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HAPPY NEW YEAR !
24 PAGE EDITION
Feed your social
life addiction
Events Planner
p12 & 13
Healthy
eating tips
p6
News in brief
p2
American
football special !
p 21-24
Impress your
friends ...
Random Facts
p7
What do you
remember from 2007?
p 10
SAFE AND SOUND:CCTV UP
AND RUNNING
By Gareth Giles
W
disturbing attacks that have happened in and around
the underpass. I remember being here at the very
beginning of the Union safety campaigns as a fresher at
Surrey, and it’s a great feeling to see the campaign right
through to the end”.
hen students return to university after the
Christmas break, they will notice four new CCTV
cameras covering the inside and outside of the Tesco A3
underpass. The cameras have finally been installed by
Guildford Borough Council, who had previously resisted
calls from the university, the students’ union and several
local councillors to implement new safety features in the
underpass. Several University of Surrey students have
been attacked in the past few months, and students will
be relieved to hear of the installation. Local councillor
On the 3rd December last year, Andrew Jonathan
Harding of Devoil Close pleaded guilty to four offences
related to touching women, three of them in the
underpass. He also asked for eight further offences to
be taken into account. A group set up on Facebook
by Cllr Ward attracted over 1,500 members at the
height of the campaign, many of them students. The
Students’ Union has also been involved in the campaign.
“It’s a great feeling to
see the campaign right
through to the end”
The President, Alex Collins,had this to say about the
final completion of the campaign,
and former Surrey student Chris Ward has campaigned
vigorously for the cameras’ installation. He said “We
have now got what we have fought so long for. I owe
a massive debt of gratitude to the many students who
rallied behind me on this campaign. They have shown to
Guildford Borough Council that they will no longer be
ignored. Although these measures have arrived far too
late, they will nevertheless draw a line under the many
“The combined effort of the university and
students’ union, with support from local councillors
achieved a great success. finally now after too long
students’ can feel safer walking to and from University.
Let’s hope the council take the same view with the
dangerous roundabout next!”
Government failing H.E. targets
By Ben Miller
The number of British students enrolling at
UK universities has stalled while those coming
to study from overseas has continued to rise,
according to latest official figures released today.
The statistics will dampen government hopes
of reaching its target of 50% of all 18 to 30year-olds having a university education by 2010,
and suggest that UK universities are now looking
abroad to boost their numbers - and income.
There was a 7% rise in non-EU overseas students
enrolling in a UK university between the academic
years 2005/06 and 2006/07 and a 6% increase
in EU students coming to the UK to study.
During the same period the number of UK
domiciled students going to university remained the
same at two million, according to the statistics released
by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa).
But in England there was a 2% drop in the
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Issue 1117 Monday 21st january
number of first-time first year students during the
same period, which coincided with the introduction
of variable tuition fees in September 2006.
Bill Rammell, minister of state for lifelong learning
further and higher education, said the 2% drop in
undergraduate recruitment at universities in England
had been anticipated following the introduction of
variable tuition fees.
Cont P2
www.bfacts.co.uk
[email protected]
2
News In
Brief
Congratulations
Congratulations go to Julia Percival, a final
year PhD student in the Materials Chemistry
Group at the University of Surrey. Julia
was awarded the Roy Prize for best talk on
battery research at the recent Royal Society
of Chemistry’s, Solid State Chemistry
Group meeting at the University of Durham.
And more congratulations...
go to Sally Edie the Head of Sports
Programmes and Sports Development at
the University of Surrey. She received an
MBE in this year’s New Years Honours
List for services to higher education and
25th anniversary of the
modern sandwich – invented
by a former Surrey student
The Earl of Sandwich is credited with
the idea for the first sarnie but a former
Surrey student invented the modern day
sandwich. Alan Speight, who qualified at the
University of Surrey in Nutrition & Food
Science in 1969, came up with the concept
of the manufactured sandwich 25 years ago
when he was project manager for M&S.
University lay-offs
The University of Surrey paid out almost
£700,000
in
redundancy
packages.
Four hundred employees were asked to
reapply for their own jobs in an overhaul
of the university’s support services.
New eggs-pert advice
Old Rule: Eat no more than three eggs a week.
New Rule: Eat as many eggs as you like.
Dr Bruce Griffin of the University of Surrey
analysed egg studies
carried out over the
past 30 years. He found
eggs have no significant
impact on heart disease
or cholesterol levels.
Air of excitement as new drug
aims to ease asthma
Professor Mark Britton from the University of
Surrey has been central to the development of what
he believes to be a new wonder drug for asthma.
NEWS
21st January 2008
New Year = New Editor
A quick hello from the new Editor , Claire Worgan......
Well the New Year is here! I hope you all had a good
Christmas and that, like me, you weren’t stuck doing
horrendous essays all holiday. As you may or may not know,
as of the end of last term I am Editor! You may recognise
me, as I am in fact also the Deputy as well! I am feeling a
bit daunted by the fact that I am the ‘Number One’, so to
speak, without the young Mr Giles to answer to and annoy
any more. Still, as he stated in the last issue, I practically
ran the paper for him anyway! (Only joking Gareth!)
best friends here - one of the reasons why the real world
seems like a daunting prospect. However, I want to wish
you all luck in the world for your 2008 and for you lucky
first years who are just starting, a word of advice: don’t ever
miss an opportunity if you can help it. I swore to myself
back in December that I would join a society, and joining
barefacts has been one of the best things I have done this
year. Not only have I had a lot of fun, but I hope that my
short time being Editor will reflect this. Happy New Year!
As I sat watching the most depressing EastEnders ever
this Christmas (to be honest, the death of Pauline Fowler
was quite a joyous event last year in my opinion), I was
thinking about New Years Resolutions. The usuals apply lose weight, eat less chocolate - but to be honest, my main
one is to have fun (and work hard, of course). It’s my last
year at the wonderful Surrey, as I expect it is for a majority
of you too. I have realised over Christmas, however, that
I am really going to miss being a student as I only have 4
months left, and I am, to put it blankly, bricking it! With
dissertation and coursework and revision, I am starting
to realise why I am actually here. But that doesn’t mean I
can’t have fun in the process! I have met loads of weird and
wonderful people at Surrey, and have made some of my
editorial team
1117
Cont from front page
He said the figure was “strongly reversed”
the following year in 2007/08 when there
was “a record number of acceptances,
up 6% on the previous academic year”.
The minister said the rise in the number of
overseas students from outside the EU opting to
study in the UK illustrates that the “UK remains
an extremely popular destination for international
students. Our higher education system is world
class, and offers very high quality provision.
In the recent student satisfaction survey over
80% of international students were satisfied”.
Universities UK (UUK), the umbrella group
for university chancellors, said the drop in
applications following the introduction of variable
tuition fees was “unsurprising” and applications
were up the following year in 2007/08.
The spokesman said: “The 2007/08
figures represent the highest ever in
terms of applications and acceptances.”
He said the government was now focusing
on its target of 40% of all adults achieving a
higher education qualification “rather than
the previous focus on 18-30 year olds”.
If you have any opinions on any of our
stories covered in barefacts , we would
love to hear from you
Email us at
[email protected]
EDITOR |CLAIRE WORGAN | [email protected]
DEPUTY EDITOR (DESIGN)
| POSITION VACANT| [email protected]
DEPUTY EDITOR (MARKETING)
NEWS TEAM
| POSITION VACANT | [email protected]
| BEN MILLER AND KATHRYN MEDIEN | [email protected]
| VERITY KIRKPATRICK | [email protected]
FOOD EDITOR
| EMMA ROGULSKA | [email protected]
SCIENCE EDITOR
FEATURES EDITOR
PG TIPS EDITOR
| AMUL GURUNG | [email protected]
| ALEX ILLSLEY | [email protected]
ARTS EDITOR
SOCIETIES EDITOR
SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTS EDITOR
PUZZLELORD
| JAKE SOUTH | [email protected]
| SIMON MOORE | [email protected]
| MATT CHEETHAM | [email protected]
| ANTHONY HANSON | [email protected]
| COLIN EVERETT | [email protected]
COPY EDITOR
| POSITION VACANT| [email protected]
COPY EDITOR
|POSITION VACANT | [email protected]
WEBMASTER
| JOSH BATES | [email protected]
MARKETING MANAGER
MARKETING
| NATALIYA NADTOKA | [email protected]
CO-ORDINATOR | AARON SALINS | [email protected]
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | ALEX COLLINS | [email protected]
barefacts is an editorially independent newspaper and is published by the University of Surrey
Students’ Union Communications Office.
The views expressed within the paper are those of individual authors and do not necessarily
represent the views of the Editor, the University of Surrey Students’ Union or the University of
Surrey. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in any form, copied
or distributed, without the express permission of the publisher beforehand.
Printed by Surrey and Berkshire Media Limited
Stoke Mill House, Woking Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1QA
Submission is no guarantee of publication. barefacts reserves the right to edit
submissions. Please direct all equiries to the relevant section Editor.
WWW.USSU.CO.UK/BAREFACTS
© USSU COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE 2008
[email protected]
NEWS
21st January 2008
Universities check students on
Facebook
3
By Ben Miller
A Cambridge University admissions tutor admitted he checks up on students
applying to his college by browsing their Facebook profiles. Dr Richard
Barnes, senior tutor at Emmanuel College, confessed in the college magazine.
“This has been the year in which I joined Facebook,” he wrote. “I
have to confess that I actually joined to see what I was missing and
also to check up (discreetly) on applicants for a college position. I had
been alerted to the value of this by some of our members in the City.”
Cambridge University played down the comment as a “throwaway line”. “You
know perfectly well how our admission procedures work,” said a spokesman.
Students
losing ‘poor’
image
By Ben Miller
Students are traditionally known for
scrounging, scrimping and saving their way
through university, but more and more of
them are enjoying sophisticated lifestyles.
Charity shops and baked beans on toast
have been replaced by spending sprees and
risotto, according to a new survey out today.
It shows students spend around £221 a month
on the finer things in life including fashion,
food and partying - a far cry from the days
of Rick, Neil and Vivian in The Young Ones.
Students have even become part of the
international jet set as 17% of them list
globetrotting as one of their pastimes.
Shopping is one of the most popular activities
for today’s students, who are spending £72 on
clothes each month, according to the survey.
Pot Noodles are off the menu, being voted the
worst of the preferred eats, with 40% saying they
would rustle up a Thai green curry, compared
to the 11% who would opt for a ready meal.
This spending spree, however, is not being
supported by the bank of mum and dad, with
40% of students supporting themselves through
university rather than relying on handouts.
Cambridge, like Oxford, insists it only offers places based on a candidate’s
interview performance, academic record and personal statement, outlining
their interests and reasons for studying a particular course. Facebook profiles
often include personal information such as photos, relationship status
and sexuality. But it is possible to ensure these are seen only by friends.
Wes Streeting, the National Union of Students vice-president for
education, said Barnes’s comments were “unfortunate, but flippant”.
“I would be quite concerned if it was college policy to check up on applicants
through Facebook,” he said. “It is a given that candidates are judged fairly and
equally. That wouldn’t be the case if a tutor was using Facebook profiles.”
An Oxford academic said: “I think this is really intrusive and most unreasonable.”
Another said: “It would certainly be unacceptable in the case of admissions, where we
strive to consider as comparable a data set for all candidates as possible.” But a third said:
“It’s fair to check up on applicants in this way. Facebook is public domain material.”
Barnes’s comments highlights the need for anyone using Facebook, or any other
personal information that can be accessed online, to ensure they are selective about
what they write and and who can see their information. It also highlighted the
importance of making sure sensitive information is kept secret and secure online.
Sleepless in slumber
By Ben Miller
SueVenn from the University of Surrey found that women
who snore were embarrassed and felt stigmatised by the
‘unfeminine’ action. On the other hand, men were happy
to discuss their snoring and found no awkwardness in it.
If you are sharing bed with a snoring partner, you have
higher chances of being deprived of almost two years worth
of sleep during your lifetime. A team of scientists from
the University of Surrey made this startling revelation.
The research team, led by Chris Frost from Lloyds
pharmacy, added that your quality of life and health
is severely affected if you are sharing bed with a
partner who snores. Other than this, the suffering
partner may be forced to move to another room, or
experience disturbed sleep throughout his or her life.
Frost added, “Many snorers just don’t realize how much
they affect their partner’s health and disrupt their sleep.
Worse still, they don’t understand just how dangerous snoring
can be for their own health. Snoring can cause high blood
pressure and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.”
Scientists say that snoring affects your ability to get
quality sleep. Such people feel more stressed throughout
the day.The British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association
says that snoring occurs as a result of shuddering of
respiratory structures and the resultant noise, which
occurs due to blocked movement of air while breathing.
Marianne Davey, the association’s co-founder, said:
“Snoring is very disruptive to the bed partner. If the
sleep disturbance goes on for many weeks, months and
years it can have a physical and mental detrimental effect.”
Sucking students happy homes
By Claire Worgan
Surrey police have introduced a new incentive to try and
combat the problem of disturbances in the residential
areas around Guildford town centre. Police have decided
to give students something to suck on. The lollipop is
being given out to drunk students to tackle the late night
disruption especially around the area of Walnut Tree
Close, a popular route for the late night rowdy revellers.
Ashley Murray Vice president of welfare had this to say
“It’s good to see Surrey police supporting our Silent
Student’s Happy Homes! campiagn,Plus it’s always to
good to have some free sugar!”
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4
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Friday, 25th January
University of Surrey
11am until 4pm in Rubix
21st January 2008
[email protected]
21st January 2008
NEWS & COLUMNS
Write to fight
supermarket sweep
By Ben Miller
Campaigners against supermarket
domination have issued a list of
demands amid fears that planning
restrictions
on
supermarkets
are about to be weakened.
The National Federation of Retail
Newsagents (NFRN) is calling for
a mass letter-writing campaign to
prevent planning consent being made
easier for big supermarket chains.
Dr Alan Hallsworth, reader in
retailing at the University of Surrey,
said: “It is terribly important to
get MPs involved because they’re
the ones who will decide and they
respond to what’s in their postbag.”
Hallsworth called for the
government to “bite the bullet and
make a strong declaration that it
is going to protect town centres.”
Nanotechnologically
secure
By Ben Miller
Dr Melanie Webb from the Surrey
Ion Beam Centre at the University
of Surrey gave a presentation on
security and crime prevention
using nanotechnology at the Royal
Society conference on January 17.
Security issues include people from
organised crime, detecting unsolved
crimes and preventing terrorist acts.
In many cases, forensic
evidence is key to
obtaining a conviction
and often only very
small quantities of
forensic material are
found on a suspect.
Nanotechnologies
play an important
role in addressing
current concerns and Dr Webb
will discuss ‘Trace Element
Detection by Ion Beam Analysis’.
Ion beam analysis is a group of
techniques which can be used to study
forensic materials. Some ion beam
analysis has been carried out in the
USA of forensic materials but very
little has been done in the UK so far.
DrWebb’s presentation highlighted
the techniques currently available,
with a series of examples of how
they can be applied to solve research
problems in forensic science.
In particular, the technique can be
used to identify forensic specimens
such as gunshot residues, explosives
residues, fingerprints, soils and
inks, with the ultimate aim of linking
a suspect to a scene of a crime by
comparing the elemental composition
of forensic material found on the
suspect to the composition of
forensic material at the crime scene.
Building on the success of the
previous conference on the theme
of crime prevention and detection,
this one day event
will
provide
an
essential
update
on new scientific
developments
in
the fight against
crime, based on
nanotechnologies.
DrWebb comments:
“Ion beam analysis
provides great promise for the
study of forensic materials. This is
because in forensic investigations
it is absolutely essential to analyse
the samples in such a way that they
are not destroyed. The ion beam
analysis procedure does not destroy
specimens. It is also essential to get
as much information out of the
samples as possible. Ion beam analysis
has a very high sensitivity to trace
quantities of most elements in the
periodic table compared with other
non destructive techniques. This
means that we will be able to get more
information from forensic samples
than we were previously able to.”
A New Year
5
message from your
President
A new year, and suddenly it dawned on
me that I only have 15 weeks left with
you guys still here! It’s a scary thought
that focuses the mind somewhat, and has
given me an extra burst of determination.
This year I will be continuing to try and
get every student the best deal at Surrey,
I am working to standardise the UG
regulations, things such as late submission
penalties, why should one student lose
10% a day and others lose 2%? Also I
am working hard to ensure the Student
Experience is the best in the country at
Surrey, and in every area we are providing
students with a quality service. The library
is a focus area following my survey many
students completed towards the end of
last year, I have already held a number of
meetings regarding the size of the library
and the amount of facilities available
and will continue to keep you updated
in this column and through my BLOG.
Monday sees the launch of
the National Student Survey,
if you are a final year student,
you will have already received
a letter from me about it, and
look out for the I love Surrey
T-Shirts! The new year has also
seen a change to the music in
chancellors, we are now proudly
playing GU2 Radio in
chancellors during the daytime
and you can listen anywhere in the
world to GU2 at www.gu2.co.uk.
The union has also recently invested
in 3 new minibuses from SMC Renault.
The union is delighted to be giving
students new mini-buses with loads of
mod cons, like CD Players and Sat Nav,
which I’m sure will be indispensable
on long journeys. Also the improved
fuel consumption will help the union
manage and reduce it’s carbon footprint.
Pop into the Union and grab yourself a
new events planner, they are bigger and fuller
than ever before, and you can see my office
hours on the right hand side if you need me.
Alex
[email protected]
BE MY VALENTINE
Have you got a secret crush?
Why not let them know this valentines
day?
Email your message of lurve to...
[email protected]
You never know, they might feel the
same about you!
[email protected]
6
FOOD
10 Healthy Ideas For The
New Year!
21st January 2008
Carrot and Coriander Soup
Carrots are the cheapest vegetable in the
supermarket; cash in with this number.
Makes enough for 4
servings (suitable for
freezing)
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
450g carrots, sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
1.2 litres vegetable stock
large bunch fresh coriander,
roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground
Losing weight involves taking in less energy than you use up. Think what would
motivate you to make a few small changes; perhaps it’s the idea of having a greater
clothes choice, more energy or looking after your heart. If you’ve made a new years
resolution to get healthier but don’t know where to start here are some ideas.
Plan to eat regularly, your brain needs a constant supply of glucose to function
Think about your portion sizes, look at what your food packaging suggests is a
portion, if it is less than you normally have try and cut down.
Try to fill a third of your dinner plate with vegetables
Wait before having dessert and see if you really want it, the hormones that tell your
brain your full take at least 20mins to work.
Remember that alcohol contains about 70kcals per unit and choose you mixer wisely,
diet cola could save you 80 kcals per drink compared to regular cola or fruit juice.
Plan things to look forward to that are non- food related like an extra long shower,
watching a movie, beauty treatment or meeting with friends.
Try a new activity such as a rock climbing, a dance class or a new sport.
See if you can fit 10mins extra exercise in to each day by maybe having a short walk,
doing some yoga stretches or spending longer at the gym.
Identify your triggers for snacking, are you really hungry or are you just bored or
worried about other things?
Stock up on fruit for a quick healthy snack. Try grapes, mandarin, peach, pear, or kiwi,
plum or banana for variety from the usual apple.
Satisfying Sausage and Bean
Casserole
Method
n
ry the onion, baco
F
.
an
ep
uc
sa
e
rg
la
at. Drain
Heat the oil in a
er a medium he
ov
s
in
m
5
1
r
fo
and sausages
dd the remaining
A
.
an
p
e
th
to
d
baked
the beans and ad
mins. Serve with
0
3
r
fo
er
m
m
si
ingredients and
potatoes or mash.
Vegetable Patch
Vegetables that are great stir-fried:
Peppers, pak choi, carrot, celery, baby
sweet corn, mange tout, courgette,
mushrooms, spring onions, broccoli,
bean sprouts, cucumber, sugar snap peas
Serves four
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
6 of your favourite sausages
sliced
1 onion chopped
4 bacon rashers chopped
400g Chopped tomatoes
400g tinned mixed beans
2 tsp mustard
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
carrots.
Method
nions and the
o
e
th
d
ad
d
der
e saucepan an
ground corian
e
rg
la
th
a
in
r
in
ti
S
il
.
o
mer
to soften
Heat the
to the boil. Sim
s until star ting
g
te
n
u
ri
b
in
d
m
5
an
r
ck
fo
Cook
d blender or in
e vegetable sto
an
th
h
d
a
d
h
A
it
l.
w
el
z
w
iz
der
ins). Wh
and season
the fresh corian
nder (15-20m
in
te
ir
is
t
st
,
o
rr
an
p
ca
n
e
creme
until th
in a clea
ooth. Reheat
tbsp of either
a
sm
l
d
ti
n
ad
u
s
er
es
d
n
n
ch
a ble
extra ri
h bread. For
and serve wit
se.
or grated chee
fraiche, cream
Warming Apple Crumble
Serves two
Ingredients
2 brambly cooking apples
peeled and sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp brown sugar
(add a handful of raisins or
blackberries if you like)
For the crumble:
150g plain flour
100g butter at room
temperature cut in to cubes
60g brown sugar
Method
Preheat the ove
n to 180˚C. M
ake the crumb
and sugar tog
le by mixing th
ether in a larg
e flour
e
b
o
wl then rubbin
your finger tip
g in the butter
s until it rese
mbles breadcr
with
slices in an o
umbs. Place th
venproof dish
e
ap
.
Stir in the le
ple
cinnamon. To
mon juice, su
p with the cru
gar and
mble and bake
until browned
in the oven fo
. Serve hot wit
r 40mins
h cream or cu
stard.
Tasty Additions
For Stir Fries
Honey, fresh chilli, peanut butter, soy sauce,
sherry, chilli sauce, lemon, fresh coriander,
grated fresh ginger cashew nuts, crushed
garlic, toasted sesame seeds.
[email protected]
SCIENCE
21st January 2008
Random Facts
The giraffe is one of the quietest
animals: it has no vocal chords to make
any noise.
Human thigh bones are stronger
than concrete
7
Hoax Buster:
Catching up with
the speed of light
By Sam Brett
Many people have misconceptions about the speed
of light; some think it is ‘infinite’ speed which is far
from the truth, others think it has something to do
Whe
with flicking a light switch.
n yo
u bl
The speed of light is very
ush
,
also your s
finite indeed, it is defined
redd toma
ch l
ens
inin as 299,792,458 meters per
g second. Just to put this in
some kind of perspective,
that means if you are
traveling at the speed of
light (which I will explain
is impossible later) you would travel around
the world 4 and a half times in a second.
As I’m sure you can respect this is really, really fast,
but
can anything travel faster that light? Well, the
Hot water freezes
answer I have to give you is a shaky maybe, it has
quicker than cold
been suggested that particles called ‘tachyons’ can
water.
travel faster than light. However even scientists at the
forefront of research aren’t sure if they really exist.
ys s
a
So what about people traveling at these speeds?
w et
s
al
That has a simple answer, it is not possible. As you
n nd
o
a
accelerate to higher and higher speeds, the energy used
o t
m
.
e
makes you travel faster, but it also makes you heavier,
s
ll
se
fu sun nri
meaning even more energy is needed to make you travel
e
Th s at t su
faster and so on. So by the
a
e
s
i
time you have even reached
r
anywhere close to light
speed you would require
impossibly large amounts
of energy to get any faster.
This means the only
In the ITV show “Primeval”
thing that travels at light
,The groups headquaters are
speed is… you guessed
actually Surrey’s Duke of
it…. Light! So what is light? What makes it special?
It’s an odd one to explain, but light can be said to
Kent building.
be both waves and particles. You may have heard the
phrase ‘Wave-Particle Duality’ thrown around by
someone, this simply means that in some situations
If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months
and 6 days, you would have
produced just enough sound energy
to heat up one cup of coffee.
light can appear to act as a wave and others it
displays characteristics of a particle. This may seem
slightly odd to you, but don’t worry about it… its
still pretty odd for most of the physics department!
These particles of light are known as photons.
These photons have no mass when they are not
moving, which is why they can travel at the speed of
light. Many people seem to think light is just light, it
allows us to see. However photons make up radio waves,
microwaves, x-rays and infra-red as well, these are all
the same photons (or waves) with different energies.
These energies are why we see a spectrum of
light. For example, in the visible spectrum red
light has less energy than violet light, and ultraviolet light has more than violet. As you may be
aware, ultra-violet light is the dangerous stuff
that the sun emits which can cause skin cancer.
Due to the speed that light travels, it makes it an ideal
medium for transmitting information, for example
there is a huge fibreoptic cable under
the Atlantic which
allows information
to be transferred
across these vast
distances in about a
quarter of a second.
Thousands of pieces
of
information
can
be
sent
simultaneously, then
the light can be filtered and the information
can then be distributed to its destination.
So in conclusion, all the discoveries in the last 150
years from scientists such as Einstein and Planck have
really moulded the way technology of the last 50
years has progress, so next time you use the internet,
or next time you make an international call just spare a
thought for the little photons that make it all possible.
Do you have an interesting
science facts?
email it to
[email protected]
[email protected]
8
COMMERCIAL BREAK
3rd December 2007
advert
Spice up
your life
The Union Shop now stocks over
one hundred Indian and Chinese
products ranging from sauces and
spices to rice and noodles.
A Taste of the Exotic on Campus.
[email protected]
HOROSCOPES
21st January 2008
9
Almost Accurate Astrology
Our resident astrologer Ophelia Balls is back off holiday.
What has she got instore for you?
Aries (March 21 - April 20)
Everyone will love to hear your latest big idea at this time, and since you’re
surrounding yourself with the right people, they’ll have awesome input, too. Your
road may be a little rockier this weekend. Keep plans minimal, and find a positive
way to deal with any frustration.
Lucky Day: Tuesday
Taurus(April 21 - May 20)
Make sure that list of resolutions goes beyond your own ambitions and desires
to include a little doing good! The cosmos will reward you if you see the
interconnectedness of it all and prepare to take action accordingly. If you’re hoping
to hit the ground running on Wednesday, circumstances may put up a roadblock or
two. Stop and rethink, and plan to spend a little time alone.
Lucky Day: Sunday
Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
Scorpio (October 21 - November 20)
New opportunities arise this year, resulting in a positive turn for your career. You will
learn to master your energy to meet your goals. You are good at taking leadership,
and you’ll make deep, transforming changes and tap into this abundant energy in new
and dynamic ways.
Lucky Day: Friday
You find it much easier to relate to people (especially kids) who you ordinarily have a
hard time reading. Your good energy makes them more likely to respond in kind, too,
so communication should be a snap. There is such a thing as being too cautious! Toss
hesitation out the window.
Lucky Day: Wednesday
Cancer (June 21 - July 20)
Sagittarius (November 21 - December 20)
This is a good time to follow that urge to express your deep inner changes in your
personal growth and publish or write your own books. You can be very successful in
expressing your higher principles, whether it is work-related or uni-oriented. Expect
monetary returns when you put your ideas into practice.
Lucky Day: Monday
You’re feeling a bit out of sorts and you’re not sure why. The day’s energy is just a bit
out of phase with your own and if you try to match it, you’ll just end up tripping
over yourself. Be considerate when you are communicating feelings to others. Listen
to them, too.
Lucky Day: Monday
Leo (July 21 - Aug 20)
Capricorn ( December 21 - January 20)
A friend or family member surprises you with a spontaneous show of compassion -it’s as if they read your mind! It’s not that spooky, though, because today’s energy just
seems to bring out the best in people. The amusement you feel in watching someone
struggle isn’t necessarily a bad thing!
Lucky Day: Saturday
How did you end up way over here? You seem to be farther ahead than you had
meant to be at this time, but there’s not much you can do except wait for others
to catch up. It’s a good time for patience. Your intuitive powers are strong. Move
forward based on your assumptions.
Lucky Day: Thursday
Virgo (August 21 - September 20)
Now is not the time for impulse buying -- you need to be more careful with your
money. If you can get a friend or loved one to ride shotgun with you as you shop, it
should be much easier to restrain yourself. Everyone shows affection in a different
way. Don’t have specific expectations.
Lucky Day: Tuesday
Libra (September 21 - October 20)
You’ve got more time than you think to make that big decision, so slow down a bit
and think it all through one more time. The worst that can happen is you’ll have to
wait a little longer. Using flattery to get things is okay, but it loses impact when you
use it too much.Lucky Day: Friday
Aquarius (January 21 - February 20)
Most likely, you’ve got something big to tell someone close. Now is the time -- it will
never get any easier for you and you might find that people are surprisingly willing to
hear you out. You are the very picture of hipness, but don’t be pompous about your
position.
Lucky Day: Wednesday
Pisces (Feb 21 - March 20)
The past is catching up with you and it’s not all good. There is an up-side, though, in
that you’re feeling more inclined to look at bygone events with a bit more objectivity
than you’ve used recently. Get ready for a major surge of creativity! You’ll come up with a
remarkable idea.
Lucky Day: Wednesday
[email protected]
10
DR RUSS & FEATURES
21st January 2008
Dr Russ replies... Interviews
Russ Clark from Surrey’s career service answers some question which may just sound familiar...
I dread the thought of having to sell myself at
interviews, what can I do?
But what if I’m not sure I even want the job anyway?
Presumably there is something that attracts you or you wouldn’t have applied in the
I have met many people over the years who have had the same fear. Unfortunately, it first place. Use that as your starting point and build on it. If you can show enthusiasm,
is very difficult to convince an employer you really want a job unless you both say it motivation, ambition and interest, this will not only drive you through the interview,
and mean it. Let me tell you about an experience which proved this for me. I once but will also “colour” how you answer their questions. Employers are always on the
interviewed six graduates for a job at one of the London Colleges. They all had a 2.1 look out for commitment, loyalty and energy in their applicants. All other factors
degree, they were all perfectly qualified and they were all extremely pleasant. If only being equal, they’re bound to prefer people who give the impression that they really
I’d had six jobs to fill I’d have been laughing! But I didn’t. Fortunately, at the end of want the job.
every interview I asked them all the same question. “If I were to offer you this job
what would you say?” I hated myself for asking it, but I kind of felt it might prove I’m not a natural extrovert. Do I have to try to be one just
crucial. It did. The first five answered “I’d be very interested in it”, the last answered to impress?
“I’d really love this job”. No prizes for guessing who I offered it to.
Employers don’t expect you to change your personality. At the same time, they are
put off by candidates who sound totally uninterested in the job. It’s obvious that if
How did you know she meant it?
an enthusiastic person appears amongst a sea of grey faces, the interviewer is bound
Well she certainly sounded sincere, and the words she used were more persuasive than to remember them at the end of a long and tiring day. Even if you would not regard
the other candidates’ answers as well. Believe me, it was the only thing which swung it yourself as naturally charismatic, energetic or lively, it doesn’t stop you from adopting
a positive, enthusiastic attitude which convinces the employer you really want the job.
in her favour so if she was acting, she certainly had me fooled.
2007: The year that was
Another year comes to an end, and 2008 begins with new hopes and dreams. As we close the final chapter for 2007, we look back
upon some of the most memorable events that captivated, bewildered, saddened and delighted us.
A Fan’s Plea
Let us start off with something light. 2007 was a troubled year for star Britney
Spears. But it was not her who made our list. It is her passionate fan, Chris
Crocker, who posted an online video on YouTube stating her “concerns”. The
video has been downloaded more than 15 million times and Crocker has landed
many TV appearances in the US. It even beats a pair of girls sharing a cup!
End of the World
The earth continues to heat up, and the debate continues to grow on the subject
of global warming. It is more than fair to give credit to Al Gore for his efforts and
leadership in the awareness campaign on global warming following his very inconvenient
movie. Al Gore, now a noble prize winner for his efforts in global warming, is
adamant that mankind is responsible for global warming, and many people are no
Jail Time
No top ten lists would be complete without a celebrity scandal. Hotel
heiress Paris Hilton was jailed for 45 days after she violated her probation
on a driving ban. Paris made headline on every major news agency. She even
had an exclusive interview with Larry King after her release from prison.
Iraq
The condition of Iraq never seems to get better. And Bush’s arguments and sometimes
difficult to understand speeches never seem to make any sense. Even though the
troops are slowly making their way back home, the state of Iraq seems too fragile to
left on her own. The death toll is in thousands, and the cost of the war – billions.
Tesco Underpass under attack
It was an unpleasant start to the academic year for our university as reports of
sexual attacks roamed around the university. A campaign to install a CCTV
in the Egerton Road A3 underpass was finally approved by the council. It
was later in the year around December; the “underpass molester” was charged
with several offences which included sexual harassment and molestation.
Protests in Burma
The pro-democracy rally was led by thousands of monks in the streets of monk
after the nations’ dictatorship response to initial protests. It was originally started
by a sudden increase in fuel, public transport, and food. The world watched with
disbelief as the protestors were gunned down and journalists silenced. Many innocent
lives were lost in this tragic event, and the value of human rights was questioned.
Oh Gordon!
After 10 years of driving Britain forward, Blair steps down as the leader of Labour
party and the hands his power down to Gordon Brown. Ever since Brown stepped into
no. 10, nothing has gone as smoothly as he imagined – the bombings in Scotland, the
summer floods, donations allegations, loss of data now and then – to just name a few.
The Great Flood
Thousands of lives were disturbed by this natural disaster around mid-July. Towns
were completely submerged, properties damaged, and business halted for almost a
month. Lives were scattered and many were left homeless with very little to hang on to.
[email protected]
21st January 2008
Answers on Page 23
PUZZLES & FEATURES
11
After his mammouth christmas pullout ,
Puzzlelord is back with a mini puzzle segment
But have all those mince pies minced you brain?
Clues Down:
1) The seeds of crops; the texture of
wood. (5)
2) An entry in a directory;
uncontrollably tilting to one side at
sea. (7)
3) Subatomic particles that orbits
the nucleus. (9)
5) Very angry. (5)
6) Unsettled; worried. (7)
7) I, with German in deputy
measure our closeness. (Cryptic) (9)
10) Reasoning. (9)
13) Italian mountain range. (9)
15) The bones that make up the
spine. (9)
17) South-Wales city, site of one
of the two remaining operational
transporter bridges in the UK. (7)
19) Personal room or study; holy
place in a tabernacle. (7)
21) Turn around; circular frame, of
which a bicycle has two. (5)
22) See 13 across.
Clues Across:
1) and 8. Rodent originating from Syria, often kept
as a pet. (6, 7)
4) Abduct. (6)
8) See 1.
9) Rotting animal flesh. (7)
11) Sneak in. (10)
12) Roman poet, author of Metamorphoses. (4)
13) and 22 down. The people who inhabited Great
Britain until the Norman Conquest. (5 - 5)
14) Russian newspaper, mouthpiece of the Soviet
government. (8)
16) Alfred --------: Poet Laureate who succeeded
William Wordsworth. (8)
18) Corroded iron; out of practice. (5)
20) Prerequisite of a white Christmas. (4)
21) Uninhabited landscape. (10)
23) Sport for which Ray Reardon, Steve Davis and
Stephen Hendry are notable players. (7)
24) Reason; excuse. (7)
25) Pay a debt or bill; establish a home. (6)
26) Sycophant; one who agrees to every whim and
suggestion of his superiors. (3, 3)
Great Explorations:Edmund Hillary
By Amul Gurung
Sir Edmund Hillary was never able to answer the difficult
question of how he was the first man to conquer Mt.
Everest. “Because it was there!” was the only explanation
he could offer. At the age of 88, Sir Edmund Hillary
peacefully passed away after heart failure in a hospital
in his native New Zealand. It was the prime minister,
Helen Clark, who announced the death of Hillary.
Edmund Hillary was born in Auckland, 19 July 1919. Hillary
was just another boy who grew up in a small town in New
Zealand. It was in his teenage years; Hillary was drawn into
mountaineering after a brief school trip to Mount Ruapehu.
In that very place, he discovered his talent in climbing as he
was physically stronger and had greater endurance than many
of his trekking companions. After this short-lived career in the
New Zealand’s Air Force, he began ascending all the national
peaks. Seeking for more challenge and adventure, he set his
eyes on Everest which stood a colossal 8,848m above sea level.
It was the 11th attempt in 30 years, on 29th of May, 1953,
Hillary and Tenzing set off for the final assault after other
members of the British led expedition had to retire short of
the summit. The pair was seen as the fittest and strongest in the
team. It was an extraordinary achievement for mankind, and
news of their success of scaling the world’s highest mountain
was flashed around the world, reaching Britain in the time
for the coronation. Hillary was later knighted by the queen
and was appointed the ambassador of New Zealand to India.
Hillary was always adamant that the ascent to the top of the
world was the result
of an extraordinary
team work between
him and Tenzing.
However,
Hillary
revealed that it was
him who first reached
the peak in his book
shortly after the death
of Tenzing Norgay
Sherpa in 1968.
After his ascent
to Everest, he led
expeditions around
the world which
included an expedition across the South Pole with Neil
Armstrong. However, it was his work done in Nepal that
will be remembered forever. Hillary established schools and
hospitals around the Himalayas. The work done by Hillary
was definitely more than a footprint on a mountain; it is the
servitude that millions of Nepalese people will remember
forever. The work he has done in Nepal earned him an
honorary Nepalese citizen in 2003, which also marked
the 50th anniversary of the successful climb of Everest.
Hillary was also partly responsible for the construction
of two airstrips near the Everest region. However, Hillary
to his dislike considered the construction of the airstrips as
a mistake. The newly built airstrips meant an easier access
to tourists and climbers which led to excess litter. The rich
tourists who managed to sneaked their way into the ultimate
thrill were leaving thousands of used oxygen cylinders
and unwanted garbage along the trials of the Everest. It
was Hillary who later admitted that it would be better if
the “rich tourists” would “leave the mountains in peace”.
His passion for adventure took him around the world.
Just last year, he was in Antarctica where many years earlier
he led several polar expeditions. Hillary has presented
himself as an extraordinary man, the curiosity that has led
us into the present era today. It is men like Hillary that
we can embrace upon the true meaning of mankind – the
strive to move forward, the inquisitiveness to discover and
the characteristics to lead. Despite his modesty, Hillary
can look back in his life with satisfaction, a life that has
inspired so many others to follow his spirit and passion.
[email protected]
EVENTS
12
jan.
elections
week
ent_calendar_2sem.indd 1
wk 6
wk 7
25-2 mar
wk 8
3-9 mar
iFestival
wk 9
iFestival
10-16 mar
know
yourself
week
18-24 feb
wk 5
11-17 feb
wk 4
4-10 feb
wk 3
28-3 feb
wk 2
21-27 jan
wk 1
14-20 jan
mon.
22
29
5
12
19
26
3
10
10
Bodger
&
Badger
RAG meeting
6pm at the Students Union
ents committee
6.30pm SU
sabbatical
election nominations open
Cops and Robbers
with special guest from
Police Academy
iFestival
Exhibition
rubix 7-11pm
presha +
CYCLONE in rubix
+
tue.
23
30
6
13
20
27
4
11
11
with
Andrew Bird, Chris McCausland
& Lee Canterbury
Students’
Assembly
dubstep night in hrb
Pancake Day
with
Paul Tonkinson, Lloyd
Langford & Matt Reed
with
Ivan Brackenbury,
The Hospital DJ
SStudents’
tudents’
Assembly
SStudents’
tudents’
A
ssembly
Assembly
21st January 2008
feb.
wed.
24
31
7
14
21
28
5
12
12
in Rubix
thu.
fri.
25 26
1 2
8 9
15 16
23
22 LOVE
29 30
6 7
13 14
13 14
Asian
night
hrb
cg
Pirates
Night Rubix
hrb
in hrb
70s night
with Ace
and Vice
in rubix
noWave in hrb
in Rubix!
11-4pm rubix
hrb
at the hall
Further education
presented by ACS
rubix
CYCLONE in hrb
presha hrb
UNIFIED
hrb
rubix
win a free trip
to Magaluf!
valentine’s night at Rubix
at rubix
hrb
i
swimm wear
competition!
rubix
colours ball
launch party
Drs &
Nurses
night
rubix
in
Rubix!
round 1in chancellors
big final in chancellors
m a r.
+
noWave
in hrb
Drag &
Rocky
horror
night
noWave in hrb
ACS
hrb
iFestival Olympics
sabbatical
ELECTION FEVER
Union AGM
social sports day - UniSport
hrb
international
flag party
Rubix
iFestival Gala
in the hall
Pyjama party
with ron jeremy
in rubix
CYCLONE in hrb
90’s school disco
presha in hrbwith the vengaboys
sabbatical
ELECTION RESULTS
pai
[email protected]
13
21st January 2008
2008
~
sat.
27
3
10
17
24
1
8
15
15
greek night
at rubix
Australia Day
with
in rubix
brazil night
in hrb
sound system
in Chancellors
at rubix
noWave
(celebrating)
in Chancellors
in rubix
greek
carnival
intball round 2
in Chancellors
sun.
28
4
11
18
25
2
9
16
16
And...
ozzy hour
!
Neighbours and Home and Away
back to back every weekday
in Chancellors!
And Fosters only £1.60!
in HRB
Super Bowl
in Chancellors
(Times tbc)
PGA Quiz and Curry
at Wates House
-Wed. 23rd jan, 7.30pm
-Wed 23rd feb, 7.30pm
-Web 19th mar. 7.30pm
in HRB
in HRB
9am to 6pm
President’s Office Hours:
15
17
21
22
jan.
jan.
jan.
jan.
12-1pm
12-1pm
12-1pm
12-1pm
5 feb. 2-3pm
7 feb. 9-1pm
25 feb. 11-12pm
27 feb. 11-1pm
3 mar. 10-11am
4 mar. 12-1pm
6 mar. 12-1pm
10 mar. 12-1pm
11 mar. 12-1pm
www.ussu.co.uk
in HRB
10/01/2008 12:47:48
[email protected]
COMMERCIAL BREAK
14
21st January 2008
YOUR CAMPUS BOOKSHOP PRICE MATCHES
AMAZON* ON TOP 50 BOOKSHOP BESTSELLERS
We are price matching Amazon on our top 50 Bookshop bestsellers.
Why shop online and wait for the post? This offer runs until 14/03/08.
OPENING HOURS
MONDAY TO FRIDAY
SATURDAYS
Clinical Biochemistry by Gaw
Consumer Behaviour by Evans
New Cambridge Statistical Tables by Lindley
Macroeconomics by Gartner
Human Physiology by Silverthorn
Organic Chemistry by McMurry
Doing a Literature Review by Hart
Developing Effective Research by Punch
Medical Ethics by Hope
Immunology by Kindt
Basic Immunology by Abbas
Q and A Evidence by Spencer
Concrete Design by Martin
Labour Economics by Borjas
Q and A Equity and Trusts by Wilkie
Beginning Reflective Practice by Jasper
Accounting for Non-Accountants by Dyson
Basic Course in Statistics by Clarke
Nutcases Land Law by Chang
Nursing Calculations by Gatford
Focus on IELTS
Mosby’s Dictionary of Medicine Nursing
and Health Professions
Systems Analysis and Design by Dennis
Research Methods for Business by Saunders
Management Information Systems by Laudon
Mason and McCall Smith’s Law and Medical Ethics
Foundations of Quantitative Business by Bancroft
Royal Marsden Hospital Manual by Dougherty
8.30AM - 6.00PM
11.00AM - 4.00PM
Audio Culture by Cox
Flight Catering by Jones
Ogier’s Reading Research by Lanoe
Getting to Yes by Fisher
Business Finance by McLaney
Ergonomics for Beginners by Dul
Anorexia Nervosa by Treasure
Healthcare Management by Smith
Entrepreneurship by Kirby
Food Portion Sizes by Crawley
Radiation Detection by Knoll
Discrimination Law by Connelly
E-tourism by Buhalis
Social Psychology by Hogg
Medical Law and Ethics by Herring
Selwyn’s Law of Employment
Discovering Statistics by Field
Nuevo Ele 1 by Borobio
International Criminal Law by Cassese
Dealing with Food Allergies by Joneja
Introduction to Banking by Casu
SPSS Survival Manual by Pallant
*Amazon new book prices
We stock a wide range of Snacks, Drinks, Event Tickets, Cards,
University Souvenirs, Hoodies, Stationery and Fairtrade gifts.
[email protected]
15
PG TIPS
21st January 2008
An intro to your PGA
Hello, I’m Alex and I am studying for a Masters in translation so I like
words, which is just as well as I’m the PG Tips editor. I would love to
see your words here so get writing. Do you have something to say? On
life, love, state of the universe – anything with a UniS Postgraduate
connection. This is your PG Tips so share your thoughts by e mailing
[email protected].
Hi i’m Tim Garland. I’ve been the
vice-president for over 6 months
now, and most of my responsibilities
involve filling in for Ciaran, should
he be incapacitated, hung-over or in
rehab. I was Surrey’s representative
at the National Postgraduate
Committee’s AGM last year, and plan
to do more work for postgraduate
representation
at
Surrey.
My name is Ioanna Ioannou. I am the secretary
of the PGA for this year.The rest of the time I
am doing a PhD on earthquake engineering.
Hi, my name is Ciaran and I am
president of the PGA. I was vice
president last year whilst I did my
masters at Surrey, and was elected as
president in July when the president
stepped down, I was re-elected at the
AGM in November. I am currently
studying for my PhD and with the new
committee, hope to continue to improve
and expand the PGA and postgraduate
influence across the campus.
I am Sunish and I am the webmaster
of PGA for 2007-8. I am working
towards my PhD in the department
of Music and Sound Recording.
Hi. I am Josh Foster, and I am
the treasurer for the Postgraduate
Association. I am currently in
my first year as a PhD student in
Neuroscience. This is my second
year at the University of Surrey
after finishing a Master degree
in September. In addition to my
role within the PGA, I also sit
on the Students’ Union Executive
Committee as the postgraduate
taught office. Please email me (ussu.
[email protected]) if you have
any suggestions or comments that
you would like me to rise with the
Union Exec Committee or PGA.
My name is Jenny
Barkworth and I am
completing a PhD in
Material
Chemistry.
As social secretary
for the Post Graduate
Association, my role is
to help organise social
events for postgraduates.
If you have any
ideas for events you
would like to see held
please contact me at:
socialsec@pgasurrey.
co.uk
Upcoming events:
Quiz and Curry evening
This month’s Postgraduate Quiz and
Curry at Wates House will be held on
the 24th January starting at 7.30 and it
will be the usual £1 to take part in the
quiz and £1.50 for the curry. The winning
team will receive a £20 cash prize with
the usual bottle of white and bottle of
red wine for the runners up. There will
be a “mystery” prize for third place.
[email protected]
16
Mountain Walking
SOCIETIES
3rd December 2007
-Don’t mess with reindeer
Our society often sounds daunting to the uninitiated with ‘Mountain’ in the title
but in reality we cater for all capabilities and ages. From casual local rambling to long
hikes across snowy ridges, we find that undergrads, postgrads and locals in Guildford
all have mixed tastes that we can cater for.
Our New Years trip to the Cairngorms (Scotland) allowed a few of the experienced
members to test out the ice axes and crampons in the highland snow. The walks
allowed us to practice our ice axe arrests (stops) on the slopes as well as play in the
waist deep snow. Lakeside strolls also allowed more peaceful days between the heavier
walking. A visit to the UK’s only reindeer herd gave us a chance to feed them whilst
trying to avoid the antlers.
Sunset over Loch an Eilein , Cairngorm area.
with even bigger appetites a 20oz steak with chips on the side is sure to prove a
challenge. This walk has proved popular year on year.
We have plenty coming up this semester in both socials and weekend walks. Our
next weekend away will be the Isle of Wight in early February. On a budget aimed at
students we’re looking at a total cost of £25 for travel and accommodation. The small
island hosts ~133,000 inhabitants but has diverse scenery and is often quoted as a
‘miniature England’. The planned coastal walk will allow views across the Solent and
onto Portsmouth with later stops overlooking the famous Needle formations over the
western cliffs. Please get in touch by the end of week 2 or at Re-freshers fair.
Ootsi the reindeer, caught at an off moment ... don’t mess with him!
If your reading the printed edition of this paper then there’s a chance you have
also missed our Hungry Horse walk this past Saturday. A quick train journey over
to Haslemere starts this beautiful walk over the Black Downs towards our pub finish
in Liphook. The walk itself takes in views over Surrey at the Temple of the Winds
viewpoint and provides a good mix of walking over hills and flats in both forest and
grassland. The Hungry Horse pub at the end provides strong motivation for the
walkers, with portions generally served on 17.5 inch plates for under £8. For those
Thursdays mark our weekly socials and most recently saw members gather for an
evening of Spanish styled Tapas and drinks. In the upcoming weeks you can expect
to see cocktail evenings, pub grub, pizza, film nights and a spattering of game nights
for the usual amusement.
As semester carries on there will be more trips to come. Current thoughts are a
weekend in Dartmoor and the possibility of a late trip to the Lake District.
If your interested in coming on any trips or suggesting ideas for walks then don’t
hesitate to get in contact with our committee; [email protected] (President),
[email protected] (Secretary), [email protected] (Treasurer).
Simon - Treasurer
Have your say ...
The January edition is now here, bringing Barefacts to the new year with a
fresh start ... so why not write some articles? Any articles for the next issue
should be submitted by Tuesday 29th January.
Please send any articles, queries, and/or adverts for societies into us at:
[email protected]
An article should aim to be from 200-400 words. Any general societies
enquiries should be directed to Simon Moore (Societies Editor).
If you are interested in forming your own Society or have any questions
related to you society’s interaction with the union please contat VP Societies
& ID at:
[email protected]
[email protected]
17
3rd December 2007
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CREATING ORIGINAL ADVENTURES FOR 18-38’S
[email protected]
18
ARTS
21st January 2008
Send your submissions to
Arts Editor : Jake South
[email protected]
I
t begins. For many of us this term is one of little free time, dissertations, projects, and
generally horrific times. However they are also exciting times and throughout this term
the arts section here will continue to provide news and reviews for you good people,
do not be a feared. As always any related articles to the section are welcomed with huge
dances and races of gala, simply email us as [email protected] and your writings will
appear amongst these sheets. This issue features articles on Chris Rock’s recent shows in
London, Charlie Wilson’s War, and an attempt at the revival of the legend Wilko Johnson.
With this said I shall leave you to enjoy the next few pages of the first Barearts section
of the year, let’s have a quality term.
.Megalodon
Chris Rock at Hammersmith
Apollo
09/01/08
In a career spanning over 20 years that has seen him present the Oscars,
win 2 Grammy’s and be ranked as one of the greatest stand-up comedians
of all time by his peers, it was only a matter of time before he took
his act to Britain. Although he has done a few club shows and special
appearances, these are the first major shows he has done in the UK.
Tonight is his first night of a sold out run in London and he has clearly done
some homework. It would make interesting viewing for a contemporary
social commentator to see how easily we are won over when complimented
on our gargantuan alcohol intake. Nevertheless, it was delivered well and
led to some brilliant insights on the popularity of darts in our country.
Now that the local tastes had been pandered to, he moved onto the topic
of the current US Presidential Candidate race. At this point I should probably
point out that hearing people make jokes about George Bush has become
about as amusing as collecting toenails, however there is still a smug warmness
to be had when Americans come out and say it to us. But this topic managed
to lead on to gender and race, more common themes in his act and it was
time to see the show he has spent months refining and tweaking for this tour.
It had obviously paid off, every line was timed to a tee with Rocks acerbic wit
allowing him to rant and enlighten in equal measure. Although he no longer
performs his famous ‘Black People vs Niggers’ sketch, there was plenty of
room for discussion on race such as distribution of wealth, the prospect of a
black first lady and can a white person say Nigger (apparently, the answer is
‘not really!’) Like most of his set the humour was Simpsons-esque, whereby
there are simple obvious jokes to get the big laughs but there are also the more
subtle ones (such as references to aspects of Jim Crow) to let you know that
he isn’t just playing the clown. While some of the racial humour has lost a lot
of the edge that it had ten years ago, at times even getting a little tedious, he
is still as sharp as ever on the issues of sex, politics and the weak US Dollar.
Throughout the show we saw a man brimming with passion, verve and an
embellished dollop of indignation to enforce his point. More importantly
he demonstrated the
skill of keeping the
room dead silent right
up to the punch line
that was present in all
his favourite comedic
predecessors (Bill Hicks,
Sam Kinison and Eddie
Murphy to name a few).
Ending the show with
no encore or gratuitous
fanfare showed his
confidence in his ability
and that he needed to
offer nothing more than
had already been said.
It was a great night for
the London comedy
scene; let’s just hope
we don’t have to
wait another twenty
years to see him again.
Andy Vale
[email protected]
Glasvegas
Its My Own Cheating Heart That
Makes Me Cry/Be My Baby
Sane Man Recordings
Released: 14th February 2008: Ltd
Edition Single
Glaswegian band Glasvegas (what
the locals call Glasgow) are the
hottest unsigned property in music
right now and after their first AA
single Daddys Gone/Flowers and
Football Tops was met with fevered
critical acclaim, the quality of this
single is spellbinding. This carries
the weight of having being spotted
by Alan McGee in famed Glasgow
nightspot King Tuts last year around
their necks like a gold medal. Ever
since the man ex-Creation records
man has taken on the role of their
biggest fan, giving them repeated
headline slots at his death disco club
night and describing them as the
best Scottish group since the Jesus
and Mary Chain, a big claim, but on
the basis of this he may have a point.
19
ARTS
21st January 2008
Glasvegas are a 50’s influenced
band in turn influenced by doo
wop and rockabilly and their retro
tendencies are plain to see in their
songs. They appear to have been
fed a diet of Elvis, Cash, Williams,
& Gutherie listening to their home
tape demos’s but the epic its my
own cheating heart is a wall of
growling feedback and noise of
thunderous proportions. From the
first growl of the opening bar you
know this is a classic song that
grabs you by the throat and doesn’t
relinquish its grip until the final chord.
Frontman James Allen’s Vocals are
more Scottish than an Irn Bru and or
the Loch Ness monster and sounds
like an Irvine Welsh Novel reads, but
this shouldn’t put you off as the
vocals possess an innate charm.
Lyrically the song is superb and
intuitively the song is about the woes
of a cheating man who has lost his
love, particularly Allens take on his
average night out “i tally up tonight’s
strangers and stragglers i’ve kissed /
training ground notches, perfectly
executed notches and near misses”.
For me, unlike most of the Tips for
2008 Glavegas appear to have
the ability to make you swoon
but this single is a winner in its
own right, . Luckily they can be
spotted playing in Guildford at
the Boilerrooms on the 24th Feb
as part of its Teenage Cancer Trust
gigs so go make your own mind up.
Russell Bishop
Charlie Wilson’s War
Universal Pictures
Released 21.12.07
The portrayal of Texan US
congressman Charlie Wilson
by Tom Hanks in the newly
released ‘Charlie Wilson’s
War’ has no doubt left
many Americans patting
themselves on the back and
congratulating themselves on
a job well done, and rightly
so. Charlie Wilson’s use of
political power ensured
the people of Afghanistan
had the means to defend
themselves against the
Soviet army during the
cold war. The story affirms
the belief that one man
can truly make a difference
and that compassion for
a people in need knows
no limits. The combination of real
life and CGI footage of helicopter
explosions leaves no doubt in
the viewers mind that the events
unfolding before them are based
on historical fact. Such real life
footage closely parallels ‘Bobby’
(released in 2006) which re-told
the story of the assassination of
U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy. The
recording of the Senator’s speech
in Bobby would leave any viewer
with the remarkable feeling that
great men have truly walked among
us. The influential character of
Joanne Herring in Charlie Wilson’s
War, played by none other than
Julia Roberts, also lends support
to the saying that behind every
great man there is indeed a great
woman. I believe Charlie Wilson’s
War is the second, in a new
movement of historically based
films that will continue to inspire
us that a difference can be made,
if we fight for what we believe in.
Sam Gurney
Have you been to see any good films lately?
Or maybe you’ve seen a film which you feel you need
to steer others away from?
Why not send a review into us
[email protected]
[email protected]
20
ARTS
Wilko Johnson
100 Club Oxford Street
28/12/07
Many may argue that the 70’s became a pioneering decade for British Rock,
and they may have a point. The ‘New Wave’ genre introduced notorious
bands such as The Clash, Ian Dury & The Blockheads and The Sex Pistols.
Although, when the opportunity arose to attend a Wilko Johnson gig, I was
some what hesitant. His former band, Dr. Feelgood, failed to ring any bells
and the thought of brushing up against sweaty, middle aged men, left much
to be desired. However, over a delightful bacon and egg toasted sandwich,
I took caution to the wind and decided to go. After a few Landlord’s at the
‘Dog and Duck’ along Frith Street, Soho, I casually made my way to the venue
with Pook Senior and a colleague of his, totally unaware of the outlandish
night that lay before me. The performance was to be taking place at the 100
Club, Oxford Street, a quaint arena, hidden if you like and having seemed
untouched for decades. Wilko emerged around 21:00, accompanied by
ex-Blockheads bassist Norman Watt-Roy and former Curve drummer Steve
Monti. They immediately broke into 15 minutes of pure blues rock, tracks
taken from Wilko’s solo albums. It was at this point I realised that at 60 years
of age, Wilko Johnson possesses something truly incredible. Somewhat high
on the fumes of the music, he began to let loose around stage. As he fixated
his eyes on every single individual in the room, I tried to understand how
a man of his age can control so much energy. Part of the ‘Wilko Johnson
Experience’ was witnessing his ability as a guitarist. Without a pick in the right
hand, he was able to play riffs and solos whilst strumming the rhythm; thus
giving the impression of two guitarists. Along with his eccentric movement
around stage, the atmosphere he created was remarkable and so I began
to question my generation. Why have we forgotten such a key figure in
British Rock? Why have we been deprived of this influential figure from the
New-Wave era? For the meantime this matter had to remain unsolved. Jerry
Tremaine had been introduced for vocals and blues harmonica, and the
crowd were about to witness tracks which Wilko had written for his former
band, Dr. Feelgood. Singles ‘Going Back Home’ and my personal favorite
Satellite State
Guildford Boileroom
18.12.07
On the eve of Tuesday 18th the Boileroom hosted an event to be
remembered by all who attended. The Guildford raised “Satellite
State” featuring as the highlight of the occasion and for good reason.
The night opened with two supports, the first being “The
Simple Pleasures” shortly followed by “The Le Brocks”; both local
bands to the area. Each provided an eventful set, however when
the headliners surfaced this is when the show really took off.
Prior to their emergence, the eager chatter of audience conversation
3rd December 2007
‘Roxette’ were outstanding. The live sound of the blues harmonica was
unbelievable, captivating the entire audience. I had experienced my most
exciting and energetic gig to date, astonishing to think it was by a 60 year
old rock star, ignored by today’s youth. Wilko Johnson and his band will
be playing at the Halfmoon, Putney on the 16th March. If you have even
the slightest interest in Blues, Jazz, British Rock or you are simply a keen
music enthusiast, I urge you to take haste and join the Wilko experience.
Ben Pook
was silenced by a warm synth chord alongside a soft glowing purple light
illuminating from the back of the stage, creating an ambient and mysterious
atmosphere soon to be shattered. Satellite State erupted into their first number
together with a series of flashing strobes of bright light immediately separating
themselves from the previous groups. Yet it was not this use of visual aids that
set the Satellites aside, the music alone was on another level. Their instantly
energetic songs share similarities with that of Snow Patrol and Athlete, yet it
is their specific use of electronic synths beside their simple guitar and drum
patterns that provide such an emotive, refreshing sound. Throughout the
performance a feeling of vigour was evident from the music and the way they
performed that made each song such a delight to witness live. The energy
presented by Gary Nick’s movements and gestures (lead vocals, acoustic
guitar) in particular was brilliance, fully engaging the audience in each song.
The Satellites performed an array of tunes including brand new items from
their debut record to be released early next year, as well as remembering to
insert a festive piece of their own. For the final song of the evening they invited
The Le Brocks lead vocalist Will Drysdale upon stage to get merry and lend his
vocals for their version of “I Wish it could be Christmas Everyday”. Great times.
This was the last of Satellite State’s gigs for this year; however
2008 will bring a new tour alongside a new EP. With such an exciting
band on the Guildford doorstep, it would be foolish not to open
your ears to Satellite State before they become something big. Of
course the Surrey roots below this band are not the reason to see
them, as this is simply beautiful music that you will lose yourself to.
Jake South
[email protected]
21st January 2008
SPORT
21
[email protected]
22
SPORTS
21st January 2008
[email protected]
21st January 2008
SPORTS
D
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W
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23
Too many mince pies for
you my friends!
To stop you from “accidentally”
reading the answers, substitute
each letter in the answer with
the next one in the alphabet.
So, HMCHZMZ INMDR becomes
INDIANA JONES.
Bktdr Zbqnrr:
1 and 8) Fnkcdm Gzlrsdq.
4) Jhcmzo. 9) Xdzq Cns. 11)
Hmehksqzsd. 12) Nuhc. 13
and 22dn) Zmfkn-Rzwnm. 14)
Hyudrshz. 16) Sdmmxrnm. 18)
Qtrsx. 20) Rmnv. 21) Vhkcdqmdrr.
23) Rmnnjdq. 24) Oqdsdws. 25)
Rdsskd. 26) Xdr Lzm.
Bktdr Cnvm:
1) Fqzhm. 2) Khrshmf. 3)
Dkdbsqnmr. 5) Hqzsd. 6) Mdquntr.
7) Oqnwhlhsx. 10) Qzshnmzkd. 13)
Zodmmhmdr. 15) Udqsdaqzd. 17)
Mdvonqs. 19) Rzmbstl. 21) Vgddk.
DANGER
[email protected]
24
SPORTS
21st January 2008