gair rhydd - Issue 932

gair rhydd Monday October 18 2010 | freeword – Est. 1972 | Issue 932

EPIC FAIL?

CLUB NIGHT HANGS IN THE BALANCE...

NEWS PAGE 2

A policy to believe in?

The promise

The reality

“We would, over six years, in incremental steps remove tuition fees”

Browne Review proposes to remove the £3,290 cap on tuition fees

“If we have learnt one thing it is that you can’t build a future on debt”

Students could leave university with debt of up to £36,000

“And that is, I think, a policy which I hope people would believe in”

A proposed cut of 80% to the Higher Education teaching grant

Pippa Lewis Hannah Pendleton News Editors Welsh MPs who made a pledge to protect students against a hike in tuition fees are being reminded of their commitment in the wake of the Lord Browne review into university funding and

tuition fees.

Leighton Andrews, Assembly Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning said in an address to the Welsh Assembly that it would be premature to issue a detailed response to the Browne review at present.

However, he did question the long-term stability of the ap-

proach outlined by the review and confirmed that the Welsh Assembly, “does not wish to see the development of a market for higher education where institutions compete on price and students choose their courses or institutions on the basis of relative cost.”

While the Browne Review

only considers higher education funding in England, the result will have a major impact on Wales, potentially creating a significant funding gap.

During the 2010 General Election campaign the National Union of Students (NUS) lobbied all parliamentary candidates to sign a petition stating: “I pledge

to vote against an increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the Government to introduce a fairer alternative”.

However questions are now being raised as to whether MPs will stand by their commitment to students.

Continued on page 4

02News

gr EDITOR Sarah Powell

CO-ORDINATOR Elaine Morgan DEPUTY EDITOR Dom Kehat NEWS Morgan Applegarth Miranda Atty Pippa Lewis Ben Price Hannah Pendleton FEATURES Zoe Bridger Laura Brunt OPINION Holly Howe Chris Williams

Monday October 18 2010 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com

Students gear up for By-Elections Students in Rose Savage Reporter Unprecedented numbers of students have run in this months Students' Union By-elections.

A total of 38 nominations have been processed after the Candidates Meeting on Wednesday October 13, leaving no position uncontended.

Democracy Co-ordinator Jemma Mallorie commented on how 'it is great for the Union to start the academic year off this way', with the opportunity to elect a full Executive Team and Student Council body to inform the direction of the Union.

A total of 14 positions are avali-

able on Student Council, positions that are elected by the students.

In addition, three part-time officer positions are up for grabs.

These are International Officer, Student with Disabilities Officer and Welsh Officer.

Previously removed, the Welsh Officer position has been reinstated as a result of students voicing their request for this post to be made available.

Elected Officer Rose Savage commented: “Having such numbers running in By-Elections is fantastic.

"Students enthusiasm to get involved is a clear reflection, in my eyes, of the opportunity we present

here; to work in a purely democratic institution where decisions can be made and followed through.”

Elections prove vital for students, as it provides them the chance to vote for who you believe to be best for the position.

Each prospective candidate is asked to write a manifesto which outlines their intentions and proposed ideas for their term.

Candidates' manifestos will be available from Monday October 25 on www.cardiffstudents.com.

Voting is set to begin on Wednesday October 27 both online and at the Students' Union.

Union night lives up to its name

POLITICS James Dunn Oliver Smith COLUMNIST Greg Rees XPRESS Luke Franks SOCIETIES Bianca London LISTINGS Sarah Powell SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT Tom Clarke Jack Parker SPORT Alex Bywater Lucy Morgan Alex Winter CONTRIBUTORS Jo Greet Hugh Rodger Tom Beer Nicola Driscoll-Davies Phillip Kenny Laura Dunn Emily Cotterill Jamie Evans Amina Waya Daniel Brockley Geoff Kingston Ceri Whitely Original Design: Paul Stollery

NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01 OPINION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08 COLUMNIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 POLITICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 SCIENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 TAF-OD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 LISTINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 PUZZLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 SPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

gas scare

Morgan Applegarth News Editor

An event held by the Cardiff International Interchange (CII) at The Union on Friday 8 Octoberturned sour when those in attendance had to evacuate the venue.

According to Union sources people at the event were choked after a strong release of gas within CF10.

Societies, Events and Activites Officer Cosimo Montagu explained: “As we were packing away, five men who were friends of the DJ came into CF10.

“A few minutes later everyone was coughing due to a strong smell of gas, so we all had to leave."

Concerned, security evacuated the area in a bid to ensure that those in attendance were not harmed.

Having cleared the area, security led a search to find out what the cause of the gas release was, suspecting the five men, whose identity is not known, of causing the trouble.

Attention was directed toward the five men soon after their arrival as they were thought to be ‘loud’ and exhibiting boystrous behaviour., causing the night’s security to “keep an eye on them,” stated Montagu.

Amongst a police presence, the five suspects were cleared after nothing was found on their person that was thought of as being dangerous or harmful.

“It was dramatic, but thankfully it didn’t spoil the evening” revealed Montagu.

Students hold silence for the voiceless Morgan Applegarth News Editor The decision has been made to change the format of the new Students' Union event, 'Fail'.

Despite proving a success during Freshers' Week, the Tuesday night event has since failed to meet expectations.

Speaking to gair rhydd Finance and Commercial Officer Darryl Light commented: "Due to reducing student demand we have decided to run 'Fail' for one off events instead

of weekly." gair rhydd understands that in its second week of running, attendance figures failed to reach targets.

On Tuesday October 12, Officials at the Union decided to cancel the event due to poor ticket sales.

'Fail' was made in reply to students wanting a Union event offering more music diversity.

"The Union lacked a night with drum and bass or dubstep" admitted Darryl.

"An external promoter came in to provide that sort of music," he

added.

"I went during Freshers' Week and I thought it came across as relatively successful as there was a lot of people there," admitted one student.

"However, I thought the music was very poor and not what I was expecting," he continued.

Another student shared: "I thought the event was only running during Freshers' week. The Union hold plenty of club nights as it is."

Fail is to run special events, hosting talent from CYNT and Cardiff Union's society One Mission.

Cardiff University students are to participate in a ‘Day of Silent Solidarity’ on Tuesday October 19 to help raise awaresness on the issues of abortion.

Treasurer for Cardiff University Students For Life society Isla Harrison said: "We hope to inspire people to reflect and discuss the issue of abortion.

"We are sure it will be a success," she continued.

Students taking part in the awareness project will be wearing red tape over their mouths.

News03

Monday October 18 2010 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com

Students of Cardiff: Lock it, Hide it, Keep it Ben Price News Editor A group of students teamed up with South Wales Police to deliver a message of security and safety.

The Lock it, Hide it, Keep it campaign, supported by Cardiff Digs, saw students of the Student Police initiative spend two days knocking on doors in Cathays to offer advice to fellow students on security while living in student housing.

The aim of the campaign was to inform students of the importance of ensuring all doors and windows are locked while their houses are empty during the day and night.

Cardiff Student Liaison Officer, Kieron McCann said: “Cardiff is a safe city, but this time of year we tend to see a spike in burglaries.”

The initiative has been seen as a success. South Wales Police Community Officer, Dave Lloyd, commented: “There has evidently been a significant fall in burglaries over the last two years.”

Wall calendars with important information on security and safety tips were handed out to every household. The voluntary team of students also gave out information on community responsibilities.

Kieron McCann added: “It is important we do this. For the new students coming to Cardiff, it is important we give them a good welcome, the warmer the welcome the better the response.”

The campaign is also supported

by Cardiff University Security and Cardiff Students' Union.

Above: Cardiff students receive information on home security

Cuts to FCF less severe than expected Hannah Pendleton News Editor Earlier this year the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) cut Cardiff University’s financial contingency fund by 60%, drastically reducing the amount of financial support available to vulnerable students.

With the new figure of funding at £412,975, meetings were held to discuss ways to manage the reduction in funding.

However, the University has now managed to secure a 42% reduction in funding, vastly reducing it from the WAG’s original 60%.

Last year’s expenditure has provided a further £510,300 to be carried over onto this year’s £412,975.

Although the reduction will still prove significant, it is an improvement on the initial 60% cut.

Sarah Ingram, the Academic and University Affairs Officer, has stated: “Due to the changes in the amount of Financial Contingency Fund given by the Welsh Assembly

Government, necessary cuts have had to be made to Cardiff University’s fund and the way that it is distributed among students in need.

"Cardiff University has responded the best way possible" “I can assure students that the best possible decisions have been made, ensuring that the majority of the students who were eligible to get help last year will still be able to, but in some cases the amount of funding will be less.

"Cardiff University has responded the best way possible to the cuts forced upon it.”

WAG has urged Cardiff University to give out fewer payments by not helping with childcare grants, delayed payments or course costs.

As a result of the University’s discussions, a new, stricter criteria

on what can be awarded to students has been set.

The standard living costs award which is predominantly for first years has been cut from £1000 to £500, saving up to £150,000, and the emergency award that is often used to cover rent and food has gone down from £350 to just £100.

The additional award has been cut extensively by offering students advice on dealing with bank overdrafts, instead of giving them £750; this will save up to £100,000.

Postgraduate bursaries have stopped altogether, but the Student Support Centre assures that most postgraduates would now qualify for living costs.

Potential cuts that have been postponed unless further cuts have to be made next year are travel, course costs and childcare.

These are under strict criteria already and so it was argued that these are not necessary sacrifices just yet.

Ben Lewis, the Head of Student Advisory Services has said:

“Although our Fund has been cut is located on Park Place, just past this year we do still have funds the gym. If you have any problems, or would like to speak to someone available to help students in hardabout any of the issues raised in ship.

"Our professional advisors can this article, contact Ben Lewis on also work with you to find ways 02920 874179. through financial problems. This might be through FCF or through budgeting advice or working with you to negotiate with people you FREE INSIDE : Yo owe money to.” ur student life style magazine MUSIC // FILM

// ARTS // FASHI Welfare, Campaigns and ON // FOOD // TR FEATURES // LG AVEL // BT+ // INTERVIE WS // BOOKS // an d more Communications Officer, Rose Cont Savage has stated: “Some hard plan ingency needed decisions have to be made, in terms of where the cuts are made, which are not desirable for either side of the chain to deal with; support workers or those in receipt of support.

"As a Union we will strive to support those affected and continue in a way that adheres to our student first principles working closely with the university to monitor the FCF cuts.”

Above: gair rhydd reported Students facing financial hardon the FCF in cuts crisis in ship are always encouraged to visit September (issue 928) the Student Support Centre which

gair rhydd Monday Septemb

er 13 2010 | freeword

– Est. 1972 | Issue

928

Inside this week

:

Animal testin

g

A recent investiga tion has revealed that animal experiments at Cardiff University have increase d since 2006 News, page 2

Hannah Pendleto n News Editor

Welsh Assembly Government has imposed on the Financial Contingency Fund will harm our poorest This year the and most vulnerab Welsh Assembly le students.

Government has “With drop out cut Cardiff rates already Univer- creasing sity’s Financial inbecause of the Contingency unforeseen Fund hidden (FCF) by 60%, costs of courses vastly and personamount of financial reducing the al money issues, the Universit support available to vulnerab y’s financial support le students. services will The FCF is the forced to turn be source of funding desperate students that helps around away, that just 1300 students last year they year remain in a have been would higher education able to help continue .

Further and studying” .

Higher education institutions in Ben Lewis, Head Wales, like Cardiff of Student AdUniversity, are visory Services, given a financial highlighted the con- portance tingency fund imof the FCF. for every academic year, giving discretion From recent figures of students support to vulnerab ary financial who use the fund it has le students. emerged This vital source that 89% of students of funding that who respondhelps a large ed indicate they number of students would not have each year, allows been able to continue them to continue in higher eduon through their cation without FCF higher education help (2009-10 .

Those that face figures). difficulties due an unexpected to It is also illness and student clear that needs parents are just can be particularly acute a few of the many later in students’ that are benefi careers, jeopardiz tted. ing completio Most importan n in the final year. tly it provides nancial help, fi Regardless of support and stabilitythe amount when there is concern surround of the possibilit ing the cuts, y of a WAG student having the remains positive, to leave universit with plans due to serious financial hurdles. y in place to prevent an increase in Despite the drop out rates importance of from ‘less privileged the students.

FCF to so many ’ individuals, the WAG has made A spokesperson the decision to said: “While cut nancial funding by up Fito 60%.

Contingency Fund levels This now means are reducing in 2010-11, we that for this academic year, have a higher education the Student Support student support Centre have £412,975 package in place to ensure financial allocate to students to consider and barriers do not deter in This is in contrast hardship. from less privileged those students to the previbackgrounds ous year (2009-10) from entering where there was higher education total of £1.2 million a ”.

Cuts to the fund available.

During the last more highly considerewill result in academic year d spending. to 90% of the up Ben Lewis fund was allocated vulnerable students. to have money said: “We will still to award to students, The 60% cuts but we will have will create to make changes in- how awards creased pressure in are made. on the Student Support Centre “We are awaiting who must now guidance from con- WAG to sider ways to manage the reduction help us to do this.” in funding.

Sarah Ingram, the University Affairs Academic and Officer stated: “The shocking 60% cut that the

Continued on

page 4

Cardiff Uni versity Alu mni reaches Nat ional Comman d page 3

– Full story:

Summer holid

ays

Our resident columnist offers his own opinion of summer holidays, and doesn’t really care about how you spent yours...

Columnist, page 12

Culture preju

dice?

Opinion takes on the issue of the Burka in a debate over whether the tradition al dress is a tool of female cultural oppressi liberation or Opinion, page on 10

Coalition Politics offers review an in-depth

review of the Cameron-Clegg coalition after its first three months, with discussion of the policies that will be affecting us students Politics, page 15

Refresh yours

elf

We give you an exclusive guide to Freshers’ Week 2010, and offer you some handy hints and advice to help you is the best week make sure it Features, pagesof your life 16-17

Making a chan

ge

One of our Editors discusses the big impact that change will have climate on our planet Science and Environment, page 22

Get involved!

Sport intervie w Athletic Union your new President and talk about his plans for the year ahead Sport, page 31

And more, in one indepen Wales’ number dent student newspaper

04News

Monday October 18 2010 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com

Students Br Continued from front Katie Dalton, NUS Wales President said: “The Browne Report recommendations are devastating for students and certainly terrible news for Wales and Welsh universities. Any fee rise in England will lead to an increased funding gap between English and Welsh universities and a comparable drop in the quality of provision. Even if the cap was raised in Wales there are major doubts about the ability of Welsh universities to compete in terms of charging the highest fees."

If fees rise to £7,000 a year within five years some students will be leaving university up to £44,000 in debt. That would be a disaster.

- Nick Clegg during the 2010 General Election According to figures stated by Leighton Andrews there are currently 16,000 Welsh undergraduates studying in English universities, and consequently a rise in tuition fees to £7,000 as proposed in the review would result in an additional cost to the Welsh Assembly government of approximately £70 million by 2015/2016 of which £55 million would “effectively flow from the Welsh block into English universities.”

The row over tuition fees could prove damaging to the unity of the coalition government as Liberal Democrat MPs are coming under pressure to reject a rise in tuition fees and uphold their promise to students.

Katie Dalton also described concerns about the potential detrimental effects that decisions made by MPs in Westminster could have on students in Wales and Welsh universities and is therefore calling on MPs of all parties to vote against an increase in fees, “in particular Jenny Willott MP for Cardiff Central who was elected by the student vote in 2005 and 2010 due to her clear opposition to tuition fees. Ms Willott signed the NUS pledge and must not turn her back on students.”

Jenny Randerson, Assembly Member and Shadow Minister for Health has confirmed that “Welsh Liberal Democrat MPs are very conscious of the positions taken on higher education and the policies we campaigned for at the last election.”

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats

have always prided ourselves in developing the most progressive education policies we can and it remains our intention to work to give Welsh students the best possible deal that we can whilst recognising the need to ensure that Welsh Universities remain competitive and avoid becoming the ‘stack up high, sell them cheap’ end of the university system.”

Chris Franks, AM, Plaid Finance spokesperson has said: “Our MPs were elected on a manifesto that we would not support any further increases in tuition fees. We will honour that commitment. Compare this with other parties who promise a great deal for students but seem unable to deliver when it comes to the crunch. Remember this when it comes to the Assembly election in May. “New Labour opened the door to market forces in the Higher Education sector and, of course, no-one is surprised that the Tories are running with that agenda. It is disappointing however that the Lib Dems are joining in and doing the Tories’ dirty work.”

The Lord Browne review forms the blueprint for the biggest university reforms since higher education expansion in the 1960s.

The implementation of proposals outlined by Lord Browne will lead to a dramatic rise in the cost of tuition fees. However, such a rise is expected to be matched with sweeping reforms designed to improve standards and expand the number of places on the most popular courses.

Under the outlined plans the existing cap on tuition fees set at £3,290 would be abolished allowing universities to potentially charge unlimited fees, though a levy is recommended for universities who charge more than £6,000.

According to calculations released by the UCU a three-year degree with annual tuition fees of £6,000 would cost a total of £38,286, including maintenance loans and interests payments.

Sarah Ingram, Academic and University Affairs Officer told gair rhydd: "The Browne Review has recommended that the government lift the cap off University fees and turn the entire system into a free market with Universities pricing each of their courses as they choose.

“Not only does that lead to great uncertainty for those currently in year 12 (the first year that would be 'hit' by the changes), but with fees likely to be in the region of at least £6,000 per year just for tuition they will simply be priced out of the market.

“Some of the brightest and best

Above: Nick Clegg delivers his election promises in Solus students will be put off Higher Education and will look at other means of furthering themselves in the job market, which due to cuts will have even less provision than there is currently.

Jenny Willott MP was elected by the student vote in 2010 due to her clear opposition to tuition fees. Ms Willott must not turn her back on students.

- Katie Dalton, NUS Wales President “All this is compounded by the further debt of real interest rates, which will mean those graduates who are earning just above the repayment amount will take even longer to pay the £30,000/£40,000 back.

“Putting the amount of re-payment up from £15,000 to £21,000 is

akin to giving us grants in monopoly money: students will still have huge debts, they will take years to repay them and they will not be getting a better quality experience.

The extra funding is simply plugging the gap in government spending."

Russell Group Director General Dr Wendy Piatt explained: “We support the urgent and necessary reforms outlined by the Browne Review... The proposals offer a very good deal for students and a fair and progressive way forward which protects low-earners... This is the stark choice the country has to wrestle with. Our graduates need to compete with the best in the world, and we would be letting them down if we didn’t ensure they get the very best education."

A Cardiff University spokesperson emphasised the cost of providing excellent standards of service to students from all financial backgrounds, "which currently far exceeds the current levels of student

fees - which means if public funding is cut to a level that no longer bridges that gap between student fee and the real cost of provision, then maintaining a quality university experience will only be possible with additional contributions from other sources. The real decisions to be taken now are where the balance of that cost should fall in the future.”

“As more details become available of the Welsh Assembly Government's position we will be evaluating the implications of these challenging circumstances for both students and the institution. The University will ensure that Students' Union representatives are involved in those discussions.”

Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats has urged the party to consider higher fees, stating in an email to party members that “with the benefit of hindsight, I signed a pledge at a time when we could not have anticipated the full scale of

News05

Monday October 18 2010 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com

rowned Off Browne's Recommendations Present

Proposals

£3,290

tuition fees

£6,000+

salaries over

repayments

salaries over

£15,000 maximum

£21,000

maintenance loans capped at

£4,950

£3,750

freewords EDITORIAL est.1972 Olly Birrell Students' Union President Glancing over a summary of the Browne review, I was surprised by my own reaction; 'maybe it isn’t as bad as we thought'.

The recommendation to lift the threshold for paying back fees after graduation, to increase maintenance grants, to simplify systems for applying for loans and university places, as well as offering financial support for part-time students, all seemed progressive.

However, this was very much a first glance.

When I began reading the full report, I had a very different set of thoughts.

Uncapping fees and creating a market in higher education. Does this mean leaving the free market to decide the future of our universities?

I’m all for competition but not to the point of allowing universities to potentially fail and, as a result, make degrees worthless.

The sheer amount of debt a prospective student would be looking at is quite simply a terrifying amount.

It could potentially be near to half the value of their family home.

Interest rates placed on the huge

fees will potentially mean that wealthy graduates, earning over £60,000, will be paying off less than mid-range salaries of £21,000 to £40,000, as the interest rate accrues more for them over time.

These were just some of my thoughts on the review. Thoughts that deeply concern me, especially when I think about the future of our own university, not to add the future of aspiring students.

What marked my concerns most was how the review was clearly written with the thought of the cuts to higher education as its primary contributing force.

The Browne review has been written as if 80% of cuts have already happened to the teaching budget of our universities. It would appear that the state has already turned its back on higher education, effectively withdrawing its support altogether.

The question of 'how can we make students as well as families pick up the price tag?' seems to have been asked.

Clearly the benefits that universities give to society, as well as the part they play in creating a workforce for our economy, are being ignored.

I was truly shocked at how this report could be accepted in its current form. This means it comes down to us students to demonstrate why the government cannot take this report at face value, and to stand up for the future of students all over the UK.

Above: Cardiff University could be affected by Browne's proposal

the financial situation the country faces now.”

He wrote: "Departing from that pledge will be one of the most difficult decisions of my political career.”

NUS President Aaron Porter has described the proposals as an “attempt to mask a predicted 80% cut to the teaching of university courses and represents the end to publically funding degrees in England. I have said it before and will continue to state, students will not settle for paying more for their education and receiving less in return.”

The NUS and UCU are holding a joint national demonstration on November 10 2010, ‘Fund our Future: Stop Education Cuts’ in London as part of a strategy to influence the coalition government. Tickets are available from the Cardiff Student Union’s Box office priced at £5. For more information please contact your elected officers.

Have your say on the review at gairrhydd.com

The Browne Review: Your thoughts

Sarah Murray Medical Engineering “The thought of paying £7000 a year or more might have stopped me going to university in the first place.

If the cap is to be lifted I would expect to get more back from university. I really hope the Welsh Assembly Government don’t follow England’s example because lifting the cap on tuition fees seems pretty unjust.”

Phil Sharp Politics “I can see the logic of Lord Browne’s suggestions. The point is to bring British students from lower income background into higher education, but this plan is unfair for those on middle incomes who won’t get government support and whose families can’t afford to pay. It’s a good idea but a dodgy policy.”

Naomi Mantin English Literature

Joshua Dummer History

“I agree with the quote ‘education should be a right, not a privilege’.

Raising tuition fees will put higher education out of the reach of people from less wealthy backgrounds.

I hope that Welsh MPs vote against an increase in fees.”

“Lord Browne’s recommendations will lead to universities becoming increasingly elite. If implemented, this policy will be another example of this government’s rabid pursuit of deficit cuts at all costs. Raising the repayment threshold to those who earn £21,000 a year or more rather than £15,000 is a meagre amelioration for the further debt placed upon students.”

News06 Smoking increases other health risks Research suggests smokers are also more likely to be less healthy in other areas Tom Beer Reporter Smokers are more likely to binge drink, eat unhealthily and face a greater chance of developing mental illness according to new research undertaken by ASH Wales, in conjunction with the Cardiff Institute of Society, Health and Ethics at Cardiff University (CISHE).

The research, which sampled 13,000 adults from all over Wales, found that more than half of those who smoke consume more than the recommended limits of alcohol – eight units for males, six units for females.

This compares to 40% of nonsmokers.

The study also revealed that smokers are less likely to eat the recommended ‘five-a-day’ fruit and vegetables when compared to those who have either quit smoking or never smoked.

According to CISHE and ASH, 18% of female smokers had suffered

some form of mental illness, such as depression or anxiety. This compares to only 10% of male smokers.

Furthermore, female smokers were revealed to be twice as likely to exhibit mental health problems than females who have never smoked.

Dr Sarah Whitehead of CISHE commented on the research: “The findings reinforce what we already know.

“Smoking is linked to a number of illnesses and poor health behaviours.”

The new research strengthens the evidence for a link between health issues and a healthy diet.

Those who eat healthily and partake in frequent fitness were found to be less likely to binge drink.

Since 2007, the percentage of people who smoke in Wales has remained at 24% - a figure that health officials are keen to reduce.

gair rhydd • Monday October 18 2010 • news@gairrhydd.com

Devalued degrees?

Graduate recruiters impose aptitude tests on graduates with good degrees in order to distinguish the highest skilled Jamie Evans Reporter The prospects of graduates entering the employment sector are becoming increasingly tough.

Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), the largest graduate recruiter of the private sector, has imposed online aptitude tests due to the increasing number of students applying with good degrees.

Next year graduates who apply to PWC, an accountancy and consultancy firm, will have to take a test that will mimic case studies. In order to find the most suitable individuals applicants will be tested on their business nouse, leadership skills and their problem solving abilities.

PWC had received 18,000 applications from students who achieved a 2:1 or higher with only 1,200 places available.

A PWC spokesperson said: "There's been an incredible boom in the number of 2:1's, which means that as a differentiatior it is not sig-

nificant. We have seen grade drift."

Graduate schemes offered by other major companies such as John Lewis, KPMG and Accenture are also set to introduce similar filtering processes next year.

Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, receives around 11,000 applications each year, with every graduate competing for around 400 positions.

In the future, they will be asking for a graduates A-level results and a minimum of a 2:1 degree. It is hoped that this will help to differentiate between the best qualified and highest skilled graduates.

The number of students who graduate with a first or a 2:1 has increased dramatically during the past ten years. Over 190,000 students gained the best degrees last year.

However, those receiving a 2:1 have become more difficult for companies to filter.

"Grade inflation" has meant that it is becoming increasingly difficult for students with good degree results to get a job after they gradu-

ate, especially in the current economic climate where jobs are hard to come by.

Due to the expansion of higher education, more and more people are going to university and getting degrees, which some have argued has resulted in their devaluation.

However, Lord Browne's recommendation to lift the cap on tuition fees may affect the number of people applying for higher education in the future, as possible applicants are discouraged by the prospect of huge student debt.

Above: New graduates struggle

Armless..

Geoff Kingston Reporter ‘China’s Got Talent’ was won last week by an armless pianist.

Twenty three-year-old Liu Wei uses his feet to play the instrument, after an incident from his childhood resulted in the amputation of both of his arms.

Wei amazed judges and captured the hearts of the nation with his unique skills.

“At least I have a pair of perfect legs,” he joked.

The Chinese talent programme is the 30th version of Simon Cowell’s global television franchise.

World News

07

President kicks off

Evo Morales gets aggressive in a friendly match Ceri Whitley Reporter The Bolivian President Evo Morales has been caught on camera kicking an opponent in the groin during a ‘friendly’ football match between political parties.

President Evo Morales is seen to be tackled aggressively by his victim Daniel Gustavo Cartagenam, reportedly causing the President a

minor injury to his thigh. Morales can then clearly be seen turning on his opponent and violently kicking him in the groin, causing Cartagenam to collapse to the ground in obvious agony.

Cartagenam was one of the four players sent off during the friendly match and was later arrested by one of the president’s security guards.

However, he was later released.

President Morales later denied ordering the arrest but did not

show any remorse for his violence towards Mr Cartagenam.

“I passed the ball, and suddenly I received a hammering, and it was not the first time it happened,” Morales stated.

The bitterly fought game finished 4-4, with footage of the incident being broadcast on local TV stations and YouTube soon after.

Egg-tastic Hannah Pendleton News Editor

An unusal ball shaped egg has been discovered at a hotel in Newquay.

James Church who, is a chef at the hotel was about to cook a fry up when he found the strange egg.

James said: "I was at work one morning busy cracking eggs and making breakfast as usual. Then Ipulled out a tray and noticed this spherical egg."

Mr Church seems set on never losing his little discovery stating: "Im definitley never getting rid of it".

Students strip off Million dollar streak For Sale Amina Waya Reporter

Twelve female journalism students from Moscow State University have created a calendar to celebrate Vladimir Putin’s 58th birthday.

The calendar features the students in lingerie posing with sultry messages for the prime minister, including 'you put out the forest fires, but I'm still burning'.

One of the organisers said the idea of the calendar was to show "girls who have some political opinion".

A spokeswoman for the journalism department has called it a 'work of erotic tastelessness'. Fiftythousand copies of the calendar have gone on sale.

Daniel Brockley Reporter A man from New York could win $1 million dollars after streaking naked in front of US President Barack Obama, at a rally in Philadelphia.

Juan Rodriguez, 24, is hoping to have secured the large sum after participating in the high stake dare set up by British billionaire, and founder of battlecam.com, Alki David.

The bet stipulated that Mr Rodriguez must be within eye and ear shot of the President and have battlecam.com emblazoned across his exposed body, whilst shouting the said website six times over.

Rodriguez has since been bailed and is now waiting to hear more on whether he will receive his cash prize.

Daniel Brockley Reporter With just enough room to swing the proverbial cat, the world’s smallest apartment has been released onto the market for £43,000.

Situated in the luxurious Piazza di Sant Ignazio area of Rome the five square metre micro pad hosts a shower, sink and toilet along with a raised single bed accessible by a ladder.

The owner of the bijou property is said to be awash with interest after putting it on the market just under a week ago.

Opinion08 Britain's in built racism Emily Cotterill Opinion Writer ‘White kids stole my car’ is a commonly searched phrase on Google.

If you aren’t particularly aware of internet virals this might strike you as odd, but in the not too distant past it was a common internet rumour that a search for that phrase would return the friendly Google advice of: ‘Did you mean: black kids stole my car?’ Charming.

If you take statistics at face value though then in Britain at least you shouldn’t really be shocked by this advice. There are five times more black people incarcerated in Britain per head of population than white people. Worse still, a quarter of people in prison are from ethnic backgrounds.

The colour of a person’s skin isn’t about to compel them to commit a crime.

Aside being fodder to the whole pantheon of racist white supremacist issues, these statistics reveal a startling reality about modern Britain.

British prisons are full ones. In England and Wales three people in every two thousand are imprisoned according to Kings’ College London’s most recent World Prison Population List. Does this high rate of imprisonment work? Do the public believe in it? Or do they consistently complain that people are out

before their sentence dictated, that life should mean life and that the system doesn’t work anyway.

When you send someone to prison and surround them with criminals, how likely are you to prevent them from re-offending? It’s commonly acknowledged that prisons are amongst the easiest places in the country to come across illegal drugs. But why are so many of the people currently imprisoned black?

The colour of a person’s skin isn’t about to compel them to commit a crime.

I’ve never thought: “I’m so pale and I burn easily! I’ll burgle this shop to feel better.” It’s entirely obvious to anyone with two brain cells to rub together that black people don’t commit more crimes because they are black. Yet within the police-force there is a tendency towards black suspicions, 15% of stop and search cases in 2008 were searches of the black people who make up 3% of the population.

When you consider the fact that most crimes in Britain are committed by white people - what with most people in Britain being white - this makes very little sense at all.

So whilst the police busily track down such a high percentage of black criminals there are still a large number of white criminals roaming free?

There are reasons people offend though. Real reasons not tied to genetics but circumstance. It just so happens that whilst black people are more likely to be sent to prison, live in homes with significantly lower incomes than white people, to attend poorer schools than white people and live in more socially deprived areas.

In fact, Ben Bowling, Professor

The new statistics: a sign of our continued racism? of criminal justice at Kings College London claim:"We are reaping the effects of criminalising a community in the 1970s,". The statistics already start speaking for themselves.

The median income of a black Caribbean family (statistically the wealthiest black demographic is £145200 lower than the median income of a white British family) even taking into account the inevitable skews of working with aver-

ages that is a huge discrepancy.

We live in an apparently tolerant society but how far is that a condescending ‘white-liberal’ consciousness? How are politicians, judges and journalists - still overwhelmingly white - saying ‘White, black, Asian, it doesn’t matter to me’ without realising that the real point is that if it really doesn’t matter then it shouldn’t even need mentioning?

The fact that we as a nation still judge statistics based on x amount

of black people against y amount of white people shows that, really, when it comes down to it we think race makes a difference. We know that more black people live in unpleasant conditions but knowing that these people are black doesn’t make their lives better. People aren’t skin, but a mind, a life, a consciousness.

James Blunt's Final Stand Chris Williams Opinion Editor As if he's not hated by enough people already, the ridiculous singer, James Blunt, is heading out to Afghanistan at Christmas.

Let's stop there for a second and take a breather. That's incredible enough. The ex-Army bloke has accepted that his career is faultering, (due largely to the fact that his music is ridiculous), finally!! After years of suffering, we're free.

Ok, now let's take it one step further: James Blunt (whose name closely resembles a word that describes how I feel about him) has said that he’s going to Afghanistan

to stop the war on terror by singing to the Taliban.

Now this has to be too good to be true! How can one of the people I hate so, so much willingly go abroad to sing in front of an armed group of people who are willing to kill most infidels who cross their path!

It’s incredible that a man with such idiotic lyrics and a ridiculous haircut is willing to accept how bad his music is that he’ll put his neck on the line and play his crap music in front of one of the most feared organisations in the world.

This man is a nutter. It’s ridiculous to think that just by playing a few crap songs in front of a massive organisation will make them all lay

down their arms and stop fighting the allies.

It’s like thinking that if Tom Jones went to Libya, he’d stop Gaddafi – it wouldn’t happen.

I’ve quite a few problems with it though. How can a man with a head that big ever get inside a plane and even into the earths atmosphere.

That’s impossible. Not only would it be an engineering feat, but it would go against gravity to take a head that huge to another country.

In fact, would customs even allow him to get his head through within the baggage allowance, or would it be classed as too big to be allowed into the plane?

In fact, it’s got an element of Chris Martin about it all. Just be-

cause Blunt can pick up a guitar, doesn’t mean he can save the world or end the tyranny of one of the most influential and widespread terrorist organisations in the world.

He may have been in the army once, but that doesn’t mean that he can jump back into the army with a guitar and kill off the Taliban.

What is it about celebrities and thinking that a guitar means they can get rid of terrorist organisations?! I mean, just because power chords aren’t that difficult to them doesn’t mean they need to save the world after their next gig.

I think I should stop moaning though. As Britons, we're in such a priveledged position now. If Blunt goes to Afghanistan and dies, then

we win. If he goes and ,by some stark and strange mirical he manages to stop the war in Afghanistan, then we win again!!

Although, maybe I should be more realistic about it all. Blunt's just as likely to die walking the streets over here as he is abroad.

He's not exactly the most liked person in the music industry, now, is he?

Actually, screw it. Send the bugger to Afghanistan and if the army won’t pay for them then I will. I’d rather he had a threat of death in Afghanistan than a threat of killing my ear drums in England.

Opinion09

Monday October 18th 2010 • gair rhydd • opinion@gairrhydd.com

Why is it still ok to use the word "gay"?

Holly Howe Opinion Editor Imagine hearing a friend or acquaintance use an offensive term: would you pick them up on it?

Would you explain that the word that they have used is far more than just a word, but one that carries huge historical and political impor-

Thanks to South Park, the word ‘retard’ is commonly used tance? Most of us wouldn’t. Even less so if the word used is disablitist or homophobic.

For many of us, racist language is, rightly, a taboo in society. Most of us recognise the impact a racist term can have as demonstrated during the infamous Big Brother incident in 2007, which saw the nation shocked that such an offensive term could slide so freely out of contestant Emily Parr’s mouth.

Yet the word ‘gay’ is still bandied about freely by people that would never dream about using other offensive language. Although the word itself does not carry the political importance that many racist terms hold, it is still a mark of how far we have left to go in terms of equality.

The incidents of ‘facebook rape’, the term rape being used to describe something humorous is problem-

atic in itself it demonstrates the intrinsically homophobic leanings of many people who would consider themselves to be progressive and intelligent. The go-to status chosen by the ‘hilarious’ individual that has taken control of their friend’s status is usually along the lines of ‘I’m so gay’ , ‘[name] loves cock’ or similarly inane declarations. It is telling that a large proportion of my ‘facebook friends’ find this endlessly entertaining.

I expect that many people would now kindly suggest that I find a sense of humour, stat. But I counter that with a quote on comedy that I recently read that professed ‘if you are not subverting anything, it isn’t satire. If it’s not satire, you’re an ass.’ Not to mention that unoriginality is the hallmark of bad comedy.

The worrying thing is that many people would not even recognise the prejudice in their language choice.

Similarly, the inherent sexism in being told you are ‘such a woman’ or a ‘like a little girl’ is simply not recognised.

Recently I have noticed the word ‘spaz’ being used more and more frequently. Am I just noticing the word more than I used to? Or are we simply forgetting the stigma that was once attached to the word?

After all, many of us are too young to remember the change in name of the Spastics Society to Scope in 1994 following the word becoming largely pejorative in the 80s.

Similarly, thanks to programmes like South Park, the word ‘retard’ is commonly used despite it being named the most offensive disability related word.

Above: That's so gay There seems to be an odd hierachy within minorities, and people will accept the rights of some minorty groups more than others. The issue of respect is not one based on pitting minorities against each other, deciding who has it worst or who is respected the most, it is just about treating every-

one equally. Everyone has the right not to feel maligned or attacked by people's unthinking and crass use of language.

The problem stems from a lack of awareness of what these words actually mean or connote. Words really do matter when terms to describe your genetics, your sexuality,

gender, race or disability, are used as insults. When pulled up on the use of offensive terms people hide behind the idea that ‘political correctness has gone mad’ without recognising that using offensive terms isn’t politically incorrect, it’s just rude.

The Pirates are back Philip Kenny Opinion Writer I happened to catch an interview with Scouting For Girls a couple of months ago criticising the level of illegal downloads of music. It was likened to that of a baker baking bread only to have it stolen by thieves.

Now, I may be a bit biased, but I think Scouting For Girls are terrible, and if they were bakers they would be producing burnt pieces of poisoness crap and charging full price for them. It got me thinking, though. Are illegal downloads really bad for the music industry, or do they protect customers from wasting their money on bad albums, give listeners a broader taste of music and a chance to listen to music they would otherwise not bother with?

The thing is though, that they're not alone in their thinking. Elbow are another band who are so antidownloads that they claimed anyone who downloaded their album but could afford to pay for it was going to hell" and had their own room there.

But, more importantly, does it push artists to make albums which are worth buying and hearing live?

Before the days of fast downloads I would spend a lot of money on CDs. I was often left feeling cheated by albums containing one or two good singles and nine fillers. Since then, I for one can honestly say I’ve downloaded my fair share of songs.

Although this has admittedly reduced the amount of money I spend on CDs, it has drastically increased the range of music I own and the amount of money I now spend going to gigs.

Today illegal file sharing is common place, especially among the younger generations. Many artists are calling for tougher laws and legislation in order to counteract such trends.

However, the reality is that there is very little which can be done to effectively prevent the sharing of files. The next piece of security software is only as good as the next hacker willing to break it.

Instead, artists should be focusing more on making better music and the positives of getting it heard by the masses. One of the benefits of file sharing is that it gives artists music the opportunity to be heard by people who otherwise would not have paid for the albums in the first place and so would never hear their songs.

Rather than see this as a loss of earnings, it should instead be seen

as an opportunity to gain new fans who are willing to spend future releases, merchandise and gig tickets.

For smaller unsigned bands it gives access to a potential world wide audience that couldn’t be reached with small local gigs.

Finally, illegal file sharing has exposed bands who, in the past, would sell weak albums off the back of one single and expect customers to pay the same as they would have paid for the likes of Thriller, OK Computer and the White Album, protecting customers from wasting their money.

Of course this does not help those artists that are producing quality music as they are not making the money they possibly deserve from record sales and this is a shame, but artists should put more faith in fans who are willing to spend big on other things besides records.

Although the record business is suffering, the music industry as a whole is flourishing. In 2008 alone, over £1.4 Billion was spent on live music by fans willing to pay to see their heroes live.

In fact, last year's Christmas number one sales went through the roof, thanks to the internet campaign to get Rage Against the Machine to beat Joe McElderry.

But it boils down to this: artists releasing quality material should feel safe in the knowledge that their music will be heard by the masses, and that there will be opportunity to make a living from music. other than from record sales.

However, for those bands whose music is not up to scratch, file sharing will create less and less opportunities for money making which can only be a good thing.

Opinion09

Monday October 18th 2010 • gair rhydd • opinion@gairrhydd.com

This isn't a popularity contest Jo Greet Opinion Writer

The National Magazine Company, publishers of Good Housekeeping and Cosmopolitan, has this week released a list of the Top 100 influential women to mark its centenary.

J.K Rowling has topped the list and is thus hailed the most influential woman in the UK according to the magazine’s editors. The top ten also saw Victoria Beckham on the number two spot ahead of the Queen who ranked in third place.

Although all the women listed in the top ten are arguably household names, the order of the ranking is certainly dubious. I find myself questioning the validity of the presence of some of the celebrities that make it to the top of the list. Have they all made significant contributions in their specific field to authenticate such an accolade? And are the women present actually the most influential women in the UK today?

The proliferation of so many celebrity names that feature in the top ten is a sad reflection on a culture that relies so heavily on the idolisation of celebrities. It is not hard to believe that Cheryl Cole, who rose to stardom almost overnight during ITV’s Popstars: the Rivals, is one of the most popular and influential women in the UK today. However, the way in which she has become almost a brand does not necessarily make her influential in the most positive sense.

Whilst there is no denying her success, her previous misdemeanours appear to have been forgotten. That assault charge in a Surrey nightclub seems to have been conveniently swept under the carpet. In contrast Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson only makes a fleeting appearance in the top ten. The wheelchair athlete with 11 Para-

Above: J.K Rowling: The UK's most inflential woman? lympic Gold medals under her belt should surely be a greater role model because of her sheer determination to succeed no matter what.

Instead, she is placed behind the popular, beautiful, but talentless Cole.

Is it better to be an accoutrement of an influential man rather than possessing skill yourself ?

The shocking power of celebrity status is most vehemently displayed in this list in which celebrities are

recognised above women who forge themselves as positive role models.

We must also ask ourselves where the female leaders and politicians have gone. Figures such as Labour's Harriet Harman, who has been instrumental in implementing equality legislation do not feature in the tally. In a similar list compiled by Forbes magazine, six of the ten most powerful men are politicians. Why are women who fulfil such important roles not recognised for their achievements and instead they are being overtaken by the wives of male politicians? Samantha Cameron ranks at number six on the influential scale which appears to endorse the view that it is better to be an accoutrement of an influential man rather than possessing skill yourself. It seems

somewhat ironic that Michelle Obama has been named the World’s Most Powerful Woman in another Forbes publication simply because she is in such close proximity to the American president. Should we be presenting such a view to aspiring young women?

The top 100 tally is designed to recognise “British women whose actions and opinions have strongly influenced a generation or have influenced or initiated a ground breaking change or shift in attitude amongst women”. Why, in that case, is the list so heavily saturated with celebrities who have no real accolades to justify their position as the most influential women in the UK, whilst women with actual determination and drive are left by the wayside?

The top 10 1.JK Rowling 2.Victoria Beckham 3.The Queen 4.Shami Chakrabarti 5.Cheryl Cole 6.Samantha Cameron 7.Cath Kidston, designer 8.Kate Moss 9.Dame Vivienne Westwood 10.Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson

Game over for Medal of Honour Hugh Rodger Opinion Writer The option to play the Taliban in a computer game was bound to raise a few eyebrows. Medal of Honor, released today, is a modern reboot of the popular FPS series taking place during the War in Afghanistan.

The main campaign follows a US army ranger involved in the ongoing war against the Taliban.

However, the multiplayer was set to include an option to play as the Taliban, a choice which sparked controversy amongst British and American politicians, as well as several war veterans.

EA eventually renamed the Tali-

ban to ‘OPFORS’ (opposing forces) in the multiplayer.

The gaming industry has never had the cuddliest relationship with the media. Defence Secretary Liam Fox voiced his ‘disgust’ at the game, calling for it to be banned. He stated: "at the hands of the Taliban, children have lost fathers and wives have lost husbands."

What Mr Fox fails to realise is that families of every nation involved in wars have had to suffer this.

What gives the lives of American and British troops greater importance over innocent civilians killed in Afghanistan and Iraq?

A spokesperson for EA pointed out that the inclusion of the Tali-

ban merely reflects the fact that there are always opposing sides in conflicts, and someone has to be the bad guy.

Many games set during WWII have included the option to play as the Nazis, who were responsible for far more deaths than the Taliban.

The fifth instalment in the Call of Duty series, ‘World at War’, had you play as US and Russian soldiers against the Nazis and the Japanese, with the option to play the enemy forces of the campaign in the multiplayer.

Veterans and families of WWII and Vietnam still live to this day, and raised no issues about games set during these wars.

Mr Fox also forgets that before

the current war, the Taliban were allies with the Russians. This ‘alliance’ is portrayed in the film Rambo III, where Sylvester Stallone fought alongside the Taliban.

I don’t hear Mr Fox screaming for that film to be banned.

Many moral crusades have been attempted by the ill-informed against adult computer games. Infamous American journalist Jack Thompson called them ‘murder simulators’.

These ignorant types have probably never played a game in their lives, and it’s the fundamental lack of understanding of such games that leads to knee-jerk reactions from politicians and the media.

It’s a great shame that EA caved

into media pressure.

They undermine the moral compasses of gamers, who can distinguish between reality and fiction.

As adults, we are mature enough to consume whatever entertainment material we see fit within reason.

Needless censorship of games or films is insulting to our intelligence and treats us like children.

Gamers are fully aware that stealing cars and shooting innocent civilians is wrong in real life.

Perhaps next time they’ll be clamouring to ban driving games whenever there’s a car accident.

Columnist 12

Musically profound or miserably pointless?

O

ld rockstars.

They’re ten-a-penny nowadays, or so it seems.

But here’s the thing: when do musicians stop being relevant? Jokes are made whenever Keith, Sir Mick and the rest of the Strolling Bones release any new material – jokes rife with mentions of bus passes and Zimmer frames. Yet, in all honesty, are those ageist jibes so far from the truth?

Bands like the Stones sang of lust, drugs, and revolutions back in their Sixties heydays, and won legions of fans, mostly young people, whose lives and emotions were often resonated in the songs of their musical idols. But those original fans, the teeny-boppers of the heady, hippy-filled summers of love or the sharp suited vespa-riding mods have grown up alongside their heroes and are now entering their sixth and seventh decades.

If Mick Jagger sang lyrics about using recreational drugs when he was 27, now that he’s 67, why shouldn’t he sing about pension funds, his grandchildren, the decline of his youth? Not being familiar with the entire Stones canon, I can’t be sure that he occasionally doesn’t, of course, but it’s hardly their norm. Some of the most recent Stones singles are about love, lust, loss and heartbreak, which are undoubtedly universal themes whatever your age. Yet if older musicians want to resonate with fans who’ve supported them through thick and thin, why not sing about the problems of getting it up, rather than recounting regular all-nightloving? Or the pleasures of a nice cup of green tea instead of a binge on Jack Daniel’s?

I’ve focussed on the Stones thus far as they’re arguably the biggest band of their era still together, still releasing and still touring. But there are plenty more examples.

Ringo Starr, ex-Beatles tub-thumper, sang ‘You’re sixteen, you’re

beautiful and you’re mine’ at the age of thirty-three. Assuming that this cradle-snatching relationship had been real and had endured, what would – or should - he sing nowadays, at the age of seventy?

‘You’re fifty-three, yeah you’re not too bad, but you don’t half get on my nerves when you’re nagging me to fix the boiler’?

Many older musicians (and I’m going to say anybody over 45, which I know isn’t old by any means, but in musical terms it could be seen as ancient) lose a bit of their spark, which is inevitable (I’m sure it’ll happen to us all). It often depends on their style, of course. Frank Sinatra could still belt out the old American classics in his late seventies because, above all, he was a performer, an interpreter of songs.

Bands and artists who write their own material, and who keep on writing their own material: that’s often another matter. So when do you stop being relevant? If your message as a twenty-one-year old firebrand is ‘fuck authority’, ‘fuck capitalism’ or ‘fuck society’, it’s probably a bit difficult to reconcile with that when you’re nearly fifty and living in a million-pound townhouse. So any attempts to keep the old fire, the old messages, alive arguably seem hollow or hypocritical. If you’ve got a hundred-grand bank balance, you’re not exactly in a position to readily empathise with those on the dole, even if that is from whence you came.

Of course, it’s not as if every song written and performed by people of a certain age is irrelevant or awful. Fuck no. The likes of Morrissey and Jarvis Cocker are as lyrically diverse and brilliant in their mid-to-late forties as they were in their younger days (well, most of the time!) Madonna gets away with it, sometimes. And much older people like those Neils, Diamond and Young, can still release acclaimed music that resonates with fans old and new, albeit often in a more introspective way.

Photo: Jagger. Still got it?

That’s not to say every old rocker is past their days of (sorta) hedonism. If we examine that other surviving bastion of Beatledom, Sir James Paul Macca McCartney, we find that his 1967 lyric, ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’, was highly inaccurate for the future 64-year old McCartney. Indeed, when he was 64, in 200607, Macca was getting embroiled in a vicious divorce and custody battle with a much younger woman, the now-infamous ‘Mucca’ Mills: far from the cosy Isle of Wight cottage and the hideously-named grandchildren he had envisaged. Therefore, he could (and arguably does) legitimately sing songs about current experiences that may well re-

sound with both younger and older fans.

What about today’s stars? In forty or fifty years’ time, will Lady Gaga’s ‘Telephone’ be one of those with the extra large buttons? Will Tinie Tempah find himself passing out on a regular basis, as the years of partying finally take their toll?

More importantly, if they’re still around, will their music reflect those changes?

Music, ultimately, can be about escapism, or making a point, or can simply be a bit of fun (and undoubtedly many other things besides, but that’s not the point). As such, it doesn’t really matter if all the old favourites belt out all their old

favourites to rapturous applause, although it must be a bit unnerving seeing your smooth-skinned idols reduced to crow’s feet and a permanent stoop (Cliff Richard doesn’t count). And if a band’s fifteenth album doesn’t have the rapturous reception of their third, well, it probably isn’t up to the same standard; then again, it could be half decent. A bit of honesty or realism – and principles - wouldn’t go amiss sometimes: I could name half a dozen musical hypocrites off the top of my head. But, hell. Who am I to tell you what resonates and what doesn’t?

Politics 14

A New Front Bench for Labour

Olly Smith Politics Editor

“Fresh” and “new”: words being floated around regarding Ed Miliband’s appointment of his new Shadow Cabinet.

It is a move which can only be seen as a further attempt to move himself away from the traditional turf-war political battles which have severely damaged the Labour Party in recent years.

Bringing forward political figures who never managed to find a spot on Gordon Brown’s front bench, such as Diane Abbott who is well known for her work with Michael Portillo on the BBC’s ‘This Week’ and for running against Ed Miliband in the recent Labour leadership contest. Abbott will be working under John Healey in his role as Shadow Health Secretary.

For the upcoming economic battle, which is sure to be the issue at the forefront of British politics for the next five years, Miliband

has sent Alan Johnson as Shadow Chancellor. A figure to appease those in the Labour Party who have tarnished him with the “Red Ed” moniker, Johnson was backing David Miliband. With the spending review rapidly approaching on the 20th October, Alan Johnson will face a baptism by fire as the Labour Party deals with the huge package of cuts being assembled by the Coalition government.

As for the rest of the cabinet, Ed Balls - thought to be the main player for the role of Shadow Chancellor, - has taken the position of Shadow Home Secretary, something he most probably resents considering he seemed destined to end up in the Treasury (Alan Johnson even joked that his first job as Chancellor would be to “pick up a primer of economics for beginners”).

And Yvette Cooper, Ed Balls wife, has taken the position of Shadow Foreign Secretary. She is considered to be one of the most popular figures in the Labour Party and she certainly would have given the

Miliband brothers a run for their money in the leadership contest had she run.

Harriet Harman retains her position as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, a role she has occupied since 2007. And Sadiq Khan, one of the most high profile Muslim MP’s and an early backer of Ed Miliband's campaign for the leadership, taking his position as the Shadow Justice Secretary.

Looking at the cabinet as a whole it's a bit of a mixed bag. Whilst Ed Miliband may be positioning figures such as Diane Abbott to the front bench in order to inspire the media to brand him as “new” and “fresh”. It is important to realise that much of Milibands cabinet is far from “new” or “fresh”, figures like Alan Johnson are very much continuing the ‘Brownite’ era of Labour Party politics.

The test of the new Shadow Cabinet will be the Spending Review on the October 20, putting Milibands new team to the test whether or not they can form a strong opposition.

Above: Ed Miliband presides over the new Labour front bench. Bel

Britain's Silent Protest

Nicola Driscoll-Davies Politics Writer The British media continue with their blackout of protests. On the first day of the Tory Party Conference on Sunday October 3, 7,000 people descended into Birmingham to oppose the cuts to public spending. The protest, which was called by the Right to Work Campaign, was sponsored by most of the major unions in Britain, including the PCS, UCU, CWU, BECTU, ASLEF, and ironically, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The demonstration was denied the right to march directly outside the Tory conference by Birmingham City Council. However, despite heavy rain 7,000 people marched in unity in the surrounding streets.

The protesters marched for two hours to chants of: “They say cut back we say fight back” and “Service cuts no way, make the greedy bankers pay.” The demonstration was peaceful, and despite a heavy police presence saw no arrests.

When the protesters got as near to the venue as they were allowed, they suddenly stopped and made the greatest noise they possibly could – in order to be heard by the Government.

Despite this being the largest demonstration to date against the cuts, the entire British media chose to ignore the event. The British print media took part in silencing the masses, and the only television coverage received was from the BBC News at Ten programme, which stated: “a few protesters out-

side the conference.” The Right to Work Campaign and citizen journalists have posted footage of the protest on YouTube. The anti-cuts resistance is growing and upcoming strikes are inevitable. However, it is very likely that the British Media will continue to mute the voices of the masses, though to what extent remains to be seen.

How much money will be saved by cutting a serious lifeline to parents?

The following day at the conference Chancellor George Osborne, announced two major cuts aimed at dismantling the welfare state.

Firstly putting a “cap” on unemployment benefits to £26,000 a year and secondly removing child benefit payments to middle earners. William Beverage created the legacy of child benefit with the Family Allowances Act 1945 which was aimed to ensure fairness to each and every child in Britain. All families were entitled to the benefit - regardless of their income.

The Chancellor stated that child benefit would be cut from any parent earning over £43,875, to be introduced in 2013, with the argument that the Government will save £1billion by cutting child benefit payments. However grave inequali-

ties were immediately present, due to the fact that a single parent earning £43,875 would lose child benefit, all the while a couple whose joint income falls below £87,750, would be entitled to keep child benefit.

Victimisation of lone parent families dates back to the Thatcher days, and yet it appears that they remain a target of the Tories. The cuts to child benefit will mean that one child families will face a loss of £1,055 a year, while families with three children will lose £2,500 each year.

Anger came at once from Tory supporters due to the fact that Cameron had promised throughout the election to protect child benefit payments. Fearing the loss of vital support Cameron was thus forced to apologise: “Yes, I acknowledge this was not in our manifesto. Of course I am sorry about that.”

The narrative of the ‘big society’ that Cameron continues to advertise has just undermined itself entirely. It is indeed a time to wonder who is actually living in a ‘big society’? The true picture of today’s British society is that it is doomed to face a recession caused by an era of deregulation and capitalism.

Families across Britain who already face pay freezes and the risk of unemployment were appalled by this attack upon the welfare state, and yet all the while forced to listen to such speeches as, ‘we are all in this together’.

How much money will be saved by cutting a serious lifeline to parents? Just £1 billion. We are, truthfully, not all in this together.

Below: Protestors demonstrate outside the Con

Politics15

gair rhydd • Monday October 18 2010 • politics@gairrhydd.com

low: The Welsh Assembly, Cardiff Bay.

nservative Conference in Birmingham.

Will it be a bold new generation for the new Welsh Assembly?

Laura Dunn Politics Writer With Assembly elections fast approaching, the Senedd will soon be welcoming new recruits through its doors. A number of established AMs, including many female representatives are departing the Assembly for pastures new. This raises questions of how many wellknown figures will remain to help implement the new laws gained in a potential positive referendum vote, as well as the percentage of female AMs sitting in the chamber.

A 2009 study on the impact of female representatives by both Swansea and Warwick University found that the number of women present had an effect on the prioritization of legislation and general relations between politicians. Women are seen as consperative, helping cross-party relations, and working together in a productive and positive manner. This is visible within the National Assembly with many

female members helping to establish cross-party committees such as ‘Women in Democracy,’ which discusses many of the country’s important issues and how they affect women in Wales.

Out of the 60 AMs, 29 of them are female. The relaxation of special measures used to encourage gender equality, notably through all-female candidate lists, will unfortunately result in fewer women being elected both in Wales and at Westminster.

Party positions on positive discrimination and the relaxation of all female candidate lists, combined with retiring female AMs all highlight this expected reduction in female representation. Labour has always encouraged greater female participation in politics. For example, 33% of Labour Assembly candidates at the 2007 election were female. This is in contrast to 27% for Plaid, and 28% for both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Even today only one of the Conservative AMs is a woman. Notably, a female, Kirsty Williams, leads the Welsh Liberal

Democrats. A total of eight female AMs are not seeking re-election, among them Jane Davidson, Jenny Randerson and the only Independent AM, Trish Law. One can only hope that some female candidates will be victorious come May. Many female AMs serve in prominent roles within the Cabinet. Edwina Hart is the Minister for Health and Social Services, Jane Hutt serves as Minister for Business and Budget and Jocelyn Davies manages the Housing and Regeneration portfolio. All play key roles in deciding and implementing important Welsh legislation. The election of Carwyn Jones as First Minister in December 2009 and his subsequent Cabinet reshuffle increased female representation with Lesley Griffiths and Gwenda Thomas allocated Deputy Ministerial roles. The National Assembly is smashing the targets for female representation in politics, yet, I feel we can still do better.

My constituency of Newport West is fortunate to have its La-

bour AM, Rosemary Butler standing for re-election. A member of the National Assembly since 1999, a former Minister for Education and Children, and the Chair of Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee, she now holds the important position of Deputy Presiding Officer.

She is also the Chairwoman of the Newport Women’s Forum, an organization which provides grants to women who wish to establish their own business. It is strong and progressive leadership like hers that will help to cement the positive change that female AMs can bring to the National Assembly and the people of Wales, whilst encouraging a new generation of women to stand for public office.

I believe that the future of women at the National Assembly for Wales will only survive if all parties work individually and across party lines to maintain and advance the rightful place of females at the political table. The upcoming elections will be of awaited with baited breath around Wales.

Argentina's warning shot to Britain

Politics investigates the history of conflict between the nations, and the impact the latest episode will have for long term relations.

James Dunn Politics Editor The President of Argentina has used Twitter to criticise the Royal Navy in the latest of a series of controversies between Argentina and Great Britain regarding the Falkland Islands.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who was elected to the Presidency in 2007, dubbed the Royal Navy 'pirates for ever' last week in the wake of revelations that the force would be performing military exercises off the Falkland Islands – an area still in the middle of an 'ownership' debate between the two.

One of the founding principles in Mrs. Kirchner’s original election manifesto was an assertion Argentina would battle an 'eternal fight' to regain the disputed islands from Britain. They are, in an official statement from the President’s office, being 'unlawfully occupied' by the Royal Navy and British administration. Indeed, during the 1994 constitutional reforms by Argentina, the Falklands were included and remain under dispute.

The British government reacted to the announcement with incredulity. The Royal Navy, it transpires, has been performing these same

exercises off the Islands every six months for the past 28 years. Procedures like this were started in the wake of the Falklands War. Since the conflict, Britain has had 1076 troops with four ships serving in the region.

In 1982, military junta from Argentina seized the Islands and held it for a brief period of time. The war lasted 74 days, in which time 257 British and 649 Argentinean soldiers, sailors and airmen died. The British reputedly received news of the invasion via amateur radio; the U.S. considered retaking the Islands a `military impossibility`. Images of the horror of the war, such as the burning of the RFA Sir Galahad remain in the public conciousness.

Forty-eight servicemen lost their lives in the attack in Port Pleasant.

Since the war, the Galahad has been skuttled in order to remain as a war grave for the fallen.

Tensions are running high in the area. Last week, an Argentinean military ship confronted a trawler, accusing it of fishing the waters illegally. The worry is that, for the first time in four years, the Argentinean military are asserting that the waters are theirs.

The accusation from Mrs Kirchner is the latest controversy in a series of increasing tensions be-

tween the countries. In her Twitter post – which was deleted soon after – she claimed "Typical nineteenth century colonialism. Anachronistic use of force in violation of international law. They do not care. A clear example of double standards".

She then promised to summon Shan Morgan, the British Ambassador, to lodge a formal complaint.

The statement from her office acknowledges how aware the UN is of the issue of sovereignty.

The dispute has reached a new level of intensity in recent weeks in the aftermath of economic claims.

Recent tests have shown that there could be 700 million barrels worth of oil - £3 billion in the current market – under the ocean in the region of the Falklands. With British plans to begin drilling already drawn up, the dispute over sovereignty is only being furhter fuelled by the discovery of oil.

The accusation that the British acting like an imperial power again will be one that can only inflame Downing Street. Given an already

stretched military in Iraq and Afghanistan, the threat of any conflict will be taken very seriously.

It is a very long stride from this to conflict, but the invasion in 1982 was a complete shock to the British administration. They cannot afford to let the same happen again.

The tensions come at a particularly bad time for the British Armed Forces. With a two front war already being fought, another international war would only ever be catastrophic for the two nations.

Given the vast lost of human life in the previous conflict, Argentina and Britain will hopefully be able to agree their grievances amicably.

But with such economic lifelines at stake, at a time of an increasingly crippling global recession, the future is certainly cloudy.

The image of the burning Galahad will serve as the true depiction of the horrors of war.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner "Conclusion... pirates for ever?"

Features 18

Drop in for some support Moving away to university can be a big step. With lectures in full swing and Freshers' fortnight a distant memory, Zoe Bridger investigates how Cardiff University can help those who are still not feeling settled...

F

or many people the transition from home to university life is a simple one. Old school friends are forgotten as the new student schedule takes over and the endless drinking and socials pave the way for a happy term.

These people are the stereotypical students, the ones who make settling in look easy.

But plenty of people will have found the first few weeks of university a bit tough. Away from the comfort of family and friends, a new city can seem daunting and the inability to feel at home can become a serious problem.

Sarah Hazell, a third year medic, said of her first few weeks at university: "I hated it. I felt like everyone was having the time of their life and I was the odd one out for feeling miserable.

"I was in Talybont South for the first few weeks and I just didn’t get on with my flatmates. It wasn’t their fault, but I had nothing in common with them."

Toby Mills, a second year English Literature student, agreed. He said: "It wasn’t so much about missing home or family, but more like I hadn’t met the right people yet. I hadn’t found friends that I clicked with."

Drowned out by the frantic excitement of Freshers' week, it is easy to feel like the isolated if you’re not having fun. People keep quiet about their unhappiness because it is deemed to be some sort of fault of their own.

After talking to a wide variety of students, the important thing to remember if you find yourself in a situation like this is that you are not alone.

It is extremely common to find the first few weeks of university a

bit difficult and the vast majority of people, including Sarah and Toby, find that within a few weeks they are back on track.

Sarah said: "I went to talk to the residences manager and transferred to a new room in halls. Then through my new housemates I met a whole load of other people who are now my closest friends.

"Those first few weeks were not easy but once I realised it wasn’t my fault, I started to enjoy all the good things about a new university life."

For Sarah, transferring to a different room was the answer to her problems and going to talk to her residences manager was a good way to solve the situation. But students find university difficult for a wide number of reasons and often the solution might not be so simple.

One of the most impressive facilities here at Cardiff University is the Student Advisory Service, located at 50 Park Place; right next to the student’s union.

I’ll be honest, I have walked past it on countless occasions and never gone in. I assumed that you went there if you had a major problem and needed help or counselling.

But today, as I went to chat to Ben Lewis, head of the Student Advisory Service, I realised that it is a relaxed, friendly place, designed to help students in any way it can.

No matter how big or small the problem, it is a welcoming place where you can chat to a trained professional about something that is bothering you.

And visiting the service is not a big deal. For example on the first day of term alone, over 150 students called into the centre for all sorts of different enquiries and last year the counselling service saw over 800 students.

Ben Lewis confirmed: "The whole point is that if something is not quite

right in your life, it is always better to try to resolve it rather than let it grow and fester until it becomes a big thing.

"We would encourage people to come and see us, whatever the problem might be, at the earliest possible time. The student welfare advisers have a drop in session most days from 11am – 4pm so there is always someone available."

As well as being concerned that their issue isn’t serious enough for the Student Advisory Service, many people worry that what they say might be recorded in some way. But Ben cleared this up, saying: "The whole point of the person you are seeing is that they are not going to judge you.

"What you say is completely confidential and isn’t going to go on any record or anything like that, so if you discuss something very personal to you in this environment, it stays in this environment. And it doesn’t go any further."

Both Sarah Hazell and Toby Mills, who struggled to settle into university, said that they wished they had known more about the Student Advisory Service.

Toby said: "knowing that there were so many people who were feeling exactly the same as me would have helped a lot. It’s so easy to bottle up problems and then they only get worse."

Talking of the endeavour to reach out to more students, Ben said: "It’s really difficult actually, I meet a lot of students late in their career here who haven’t heard about the support centre and it’s really frustrating.

"Because Cardiff University is very big and it’s very geographically spread out, it’s actually quite hard to promote a central service."

This central service, however, is not just aimed at people who are find-

Drop in: Whatever your problem, the Student Advisory Service is here to help.

Features19

gair rhydd • Monday October 18 2010 • features@gairrhydd.com

Stressed out: The Student Advisory Centre provided counselling to over 800 students last academic year ing adjusting to Cardiff hard. It is a one-stop-shop for help with careers, finance, academic matters, welfare issues, counselling and disability support.

Ben pointed out: "Of course you don’t just come to student support because you have a problem. We see lots of international students who need to renew their visas, we see students who have disabilities and need help adjusting to their learning environment, and we also have an assessment centre here for people who haven’t been assessed for a disability or a long term medical condition before they come to university.

"We do see a lot of students with issues to do with homesickness or to do with the transition of coming to university, but that is not the only thing."

As I sat in the waiting room I realised that visiting the centre isn’t scary at all. If anything, I wished I had known about it sooner.

Students aren’t expected to navigate around the building in a crystalmaze style with a firm knowledge of who they need to see; the whole point is that you just drop in and the service will do the rest.

This point was reiterated by Ben,

who said: "If you have any problem, you just drop in to reception and it will get sorted, basically.

"From our reception here we can access immigration advisory, careers advisory, welfare advice, psychological counselling, disability support, mental health professionals, and then all the outside resources as well.

"You’ve got everything in one place; all you need to do is find the reception desk."

The start of an academic year also shines light upon another common issue which the Student Advisory Service can help with: the possibility of changing degree courses.

Lots of students question their choice of degree subject; maybe it isn’t what they originally thought it would be, or maybe they have just had a change of heart. The main advice from the support centre is to come and see them as soon as possible.

Again, you are not alone. There are hundreds of students who have felt unsure about their course and there will be hundreds more in the future.

Tom Jackson, a third year Journalism student, changed his degree course from Biochemistry to Jour-

“

On the first day of term over 150 students dropped into the Student Support Centre

nalism in the fourth week of his first year at cardiff.

Speaking of the transition he said: "It was a hard decision to make because I didn't want to drop out of uni and wait until September to start again.

"Luckily the student advisory service was really helpful and I was able to transfer without any major problems."

Elaine Robinson, manager of Home Advisory, said: ‘We do get a certain number of students at the beginning of term, some of them are homesick, some of them are on the wrong course. You name it, we see it.

"But if someone is having doubts about their course or their place at university they have to decide what to do by the end of October in order to avoid paying fees."

Yet again, the advice to students is just to call in and have an informal chat about possible options. The sooner the issue is discussed, the sooner it can be solved.

Both the Park Place and the Cardigan House (Heath Park campus) support centres are open from Monday to Friday, 9.30am until 4.30am.

The Park Place service also offers a daily drop-in service, between 3pm

and 3.30pm, called SPACE 4U, where students can see a counsellor for 10-15 minutes in a relaxed environment. In this session they can ask questions or even just borrow a book.

There are also informal workshops led by the Park Place service, which are run by counsellors and mostly require very little audience participation. They are focussed on giving out useful information, like ideas and strategies on how to better cope with a particular difficulty.

For more information, pick up a leaflet at either the Park Place or the Cardigan House advisory services, or go online to www.cardiff.ac.uk/studentsupport.

I left the student advisory services building today with a sense of regret that not enough people are aware of it.

It is in such a central position within the university and it is so full of helpful people and information.

Ben Lewis, head of Student Advisory Services, summed it up well: "The whole point of having these kinds of services is that they are there to help the students and the more students we can get in the better."

Science 20

Can't we do better than this?

Jack Parker Science Editor Having your house flooded or your car washed away by a torrent of water is never a good start to the day. It’s even worse though for the people of Hungary who were left wading through water contaminated by heavy metals and other residue from a nearby alumina plant. The red sludge spread over an area of over 40 square kilometres and was responsible for at least seven deaths and 150 injuries at the time of writing. Many of the injuries result from chemical burns.

Greenpeace are already calling the incident one of the top environmental disasters in Europe of the last 30 years, but there is a continuous threat of it getting much worse.

Although the leak was stopped within a couple of days, less concentrated forms of the sludge have managed to reach the Danube, a river which could spread the contaminants across Europe, through countries such as Croatia and Ukraine.

Upon the initial entry of the contaminants into the river, areas were found to have a pH of nine and clay was being poured into the rivers to neutralise the water. Although this is not considered toxic for humans there have been observations of dead fish in effected rivers, with fish in the worst areas being wiped out com-

pletely. Almost a week after the initial flood villages were still being evacuated in fear of further leaks from the damaged wall.

The cause of the spill is still being determined, but several days of heavy rain is likely to be a contributing factor. Hungarian police have also opened up a criminal inquiry, forcing the plant’s company to insist that no threats were found during the latest inspection of its facilities.

If human error or negligence is deemed to be a significant factor in the cause of this ecological disaster, then it does not bode well for the future. Human errors have caused unbearable disasters in the past, at home and abroad, but the consequences of them will continue to propagate as technology rapidly advances.

The obvious example of negligence leading to environmental tragedy is the recent BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, from which few involved have escaped blameless. Even the White House has been thrown into the media spotlight as a report told of how government scientists were restricted from expressing to the public the scale of the spill.

Then of course there is Chernobyl, the infamous nuclear accident that began during an unauthorised systems test. The exact consequences of this disaster will never be fully understood but rises in cancer in surround-

Above: It seems that everyone is to blame

Left: DNA The creator and destroyer

“

What hope do we have of coping with future technology?

ing regions suggest that deaths resulting from the incident could be in the tens of thousands.

Closer to home in the year 2007, an outbreak of foot and mouth was well contained, but could have propagated further. The original source was found to be a laboratory site that experimented on the virus. A single pipe was damaged due to tree roots, allowing the virus to reach the surface and spread amongst workers and beyond. A simple pipe breaking could have resulted in a national agricultural disaster.

One of the worst considerations for the recent sludge spill is that it resulted from a familiar process and occurred in a moderately well off country.

Hungary isn’t exactly a rich nation, but it’s not one of the poorest either. The sludge is waste from the early stages of aluminium production, the metal that we use for planes, coke cans and so many other everyday objects.

If we now have to associate aluminium production with high risks of environmental disaster, then what hope do we have of coping with the implications of future technology?

We all know that technology is not only getting better, but improving at an exponential rate. Scientific knowledge and access to this technology is also spreading along with better education and wealth.

All the way back in 2003 scientists

could use DNA to create their own artificial virus. Biochemistry is advancing quickly as many look towards it as a solution for cheap energy or cleaning up pollution, amongst many other uses. Yet surely it will not be long before the same technology could be used to create other viruses, capable of targeting animals or even humans.

The western world spends billions tackling terrorism and the threat from bioterrorism is particularly austere. A single extremist could infect himself or walk around London with a spray can, literally spreading a new man-made disease capable of wiping out millions.

Safety concerns are unlikely to restrict the propagation of science over the next few decades. Knowledge of impending climate catastrophe is certainly not stemming the propagation of carbon emitting power plants and agriculture across the world today.

But if the technology to create and destroy is going to continue to spread, then the threat from biological error, as well as other environmental errors, must surely be treated as seriously as the more regularly spouted threat from global terrorism.

Taf-od 22 Chwilio am reolwr newydd Cymru Caio Iwan Taf-Od A fydd Flynn yn aros? Caio sy'n bwrw golwg dros ddyfodol ein tîm cenedlaethol...

Siomedig iawn oedd canlyniad y ddwy gêm yn erbyn Bwlgaria a’r Swistir. Siomedig fyth yw gweld Cymru’n eistedd ar waelod y tabl ar ôl tair gêm, heb bwynt, heb obaith.

Oni bai am y gemau yn erbyn yr hen elyn flwyddyn nesaf, mae’n anodd gweld beth sydd gan gefnogwyr Cymru i edrych ymlaen ato. Rhwystredig iawn yw sylweddoli fod gobeithion y wlad o fynd drwodd i gystadleuaeth fawr drosodd am ymgyrch arall. Ond beth am ddyfodol

Brian Flynn? Gallaf ddarogan gyda chryn hyder fod neb wedi ei benodi yn llawn amser erbyn i chi ddarllen hwn. Os felly, pwy fydd rheolwr nesaf Cymru?

Chris Coleman yw’r dewis amlycaf yn fy marn i. Mae ganddo flynyddoedd o brofiad yn rheoli yn Uwch Gynghrair Lloegr, ac nid yw’n ddieithr i bwysau gan iddo gael ei benodi yn rheolwr Fulham pan ond yn 32. Dywedodd mewn cyfweliad yn ddiweddar ‘na fuasai’n derbyn unrhyw esgusodion gan chwaraewyr am fethu gemau rhyngwladol, aeth ymlaen i nodi y buasai yn cael sgwrs gyda phob un i weld pa mor frwdfrydig ydynt dros gynrychioli eu gwlad cyn ystyried derbyn y sw-

ydd. Mae’n ddyn onest, angerddol, a buasai’n ddewis doeth yn nh b llawer. Wedi dweud hynny, cafodd fawr o lwyddiant allan yn Sbaen wrth reoli Real Sociedad, ac fe’i diswyddwyd gan Coventry City yn y Bencampwriaeth yn gynharach eleni.

Yna beth am Tony Pulis, rheolwr Stoke City, siawns y buasai yn neidio ar y cyfle i reoli ei wlad? Wel mae’n debyg fod y sialens o sefydlu Stoke yn haen uchaf pêl-droed Lloegr yn fwy o apêl ‘na rheoli’ch gwlad y dyddiau yma. ‘Dwi yn un, ddim yn gweld bai arno. Mae’n cael ei dalu’n dda, ac mewn gwirionedd, pwy fuasai’n aberthu swydd llawn amser yn un o gynghreiriau

mwyaf y byd er mwyn goruchwylio tîm sy’n tangyflawni ers rhai blynyddoedd? Gall yr un peth gael ei ddweud am Kenny Jackett yn y Bencampwriaeth, mae rheoli Millwall hyd yn oed yn fwy o apêl ‘na rheoli Cymru dyddiau yma!

Enwau eraill sydd wedi dod i’r amlwg yw Gary Speed, a gafodd ei benodi yn rheolwr Sheffield United cwpl o fisoedd yn ôl, Dean Saunders, sydd yn cadw wyneb Wrecsam uwch ben y d r yn y Blue Square Premier, a John Hartson, sydd yn prysur sefydlu ei hun fel ffefryn ymysg gwylwyr Sgorio. Cafodd enw Martin O’neill, hefyd, ei grybwyll yn ddiweddar, ond ‘dwi’n siwr ei fod o ddigon craff i oedi ychydig

nes iddo gael cynnig gwell. Nac ydw, dydw i ddim am drafod y posibiliad o Ryan Giggs yn rheoli Cymru tan i’w yrfa gyda Manchester United ddod i ben yn gyntaf !

Mae hynny’n gadael Brian Flynn, yr unig ddyn i gael cyfle i newid lwc Cymru ar y cae, ond methodd a gwneud argraff mewn gwirionedd.

I fod yn deg, mae gan bwy bynnag a gaiff y swydd yn barhaol garfan o chwaraewyr yn llawn potensial, ond tydi potensial yn unig ddim yn curo gemau chwaith, fel y mae’r tair gêm ddiwethaf yn tystio. Bydd angen lwc ar reolwr nesaf Cymru, pwy bynnag a gaiff y baich/anrhydedd!

ond rhaid cofio mewn gwirionedd yn y gemau Olympaidd ni fyddai'r mwyafrif llethol o’r athletwyr wedi mynd yn agos i unrhyw bodiwm gan gofio nad yw mwyafrif o wledydd Ewrop heb anghofio America yn cystadlu.

Ers i’r gemau Olympaidd modern gychwyn yn 1896, mae Cymru wedi llwyddo i ennill 49 medal sydd ddim yn ffôl i gymharu gydag Iwerddon sydd ond wedi ennill 23 medal ers iddi gael ei hannibyniaeth.

Ond rhaid cofio bod llawer o rain wedi cael ei hennill mewn cystadlaethau tîm oedd yn cynnwys athletwyr o wledydd Prydain.

Er enghraifft ym Meijing yn 2008, fe wnaeth 3 medal aur a 2 arian ddychwelyd i Gymru ond roedd 3 ohonynt wedi cael ei hennill mewn cystadleuaeth tîm, e.e. cafodd Tom

Lucy fedal arian am rwyfo gyda 7 dyn arall o Brydain, a rhaid cyfaddef mai camp amhosib byddai cael 8 rhwyfwr o Gymru sydd yn rhwyfo i safon y Gemau Olympaidd.

Mewn arolwg fe ofynnais i bobl a fyddai’n well gennych gefnogi tîm sydd yn ennill 47 medal (y nifer a chafodd ei hennill gan Brydain yn Beijing) neu gefnogi tîm sy’n ennill 2 fedal (y nifer a chafodd ei hennill gan athletwyr o Gymru mewn cystadlaethau unigol) ac fe ddywedodd 80% o’r bobl y byddai’n well ganddynt gefnogi Prydain gan ei bod yn ennill mwy o fedalau.

Fel popeth arall yn y byd heddiw, problem sylfaenol arall sy’n codi yw arian.

Gyda’r holl doriadau sydd yn digwydd, nid oes gobaith gan y llywodraeth i gyllido tîm Cymru ac ar

y foment does dim y cyfleusterau gan Gymru i hyfforddi’r athletwyr e.e. er bod Dai Greene yn byw yn Abertawe mae’n rhaid iddo deithio i Loughborough er mwyn cael yr hyfforddiant gorau.

Cred Rhys Griffiths y dylai Cymru gael tîm ei hun ‘achos mae gennym dîm cenedlaethol yng ngemau'r Gymanwlad ac mae nhw’n perfformio i safon y gwledydd eraill a dim ond trwy gystadlu fel gwlad y mae athletwyr na fyddai fel rheol yn cael lle yn nhîm Prydain yn mynd i gael cyfle i wella a datblygu’ Felly a ydy’r gemau Olympaidd yn rhywbeth y dylwn ni dderbyn ein bod ni yn rhan o Brydain ac ein bod yn mynd i orfod cefnogi ‘Team GB’. Er mae’n ddigon posib mai gorfod gweld athletwyr Cymru dan enw Prydain yr ydym yn mynd i

orfod gwneud am sawl blwyddyn arall, nid yw’n gorfod fod.

Os yw Hong Kong sy’n rhan o Tsiena a Aruba sy’n drefedigaeth yn yr Iseldiroedd yn cael cystadlu yn y Gemau Olympaidd, pam na all Cymru gael tîm ei hun er nad ydym yn wlad annibynnol? Yn bersonol beth yw’r gwahaniaeth os taw dim ond Dai Greene, David Davies a Nicole Cooke sy’n ennill medalau yn Llundain 2012, bydd yn well gennyf weld 3 medal dan enw Cymru na 50 dan enw Prydain. Byddai gweld baner Cymru yn chwifio a chlywed Hen wlad fy nhadau yn fy ngwneud yn Gymraes falch iawn.

Tîm i Gymru?

Elliw Mair Taf-Od Wrth i Gemau’r Gymanwlad ddirwyn i ben, pa gwell amser sydd i ofyn y cwestiwn ‘A ddylai Cymru cael tîm ei hun yn y Gemau Olympaidd?’

Anaml iawn y byddaf yn eistedd ar y ffens pan ddaw i fynegi fy marn ond mae’r gosodiad yma yn creu dadl fewnol rhwng beth mae fy nghalon eisiau a beth mae fy meddwl yn dweud.

I unrhyw genedlaetholwr mae’r ateb yn syml sef wrth gwrs ddylwn ni gael tîm cenedlaethol, ond yn anffodus ‘in hindsight’ yw’r ateb yma.

Tra bod yr erthygl yn cael ei hysgrifennu roedd cyfanswm medalau Cymru yng ngemau'r Gymanwlad wedi cyrraedd 16 (1 aur, 5 arian a 10 efydd) sydd yn hynod o dda,

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Societies 24 New society takes pole position

Monday Oct 18 Engin Soc: Engin Army -7.30pm starting in The Taff ending in Tiger Tiger

Bianca London Societies Editor When most people think of pole dancing they think of the type associated with gentlemen's clubs. However, Cardiff University’s newest society hopes to abolish that stereotype.

The Pole Dance Society has been set up this year to encourage students to view pole dancing in a new light whilst promoting the strength and level of fitness required to become a pole dancer. With an epic membership sign-up of 93 at this year’s societies fayre (the highest of any new society), it is obvious that this exciting society has generated lots of interest. This week, I got in touch with the committee to find out what all the hype is about.

According to Sophie Herrmann, Society President, pole dancing will increase your upper body strength, shape your waistline, increase core strength, posture, flexibility and also burn calories!

"Before I started pole dancing lessons, I couldn’t even manage a single ladies press-

up, and now I’m lifting myself up the pole with ease. It works muscles that I never even knew I had and I noticed an improvement in strength after my first lesson", she said.

During a beginner’s lesson you can expect to burn anything between 290 and 400 calories an hour and the best part is that you are so focused on mastering the moves that you forget it is exercise!

The Pole Dance Society have also set up the first ever Inter-University Pole Dance Competition which will be held right here in Cardiff next year with internationally renowned judges including KT Coates. The committee have worked exceptionally hard to establish themselves within the Cardiff University Societies Guild and their hard work has certainly paid off. It is clear that the prior link between pole dancing and gentleman's clubs has been abolished by this society and its copious new members.

For more information about getting involved, keeping fit and having fun, then visit their campus group page at http://groups. cardiffstudents.com/cupid/about/

Tuesday Oct 19 Duke of Edinburgh Society: Training and Night Out -Room 1.25, Main Building, 7.30pm

Students for Life: Pro-life day of silent solidarity -Meet outside Union at 8.30am

Wednesday Oct 20 Rock Foundation: Meeting -Nelson Mandella Room (4th floor of SU) 7pm

Wine Appreciation Society: Wine Time -8.30pm, Location online at campus groups Earthsoc: Freshers Social -8pm, Cathays pubcrawl to Revs FAD- Pink and Black Welcome Social -8pm, Location TBC

Thursday Oct 21 Erasmus Society: Weekly Social -Woodville Pub, 9pm

Spanish and Italian: Salsa and Tapas -La Tasca, 7pm

Social Sciences Society: Mega Social -The Taff 7.30pm followed by clubs in town

Friday Oct 22 One Mission: Stagga!

-10pm, Cardiff Arts Institute

Saturday Oct 23 Creative Writing Society: Write In -Cardiff Arts Institute, 2pm

Chaos: Hoody Sale -Junior Common Room, 9am

To feature an event or article email societies @gairrhydd.com

Above: The Pole Dancing society

If you would like to join a Society, or see a full list of opportunities, visit: http://groups.cardiffstudents.com/societies/home

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Letters 26 Comments from the week’s news, opinion, features and sport at www.gairrhydd.com Complete Balls Up Sarah Kilby --I've never been to a summer ball as it seemed to be something to end your third year (what with all the costs!) and now I’m in my third year we won’t have one.

I hope the replacement is good.

Be disappointed if it’s just an all room ‘mega-lash’ in the union.

Rhys --I agree with sarah, just having a mega-lush would be a slap in the face. No one would want to pay $40 just for a glorified night in the union, rent out the CIA is in my view the next best option.

Anon --I have only been to one Summer

Ball, in my first year, and honestly wasn’t that impressed. It would have been nice to end my final year with one but i’m not sure i’ll miss it.

that 50k put back into sports clubs and societies, which would see the benefit in the long term. Only 5,000 students reportedly went to the Ball last year, what about the other 22,000 Cardiff Students who didn’t?

Chris Andrews ---

Edmund Schluessel ---

It’s an utter disgrace that the Summer Ball has been cancelled. I’ve been to both balls at the end of my first two years at uni and had a fantastic time. I appreciate the loss of money is an issue, but when will the university start putting the interests of its’ students first?

I hate to say “I told you so”...no, wait. I love to say that.

Anon --Chris, I went to the Summer Ball in my first year, and had a fantastic time. It’s a one of a kind event and it is a shame that its gone.

However, I would rather see

A year ago I was one of just two or three Student Council members saying the summer ball would lose an unacceptable amount of money.

I do wonder, though, why this is a trustee decision this year but a student Council decision last year.

Anon ---

fun.

Anon --I was also one saying at Student Council that it was an unacceptable amount of money to spend on one thing that a minority of students enjoy.

The thing is, above anon, we lost FIFTY EIGHT GRAND. That could do so much to help so many more students “have fun” than just the one or two thousand that currently attend the ball. It could support thousands of society socials, hardship grants, counselling, extra lecturers, cheaper drinks, better DJs, better loos at club nights, new equipment for sports teams, more trips away for sports teams, all sorts of stuff!

RE: Edmund Maybe some people like to have

It’s a huge loss. To make the event sustainable every student

would have to be charged like seventy, eighty quid and it’s been proven that students will barely pay thirty (and with good reason, too.)

Additionally, all acts have to be booked eight or nine months in advance and it’s impossible to see who will be out or in. Obviously, we got lucky in ‘07 with Pendulum and Swansea got lucky this year with Florence but it is pure luck.

The same goes for the weather.

It’s just economics, we can’t afford it so we need to do something else.

In Student Council what basically happened is that it all came down to the egos of the Sabbs, they all boast to Sabbs from other Universities that they had the “best ball” etc.

Got something to say

NEWS, LIVE DEBATE, FEATURES, SPORT, QUENCH, EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND MORE

www.gairrhydd.com

Listings

Monday

Tuesday

27 Wednesday Thursday

18th Oct

19th Oct

20th Oct

21st Oct

THE LASH, Solus, £3.50, 9.30pm The Lash promises 'all the best in chart and cheese', which doesn't really sound all that tempting, to be honest. But, if you're a sporting LAD then it's most definitely the place to be.

LIVE MUSIC, The Taf, FREE, 8pm Pretty much what it says on the tin really. Live music. In the Taf. They had a pretty good lineup last week, so expect great things from this night.

FUN FACT TREE, Solus, FREE, 9pm Fun Factory is an institution among Cardiff students, and therefore you simply must check it out. Playing the very best in alternative music and with various cheap drinks promotions, you're sure to have the best night of the week here - and I'm not even biased. It's a staple. Free entry and super cheap drinks are a perfect way to enjoy yourself while keeping an eye on the pursestrings.

LATE NIGHT LIVE, Ten Feet Tall, FREE, 9pm Every week, 10 Feet Tall selects the finest in local new and up-and-coming bands to perform in the Rock Room, with 50s and 60s garage rock in the bar.

SWN FESTIVAL LAUNCH PARTY 2010: TORO Y MOI + SEAMS, CAI, £5, 8pm Toro y Moi is a South Carolinian artist/musician/creator obsessed with capturing every nuance or spark of inspiration that ignites in his sun-baked mind. His lo-fi tunes are a varied assortment of ideas, meandering between funk bass-slapped grooves and slowed-down synth pop.

JUST DANCE, Clwb, £3, 10pm Just Dance returns every Tuesday night at Clwb Ifor Bach with one simple mission...to get you dancing all night long. A mixture of modern day pop, rock and R&B, thrown together with some cracking blasts from the past...cheap entry, cheap drinks prices and great, GREAT tunes.

FAIL, Solus, £3.50, 9.30pm A brand new night at the Union, hurrah!

We wait for ages for something different to the usual Come Play playlist, and what do we get? The very imaginatively named 'Fail'. Stunning. The person who came up with that name should be sacked.

DAN LE SAC VS SCROOBIUS PIP, Cardiff Students' Union, £14.50, TBC The hip-hop/electro duo whose name has been on the tip of everyone's tongues, since the release of their 2007 single 'Thou Shalt Always Kill'. Sounding like a head on collision between The Streets, Goldie Lookin' Chain and Fourtet, these guys manage to mix coolness and humour to make some highly original material.

LISTEN UP, Clwb, £3, 9pm Listen Up has become an institution within an institution. Everybody loves Clwb. Everybody loves Listen Up. Playing a mix of motown, funk, indie and pop amoung three floors of cheap bars and trendy kids, this is the place to be every Wednesday.

BOGOF Orange Wednesdays There's so much good stuff on at the moment including the amazing The Social Network and Mr. Nice. Have a chilled out night.

JAZZ AT DEMPSEYS, Dempseys, £5, 9pm Music ranges from piano or guitar trio, saxophone or trumpet quartet, quartet with vocals to big band. Hear jazz standards made famous by the likes of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, as well as original tunes.

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

22nd Oct

23rd Oct

24th Oct

BOOMBOX, Solus £3, 10pm Playing an eclectic mix of Electro, Funk, Drum and Bass, Hip Hop, Dubstep and Breaks with a turntablist twist. Featuring dance classics, chart remixes and old school classics. Expect to hear Pendulum, Calvin Harris, Dr Dre, David Guetta, Major Lazor, A Skillz, High Contrast, Prodigy and much more. To be fair, it's the cheapest Friday night this side of the bridge, fulfilling all your student needs, and perfect for bringing those visiting mates too. Go ahead kids, BOOM YOUR BOX. SWN FESTIVAL + QUENCH LIVE PRESENTS, Dempseys, £14-45 (buy your wristbands online), 8pm Yes ladies and gentlemen, it's official.

Quench LIVE is back with a vengence!

For those of you who haven't been before, Quench LIVE is a night jam-packed with the best up-and-coming artists, and is rounded off with some of our very best DJ's from Xpress Radio. This year, in collaboration with Swn festival, we proudly welcome Ellen & The Escapades, Dry the River, Young Rebel Set and Pete Lawrie. It's going to be massive. Be there.

COME PLAY, Solus, £3, 10pm A safe bet for a Saturday night. If none of the other events do it for you, head to the Union for guaranteed good music and cheap drinks. Not the most imaginative of nights out, but you'll be sure to have a good time.

And who said that being able to predict the playlist down to the very last minute was a bad thing?

SWN FESTIVAL, Various venues, £15-45 (buy your wristbands online) Swn promotes and celebrates new music coming in and out of Wales. It means ‘Sound’ and is pronounced ‘soon’. Now in its fourth year, Swn Festival 2010 looks set to be better than ever, with some of the biggest names performing at various venues around Cardiff. Artists such as Marina and the Diamonds, Yeasayer and Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly are all confirmed, alongside some of the best up-and-coming new artists. It is, without doubt, going to be a fanastic weekend, so grab your housemates, get some wristbands, and go and see something new.

For more information, wristband deals, and to get the latest news on the line-up, visit the website: www.swnfest.com

HAVE A SUNDAY ROAST The Taf do a wicked, and cheap Sunday roast - as do the CAI. Have a lie in, and then get some classic comfort food to help beat Saturday night's hangover or stave off the end of the weekend blues.

10 FEET TALL SUNDAY SOCIAL, 10 Feet Tall, FREE, 8pm A brand new night featuring Greg Ramshackle and Steve French, whoever the hell they are. However, if you have nothing better to do on a Sunday night, and fancy heading out for two-for-one cocktails, perhaps give this a go.

BRITISH SEA POWER, The Globe, £12.50, 8pm British Sea Power originally began life in Cumbria, 2001, and after a few relocations gained an enormous reputation in Brighton and then Europe, as tour supports to such greats as Interpol and The Flaming Lips. By the end of 2004, they were known worldwide, receiving acclaim as 'the best band in Britain' and attaining the Time Out award for 'Live Band Of The Year'. With that accolade under their hats, perhaps they're worth a listen?

BOUNCE, Walkabout, £4, 9pm If you really, honestly, have nothing better to do... actually, no, even that isn't a valid excuse.

No reason for going to Walkabout is acceptable in my eyes. Okay, so perhaps you have to go once in your University career, but I know that the debauchary and filth will put you off going again. If you're have any personal morals, that is.

C.Y.N.T, Clwb, £4, 10pm Voted as one of the top three nights in the UK

by Mixmag. The biggest midweek rave this side of the Bridge. Expect big queues as ravers descend for their dose of Electro, Techno, Dubstep and DnB. Advance q-jump tickets from cy-n-t.com. This is the only legitimate thing to do on your Thursday night.

Venues Students’ Union, Park Place, 02920 814456 www.cardiffstudents. com ◆ IV Lounge, Neuadd Meirionydd, Heath Park 02920 744948 ◆ Clwb Ifor Bach, 11 Womanby Street 02920 232199 www.clwb.net ◆ Barfly, Kingsway, Tickets: 08709070999 www.barflyclub.com/ cardiff ◆ Metros, Bakers Row 02920 399939 www.clubmetropolitan.com ◆ CAI, Park Place 02920 412190 ◆ Buffalo Bar, 11 Windsor Place www.myspace.com/wearebuffalobar ◆ Chapter Arts Centre, Market Road, Canton 02920 304400 www.chapter.org ◆ Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay 0870 0402000 www.wmc.org.uk ◆ The New Theatre, Park Place 02920 878889 www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk ◆ The Sherman Theatre, Senghennydd Road 02920 646900 www.shermantheatre.co.uk ◆ Cardiff International Arena, Mary Ann Street 02920 224488 ◆

29

Sport

Tom Beer predicts a fiery encounter as the Cardiff Blues take on rivals the Scarlets

O

n October 22 the Cardiff City Stadium will play host to what promises to be a fantastic game of rugby as the Cardiff Blues take on local rivals the Llanelli Scarlets.

Both teams will really be trying to prove themselves as the current form team of Welsh rugby.

The Blues have got off to a stuttering start this season with their matches against Connacht and against Edinburgh being rather poor for the spectator. Although Cardiff won both games, both were displays full of error, kicking the ball away and lacking in invention or creativity.

At the end of last season the Blues signed Scotland Fly-Half Dan Parks, a quality player who brings goalkicking prowess and tactical awareness to any side. Unfortunately that investment hasn’t yet paid off in the way the Blues would like. Parks has looked average at best, missing at least four kicks in the one point victory over Edinburgh.

The Scarlets, however, have been the success story of the season so far.

They played some of the best rugby the Heineken Cup has seen in a long time in their emphatic 43-34 victory over the French powerhouse Perpignan the weekend before last.

Last season, if not for the Blues winning the Amlin Challenge tournament which gives automatic qualification to the Heineken Cup, the Scarlets wouldn’t have even qualified for the tournament.

In contrast they look a team possessed this year, with players like Jonathan Davies, Regan King and George North really announcing their arrival to the rugby world.

Furthermore, the guiding influence of Lions players Stephen Jones and captain Matthew Rees is certainly seen when they are able to react to play, as opposed to trying to force it.

Of course, the Blues have a lot of fire power in their squad and this game will certainly be one of battles.

The tremendous ball carrying power of Xavier Rush is a factor that any team needs to account for. The young Bradley Davies has also become a shining beacon for the Blues and for

Above: The Blues have a lot of fighting power in their sqaud.

Welsh hopes of getting the ball forwards, the so-called “hard yards”.

In addition, Leigh Halfpenny, the Blues, Wales and Barbarians Winger, has been looking near top form recently, and will always be ready to run keeping the Scarlet’s defense alert.

The game promises to have a fantastic derby atmosphere. When any of the regional teams play each other crunching tackles and massive hits are always guaranteed.

Both sets of fans will be sure to create a fantastic atmosphere with hopefully none of the negative aspects that football derby matches carry with them.

There is never a meaningless derby game in the eyes of the coaches, with each one a battle to get the victory and the bragging rights that come along with it.

Predicting the winner of this game

“

The game promises to be one of crunching tackles and massive hits

is difficult. If the Scarlets keep up the type of rugby they have been playing then they will be very tough to stop.

However, if the Blues return to their form of the end of last season which saw them winning European silverware then they too will take a heck of a performance to beat.

Player selection will be a key issue and mistakes on the day will cause momentum to swing from one way to the other. One thing that fans will want is fast, high tempo, running rugby.

Tickets for the unreserved seating in the Stadium are just £10 for Students, when you display your student card, and a bus to the Stadium can be caught on Westgate Street.

Kick-off is 8:05pm.

The wildlife is quite amazing. A safari gives you the chance to see these animals in their natural habitat. Certainly better than the badgers and foxes we have to offer in Britain.

Sport30

Monday October 18 2010 • gair rhydd • sport@gairrhydd.com

Time is ticking on Webber's Championship says Joe Davies...

F

ormula One can, at times, deliver us some enthralling seasons, culminating in mouth watering championship showdowns. If you hadn't noticed, F1 2010 is one of them.

Gone are the days of 2002 and 2004 when the dominance of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher tested the patience of the most ardent of motor racing enthusiasts.

Rarely have we witnessed a season in recent times that has ebbed and flowed like this year; the 'inform' driver almost changing on a race-by-race basis. Before the Japanese Grand Prix, eight drivers remained mathematically in contention. At Suzuka, eight became five.

Not since the 1960s have five drivers entered the final round with a chance of winning the title.

And there is a very real possibility that scenario will repeat itself this year, as dusk falls in the Abu Dhabi desert on November 14.

Jenson Button, of course, is aiming to become the first Briton to retain the Formula 1 World Championship. If the reigning World Champion - currently fifth in the standings - is going to achieve that feat, luck will have to play its part.

The 2009 World Champion now lies a distant 31 points – roughly 12 in ‘old money’ - behind championship-leader Mark Webber.

Button's challenge has gone somewhat off the boil since the European Grand Prix in Valencia in June, after which he lay second in the standings and six points off Lewis Hamilton’s lead. Since then, Button has managed just one podium in seven races. In the meantime, Fernando Alonso and Webber have enjoyed a 40- and 49-point swing around Button, respectively.

Should he feel downbeat about his situation? Of course not. With three races to go he has nothing to lose. In an era when a win was rewarded with ten points, Lewis Hamilton dramatically threw away a 17-point advantage over Kimi Raikkonen in the final two rounds of the 2007 season, allowing the Finn to pip the Englishman by a single point. Things can change very quickly. And the five title protagonists know that.

On the other side of the McLaren garage, the only piece of good news for Hamilton after Suzuka was that he will get a new gearbox in Korea. The 2008 World Champion has had a difficult time of late, crashing on the first lap at Monza and suffering a race-ending tangle with Webber in Singapore. Things didn’t get much better for Hamilton last weekend. After crashing out in Friday morning practice, Hamilton then suffered a gear box

change-induced five-place grid penalty, before losing third gear during the race. It is not surprising that Hamilton was “happy” to just make it to the chequered flag.

His emphatic win at Spa in August now seems an age away. For Hamilton and Button, their new ‘double F-duct’ – which should give them a significant straight-line speed advantage along F1’s new longest straight in Korea – can’t come soon enough.

Sebastien Vettel may have led home a Red Bull one-two in Japan but Alonso is still the man in the ascendancy. After a relatively poor mid-season run of just two podiums in nine races, the double World Champion has now secured five in the last six and scored an impressive 65 points in the last three Grand Prixs. The Spaniard has recently won in style at a low (Monza) and high (Singapore) down force track. Alonso has told the BBC that he is not calling for more new parts and feels that Ferrari have built the car to beat Red Bull in the championship run-in.

And well he might. Only a brave Above: Mark Webber's Red Bull leads the title by 14 points man would bet against Alonso two points adrift – almost nothing in the runner up spot last year; the way clinching Ferrari’s first drivers’ today's points-scoring system. Webhe simply drove away from the field title since 2004. ber has a 14-point cushion at the top with more fuel on board than his riThere is no doubt about it of the table – a comfortable position vals at Silverstone was extraordinary. though: this is Webber’s champiin years gone by. Not any more. Unless Unfortunately, you have to say, second onship to lose. the Spaniard is ahead, Webber can exbehind Alonso or Webber is the maxiPrior to this year, the Austrapect Alonso to be breathing down his mum he deserves this year as well. lian’s Formula One career was neck every mile of the way to the cheIn 2010, the German has managed to ridden with bad luck; nothing ever quered flag in Abu Dhabi. convert just two of his eight pole poseemed to go right for him. But 2010 If Mark Webber is to become Aussitions into victories. More worrying has been a remarkable year for the tralia’s first Formula One World than that is his tendency to crash. Not Aussie in which he has proved Champion since Alan Jones in 1980, good enough. beyond doubt that he is a worthy he will have to raise his game just a Last time out at Suzuka, Webber World Champion. Only once this little bit more. At 34 years of age, is followed Vettel home, largely due to season has he finished outside of this Mark Webber’s best chance of being a meagre 0.068 seconds slowthe points – in Valencia, when he achieving his life-long ambition? Aler than the German in qualifying. memorably took to the skies – and most certainly.

Should Webber continue that trait in his victories in Spain, Monaco, Korea and Brazil, Vettel will be just Britain and Hungary were all nothing short of exemplary.

What has been particularly impressive of Webber this season is his willingness to take a gamble and make it pay off – a difficult thing to do when you have every- Alex Winter The International Automobile Sports Editor thing to lose. In Hungary – and SinAssociation has repeatedly pushed gapore even more so – he went on back the final inspection, which to a different strategy from his title This weekend sees Formula One's was finally due to take place at the rivals, which required him to work global expansion take one further end of last week. hard and raise his game to another step as South Korea enter the fold The seaside track is located 250 level. In Singapore he was obliged for the first time. miles south of the capital Seoul to do most of the race on a single liles has been designed by F1's faBut the venue has been surset of tyres and pass a few cars to rounded in controversy with the vourite circuit architect, Hermann make his strategy work. After dis- race in doubt after issues with the Tilke, the man who dreamed up the SOUTH KOREAN GRAND cussing the strategy with his team delivery of the circuit. layouts of the new tracks in MalayPRIX FACTFILE at one point, he pulled it off and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone sia, China, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. picked up a podium finish, which was due to visit the site for the Organisers have another logistiVenue: Yeongam was the height of his ambitions in usual 90-day check before a race but cal problem, admitting that finding Singapore, where he really wasn’t at the Singapore Grand Prix, Ecclehotel accommodation for visitors to Date: Sunday October 24 on the pace all weekend. will be their biggest headache in its stone admitted it was yet to pass a Sebastien Vettel is a multiple final inspection. debut year.

Lap length: 3.39 miles champion in waiting, of that we Issues over transport have also "It's quite dangerous what we've can be sure. There is no doubting done actually," said Ecclestone, surfaced over the past week, Race laps: 55 his talent. Four wins and eight po- "They say it's all going to be okay, so diums earned him, deservedly so, we hope they are right."

“

The Aussie has proved beyond doubt a worthy World Champion

South Korean track stumbles to debut

Monday October 18 2010 • gair rhydd • sport@gairrhydd.com

BUCS 2010

Sport31

F What is BUCS?

reshers is over, lectures have started and University Sport is finally upon us. The Sports Fayre saw another successful year of sign-ups for all Athletic Union Clubs and after pre-season training, welcome socials and trials, we are now ready to take on another year's worth of competition. gair rhydd Sport gives you the guide to the new BUCS season.

Within Cardiff''s impressive Athletic Union, 45 out of the 62 clubs represent the University in British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS).

BUCS is the governing body for university sport in the United Kingdom. Formed in June 2008 following a merger of the British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) and University College Sport (UCS) organisations. The organisation is responsible for implementing 50 inter-university sports across the UK and compiling representative teams for the World University Championships and the World University Games.

BUCS comprises 157 universities and colleges within the UK. It coordinates competitions and leagues for over 2.3 million students attending university. In the 2009/10 season over 4000 teams competed in 16 league sports. University sports clubs can affiliate to BUCS through their Athletic Union (AU) or through their Students' Union where no separate AU exists.

Every year BUCS organises a National event called the BUCS Championships.

Over the season, BUCS awards points in all its competitions which contribute towards the BUCS Overall Championship - a ranking of member universities' sporting achievements.

In recent years, Loughborough, Bath and Birmingham have been some of the most successful institutions- consistently taking the top three positions. The remainder of the top ten generally consists of other "red-brick" universities with strong sports departments. With Cardiff not far behind these teams, the 2010-11 may be our chance to close that gap.

BUCS success at Cardiff Last year was an extrememly successful one for Cardiff University and our Athletic Union, finishing 15th position overall in the BUCS Championships League Table. This was an encouraging improvement on the 2008-9 season when Cardiff finished in 16th position and the 2007-8 season when Cardiff finished in 17th position in the BUCS Championship League Table.

Since the merger in 2004, Cardiff University has fielded Cardiff Medics BUCS teams in five sports. Although we are from the same institution, the BUCS points gained from Medics teams are surprisingly held under a separate League Position.

Teams at Cardiff enjoyed tremendous success last year. The follwing teams won their respective leagues and were promoted as a result: Ladies Football I, Ladies Badminton I, Men’s Fencing, Ladies' Hockey IV, Men’s Rugby II, Ladies' Rugby, Men’s Squash I and Men’s Volleyball I. Men’s Hockey I, Ladies' Badminton and Women’s Rugby have all gained promotion into the Premier league for this year.

Rugby kicked off this years BUCS season on Wednesday September 13 but every other weekly competing sport will start on Wednesday 20. Good luck to all our competitors. Go get ‘em!!

Opening BUCS Fixtures - October 20 2010 Football: AFC Mens I vs Bournemouth (A) AFC Womens I vs UWIC II (H) AFC Mens Medics vs Bristol I (A)

Badminton: Mens I vs UWE (A) Womens I vs Cambridge (H)

Hockey: Mens I vs UWE (A) Womens I vs Swansea (A)

Fencing: Womens I vs Exeter (H)

Netball: Ladies I vs UWIC (A)

Lacrosse: Mens I vs Swansea (A)

Rugby: Mens I vs Gloucester (H) Mens II vs UWIC III (H) Medics vs UWE Hartpury (H)

Table Tennis: Mens I vs Bristol (A) Basketball: Mens I vs Marjons (H)

Sport

Mark Webber pushes for maiden F1 title << Inside

Above: Cardiff 1st XI enjoyed a great start to their BUCS season

10 try Cardiff thrash UWIC Mens Rugby 1st XI start BUCS season with decisive win over UWIC Jack Perkins Sports Writer UWIC 8 - 64 Cardiff RFC 1st XI

A local derby and season opener with UWIC was a tough way for Cardiff RFC to start their BUCS season. UWIC, a celebrated centre of Rugby excellence within the BUCS framework are a tough team to face at home. Teams have frequently come away from UWIC tasting defeat. Cardiff University Rugby Clubs' history against their local rivals in the BUCS league is not an impressive one.

Neither the Men’s, Medics or Ladies teams winning at the Cyncoed

Campus in the League.

Cardiff University 1st XV, still hurting from losing the Varsity Match and not being promoted byright, were determined to prove they should have indeed been promoted automatically. With competition for squad places very high this season throughout the Rugby Club, a very determined and extremely talented squad arrived at UWIC meaning business with all involved looking to retain their shirt for the rest of the season.

The first half saw CURFC put in a consummate professional display of structured and controlled rugby.

Their power and efficiency at the contact area was a lesson for any team in Welsh rugby. UWIC failed

to cope with Cardiff's structure and phase play and could not compete with wave after wave of attacking play.

Preview Cardiff Blues vs Scarlets << Inside Precise handling, continuity skills and a great level of option taking saw Cardiff score their first try on the three minute mark. On the back of a very dominant forward platform Cardiff ran riot in the first half scoring a further five-

tries. In response, UWIC could only manage a long range penalty.

Aided by the slope, the second half saw UWIC fight back. Instructions from the coaches were to expect UWIC to take advantage of the slope and implement a kicking game. In response instructions were to keep it tight, maintain the same work ethic, and above all not to divert from the game plan.

Over confidence and a tendency to play in the wrong areas resulted in the conceding of a very soft UWIC try. This allowed UWIC to build momentum and put the Cardiff defence under pressure.

Strong defence and leadership from key players saw Cardiff regain their composure and control

of the game. Man of the Match and Captain Mark Schropfer, Nic Huntley and Dan Lewis were all to the fore. Freshers Will Jones and Rhys Howell also enjoyed splendid first team debuts.

Similar to the first half, Cardiff dominated all facets of the secondperiod. Particular praise must go to the scrum that had the UWIC pack retreating at a rate of knots all afternoon. Their dominance laid the platform for another five try haul, the final score ending at 64-8 to CURFC. Strong performances came from all members of the team, and indeed the players coming off the bench, setting the standard for what will hopefully be an extremely successful BUCS season.

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