usual or slightly more thirsty’.

Type 2 diabetes is caused by the body not being able to produce enough insulin which makes the it unable to use the glucose in the blood stream. Around 95% of people with diabetes have the type 2 variety, making by far the most common, and the most likely type for young people to be diagnosed with. This being the case it is vital for not only students and young people but everyone, to be more aware of the condition and its symptoms and most probable causes.

Francesca Salino

quality goods that are on offer at Costcutters or they buy elsewhere. This may be more expensive and more taxing but for the dedicated veggie, it would be worth it to save another creatures life. Furthermore, an experienced veggie should always ask how certain foods, especially fried foods, are cooked as many restaurants as well as The Courtyard will take the easier view as they have no real legal obligation to do otherwise. So beware York University vegetarians as you have to remember you are what you eat!

Derek Williams

Diabetes is developing into a serious problem amoung the young Contentious Cures

With these increasing numbers of young diabetics, the ever-tempting so called "miracle" cures for this condition appeal grows as well. Many are obviously false hopes but their appeal is still strong for many who suffer from diabetes and their influence and followers are often closer than we like to think. During a seemingly innocent taxi drive in Leeds, a York second year history and politics student was suddenly informed by the driver that he in fact knew the cure and was even kind enough to write it down. "It was so bizzare, he seemed so adamant and when we weren't convinced he wrote it down to prove it to us."

One of these leading theorists on these new age cures, is Rick Simpson. He pushes forward the idea of that canabis oil contains the greatest healing power of any plant in the world. It would have saved many by now if it was not being a used as a political and religious tool by those whose interests are vested elsewhere. Those who have impeded the progress of this cure are usually labelled as the pharmaceutical companies and then their political puppets enforce their demands upon society. Rick is Canadian born but is currently unable to return to his country due to a police raid on his home and feels he would be imprisoned without hope of bail or "medicine". From this, he fears that the withdrawal would kill him and the death would be classified under natural clauses.

Another self-entitled expert is Jim Humble. He claims that the cure for all ills, including diabetes, is his own MMS, Miracle Mineral Supplement. This is not a drug. However, what MMS is or does is far harder to discover. Unless you are willing to pay $21.95 for his book. A very reasonable price to save the world. Jim claims that he successfully treated hundreds of people in non-US countries. Unfortunately he doesn't have the before and after scientific papers but has looked at them and saw they were better.

16 FEATURES

LONG OVERDUE

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

Josie Cridland visits the YUSU the Living Library event on campus and discovers the real people behind the stereotypes

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hilst wandering into the Courtyard last week for a sunny lunchtime pint, I came across a rather odd looking group of people, the ‘books’ of the Living Library, a project run by YUSU. Each human book wore a label on their t- shirts advertising their social stereotype; I saw ‘political activist’ buying a drink at the bar, and narrowly missed a collision with a librarian! Living in a university culture which prides itself on being nonjudgemental and coming from a group of friends encompassing many of the stereotypes on offer, it was an odd experience to see people defining themselves by two or three words. The aim of the Living Library was to give students a chance to challenge their preconceptions of different groups of people, and I was definitely up for the challenge.

After browsing through the list of people on offer, I decided to have a chat with ‘engaged’, a guy called Jamie. Although I myself and loads of my friends are in relationships at York, I couldn’t even begin to conceive what being engaged, especially before arriving for fresher’s

week, would be like. I have to confess that I imagined they would not have enjoyed the uni experience to its full extent, and I did feel that the commitment of getting engaged to someone is not something to be done at such a young age.

However, after chatting to Jamie, who proposed to his boyfriend just before going to York, I began to respect their decision far more. “It just seemed like everything I had planned for the future involved him”, he told me, “we hadn’t been together long but I can’t imagine life without him”. I realised that all that was different about his relationship and those of my friends was the title ‘engaged’, something that had caused him difficulties throughout his university life; “when I told some people, they found it hard to imagine I go clubbing and get drunk too”.

Although his engaged status may set him apart from the majority of students, his relationship is in reality no different to those of friends who have managed to maintain brilliant long-distance relationships during university; it was lovely to talk to a guy who was

so happily in love and looking forward to a future with his boyfriend while making the most of his time in York.

I also had a chat with Hannah, who labelled herself as a ‘feminist’. I was very intrigued to compare her views with mine, as although I would describe many of my views as feminist, I didn’t feel my views were ‘militant’ enough to participate in the Living Library under that title – I was quite looking forward to meeting the stereotypical ‘man-hater’. In the event, Hannah was lovely, and we compared views on feminism and the role of women in society under the interested, and occasionally worried, gaze of my boyfriend.

In my experience, Living Library was a total success; I don’t really see myself as prejudiced against anyone, but I realised that I do have preconceptions of all sorts of people, and that while the participants of the Living Library were obviously proud of their ‘labels’, it was a really good experience to talk about these stereotypes and get to know the people behind the stereotype.

The Living Library set out to defeat conventions, but what do people regard as stereotypes today, in our so-called politically correct world? Vision looks at the mesh of stereotypes that is Urban Dictionary to find out...

RUGBY PLAYERS PLAYERS RUGBY

HISTORY OF ART STUDENTS

CHAVS "Chavs are for the most part, extremely stupid. However, some of them render a form of low cunning, which can be misinterpreted as intelligence. However this is false. A chav has no desire to better themself through honest means nor learn anything outside of car modification."

"Pretty yet vacant students, who are often girls, They even have the cheek to complain about their"work load" which actually is pretty much nonexistent."

"The group of large and noisy men in the local pub who are drunk and getting in fights and singing strange songs you've never heard of."

HIS MASTER'S VICTORY: TRIUMPH FOR CORPORATISM OVER CHOICE

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hen Zavvi Entertainment Group Ltd. went into administration on December 24 2008, leading competitor HMV quickly plugged the gap. To all intents and purpose, HMV now held, and still holds, a monopoly on multimedia entertainment in York.

While speciality vinyl stores still exist scattered around the city, the market for second-hand and rare CDs now resides solely, and precariously, in charity shops.

Track Records, an independently owned and once-popular music shop previously of Goodramgate, closed its doors in summer 2007, its owner, Keith Howe, blaming the rise of internet downloading for its demise. Howe pointed to the fact that the online retailer play.com is based in the Channel Islands and its goods are therefore exempted from VAT. Likewise, Amazon.co.uk often sells through one of its preferred merchants, indigostarfish, operating from Jersey. Some might argue that the issue is moot: if products can be bought safely, cheaply and quickly online, why buy them anywhere else? The high

street market in new books, especially with the recent collapse of Borders, may be cornered by Waterstones (and, for students, perhaps Blackwells), but doesn’t the internet render any loss of choice redundant?

Aesthetic concerns about a colourful city centre are largely trivial, but when the problem affects services as well as goods, one can see that the general problem is anything but. The demise of independent cinemas has pushed students (and residents) into paying extortionate prices either at the City Screen or, following a lengthy bus ride, at the Vue in Clifton Moor. Student nights are a given feature of York's nightlife and indeed they're necessary insofar as they provide a definite meeting point, but many students have complained that they effectively put a choker on week-toweek variety. The situation is only exacerbated by the potentially imminent closure of Tru and Gallery. One second year Goodricke student, when asked about the situation, commented, "I'd be gutted if Tru and Gallery closed. York doesn't have a huge selection of nightclubs as it is... they

might not be fantastic but they'll definitely be missed." It’s a rare situation, but in this case quantity is more of an issue than quality. The Internet can’t replace Trusdays.

Conversely, the city is faced with an overabundance of other services. Church Street has played host to three make-yourown milkshake shops this year alone.

The York Pub Guide has reviews of over 260 pubs in the city, and admits that there may be up to 100 more. One need never walk very far to buy new clothes, as a walk down Spurriergate, Coney Street or Parliament Street will quickly prove. 'Overabundance' is perhaps a misleading term.

There is no doubt that there is a market for these services, and the continuity of the stores providing them is a testament to this. The recession can’t be blamed for this. 'Pandemonium', a shop dedicated to goth and cult clothing, closed down over 5 years ago, and has since moved all the way to Whitby. Pulse, a popular cyber shop, closed down in early 2004.

David Elliott

YORK VISION

Features

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

WHO'S WHO ON

17

Chris Craddock chats to YouTube celebs

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n the creative world where those who display talent via the medium of film, televison, art or music are regarded so highly, is there room for those who choose to flaunt it on the popular video website YouTube?

With the recent Oscar awards showcasing all of Hollywood's glamour and rewarding those who they deem to have contributed to the film industry, where do the celebrities of the internet world stand, with work that although not as officially recognised, can often be equally demanding? Whilst now

The Guardian's beauty column and has her own make-up line as well as recently publishing her first book, Lauren Luke.

NAME: Lauren Luke A.K.A: Panacea81

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ame came to Lauren through the power of beauty.

Her make-up tutorials have hit home with millions of YouTube users and what started off as a few videos for friend quickly snowballed. Now she writes in

there are millions of Youtube videos being viewed every single day and popular videos changing rapidly, there are a few people who have managed to hold onto their YouTube fame and even turn it into a career. Unlike the "I like Turtles" guy or "Mr Pregnant", YouTube stars Lauren Luke and Bryony both have found great success not through their weirdness or stupidity, but through hard work and creativity. Vision therefore decided to investigate both tales of rising from zero to virtual hero.

Did you ever figure that your make up videos on YouTube would win so many fans?

The size of my audience still amazes me. My video's were never created with a mass audience in mind, I was mostly offering a service to what I thought would be a few people.

The success of these videos has propelled your career into journalism, your own beauty line and even a video game! How big of a factor were your YouTube videos in achieving this?

I think it had everything to do with the popularity factor.

If I had pursued any of these careers such as journalism, TV, cosmetics or game software using traditional routes then I would have had to cross over barriers along the way, not least of which is the social barrier. Average looking girls don't usually get these breaks.

have a long term goal. I like to keep ahead of the game so I am keen to explore new technologies such as the iPad. Lots of people like yourself, have showcased their special gifts on YouTube which has then seen them lanched into the public light. Do you feel there should be some form of major award ceremony to acknowledge this?

Yes and yes! Watch this space.

Would you be up for an award then?

I have won two awards for beauty related stuff which still blows my mind, I try not to think of these things, I'm still pretty grounded at heart. Would I be up for another award? Of course, if I think it is relevant to what I do. I believe that people should be judged on merit and awarded for their efforts.

As mentioned you have done an awful lot since acquiring this celebrity status, is there anything in the pipeline?

There is a lot in the pipeline. I'm exploring more TV opportunities, working on the next set for my cosmetics line which I want to reflect who I am as well as challenging traditional beauty.

I don't rule anything out and I do

NAME: Byrony Matthewman A.K.A: Paperlilies

T

he queen of British YouTube, Bryony has carved out a place in many viewers' hearts with her characters and strong opinions. Perhaps one of her most remarkable ideas was her attempt to create YouTube's first world wide zombie movie. This ambitious projecct caught the attention of the BBC who even filmed its undertaking. With further plans in the pipeline, this is not the last we'll hear from this prolific YouTube star.

In what ways has your YouTube based celebrity status changed your life, are you recognised on the street for instance?

I've been recognised once on the tube, which was weird and awkward! But otherwise, I've not really been recognised on the street.

Did you ever imagine those clips that you posted would get such a huge response?

No! Not at first at least...

The Telegraph puts you as their number one up and coming star on youtube, how does this accolade rank for you?

Do they!? I haven't seen this! I think alot of the time, newspapers try to get a hold on youtube and don't really understand how it works.

When BBC3 tracked the progress of your Zombie Movie, World Wide Dead, were you surpirsed by the

worldwide response?

I was surprised at the amount of professional people who wanted to be involved- we had editors and camera people who'd worked on huge film projects that wanted to get involved!

Though I think the BBC aspect to the project probably made it seem more legitimate than just a crazy internet project.

Is there more from this project yet to come?

I'd like to finish it, but I have no idea when it'll ever happen. It was a very stressful time!

Do you think you will ever attempt a similar project again after this experience?

I would! But it would have to be something I was very passionate about. And I would plan it all far more than I did with the Zombie movie.

In light of this and many other's inventiveness on YouTube to gain millions of hits, do you think there should be some sort of awards to recognise their efforts and if so what would you call it?

There are some youtube awards, but it tends to be the people with the most subscribers who win. I don't know how else you can judge youtube videos though.

Many people pursue being a celebrity for the wrong reason, were yours right?

I never pursued being a celebrity- I

just posted some videos online to interact with other people around the world! I made a lot of friends via youtube, which I am very grateful for! I think some people expect to post a video on youtube and become instantly famous, which I think is a little weird.

Has the youtube fame helped or hindered areas of your social/love life?

It's helped! I have so many friends now that I would never otherwise have met! And my pre-existing friends think it's funny that I make videos. No one's ever had a problem with it.

18 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

>Lifestyle

ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIRTRADE FAIR Maddy Potts and Katy Roberts enjoy all that York's Fairtrade Fortnight has to offer...

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t's official. York is a Fairtrade town. hemp, but times are changing! With Don't know what that means? Nei- Topshop and Asos both launchther did we, until we immersed our- ing their own Fairtrade lines this selves in this year's Fairtrade Fortnight. month you can now get your fashThis year the Fairtrade Foundation are ion fix whilst supporting cotton asking the nation to join them by swap- growers and making use of reping an everyday item for a Fairtrade claimed fabrics. Check out Asos alternative, be it a bar of chocolate or for the surprisingly preppy cable a bunch of bananas. Every swap registered on fairtrade.org.uk will go further to show that the COMPARING COSTCUTTER UK is dedicated to helping producers in the developing world

Fair Trade Geo Organics Mango Chutney £2.65 for 400g Unsalted Peanut Butter £2.19 for 280g

Regular Sharwoods Mango Chutney £1.75 for 360g Sun-Pat Unsalted Batter £1.69 for 227g Galaxy Milk Chocolate £0.59 for 43g Alpen Original £2.99 for 560g Yorkshire Tea £1.99 for 80 tea bags Blossom Hill White Wine £6.65 got 750ml Blossom Hill Red Wine £5.69 for 750ml

get a fair deal.

Cadbury Dairy Milk To make things even easier £0.59 for 49g for you, we've gone all 'Comparethemarket.com' and carried Alara Muesli out a price survey in your on£2.15 for 500g campus one-stop-shop, CostcutCafe Direct Tea ter. So if you're a Galaxy Guy or £2.49 for 80 tea bags Gal, you can swap your chocolate fix for newly Fairtrade Cadbury Los Unidos Sauvignon at the same price and get not just Blanc an extra three grams for your £5.99 for 750ml coins, but a feel-good glow that Los Unidos Cabernet will last even longer than the Franc chocolatey goodness. Sadly, not £5.69 for 750ml all fairly sourced products are as affordable as Cadbury, and whilst 70% of York residents claim to be regular purchasers of Fairtrade, knit jumpers and cropped sweat pants of our survey revealed that only one in Emma Watson’s new line, or head over seven students have to Topshop for reasonably priced, the same shopping quality Summer basics such as femihabits. nine tunic dresses, leggings and this Nevertheless York nautical bandaeu swimming costume has maintained its by designer Annie Greenabelle.

Fairtrade Town staIn case you were thinking we at tus for its fifth year, Vision Lifestyle have spent our rewhich means that not search time for this issue online only is there an active shopping, eating Divine chocolate support group (York and drinking Fairtrade coffee, we Fairtrade Forum) in also attended an event of the more the area, but that fair cerebral sort when People and products are widely Planet hosted a debate on the topic available across the 'How Fair is Fairtrade?' on campus. town. To test this claim Whilst the debate seemed rathwe here at Vision visited er weighted in favour some of the city's finer Fairof Fairtrade, Freedom trade establishments to sample Society President Sam their goods and bring you a review of Westrop nevertheless the best of the bunch. held his own in favour of But moving on from our favourite more radical Free Trade. subject of food, to our second favourite Also speaking were Mark subject - fashion. You'd be forgiven for Dawson, President of the thinking that Fairtrade fashion is all York Fairtrade Forum, Barcrocheted tousers and shoes made from bara Crowther of the Fair-

trade Founand dation CusJames sens, a senior lecturer at the university. The fast-paced and depassionate bate brought up the difficult issue of Carbon Footprint versus Social Footprint. Audience members asked whether supporting farmers thousands of miles away could be reconciled with the current trend for eating as a 'Locavore' - buying food from within a one hundred mile radius. The panel conceded that it was a difficult matter, but reminded us that the producers of these goods have a virtually non-existent carbon footprint, and that we must not focus only on our environmental concerns at the expense of our social impact.

After all that high brow debate we took to the streets of York for the Festival market, where, for three days only Fairtrade produce from around the world takes over Parliament Street. Among the goods on offer were beautifully illustrated Fairtrade chocolate (we stocked up!), enamel bowls, stunning hand-knitted scarves (from Fairtrade wool, of course) and softas-butter leather bags. The friendly stall holders were more than happy to chat to us about their ethical concerns, and why Fairtrade is important to their business.

However the Fairtrde Foundation are keen that people swap to ethical shopping for life, not just for a couple of weeks (we've been devouring Divine Chocolate in the office this week, and are definitely lifetime converts). With so many of fabulous quality, purveyors traded ethically goods in our fine city (see our column for ideas!) never there's been a better time to start shopping fairThough ly. you'll have to race us to One Boutique!

WHAT DOES FAIRTRADE DO? • Fairtrade is dedicated to ensuring a fair price for the producers of their goods in developing countries.

• Fairtrade groups also pay producers a premium and establish secure and long-term trading relationships.

• This can enable producers to send their children to school, pay for medical care and contribute to community projects, as well as saving for a better life in the future.

WHERE TO BUY FAIR TRADE IN YORK...

Tarts and Titbits, 78 Gillygate The owner of this new shop is passionate about Fairtrade foodstuffs, and with Gillygate business owners worried losing a fair bit of business recently, there's never been a better time to support this quirky area of York.

Piglets, 13 Swinegate Court Tucked away in Swinegate is this little gem where you can get a great Fair Trade coffee in a cosy and relaxed area.

One, Petergate If your idea of Fair Trade fashion means compromising on style - think again! This place is well worth a visit if you're serious about dressing ethically.

El Piano, 15-17 Grape Lane This all vegan restaurant boasts a wide and varied menu which doesn't leave you feeling short-changed if you're used to a bit more meat on your plate, but more importantly it uses fairly traded produce in many of its recipes.

Fairer World Shop, 84 Gillygate Although Fairer World may not have the greatest shop front in York, its products more than makes up for it. An amazing stall in the market enticed us inside the shop and we were not disappointed!

YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

19

WHO'S FOR COFFEE? HOT

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

Merryn Hockaday checks out the commercial coffee chains...

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hope you're the same as me; I cannot go on a shopping trip without stopping off in a coffee shop for a delicious coffee fix!

There is nothing like a bit of caffeine to get you buzzing round the shops in double quick time. In York there are coffee shops galore and this is no bad thing! After all, variety is the spice of life. It's difficult to avoid the commercial chains as they are everywhere and sometimes their familarity is comforting. Love them or hate them, I believe it's about time we stand them up against each other and see where we should be buying our coffee...

Malteasters! Tr y them... you'll never look back !

Starbucks...

It appears that York can't get enough of Starbucks. There are three of them! Starbucks nearly always occupy amazing buildings. The highstreet store is a beautiful Georgian building and the dinky Stonegate has a very Olde Worlde feel! The drinks are pretty tasty, their range of Frappacinos are great but perhaps ice drinks are something that you may want to save for the summer? The definate downer is that this company has a really bad track record. In recent times they have been a c cused by envirometalists of running taps constantly to keep utens i l s clean and Oxfam disputed their ethical relationship with an Ethiopian coffee plantation. 7/10

Costa...

Costa serves its hot chocolate in a glass, which gives you the feel of sipping a fine cocktail!

The range of lunchtime snacks are also devilishly tempting. The attention to detail is charming, with touches such as dainty chocolate powder shapes dusted on your saucer. Costa is a good choice, but unfortunately this comes at the price of having to wait in annoyingly long queues before you get served. Oh well, if you're going for a sandwich it's probably worth it. 8/10

Caffe Nero...

There is something very sophisticated about this outlet, perhaps it's the cultured music they play or maybe it's the delightfuly cozy leather chairs. This place sells some pretty intense coffee so if you're not afraid of the caffine shakes, this could be your ticket. I almost feel like I'm a little bit too young for Neros, it's the kind of place my parents would go to, to have a high class coffee and a read one of the broadsheets.

The pastries are also too dry for my liking! 5/10

Pret A Manger...

A bit of an all-rounder! The coffee is good and the chai tea is also tasty!

It does substantial salads to grab if you're on the go and some lovely cakes as well. The only problem with the one in York is that it's not big enough, I can never get a seat to sit down and enjoy all this wonderful stuff ! 9/10

HELP! EMPLOY ME!

Rachel Knox panics about the future and wonders if we really are as ‘golden’ as YUSU makes out…

YUSU’s ‘We are Golden’ week gave us hope (that’s if you’d even noticed it was going on). But are we really as golden as they make out? We've certainly been very unlucky with the economic climate and job market we'll be entering. As you can probably tell, I had my mandatory panic about the future fairly recently; mine was brought upon by a mess up w i t h

m y transcripts which pushed my master’s application back even further. Needless to say there were quite a few melodramatic hours spent freaking out; ‘What happens if I don’t get ac-

cepted?!’, ‘How will I even pay for it?’, ‘I might as well just give up now!’ My poor mother sat patiently at the other end of the phone offering a few ‘maybes’, ‘uhhuh’s and ‘it will all work out for the best’s, until I realised how ridiculous I was being (Sorry Mam).

I spoke to a few other third years to see if this negative outlook was just me and, apparently, it is not. Even my friend Hannah, the most organised, dedicated and prepared person I know, the one who has all the work experience and interviews lined up, had her doubts. The girl even owns a suit! That’s how prepared she is. I don’t even own a blouse. I have no chance. Most people, like myself, are staying in education to make ourselves a little bit more qualified for that dream job, or have a long road of unpaid work experience ahead of us. While others are jumping straight in, hoping to get any job even if it isn’t what they were hoping for. At least then they’re starting to make money. Jobs are out there, even those elusive dream jobs, but they’re waiting behind hundreds of rejection emails, arduous hours of work experience and probably a bit more panic.

Photos: Facebook

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t some point during your time at university you will have that inevitable ‘Oh my God, what happens next?’ moment. Your stomach drops, and for the next few hours you’re distracted by thoughts of ‘what on earth am I going to do with my life?’ and ‘I need a PLAN!’ It’s usually in third year, after opening yet another Milkround email with no graduate jobs you’re interested in, or being asked for the millionth time what you’re planning to do with your sociology degree by a friend of your parents and having nothing more intelligent to say than ‘travel’.

Is it really so unrealistic to hope for a job that’s well paid, respected and actually enjoyable? Or are these jobs just myths we’ve heard of from a housemate’s boyfriend’s brother’s friend?

You know, the blonde one that went off to London and married a lovely equally blonde accountant, made bags of money and lived happily ever after. Or are we destined to move back home, live with our parents and work in the pub down the road for the foreseeable future, living vicariously through those lucky few university acquaintances that were jammy enough to get a graduate job by Facebook stalking them for years to come?

Let’s hope the reality of life after university isn’t as depressing as we fear it is.

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20 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

Andy's Y rkshire

'LOST' IN TRANSLATION

Zoe Pinder relives the joyful experience of the 'LOST' hitch... for RAG

4 Rambles

Andrew Nichols explores God's own county...

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Photo: freefotouk

sk to hear people’s initial perceptions of Yorkshire and they're sure to depict images of Heathcliff striding over barren moors or the farmers of Emmerdale tending their flock before a pint in the Woolpack.

Whilst most non-fictional Yorkshire folk are better acquainted with the county's vibrant cities and industrial centres, we do occasionally venture into the natural beauty that is on our doorstep. Donning muddy walking boots, packing my backpack with unappealing sandwiches and a cagoule, and setting out to trudge through fields for a few hours is a hidden passion of mine.

When I was young I would go on walks with my family; I am sure I protested about getting up early, having to stop watching the TV and not being able to ‘play out’ with my friends. However, I secretly associated ‘going on a walk’ with being grown up, and I definitely wanted to be grown up. Consequently I was often found up hill and down dale on my childh o o d w e e k e n d s .

Being at university has given my walking exploits a new lease of independent life. I convinced a Southern friend of mine, who just happened to have a car, that he had to see some of the more picturesque parts of Yorkshire, and then got out my guidebooks and planned a trip. Since then our group has expanded to four people and my love of walking has, at least in part, infected my friends.

Associating walking with adulthood has left me with some rather peculiar habits which are due to the fact my dad always did them and I thought this was the only way to be: I insist on tucking my jeans into my walking socks, no matter how dry the terrain, I only wear the most traditional solid leather walking boots, I always bring a guide book, no matter how well trodden the walk we go on is and I bore my walking partners with interesting scrap of local trivia from said guide book, just as my dad did when I was younger.

On my most recent trip we began in the quaint village of Burnsall, that traverses the River Wharfe, walking along the river before crossing some fields and climbing to the village of Appletreewick where we stop in a conveniently located pub, just far enough away that we feel we deserve a drink.

No walk in the Dales is complete without a few well earned pints in a country pub, sat next to a roaring fire, resting your tired feet. The pub is also the place to share the thoughts that have been running through your mind while you walk, and as such relaxed conversation inevitable ensues. I find myself, ordering a pint of Carling.

This would shame my dad, who would suggest I should try one of the local real ales, but alas my taste buds have not matured to that level of ‘grown up’ yet, so lager it is.

As we left the pub and climbed the next hill, there were some interesting mining sights, that my guide book told me had a fascinating history, but my walk companions have begged me not to repeat it in this article.

Rising to the crest of the hill, with a view over Wharfedale, we could review our progress and decided this was a good place for sandwiches. Again, the picnic stage of a walk exposes my lack of ‘grown-upness’. Although I am happy to pack myself some sandwiches and Kit-Kats in my backpack, I still don’t feel grown up enough to have brought a thermos of coffee, as my dad, and seemingly everyone else, does. Instead I stick to my trusty orange squash.

The real joy of walking is that there is certain serenity in the activity. Walking in the countryside creates an atmosphere of peace, whether it is the silence (apart from the gurgling of a river), the fresh air or the metronomic rhythm of footsteps. I can walk for hours, surrounded by friends, lost in thought and reflection, with nothing to distract me other than a strangely shaped tree.

:50 AM-The hitch day had arrived and it was time to meet with the others. Having been advised that getting into strangers' cars was a sure fire way to get murdered, I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing. The coach was leaving painfully early, taking us to a secret location; it was too late to back out now. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and tried to remember that it was all in the name of charity.

It was time to get 'LOST'.

5:10 AM- after being informed where the fire exits were and what to do if the coach tipped over, I began to feel calmer about the whole excursion. The curtains were drawn across all windows (except the windscreen of course) to keep our location secret. I lay back and relaxed - after all we were bound to get dropped off somewhere exciting.

10:45 AM- Arrival. LOCH LOMOND! Was this a joke? We'd been stranded in the middle of Scotland.

I had optimistic hopes that on arrival we'd be greeted by something amazing like the Eiffel Tower, not a post office and a car park. How the hell were we going to get back? Undeterred by the snow and sub-zero temperatures, Jaime, Nick and I remained enthusiastic, stood by a surprisingly busy road, waiting for someone to stop.

11:45 AM- Still waiting...

12:30 PM- still no luck. We had even resorted to making Jaime pretend she had a broken leg in hope that we would induce some kind of sympathy from drivers. The closest we'd come to success, was a man drinking lager behind the wheel, who slowed down, only to drive off as we approached the vehicle. Hilarious. Luckily the one bus which stopped once a day in Loch Lomond was due any minute. Yes it was a bus so it didn't technically conform to the rules but unless you've visited

Loch Lomond it's hard to imagine the fear of never being able to leave.

This free journey took us to the nearby village of Balloch. On the way, we managed to pick up three other RAG hitchers, one dressed as Where's Wally. Despite his novelty dress no one had picked him up either. The driver took pity on them, explaining dryly to the other passengers "They're from York, too" and duly stopped. However, Wally & Co had witnessed others being picked up by car; clearly we were unlucky.

1:15 PM- We waited for a train headed for Glasgow whilst Wally and the gang tried to hitch a lift in the McDonald's Drive Thru. We were later joined by Wally et al who had since been removed from the McDonald's car park for harassing customers. On ticket collection, we met the legendary conductor Ian who declared that he'd "never heard so much crap in [his] life" when we produced a letter from YUSU explaining that we were hitching for charity. "Go out and get a job" and "why don't you help in an old people's home instead?" were all valid queries. However, he warmed to our youthful charms and let us travel for free, even suggesting potential train routes home. What a guy!

2:00 PM- Following Ian's advice we jumped on the train heading for Edinburgh. Things were looking up! The only negative was failing to blag free croissants from the catering cart.

3:00 PM- Och aye the noo, Edinburgh!

I have never been so happy to see someone playing the bagpipes.

4:00 PMhaving blagged free McFlurrys, we were now on the East Coast train destined for York. The

adrenaline was pumping as another conductor approached. We were sure to get thrown off this time. "Ooo that's fine! All in the name of charity!" came his response. WOW! People who work for Network Rail are refreshingly nice... the whole thing made me question why I'd bothered to renew my railcard when hopping on and off trains was so easy.

6:45 PM- YORK! We were back!

Outside the station we finally managed to hitch a lift by car back to campus. The run from the car park at James College to the YUSU office is certainly the most intense exercise I've done since getting to university. At the YUSU door we were greeted by another team who just beat us to second place! We'd come third with a time of 6hrs 40 minutes.

Overall, the whole experience was immense! We managed to travel from Scotland down to York for free and raised money for charity in the process. We'd like to thank RAG for organising the day. Thank you to all the people who sponsored us and all the ticket conductors (especially Ian) who took pity on us, without whom we'd probably still be in Scotland.

STUNNERS stunners GET THE LOOK: Sunglasses: Raybans Jacket: Debenhams Jeans: Levi Shoes: Converse

GET THE LOOK: Coat: Topshop Dress: Zara

Frederick Agyemang

Bag: Oasis Shoes: Moda in Pelle

Daisy Woolfrey

YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

WHEN THE CHIPS ARE YORK'S SINGLE DOWN...

WHAT'S BETTER? LADIES Mika Bhatia compares her top 5 US and UK snacks...

Tuesday March 9th, 2010

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he other day I was sitting in the kitchen with my flatmates as we discussed which foods one flatmate could serve for a Mexican themed dinner party he was having that night.

When asked what appetiser was on the menu, he casually replied (albeit to my bewilderment), "chips". What ensued was a lengthy but light-hearted dispute over whether chips seasoned with Mexican spices constituted Mexican cuisine or not. A friendly message to my flatmates: as a long-time California resident who lives within hours of the Mexican bor-

der, I shall continue to stand by my conviction that they are absolutely N-O-T! A few days later while ordering Chinese takeout, I found myself yet again baffled by the fact that one could choose between a side of chips or boiled rice with one's entrĂŠe. To which I remembered: the British eat chips with, well, everything.

These two incidents started me thinking about British cuisine and how it compares to the American food I'm used to. And now that I've been studying in the UK for two months, I've real-

ised that I've picked up a fair amount on such differences (i.e. best of luck finding chips on a Mexican or Chinese menu in America). While most food can indeed be found in both countries, there are certain brands and items that are popular here that can't be found in the U.S, and vice versa. As a result, I've compiled a Top 5 List of a) fantastically delicious British food America is missing out on, and b) scrumptiously delectable American food the U.K. should consider importing.

My Top 5 British Foods

My Top 5 American Foods

1. Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate - Enough said.

2. Walkers crisps - Oh, the variety! America is seriously missing out on flavours like Prawn Cocktail and Roast Chicken 3. Cheese - Yes, obviously America has cheese, but British cheese is a million times better. Something to do with the cows perhaps? I haven't a clue.

4. Fox's Golden Crunch Creams - Yummy by themselves, yummier dipped in tea. Custard creams are excellent as well and amazingly cheap.

5. Tetley tea - Not just a drink but a quintessential part of British culture. America is much bigger on coffee, but with the exception of Starbucks, I'm a newly converted tea drinker.

1. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese - Kids love it, adults love it, and best of all it's fantastically easy to make.

2. S'mores-A must for campfires; a graham cracker (cinnamon-honey biscuit) sandwich of roasted marshmallows and chocolate.

3. Flavoured Coffee-mate - Comes in flavours like French Vanilla, Hazelnut, and Peppermint Mocha and does wonders for a cup of coffee.

4. Goldfish crackers - Cheesy baked crackers in the shape of, you guessed it, goldfish.

5. Corn dogs - Essentially hot dogs covered in batter and then deep-fried. I myself am not a big fan, but the rest of America is and so they make the list.

... So there you have it, My Top 5. From what I've heard, both the UK and the US suffer poor reputations when it comes to food, but I'm not quite sure I agree. Despite what is shown on TV, British cuisine has more to offer than chips, mash and other forms of potatoes; indeed the same can be said about the US with hamburgers and hot dogs. If you can spare a couple hundred pounds (easier said than done, I know), why not hop on a flight across the Atlantic and see for yourself?

21

Thelma and Louise update us with their antics...

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helma and Louise haven't been getting much sleep these days. As terrifying as it is, Louise has got an actual, quote unquote, shit, f***k, bollocks, can't-avoid-the-term "boyfriend".

What's even more terrifying is that a serious pair of headphones, Incubus, a pillow and an admittedly paper thin wall, can't block out the sound of a loosely screwed together Ikea bed on a slippery wood floor. After a sleepless night Thelma decides to take her revenge by setting her loudest alarm clock for 7am on a Thursday morning right against the wall to disturb the pair after a particularly boozy session. Her attempts are in vain as sure enough the squeakyboom, squeaky-boom starts up a few minutes later. Turns out Louise is trying to fit in a quick sesh before her 9.15. Put off men by a horrific Ziggy's where she said "kiss me", he said "no", Thelma has now resorted to knitting out her sexual frustration. She's completed a large scarf and is making murmurings about socks and even egg cosies. Louise needs Thelma to get some; she's beginning to feel like Jordan in a convent. She suggests Thelma dusts off her lucky blue dress that's seen more action than Helmand province. Ziggy's is back on form and Thelma pulls the triple whammy with a footballer, an ex neighbour and a work colleague - oops. Some say slutty, others say a top form Wednesday night.

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YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

>Style

Tuesday March 9th 2010

ENGLAND VS. ITALY Sarah Woods tells us Britain is best when it comes to fashion...

Britain is great for many things; it's cities, historical places, coutryside and universities (to name a few). But, let's not forget, Britain is great for its fashion!

Designers: With legendary designers such as Dame Vivienne Westwood and the late Alexander McQueen, Britain’s fashion has never looked so good. These designers have made a name for themselves across the globe and their designs have put Britain on the map in the fashion world. Along with these legends of fashion we have Stella McCartney and Paul Smith, both great British fashion designers who differ greatly. McCartney has broken away from her famous father’s shadow and has made a name for herself with her fantastic fashion label. Whereas Sir Paul Smith has kept the British fashion style going with his traditional yet innovative designs.

Fashion Capital: London. I believe that London is the leading fashion capital of the world because with fantastic designers, as mentioned earlier, London plays an important role in setting trends in the fashion world.

London is even edgier and exciting than it has ever been. With world famous stores such as Harrods and Harvey Nichols people from all over the world come to England just to shop in its famous capital.

Style Icons: A living style icon to people all over the world is Kate Moss. She is a super model, mother, and has now taken to designing her own line at Topshop. After appearing on over 300 magazine covers and having had campaigns with Chanel, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Rimmel and Dior to name a few, she has truly become a fashion superstar and will be for many years to come.

Twiggy was thrust into the limelight at the mere age of 16 in the 1960s where she was named ‘The Face on 1966’. With her long lashes and big eyes her look was not, and has not, been one to forget. She became a hugely successful model and was on the cover of Vogue by the age of 17.

Now, 50 years later she’s still modelling and looks great. Young and new style icons such as Alexa Chung and Sienna Miller show that Britain is a true leader in fashion as both ladies have made names for themselves in America and have started spreading their fabulous style in the most powerful country in the world.

Influence: Of course, Britain has influenced fashion across the world with its fabulous design talent. But, as we know fashion comes and goes. However, Britain has launched some of the most important and key fashion pieces and has been setting trends for decades. From mini-skirts to tweed jackets, Britain always produces an unforgettable look. Britain is also influencing the world on affordable fashion in the form of the great Topshop. Sir Phillip Green, founder and owner of the fantastic high street store and friend of Kate Moss, has shown that fabulous fashion doesn’t have to mean fabulously expensive. He has brought the likes of Christopher Kane to an affordable price tag and with Topshop hitting New York it seems that the Americans can see why Topshop is out favourite high street store. Many a celebrity is a fan, with a list far too long to say of celeb fans sporting a Topshop creation (Kate Bosworth, Lindsay Lohan, Kate Moss and Kristin Cavallari, to name a few!).

With many fashion moguls and designers still emerging from our great country who can question Britain style status?

Emma Blake has an Italian passion for fashion...

Italy is a county of food, wine, music, romance, art and most definitely fashion!

Designers: The most influential and prestigious designers of our time were born out of "Bella Italia". Valentino, Armani, Gucci, Dolce&Gabbana, Versace, Prada, Missoni... and the list goes on. Without these designers fashion wouldn't be where it its today. Their names are synonymous with fashion, creating luxury haut-couture clothing, fragrances, handbags, makeup and accessories. Milan is without a doubt the fashion capital of the world. The city centre itself oozes opulence and style. You don't have to venture out of Piazza del Duomo to get a real feel for luxury. The Galleria is filled with designer boutiques where you cold spend a small fortune.

Most major Italian fashion houses and labels are based in Milan and many of the flagship stores can be found in and around the centre.

Fashion Capital: Milan isn't just a hub of fashion; it's the epitome of it. From the massive open space of the piazza and the sweeping arches of the Galleria to the cobbled streets around the Via Montenapoleone fashion district, stylish men and women step out of their Ferraris into quiet Cafes or peruse the racks of their local Prada. Someone once told me that on entering a fashion boutique you are judged on your shoes, handbag and watch to see if you're worth making a fuss over (needless to say, I have never met these requirements). Of course it's elitist, snobby, over the top and ridiculously overpriced, but this is the high end of fashion, and we love it! Just opposite the Duomo is La Rinascente. A huge fashion megastore filled to the brim with famous labels, there's even a whole floor dedicated to handbags! It really is a girls dream. When you walk in the smell of priceless perf u m e wafts from the makeup counters a n d pristine women offer their products for you to test. Each floor from lingerie to homeware has the latest in innovative and stylish design for you to feast your eyes on.

Style Icons: Sophia Loren is the definitive Roman Goddess. A sex symbol, screen siren and fashion icon all wrapped into one almond-eyed beauty. In an age when you can only grace the cover of Vogue if your bones protrude from your spine, it's refreshing to turn back the clock and see a woman with real curves and natural beauty (72 and not an inch of plastic on her!). Aside from that, what other septuagenarian can still have the confidence to pose for the notorious Pirelli calendar?

Influence: The Fiat 500 and the Vespa are among the most identifiable symbols of Italian design in the world today. The first Fiat 500, or the 'cinquecento', dates back to 1936 and it quickly became one of the most popular cars in the world at the time because of its innovative compact design. The Vespa on the other hand was the first globally successful scooter. The design is still popular now, with a front protection shield to keep the rider dry and a leg area geared towards women as wearing dresses or skirts created a problem with motorcycle riding at the time.

Italy has and will always be at the centre of style and design for years to come.

YORK VISION

LIFESTYLE

Tuesday March 9th 2010

>Style

23

BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS Nina Sandhaus makes a splash with red!

Grey skies, black clouds, white snow, blue moods...have you ever noticed how winter seems to manifest itself in an intermingling of these colours? Not helped by the fact that we attend a university which for all its perks - and don't get me wrong, I love York University I really do - boasts a campus which, as an architectural whole, is a sombre palette of stone grey interspersed with the muddybrown of its central lake.

Passing my housemate whilst walking to campus the other day she commented how I was 'pretty easy to spot from a distance'.

Laughing it off and wishing her a good day, I walked on, musing about my apparent visibility. Am I safety conscious, the kind of person who wears a day-glo jacket to avoid hazardous motorists? Definitely not. Usually a fairly classic dresser, I pride myself on a very put-together look and timeless style. What was it that day that had got me dressed in an outfit which, consisting of yellow floral leggings, green jumper and red duffle coat with multi-coloured toggles, quite frankly left me resembling a nursery school child's paint palette? I'm sure I could have

got away with the line that I was 'colour blind' or 'had got dressed in the dark'. Truthfully I hadn't.

I didn't need to research it but I did anyway just to prove my point. Bright colours lift your mood.

Fact. Wearing the colour red apparently makes you feel warm. (Psychologists are free to contradict me here, my only authority is a dubiously academic psychology website.)

Our bodies' cognitive response to a mere glimpse of red fabric is to stimulate blood flow, increasing our circulation and warming us up. Aside from that, bright colours do just give you energy. And in a more imaginative sense, they simply remind you of summer. I have spent many-a-dull hour in the library amusing myself by examining the patterns on my floral tights and Cath Kidston print wellies daydreaming about sunshine and picnics.

Chanel may have championed monochrome but the list of classical and contemporary fashion trends incorporating colour is vast: florals - in many forms (safe, whimsical, boys you can even get floral shirts), block colours (for the very

VISION'S SPRING PICKS

Osam Manzoor gives the guys the low down on Spring fashion Digital watches are no longer just for geography teachers! G-shocks are the perfect combination of both style and practicality; with their chunky straps and bright dials you'll be bound to turn a few heads. Pictured; White G-shock, available at www.asos. com, £85 The denim shirt has now become a staple for any wardrobe!

Pair up with some black trousers or slim-fit chinos and you're good to go.

Avoid double-denim at all costs!

Taking the drop-crotch jean to a whole new level, Danish brand Humor have been making big moves this year. The carrot-fit jean will no doubt continue to be a big trend, with the low slung crotch being far more comfortable than the conventional skinny fit jean. Pictured above; Humor Grey Santiago Trouser, available in Sarah Coggles, £75 With its vulcanised Campus High is not hi-top of all time, but most comfortable. The maroon leather and suede split upper is stunning, a must buy for all you sneakerheads out there!

Pictured: Adidas Campus High, Available at www.flatspot. com, £60.

sole the Adidas only my favourite also one of the

coordinated), neon sports-luxe (for the adventurous), nautical (red, white, and blue - it's patriotic too!). So ditch the dark jeans, dark hoodies, dark boots - yes, they're warm and comforting, and some days they are a safe fall back - but next time it's raining outside there's no need to match your The lovely Cressida outfit to the weather.

Red Wellington Boots Defy winter in your dress.

- part of the Laura And smile next time you see the Ashley Garden Collecgirl in dashing to a seminar in tion £34.99 Langwith through the rain in a garish floral print over neon tights, crowned by some multi-coloured form of ribbon - she may make you want to whip out your sunglasses but then, hey, they're related to sunshine, so my theory about dressing really does work! Roll on summer term!

HOME SWEET HOME

Helen O'Brien shares her tips and tricks to make a house a home.

Now that the stress of arranging housing for next year is over for most, it's time to focus on the fun part -shopping! The best way to make your new home your own is to spend a large chunk of your loan on pretty little things to fill it with. Who says a student house can only be accessorised with pizza boxes and beer cans?

overdraft. However, the cute and kitsch look doesn't charm everyone so for the rest of you, Next have a variety of simple and colourful cushions from just £6 each.

When you're locked in your room typing out an essay at 2 in the morning, the fun carefree days of summer can seem like a distant memory. To keep your spirits up, remind yourself of all the good times and the fact that you did actually used to have fun by filling your room with photos. Of course you can't just roughly blutack your pictures to the nearest surface, they deserve a frame. Monsoon has loads of sparkly, antique-look frames for under a tenner and for a Heart Gem Photofmore subdued look, Tesco rame, £10, Monsoon have a selection of classic wooden frames.

Finally, on a practical note, a good desk lamp is a must if you want to make the most of your workspace. To research this I looked to Homebase, a sensible, practical shop which would surely provide sensible, practical lights. However, I got distracted by a link entitled novelty and so am recommending to everyone flower branch lights, they may be incredibly impractical but they are undeniably pretty!

The first port of call for any student on the hunt for cheap but fun homeware (and let's be honest, a good day out) must be Ikea. For your kitchen you can pick up cheap and cheerful multicoloured bottle openers, peelers and pizza cutters all for under a pound each.

However, the must-have item in any self-respecting kitchen has to be these Ice cube trays, 99p, Ikea ice cube trays - an ice cube shaped like a fish? What more could you want?

Moving on to the living room, cushions are an essential, making up for the fact that your landlord has clearly bought the cheapest and least comfortable sofa around as well as hiding a multitude of stains. This appliqué cushion from Matalan gives a pretty Cath Kidston-esque Patchwork Cushion, £8, look, without you having to extend your Matalan

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24 SPORT

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th 2010

>Sport

YORK 1STS 3 BIRMINGHAM 1STS 8

YORK 2NDS 1 HUDDERSFIELD 1STS 3 FOOTBALLERS FALL AT LAST HURDLE

BRUMMIES END MEN'S RUGBY HOME RECORD

BY JOSH MANGHAM injury the visitors scored a third just before half time, their centre back galloping forward from the halfway line, playing a chipped one-two with his striker, and receiving the ball again to smash it into the roof of the net.

A dejected York rallied at half-time, with striker Joe Cooper leaving players with the words: “These next 45 minutes will define our season.” In the second half York could not have been faulted for their effort, fighting Huddersfield for every ball and scoring ten minutes in, with winger Jack Beadle bundling home the goal his impressive performance merited.

Sadly though York were unable to get the vital second goal that would have brought them back into the game, and will be disappointed with an anti-climactic end to a season that promised so much.

BY STEPHEN HOLCROFT An 8-3 victory for Birmingham at 22 acres on Wednesday signalled the end of York's rugby 1sts' two year unbeaten home record, ending any chances the team had of progressing in this year's BUCS Cup. This match was the first time Alex Redshaw has led out the rugby 1st's since the abandonment of Varsity due to waterlogged pitches, and the controversy surrounding the promotions cock-up. The match did little to dampen spirits in the York camp, with much of the familiar so-called ''banter'' being delivered to the Birmingham full back's from the York following.

Participating in a red-blue attire, Birmingham took first blood in the match their early penalty conversion proving to York that they had a fight on their hands if they wanted to keep their unbeaten run.

However, a revitalised display from the hosts was capped with a penalty of their own just before the stroke of half-time, Tim Walker capitalising to draw the scores level. As the whistle signalled the half-time break, Birmingham were made to realise it wasn't going to be easy going against a York side who weren't wiling to give up on their home record too soon.

The second half saw Birmingham carrying on in much the same vein as the first,

Photo: Marcus Roby

The promotion hopes of the men’s football 2nds were all but dashed this week as they were beaten 3-1 by title rivals Huddersfield University. Three first- half goals for the visitors were enough to settle this tie, and despite a spirited attempt at a comeback York will be left ruing the run of three consecutive losses that have effectively ended their chances of promotion.

After a full-blooded but even opening ten minutes Huddersfield started to look dangerous, creating chances and setting up camp in York’s half. Things didn’t bode well for the home team when one of Huddersfield’s strikers was presented with a clear opportunity from a cross, only to thrash the ball wide when a little more composure would have put the visitors 1-0 up.

Huddersfield didn’t have to wait long for their first goal though, as only five minutes later the visitors’ no.7 scored directly from a corner, the curling ball looping over a lunging York goalkeeper, Sam Clitheroe, and into the top corner. Buoyed by the goal, Huddersfield started to overwhelm York, and only a few minutes later they added a brilliant second when centre back Dom Henney was turned and left for dead, allowing Huddersfield’s no.10 to calmly slot the ball home. To add insult to

with the York defence having to sustain a barrage of Birmingham attacks.

Despite York's resistance it was inevitable that the Midlanders' breakthrough would come, with the first try of the afternoon arriving ten minutes from time.

With only a matter of minutes to salvage their long-held and proud record, York's Tim Walker was provided with the chance to draw closer to Birmingham with a second penalty conversion. However, to the agony of the home support the kick was placed wide of the posts. It was a kick goodbye to York's home record, and signalled an end to a disappointing couple of weeks for the team.

SPORT SPOTLIGHT

VISION'S JOSH MANGHAM ENTERS A WORLD OF DUELS, RIPOSTES AND LUNGES WITH THE YORK FENCING CLUB... attention caught, I looked over to see two fencers locked in combat, a mix of aggression, power and tactical planning brought together in one dynamic duel. I wasn’t able to look away until Sarah Aynsley, my personal fencing teacher for the evening and Press Officer for the fencing club, beckoned me with the words I’d been waiting to hear more than anything: “Warmup time.”

Slowly starting to thaw as I jogged round the tent, it was hard not to notice just how many people there were fencing. I’d always imagined fencing, with its niche reputation, would make only a relatively small sports club. This year however there’s been a massive surge in interest in fencing, and there are currently ninetyfive members of York University’s fencing SESSIONS ARE ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS FROM 8-10PM, club.

AND ON SATURDAYS FROM 11AM-1PM, IN THE TENT So what

Photo: Marcus Roby

It was when I started to lose the sensation in my hands that I began to drift into a daydream, imagining the tent as a supersize sports igloo in which it was very possible I might become the frozen ice sculpture. Standing there, with the thermometer reading 2.6°C, I wondered if fencing was really worth freezing for.

My chill-induced musings were sharply interrupted though by a loud “Thwack!”, the sudden clanging of swords hitting one another and the grunts of those using them reverberating across the tent. My

is so attractive about fencing? For Sarah, fencing is a “logical” sport, one in which the player is required to use their mind as much as their body.

“It’s incredibly elegant,” Sarah tells me as she dismantles my attempt at a riposte with casual ease. I’ve just been taught how to stand, and apart from my limp left arm gangling sadly behind me, I feel like I’m doing a decent job at imitating one of the Three Musketeers.

Getting the posture right is one thing, but combining that with quick movement is an altogether different prospect.

“Lunge!” I lunge, although not so much in a graceful athletic movement as in a spasmodic contortion of flailing limbs.

My lunge clearly needs work. I take heart however from a first session in which I’ve learnt the basics of fencing, and can see from the level of fencers who started only a term ago that it’s a sport in which the individual improves rapidly.

There are three types of sword used in fencing: a foil, an épée and a sabre.

Dressed in white protective clothing, players duel on a narrow stretch of surface called a piste, and for each sword fenced with there are different rules. For example in foil matches the player only wins points by striking the opponent on their torso, whilst in épée matches the entire body is a target area. The variety of fencing is therefore wide, with different styles

for different personalities. If you want to go ape on someone then épée is for you, or if, like Sarah, you’re drawn to something more tactical, then foil is your game.

There’s not just a variety of fencing styles but also a variety of members. Fencing is often misconceived as an elitist sport for public school toffs, but from meeting the club’s members nothing could be further from the truth. The majority of the fencing club’s members only began fencing in the past year, and with beginner’s courses starting in the first week of every term, and a number of qualified instructors as members, there are few sports clubs at York that are more welcoming or easier to join.

The cost of equipment and long away trips has made acquiring more funding from YorkSport a top priority for next year.

With two Commonwealth fencers as members, membership numbers approaching a hundred, and fantastic success this year for both the men’s and women’s teams, with both a match away from promotion, the case for increased funding is strong.

There is a tendency to view fencing as a sport for prancing fairies, as one that is aesthetically pleasing but is too restrained and therefore unenjoyable. This is not the case. Fencing is a mix of thinking and force, requiring the use of logic as well as power. Most importantly though, few things you do will be as fun.

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday March 9th 2010

RETURN OF THE TITANS

25

VISION'S JON COOK LOOKS FORWARD TO AN EXCITING FORUMLA 1 SEASON...

Oddly, for a fairly car-obsessed nation, obsessed to the point where half the population views Jeremy Clarkson as the second coming, Formula 1 finds itself on the defensive in Britain.

Fans aren’t in short supply, certainly, but there remain a great number who accuse Formula 1 of being boring. Why watch a processional traffic jam on TV when you can participate in one just outside your door? And where’s the unpredictability?

No one wants to watch a sport where they know the outcome before it begins, but in Formula 1 there is a case for saying that it has been easier to predict than the outcome of Varsity (which York won by the way). The teams with the biggest budgets and the most sponsorship win and the smaller ones lose or go bust. Since 1974 only five Constructor’s Championships have found their way outside the grasp of either Ferrari, McLaren or Williams, whilst several major car manufacturers have found the drain of the sport too much, notably Ford. The formula - excuse the pun - seems too simple for many. Those with the most money build the best cars, rendering the drivers as mere glorified passengers. Dull, dull, dull.

What Formula 1 really requires is patience.

It’s not a sport to watch if you have important things, like lectures, to go to, which incidentally makes it perfect for His-

tory students. Races are lengthy and there are long periods where not much happens. The excitement comes from the tiniest instances. Races are decided on moments when a driver skilfully overtakes someone or spins off at a corner. These are where drivers prove their value and where championships are won and lost.

And to single out F1 as being unique in falling prey to the moneymen is unfair. Football’s big four have a monopoly on Champions league places and in recent years Formula 1 has seen an increase in competitiveness. Changes in the regulations relating to car aerodynamics last season saw large rewards, and an eventual championship, for the Brawn team who adapted to the rule change fast, whilst the usual pace setters Ferrari failed to. Part of the fun of a F1 season, and the coming one more than most, is seeing which team has the

"People don't tune into Formula 1 simply to gawp at the cars"

HOCKEY MEN'S 1STS BACK ON TRACK

BY JON COOK

YORK BOUNCED back from a disappointing Varsity defeat to claim another victory against Durham 3rds.

The two sides met in a close BUCS cup semi-final little more than a week ago, which was only decided by Dan Alder’s golden goal winner in extra time, and the resumption of hostilities between the two sides saw another hard-fought win for York as they came away with a particularly satisfying 1-0 win which put to bed any recent relegation fears.

From the outset it appeared that Durham were dead set on avenging themselves for February’s loss and in the first 10 minutes they kept York penned back in their own half with some fast and spirited attacking play. A succession of penalty corners were well defended by the home side and Henry Meller nearly gave York an unmerited lead with a quick counter attack which ended with him hitting the post.

This clearly enlivened York and midfield playmakers Billy Walsh and Andy Harris, who had previously been forced too deep to feature, began to dictate play allowing York to put together some slick passing moves. The breakthrough came after around 25 minutes

greatest resourcefulness when it comes to getting the best from its cars.

Magnificent though they are, people don't tune into F1 simply to gawp at the cars. The spectacle is the human element, the personalities behind the wheels. The pressure is clearly intense, especially for those expected to win, and it is always interesting to see how the differing personalities deal with it. Sometimes they just don’t. In 2007 McLaren team-mates Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, both chasing the title, fell out to such an extent that they were not on speaking terms.

Then in 2009, Jenson Button having won 6 of the first 7 races then seemed to be overcome with nerves and failed to win any of the remaining ten. This season sees the two Brits, Hamilton and Button, both highly ambitious and confident drivers, team up at McLaren. It will be fascinating to see if they can co-exist.

And there remains the clincher of the season, in the return

of Schumacher. He is to Formula 1 what Federer is to tennis, or what Woods was to golf before his recent, escapades. Schumacher is statistically the best F1 driver of all time. He is also controversial, personifying a ruthless drive to win, leading to several allegations of him deliberately and tactically causing accidents in order to win races. Coupled with his often cold outward persona, he is not the most popular figure with his fellow competitors.

He will without doubt sell tickets; whether he can win another championship however is questionable. A serious neck injury prevented him from making a comeback last season and it is possible that it will affect him this season. Even if it does not, ‘Schumi’ has been retired for three years, during which several talented younger competitors have emerged. The sport itself has changed much and though he has been a regular test driver for Ferrari since his retirement, he may find adapting his previous tactics to modern racing conditions no longer works as it once did.

On the other hand you can never write off champions and knowing that many are doing so already will only spur the man on. The 2010 Formula 1 season promises to be exciting and unpredictable. Don’t bet against seeing a familiar smug German face beaming from the top of the podium come

SWIMMING HALIFAX WIN IN THE WATER

BY ANDREW NICHOLS when Harris, in a relatively unthreatening position on the right hand side of the Durham ‘D’ was inexplicably flattened by the Durham keeper and Alex Feakes smashed home the resultant penalty to give York the lead.

The second half proved to be a tense affair for the hosts. Despite numerous chances the second goal, which would have sealed the game, was not forthcoming. Feakes and Harris both shot wide from corners, whilst Dan Alder missed a gilt-edged chance when unmarked at the far post late on, and the possibility of Durham snatching a late equaliser remained. York’s defence, especially the highly impressive Richard Larkin, held firm. Although some last gasp tackles were in order Durham did not help their cause when they were reduced to ten men, losing a player to the sin bin for continued dissent.

The final whistle would have been music to the home players’ ears, wrapping up a hardearned victory. Durham will feel hard done by, and must hate the sight of the York astroturf given their recent experiences, but York’s solid performance was worthy of taking the points.

HALIFAX COLLEGE came out on top as college sport took to the pool last week in the annual College Swimming Gala.

The event took place at a bustling Archbishop Holgate pool, where there was a full roster of races. With college sport points up for grabs and with only one male and one female University swimmer allowed per college, it rested on the colleges to unearth hidden swimming gems.

In the women’s races there was no clear strongest college, with all teams performing strongly and picking up good results, with Halifax and Derwent perhaps edging results.

However, in the men’s races Halifax dominated, with victories and second places in most of the men’s races they pulled away to what became an emphatic victory. The biggest shock of the night was perhaps Alcuin’s showing, finishing seventh, and failing to field competitors in several races.

They may live to rue missing out on valuable college points.

Although there were some mismatches, in the men’s 50m freestyle in particular, with Chris Lloyd of Halifax winning by nearly a length.

Most races were closely contested affairs, with the top two places in the

men’s backstroke decided by a matter of centimeters.

Charles Morton, York Swimming Club President praised the event, ”It was really good to see so many talented swimmers getting involved and competing to such a high standard. It is important that there is an opportunity for swimmers who might not be up to University standard to compete, I would encourage any of the swimmers here tonight to come to our training sessions.”

Halifax sports rep Mark Lund commented, “There was a great atmosphere here tonight, which just shows the enthusiasm people have for College sport. I’m really proud of all our swimmers and thankful to all the spectators who made it such a great event.”

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26 SPORT

YORK VISION

>Sport VICTORIOUS VARSITY WEEKEND Tuesday March 9th 2010

Judo

VISION'S STEPHEN HOLCROFT LOOKS AT THE HIGHS, THE LOWS, AND THE NOGOES, AND HOW VARSITY DELIVERED ALL...

A CITY divided between universities with an intense rivalry would always make for an eventful weekend and despite any attempts by the weather to put a stop to it, Varsity 2010 certainly lived up to it's expectations.

With the University of York renowned for their domineering student presence in the city, and occupying the majority of the prestigious sporting facilities in York, St. John's were quite right to be labelled ''underdogs'' going into the event.

The competition was an opportunity for both the University of York and St. John's to stake their claim as top sporting dog in the city, with York winning by a comprehensive margin of 91.25 to St. Johns' 19.25 points.

Notable highlights included the success of the netball, caving, tennis, and swimming teams, amongst others, with both men and women proving their capabilities for the University.

Moreover the event was played, on the whole, very sportingly, with both universities refusing to let temperatures boil over in the cold weather.

York Sport president Emily Scott also expressed her delight at the result and the fac that Varsity was back on the sporting calender, saying: ''I want to say a huge thank you to everyone involved from both universities over the weekend, as without them Varsity never could have returned.''

The next major sporting event for the University of York is less than two months away, with the Roses Tournament scheduled for the beginning of May. The York Sport president was equally happy with the long-term implications of Varsity for the Roses: ''Varsity prepares teams for the type of 'grudge match' you can get with Lancaster.''

And with enthusiastic support across the board Scott was encouraged, stating that this would provide the University of York with the perfect backdrop for Roses.

Scott said: ''there are sizeable crowds watching and giving 'banter' which prepares the players for the type of 'chat' they may receive from the sidelines in Roses'".

Despite Lancaster's inadequate scheduling of this year's Roses, this highly successful Varsity weekend means York will take great confidence into next term's Roses clash.

HIGHS Varsity certainly demonstrated an array of sporting talent, and thankfully, our university posessed the majority.

With standout performances in swimming, tennis and netball (to name a few), the University of York can stand proud. Whether it was the basketball team slam-dunking St.John's, or the caving team scaling new heights, York certainly delivered what many had expected at Varsity. After such an embarrassing defeat the next YorkSport President will have a difficult job convincing our neighbours to return for another beating!

LOWS

Any attempts by St. John's to steal the after-party bragging rights were a rarity in Varsity. Nonetheless, they did managed to bring some pride back to their end of the city.

A penalty shoot-out win

by St. John's in Game A of the five-a-side, and a loss in the men's hockey, were the only no table low points for the University of York.

NO-GOES

One way or another, flooding never seems to leave us York folks alone. If it's not 22 acres feeling the full strain, then it most certainly will be the River Ouse. In this case we were unfortunately afflicted by both. Thankfully, living in 21st century Britain, York Sport is lucky to have classy rowing machines!

Photos by Daniel Gilks

SPORTS CAPTAINS HIT OUT AT 'DESPICABLE' ROSES SCHEDULE

BY JOSH MANGHAM

YORK'S SPORT captains have expressed their anger this week at Lancaster's scheduling of the Roses, claiming it is a deliberate attempt to scupper York's chances of victory.

Lancaster's organisers have scheduled this year's Roses tournament for the first weekend of York's summer term, a vital examination period for many of York's students.

With competition due to take place from Friday 30th April till Sunday 2nd May, York's sport teams are set to lose out as key players are forced to skip Roses to sit exams.

York Sport president Emily Scott was forced to admit that players will be "lost to exams", conceding: "There are going to be plenty of people and thus plenty of teams affected."

After being on the wrong end of a 194.5-79.5 thrashing in last year's one-sided Roses tournament, many feel Lancaster are trying to give themselves an advantage in the battle to regain the Carter James trophy.

An aggrieved football president Greg Gardner has blasted Lancaster's Sport President today, labelling her attitude "ab-

solutely shocking and despicable".

BITTER "She's ruined the spirit of Roses by pulling out Lancaster teams she feels will lose, despite this being against the wishes of the Lancaster players themselves."

Gardner goes on to reveal that the football club will be missing "approximately a third" of its squads, the 1st and 3rd team captains, and two first choice goalkeepers due to exams clashing with Roses. "We've played the main football matches on Sunday afternoons for decades, but she suddenly decided to move it to Saturday this year."

And despite Gardner claiming pitches are "completely free to use" on the Sunday afternoon, the Lancaster Sports President has apparently refused to move the games.

POLITI CS "The way it stands we'll still compete in Roses and go over there with our heads held high and try to get something out of the game, but the whole atmosphere and politics surrounding the games mean this

will surely be the worst Roses in recent history."

Other sports captains have also shown their annoyance, with rugby captain Alex Redshaw expressing regret at Lancaster's attempts to "get their own back" after suffering from exam scheduling conflicts themselves last year.

Women's tennis captain Maria Hunt, has also voiced criticism of Lancaster's scheduling of the Roses, saying it will "definitely have an impact".

Hunt bemoans the fact that key players will miss Roses matches, with "some having exams on Sunday", and even those available for Roses being forced to "miss out on vital training sessions" due to exams.

Emily Scott has held a diplomatic stance however: "Lancaster faced the same issues last year and we just need to hold our heads up and play hard. As long as everyone does that and enjoys themselves, I can't ask for much more!"

Sadly though, Scott's optimism cannot hide the fact that York will start this year's Roses at a significant disadvantage.

PRAISE

Can York repeat the shock win on Lancaster's home turf and retain the cup for a third year?

Gardner and Redshaw reserve praise for York Sport however, with Gardner commending YorkSport for "trying to help York's sport clubs" and attempting to make the Lancaster organisers "realise the pettiness of their attitude", whilst Redshaw stressing "York University is not to blame".

JOIN THE DEBATE AT www.yorkvision.co.uk

YORK VISION

Tuesday March 9th 2010

SPORT

VISION: N0.1 FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THE

DERWENT BEAT HALIFAX TIPSTER TO GO TOP

BY STEPHEN HOLCROFT

IN THE battle of college football's elite, a late Richard Burne header sent Derwent to the summit of the table at Haifax's expense. Elsewhere, James and Alcuin both managed to score four goals each in comprehensive victories, whilst Goodricke ran out comfortable winners over Vanbrugh.

With Derwent entering the game two points behind their arch rivals, a win would prove vital. Ed Lacaille and M a rk Fawthrop occupied the front two spots for Derwent, but had found a frustrating afternoon capped with only half chances on goal. Instead, the onus was left for the Derwent de-

fence to prove their attacking credentials.

Ten minutes from time, Richard Burne, clearly not content with keeping Halifax at bay, rose highest to power home the winner with an unstoppable header.

Sam Clitheroe and Parris Williams provided the other standout performances in the three other matches. A clinical hat-trick from Clitheroe along with a Simon Mole goal, set up a 4-2 victory for James, with Bruce Starkey's two goal's proving only consolation.

William's for Alcuin playing in his accustomed dreadlocks, capped off a menacing and industrious display with two goals for himself, and left the Wentworth team languish-

THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL LEAGUE TABLE Pos. Team 1 DERWENT 2 HALIFAX 3 ALCUIN 4 GOODRICKE 5 JAMES 6 VANBRUGH 7 LANGWITH 8 WENTWORTH

DERWENT 1 HALIFAX 0

P W D L GF GA GD Pts. 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 3

2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0

1 0 1 1 0 0 2 1

ing at the foot of the table.

Goodricke likewise, turned a scrappy game into an eventual 2-0 win with goals from Chris Grayland in the first half and Dave Coupland in the second half piling more misery on a Vanbrugh team, who

0 1 0 1 1 2 1 0

4 9 6 4 7 5 6 4

2 2 3 3 7 6 8 14

2 7 3 1 0 -1 -2 -10

7 6 4 4 3 3 2 1

27

A NEW YEAR AND A NEW GENERATION OF THE TIPSTER, LEADING THE PENNILESS STUDENTS OF YORK THROUGH THE PERILOUS WORLD OF HIGH STAKES GAMBLING...

SURE THING FRANCE TO WIN THE GRANDSLAM

FRANCE HAVE enjoyed a very comfortable start to their campaign while all the teams around them have looked rather shaky. Having already seen off previous favourites Ireland the French team is in a good position to enjoy total domination of the competition. Only a fool would bet on underdogs Italy to beat a side that is widely considered as unstoppable and inevitably it seems that it will come down to England to halt their progress.

The French team are very much in form though, and with the strength and speed they have in the squad they are more than able to appeared way too defensive in find and exploit England’s many weaknesses. their play on the day. Hewitt and Taylor's team will have to go back to the drawing board ,and a new injury blow to star man Ali Prince is likely to cause yet more concern for the men in green.

GOODRICKE 2 VANBRUGH 0

BY JON COOK

BY JOSEPH MCDERMOTT

IN THE top of the table encounter between two of the heavyweights of college football, Derwent struck late in the game to inflict a deflating loss on a classy Halifax team.

The sun was beaming down on 22 acres but neither group of players allowed any shock at such an unusual occurrence interfere with their play, nor were they afforded any time to catch a spring sun tan as a closely fought game boiled down to an engaging midfield duel.

Both teams had claimed 1-0 wins in similarly tricky ties a fortnight ago but it was Derwent who showed more appetite for this encounter early on. Halifax attempted to steal the initiative from the outset, Jack Beadle sailing a speculative effort from just inside the Derwent half, over the bar as early as the first minute. Derwent responded with some smart passing play which was nearly rewarded 15 minutes later when a Chris Barnett corner was thumped against the bar by the head of Matt Hallam.

Evidently annoyed at having seen their crossbar almost annihilated, Halifax upped their game but found chances few and far between. One fell to Conor Brennan who found a good position just inside the Derwent box but saw his effort easily saved as both sides demonstrated a frustrating incapability of delivering an end product to their neat build up play.

Half time came, and gave a chance for Derwent and Halifax to reassess their game plans, In truth little changed though. Halifax had slightly the better of the play with Jack Beadle and ubiquitous captain Mark Lund, their stand out players, trying to find the decisive through ball, and the introduction of Eamonn Geoghegan gave them fresh legs in midfield but an increasing impatience led to a growing number of hopeful long balls, which gave Ragan and Conor Brennan up front little more than half chances at goal.

If Lund and co were irritated at this point they were not going to like what followed. Another Derwent corner was floated in, in the 80th minute and centre back Richard Burne, clearly not content with merely keeping Halifax at bay, rose highest in the middle of the box and powered home the winner with an unstoppable header. With Halifax clearly reeling from conceding so late on, and pressurising for an equaliser, Derwent found opportunities aplenty but in the end had to settle for a one goal victory which could be vital come the end of the season.

AN UNDER-STRENGTH Goodricke team delivered a scrappy 2-0 win over a persistent but otherwise toothless Vanbrugh side.

A pair of late goals from Chris Grayland and Dave Coupland was enough to see Goodricke emerge victorious and add yet more misery to a disappointing season for the overly cautious Vanbrugh.

Despite playing through most of the first half with only ten men Goodricke were more than able to match Vanbrugh. Despite the extra man Vanbrugh were unable to capitalise and much of the first half occurred without any clear cut chances for either team. The game became mired in a midfield battle of heavy tackles and lumped clearances; the state of the pitch was in some part to blame for a lack of flowing football as the ball bobbled unpredictably with every kick.

Arguably the best chance of the half fell to Vanbrugh’s Isaac Parkinson who found himself through on goal despite Goodricke’s protests of handball. The referee allowed play to continue but Parkinson could only fire wide, his poor finish indicative of a first half sorely lacking in quality or excitement.

Goodricke captain Dave Coupland proved his value to the team however with a mazy run straight through the heart of the Vanbrugh defence. A beautifully weighted pass found Matt Sutherland but his shot was cut out by a well-timed tackle from the composed Ash Lockyer. The half ended with both teams deservedly level.

Goodricke emerged from half time as the brighter of the teams, though the match quickly began to lull as both sides played on the back foot. For 35 minutes the only memorable incident was a Goodricke player being sick on the pitch.

This unfortunate side note could well have summed up a match that thus far had lacked any real or significant interest had it not been for the final ten minutes. Vanbrugh failed to deal with an innocuous looking corner by Coupland and the ball managed to find Chris Grayland who was on hand to loft a header into the top corner of the net.

The lead was doubled minutes later when Matt Sutherland’s pass took a deflection through the Vanbrugh defence and ran into the path of Coupland who produced a composed finish to push the ball past keeper Taylor.

A less-than-pretty win for Goodricke provided three hard earned points. Vanbrugh will be disappointed not to have taken anything from a game where they more than held their own.

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

3/1

LONG SHOT

SCHUMACHER TO BE F1 CHAMPION

IT'S A familiar story: another year and another sporting legend returning to reclaim their crown. This time it’s the god of F1: Michael Schumacher. Considered by many as the greatest driver the sport has ever seen, Schumacher will be looking to add to his awesome total of seven championship victories.

Although he retired back in 2006 this is Schumacher’s second attempt to rejoin the sport (the first being as a problematic, and ultimately failed, effort to provide cover for an injured Felipe Massa) and now that he is finally back in the driving seat should we expect big things? Whilst he may seem a good prospect for the title he has to be considered a long shot: age, injuries, a lack of practice and the calibre of his competition mean that attaining another championship may be just beyond his grasp.

Mind you, it’s more than worth a punt.

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

15 / 1

ABSOLUTE MADNESS PORTSMOUTH TO WIN THE FA CUP TO SAY it’s unlikely that Pompey will win the FA Cup is an understatement; the club is in trouble like the Pope is Catholic. I considered placing this as a long shot bet but as Tipster I feel some sort of responsibility to the readership of Vision, and to recommend placing any money on Portsmouth would be, in the simplest terms, completely unethical.

Through the rose-tinted glasses of the FA Cup it’s easy to see why Portsmouth may be an outside bet to lift the trophy: England can’t help but cheer on the underdogs. The so called ‘magic’ of the FA cup is that anyone can win on the day. Unfortunately this isn’t so. The south coast club, while they may currently retain the services of several quality players (Belhadj, Utaka, O’Hara), are in dire straits. With either Fulham or Tottenham up next I can’t see them progressing any further in the competition.

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

100 / 1

Tuesday, March 9th 2010

Issue 205

VARSITY 2010 OVERVIEW

YOUR #1 SOURCE FOR ALL UNI SPORT

P25

VISION ON THE RETURN OF AN F1 LEGEND

P27

P24

FOOTBALL PRESIDENT SLAMS LANCASTER AU OVER ROSES SCHEDULE

DERWENT "A THIRD OF OUR SQUADS GO TOP IN WILL BE MISSING" COLLEGE FOOTBALL "THE SPIRIT OF ROSES HAS BEEN RUINED"

"THIS WILL SURELY BE THE WORST ROSES IN RECENT HISTORY"

VISION SPORT EXCLUSIVE CONT. PAGE 26