York Vision 222

GUARDIAN STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR 2011-2012

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14, 2012

Issue 222

WWW.YORKVISION.CO.UK

FOOTBALL EXPLOITATION - FEATURES -

vision@yusu.org

FETSOC UNCOVERED PAGE 3

BOWLING FOR SOUP - SCENE -

STUDENTS IN DANGER AS 'MKET' HITS YORK

YORK'S DRUG OVERDOSE STUDENTS ARE at serious risk after reported uses of a new drug MKET around and off-campus.

The dangerous drug, also known as ‘roflcoptr’ or ‘sexy-mexy’, is freely available online as it falls into the drugs “grey-market”.

However, MKET explicitly states it is not for human consumption on its packaging.

Priced at around £17 per gram, less than half the average street price of cocaine, the drug is "much cheaper than a normal night out and affordable for students like us," one University of York self-confessed addict told Vision.

The increased use means MKET has become easily obtainable, making it a popular choice among students.

The drug is largely being used as an alternative to ketamine, with users reporting similar unsettling and hallucinogenic effects.

Given MKET's superior potency in comparison to ketamine, this represents a particular danger as unsuspecting users are left vulnerable to overdose.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

2 NEWS

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14, 2012

RICHES TO RAG!

BY LYNDSEY WHITE WEEK FIVE saw the return of RAG Week. This year RAG raised nearly £9000, beating last year’s sum and making it York’s most successful RAG Week to date.

RAG Week officially kicked

off on February 3rd with a balloon launch at Vanbrugh Paradise.

Further events throughout the week included a version of the hit ITV show Take Me Out, which attracted over 500 people.

The Blagathon auction succeeded last year’s total of £1200.

YOURWEEK Good Week for internet trolls. 3,000+ likes on Facebook for the 'University of York Memes' page.

The surprising success lot of the evening was the re-naming of the Courtyard, which was sold to Jack Baker for £235. Other events included the Viking Raid, RAGaoke and Mr. and Mrs. York, which saw Halifax College take the crown.

The bitter cold failed to stop

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WHICH CO HAVE H LLEGE'S RESI SEWAG AD TO DEAL DENTS E W THEIR B LEAKING THR ITH O EDROO M CEIL UGH INGS?

Bad Week for sports teams. Numerous fixtures cancelled following snowfall - AGAIN!

the week culminating in style, with the RAG parade marching defiantly against the elements in the city centre on Saturday. The weather proved a dampener however, as comparatively the turnout failed to reach the volume of previous years. Despite this, top Parade fundraisers Derwent Col-

Photo: Ellen Rawlins

YORKVISION

Guardian Student Publication of the Year 2011-2012 Editors: Helena Kaznowska Oliver Todd

Deputy Comment: Leon Morris Anmoli Sodha

Sports Editors: Jack Bradshaw Sally Dolton

Deputy Editors: Alex Finnis Fred Nathan

Satire Editors: Nicholas DunnMcAfee Leon Morris

Deputy Sports: Will Cooper Charlotte Ferris

Scene Editors: Alysia Judge Jordan Lloyd

Photo of the Week: RAG Week's Balloon Launch on Vanbrugh Paradise Photo: YUSU RAG

7

Number of candidates for Presidency at this year's YUSU Elections, and none of them are called Tim!

The amount of money for six different charities raised by York students on Saturday's RAG Parade.

39%

£2,273

The percentage of that RAG Parade total raised

by Derwent College; more than twice that of any other college.

Got an opinion? Get involved at www.yorkvision.co.uk Or contact us at vision@yusu.org

lege managed to raise £890 on the day, more than double the total of any other college.

Counting up the sums raised, RAG Officer Baxter Willis said, “the amount was overwhelming.

A big thank you to the amazing RAG Committee and everyone at the University for donating!"

Features Editors: Georgina Strapp Sarah Cattle Deputy Features: Bella Boman-Flavell Ben Dilks

News Editors: Helena Kealey Harry Pick Deputy News: Judith Marzo Bethany Porter

Lifestyle Editors: Nicholas DunnMcAfee Sine Bakumeni

Comment Editors: Max Sugarman Olivia Head

Deputy Lifestyle: Rachel Longhurst Malek Murison

Chief Sub-Editor: Sarah Cattle Rachel Longhurst Photo Editor: Vivan Jayant Ellen Rawlins Webmaster: Magnus Tripp Web Editor: Vivan Jayant Advertising: Anmoli Sodha Rebecca Ojumu

Scene Editorial list 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, 2012.

Printed by Yorkshire Web Cover Photo by Oliver Todd

NEWS

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 14, 2012

3

VISION INVESTIGATES THE PLEASURES OF YORK'S CONTROVERSIAL NEW FETISH SOCIETY

WHIPPING UP A FRENZY

BY HARRY PICK

KINKY YORK students may get the chance to explore their sexual ‘dark side’ in a newly proposed Fetish Society – if YUSU ratifies the controversial proposition.

Founder Nikhail Vasandani, a first year Archaeology student who will initially run FetSoc with two other female officers, spoke to Vision about his intent when forming the society.

“I come from much more cos-

mopolitan places like London and Hong Kong, and I wanted to bring some of that to York [...] I’ve been part of the fetish scene myself for a few years now, and wanted to see if I could give students in York the opportunity.”

He claimed to already have over twenty interested people signed up on the society’s mailing list after placing adverts around campus.

Vasandani also dismissed any “uninformed” concerns that FetSoc would be an organised "sex orgy".

“There will be the chance to try things out, and experiment with equipment, but only with safety and consent - we will not just pair up or have sex parties.”

He clarified how the society will be based around two distinct participatory strands – ‘vanilla’ meetings, for those who generally only engage in non-‘kink’ sex but are interested in fetish, alongside workshops where members will be able to actively use equipment to fulfil their sexual fantasies.

Fetish groups generally practice BDSM (bondage, discipline and sadomasochism) in safe environments, with those involved consisting of ‘dominants’ and ‘subs’ and typical equipment

used including whips, gimp suits and harnesses.

However, most fetish groups are open to any sexual ‘kink’ a participant wants to try out – something Vasandani wants to ensure happens in the University of York society, safety allowing.

The new society will also aim to be part of the wider fetish scene in York. Popular groups in the city including YorkMunch, a group which claims on its website to have around forty regular attendees, offering the chance to explore your kinky side in a carefully set up ‘dungeon’ environment.

Currently, however, FetSoc organisers face a stumbling block over YUSU ratification. Vasandani submitted the application for the new society on the 11th January 2012 and was expecting a decision before the end of the month. However, a conclusive decision has not yet been reached

by YUSU. Concerns were raised by YUSU over licensing issues that would require consultation with the university, hence the delay.

James Croydon, YUSU Student Activities Officer, with responsibility for overseeing societies, exclusively revealed

Photos: Vivan Jayant

to Vision that the “FetSoc delay [...] is due to us needing to double check any potential licensing issues that might arise should the society wish to hold events on campus. Following a further clarification of their activities, it is likely that this society will be ratified.”

Without ratification, the society will find it hard to book university spaces for meetings, will lose the vital promotional spot at the YUSU society fairs in October and January each year and will not receive YUSU funding, mak-

ing its set-up difficult.

The York fetish enthusiasts will however be hopeful in light of the story of the popular Student Guild endorsed University of Birmingham Fetish Society, which has over fifty active members and a busy schedule.

After discussions with the YUSU legal officer, Vasandani hopes that the society will be ratified and members can begin meeting to explore their more kinky side by the end of Week Six, depending on YUSU's final decision.

FROM MANSION TO PRISON? WASTE OF MONEY

BY JUDITH MARZO A UNIVERSITY of York student is set to face jail or severe prosecution after setting off a prank fire alarm in Mansion that cost the nightclub thousands of pounds.

The student is said to have set off the alarm by intentionally shattering one of the fire alarm’s break glass points. Mansion claims they have clear CCTV footage of the incident and have worked with North Yorkshire police to get further identification of the culprit through an official police camera situated outside the club.

“We have worked with the police to get enough evidence so that they can hopefully prosecute the culprit,” club manager Ed Gallagher told Vision.

Mansion has worked with the police to compile what they believe is enough evidence to successfully prosecute the student. The case is currently in the hands of North Yorkshire police, but Mansion hopes the case will be under way in the next coming weeks. “It’s in the hands of the police now,” Gallagher told Vision.

"We are hoping to get the student under new legislation created after the terrorism at-

tacks which punishes causing terror in a public place. We are hoping that by prosecuting him under this new law he will have to give us lots and lots of money,” claimed Gallagher after the incident.

This the second unecessary evacuation on Mansion's 'Ziggy's Wednesday' night.

Ziggy's is the club’s most profitable night and the most recent evacuation cost the club £3,000, a fifth of their weekly profit.

Given that the case is not yet underway, Mansion and North Yorkshire police were unable to give us the identity of the culprit.

“For legal reasons I can’t tell you who set off the alarm until after the case is underway” the club manager told Vision.

YUSU has been more than willing to help Mansion with the case. However, Vision has been informed that despite contacting the club to offer their assistance, the club staff failed to get back to them. “We were in contact with Mansion initially after the incident however they haven’t gotten in contact with us since,” Asfahani revealed.

Bob Hughes, YUSU’s Welfare Officer, told Vision that while he couldn’t comment on any individual case, that generally “If a student has been charged with an offence and comes to YUSU, we will provide non-judgemental general support in the sense of listening, passing on the details of solicitors and giving information about Open Door, mitigating circumstances and other support available to the student.”

YUSU is under obligation to 'promote and defend the general interests of its members and represent them in matters affecting their interest' under section 3.14 of the Union's constitution.

BY ALEX FINNIS THE UNIVERSITY has been needlessly wasting money in their methods of recycling in the Harry Fairhurst building.

Students first discovered several weeks ago that the separate holes in the bins for recycling paper, plastics and 'general waste' were being directed into the same bin bag.

This raised concerns that the University was tricking students and pretending to recycle. Vision has since found out that this is not the case however.

Post-it notes appearing on bins around the building alerting users that "these two holes go into the SAME bin-bag. The University is LYING to us about recycling!" are infact mistaken.

The rubbish is in fact separated, just by contractors at a later date and at needless extra cost.

The University issued a statement on the matter, saying, that "whilst various wastes are disposed of together in a comingling system [...] paper and plastics were separated by contractors" and insisting that recycling did take place, and that, whilst redundant, the different holes for separation were "an historical matter."

The Glasdon NEXUS 100 Re-

cycling Bank, the model of bin in question, is a dual-stream unit which collects source-separated recyclables in a single container.

Each unit costs in the order of £300, a costly sum considering that they are not being used for their very function.

Vision spoke to YUSU Environment and Ethics Officer Isobel Edwards, who said; "The University is already lagging behind in the environmental stakes, according to the People and Plant Green League."

Whilst the University is clearly trying to address the fact that it is not seen as a partcularly 'green' institution, this method of recycling is neither efficient nor cost effective.

Perhaps they have spent so much money on the bins that they are unable to afford the required number of bin bags?

Second-year Law student said that he thought the situation "laughable" and that "this is an absurd way for the University to be spending our fees. £300 for what is effectively just an incorrectly used plastic bin?"

"It's just stupid really," secondyear Economics student Finn McGuire told Vision, "it makes no sense, the University are literally just throwing money down the drain."

4 NEWS

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14, 2012

Vision's Helena Kealey has a peek at how other universities do romance...

student press

14TH FEBRUARY. National flirting day. Today is the day students across the UK will up their romantic prowess, and find new and exciting ways to celebrate love.

Some will indulge in chocolate and poems, pink champagne or a trip to Ann Summers. However, if you were in Durham tonight, you wouldn’t be celebrating your valentine’s day with a loved one, or dancing sadly to ‘Lonely’ by Akon in Willow. No. They have a celebration tonight that far outstrips anything we might be put on – they will be spending their night with “THE STARS.” Durham is offering students the chance to win (or buy) tickets, worth a glamorous £25 each, for an evening with Made in Chelsea stars Hugo and Spencer, canapés and champagne on campus.

However, there will be a fair few readers who consider this much too tame (or rah... or boring) for them. To these readers, I would like to direct you to Exeter, which has recently published in their paper Exeter Drop, ‘No Rules, No Roof: A Student Guide To Sex On Campus.’ This is a list of the best

A Student Guide to Sex on Campus...

"

places to have sex on campus.

Although this probably won’t involve celebrities, (we’ll leave that to our northern counterparts and their Doxbridge delusions) the article comes with a helpful map and list of dos and don’ts, including advice not to "bare all" and avoid "criminal offence."

Wherever and whoever you spend your Valentine’s day with, can I recommend you avoid snuggling up with Warwick student journalists? They were recently criticised for an article in The Boar, for comparing sticky club floors to "the netball girls' insides." Nice.

Whether you're a Warwick journalist, staring longingly at Spencer, or expectantly wondering around Exeter campus, sex might be on the brain tonight.

For the past few weeks however, it seems many student journalists have had "wanking" on the mind. A flourish of fake news stories, in which false university reprimands warning students against "masturbation" have been published. This latest fad, beginning originally in Cambridge, welcomed this term as the "Manc Prank Wank" story. This was the story that students at Manchester had been “asked by staff ” to refrain from “five knuckle-shuffling” in shower facilities, damaging “£2000” worth of drains.

York students have also recently followed suit, with a similar faked poster regarding masturbation in communal showers posted on Facebook. Lovely...

MISSING: POLITICS PROFESSOR

BY JUDITH MARZO POLITICS STUDENTS are being kept in the dark as to the whereabouts of one of the department’s key professors, who has been absent this term due to her involvement in a court case in the US concerning property.

Professor Alison Drew is the course convener for Historical Sociology, a second-year 30 credit module and South African Politics, a third-year 40 credit module, making her role in the politics department among the most crucial.

Politics students were told that professor Alison Drew would be absent for a couple of weeks at most. Despite this she has been away for the entire duration of this term. “At first we were told she would be back within two weeks and then we were told she would only be back in time to give one lecture.” says one of her students.

Another politics student told a similar tale, “I’ve only really been told that she's being held up at home and shouldn't be too long.”

As a result of her absence the course outline for Histori-

cal Sociology has been altered.

“Our seminar schedule has been changed around in the hope that Mrs. Drew will be back to lecture on feminism however it seems pretty fruitless to me given that her return seems so unsure” replied one Historical Sociology student after being questioned on the issue.

Fortunately, an old Historical Sociology course convener has been able to take over her lectures while professor Alex-Bavister Gould has had to take over both seminar groups.

Her absence has been bitter sweet for some Historical Sociology students, “It is an inconvenience to not be taught by [the tutor] we are supposed to [be taught by], especially when they are the module convener” commented one student.

The South African Politics module, probably the most important module given that it comes at such a crucial time for the third years, has also been affected by her absence.

In week two the third-years missed a lecture and an hour and a half long seminar. In week three they were given an organisational seminar that lasted no

BY BOOK OR BY CROOK

BY HELENA KEALEY CONTINUED CONCERNS are being raised by students over the company Southwestern Advantage.

Southwestern, a company offering 'internships' to York Students, has come under criticism again this week for immoral and deceitful behaviour.

Mike Anstey a prominent member of York's Law society, and another anonymous third year student, approached Vision to discuss their experience, saying they felt “truly disturbed by the Southwestern Company’s use of exploitative techniques to recruit students.”

Despite being banned from Birmingham and Durham Universities over "concerns about the company’s method to market itself", Southwestern is continuing to use dubious methods to recruit on York Campus, including approaching students in V-Bar, the Courtyard, and last year entering lectures against University regulations.

The company's wholesales, Anstey explained to Vision, have grown to more than £280 million over the last few years, profiting from the door-to-door sales the student 'interns' engage in once in America. The company, in using British students, also qualifies for American tax breaks.

Because the students are 'independent contractors', the company offers no support or help for stu-

dents who encounter unfriendly clients, or even the police, in areas where door-to-door sales are unwelcome. Furthermore, due to US regulations, all students must work alone.

One website, 'southwesterncompanytruth.com', is a forum dedicated to helping people dealing with the company, includes testimonials from people affected, including one which announces "Southwestern is dishonest. Southwestern exploits... Southwestern bullies and smears its critics."

York careers services were aware of the Southwestern issue when Vision spoke to them.

Andrew Ferguson explained that whilst the company does not have “mass appeal”, they did not want to “deny York students opportunities”, adding that students should be able to make “balanced and informed choices.”

Despite all this, there are York students who have enjoyed the 'challenge' of Southwestern. Oscar Wimhurst earnt around $15,000 in his first summer, and despite working 80 hours a week defends students' rights to participate, saying; "you learn about leadership."

In defence of the allegations of exploitation, he said that "everything is gone through beforehand."

longer than ten minutes. In week four they were given their first analytical seminar. However, it was convened by a retired parttime economics lecturer whose only experience on the subject stemmed from temporarily living in Botswana.

"It is highly disruptive to your studies, especially in such a crucial final teaching term, to have such poor quality teaching and a lack of scheduled contact hours.

The department failed to communicate properly with students and the quality of the initial replacement teaching was seriously inadequate.” claimed one third year politics student.

After receiving complaints from students the politics department were commendably able to make the necessary changes to smooth over the disruptions of Drew’s absence. However, these changes only took place half-way through the term.

There has been a notable lack of clarity throughout the ordeal with students receiving unclear and uncertain information. This is reflected in the different explanations given to students by members of staff and the lack of official notification on behalf of

the Politics Department.

“It's been a bit frustrating really," said one student, "I was told by one member of staff that she was away because she was ill and then I was told by another member of staff she was away because she was caught up in a court case. I was told she would be back shortly, then I was told she would be back in time to give one lecture this term and now I am being told no one is sure when she will be back!”

The Politics Department and University Press Office refused to give a comment after being questioned on the matter, whilst Drew was unavailable for comment.

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NEWS

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14, 2012

LEGAL BUT DEADLY

STUDENTS RECOUNT DRUG HELL

s ' t a h W The Quack?

BY JOE SOFTLEY & SAMUEL EARLE

Continued from front page.

A new drug, 'MKET', is spreading around campus, despite concerns over its serious side effects.

Vision has uncovered numerous cases of abuse and misuse of the dangerous drug from University of York students.

A second-year student, who wished to remain anonymous, relayed her horrific 'MKET' experience in York to Vision reporters.

"One moment I started uncontrollably vomiting, the world started throbbing and my eyes rolled back into my head."

"I started panicking [...] I have about three hours where I blacked out. When I came back I had bitten through my lip."

A warning has already been issued by psychopharmacologist, Dr. Valerie Curran, from University College London, on the use of such new drugs.

"People are playing Russianroulette when they take something like this because there has been no research on its effects," she said.

A first-year Derwent resident who has tried the drug and preferred to remain anonymous, told Vision: “My friends and I bought what I thought was ketamine in Leeds, however it quickly became apparent that it was something else.”

“About ten minutes after taking it, mild hallucinations began unlike anything ketamine had

b Which sports clu ds un po 00 £5 ed ruin e worth of privat nual an r ei th at ty proper ball?

ever produced. The surprise was such that my friends and I had to immediately leave the club."

Another second-year student reported similar experiences.

“I was surprised to find that after taking what I thought was ketamine, I did not lose my ability to talk or move properly.”

“Instead, I found myself honestly questioning whether the little monkey on the front of the Coco Pops cereal box wanted to fight me. I can’t quite decide whether it was on the right or wrong side of weird.”

National drugs awareness organisation FRANK has reiterated this danger. The lack of research means that no suitable advice can actually be given.

When asked by Vice magazine to provide advice for users of methoxetamine, more com-

MY DRUG SHAME

All quotes anonymous.

>LOSING YOURSELF "Looking back on last night, I still find it hard to believe I was out for only five hours, it felt like I had been clubbing for a whole day. That was the most striking thing about the drug for me, completely losing my perception of time.

Like other rave drugs such as 'MCAT' and 'MDMA', 'MKET' does allow you to stay up for a long time. However, it comes at the expense of losing yourself - a bit like watching a film where you're the main character."

>CHEMICALS

"Chemically, 'MKET' is most similar to ketamine, with its effects said to be less physically debilitating but longer lasting than the notorious horse tranquilliser. Personally I haven't taken K so I can't compare the two; I found 'MKET' more similar to 'acid' (LSD) than 'MDMA'."

>PANIC "I first took it in a dirty toilet cubicle whilst I was in a club.

Initially it felt good, but after a bit I started to panic as the effects started to kick in. Objects in the room started to reach out to me, and despite everyone saying it was normal, I started to freak out. I ran back to the toilet and vomited everywhere.

The next four hours are a blur, but I woke up on my friend's floor, my fingernails bleeding and bitten down to the quick, my mouth bloody." >HORRIFIC

"'MKET' was a horrific experience. Even compared to 'MDMA', it has similar effects on the bodily functions. I had a constant need to drink water and an inability to get an erection for days. In all honestly, I cannot believe what a horrific effect this legal substance had on me."

CKI N A DP E T UT. R O A D T I "I S CKE A CK L A B B E .I ING CAM UGH I O R N H E NT WH E T BIT " D A LIP. H Y M

monly known as 'roflcoptr' or 'MKET', the underground 'pharmacist' stylised as "M" behind the drug said “if people had responsibility then that would be enough, but unfortunately some people just don’t know the meaning of the word”.

Whilst 'MCAT' was banned in the UK in 2010, it is legal to possess 'MKET' in the UK due to drug legislation loopholes that are yet to be plugged.

The ability to sell 'MKET' online has resulted in some unusual drug marketing techniques.

Prominent distributors of the drug have their own Facebook page, Twitter feed and even merchandise (including baseball caps and t-shirts).

This rare approach has clearly yielded effective results with the website announcing on its Facebook page on the 26th of January 2012 that it had temporarily sold out of the drug.

With information and public awareness still low, it is unclear how long the drug will remain legal. In 2010 mephedrone was made illegal having been linked with over 50 deaths. The impact of the media frenzy was such that the illegalisation of the drug was inevitable.

With a Guardian Drugs Survey inquiring into 'MKET' already underway, media interest is sure to rapidly increase, thus leaving the future of the drug in doubt.

The rise in 'MKET's popularity was well illustrated in a 2011 report by The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction on ‘Legal Highs’. The report

state d that the number of 'MKET' distributors online had risen from just 14 in January to 58 in July. This was by far the largest increase compared to any other synthetic substance monitored.

YUSU Welfare Officer Bob Hughes told Vision, "Students should be very aware of what they are offered and are taking.

Although these highs may currently be legal, they're not always safe, and you can't always guarantee that they won't have negative consequences."

"If you are concerned about your own, or a friend's, use of drugs, including these legal highs, you can talk confidentially to YUSU and University support services like the Advice and Support Centre, Nightline or Open Door."

Doctor Angela Cottrell, who is researching the link between ketamine and bladder damage at the Bristol Urological Institute warned, "People need to be more aware of this. The short term effects can be severe enough but we just don't know what the long term effects are."

Police are warning the public not to take any form of the drug, after a 59-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man, were found dead over the weekend after ketamine overdoses.

Which campus hack has been told to avoid writing whilst un der the influence in future?

Which two Sabb 'a bit candidates had first r ei of thing' in th year?

Which sports clu b captain has now pulled all but two femal e members of thei r society?

ir has Which Vice-Cha for h tis fe a bit of a treasurers? n't Even FetSoc do at.... accommodate th

5

6 NEWS

ALCOHOL BAN ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION on the streets of York is under threat, as the Council is considering plans to make the entire city an alcohol exclusion zone.

Many students will have noticed signs popping up across town forewarning drinkers that they could face a fine of up to £500 if they do not comply with confiscation orders.

However, most of the complaints in a petition signed by taxi drivers and business owners last September said the main problem with drinking related anti-social behaviour was around the taxi rank near Heron Foods - not a location near the YUSU endorsed nights.

BENDY NO MORE

Tuesday February 14, 2012

ESTATE AGENTS, landlords and the council are in total confusion over the rise in student houses - as Vision uncovers (in its own survey), an average rise of £7.70 per week.

The survey of 62 random student properties, including Adam Bennett, Sinclair, Whistles, AP as

or £15 per week, one independet York landlord told Vision the situation was "crackers".

Adam Bennett defended himself, explaining that "property rents haven't increased in ten years [...] so now we're playing catch up," adding that "the quality of houses has gone up" and "mortgage rents have

One landlady, however, who increased her rent for next year by £10 per week, instead said she followed "what the estate agent suggested," and even had to ask it to be reduced from what they originally set it as.

Speaking to Vision, one independent landlord drew attention to Article

well as independent landlords gave the average rise of house prices this year as £7.70 per week, with Adam Bennett's rise averaging out at £12.40 and Sinclair as £3.70.

Unable to give a coherent answer as to why the rents have increased, property owners contradict and at worst blame one another.

With some houses going up by as much as £10

altered."

"Mortgages have not gone up," says a Sinclair representative; "there is little justification for landlords to increase rents. I wrote to all landlords to caution realistic expectations." He went on to explain that his rise could be accounted for by the increase of "bills and the cost of fuel and house improvements."

4, passed recently by the council, that means "landlords can't create new student houses after the 20th April," "Article 4 has had no impact on housing prices YET" retorted Sinclair.

"There shouldn't be a reason..." answered one indepenedent landlord, "some of the student houses are pits [...] Students are sheep."

IN A controversial decision, the much maligned First FTR purple bendy buses are to be scrapped by Easter.

They ll replace the buses with more familiar and easily accessible’ double deckers. They are scrapping the buses due to their overly large size, which causes problems for other motorists and is also said to damage the city’s roads.

Despite 'easy access' claims, YUSU Disabled Students’ Officer Liam Haakon Smith was concerned.

“The new buses they use actually have fewer reserved seats for disabled people and I have to walk further down the bus to get to one,” he told Vision.

The lack of need for both a BY OLIVER TODD conductor and a driver also means up to thirty jobs could be lost due THE LIST of candidates for to the scrapping of the buses.

2012's YUSU Elections has been revealed, with five candidates running to succeed Tim Ellis as the head of the stuON CAMPUS, after a fairly dents' union. unsuccessful JCRC election Goodricke Chair Nacho Henseason, colleges have been ando, Vanbrugh Chair Kallum holding their by-elections this Taylor, serial course and faculty term to fill vacant positions. rep Zahra Ahmed, 2010 Welfare Derwent were the first to an- Officer runner-up Peter Warnernounce their results, shortly after Medley, and former Goodricke students finished their January bar rep James Carney are all set exams. Each of the eight elected to battle it out for the top spot of candidates received around fifty YUSU President. They are joined votes, a solid turnout. by joke candidates Abir Ahmmed, Vanbrugh College enjoyed who has aspirations to build a significant success, electing six YUSU moon base, and Thomas new positions, whilst Halifax had Stuart Taylor who aims to set up perhaps the most problems fill- a 'Geese Police' service. ing their committee, and added Incumbents Graeme Osborn eight members to the JCRC in and Bob Hughes face competition the by-elections. After successful for their Sabbatical roles from by-elections, Halifax President Eppie Leishman for Academic George Offer spoke to Vision to Officer, and Hannah Wigley and congratulate the new members.

Lewis Haines for Welfare Officer Every college had positions to respectively. fill in what was a period nearly as Student Activities Officer will busy as the elections in Decem- be contested between URY stalber. A full list of results for all wart Helen Marrison, Vanbrugh's colleges can be found on respec- Chris West and volunteering oftive JCRC boards. ficer Hannah Brearley.

BY HELENA KEALEY

NEWS IN BRIEF

YORK VISION

SEVEN STUDENTS PUT THEMSELVES UP FOR PRESIDENCY IN THE MOST CONTESTED ELECTION FOR YEARS

YUSU NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

BY-ELECTIONS

2012 YUSU Election Nominees: YUSU President Abir Ahmmed James Carney Kallum Taylor Thomas Stuart Taylor Peter Warner-Medley Nacho Hernando Zahra Latif Academic Officer Eppie Leishman Graeme Osborn Student Activities Officer Helen Marrison Chris West Hannah Brearley Welfare Officer Bob Hughes Hannah Wigley Lewis Haines York Sport President Charlotte Winter Dong-Oh Shin Campaigns Officer(s) Megan Cross & Ben Dilks Peter Hollingsworth

Disabled Students' Officer(s) Emma Hersey Madelaine Kirkman Ents Officer(s) Chris Edwards & Sanchita Chawla E&E Officer(s) Emma Hughes Isobel Edwards International Officer(s) Mike Anstey & Ankita Chawla Egle Vasiliauskaite Ian Lau Maciej Rys LGBT Officer(s) Leon Morris Mature Students' Officer(s) Minal Niriksha Supri Racial Equality Officer(s) Vishnuu Nithiyananthan Itai Choto & Rohan Banerjee Rebekah Phiri Asiya Elgady RAG Officer(s) Becky Mursell & Erin Cork

Volunteering Officer(s) Alissa O'Malley Guan Li Louisa Moorhouse Amy Jepson Yu Gao Women's Officer(s) Lauren Bray & Zoe Wilkinson Emma Hawkens Union Chair Josh Allen Mark Taylor Nick Hall Student Trustee James Burch Harry Clementson Jason Rose Mark Taylor Megan O'Kane Senate Rep James Burch Harry Toynton Hussein Kesvani Itai Michael Choto Jason Rose Voting opens at midday on Wednesday Week 7 and closes at midday on Thursday Week 8.

YORK VISION

NEWS

Tuesday February 14, 2012

7

UNIVERSITY PROPOSES NEW INTERNATIONAL CENTRES IN NEW YORK AND HONG KONG

FROM OLD YORK TO NEW YORK...

BY HARRY PICK UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS have presented plans to launch a new summer school programme abroad, starting in 2013, possibly as a replacement to current study abroad programmes.

The plans, in their tentative stages, would see the University renting out spaces in unoccupied buildings on campuses abroad over the summer period and converting them into ‘international study centres’ occupied by York.

The centres would be temporary spaces, as Heslington Hall has repeatedly dismissed suggestions of building a 'second campus' abroad, similar to Nottingham’s Ningbo campus founded in 2004.

The centres would offer summer programmes of between four and six weeks, to allow students to boost their personal academic standing and the position of York as a ‘global’ university, to gain the experience of living in a world city and integrate more

with another culture.

David Duncan, University of York Registrar, spoke to Vision, confirming; “York is looking seriously at setting up international study centres overseas. " Market research with students found New York City and Hong Kong were the favoured locations, with the universities considered for the initial 2013 start being Colombia University and the Chinese University (Hong Kong).

However, due to the costs and organisation involved, the planned scheme puts the current popular year or term abroad system at York under threat.

Both Duncan and Jane Grenville, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Students, expressed concerns to Vision about the year abroad programme, blaming differences in marking – particularly between the US and UK university system – for causing academic stress and welfare concerns.

International marking is

generally more generous than the UK system, often giving results in the eighties that are very rarely given at York – causing problems for returning students who complain their grades are declining.

Duncan also claimed that the year abroad programme often led to difficulties readjusting after taking a break from structured degree programmes, leading to problems both with adapting to the English university system again, and even finding a house and readapting to English life.

One second year student who participated in the term abroad, said, "I received a hundred per cent on my final work when abroad. Yet, I'm concerned whether the University will even accept the mark. It is nearly two months later and it hasn't appeared on e-Vision."

Yet, despite qualms from some students, the year abroad scheme has received student support.

Jack Knight, a third year History student, was shocked at the possibility the programme might be replaced and defended its flaws.

"It would be wrong to deny that there is no room for improvement within the current study abroad system. However, the need for small scale improvements should not be interpreted as a case for unnecessarily overhauling the whole system."

"Parts of the process have already been extensively streamlined and successfully simplified by some academic departments.

With greater communication and further development a complete overhaul of the system would be unnecessary."

Yet even the summer programme is up in the air, as no final decision has been made in light of the inherent staffing problems.

Duncan suggested drawing on PhD students to help teach at the summer study centres, but

no concrete plans have emerged.

The University will also contact its strong Alumni Associations, particularly in the US, to search for staff, spaces and funding.

In the midst of these concerns however, Duncan attested that, “The advantages for participating students could be very considerable. We will have to work hard to make sure that all students who want to take part can afford it, and that the programmes of study are top quality.”

The centres will form part of the University’s wider ‘internationalisation’ attempts, alongside York’s LFA programme, with up to a quarter of students that are ‘international’. Both Duncan and Grenville expressed hope that that the centres will be vital in boosting the University’s international profile.

These plans will continue to be discussed over the coming year.

ARCH-ENEMIES DIRE-RHEA DERWENT

BY LEONIE BLAKEWAY

THE POLICE were called after the Archbishop of York received hate mail following the comments he released regarding gay marriage last week.

On the 27th January the Archbishop John Sentamu opposed gay marriage in an interview with The Daily Telegraph.

The Archbishop stated that, in his opinion, "marriage must remain between a man and a woman [...] It is set in tradition [...] you can't (change it) overnight, no matter how powerful you are."

Although no details have been given of the contents of the mail, it is understood to include threats against the Archbishop, a number of which are reportedly racially charged.

The City of York's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) group have denied any involvement in the hate mail, as have the University of York's respective society. Dr Sentamu's comments immediately prompted a response from YUSU, who staged a demonstration outside the York Minster, and saw over 70 people attend.

The Archbishop’s office issued a statement regarding the threats.

"A large quantity of correspondence was received in response to the Archbishop's interview with The Daily Telegraph… there have

been a small number of abusive and threatening e-mails of a racist nature, which North Yorkshire Police are investigating as 'Hate Crimes'."

His office also added that the Archbishop would continue to defend people in civil partnerships and gay and lesbian people.

One student, Sofia Khan, argued that although she doesn’t support the use of hate mail, the comments made by the Archbishop were extremely distasteful. She told Vision: "I don’t understand where the Archbishop is coming from, why shouldn’t gay couples be allowed to get married?"

Another student, Sophy Bullard, was more supportive of the Archbishop however, saying: "I don’t really agree with him but people should be allowed to voice their opinions without fear of being threatened."

Leon Morris, running for YUSU LGBT Officer, described the hate mail as, "an unfortunate consequence of Dr John Sentamu's comment itself."

However, he felt that the comments made by Dr Sentamu as "hurtful and archaic", and continued; "they would naturally aggrieve many people who study and live in York." Morris did go on to say that the hate mail is "unfortunate but is completely outside of the protest's influence and aim."

BY ANMOLI SODHA

DERWENT RESIDENTS have been plagued by a foul smell as the newly refurbished D Block suffers its second sewage leak in as many months.

The problem first arose in December, and was initially mistaken for a prank.

After noticing that the smell did not disperse, D Block resident Francesca Glew spotted from her bedroom window, what was, on closer inspection, a large pile of sewage.

The problem was immedi-

ately reported to the Derwent Porter's Lodge by multiple residents. Maintenance then came and 'cleaned' the pile of faeces – by hosing it straight onto Glew’s window.

Glew sent an email to then Derwent JCRC Chair Matt Jenkins, telling him that, “It smelt horrendously and I couldn't stand to be in my room for the next few hours as it made me feel sick. I didn't have a clue what was happening.”

The problem reared its head once more a fortnight ago, as D Block bottom floor residents

again noticed the foul smell.

This time Derwent Provost Robert Aitken personally intervened in the matter, instructing the porters to send for plumbers as soon as possible, and requesting that Estate Managers look at the problem.

Two days later, residents were informed that “the immediate blockage has been cleared” and that an external drainage company had been called in to investigate.

Residents report that there has been no evidence of further work on the drain where the sewage is leaking, or the three other problem pipes in the building, including one that burst above an electric light in a bathroom.

Vision can also reveal that Oddies, the contractors used to refurbish Derwent D Block, which was contracted out on the basis of competitive tendering by the University, has since gone out of business. Jessica Wragg, another D Block resident, said; “You have to question whether the Uni put the integrity and quality of the renovation, and student safety, before its desire to keep the budget down.”

Current Derwent JCRC Chair Francesca Knight is taking the matter to the Vice-Chancellor in order to finally resolve the issues affecting the welfare of Derwent students.

8NEWS

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14, 2012

COMMENT

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14, 2011

>Comment ALEX FINNIS

I

t is fair to say that Vision’s recent article on YUSU’s condemnation of Archbishop of York John Sentamu’s comments on gay marriage has caused quite a stir on our website. Students have been entering into a heated debate as to whether Tim Ellis was right to speak out against the Archbishop, with many arguing that he should not be getting involved in an issue that is outside the University, and that he has no right to speak on our behalf.

However, those students are fundamentally wrong. With the YUSU elections looming, now, more than ever, is a vital time to realise why these elections happen, and what we elect people for.

Sure, we make our choices based partly on policies. In fact, a presidential candidate who promised 50p pints at the Courtyard and free iPads for all students would probably end up storming to victory. Yet what we also, and most importantly, elect these people for, is to be a voice for us all.

As YUSU President, Ellis is the figurehead of the University’s student body, he is the one man whose voice will really be heard when an issue affecting students comes to the fore. We, as a collective whole, have elected him to be this voice, and therefore it would be negligent and indeed totally wrong of him not to speak up when he feels

OLIVIA HEAD

I

must admit that, as many others seem to have done, I wrote Elly Nowell off as a sensationally cocky and childish attention-seeker when I first read about the letter of rejection she took it upon herself to write to Oxford University.

The 19 year old, who is presently studying for her A-Levels at a state school in Hampshire, wrote to tutors at Magdalen College, after attending an interview there, to inform them that she would be withdrawing her application. She clarified, “I realise you may be disappointed by this decision but you were in competition with many fantastic universities and following your interview I am afraid you do not quite meet the standard of the universities I will be considering”, and then went on to offer various tips for “re-application”. If they wanted a student such as herself to accept a place at the university then they should cease to hold interviews in “grand formal settings” which allow public school applicants to flourish but “intimidate” state school applicants. Not only this, but they should also address the “obvious gap between minorities and white middle class students”.

Initially it seemed to me that, for all her

9

WHO RE-PREZ-ENTS US?

TIM ELLIS WAS RIGHT TO SPEAK OUT ON OUR BEHALF. there is something to address.

It is a sad mark of today’s society that people (we, the media, being prime examples) are so quick to criticise those in power, and do so at any available opportunity. To me, Ellis only deserves praise for his attack on the Archbishop’s comments.

People are so quick to criticise those in power, and do so at any available opportunity, but to me, Ellis only deserves praise for his attack on the Archbishop's comments.

In speaking for us, he has displayed the sort of strength we look for in a leader. Had he sat and let Sentamu’s words pass without so much as a squeak from our students’ union, he would no doubt have been called spineless and weak. He is never going to please everyone with his actions; I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who would protest even at the notion of free iPads for all students, but by sitting silently

in his office, suppressing the calls of York’s students under a hefty pile of pledges, policies and paperwork, he would be pleasing nobody.

Saying this, I can see why, with this particularly sensitive issue, people have raised concerns over Ellis speaking on the behalf of all students. With the protests over fee rises and the like, in other words, weighty student issues, it would be absurd for the President to not make his voice heard, but the issue of gay marriage is clearly a little different. It is not something that affects all students or is aimed at us directly, yet the city of York and its University are consummately linked, and Ellis rightly felt a need to distance Sentamu’s comments from the student body.

As a University, we are naturally a young community, and without sounding too pretentious, one that should represent the future of this country. Progression and equality have been walking hand in hand for a long time now, and members of the LGBT community are nowadays thankfully seen by most as equals. They can now legally adopt children in the UK, and so why not get married?

As comments on our earlier article point out, numerically, LGBT people make up a small portion of the population, but

that does not mean that they do not deserve YUSU’s full support. YUSU, and indeed each college, has LGBT officers for a reason - they are a group that need and deserve representation, though not just by these particular officers.

Ellis clearly feels this way, and as the head of what should be a progressive community, so he should. It is wholly encouraging that he did not hide away and take the easy option by simply leaving YUSU LGBT Officer Cem Turhan to object to the Archbishop’s comments, for he clearly felt that this is an issue that should be supported by the entire student body rather than just its LGBT minority.

With a new President due to be elected later this term, I can only hope that whoever it may be continues to speak out on our behalf and give York’s students a voice on a variety of issues like Tim Ellis has done on this occasion.

On the surface, presedential candidates often appear very alike, with policies often boringly similar and each one appearing as sickeningly passionate about taking on the job as the last. Maybe, before you vote this time around, it is worth thinking about who you want acting as your student voice for the year to come, and whether or not they are up to the job.

AN OXFORD OUTRAGE

IS SENDING A LETTER REJECTING OXFORD OBNOXIOUS, OR DOES IT SAY WHAT WE'RE ALL THINKING? pretensions, the smug self-importance was untenable on two accounts. Firstly, she was foolish and quite simply wrong to claim that Oxford didn’t meet the standard of the universities she was applying for; it is repeatedly ranked in the top ten of univer-

Although her rejection letter is immature and, ultimately, pointless, she may have felt there was no other way of expressing herself at a time which can be immensely stressful. sities worldwide, and its reputation in the UK is rivalled only by Cambridge. Secondly, she wasn’t even offered a place. You can’t reject something until it is offered to you; it just doesn’t work like that.

However, I have a sneaking suspicion that, lurking beneath my scorn and indig-

nation, I felt a hint of jealousy at Nowell.

Not because of her self-supposed ‘power’ to reject Oxford – for I am in no way convinced that her letter constituted a ‘rejection’ – but because of her confidence to actually criticise the daunting system by which students are selected to study there.

My experiences of applying to university were stressful to say the least. Conflicting opinions from parents, teachers, friends, family, neighbours, distant relatives, friends of friends and every Tom, Dick and Harry concerning which university I was best suited to and, perhaps more importantly, I would be likely to receive an offer from, left me feeling overwhelmed. There was a point when I considered applying to Oxbridge myself, even though the comprehensive state school I went to actively dissuaded me from doing so, mainly because of the pressure I felt under from my (entirely well meaning) parents.

At home with them I felt as though I was ‘not good enough’ if I didn’t apply. At school, I felt stupid for even suggesting the idea, embarrassed that my teachers and peers would believe that I thought of myself as ‘above’ everyone else, and acutely aware of the fact that successful

applicants from our school were very few and far between. For me, it was all too much. Receiving offers and rejections from my five choices was difficult enough so I can only imagine how I would have felt if I’d gone through the gruelling application and interview process at Oxbridge.

This is the point at which I begin to see where Nowell is coming from. Although her rejection letter is immature and, ultimately, pointless, she may have felt there was no other way of expressing herself at a time which can be immensely stressful for a young person. Admittedly I know nothing about Nowell but, in light of my own personal experience, I cannot help but feel slightly a degree of empathy towards her. It may well have been a mixture of pride and attempted self-preservation that led to her premature rejection of an institution she, very possibly, felt was likely to reject her anyway. Besides, I have no doubt that the tutors who received Ms Nowell’s letter will felt not even a hint of the upset, humiliation and self-doubt that those who they reject feel on finding out that, for all their efforts, their application has been unsucessful. That is, if they even bothered to read it at all.

THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER? EMAIL COMMENT@YORKVISION.CO.UK

10 COMMENT

THE VOICE OF

YORK VISION

T

Vision Says...

his year's race for the YUSU Presidency looks to be the most exciting in years.

Much of the hype looks set to be centred around the battle of the ex-College Chairs, with Goodricke's Nacho Hernando going head to head with Kallum Taylor of Vanbrugh.

Vision reckons this one could go down to the wire; there is no clear favourite, and both Taylor and Hernando will be able to rely on hefty backing from their respective colleges.

Add to this the fact that there are three other candidates running and we really do have a bit of a 'Royal Rumble' on our hands. Infamous Goodricke third-year James Carney's campaign will no doubt unsettle his former College Chair whilst another candidate, third-year PPE student Abir Ahmmed, is planning to etch his name amongst the stars by building a YUSU Space Station on the moon. Though by the looks of it, this is only mildly more ambitious than completing the offices being built in James College...

Despite all the excitement, there is a gaping hole in this year's race for the Presidency; for the first time since 2008 there are no Tims running.

Outrageous. Additionally, Sam Asfahani's inability to run may force him to finally leave York meaning the University looks set to have a very different look to it by this time next year.

N

Thumbs up to...

o more headaches. No more distractions.

No more constant, mind-numbing construction work that makes you want to snatch the workers' tools and use them to drill into your own skull.

That's right, the library refurbishments are finally coming to an end and students will be left to work in the peace and quiet they desire. If the Halifax footballers don't decide to make an unwelcome return that is.

Not only will the library now be obeying its own pleas for silence, but students may, shock horror, be able to actually find the books they're looking for too.

This new found perfect study space will be further enhanced by the addition of a brand new Costa cafe to replace the old Freshers; as if us students really need another thing to distract us from our work.

Even so, we are on the verge of finally having a modern, fully-functioning study space. Joyful.

T

Thumbs down to...

he snow! Not only is it making sports people campus-wide bored and cranky by causing fixtures to be cancelled left, right and centre but it is just a massive, slippery inconvenience for us all.

Though the University as a whole is well gritted, walking to and from campus on what can now only be described as an ice rink is the epitome of a first world problem, but a problem nonetheless.

I can tell you now that we here at Vision have fallen on far too many occasions to be able to 'style it out' every time, and I'm sure we're not the only ones.

There have been times over this past week when York has officially been the coldest city in the country, leaving cash-strapped students with the dilemma of whether to splash out on increased heating bills or wake up with frostbite, hardly an enviable choice to have to make.

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14, 2012

SEXUAL REVOLUTION REVISITED HAS SEXUALITY GONE TOO FAR IN MODERN DAY SOCIETY?

LEON Morris

U

niversity is a big moment for a lot of people and there are several expected components to a student life: reading, drinking and having sex.

For some of us, we only ever indulge in two of these hobbies, but the fact is quite clear: sex is inextricably entwined into our concept of university from the word go. We hear from adults, warning us that they know 'what goes on.' They are usually correct.

Has it always been this way?

Traditionally, sex is seen as something that consummates a deep connection between two people, even to a spiritual extent. It would be foolish to maintain that men and women didn’t want to gain some form of gratification from the act of sexual intercourse and it remains one’s right to do what one wants and with whomever. The question, however, remains; in the past, when two consenting people agreed to have sex with each other, they both generally felt that they committed in a moral fashion. However, when one or two people are far too drunk to make a decision regarding whether they do or don’t want to have sex with the other, it is rightly frowned upon.

We have moved away from this as a society. It is now frequent for two or more people to have sex, under an external influence, and to dismiss the act as 'inevitable.' When drunk, we no longer question whether it is going to happen or not. We expect it to do so. It begs the question of whether this way of having

sex with other people is moral or not, particularly when contrasted with how things used to be. When people cannot make a sober decision of whether they want to have sex with another person or not, it becomes difficult to defend it as moral.

It is now frequent for two or more people to have sex, under an external influence, and to dismiss the act as 'inevitable.'

This trend seems to be getting worse.

We are moving steadily towards living in an environment where students are getting excessively inebriated with alcohol simply to have sex with one another. It is also becoming more of a worry that people spike drinks, especially here in York.

Whether it is drink spiking or excessive alcohol consumption, the result is the same; a shift away from traditional values discussed before to a more selfish approach to sex.

What of the new Fetish Society?

Students jokingly discuss and banter about the society but the fundamental point here is relatively distressing. The goal of such a society leads only to objectifying sex as a merely physical act. The 'FetSoc' approach to fetishes can only detract further from the emotional value

that remains a part of sexual intercourse.

It is also worth considering the role of sex within society today on a much larger scale. A sexual attraction to another person is becoming an easy way for businesses, in many industries, to sell products. Let us call this the sexual revolution revisited, because that is precisely what it is.

Music videos are smothered with images of almost naked women, and the music itself, despite claiming sophistication, is quite frequently only suitable to play in a club. Young children are running around plastered in make-up with very little idea of why they feel they must do this, and clothing is very rarely worn without a consideration for what sexual appeal it pertains. I feel it is not my place to vindicate any person who is swept along by this vast shift in values but it strikes me as bizarre how each and every one of us has become a subject to sex without many of us realising it.

The title considers whether sexuality has gone too far and in some ways, it can’t. We are individuals and we should all equally be allowed to do what we want.

There should never be any restrictions on what we can and can’t do and sex is simply a matter of life that we can all partake in. But when we are surrounded by such a culture and sexual commercialism is rife in all forms of advertising, it does make one wonder.

HIGH TIME WE STOPPED Harry pick

M

LEGAL DRUGS POSE A SERIOUS HEALTH RISK TO STUDENTS ON CAMPUS

KET, the infinitely annoying street name ‘ROFLCOPTR’ or, for the chemists, methoxetamine, is the new legal high making waves around York. For me though, not the most experimental soul, the idea of a horse tranquillizer swirling around my blood stream has never appealed.

Yet I like to consider myself fairly liberal on drug matters. I’m not adverse to measures promoting cannabis for medical use and with MKET, I approached the issue with my usual naivety – if it’s legal, why is abusing it any worse than the standard York student's downing of cheap Willow Sambuca shots, or an office worker's eight daily cups of coffee?

However, this is exactly the view the distributors of such drugs hope to foster – an ignorant, glamourised perception of what is an exceptionally dangerous and addictive drug. MKET is a few chemical compounds away from MKAT, or mephedrone, a past ‘legal high’ that after a brief craze was banned across the EU at the end of 2010. They both can cause pretty serious hallucinogenic effects for the price of a bottle of vodka. Almost exclusively available online, MKET web distributors have tripled in the last six months.

My basic understanding of human

biology tells me snorting or swallowing a chemical labelled “not fit for human consumption”, does not sound like it’s going to produce the best effects, despite the quick high. The experience of students interviewed in York has almost been exclusively negative, and some of worst side effects include horrific teeth grinding, nausea, heart palpitations and, yes, even a risk of death. One or more of these side effects have been felt by over

Some of worst side effects include horrific teeth grinding, nausea, heart palpitations and, yes, even a risk of death. half those who take legal highs according to a UK Addiction survey.

Whilst I haven’t tried MKET, I don’t intend to, I recognise all of us will probably know someone who has or will.

Rather slyly, its creator “M.” professed in an interview with hipster site Vice.com that it was an anti-depressant for those with mental or physical scars abandoned by the medical system, an expected lack

of moral compass from an underground drug chemist. It is this marketing that worries me most. Often portrayed as a “friendlier” form of ecstasy, or even as a painkiller, such an attribution could not be further from the point.

MKET distributors aim at partygoers and conversely those seeking strong pain relief. Both are guided to purchase with little information about what’s entering their system. A quick Google search yields little but information on how to purchase MKET. Dosage requirements and health warnings are near impossible to find, a particularly worrying absence considering MKET’s inherent potency and heightened risk of overdose.

When something is classified as ‘legal’ it leads to various connotations; safe, principled, protective. None of these phrases can be associated with MKET. Naivety will not suffice, and distributors will keep glamorising this drug until we step up. Whilst we wait with baited breath for reports of the first attributed deaths, I fear the government and those in the know are claiming ignorance of MKET’s obvious human misuses, and not fulfilling their duty of informing people of its inherent dangers and stopping distribution of these ‘legal’ highs once and for all.

YORK VISION

COMMENT

Tuesday February 14, 2012

THAT'S ASDA PRICE

Olivia Waring

NINA PULLMAN

E

AN INFLUX OF NEW SOCIETIES GIVES ALCUIN STUDENTS A NEW RANGE OF EVENING ACTIVITIES

SHOULD ABU QATADA BE ALLOWED TO STAY IN THE UK?

FRED NATHAN

T

here can be no denying the unpleasant nature of Abu Qatada. I am not setting out in the following words to defend his actions as a prominent member of al-Qaeda. The man has been described as "Osama Bin-Laden's right hand man in Europe" and has featured in sermons that were found in the flats of 9/11 bombers. My argument is that under the current jurisdiction, whether we like it or not, the man has a case, and we must not make exceptions and deny him the rights that anyone else would have.

We could argue all day about Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, but the validity or not of that particular law is not the question at hand. The simple fact of the matter was that at the time of sentencing, the law fell in favour of Qatada in that there were doubts over whether he would receive a fair trial in Jordan. Theresa May has commented that "the right place for a terrorist is a prison cell. The right place for a foreign terrorist is a foreign prison cell far away from Britain." However, Jordan is known for its use of torture, so if we send him there, I believe we would be lowering ourselves to their standard. Inversely, the issue at the heart of the Qatada case is whether the use of evidence extracted in order to convict him was by torture. If so, the information simply cannot be verified.

British ministers recognise the difficulties involved in getting any state to acknowledge in writing that witnesses in a court case have been tortured.

Indeed, one must look

YES

closely at Jordan's role. In February 2009, five top Law Lords unanimously voted in favour of the government's policy of removing terror suspects from Britain on the basis of assurances from foreign governments. That is all well and good, but Jordan in this situation surely cannot be trusted. Jordan and Britain have agreed he would not be tortured, but they could go back on its word, which is a very real possibility that we would be foolish to take. The fact that the top court in Europe, central and unpartisan, does not trust Jordan, only backs that up.

Everyone has human rights in this country and we would be downgrading ourselves if we made an exception for one man. The day we do so is the day that we can no longer describe ourselves as a self-respecting nation. If we want to live in a free society, we have to take the good with the bad. We accepted the European Convention on Human Rights because it protects the weakest in society. Sometimes these people are scum, yet we have to follow the laws we created, laws which set a precedent. If we were to kick out one Muslim extremist, where would the trend stop? The wheels would be set in motion for every individual terrorist, bigot, murderer or rapist to be judged individually, which would make a mockery of established laws and practices.

His every move will be watched under his terms of bail. When assurances of a fair trial by Jordan are accepted, he will be extradited. The worry for me is that we will never see that day.

F

NO

or most in this country, allowing Abu Qatada, a radical cleric described as the spiritual leader of alQaeda in Europe and who is wanted on terrorism charges in over half a dozen countries worldwide, to remain in the UK is simply inconceivable.

Such a view is also held, almost unanimously, by the current government. “Unacceptable” was how Home Secretary Theresa May chose to describe the news that efforts to deport Qatada had been blocked by the European Court of Human Rights. We must question the role of an organisation that has the power to single-handedly overrule the will of the British public, the British government and the British judicial system with one solitary verdict.

Abu Qatada’s character only strengthens the case for his immediate deportation.

A man whose sermons were found in the home of one of the Twin Towers bombers, who faces numerous charges in his native Jordan for attempting to murder tourists and who is on record as justifying suicide bombing deserves little more than to see the inside of a prison cell for good. If this alone is not enough to test the sympathy of the British public with our understandable and very real fear of terrorism on a daily basis, then his attitude towards their country surely will; regularly preaching hatred towards a system that has supported him with benefits, for both himself and his family, and the best British lawyers.

It is, and should always be the case that human rights

11

KIERAN GENNOY

are universal. Every individual should be seen as equal before the courts and no majority opinion should ever have influence over the verdict one can expect to receive. As a country we should be proud of our history of ensuring the protection of the human rights to even the most evil of characters. There must, however, be a point at which we decide that defending somebody is no longer justifiable.

I am not calling for Britain to abandon its efforts to ensure Abu Qatada’s human rights are guaranteed. I am instead arguing that once a certain guarantee has been received, of the nature Jordan has given Britain that he will not be tortured if deported and put on trial, we as a nation should limit our efforts to support him.

The process of deporting Abu Qatada to his native Jordan has been a long and costly one. What's more, if the decision to block his deportation is not overruled, in just two years time a preacher of radical anti-western views will be free to roam our streets again, to inevitably cause more havoc. It is truly unacceptable that we have allowed a foriegn body to force a verdict upon us which has such serious implications for our country and its security. It is us alone that will have to deal with the aftermath of a terrorist attack.

The balance between the need to protect British citizens and the rights of those who attempt to attack them has been clearly distorted.

If the ECHR is not willing to re-assess this then Britain should act independently of Strasbourg and do it alone.

veryone loves a bargain. Yet, at first glance the recently released Asda ‘smartprice’ 7p Valentine’s Day card appears to be the ultimate symbol of a cheapskate’s way out. This is exactly the reaction I get from those I ask, who are outraged at the cheek of someone willing to spend so little on a loved one. Admittedly, you probably wouldn’t be too impressed on receiving this from someone as a indicator of their affection for you.

Perhaps, though, there is something more significant lurking behind this inoffensive and flimsy paper offering. Maybe, instead of conforming to an ever-growing need for unprecedented bargains in the cash-strapped recession culture of today, Asda are in fact offering something much more subtle and innovative for this year’s take on Valentine’s Day. Trying to see past the initial surprise of the price and discover exactly why this card has found its way onto the market, I wondered if Asda may have actually come as close as is physically possible to sending that illusive and meaningful ‘thought’, without any of the elaborate trappings of a traditional Valentine’s day card which potentially distract from its sincerity. The tradition of communicating affection is as old as time, and has culminated in one of the best-known clichés; ‘it’s the thought that counts’. With a price as low as 7p one thing’s for sure, Asda ensures that this time it’s definitely not the price that ‘counts', so, logically then, it must be the ‘thought’. Is it possible that one of the icons of modern-day consumerism, the second biggest superstore chain in Britain, has managed to get this well-worn and most sentimental of clichés onto the market?

Asda themselves quote a far more economical reason for the card’s release, stating on their online blog that they had identified a niche in the market for those who ‘don’t take Valentine’s Day too seriously, but who still want to make a gesture’. Well they’ve definitely got that bit right, as it seems the number of people, even in relationships, who claim to ‘hate’ Valentine’s Day is more every year; a fact that strikes me as sadder than the consumer tradition surrounding the day itself. It’s nice to know that those cynics among us can now smugly present this card to their loved ones, happy in the irony of its simplicity and satisfying even their most anti-conformist inner selves.

Or perhaps they have gone too far, and the irony is lost on a day when we should be focusing on the meaningful value of our relationships, and not on flicking two fingers up at the multi-million pound card-making industry. As the cheeky message inside the card denotes by saying ‘my love for you is priceless’, this is not a card that takes itself too seriously at all. So that is the overwhelming message to take from it; lighten up, enjoy your relationship and while you’re at it spare a smile for the cutting-edge wit of Asda card suppliers.

The deliberate subversion of lovey dovey reds and pinks to quite frankly unappealing green and brown is the real effect of Asda’s latest shock product. Outraged by the price? Disconcerted by the colours? Bingo! Your reactions are actually irrelevant as far as they are concerned, as the card’s greatest achievement is to simply get you talking.

From being posted and shared as a picture on Facebook, even to having this article written about it, what Asda have cleverly succeeded in doing is generating publicity for their brand.

For if there are two things that unfailingly get people talking, it is controversy and a bargain, and by simply encompassing both these things this little card may just be an advertiser’s dream.

Not only have they created the world’s cheapest Valentine’s Day card, but they have succeeded in utilising the ever growing multi-billion pound advertising platform that is Facebook, without having to spend a penny. Or even seven...

JOIN THE DEBATE AT WWW.YORKVISION.CO.UK/COMMENT

12 SATIRE

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 14, 2012

THE SKETCH

Lonely Hearts...

Lonely in Langwith? Forlorn in 'Fax? Alone in Alcuin? Find LOVE today!

Attractive, blonde haired, blue eyed Chemistry student.

Oxbridge reject looking for totty. Striped boating blazers optional. Chip on shoulder mandatory.

Must enjoy walks around the quad, love punting at the weekend. Cocktail and Pimms drinkers preferred. Must come with appropriate emotional baggage to match mine.

Only the double-barrelled need get in touch.

Articulate English Literature lover looking for another.

Roses are red, Violets are blue, Sugar is sweet...

DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH AN AD THIS SIZE COSTS?

Wanna hear a joke about Nitric Oxide? NO. Recently out of a difficult relationship that was like playing with fire. Not looking for anything as complicated as molecular stuctures.

Spent a long time searching for Mr Right, please don't prove to me that all the good ones Argon.

...Cliched poems are not a firm basis for a

relationship. Should prob- Find me outside the ably appreciate sarcasm scorched chemistry buildand irony. Must have an ing at midnight... equally large amount of time on their hands.

Unfortunate student seeking solace...

Whips and Chains...

Good enough for Rihanna, good enough for you!

First my room gets covered in sewage, then I wake up in the middle of Narnia and now I can't afford a house for next year.

Disheartened fresher playing a strong hand full of pity cards looking for anyone with a roof above their head and a strong sense of optimism.

We will not be 'going Dutch' on our first date.

Rich, unattractive and ridiculously posh chap seeks trophy girlfriend to pose with around campus. Should appreciate fine wine, dinner dates, horse races and golf clubs. Gender equality not high on the list...

Are you Tim Ellis?

Do you wake up in the morning and see Tim Ellis in the mirror? Does your mum sew little labels into your collar saying Tim Ellis? Do you turn around when you hear a beautiful fan shouting "Tim Ellis"?

Obsessive fan seeks Tim Ellis. Please note, anyone not Tim Ellis need not call 0707253741

I like my women the way in like my Wednesday nights at Ziggy's...

FetSoc. Mature porter looking for someone to help carry my heavy loads in life. I've got a huge package (full of love) that needs urgently signing for. In fact literally anyone can come down and collect my emotions.

Covered in sweat, shared with mutliple sports teams and only seen weekly when intoxicated.

Man seeks woman with a confusing list of attributes and a huge list of fans.

IF YOU CAN'T FIND LOVE...

Find James at Langwith Porters. I've got the keycard to your heart...

Lonely Lifestyle & Satire Editor seeks equally hipster girl who shares love for French art films, pretentious bands and triangles. Must enjoy Starbucks with our Macbooks, fixie bikes and a man's passion for tight jeans.

I'd leave a mobile number, but it's so obscure you've probably never heard of it...

Politics and Economics student searching for appropriate romantic coalition.

Must appreciate junior role in the arrangement.

Eurosceptics wanted. No person with a political spine will be allowed.

No bailouts please.

...BOTH IDs PLEASE

FEATURES

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14th, 2012

>Features

13

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE?

ISABELLA BOMAN-FLAVELL and BEN DILKS investigate why York students are opting for religious weddings

T

oday is Valentine's Day. Love is in the air! But the hopeless romantics amongst you should not be too quick to celebrate; the most recent figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that the number of us getting hitched has continued to fall to its lowest level since the 1800s.

Traditionally, if you were to ask anyone to explain the raison d’être of marriage they wouldsay ‘love’. As Frank Sinatra put it, ‘love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage’. Endless romantic comedies, romance novels and Disney films shove down our throats the notion that all loving relationships begin with a big white wedding. But the fact that so many couples are now simply opting to cohabit (a sharp increase to almost three million), rather than head down the aisle, indicates a clear shift in culture.

Defying the trend, the number of religious weddings taking place is actually on the up! Last year saw the biggest increase in ceremonies taking place in the Church of England in a decade.

Is marriage starting to become less about love and more about cultural and religious expectations? Why is the institution of marriage so important to religious people?

Vision spoke to Charlotte Hill, a Christian third year Chemistry student at York, about the role that her faith played in her decision to get married last summer, at the tender age of 21: "It was important for me to get married in a church rather than go to a registry office. As Christians,

Third Year University of York student Charlotte Hill married last summer. was very much a personal decision. I wanted to marry a Christian because I want to share my life with someone who has the same beliefs and values as me".

Whilst Charlotte's family situation clearly influenced her choices, she was anxious to point out that she was ultimately free to make her own decisions.

Fauziyyah Manap, a Muslim first year Psychology student at York, expressed a similar sentiment. Her faith dictates that her family will play an even greater role when the time comes for her to marry.

"I don't want to choose my own husband. I asked my dad to choose for me because I trust him." we wanted God to be part of it.

We had it in my home church. It was special for us because it was where we met and it was where my parents got married as well."

Charlotte's closeness to her family and to the rest of the church community has also shaped her view of marriage: "It was a relatively big wedding with 200 people there and a big reception afterwards. The most important thing was having all those people come."

"My family obviously wanted me to marry a Christian; there was a definite expectation that I would. But at the same time it

Fauziyyah intends for her father to choose a husband for her: "I don't want to choose my own husband. I asked my dad to choose for me because I trust him and because he knows me better than anybody else".

In our increasingly liberal society, this form of arranged marriage can seem a complete anathema to some. It can be argued that such practice hearkens to the misogynistic origins of marriage, where women were chattels to be traded between father and husband.

Fauziyyah completely rejects any idea that she might be op-

pressed. Islam, she explains, emphasises the inner character rather than superficiality.

Dressing and behaving modestly means that people focus more on who she is and not what she looks like. Her father choosing her husband for her doesn’t necessarily mean her marriage will be loveless, either, just a different type of love. Rather than passionate and hyper-sexualised love, Fauziyyah emphasises the importance of having a partner "who will bring peacefulness and calmness to our lives".

The seemingly conservative attitudes to women, sex and marriage entrenched in so many religions can be difficult for many of us to understand. One anonymous student explained to us how frustrated she had been while dating a Catholic boy who was opposed to sexual intercourse before marriage but less opposed to receiving other favours: “Why is God okay with him receiving blow jobs but not okay with him giving anything back?!”

Reflecting on how her religious beliefs affected her and her husband's relationship before their wedding, Charlotte told us: "We didn’t have sex before marriage. My opinion was that that was something special for after marriage. Sex is a very intimate thing and so I only ever wanted to have it with the one person". Perhaps the sharp rise in the number of people choosing religious weddings is due to an increasingly prevalent view amongst young people that 'things have gone too

far' in terms of how relaxed society now is about sex and relationships. We are, after all, of a generation who have not had to fight nearly as much as those before us for freedom of choice when it comes to sex, love and marriage.

For some young people, attempting to reconcile a religious background with modern-day social expectations is more of a challenge than it is for the likes of Charlotte and Fauziyyah. Second year English student Natalie Ellis is Jewish and explained how many of her friends feel unwanted pressure to marry within

“A big part of it is about placating your family. Grandparents particularly tend to be the ones that are hardest to deal with because they’re of the age where they feel like they have to defendtheir religion. They see marrying out of Judaism as giving in to people who don’t want the faith to continue”.

Natalie highlights how complicated marriage can be for religious people. Rather than a simple case of love trumping all, choosing a partner can require a delicate balance between personal and familial happiness.

Natalie notes: "it’s about family and it’s about cultural heritage as well. It's not just about the religion. I'd find it really difficult if I had to leave behind Jewish cultural practices".

If cultural practices are so important, perhaps the spike in the number of religious marriages isn't really about religion at all! Claire Curtis-Ward, a second year English and History of Art student, is at best a ‘cultural Christian’ but still wants her wedding to be in the same church as her parents. This is not about God for her, but rather about tradition. “I like aspects of traditions that don’t impose on moral beliefs”, she told us.

Last year saw endless big church weddings splashed across the pages of our newspapers and magazines. From Kate Moss to Lily Allen, everyone is having religious ceremonies; it's even been dubbed 'the Wills and Kate effect'.

Debbie Codd, an editor at Wedding magazine, observes: "Seeing the royal wedding, its fabulous setting and all the paraphernalia that goes with a religious

"Why is God okay with him receiving blow jobs but not okay with him giving anything back?!" their religion and culture. It puts pressure on their relationships; while other students are out dating whoever they please, they have to be careful about to whom they get attached.

Natalie tells us: “I think a lot of parents worry if their children, particularly at our sort of age, are starting to date people who aren’t Jewish. They start to get concerned that that’s going to end up being something permanent! There’s a couple of my friends in a situation where their parents are tolerating their relationships rather than accepting them”.

ceremony, makes people think it would be lovely to do the same".

Religious marriage clearly carries very different meanings for different people. For some it's strictly about faith. Others see it a symbol of family and cultural ties. For many it's just about the beautiful aesthetic of a religious ceremony. As important as these issues are, however, we remain convinced that marriage without love can hardly be worth signing up for! Since it's Valentine's Day we'll be soppy and plump to concur with The Beatles: whatever your beliefs, "all you need is love"!

14FEATURES

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 14, 2012

FOUL PLAY CRIPPLING GH A

s the most successful African team in World Cup history (after South Africa 2010), there's no denying it, Ghana is a now great footballing nation.

Fans the world over cringed and writhed at just how unjust their elimination from the 2010 competition was – handball off the line in the last minute, followed by a missed penalty and then, utterly deflated, the team lost the penalty shoot-out Uruguay went through to the SemiFinal. Africa had been cheated.

The national team's nickname, the Black Stars, is quite

ADAM COE examines the scandal of fake football sc ing thousands of Ghana Cedis to pursue fake invitations, contracts and trials at clubs in Europe, Asia and other African countries.

To the players they target, the sweet-talking agent is their key to a glittering football career.

With the power of grand false promises, non-existent 'connections', and fake contracts, many lives are being ruined by the silent epidemic in Ghana's domestic game.

I first heard about the issue when I went to the country for my second visit with two friends last summer. This feature is based on

"I worked any job to get the money. I was very painful, I don't know what to do now.

Maybe this was my only chance" representative of the cosmic reverence their national heroes are regarded by. But for all the cult Muntari, Essien et al. command, there is an opportunity for manipulation, fraud and profit.

Because for every Essien, there are innumerable young Ghanaians who crave to be an Essien, to have what he has, be what he is and represent what he represents.

As a result, football in Ghana is prime ground for scam-artists praying on hopes, dreams and expectations, and there exists an underbelly of fake football agents scouring the country.

Unawareness and desperation tricks many young Ghanaians and their families into produc-

work I did there with their help.

By the third week, we had managed to publish articles from our research in the two most highly circulated newspapers in Ghana.

However, we also discovered an impossible network of vested interests, unacknowledged responsibilities, and social circumstances which make the scam watertight, and unlikely to end anytime soon. *** I'm waiting in a stuffy internet cafe in central Accra for Dominic Baltisser, a former Under 20 Swiss International football player who is now a coach based in Ghana. Asamoah Gyan's (aka Babyjet) smash hit song 'African Girls' is playing in the back-

Emmanuel Gyimah, Deputy General Secretary of the GFA.

ground, accompanied by the distant honks of the African traffic.

We end up talking for almost four hours. He shows me the documents and emails of attempted scams. He explains his disillusionment with aspects of the allpowerful culture of football in Ghana.

“It starts with every football player who’s aiming to become professional. They are willing to do everything in their power to do that. Most are really naïve about their skill, they think it’s God’s will for them to be a professional footballer,” he begins.

“If you travel through Ghana there are two things you see at the centre of every single village – a church, and a football pitch,” he says, to illustrate the centrality of football in people's lives.

Baltisser paints a scenario for me he says he's heard about all too often. “A family has four or five kids and one seems to be quite good at football and gets encouraged. There's no comparison other than he is the best they've seen. A scam-artist comes and his family wants him to go. For many places, the situation's desperate, and the opportunity to become a rich footballer may not come again. So by any means they find the money and he goes on fake documents. And once he gets there, he can't tell his family it's a fake... He can't return without money but he has to provide for his family and will do anything for it.”

But he also says players actively seek the deals with the false impression they can make it internationally. Knowledge of the correct procedures is so bad that “as long as my number was on the Cantonments FC website in Accra, I’d get 20-25 calls a day because they’d see that it was a football club where whites are involved and assume or hope there is a contract there abroad for them”. Amateur footballers also advertise themselves on websites.

There was a Chinese contract offered which Baltisser had prevented one of his players being tricked by from one-such advertisement. “To us this is obviously a fake but the boy hadn't been taught to read. He wouldn't even know what a couple $100,000 could possible mean yet he was going to sign the little money he has away”.

Although they normally come in the form of scouts on the edge of the pitch, email correspondences between fake agents and club directors show the methods used by the scam-artists. A lengthy exchange between a man by the name of ‘Bismark Grant’ and Mick Beard from UK-

Humjibra, Ghana: A football tournament on a dirt pi based Projects Abroad Football Agency was one of many examples. Grant demands a 500 Euro advance on the deal, without which, he is “virtually powerless [sic]”.

When Beard contacted the German club in question, they responded promptly that the invitation was a fake and they were

Amankwah told me, “through a recommendation from my friend, I was offered a trial at a club called AF Ulous. I told my coach that the deal was done and I was going. But when he found the documents he said it didn’t look legitimate. All the official letter-heads were there so I thought it was real.”

We also discovered an impossib unacknowledged responsabilities, and scam watertight, and unlik not in contact with one ‘Bismark Grant’.

The deal was over. However, the fraudster would normally bypass the club and attempt to scam the player directly, many of whom are unaware of the correct methods.

Eighteen-year-old George Amankwah from the rural Volta Region of Ghana was only stopped from making an illegal trip to Sweden on false documents after his coach found the invitation given to him.

“I paid 200 Cedi [80 pounds] to get the letter itself and then 700 Cedi [315 pounds] for ‘other costs’. I worked any job to get the money. It was very painful, I don’t know what to do now. Maybe this was my only chance,” he said.

It turns out that the phone number on the 'invitation' and the phone number for AF Ulous didn’t even match. But people don't necessarily realise that they are a target, or a letter could be so easy to forge on the

YORK VISION

FEATURES

Tuesday February 14, 2012

15

HANA'S FOOTBALL FUTURE

couts sweeping through Africa's footballing capital

itch, showing the central role football plays in society. computer.

The man that scammed Amankwah was European. “Because you are Obruni [white], because white people aren’t usually at the pitches, their presence is enough to convince them [players] that they are real agents. Now I know about this I’m a lot more aware of it and others should be too.”

ephoned me, he was like, do you know your friend, he has told me a lot about you and said you were a good player. Are you willing to go to South Africa to pursue your career?...Sometimes in life one must take chances. Ghana's youth all want to pursue his football career. They are paying a lot for their soccer. When this thing

ble network of vested interests, d social circumstances which make the kely to end any time soon.

Nineteen year old Denis Ofori had just returned after a ill-fated trip to South Africa when I met him at his club in Accra. “Football is all I want to do and now I am back in Ghana, I am playing with my old team, Proud United.”

His own pride disallowed him from telling me the whole story, yet his disappointment was extremely evident and his words suggestive. “I brought my flight ticket myself, the agent sorted out the visa. He tel-

happens [an offer], it’s like ‘yeah fine, let me give it a try'. That’s where I want to be. You believe and hype yourself and then the next thing happens.”

I was distressed to hear when Ofori spoke of his family, who had backed him “in a serious way”. The dream of transfer to Europe within a six month time frame was shattered and the astronomical amounts involved will take years to recover.

And many don't make it back home. An email I saw by Nazeer

Bowud, Treasurer of the Mauritian FA says many end up in his country. “Unfortunately there are some wrong minded agents in Ghana who organize these types of trips for footballers to Mauritius and promise them to use Mauritius as a hub to transit in Europe”. Bowud also speaks of at least some Ghanaians being held in prison. Many more were probably stranded there illegally without means to return.

It was difficult to begin to estimate the effect and reach of these stories. With the support of national newspapers, we found it would also be difficult to estimate who was in a position to solve it. After various interviews, we discovered a blame game which ran around in circles: Clubs to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to the player associations to the police and back again. *** Two men at the top of very different institutions. Both of them are well known pillars of power, but both of them have very different focuses on the same issue. One was sitting at the top of the GFA's luxurious offices in Accra - Emmanuel Gyimah, Deputy General Secretary of the GFA. A five minute taxi ride away, Francis Baah, Detective Superintendent for Document and Visa Fraud plies his trade at Ghana's monolithic police headquarters.

There's a tentative working relationship between the police and the GFA. It seemed to me they were both suspicious of the other. GFA officials had been arrested in the recent past over an incident where members of a national Ghanaian team disappeared in Australia. They were meant to be competing in an international disabled football competition (it was revealed those that disappeared were completely able-bodied).

Baah was quite candid. Obviously the GFA has the power to get whichever documents they need but he expressed fair concern. “When it comes to football, I expect the GFA to rather be up and doing. They should be alert.

If the football authority comes to the police we give them respect.

We assume they will tell us the truth.” Although Baah said there was not much they could do except ensuring correct processes.

Taking responsibility for footballing matters was the GFA's.

But the GFA told me they would not take responsibility for rooting out ‘fake agents’ or educating players. They felt it was more complicated, and crime was “a civil issue” not a sporting one. Furthermore, Gymiah

denied it was too serious, “I can't say that we have heard much - we sometimes hear from the clubs. we always advise clubs to demand the right documents. Look on the internet to see if the agent is licensed. It is between the player and the club.”

Jacob Ashun, CEO of Comprehensive Sports Ghana which oversees the business side of a number of lower division teams told me he was disappointed by the GFA's approach. He demanded of the GFA, “you are the mother association and you are telling me we should deal with

in the GFA who are not educated and they rely on the corruption aspect to survive. It becomes a problem to stop it. If you stop it, they can’t ‘chop’ [make money],” he said.

All the drama with Dominic Baltisser has resulted in him turning away from football. He arrived in Ghana originally with the game on his mind but now he's looking to change tack.

Concerning children, he says, “The longer I stayed in Ghana the more I realised that football wasn’t necessarily the cure but the cause of many of their prob-

"We have a lot of people in the GFA who are not educated and they rely on the corruption aspect to survive."

the fraud. The GFA is supposed to be the supervising body. They have the power but they pretend they don’t know.” He alleged due to back-hand deals, it is not in the interests of personalities within the GFA to root out the dishonest practice. “We have a lot of people

lems. I’ve seen so many negative aspects and a major reason I figure is that children have nothing else to do.” Baltisser is now in the process of setting up centres and clubs for creativity in Ghana as an alternative option to football for young Ghanaians.

Francis Baah, Detective Superintendent.

16 FEATURES

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14, 2012

A DRINK YOU'LL PAY FOR

AMY MOSS considers the rise of counterfeit vodka, and the dangers it poses to broke students

O

n the 19th December 2011, York Press reported that six bottles of counterfeit vodka seized in the city of York in November had traces of chloroform, used in pesticides, within it.

Now, 21 year old student Lauren Platts, studying at Sheffield University, has told the BBC that a bottle of counterfeit vodka almost made her go blind. As stories of illegally produced and potentially deadly vodka crop up across the University cities of Great Britain, it is time someone called for greater student awareness of the problem, and also more help on how to manage their money so that they can treat themselves to the real deal.

At £5.99, the fake vodka purchased by Platts at a small newsagents is less than half the price of standard vodka. Chris Bettison, the regulation spokesman for the local government association dealing with the problem, is quick to point out the obvious, insisting “the potential health risks far outweigh any financial savings”. What he is not considering, however, is a lack of awareness of the issue can lead to students, strapped for cash and seeking cheap alternatives to a £40 night out, are being drawn in by the price of this poisonous concoction.

Platts told the BBC, "I've been sent home from work because of my vision problems. It's really scary. I think I might have it for good, but I'm just grateful to be alive and not completely blind". This is a truly shocking realisation of the damages artificial vodka can do. The alcohol is called 'industrial alcohol' and the whereabouts of its creation is hard to pinpoint, due to its concealment in normal industrial units. Nonetheless, when five men died in an explosion at an industrial unit in Lincolnshire in July, police uncovered a filtration plant for making the counterfeit vodka there.

It adopts the name ‘industrial’ not just because of where it is manufactured but because it is

Counterfeit vodka certainly appears authentic at first glance - but telltale signs are on the bottle's label.

somewhat poor quality in print and, most importantly, will not have any details of the manufacturer anywhere. The bottle may not be as full as you would expect and different bottles of the same branding may all look slightly different. The smell of nail varnish has also been suggested as a tell-tale sign of fake vodka: but to be quite honest, the difference in aroma is minimal.

Nonetheless, as our student loans become engulfed in continuous rent payments and ridiculously high gas bills, it becomes essential that students look out for these signs of counterfeit spirits. Bob Hughes, YUSU Welfare Officer said "The news of this counterfeit vodka is certainly incredibly worrying, and with increased prices on many areas of student life driving students to find cheaper and cheaper alternatives, I would encourage students to be very aware of what they are buying, and buy from places they know they can trust.”

"At university you don't have money to spend on expensive drink, so students are the most vulnerable." often made by mixing methylated spirit with bleach, isopropanol (used in cleaning fluid) or indeed with chloroform. The only way of identifying it, unless you happen to have a testing kit handy, is to look closely at the label and bottle itself, which, although resembling a famous brand, will often be slightly misaligned,

Roisin Caird, a second year student, whilst agreeing with Hughes, expresses the common lack of awareness of the issue, “this is definitely something to be worried about, especially since I didn't even know what it was before you spoke to me about this issue. Students need to be

made more aware of things like this so they know what to look out for. I'm personally pretty sceptical about cheap vodka because it usually tastes disgusting, but I know plenty of people who'd just buy it with no idea of the dangers posed.” When I then asked Caird why her student pals may be susceptible to the dangers of counterfeit vodka, she quickly pointed out the obvious problem: “when you're at university, you don't exactly have money to spend on expensive drink, so students are the most vulnerable. Publicising it more would definitely help. Most people these days know not to leave their drinks unattended because we’ve all been told of the risks of spiking. A guideline on what to look out for would probably reduce the dangers significantly.”

It has become glaringly obvious that with student loans barely covering accommodation costs, which can be as high as £100+ per week now if living in the more desirable areas, students are desperate to find cheaper ways to enjoy a Wednesday Night sports social. This need for money combined with a considerable lack of warnings about counterfeit vodka is as dangerous a mix as the liquid inside these poorly labelled bottles itself. Bob Hughes has this advice to offer, "Even if it means spending slightly more, if you are going to buy alcohol, chipping in together with friends to buy a slightly more expensive, but ultimately more trustworthy (and probably nicer) drink could help you avoid the potential dangers of counterfeit alcohol."

Bettison (local government spokesman) voices a common

thought: "Frankly, if the offer seems too good to be true, then it probably is” but this as a solution in itself is too simple to be enough.

Whilst it might sound like old news, A & E is still the best place to send someone if you are worried a friend may have consumed counterfeit vodka. This must be done as soon as possible - the longer a person is left the more damage the alcohol can do. Attempting to sleep off industrial chloroform might not be enough.

An organisation that often gets bypassed is the College Welfare Team, especially beneficial if you live on campus. They ensure

you receive all the care you need, and it is worth seeing them, even just to get the most out of the price you are paying for accommodation. They will make sure you get an ambulance and will come and check how you are feeling.

We have been bombarded with government health and safety campaigns over the years, and yet it seems that the problem of counterfeit alcohol has slipped under the net. It is essential that information on counterfeit vodka is made available to students yet it is also crucial that students can identify where information can be obtained if they need it.

Nightline, the YUSU Advice and Support Centre and College Welfare are systems in place to provide that. As the issue of counterfeit vodka grows alongside the ever prominent problem of student cash flow, organisations such as this have a huge part to play in providing information and listening to the concerns of students.

For those hoping for a little more information on the topic of alcohol or on how to douse the burning hole where our life savings used to be, there are in fact places to look. As a Public Face of the organisation ‘Nightline’ I would point to services such as ours to offer such information. If you are worried about how you will manage to actually follow through after clicking ‘attending’ on the wall of your friend’s Facebook event without going bankrupt, you are definitely not alone. You can get all sorts of useful information from YUSU's Advice and Support Centre in their office at James College as well as from Nightline in Went-

The vodka is made by mixing methylated spirit with bleach, isopropanol (used in cleaning fluid) or chloroform.

Nightline also offer a confidential listening service, so if you're worried about friends, suffering from financial stress or just need to talk to someone, you can chat to friendly volunteers any night during term time from 8pm to 8am.

Call 01904 323 735, send an email to nightmail@yusu.org or instant message the volunteers using the website www.yorknightline.org.uk.

LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14, 2012

>Lifestyle

In this issue:

17

P 18 - The Everest of cakes P 19 - Size Zero P 20 - Valentines Alternatives P 21 - Travel and Trends P 22 - Green Goodness

FASHION FORECAST AESTHETIC ATHLETIC

S

portswear continues to outrun its competitors on the cat walk and leave the rest of us in the dust. Whether to do with Olympic fervour or a general love of everything track and field, the looks this season are enough to persuade us to go out and play.

Interestingly in the past the look has been primarily the sole domain of Alexander Wang, seen left, whereas now the trend has crossed the Atlantic with fresh appeal. Take inspiration from Stella McCartney and Isabel Marant with relaxed tailoring and luxe trackies. Early interpretations on the high street can be seen at ASOS and American Apparel with contrast trim trousers and sweat shirts. For real lovers of the trend take inspiration from Lanvin and go monochrome.

However, to stop looking like you have just come from the gym, go for clean fresh make up and loose groomed hair. The result? A look that can take you from the lecture hall to cocktails in town.

Gentlemen's fashion upholds the famous credo: who dares, wins. Opt for bright colours to encapsulate the trend, a look seen at both the DSquared and Burberry Prosum catwalks. For the less daring man go short this summer, all the menswear shows featured loosely tailored shorts stopping just above the knee, creating the rare look of stylish, on trend and practical.

Alexander Wang

PERFECTLY PAISLEY

SS12 London

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aisley has been a precarious fringe trend for sometime, but after a while in the wintery fashion wilderness, paisley has been welcomed back to the fold. Perpetuated by indie and pyschedelic bands such as The Vaccines and TOY, paisley might have some dodgy 70's connotations or remind you of childhood outfits hideous enough to provoke trauma, but please don’t reject it. Leading the new way forward was Jil Sander, notorious for their tailoring and pared down design, their use of the print can be seen as an affirmation that paisley is most definitely back. Make the most of paisley in your transitional wardrobe allowing you to incorporate some Spring (wherever that might be!) without freezing. Early high street contenders include House of Fraser's reinvented Biba and French Connection.

J W Anderson

SS12 London

Alexander Wang Versus SS12 Milan

Jil Sander SS12 London

A continuation of the print trend was big enough on the catwalk to evolve into its own style category. Forget everything you know- from classic 70’s shows to the Boden catalogue, paisley will not turn you into the next Christopher Plummer or the ‘trendy’ Dad. Paisley, much like the womanswear, is paired down in print, brighter in colour. With these modern basics you won’t look like a vintage junkie rather the sleek groomed man of Summer 2012. If buying into the trend, go for tailored pieces but no oversized collars or cuffs. Modernise and tone down a shirt with a cool pair of chinos, or toy playfully with the look with this JW Anderson vest under a denim shirt.

VINTAGE AMERICANA Prada SS12 Milan

Topman LMT

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he American Dream is always on the fashion horizon. Think of long lost days and longer country roads. The trend hinges on relaxed styles and a relaxed attitude; a denim jacket thrown on an oversized vest or some vintage clubman glasses with a cord collared shirt.

Vintage Americana demonstrates that 50's pinup some of us have a hankering to be! However this time around think sleek rather than poufy prom-esque skirts. The trend was led by Prada who produced the covetable ‘muscle car’ motif - a look sure to dominate the high street. Other looks included, as seen at Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler and Valentino, preppy chic in pastels.

When purchasing the trend this can be seen as a golden opportunity to go vintage! Or if this is not your thing look out for high waisted pencil and A-line skirts, as they are classic pieces.

With classic pieces don’t be afraid to indulge a little as you will end up wearing them for seasons to come. For those with honed and toned abs- what about the exposed midriff ? As a sleeker version of the peek-a-boo trend it gives just a hint without the need to expose everything.

When thinking Americana for Spring/Summer 2012 think of yourself as a modern day freeloader and not a frat-boy. Invest in tailored jackets and trousers, however to put that modern spin on it and to keep with this seasons laid-back vibe go for a softer silhouette with unlined jackets and low-rise trousers. If buying trousers this season, and you want to go for that teddy boy look, buy them cropped. The cropped trousers will take you everywhere this summer, as it plays a nice alternative to the traditional formal look- try out this pair from Topman for an easy style fix. To finalise your look the shirt/jacket is set to be the hottest item for Spring/Summer 2012. A variation of the new softer tailored look, this piece will update your wardrobe for the entire season.

By Nicholas Dunn-McAfee & Katherine Birdwood

18 LIFESTYLE

Pimp my Cake

YORK VISION Tuesday February 14, 2012

For Jack Knight and Teja Pisk size really does matter...

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"

e choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills” said President Kennedy of the great race to lunar success. A few days ago we completed the baking equivalent of landing on the moon. The task wasn’t easy. It was hard.

It measured the best of our energies and skills. What, you may ask, did we achieve?

Ladies and gentleman, we baked a 60 centimetre by 60 centimetre cross-section of a Battenberg Cake!

We can already sense your next question – the inevitable “Why?” Ever heard of the website Pimp That Snack? The sole aim of the website and its contributors is to make any normal sweet snack, but enlarge it by a humongous degree. Log on and you will see a range of mammoth wonders. You will be witness to a half-foot high Creme Egg, a Party Ring biscuit measuring about twice the size of your head and a Crunchie longer than your arm. It got us wondering – what snack could we recreate that would be larger than a suitable body part.

A few days later and we were planning a Battenberg bigger than your imagination, and some of your body parts...

Ingredients

Food Colouring (one)

Repeat Baking

The first challenge was bringing all the ingredients together. In the end we estimated 200g of self-raising flour, 200g of sugar, 200g of butter, four eggs, a teaspoon of baking powder, two tablespoons of milk and pink or yellow food colouring for each quarter of the cake. For the assembly we then needed a whole jar of jam and two packets of marzipan. That was well over a kilogram of ingredients and a hell of a lot of work ahead before us.

Now we had to add the all important food colouring that would make our Battenberg quarter so beautifully yellow. Opening the little pot of yellow food colouring we found a lump of red gel. As we tried to add it to the cake mixture we discovered that not only did it look like blood, but it had the consistency of gluey cement mixture. We started to worry again.

And now begin the whole process again. An extra large, mammoth, humongous, bodybuilder Battenberg cake is not a recipe to be attempted by the lazy. We needed to make at least another yellow slice and two pink slices.

measuring We began measuring out all the ingredients for the first yellow quarter of the cake. As the mist of flour rose, the butter slid over our fingers and the egg shells piled up we started to realise that maybe we had bitten off more than we could chew.

beating As our recipe for a much smaller Victoria sponge cake instructed we piled all the ingredients together and started beating them together. My £10 Tesco home brand electric beaters started wheezing like a fat man chasing an ice cream van. It was almost like they weren’t designed to beat together ridiculously industrial sizes of cake batter...

Baking But there was no need to worry. A couple of minutes later the red gluey cement gel had been beaten away into a decidedly orange cake mixture. We poured it into our 12 inch square baking tray and bunged it in the oven.

Taking Out 25 minutes later and our labours had paid off as we grabbed our first quarter of Battenberg Cake out of the oven and found a perfectly baked extra large square of self-raising fun. Imagine, if you will, it like being a child who had been given a six foot Dairy Milk chocolate bar and you will understand how we were feeling.

Food Colour (Two) Probably the most disturbing part of the whole process was making a pink cake mix. This must be what the insides of Katie Price's skull looks like - girly and non-sensical.

"Assembly" A couple of hour later we had our four quarters baked. We started placing them together, covering our fingers in warmed jam and sticking reams of marzipan on to the sides of our big baked Battenberg.

By the end of it all our kitchen looked like the scene of Agatha Christie’s 'Murder in the Bakery' (I may have made that book up). But we had made, what was possibly, the world’s largest Battenberg cake. There was an odd sense of achievement, a joyous pride and a parental care towards our silly snack. If only our degrees were in oversized baked goods.

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Photos: Ruth Gibson

LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 14, 2012

19

THE TRUTH ABOUT ZERO Sine Bakumeni asks when size zero became sexy...

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s fashion week takes to the stage, I grow more and more excited to see the work of up-and-coming designers alongside the new designs by old favourites. As the years have gone

by I must admit I’ve noticed the models get skinnier and skinnier each year - clearly designers and models have become ignorant to the health warnings surrounding size zero. I’m disappointed I am unable to comment on any of the fashion pieces exhibited this year due to painfully thin runway models taking the attention away from the designs; I was too distracted trying to concoct a plan of how to sneak pork pies into their diets without them noticing.

Having struggled with weight dilemmas myself during my teen years, I was curious as to when size zero became “sexy” and what message this unhealthy image was conveying to other young women.

During my quest to name and shame designers, models and celebrities encouraging women and men to feel insecure about their bodies, I discovered curvier women were actually more desirable in the 1950s when Marilyn Monroe was the depiction of female sexuality, being her sexiest at size 16 alongside Elizabeth Taylor and Ava Gardener.

Size zero appears to have become increasingly popular since Brigitte Bardot, the first size zero celebrity, became a sex symbol after staring in Roger

Vadim’s controversial classic, ‘And God Created Women’ in 1956 sporting an unhealthy waist size of merely 19 inches.

Since then, on a global scale there has been an increasingly obvious pressure on women and men to portray a certain image; in the 90’s, sadly, super skinny models became the bench mark

for other aspiring models at size zero.

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe everyone should be comfortable in their own skin and have the freedom to look the way they want, however, the image of size zero has caused many sparks and

heated debates in the fashion industry as it has clearly put a lot of pressure on impressionable youths to start extreme dieting and encourages eating disorders. Living in a society where women’s bodies in particular are constantly put under rigid scrutiny, analysis and comparison to what the ideal woman should look like, the image of women should

be positive and inspiring to young women, not potentially harmful, and the media should be responsible for ensuring that this is being administered.

Even

the

World

Health

Organisa-

tion, doctors and women's groups are concerned that the use of underweight models sends out dangerously wrong signals to girls who look to models as inspiration.

So does a healthy size zero exist? In my opinion, the simple answer is no. Here’s why: in 2010 hospitals in England alone reported an 80% rise in the number of young women being admitted to hospital for anorexia and other eating disorders. The quest to become a size zero involves a starvation diet and rigorous exercise, this dangerous trend has caused the death of several young models. In 2006 Uruguayan model Luisel Ramos, died at just 22 after following a diet of eating only lettuce and drinking diet coke. Shortly after her death Ana Carolina Reston, a Brazilian model, died at the age of 21 following a diet of just apples and tomatoes.

In the words of American playwright, Elmer Rice; “If nature had intended our skeletons to be visible it would have put them on the outside of our bodies.” Size zero is far from sexy; the media should be idolising and celebrating the way real women look as there are serious health risks with attempting or being size zero. Nutritionist Emma Mills agrees there needs to be a greater emphasis on being healthy and eating well as opposed to what you weigh, in time this will create a more “normal” body size.

Nailing Fashion's Newcomer Anmoli Sodha provides the finishing polish on nails shiny new role

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t used to be a well known fact that lipstick was the foolproof guide to economic morale that would peak in tough times as women looked for an inexpensive way to lift their spirits. Nowadays, however, it's all about the nails!

Whilst a manicure was once an indulgence for ladies who lunch, nail bars are now springing up faster than pound shops and convenience stores. They are one of the fastest growing businesses on the high street, with a visible increase of new outlets in the past three years. Although lipstick and lip gloss still dominate the cosmetic industry, nail polish isn't lagging too far behind.

The rise of the nail bar phenomenon may seem baffling to some, however the explanation is pretty simple; nails, and by extension nail polish, are fashion's final frontier.

You may not be able to afford the dress, the shoes, the bag or even the lipstick (Tom Ford's cost £36 each); but you can, with the correct shade of nail polish, have

style right there, at your fingertips.

The growth in the nail care industry is the conflation of two trends: on the one hand the steady globalisation of grooming; on the other hand the recognition by fashion houses that the fingernail can be as much of a fashion canvas as the rest of the body. Peter Philips, head of beauty at Chanel, is the man who first crystallised this trend. His 2009 nail polish, Jade Le Vernis, famously became so sought after that bottles of it were selling on eBay for hundreds of pounds.

This rather irksome shade of green immediately set the wearer apart as a connoisseur. Nails became a cheap way of signaling your fashion credentials. It was both a financial and a PR triumph for Chanel, and one that rival companies quickly picked up on. Existing nail colour brands, such as OPI, Jessica and Essie, also received a huge boost. All now showcase "fashion" collections.

Many innovations, such as new types of metallic polish and matte colours, were inspired by car-paint manufacturers.

Brands are also driving polish sales by releasing new colours for nails every season to go with the latest trends, as well as topical colour ranges. Last year Nails Inc. brought out a "Wills & Kate" Royal

Wedding polish and it is doing a red and blue glitter polish for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and an Olympics collection with colours reflecting the medals.

This season, fashion houses and nail companies have paid more attention than ever before to nail polish, understanding that tip-to-toe perfection starts and ends with nail care. Dior is releasing a new Dior Vernis for Spring/ Summer 2012 called “Forget Me Not”.

Not only is this a wonderful shade of mauve to finish off the perfect summer outfit, but it is also rose scented, Dior’s first ever scented shade, adding a new dimension to the experience of grooming. Essie’s new collection is feeding off of the season’s runway trend toward pastel colours, opting for fresh floral and fruity shades typically associated with the upcoming season, enabling your nails to stay on trend and outfit to perfectly match every detail of the fashionista in you.

OPI have taken a leaf out of the high street page by exploiting the attraction of celebrity endorsed and designed ranges, currently promoting a range designed by Nicki Minaj, complete with the latest nail polish innovation – the crackle polish. There has, however, been

an even n e w e r product brought into the nail care m a rke t w h i c h threatens to derail or even eradicate the need for nail polish completely, with its popularity growing rapidly within the past few months: the nail wrap. From the quick and easy application that eliminates heart-wrenching smudges, to the intricate designs with striking effects which are available for little cost, nail wraps are possibly the future for perfect tips.

You can also treat yourself to your own custom made nail wraps for as little as £5 including images and text of your own choice from www.nail-designer.com.

If this isn't an indication that you can make the ultimate fashion statement of individuality and creativity on a student budget, then I don't know what is.

20 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 14, 2012

AGONY UNCLES

Vision's two most awkward men, Nicholas Dunn-McAfee and Jack Knight, 'solve' your Valentine's woes...

Q: What’s the best way to end Q: I’m alone, any tips on how to Q: I received a rubbish Valenmy relationship? spend the day? tine’s present, what do I do?

Nicholas - Now, I don’t want to encourage any hasty decisions. Your tone doesn’t sound that determined – you’re asking two single men, who you don’t even know, to help you finish your relationship?! Take a step back and gaze at this perverse situation the modern world has put us in… Musings aside, DON’T FINISH HIM. You might be unhappy now, but think of the world of loneliness and gloom you’re about to enter into. A double bed is too big for one person, Orange Wednesdays don’t have the same charm, and M&S certainly do not do a delicious meal deal for one. Grit your teeth, knuckle down, take one for the team and maybe just live together in unhappiness. Forever.

Nicholas - So you’re alone, we’ll have to accept that fact and move on. Whether it’s the fact you’re about as sexy as a filing cabinet or you cried excessively when Kim Jong-Il died, there a plenty of reasons why you’re alone on Valentine’s day. This doesn’t mean that you should be alone though, unless, in all honesty, those two descriptions really do apply to you. So get your best dress on, dance around your room to your favourite song, and get ready to go out and have the night of your life. Start trawling the bars for likely partners, although you’ll be scraping the bottom of the barrel in Stone Roses and Vudu so aim for Evil Eye and Dusk. If all else fails, go to Willow and ensnare the man of your dreams with your frantic dance moves and endearing desperation – please make sure he’s single first.

Nicholas - I’m going to assume they either got you rat poison or a toaster considering your dismayed tone.

But let’s toy with them a bit. Mention it at every possible opportunity. Bring it up when you’re out, look fondly up at the clouds and mention how much they look like your beloved toaster. Don't forget to mention it to their friends, maybe even take your toaster with you to Willow just to show the fantastic contraption off. After Valentine’s Day passion between the sheets, recline and just start talking about how important the toaster is to your relationship, say that it holds you together and you’d leave him if you received a worse present.

He’ll quickly get the message. Or buy more electrical goods: win-win.

Jack - I am a big fan of the straightforward “It’s over, it’s you (not me), please leave my house”. However, this may lead to bitterness, social exclusion and being spat at by your ex’s friends on a night out. Added to this, for people with a moral backbone, it may cause a feeling of guilt. Therefore, make them break up with you.

Become the worst partner in the world. Make yourself into an extremely selfish lover with the mantra “I am done, so why aren’t you?” Make comments about how badly they are dressed in front of their mates. Sneeze in their ear while they sleep. You get the break up you want with none of the guilt.

Jack - Here is my timetable for your day of loveless fun. Wake up and feel lonely. Go to every single florists and gift shop in the whole city and buy up every single last rose you can find. That is one way to teach all those people who left their presents until the last minute.

Look at photos of all your ex lovers and feel even more resentful. Feed a cuddly toy into a paper shredder because you are feeling so bitter. And then in the evening go with a friend to a nice romantic restaurant and act out a horrendous break up in the middle of the venue.

This will ruin everyone else’s romantic meal and make you feel much better. Have fun my loveless friend.

Jack - Punish them and punish them hard! Treat whatever present you got as the crap starting point on a race of tat. If they got you awful pieces of clothing get them an even worse one for their birthday, for example a cow onesie with udders abreast. If they got you some rather unimaginative chocolates get them an awful foodstuff such as prunes for Christmas. If they buy you some ugly jewellery for your next anniversary, buy them a Prince Albert piercing. The possibilities are endless and horrendous. Because between anniversaries, birthdays and Christmas you obviously don’t get enough commercial fulfilment already do you.

Revamped Valentines

...Whilst Rebecca Ojumu, Judith Marzo and Lucia Linares offer some more insightful alternatives Option B. Option C. Option A.

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oday may be publicised as the most loved-up day in the world but it doesn't mean us singletons should spend time alone, watching in despair (and perhaps jealousy) as our best friends involve themselves in some serious PDA. You may not have a significant other in your life but that shouldn't prevent you celebrating this day of love. So I say ditch moping, crying desperately into your pillow and feeling the cold clutches of loneliness (and perhaps the lack of central heating in your house). Take a few of these simple steps to a stress free Valentines: 1) Have a girls day out in town: Take your best group of girlfriends around York, whether its window shopping in the Shambles (because your loan has not yet arrived) or walking across the city walls.

2) Make an Ex-Jar: The best way to get over a break up is to forget that he even existed. So take a pact to not speak of your ex for the whole day and for every time you utter his name, you must put £1 in a jar.

3) Use all the money raised in said jar to buy a stack of Efes pizzas and a nice glass of red for dinner.

4) Snuggle up in front of the TV with a few friends watching a gossip girl marathon and indulging in your favourite flavour of Ben and Jerry's.

Who cares, this is a day of enjoyment after all.

And if all fails remember that the 14th of February just happens once in the year and it will be over soon. So why not spend today with the people you love the most?

R.O.

E

at your heart out! We suggest celebrating this Valentines Day by having a massive Valentines Day themed feast while couples enjoy picking at their non-messy date food. Bring on the messy finger food please!

You will need: one romantic comedy and A LOT of chicken wings, pizza, ice cream and cake.

1) Entrée. Eat three chicken wings if the protagonists is an attractive female with a somewhat successful career that will never be fulfilling enough to replace the role of a man.

2) Eat three chicken wings if the protagonist is a charming man who is a chauvinistic womanizer but somehow manages to be lovable.

3) Main course. Eat three pieces of pizza if the male and female protagonists are friends even though the woman is clearly madly in love with the man.

4) Eat three pieces of pieces of pizza if there is a "running to the airport to confess undying love" scene.

5) Eat three pieces of pizza if it works and the other love besotted idiot decides to drop the once in a life time opportunity that awaits them for love.

6) Dessert. Eat three scoops of ice cream and three pieces of cake at the inevitable moment after the two protagonists confess their love and a part of you longs for the same.

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ot convinced about the hearts, flowers, cute cupcakes and excessive focus on love? I mean what really is all the hype about! How about not following the trend? I'm thinking, slipping on those comfy I-don't-dare-to-be-seen-in-public trainers and heading out. I mean who wants to be cooped up in their room religiously checking Facebook or the front door for a secret love note or an "I want you back" wall post. Now enjoy being single!

1) Head down with a mate to Gourmet Burger Kitchen on 7 Lendal Street with a sweet 2 burgers for £10 voucher which you can download at capitalfm.com/gbk and using your hands tuck into that delicious, but non-date food; succulent burger, extra on the onions please!

2) Next I'm talking a calorie bomb - make your way to Evil Eye and indulge in a Brazilian Monk embracing your celibacy!

3) To finish off your night why not catch the 10pm Vue cinema showing of the Underworld 3D and watch Kate Beckinsale, the immortal Vampire, battle against humanity, certainly an empowering and far from romantic movie.

This is your day, your beautiful new dawn. You can eat what you want, drink what you like and watch the most unseasonal films. Your song for the day is 'New Map' by M83; shift your desires, the landscape is infinite, own it.

Ok you should now be feeling uncomfortably full, embrace it, it could be worse you could be freezing sitting in a tight dress eating over-priced food in town.

J.M.

L.L.

LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 14, 2012

21

Not Half the World Away...

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Evangeline Calder takes a fresh look at student Europe...

t’s that time of year: It’s cold, it’s windy, and frankly pretty damn miserable. But, have no fear, for there is hope (and warmth) on the horizon; the Easter holiday is just a month away. Instead of spending the entire time on Facebook, hung over or trying not to think about how much work you aren’t doing, you could instead spend 3 weeks having the time of your life, becoming a cultured and relatively interesting person. How can I do this? You might ask. The answer: Go travelling. I’m not talking about taking a mini 'gap yah', spending a month in South America trekking the Inca trail or building an orphanage for baby orang-utans in Borneo. I’m talking about going somewhere underrated that you don’t have to spend 6 months fundraising to afford to go to, and you don't even have to leave the continent.

Yes, I’m talking about Europe. And I don’t mean that Europe. Whether you’re looking for some international partying, a little bit of culture, can’t quite let go of winter and fancy a last minute ski sesh or are just fed up of having to convince people that you’re actually not an albino, here’s where I come in with my list of the top 3 places to

visit. First on the list is Poland.

Yes, Poland. True, parts of it's capital city look like you’ve been transported back 50 years to a communist era prison block/ Derwent College, but if you take a trip further south to the city of Krakow, you’ll find yourself in one of the most beautiful places you’ve ever seen. The Old Town is the perfect place to start your tour of the city, and is bursting to the brim with history and character. Here you’ll find the Rynek Główny, or the Main Square, which is the largest medieval town square of any European city, and is always buzzing with people, parties, and pigeons. Auschwitz is also only an hour away from Krakow, and is a harrowing experience you shouldn’t miss out on.

For those of you who are looking for somewhere more far flung than your local Wetherspoons to have a pint, then the next place on the list is perfect for you: Prague, Czech Republic. This place really has it all; it’s an amazing city with loads to do during the day, and some of the most breathtaking views you’ll ever see. I would definitely recommend taking part in a pub crawl (you get a free t-shirt…) and exploring what the night life has to offer with a group of people who know where they’re going. You’ll most likely end up in Karlovy Lázne, which is the largest club in Europe. Most importantly, it has five floors, each playing different types of music suiting any music taste.

The downside is that the only way to get between the floors is to take the stairs. Think Ziggys x 5 mixed with 'eau de car park'.

But, if you’ve drunk enough Czech beer, which you probably will have done, you’re in for a great night.

For those of you who aren’t quite ready for summer and fancy getting in a final ski somewhere a bit different, then the last place on this list is perfect for you; Slovenia. Located to the east of Italy, at the bottom of the

Alps and touching the Mediterranean, Slovenia has a striking and unique, mountainous landscape. Although you can still ski here at the higher altitudes in April, to be on the safe side, I’d advise going at the end of March to make sure you do get a chance to actually ski.

There are 15 resorts to choose from, and with return flights from around £100 for the end of March, you'd be mad not to go and admire the scenery before it becomes saturated with tourists. The place is an undiscovered gem for students, but this doesn't mean it's out of our

reach in terms of price. A visit to the capital city, Ljubljana, is also an absolute must...

If you have both the time and the money then why not visit all three, with a few other stops along the way. The best way to get around is definitely by train; it’s fast, it’s cheap, and it’s fun.

So, if you fancy an Easter adventure, Interrailing is the way forward. Other places I’d recommend if you plan on becoming a seasoned European traveller are Amsterdam, Berlin and Zagreb, which tie in perfectly with your journey around your newly discovered favourite continent.

Stunning Spring Picks

Frances Jennings plucks out the essential student staples this season

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ream was always going to be a big hit for this year after the big fat British Royal Wedding (and the most recent episode of Gossip Girl), but it’s not as if us girls can prance down Ousegate on a Wednesday night in our best Vera Wang. I’ve been scouring the streets lately for the best SS12 picks the York shopping scene has to offer, and here’s what I have found...

I’m crazy about the super-cute Audrey dress by Jones and Jones for its flattering shape and versatility – dress it up with a blazer and heels, and wear it to lectures the next morning with your leather jacket and biker boots. ASOS do a similar skater-skirt lace dress for £40, making it a little more Ziggysfriendly.

Jones and Jones £65

AllSaints £80

Biker-chic is set to continue throughout spring, and I’m a big fan of the contrast it adds to cute pastel and lace-print. If you’re late on the trend (like me) and looking for a fairly basic jacket then visit Zara or Topshop, but if you’re willing to go the extra mile for the real thing I’d recommend either fishing round some of York’s trendier-looking charity shops – if I can find vintage Lanvin, you can find leather – or forking out £165 for Oasis’ Biker Jacket. I love layers, which is why the All Saints Pirate cardigan (£80) is a long-time favourite of mine; wear it loose on its own indoors, then tie it up for a little extra-warmth underneath your jacket.

Pastel-lovers will be pleased to note Office’s SS12 collection – try their ‘Jade’ shoe (£68) for dressing up bare legs at night. If (like me) you’re not up to braving the bare yet then Topshop has cute ankle boots for under tights, or check Kurt Geiger out at the designer outlet for superchic on a super-low budget.

Throw your UGGs away for daytime girls because it’s time for grown-up boots; leather boots are the way forward this season so, whether biker or Barbour, get a pair on!

I’m a self-confessed handbag fanatic – I’d sell my soul for a Birkin without a second thought – so I’m desperate to get my hands on a camera bag for this season. Mulberry reintroduced the functional piece just before Christmas with two camera bags; the Carter camera bag, and the more-traditional Postman’s Lock Camera Bag. Similar boxy styles have appeared in Michael by Michael Kors (available in Fenwick) and up and down the high street; if you’re into something a little sleeker for your night out then Accessorize have a selection of gorgeous patent clutches for around £25

Office £68

Oasis £165

AllSaints £95 Lads can look forward to minimal spending this season, given that this Spring for men is mainly about swapping your Sherpalined hoodie for a chunky knit and plain shirt. Cable-knit is just about the sexiest thing you can be wearing at the moment, and All Saints have some quirky cardigans that will go over (and under) almost anything from your winter-wardrobe. I like Whitby (£95) and Coast (£110) as they’re well-fitted to being worn loose or buttoned-up, and they look great with chinos and a casual Henley. T-shirts are still making statements but in a different way to last year’s crazy graphic prints – SS12 t-shirts feature flag themes, stripes and text.

22 LIFESTYLE

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 14, 2012

Green Goodness Ali Ryland cooks up a mean green storm and sheds some light on Veganism...

S

ome people believe that all vegans are straight-edge killjoys, sentimental old hippies or sanctimonious nutters, but a vegan is merely anyone who seeks to exclude the usage of animals to the best of their current ability. Whilst there are many reasons for why a person decides to make this choice, here are a few summaries of the problems posed by the ever-growing consumption of factory farmed meat, milk and eggs around the world, and how simply observing a vegan diet can lessen the harm we inadvertently cause. Who knows, maybe they’ll have you putting down the pork this Valentine’s Day...

Unsustainability and the Hungry

Environmental Impact

Ethical Problems

You probably remember doing food chains in Biology, right? The loss of energy and inefficiency of eating livestock is even more concerning now that recent studies have shown how nearly a third of the world’s grain is being used to feed the very livestock that contribute to our Big Macs, our omelettes and what we pour on our morning cereal. With the population growing, we cannot sustain this waste of energy when the crops used to feed livestock and the land used to raise them could be feeding the 840 million people who don’t have enough to eat.

Go Green Week has just been and gone, and if you stopped past Vanbrugh stalls on the 6th you might have noticed People and Planet’s Pledge Tree. They set week long challenges to carnivores to try their hand at vegetarianism as well as getting some vegetarians to ‘pledge’ veganism for the week. It might seem odd at first that pledges like these significantly reduce your carbon footprint but once you consider the amount of fossil fuels, water and fertile land needed to farm the livestock that now outnumber us three to one, it all starts to add up. Not to mention the damage inflicted on forests, biodiversity, the oceans and thus the entire planet.

Whilst it is an unavoidable truth that animals are killed for meat, it is also a fact that millions more are killed each year as by-products of the egg and dairy industry, whilst the lives of hens and cows are significantly shortened by the stress of the often cruel conditions they live in.

Animals suffer and feel pain; most factory farms do not attempt to keep this to a minimum as it is not in their economic interest. Remember, you cannot ensure a cruelty-free animal product unless you have known the animals involved.

Eating meat doesn't just harm animals, it is also harmful to the environment and by association affects people too. It takes a substantial amount of crops and water to raise farmed animals; according to PETA it can take up to 16 pounds of grain and water to produce a mere pound of meat.

The plant food used to do this would serve a much better purpose being fed directly to humans, so the more vegans we have, the more people we can feed.

Vision recommends...

According to the Livestock's Long Shadow Report, eating meat is one of the most significant contributors to serious environmental problems on a local and global scale. The example they gave suggested that "eating meat causes almost 40 per cent more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, and planes in the world combined..."

“Any reduction [of animal products] is a step in the right direction” is a phrase championed by People and Planet here at York and by environmentalists around the world. Start by cutting down your intake slowly and over time; a well-planned vegan diet is perfectly healthy, tasty and has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Below is a list of cheap and cheerful recipes to help kick start you in the right direction. Bon Appétit...

A handful of meat free mince or chick peas to compliment the Vegan Chilli.

Vegan Chilli

Watercress Soup

Mushroom Polenta

1 onion, sliced 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 tin chopped tomatoes 1 tin of kidney beans Sugar and Chilli powder Serves 1-2 - Approx. price £1.20

1 Onion, sliced 1.5kg of potatoes, peeled and chopped 1-2 bags of watercress Serves 4 - Approx. price: £2.20-3.50

2tbsps olive oil 250g mushrooms sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2tbsps balsamic vinegar 1tbsp sugar (preferably brown) 500g readymade polenta (cut into 4 triangle shaped slices and lightly brushed with olive oil) Salt Serves 2 - Approx. price £1.80-£2

This belly-warming chilli can be served with rice, tortillas, nachos or tacos. Gently fry the onion in a pan for a few minutes before adding chopped tomatoes, a pinch of sugar and garlic.

If you have any spare red wine lying around, add a dash along with a teaspoon of chilli (or more for added phwoarr factor). Now would also be the time to add the meat-free mince; most supermarket brands are vegan but always check the packet. Simmer for 10-15 mins before adding the mashed kidney beans, stir and then, voila! A meal for two chock-full of protein!

Perfect to share or to refrigerate and feed on for half a week! Fry your onion in a large pan for 5 minutes before adding your large chunks of potato. Cook for a further 10 minutes before adding boiling water to the pan until it reaches half an inch above the potatoes. Simmer for 1015 minutes or until potatoes are soft then drain.

After this, add the bag of watercress (two if you like it thick) and blend to your satisfaction. Surprisingly filling, this winter-warmer is substantial enough to eat for your main meal. Shake on a little pepper for added zing.

Bringing you something a bit different, this meal is incredibly quick and tasty. Heat the oil in a large frying pan for a few minutes before adding your mushrooms, garlic and a pinch of salt.

Cook for 5 minutes until brown. Mix the balsamic vinegar and sugar together before pouring into a pan. Stir for 1-2 minutes while putting the polenta cakes under the grill for two minutes (until warm) and then serve together. Salad and toasted ciabatta are the perfect complement to this dish, whilst readymade polenta can be found in most supermarkets for under a quid.

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday February 14, 2012

>Sport TWO HORSE RACE

SNOW SPORTS!

VISION LOOKS AT THE YORK SPORT CANDIDATES

WEATHER CHAOS FORCES CONTINGENCY PLANS

23

BY SALLY DOLTON

BY SALLY DOLTON SAM ASFAHANI is coming to the end of his wildly successful tenure as York Sport President.

In his time he has revitalised Varsity changing York’s opposition to Hull instead of York St John’s. His decision to relocate the York Rugby 1sts to the Huntington Stadium produced what could arguably be the most exciting event of the year. He recently confirmed the York Sport Membership will now be free for York Uni students- leaving every sports team member with an extra £40 to spend in Ziggy’s.

So, as of Monday morning, one sport BNOC and one surprise entry have stepped into the fray hoping to fill Sam’s considerably large shoes. There are one or two surprise omissions from the list of candidates; last years ‘top dog’ Ben McGladdery is not running, despite an enthusiastic campaign

last year.

First of the marks (alphabetically) is Dong-Oh Shin. Recognisable to many as a member of Door Safe, Dong-Oh also plays in goal for UYHC, is a valued member of Halifax hockey team and has worked on the HCSA. He may not have as high a profile as Charlotte Winter but dark horses can win.

Winter’s impressive CV includes a successful run as College Sport head, the lacrosse women’s team and a dedicated career in the Alcuin netball team. She definitely has more experience than Shin but both are likely to follow the trend in Sport Presidency candidates and launch very prominent campaigns. Remember, both are benefiting from the backing of two large sports clubs.

So it's Alcuin vs. the ‘Fax and netball vs. hockey: this clash of two sizzling personalities is certainly going to be interesting.

YORK HAS experienced some of the heaviest snowfall in the country this week.

The temperature has dropped as low as -10 and the snow has fallen so thick in the last week that walking is an issue, let alone sports.

With the BUCS league imposing an impending deadline for matches to be played, measures have been taken. Sam Asfahani confirmed that BUCS will be played at the weekend and it is ‘standard protocol’. However, some sports may suffer from this concertinaed playing schedule.

The major outdoor sports have all missed games. The football 1sts haven’t played since their cup match victory against Hull two weeks ago.

Some sports have felt the freeze on games more than others. The hockey teams compete in the weekend Yorkshire

League as well as inter-university fixtures. Ladies 1sts co-Captain and Fixtures Secretary Sally Warrington described the situation as a ‘massive issue’. Predicting trouble she went on, envisaging ‘more injuries and more commitment problems’ as the club looks likely to have to schedule fixtures four days a week.

There are also problems with college sport. Football 1sts has been called off every week since the start of term due to the poor state of the pitches before the snow fell. It has been confirmed by College Sport head Charlotte Winter that both the 1sts and 2nds matches are being doubled up in a week. This could raise problems as it clashes with BUCS. Those of us that have had our fill with snowball fights and casual sledging are looking for the snow to go so we can play our normal and regular sports again.

STAR OF CAMPUS: SARA BIANCHI BAZZI YORK'S ITALIAN FRESHER SARA BAZZI TALKS UYAC FACILITIES AND HER LIFE AS A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

BY AMY BALLARD & HELENA KAZNOWSKA How did you get involved?

As a child I used to do cross-country, running and swimming. But when I was 14 my swimming club went bust so I had to change to athletics - I did long jump at school and did well in it, so I went to my neighbour, an athletics coach, and said ""Can I do long jump please?" and he said "Sure, come along!"

"I won the Italian championships in 2010 for heptathlon and long jump."

Do you want to be a professional athlete?

I had a gap year last year and it was to see if I wanted to become a professional athlete and it didn't work out, so I just said "No, I'm going to university!"

Who have you represented?

From next week I'll be representing York and then I'll be at the BUCS championships

in February. I've represented Italy in the European championships when I won the long jump, with a personal best of 6m 10cm in 2009. I won the Italian championships in 2010 for heptathlon and long jump and came third in the U23 championships.

How do you feel when you go out to represent your country?

It's nerve-wracking but amazing. Sometimes when you're competing you don't think about it. Often, when I go and watch my friends, I go crazy - I can't sit down!

Hardest moment?

Well, I had injuries last year - back problems, which are now solved. I have one leg which is longer than the other, which can cause problems when I run on it a lot!

Which event in the heptathlon do you struggle with the most?

Javelin. I can't do it! I really can't!

What's your training plan?

It varies as the season progresses, but I train most days with a break on Mondays.

Tuesdays and Fridays I go to the gym and do weight training, endurance on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and every Wednesday I go to Huntington for technique.

Do you have any special dietary requirements? [laughs] No. Not really! I'm very fond of food!

Who is your sporting hero?

At the moment, Jess Ennis - I love what she does, and she seems as though she has superpowers! (Vision found out after that Sara's PB is only 19 cms less than Jessica's!)

What's your five year plan?

Not a five year, but a two year plan! 2013 is the European U23 Championships, and it's my dream to compete.

Why isn't it such a big sport on campus? For instance, UYAC doesn't have a coach.

People who are very keen on athletics, who have the choice, won't choose York. There aren't many facilities for us - the track is not a proper track! We don't compete in Roses and Varsity. I was nearly put off when I saw the facilities but it was so good for everything else that I came regardless.

Who's better, England or Italy? Will you ever compete for England?

I feel more Italian than British even though, as a general team, England is much better.

SARA BAZZI

24 SPORT

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 14, 2012

THE

TIPSTER

COLLEGE BADMINTON

COLLEGE NETBALL

TITLE CHALLENGERS SEE OFF UNDERDOGS

LANGWITH SMASHED AND GOODRICKE UNDONE

BY CASSANDRA BROWN

HIS PREDICTIONS ARE SO HOT, THEY CAUSED & WILL COOPER CHEMISTRY TO CATCH ON FIRE

sure thing thing sure PAKISTAN TO BEAT ENGLAND IN THE ODI'S AND THE T20 SERIES The recent test series in Dubai was an unmitigated disaster for England. However, it was a triumph for Pakistan, number five in the world test rankings. A lot has been made about the neutral venue with low attendances and unfamiliar conditions, the latter which would have probably favoured Misbah-ul-Haq's team.

But at the end of the day, the game is played in the same conditions by both sides and putting it simply, Pakistan (especially their bowlers Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul) were too good. As a team, they played with a strength and unity that has been sorely lacking in their ranks for years since the death of Bob Woolmer. The momentum is firmly with them and they will simply have too much for an England side in terrible form, especially with the likes of Shahid Afridi in their ranks.

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

BOTH ALCUIN and Goodricke were on the end of drubbings inflicted by Langwith and Halifax respectively.

Langwith romped to an 8-2 victory with partners Grantham and Ting Ang and Seow and Brown not dropping a game on their way to victory.

Despite wins for pairings David and Gardner and Lamb and Smyth, Alcuin faced an uphill battle against a very skilful team, with Huan Ting Ang particularly impressive.

Langwith remain top of the league, but their next two games against Halifax and Vanbrugh are crucial.

Halifax were equally imperious, brushing Goodricke aside 9-1. Only Wong and Alla-

4/6

long shot

ENGLAND TO WIN THE 2012 SIX NATIONS TOURNAMENT

Last year England won the tournament, albeit in unconvincing fashion, and the hope was there that in 2012 we could go one further and win the Grand Slam off the back of a promising World Cup performance. Oh how wrong those hopes were. The dismal showing in New Zealand combined with the departure of Martin Johnson and the overall public perception of English rugby going down the pan have all translated into where we currently stand; with interim coach Stuart Lancaster and a squad full of uncapped players. Promisingly, they avoided a potential banana skin in the opening game against Scotland, winning at Murrayfield for the first time in eight years before defeating Italy at the weekend. However, World Cup finalists France, semi-finalists Wales and even Ireland all look better placed as England continue to recover from a torrid year.

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

9/2

ABSOLUTE MADNESS DAVID BECKHAM TO BE THE NEXT ENGLAND MANAGER

One has to remember that one of the most famous A-list celebrities of the last 15 years is also a footballer. A footballer who has made 115 appearances for England, making him the second most capped player after Peter Shilton ever to play for the national team. Now in the swansong of his playing career, he may be looking at getting into coaching, and where better to start his managerial career than as England manager?! Who needs the weatherbeaten, tired 'Arry Redknapp when you could have the Hollywood glamour and pizazz that would surely lead us to our first trophy since '66? Let's be honest though, this is not really a goer. Indeed, the fact there is even a bona fide betting odd against his name is surprising.

They could go for a young manager, but let's be honest, Becks doesn't really come across as someone who would be an inspiring coach or a master tactician. However, if he does become a manager and defies the odds to do well in club football, then who knows in a few years time?

TIPSTER'S ODDS:

100/1

Photo: Tom Wooldridge

menou won for Goodricke.

Mcloughin was in good form with White, coming out with scores of 21-11, 21-16 and 21-6. Whipp played some fine shots, helping record a 100 per cent record with Rodgers.

The second round of fixtures began with Derwent edging past Wentworth 6-4.

Derwent’s first pairing of Taylor and How secured two games from the Wentworth team, winning comfortably, 2118 and 21-11.

Wentworth’s Kitiwong and Saruta were on fantastic form however, impressively obtaining all three of their matches, 21-15, 23-21 and 21-11 against each Derwent pair.

Finally, the deciding match had arrived and Derwent’s Hill and Croucher managed to steal a win from Wentworth’s Sun and Ying Yie, triumphing 21-15.

Michael Taylor, the Derwent captain, commented; "Everyone played well and we came away with a win in the end."

Finally, Vanbrugh beat James 7-3. The match started off in Vanbrugh’s favour with Tait and Barnett comfortably beating all three of the James pairings 21-10, 21-10 and 21-15, and the Vanbrugh captains Walsh and Davenport also managed to secure all of their games. Despite a late rally from James, Vanbrugh went on to secure a convincing 7-3 victory and keep pace with tabletopping rivals, Langwith.

BY JACK BRADSHAW & REBECCA GILL JAMES SHOWED no mercy as they slaughtered Langwith 26-4 to send out an intimidating message to their college netball rivals.

The margin of victory does not flatter James; their passing, movement and overall tenacity was superior.

Langwith started sluggishly allowing James' Rachael Bunce and Tessa Russell to open up a 5-1 advantage within just four minutes of play.

Centre Whitehead impressed with her instinctive passing allowing the attackers to finish off move after move.

And Bunce's clear height advantage over the Langwith defenders allowed her to regularly score from rebounds.

By half time, the score was 14-2, but Langwith began the second half promisingly with two goals from Northern to make the score 14-4.

However, that was Langwith's final attacking contribution as James blew them away with clinical finishing from Bunce and Russell.

They maintained their rapid movement and created space brilliantly, making the court big.

The final whistle sounded to conclude a 22-point victory for James, and captain Becky Gray said: "I'm really pleased that was our best match."

Meanwhile, Derwent

Photo: Tom Wooldridge

gained the points over Goodricke’s strong attacking side.

Goodricke began with the first centre, and quickly got the ball under the post. They were unlucky to miss the shot, and Derwent took advantage.

Ellie Burch, playing Centre for Derwent, fed a pass into shooter Maggie Edwards, resulting in the first goal.

Derwent displayed fine midcourt play and consistently supplied their shooters with quality passes, creating numerous shots under the post. At half time the score stood 11-6 to Derwent. They returned to the game with confidence, and looked set to widen the gap.

Goodricke made changes, and the new shooting partnership of Sarah Lane and Kav Aggarwai looked to be on fine form.

Despite the changes in position Goodricke weren’t quite strong enough to close the gap.

The final score reading 17-14 to Derwent.

STEPPING OUT ON A SATURDAY

BY DAVE WASHINGTON A LOT of focus is placed on the BUCS matches for the University hockey teams, but York teams also compete on a Saturday in the Yorkshire Hockey Leagues, facing up against some of the best club sides in the county.

Men's 1st XI Under the guidance of captain Henry Meller, the Men’s 1st XI have performed admirably in the Premier Division of the Yorkshire League, sitting third after 15 games. Realistically this is as high as they can aim to finish, as the top two are comfortably clear, but nevertheless third would be an excellent achievement, matching that of last year.

Seven successes have been recorded including convincing margins of victory against Halifax, Kingston-upon-Hull and Sheffield University Bankers. A 2-2 draw against table toppers Sheffield Hallam showed the phenomenal potential of the team. Just a little more consistency is needed to make that next step to go with the undisputed talent.

Women's 1st XI It’s been a successful season for the ladies, who sit top of the table in Division One of the Yorkshire leagues. The girls are battling with Harrogate and City of York for promotion. The highlights of the season have been a fantastic 6-3 victory over 3rd place City of York, and a 10-0 thumping of Huddersfield Dragons.

Sally Warrington commented; "personally I think the Yorkshire League really aids with team building and allows us to practice different skills in preparation for the tougher BUCS matches."

Men's 2nd XI Photo: Oliver Todd

Under the leadership of Alex Alonso, the team have regrouped and settled into a strong unit after losing a number of key

players from last season. They sit 2nd in Division Four. According to the skipper, "the team has developed a good chemistry and everyone has bedded into their role."

Promotion is unlikely, but Alonso noted that freshers James Hope and Patrick Forrester have been particularly impressive.

Women's 2nd XI The girls sit top of Division Six, with 11 victories. The main battle for the title is against Lincoln Roses. Captain Harriet Nicholls commented; "We have had a lot of enthusiastic players and competition for team selection has been high." Freshers Nina Rawlings and Alix Hayward have impressed greatly.

Men's 3rd XI Recent seasons have seen a meteoric rise through Division Six; last season the team surpassed 100 goals. This season, the opposition has been much tougher, but nevertheless the lads, led by Jon Waghorne, sit in 3rd place. Promotion may be beyond their reach but four straight wins mean confidence is running high and things are certainly looking up.

YORK VISION

SPORT

Tuesday February 14, 2012

PLAYING IT STRAIGHT FOOTBALL IS FACING A HOMOPHOBIA CRISIS, ARGUES JACK BRADSHAW CONSIDER THESE FACTS. Homosexuality was legalised in the UK 45 years ago and it is estimated that 5-6% of the population is gay.

And although they surely exist, there are currently no openly gay professional footballers in England, out of a total of 4,000. Surprised? I certainly was.

While racism seems to grab all the big, shocking headlines, homophobic abuse in football is an issue brushed hurriedly under the carpet by players, managers and footballing authorites.

There are currently no openly gay professional footballers in England.

Consequently, it is upsetting to say that homophobic abuse is rife in football and it is arguably as big a problem as racist abuse.

Justin Fashanu, the first £1 million player, represents the most infamous case for the problems gay players face in coming out. After he revealed his sexuality in October 1990 in an interview with The Sun, Fashanu received abuse not only from the fans, but also from teammates in the dressing room and criticism from former players. Then, in 1998, Fashanu decided to take his own life.

Abuse has also been levelled at players who aren’t gay. Because he pursued seemingly ‘unladdish’ hobbies such as art and antiques, went to university and read The Guardian, Graeme Le Saux was seen as gay by fans. He was even insulted on the pitch by Robbie Fowler at Stamford Bridge

in 1999.

And you may remember the incident in 2008 when Sol Campbell was abused by some Tottenham Hotspur fans, who shamefully chanted: "Sol, Sol, wherever you may be / You're on the verge of lunacy / And we don't give a f*** if you're hanging from a tree / You Judas c*** with HIV." These shocking examples show a player is likely to face great hostility if his homosexuality is made public. Publicist Max Clifford has claimed he has advised "two high-profile Premier League players" not to come out because it would wreck their careers.

His argument goes that in football, the fans participate more through their vocal presence than in any other sport, and any homophobic abuse could be psychologically devastating, or at least reduce performance levels on the pitch.

This is connected to the idea that players are viewed by their clubs as commercial assets and declaring homosexuality would reduce their value. He also says it would also disrupt the changing room dynamic and lead to problems of trust with teammates.

Therefore, according to Clifford, the only good time to come out would be towards the end of a player’s career or, better still, following retirement. The classic example came from rugby in December 2009, when Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas announced his homosexuality at the age of 35. A biopic is now being made about him, starring Mickey Rourke.

Someone to buck that trend is 21 year old Anton Hysén, who is only one of two openly gay footballers on the planet (the other is American David Testo). Hysén, who plays in the Swedish fourth division, is a special case because he has come out at an early stage in his career. He insists what goes on in the dressing room does not go beyond friendly banter and that his colleagues accept the situation with little fuss.

However, let’s not delude ourselves.

The Swedish fourth division attracts very little media attention and crowds are paltry compared to the Premier League. Players see football as a part-time occupation; Hysén is also a construction worker.

As brave as Hysén’s actions are, many other more high-profile players won’t be convinced that they will be so readily accepted by their football community. Maybe football could learn a lesson from cricket.

Tipped by some to be a future England regular, Surrey and England wicketkeeper Steven Davies came out aged 24 in Febru-

ary 2011, with no major consequences.

Despite being the only cricketer to announce his homosexuality during his playing career, Davies has received admirable support from fellow cricketers Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell and Andy Flower. This is the kind of encouraging example where you can almost see the layers of taboo being stripped away, piece by piece.

So the message for football and the FA is simple. Get a grip. So far, the efforts of the FA have been poor; not enough work has been put into preventing discrimination in the first place, and by implication, punishing it consistently.

Preventative measures might include educating youngsters, introducing anti-

The message for football and the FA is simple. Get a grip. homophobic messages across a range of media and opening up a more frank dialogue with managers. Punishments must be just as severe as for racist abuse, which would mean banning players and fans for using homophobic language.

Otherwise, homophobic abuse will remain a blemish on the beautiful game for years to come. We live in a more open society now and football must get with the times and escape the clutches of a Dark Age Mentality.

YORK 1STS BEAT NEWCASTLE 5-0 BUT THE 2ND TEAM SUCCUMB TO LEEDS 2-1

YORK 1STS thrashed Newcastle 2nds 5-0 to go top of the table in a solid performance on Wednesday afternoon.

The highlight of the encounter came from court five where Myles Knight secured an impressive comeback from two games down to beat Newcastle’s Matt Goodwin 3-2.

The match didn’t begin as York would have hoped; Goodwin soared into the lead, taking the first game 11-6.

An impressive rally seemed to exhaust Knight as he fell to another defeat in the second game, meaning the odds were firmly stacked against York taking first blood.

But an outstanding third game from Knight renewed his hope of the win; a well-executed smash saw him pull the score back to 1-2.

At 2-2 in games and 7-7 in points, the match was proving to be a real advert for squash. The effort from both players was phenomenal but a magnificent final push from Knight meant he gained three match points.

Only one proved necessary. A drop of the shoulder fooled Goodwin as he went the opposite way to the ball; giving York a deserved 1-0 lead in matches.

After that the matches became easier.

David Potter saw off Kevin Lees 3-1. It was a similar story on courts three and two as Matt Lewis and Matt Pollen both won 3-0.

It was up to York’s Ed Shannon to seal the victory as he demolished Joe Harvey in straight games on court one.

After a superb start, Shannon raced into a two game lead and some magnificent positioning meant Harvey had no opportunity to play those killer shots.

TERRY-BLE DECISION? IT WAS A CONTROVERSIAL DECISION, BUT WAS THE FA RIGHT TO STRIP JOHN TERRY OF THE ENGLAND CAPTAINCY?

YES

BY PHIL BOYCE

YORK SQUASH NEWCASTLE

BY OSCAR PEARSON & WILL BARNES

25

Textbook footwork followed by a delicate slice saw Shannon rocket into a 10-2 lead in the third game, going on to secure the victory with a delicious cross-court smash.

Labelling the overall performance a “good win for York,” Shannon showed just why the 1sts are right in the mix for promotion this season.

Meanwhile, York 2nds were defeated 2-1 by their counterparts from Leeds despite producing flashes of brilliance.

Jonathan Perolls had an especially brilliant match prevailling 11-5, 11-6 over his opponent after a tough battle, coming back from losing the first set 8-11.

All in all York had played some quality squash but only in patches and it was this inconsistency that cost them the match.

As it is, York's 2nd team are still lying at the foot of the table.

THE DECISION to adjourn John Terry's court case until eight days after the Euro 2012 final largely forced the FA’s hand.

Sticking with Terry until a trial and conclusive verdict was something the FA was prepared to do, especially after standing

by Terry since the alleged incident.

However, having him lead the English team at Euro 2012 with such allegations still unresolved was, understandably, too much for the FA, especially with claims of his presence being “toxic” for the atmosphere of the England camp. Terry's public position was simply untenable.

This stance obviously does not assume Terry’s guilt. Fabio Capello’s plea for "civil justice, not sports justice" for his former captain is an honourable sword for the Italian to fall upon.

However, the reputation of the English national side in 2012 is just as important to the FA. The FA's actions avoid the media imagery of English football before the Olympics, where the first professional British football team will compete for decades as one dogged by ugly claims of racism from one of its leading representatives.

This is not the first time John Terry has brought the England captaincy into disrepute, and after a failed second-chance stint, the FA’s decision appears logical and correct.

NO

BY JONATHAN BARRON

THE IDEA that the leader of one of England’s most prized institutions might be capable of something so contrary to the values upheld by this country is a notion unpalatable to most of its citizens.

Terry maintains his innocence and has yet to stand trial, but inevitably, most people will have made up their minds long before a court reaches a verdict.

As a result, the premature reaction of the public and various well-meaning organisations put a lot of pressure on the FA, and was undoubtedly a factor in the ultimate decision. Although daunting, as a matter of principle the FA has every right to defend a man who has yet to be proven guilty, and should not be persecuted for doing so.

Defenders of the FA will say it is unrealistic to expect people to ignore criminal allegations and that, in an ideal world, everyone would presume ‘innocent until proven guilty’. In reality, such accusations will inevitably compromise John Terry’s ability to captain his country.

But this is a moot point; if this was a decision relating to the on-field performance of the England team, then surely this and all other decisions of this type are matters for the manager, and nothing to do with the team’s governing body; a view which has been reflected by Capello's actions.

26 SPORT

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 14, 2012

BASKETBALL AGONY

AMBULANCE? JUST CALL A CAB

BY JONATHAN BARRON

BY BETHANY PORTER

YORK WOMEN'S 1sts lost to Bradford 1sts 38-35 in a thrilling encounter.

Despite a stirring fightback from York in the second and third quarters, Bradford’s strong start and finish just managed to give them the edge in what was an incredibly close contest.

Bradford came out on top in the first quarter, with efficient shooting and successfully assertive defence. The first quarter ended with York down nine points to Bradford’s 13.

It was a telling statistic that five of York’s nine first-quarter points came from free-throws, the exception being a brilliantly effective counter attack following a Bradford basket.

Bradford scored almost immediately following the restart with two scores in quick succession, bringing the score to 9–17. Captain Jane Billiet rallied her team before half time as she collected a pass from out wide, and set up Marscionkaite to put away a cool finish.

With the score at 18–19 at half-time, it was game on. However, Bradford again scored from the restart; a sobering reminder to York they were were not going to let go of their hold easily.

Marriutto and Barretta carved through, making Bradford’s great start seem like a distant memory. Following a top-class shot from Mataragka, York were in front for the first time at 22–21.

After a dazzling display from York the teams finished tied at the final break, with the scores locked at 29–29. But Bradford converted more of their chances into points, bringing the score to 32–36.

However, York were not going down without a fight, and doggedly fought back to 35– 6. With about a minute left to play, Bradford scored again, to make it 35–38, and with York being shut out well by Bradford’s defence, York sensed the match slipping away from them.

continued from back page... and my leg but the referee ignored me at first and my team mates dragged me onto the sidelines where I spent the rest of the game sitting in quite a lot of pain. None of the players or the referee were aware of any medically trained staff at the RI at the time. There really should be in case of serious injuries."

First-year Vanbrugh Centre Jordan Gillies was left unattended on the side of the pitch with a suspected broken rib in a match against Alcuin last month.

"I was having trouble breathing, but

Photo: Ian Packard

there were no first-aiders, ambulances or any medical staff around. In the end a nearby football coach saw me struggling and called an ambulance. Luckily, my rib wasn't actually broken." Had Gillies actually broken or cracked a rib he could easily have punctured a lung, and the situation would have become a lot more serious.

According to the NHS, any injury to the head that results in a loss of consciousness should immediately be assessed by a firstaider or an ambulance called, as it may result in permanent brain damage, yet many players this term have been left completely unattended after blacking out.

One Alcuin player, Marinus Maris, has been badly concussed twice already this term, and, shockingly, Halifax player Alex

Cook was left fitting on the pitch whilst the referee ran around at a loss, trying, and failing, to find a medic at the RI. Alcuin rugby captain Muzzy Foley also sustained a head injury in a recent rugby match and is highly critical of the current standards of care: "I'm not sure what the standard medical practice is for concussion, however, I am certain that it does not involve being given some Highland Spring and booking your own taxi to the hospital we're not asking for a pitch side Holby City, just some first aid presence." Foley is joined in his condemnation by Vanbrugh captain Chris West, who expressed concern over medical situation at the RI. "Considering the number of injuries every week in college rugby, and the lack of first aid most weeks, this is definitely an issue that needs looking into," he told Vision.

Freddy Harris, the Derwent player who is in charge of college rugby this year, spoke to Vision about the difficulties in providing college rugby with adequate medical care: "Essentially it's a matter of cost.

To have two first-aid trained people, as well as a first aid unit, would cost at least £96, and as we get no funding from the University, the cost is all out of our own pockets.

If costs were any higher than already it might jeopardise the ability of teams to get 15 people out at the weekend.

"With any serious injuries, basic first aid training dictates that you call qualified

Photo: Ian Packard

Photo: Ian Packard

medical professionals. I have basic first aid training, yet in any serious situation I would be at a complete loss."

As Harris says, it is just not feasible for college rugby players to pay for their own medical care, and so for the safety of all players, the switch that will see the sport recognised as an official college sport in October cannot come soon enough.

York Sport President Sam Asfahani told Vision that this was one of the many problems with College Rugby not being official or run by the Union.

"Rugby is not a sport that requires a first aid trained medic or doctor on site, unlike something like American Football. Of course, it is a high injury risk sport which is why referee qualifications normally include training on how to deal with injured players," he said.

"Next year, with College Rugby becoming official, we'll look to ensure the correct protocol is applied. We will of course look to help injured players in any way we can presently."

Up until then however, it looks as though college rugby's only option, if it wants to continue to run, is to go on without the medical attention it so clearly requires.

NETBALL GRUDGE MATCH YORK 1STS FACE NORTHUMBRIA A WEEK AFTER BEING EDGED OUT OF THE CUP

Photo: Kathy Burke

However, in the dying seconds of the game Mataragka collected the ball by the edge of the Bradford 3-point area and let fly a great looping shot, only for her attempt to hit the inside of the basket and bounce out, to the delight of the Bradford players, who kept possession for the few remaining seconds.

Captain Jane Billiet was no doubt pleased with the performance of her team on the day, and has high hopes for them in the BUCS Cup, in which they face Northumbria 2nds in a fortnight.

SPORT IN NUMBERS

48 cancellations due to snow 94 netball BUCS goals this week 123 2011-12 BUCS victories

BY CHARLOTTE FERRIS AFTER BEING knocked out of the BUCS Cup by Northumbria last week, York were in search of revenge. Yet, despite an intense battle, Northumbria retained their dominance with a 40-34 win.

York looked convincing in the first quarter. They utilised turnovers made by Nina Pullman and Lottie Knight, something they failed to do in their Cup game.

Kay Masterson’s shooting was confident and she ensured that York kept a two goal lead.

York’s play was fluent and composed and there was no reason why they could not achieve a win.

However, after a rousing team talk in which York were told to hold the lead, They returned to their old style of play.

The vigilant umpires called both teams up for mistakes such as ‘footwork’ and ‘foot on the line’, which unfortunately broke down York’s play.

York lost their two goal lead and unfortunately Northumbria looked certain to be victorious. However, numerous interceptions by Nina Pullman kept York’s hope alive and they entered the third quarter

with the aim to prove themselves.

York’s play improved in the third quarter with a switch bringing Georgia Neblett on to Goal Attack and Charlotte Ferris switching from Wing Defence to Centre.

York managed to break down Northumbria’s defence with short, sharp passes which resulted in accurate feeds to Neblett and Masterson.

Neblett made a difference to York’s side as her movement worried the strong Goal Defence who had previously showed dominance in the game. Despite York’s initial comeback, they failed to edge the gap between themselves and Northumbria, and Northumbria remained ten goals ahead of them.

However, York never let their heads go down and the last quarter consisted of some of the best play this season. The switch which put Kay Masterson to Goal Keeper had a positive effect on the game and the Northumbria attack were put under immense pressure.

Masterson, with the help of Nina Pullman, ensured that every ball fed into the Northumbria shooters was challenged, and at one point, York bridged the gap to just three goals between them and the opposition.

The combination of Griffiths and Neblett worked well in the circle, with Bronwen Dalley Smith and Charlotte Ferris, ensuring that they were given accurate passes.

Dalley Smith never gave up, and she achieved an interception in every quarter, most notably in the last quarter, which ended in a goal for York.

Although York had bridged the gap in the last quarter, it was not enough to achieve a win. Captain Rebecca O’ Dwyer was "proud" of her team’s performance, especially the "fight back" in the last quarter which showed York’s "determination and fitness".

O’Dwyer’s team have so much potential and at their best, they are certainly tough competitors.

Man of the Match went to Kay Masterson for her instrumental role in York's success.

The result leaves York sitting fourth and in the lower half in their league with Northumbria in second place.

Their next match will be against Teesside, who are currently first in the league and beat York 47-37 in their last encounter.

The black and gold will be looking to overturn this result.

YORK VISION

Tuesday February 14, 2012

SPORT

SPORT SPOTLIGHT

27

WILL COOPER DIGS VOLLEYBALL BUT COMPLETELY FAILS TO ACE IT...

HAVING TREKKED through the snow to get to the volleyball session, and after assuring the fellow at the sports centre desk that I would not be playing in my soaking wet wellies, I really hoped that the actual sport would be less of an ordeal. My hopes were not high as I entered the main hall, watching what turned out to be the University second team practising. Thankfully I was promptly told that I would not be training with them, but with the beginners group.

My first task was to indulge in a light warm-up, running eight laps round the court. I was eager to begin actually attempting (and probably failing at) some of the skills involved in volleyball and I took off my sweatshirt to allow greater movement and agility. I meant business.

The coach, Anastasia, soon took me aside and gave me instructions on how to actually hit the ball. The first option was an overhead push, while the second was a dig, where one uses their forearms to push the ball upwards. I was assigned a partner, whose heart must have sank when I sidled over to enthusiastically practise my newly learnt skills. You can imagine his thinking: why did I get put with this clown?

I managed to perform both skills reasonably, but it was still clear that I was the real beginner here. I was better at the overhead push, rather than the dig, which I found more difficult. Whenever I tried the latter the ball seemed to fly off in an unlikely position, and while my partner kindly jogged off to retrieve the misplaced

pass, I awkwardly practised an air-shot, with a rather sheepish look on my face. After attempting another drill, we soon went into a small-sided game. I was keen to try to transfer what I had learned to a match situation.

I am not sure my teammates were nearly so keen for this to happen as I flung myself about like I was still walking on snow, and the points began to stack up against us. The game was far from up though. We started to make a dramatic comeback worthy of Ian Botham in 1981 after Anastasia had bemoaned our poor play. She confessed

Photo: Vivan Jayant

she could not remember the score though!

After all the excitement of the match, everyone grabbed a well-deserved drink.

It was now time to learn another skill: the serve. There are two main ways of serving, or at least there are for a beginner like myself. Firstly one can hit it with your wrist area and punch it upwards; or you can do an overhead serve, much like a tennis shot but without the racquet. Perhaps it is suffice to say that when I attempted the sec-

ond option, that sheepish look I had on before had returned.

Yet with the very patient and helpful guidance of Anastasia I soon became more confident in my own ability. Granted, it was more confidence in the mould of a Nicklas Bendtner (i.e. delusion) than the confidence of a Muhammed Ali (i.e. reality) but still, at least I thought I was progressing, and most importantly, I was having a lot of fun.

Having attempted some serving, we were put in pairs again and just as before I saw in my partner’s eyes veritable disappointment as Anastasia indicated that he was to be put with me again. Surely he hadn’t done anything to deserve this?!

Fortunately for me, he was both very understanding towards my lack of talent, and moreover capable of compensating for this deficiency.

Therefore, in the final activity we tried, which required us to pass the ball between us before pushing it over the net, we were able to keep the game going without me looking as though I should be the sole reason for the creation of a ‘pre-beginners’ session.

I came off the court with a sense of achievement and of enjoyment. I had still not even nearly mastered the skills necessary to compete in a proper game, but I had achieved more than I thought I would, and most importantly, the session had been great fun. Volleyball struck me as a highly entertaining, skilful and active game that can be played by anyone. I must thank the club who were extremely friendly in wel-

Photo: Vivan Jayant

coming a complete novice into their ranks, remaining patient even when their sound advice seemed to be lost on me.

When I strolled home through the snow with my wellies back on I reflected a decidedly enjoyable experience and one that I would gladly do again.

The women's volleyball firsts next play on Wednesday, away, to bottom of the table Sheffield, whilst the men look to avenge an earlier season loss to Sheffield Hallam.

Tuesday 14 February, 2012

sport@yorkvision.co.uk

Issue 222

VISIONSPORT

STAR OF CAMPUS: SARA BIANCHI BAZZI

P23

YOUR #1 SOURCE FOR ALL UNI SPORT

WORST AID

WORLD SPORT: GAY FOOTBALLERS

P24 P25 SPOTLIGHT: VOLLEYBALL

P27 ALL THE LATEST BUCS ACTION

> COLLEGE RUGBY PLAYERS' SAFETY COMPROMISED BY LACK OF MEDICAL CARE > "WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A PITCH SIDE HOLBY CITY, JUST SOME FIRST AID PRESENCE."

BY BETHANY PORTER A NUMBER of college rugby playing students have raised concerns over the lack of medical care being provided to cope with injuries sustained during matches.

Referees should have first aid training, according to the RFU, yet when students received injuries they relied heavily on the players and friends on the sidelines to diagnose, call ambulances and arrange transport

to A&E. Unattended injuries this term include broken bones, suspected cracked ribs and several severe head injuries.

College rugby is not a YUSU affiliated sport, which means captains and players alone are left to organise fixtures. This means that the teams are not provided with any first aid training from the University.

As a result of this detachment from the University, matches are not allowed to be

Photo: Ian Packard

played on campus, so fixtures take place at the York Railway Institute Rugby grounds on the other side of York.

Second-year Halifax rugby player Jon Rees seriously injured his leg last month in a fixture against Derwent. He broke the bone in three places and anticipates having to retake the academic year.

"I was completely unable to move my leg but the referee ignored me at first ...

Continued on Page 26

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