Bangor Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper

ISSN 1755-7585 Issue No. 208 October Issue 2009 And the walls came INSIDE: tumbling down... Willow sits on a bench

Latest T.V. reviews Arts Centre gets the go ahead but where will our Union go? By Georgia Mannion make a signi cant contribution to the eco- “Although we’re going to work through the the project due for completion in 2012, has nomic regeneration of the area and to our implications, the project will bene t a huge been neatly glossed over. How fair it is to year on from the closure of e- young peoples’ future" number of students”. ough this doesn’t en- move the Union potentially during the aca- atr Gwynedd our Students’ Union When asked what had caused the delay tirely answer our question, at least it shows demic year when students rely so heavily on remains somewhat un-bulldozed. in information, Mike Goodwin, Director of the University is thinking about it. it is another query with no answer. Creative ABecause of complications with  nances, the Estates & Facilities said “Funding was the e second issue no one has brought up Although we know more than we did University wouldn’t buy somewhere to relo- main issue but we’re very pleased and ex- is that the Students’ Union currently houses last week the future for us and our Union cate the Union to. Instead, it was suggested cited to have received a vote of con dence Academi and Amser/Time, two of Bangor’s remains cloudy. It’s easy to be swept along Corner it move to Rathbone, which was not meant from the Welsh Assembly so the plans can limited selection of clubs. In any other city with the excitement of the new build but to house students this year. As plans to cap de nitely proceed. We’ve not yet concluded the loss of two bars might not be such a huge even easier to let our needs be lost in what the number of students next year were in the where the Students’ Union will move to; it’s loss but here, they are integral to sustaining Prof. Jones is calling a “tremendously ambi- pipeline, the University allegedly accepted something we’re still working on, however, Bangor’s nightlife. Not all of us have the en- tious project and is one of the most excit- more students than it could cater for, open- we’re not just looking at Rathbone. We’re ergy for Hendre or the stomach for Octagon; ing initiatives of its kind in Europe, if not ing halls which were meant to be closed this taking into account the impact it will have this begs the question, where will we go? For the world.” John Jackson, President of the year (Rathbone and Reichel) and o ered on the students and plan to work through it students arriving from Manchester, Edin- Students’ Union said “ e past 12 months more places in JMJ to students whose  rst with the Union.” burgh or Belfast the lack of evening options have been a period of great uncertainty for language is not Welsh. e Arts Centre’s grant is one of a is already quite bemusing and something the Students’ Union, and whilst we don’t yet e facts were woolly and the  gures number of grants given by the Welsh As- which can easily put people o when Uni- know the full details surrounding the new sticky and that is not a great combination. sembly this year to fund projects such as versities as close as Liverpool o er a much build, we have been given assurances that we Finally, this week it was unveiled that the a ordable housing, schools and children’s more lively scene. will be involved and consulted throughout University are receiving £15m from the hospitals. No plans have surfaced to replace our the development process and that we will be Welsh Assembly to build the Arts & Innova- Bangor’s future, therefore, is looking clubs, and it seems the issue is being taken given su cient alternative accommodation tion Centre and the fog on the facts seems bright as ever, but one or two things seem to less seriously than other implications of the and facilities in the interim period. Obvi- to have li ed. Professor Mervyn Jones, the have slipped our collective minds. plan and begs the question – is the Univer- ously the interim period is not ideal, but I University’s Vice-Chancellor, said “ is Firstly, the University are spending a total sity really taking our needs into account? am determined to ensure (and will strongly Dear Steph will be a centre where science meets the of £30m on the Arts & Innovation centre at Much as the Centre will bene t students recommend to my successor that s/he en- arts, where students will learn new design the same time as looking to close the Wrex- and the wider community there are still un- sures too) that we can still provide as much and Lucy skills to solve real-world problems, improv- ham campus. When asked how this re ects answered questions. e fact that none of as possible of what we do at the moment - or, ing their job prospects and providing local on the University Mike Goodwin replied the current students will gain anything from who knows, maybe even more!”. businesses with innovative new talent. It will The 2009 Maes Glas Fitness Challenge 16.17 Visualisations FINAL ISSUE Bangor University Arts & Innovation Centre 123 4th Nov - 5th Dec Issue Date: 20th of August / 2008 Are you up for it? www.maesglas.co.uk (01248) 382 157 or call in for details [email protected] 2 October Issue 2009 EDITORIAL www.seren.bangor.ac.uk

Freshers’ Issue 2009 Contributors: Jez Harvey Emily Collins Dominic Vince Aimee Robyn Carter Anna Donigan Michael Onyekwere Rachel Davies Paul Dicken Victoria Osten Thom Flint Nick Major James McAllister Spencer George Tom Hecht Stephanie Williams Lucy Orchiston Thomas Owen Gareth Edwards Nik Hughes Joe Beardwood Stephanie Ellis Alex Close Hello again! Elizabeth Bowley Nick Lee This issue we have lots of lovely new sub-editors joining our ranks. Say hello to Louise, Kayley Roberts Martyn, Rachel and Stacey as well as our Social Sec Aimee. This time we’ve had loads of Emma Daniels contributions (as you can see) so thanks to everyone who sent things in. David Horn I reccommend the interesting Comment articles, the Travel section, the Creative Corner Kim Pemberton and (as always) Willow Does. Of course I think the whole paper is amazing (in the way Christiane Zander that pushy parents think their children are amazing at everything) but those are the bits Rebecca Farrell I’ve especially enjoyed this time round. Callum Ryme Last time I told you the music that got us through, this time I’d like you to know that I Katie Dyer never want to hear a Cheryl Cole song again. I may be scarred for life after Aaron’s unre- Emma Dorman lenting barrage of Xfactor music. Esther Milton I feel like I should have an insightful message for you but it’s 7:56am, Bangor is getting Jenny Reed light, cleaners are pushing brooms around the SU Media Room and I have been here for Tom Pike 21 hours now without a whisper of a sleep so please forgive me. Heather Torrance All that’s left for me to say is thank you again to everyone who helped create this issue, Luke Davies I hope you’ll continue to contribute and please get in touch via [email protected]. Leighton Owen ac.uk, poke us on facebook, or tweet us on Twitter (@Serenbangor). Nick Cowan Gemma Ellis Dwight McCarthy Peter Williams If Eisenstein can do it then I’m sure I can do it. Mitchell Bradley-Wil- liams Georgia Xx Joey McNally Nick O’Hara PS. Apologies for another rubbish picture but it’s diffi cult to fi nd a picture of yourself from Rhiannon Thompson facebook when you are on your own and not doing something either incredibly embarassing or damaging to. Photography: Aaron Wiles

Special thanks to: Jez Harvey Jess Hughes Emma Louise Wake- THE SEREN TEAM fi led Editor Georgia Mannion RECYCLE Gemma Ellis News Liz Stevens Here at Seren, there’s Proof reading: Features Stacey Gannon nothing we love more The Sabbs Music Aaron Wiles than Mother Nature and Film Louise Cotteril d’you know what she Travel Rachel Stretton loves? Recycling! After you’ve fi nished Sport Martyn Singleton with us, can you put us in your blue Design Team: Dan Turner box and make sure we get made into Jo Caulfi eld something else? Thanks very much. 3 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk NEWS

It seems Student Loan Chaos students do Love Bangor

ere has been a positive response to the recently launched Love Ban- gor scheme; with approximately 1000 cards already sold to stu- dents. Although the cards guaran- tee students discounts on the High Street and beyond, it also involves them in a wider scheme, that of the Bangor Pride initiative, which is looking to improve and regener- ate the city. Speaking to the local media at a Bangor Pride meeting, Gwenan Hine, assistant registrar of the University, reiterated the positive response of the scheme, and the positive impact it hopes to 148,000 students still pennyless after fi nance shambles have on the local community.

he start of this academic year was lack of loan made her life di cult, but not much they can do to make it easier pen, but that is not the point. A ‘new sys- marred for many students by the luckily, “my landlord is very understand- on students this year, Beverly Jones, the tem’ and a higher number of students is a late arrival of their student loan. ing”. Some may not be so lucky. Advice Centre Manager, advises that all pathetic excuse and is frankly insulting to TMany students, especially  rst years, were Part of the rise in student numbers has students “Contact the SLC every now and the students le stranded by the ine cien- Making the (and continue to be) a ected by problems been due to more mature students head- again and ask for a progress report on their cies and lack of fore-thought. Unfortunate- within Student Finance England, the or- ing to university. is year, there has been application. In doing so, hopefully any ly everyone involved in the situation seems Grade ganisation that now organises loans to stu- a 17% rise in 21-24 year olds applying for problems can be resolved before coming to more interested in pointing the  nger at dents from England. university and a 22% rise amongst those university”. each other than solving the crisis, some- It was announced at the recent Un- At the time of print there were around aged 25 and over. e Government response has been thing that is surely of no help to a desolate ion General Meeting that there are 148,000 students still awaiting payment, Unfortunately for most of them, not slow. A er weeks of playing down prob- student. to be changes in the way students’ though the SLC pointed out that some of receiving their loan can mean a quick end lems they have  nally announced an ex- e SLC, for their part, have pledged work is marked. Union President those include cancelled and incomplete to their university life. Unlike those leaving ternal review, but this will not hurry along that all those who got their applications in John Jackson announced plans applications. ey say they have dealt with for the  rst time, they do not have parents missing loans. e National Union of Stu- “on time” will have their loans by the end that percentage marking is to be more students in the same time space than of October, but it is unclear as to what they scrapped, paving the way for letter last year, and that the problems are due “I’m not sure how much longer I can support mean by that. Some people are reporting grading. is is to be done as many to the sheer volume of extra students (es- my daughter. It’s heartbreaking when she’s that documentation was lost by the SLC, departments refuse to grade above timated at roughly 60,000) applying for worked so hard to get where she is” and they are now being treated as late ap- a 75%, therefore making a Bangor loans. plicants. University  rst less competitive, However, this doesn’t make life any eas- to  ll in the gap for them at the start of dents President, Wes Streeting, welcomed At present, all students in Bangor still whereas it may be regarded as ier for the students who cannot pay rent, the year. One mature student, Dawn from the news and hopes that, “ e manage- waiting for loans can do is continue to a much higher percentage else- buy food and textbooks, or even enjoy Manchester, emailed the BBC saying that ment of the SLC will be held to account for badger the SLC and contact the Students where. e changes are expected their Freshers’ Week, a time most students as a mature student, “With no parents or a  asco that has le hundreds of thousands Union Advice Centre and the Student to  lter in throughout the year, be- meet a lot of friends and start to forge the family, I have no one and no way of sup- a ected by late payments, lost documenta- Services Department of the University for ing introduced fully by next year. bonds that are supposed to last a lifetime. porting myself if my  nances don't arrive”. tion and a miserable start to their  rst term advice on how to get any support they may Many students have come forward de- Luckily for people like Kim and Dawn, at university". need at this time. One parent summed up tailing their own problems. Kim Brennan, universities are also providing more in the Sadly, a slow and ine ectual response people’s mood, “I am not sure how much a Journalism and Media student from Liv- way of emergency loans and grants for to the problem is all the Government can longer I can support my daughter and it is erpool told me that, “It seems they lost my students still waiting for loans. Our own do, because it’s too late. ese are problems heartbreaking for her to have this worry Facebook declaration due to either the postal strikes, Students Union Advice Centre has been that should have been solved 6 months ago when she has worked so hard to get where saving sheer stupidity or the vast amounts of ap- actively working with landlords to raise when it became clear just how many people she is today”. plications. Either way I'm hoping it comes awareness of this year's problems and ne- were applying for extra funding. Jez Harvey degrees? through soon”. She went on to say that the gotiate new rental schedules. Whilst there’s Clearly no one meant for this to hap- Reports are claiming that social networking sites such as Facebook are reducing the numbers of stu- dent drop outs. Gloucestershire College are claiming that the sites Lock up your laptops! are providing an extra level of sup- port for students, allowing sta Statistics show 1 in 3 students is a victim of burglary to communicate with them via groups and forums, and allowing oving out of halls is an excit- for such a small community. Surprisingly, copy. A statement, given by the Develop- attackers. students to exchange information ing time. You’ve got your own this number had decreased on the previ- ment Director of MLA (Master Locksmiths One incident in Upper Bangor saw a regarding courses. Finally a valid house; no wardens, no time lim- ous year, which saw a record peak of eight- Association), however, points out the fact student house viciously attacked by three reason for the amount of time we itsM and most importantly, no parents. But een burglaries. is could be attributed to that some agencies clearly overlook the fact burglars. e items taken only had a small spend on these sites… along with this excitement comes nerves. many students being unaware of the risks, that if a replica key is made, then previous monetary value, but were worth a lot in- Nerves that you may not be able to make and being ignorant of the necessary pre- tenants may still be able to gain entry into sentimentality. ankfully, the occupants bill payments; worries you may run cautions to negate these fears. that house. is puts potential tenants of were only le with minor wounds and out of food, and (heaven Figures from the Home O ce reveal that dwelling at an incredibly high risk. He shock. Dan Kiley, 20, a Bangor student, forbid) hot water. In that one in three students is a victim of goes on to urge landlords to act more re- stated, ‘We were shocked and actually amongst all this, what burglary each year. In quite scared, we may not consider response to this, the “Last year in Bangor there were 10 break-ins, as it was only More hikes? is whether or not our Home O ce have quite a large number for such a small community” round the belongings are safe. released a  urry corner from A Government advisor has warned Last year, in Bangor of tips to help protect against thieves and sponsibly by putting the safety of tenants as us. We decided to step up our security, and that student fees are to rise if cur- alone, there were approx- intruders. ese include: locking all win- their top priority. lock our valuables away’. rent educational standards are to imately ten break-ins, dows and doors when going out, travel in It is not just the Home O ce and the So it seems that students are more at be maintained. Although Profes- quite a large groups and to mark your belongings MLA that are making student security a risk of violent crimes then some of us sor John Holman’s comments are number with your student I.D number priority, however. During Serendipity a thought. However, the bene ts of living in unlikely to be popular with stu- to prevent the burglar from Bangor Police distributed safety packs to such a small community is that students dents already facing mountains of selling on your possessions students. ey also allowed students to are in quite close proximity to each other. debt, he has forecast a bleak future and making it easier for take part in ‘Balance your Bobbies’, essen- Why not go and speak to your neighbours unless the fee cap is li ed: ‘It's very the police to return them tially informing o cers of which crimes and build up a friendship with each other? di cult to see how a future of ex- to you. ese ideas may they thought needed the most attention in Soon you will  nd that when you go back cellence throughout the university seem simple, and as such the community. Burglary/ the ended up home to give your mother the nice bundle system can be maintained unless could be overlooked for in the top four. of washing you have created, your house at some point there's a more eco- being too easy. is clearly shows that the authorities will be safer with neighbours keeping an nomic approach to university fees. A common, al- are taking an interest in student opinions eye on the place. We don’t have to be vic- It is di cult to see how excellence though o en incorrect and perhaps this is why crime numbers tims, so let’s do all we can to  ght back. is sustainable without [li ing the presumption is that are falling. However, there have been in- cap].’ once someone has re- stances of serious break-ins in Bangor, in turned a key it is the only which students have been harmed by their Dominic Vince BANGOR IN BRIEF BANGOR IN BRIEF BANGOR IN BRIEF BANGOR IN BRIEF BANGOR IN BRIEF BANGOR IN BRIEF

4 October Issue 2009 NEWS www.seren.bangor.ac.uk The Testicle Illegal to be Gay? Proposed Ugandan law seeks to outlaw homosexuality, sparking outrage amongst the Tour International community of Bangor n October 14th, Uganda shocked e Ugandan Bill is only partial evi- the international human rights dence of Africa’s hateful attitude towards world by introducing a dra ‘An- sexuality. e case of Eudy Simelane, the Oti-Homosexuality Bill’ into its Parliament. former female South African football star Under existing Ugandan law, anyone hammers home not only the geographical with 'carnal knowledge of any person distance of our countries, but also our dif- against the order of nature' i.e. any person ferences in attitudes. Simelane was killed with knowledge of another practising ho- for being a lesbian, in a horri c practice mosexuality, faces up to 14 years in prison. that is all too common in these countries; e dra bill seeks to take this abhorrent corrective rape. Her vicious murder was law further; calling for life imprisonment perpetrated by men trying to ‘cure’ her ver wondered what it would be like going to be reticent – it’s about using hu- Testicular cancer accounts for 1% of all for anyone ‘convicted’ of homosexuality. of her homosexuality; this cure involved to have a giant pink  u y testicle mour to break the ice then moving on to cancers in the United Kingdom; early is backward and archaic law has brutally raping and beating Eudy, and walking around Bangor? Well on discuss the real issues.’ He also spoke of detection and treatment is key. Prostate been criticised by 17 international human proceeding to stab her over 25 times. Un- EFriday 2nd October this question was well his desire for better press and education cancer, about which less is known and rights groups, who are calling for its im- fortunately, this is not as uncommon as and truly answered, as cancer campaigner about the issue on a basic level, arguing reported, accounts for a quarter of all can- mediate withdrawal. If it were to become one would like to believe. 86% of South Nick O’Hara Smith took the streets of the that this is the only thing that will deliver cers detected in men, and is actually the law, provisions would be included for 7 African lesbians have said they live in fear city to raise awareness of male cancers. the message, claiming we are moving in most common male cancer in the United Mr. O’Hara Smith, who himself sur- the right direction but still need to see a Kindgom. It is the second largest male We need to fi nd a unifi ed voice and vived testicular cancer over 20 years ago, ‘c’ change in our society – in particular cancer killer, claiming around 10,000 vic- sat down with Seren to discuss why the in the male dominated portions, where tims a year; second only to lung cancer. fi ghts against laws and practices that message he is delivering is crucial for the scarce little is known about male diseases If it detected early, however, around 7 in male population. Spearheading his cam- and hormones, even in the medical pro- 10 su erers now live beyond 5 years; this have no place in our society paign under the internationally renowned fession. number was only 3 in 10 in the 1970’s. Live Strong campaign, Mr. O’Hara Smith’s When asked about the response of the Although it commonly a ects the elderly, years imprisonment for promoting homo- of sexual assault, and although Simelane’s message extends beyond simply raising student population of Bangor, Mr. O’Hara cases amongst young men do happen. sexuality, the criminalisation of the work trial has ended in conviction, over 30 cases awareness of testicular cancer, extending Smith was very complimentary, saying Mr. O’Hara Smith will be returning of international activists and campaigners, over the past decade have not ended so to lesser known illnesses such as testoster- that the response had been overwhelm- to Bangor in the near future to continue including placing massive barriers in the successfully. Even Eudy’s trial, although a one and hormone de ciency, and more ingly positive. He also spoke of his pleas- his campaign, so keep an eye out for the way of HIV/AIDS workers in the country, positive step, served to highlight the ob- obscure cancers, such as prostate cancer. ure that nearly all young men he spoke to  u y testicle. If, in the meantime, how- and 3 years imprisonment for anyone who vious phobias and issues present in the Both the former and the latter are just as in the city said that they regularly checked ever, you wish to get involved or just get fails to report any knowledge of others’ ho- country, the trial judge claiming her sexu- devastating. for signs of cancer, and spoke of his hope more information about the issue, visit mosexuality within 24 hours. Perhaps the ality was not an issue in her murder. Regarding the  u y pink testicle, that they will continue to do so. www.androids.org.uk, and remember to most shocking fact of all is the media and Yet no-one need sit back and accept which, to Seren’s immense relief, was just In 2006, 2065 men in the UK were keep checking! authorities support of this campaign. this rampant injustice. Individuals can a gym ball wrapped in fabric, Mr. O’Hara diagnosed with testicular cancer, and in It is easy to assume in this country that stand up and cry out against this, and be- Smith commented: ‘People are always 2007, it was responsible for 58 deaths. the LGBT community are on a reasonably come a voice amongst the many other call- Liz Stevens even ground as far as rights and freedoms ing for change. Too many are ignorant of are concerned. Although rampant homo- the plight of these women; Unity Bangor phobia still exists within this country, together with Amnesty are just one of the evidenced by the contraversial and widely many bodies out there campaigning for criticised Daily Mail article written by Jan better awareness and action against these Moir on the death of Steven Gately, we horrifying issues. ese women needn’t Fire in the Bone! are much more forward and direct in at- su er; we need to  nd a uni ed voice and tacking and  ghting against the prejudices  ght against laws and practices that have Freshers’ Week fl ames ignite issue of (the 25,000 or so complaints received by no place in our society. the Press Complaints Commission and the student fi re safety subsequent investigation to follow su - Liz Stevens cient proof of this), and are arguably doing so quite successfully. But it is easy to forget the plight of others who are not so lucky. Society Card Surprise The introduction of £2 societies cards causes a stir at Students’ Union General meeting

f you are one of the lucky few who due to the lack of dialogue on the subject. Firemen were called out to Neuadd Rathbone at 4 am during Freshers’ are involved in running a society and Others were arguing for them, saying that Week after a student left their cooking unattended. were at the  rst day of Serendipity last the low cost of the cards was a negligible Imonth, you probably received a piece of addition to the individual society’s mem- hock resonated on ursday 24th the  re alarms work. Last year, Bangor a third year English Literature with Film paper from Tom Hecht, the Union’s Socie- bership fee and although it may have been of September, right in the midst of students were responsible for around 200 student, had been living in his new shared ties and Events O cer. rushed, the simple fact is that these cards Freshers’ Week, when Neuadd Rath- false  re alarms, which at least two  re house for just four months when he man- e letter informed people that as of are necessary to continuing  nancially. Sbone got its  rst serious  re call out of crews must investigate. e University aged to accidently set his room ablaze a er this year, anyone wishing to be a member One of the most rousing speeches was the term. At 4am, a resident student had must pay around £250 every time a false forgetting to turn o his lamp. ankfully, of one of the S.U.’s societies had to now given by Rob Samuel, last year’s Athletic started cooking a er returning from a  re alarm is set o but the cost is not just he had a working  re alarm in his room sign up to an activities card, costing £2. Union President and a current Trustee night out. ey forgot to remove the plas- monetary. Time spent by  re crews at- and most of his possessions were saved, is was to be in addition to the member- of the Students’ Union. Speaking a er a tic packaging before putting food in the tending false alarms could jeopardise lives but the room was devastated. Recalling ship fee and would be used to cover the string of complaints about the cards, he oven, causing poisonous fumes to  ood if there were to be a real  re elsewhere. the traumatic experience, David said: “It cost of insurance for the societies. argued forcefully that A.U. members had the kitchen. ey then le the cooker un- Mr. Llewelyn also told the media: “By was terrible, I had nowhere to live. I’d just is caused some discussion amongst long had to pay higher fees to be a member attended. e emer-  nished exams and the student body, not least because no- of a club. is money helps cover insur- gency services arrived “Last year, Bangor students were responsible was celebrating that body from the S.U.’s Senate or the Societies ance and costs of running four minibuses to  nd 70 students for around 200 false fi re alarms” when this new stress- Committee remembered anything like this and the MPV. It seemed to swing a lot of standing outside and ful thing happened. I being discussed, or had heard any word of opinion, and lead to the largest cheer of ensured the safe evacuation of all other learning about how the Fire and Rescue ended up crashing at halls and it just had this prior to the letter. is was also very the evening. residents before a full investigation began. Service operates, [students] are made to such a bad e ect on my life. All I have is de nitely a letter informing people that In response to the criticism of the Dafydd Llewelyn, from the North Wales realise the consequences a false  re call bad memories of that house; whenever I these cards were now compulsory, as op- manner of the introduction John Jackson, Fire and Rescue Service, speaking to local may have - that setting o an alarm de- think about it all I can see is the  re.” posed to inviting a discussion about the President of the Students’ Union, took media, commented: “It could have been liberately ties up life saving resources that e Fire Kills campaign o ers top subject. responsibility for the matter and o ered much more serious and it’s vitally impor- may be needed elsewhere and that their tips for ensuring home  re safety, and Some were so unhappy they raised an apology for it, but made clear that the tant for students to be aware of the  re actions may be putting the lives of others although they may seem trivial, some are the issue at the Students’ Union’s General revenues the cards would bring was ab- risks where they live and to take proper at risk. Of course, the more o en a false probably o en overlooked by students. Meeting a few weeks later, and took the solutely essential to the Union. Without notice of  re alarms.”  re alarm sounds, the more likely people You can arrange a free home  re safe- chance to raise their concerns and try and them, there would have to be drastic cuts In Bangor, compulsory  re talks are will ignore the alarm when there is a real ty check by calling free phone 0800 169 get some questions answered. Feeling was to the budget. held at the start of every academic year for  re, which puts people at much greater 1234, e-mailing cfs@nwales-  reserv- relatively mixed on the subject, with some new students living in halls. Tests are then risk." ice.org.uk or visiting the website: www. people arguing that the cards were akin to Jez Harvey conducted throughout the  rst few weeks But it is not just Freshers who can nwales- reservice.org.uk. a tax on societies, others arguing that the of every semester in every hall to ensure learn from this. Last year, David Johnson, Aimee Robyn Carter introduction of the cards was “dictatorial” 5 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk NEWS All my enemies diiee, die, die The Giant Panda Debate he Giant Panda. You say those three words and every soul on Earth pictures the creature im- Tmediately: big, black, white and ‘cuddly’. e panda is an iconic species, symbol- ising beauty within the animal kingdom and recognised as the foundation of con- servation. Nigerian pastors murdering children ‘in the name of Christ’... e Giant Panda, Ailuropoda Mela- noleuca, belongs to the order Carnivore and the family Ursidae (bear). ey have ll my enemies die, die, die. is crophone to Brother omas , who had a shocked to discover that Nigerian pastors en there was 7 year old Mary. Her a characteristic look - black ears and eye might sound like a chant you particularly wonderful testimony. He took are no longer content with praying for the family branded her a witch, mercilessly patches, black shoulders and legs, with would hear in a rap video, but it’s the mic and the congregation went quiet death of suspected witches and wizards, leaving her to be beaten by three strange the rest white, and the males larger than Aactually a common refrain in most Nige- in eager anticipation. now they want to actually want to kill men who entered her bedroom at night, the females. e panda is well known rian churches. I had a Christian upbring- “Praise the Lord!” He screamed. them on God’s behalf. force fed her poisonous berries, and for being uncommon of its classi cation ing; we woke at 5am on Sundays and went “Hallelujah!” We screamed back. Over the last year, there has been a doused her in a mixture of hot water and into the order Carnivore because it feeds to the kids’ church with Sister Margaret, en preceded his testimony. Brother spate of child murders in the name of caustic soda. predominantly on bamboo shoots: al- who fed us biscuits and Ribena and told omas had moved into a house that Christ, and exorcism has become an in- All these children were subjected to though in the wild, the panda are known us how incredible Jesus was. ose days “deliverance”. Deliverance originally re- When these so called pastors begin to pick on the to sometimes feed on small rodents or were great; all we had to do was follow the ferred to the Lord’s Prayer, which asked deer fawn. Ten Commandments, eat our biscuits and most vulnerable members of our society it becomes God to deliver us from all evil. I have ey once roamed over the lowlands we were sure to go to Heaven. I was ready necessary to ask how much it’s really worth been to a few of these events before and and mountain forests of Southern and to be a Christian forever. at was until I thankfully my demon must have been Eastern China but now, due to mainly grew older and moved to the adult church, he shared with another man, Bayo. He dustry of sorts with parents paying pastors weak, as I escaped relatively scot free. My anthropogenic reasons, they are con ned only to  nd there was something eerie was a womanising drunk that didn’t be- to rid their child of their demons. deliverance from evil involved the pastor to a few small areas of mountain forest about that place. lieve in the existence of God. No sooner In order to understand the problem gripping my head in both his hands while e Jesus in the kiddie church loved had brother omas moved in with the one has to consider the vastness of Ni- screaming at the demon to get out. A er a giving people  shes and bread; the Jesus heathen, he lost his job. Brother omas geria, a country of over 140 million, most few minutes he declared me delivered and in the adult church had a knack for giving prayed to God for respite and God re- living below the poverty line. In a country I went back home just in time for Power people a ictions. Whilst we were taught vealed to him that the sins of Bayo were with so many poor and no help from the Rangers. Other children, however, are not in the kids’ church that Jesus was a healer, blocking his blessings - so Brother omas government, many turn to faith for suc- as lucky as I was. in the adult church Jesus was a weapon began to pray for the demise of Bayo. cour, and there is a ready market for un- It is a near endless list of fundamen- used to destroy anyone that was consid- To cut a long story short, he came scrupulous people to sell their own brand talism gone mad. But before anyone dis- ered a problem. home one day to  nd Bayo dead. e week of salvation to desperate people. But when misses these as the actions of a backward My favourite part of being in the kiddie before he gave this testimony in church he these so called pastors begin to pick on the nation, even more developed nations have church (apart from the food of course) was was also o ered his dream job. most vulnerable members of our society their own share of religious bigots. ese testimony time, where we basically stood Great testimony! You should have seen it becomes necessary to ask how much it’s people have taken a religion and bastard- in front of the church and told the rest the church erupt. I, however, was more really worth. ized it to suit their own ends. I wonder of the congregation how wonderful God than a little confused; no one had in- For Mr Edet, his salvation was worth sometimes where my Jesus went. had been to us. is was usually the part formed me God was more vengeful than the life of his nine year old son Nwankwo, I guess he never le the kids church. where kids would thank God for passing that crazy chick in Kill Bill. who a er a consultation with the fam- exams or not bedwetting or getting a new is story, however, is not a one o . ily pastor was declared a witch. His father pet. In the adult church it was completely is is what tends to happen in the Nige- forced acid down his throat in order to ex- Michael Onyekwere in Western China. e main reason caus- di erent. rian church, and in most churches where orcise his demons. Nwankwo was killed ing this is habitat destruction - which is I remember the pastor passing the mi- the bible is interpreted literally. I was in the process. mainly due to bamboo harvesting or for The situation is dire... do we cut our losses, or do we owe the panda for the Yes, No, Whatever? problems we’ve caused? With the Irish voting in favour of Lisbon, Seren the production of agricultural land. Our interference with the species has reduced explores what this ‘Yes’ means... their numbers to a critical level, placing them on the red list in conservation. So ou may or may not have realised is though was promptly shot down President of Europe and High Representa- careful, you may well end up in the most what do we do when a well known and it, but the future of Europe was re- when the Dutch and French both voted tive for Foreign A airs? Surely they’ll just circular, round about, back and forth con- respected zoologist, Chris Packham, cently le in the hands of the Irish. “Nej” and “Non” to it, meaning it would crush individual nations’ sovereignty?” versations (o en turning into physically turns to the world and says that they are HowY this didn’t cause more consternation never come back ever again, not even with “Well, some might see it like that, but violent arguments) that currently exist in an ‘evolutionary cul-de-sac’ and that amongst people I’m not sure. a slightly di erent name… the President actually has no executive outside of a linguistics seminar. we should ‘let them go, with a degree of e Treaty of Lisbon (oh hell, I’m al- …or would it? Critics of the Treaty ar- power. ey’ll chair a few meetings, use e problem with the E.U. is that it dignity’ because basically, they cost too ready falling asleep, but let’s both try and gue that it’s simply a like for like replace- their in uence to grease the wheels, and be relies on people being able to predict the much to save? stick with it, ok?) had been rati ed by all ment of the Constitution, but with the a  gurehead for a part of the E.U. that has future. Both sides have good arguments, e situation is dire. Our ways have but three European Union nations (ah, an- more obvious “turning Europe into one gone long unattended. e High Repre- logically based, with little of the xenopho- destroyed theirs and now they can- other wave of narcolepsy there…); Ireland, big country” stu removed. ey point out sentative will almost certainly seem more bia that you’d expect. How then can you not live without our conservation. So is Poland and the Czech Republic. If Ireland that roughly 90% of the constitution made important than individual nations’ foreign know who is right and who is wrong? Packham right and should we count our had said “No” then that would have been it into the Treaty. ministers, but that happens anyway. e Well, you can’t. You have to go with losses, or do we owe the panda for the problems we have caused? The problem with the E.U is that is relies on people being able to As students we are the voices of the future. In years to come these conserva- predict the future. Both sides have good arguments, how then tion issues will be ours to solve. Many be- lieve we should start now. If you believe can you know who is right and who is wrong? in saving the panda there are many ways to help, including logging onto one of the that for it, but luckily for me and you, they “Ahhh”, its supporters say, in a way that E.U. is seen as a better negotiator with your gut instinct. If you feel uneasy about many panda conservation websites and said “Yes” and we get to continue this ex- makes it seem like they know what they’re states like Iran and Russia than individual putting more power into organisations not  nding out how you can help preserve citing tale of the Treaty of Lisbon. talking about, “that may be true, but the nations.” based in the U.K. there are many argu- their existence. e World Wildlife Fund What does it do then, this Treaty that 10% that’s gone is the stu that made it “ at may be the case, but….” And so ments to support you. If you feel that the is also great place to start with lots of ide- gets a very few people excited and drives overly federalist. It actually just clears up it continues, ad in nitum, ad nauseum, future of Britain relies on better trade and as on how you can help save the panda. the rest of us into unconsciousness? It’s all the previous treaties and makes things forever and ever. defence links, then you’ll  nd equally valid A balance needs to be struck, and now is almost an exact replacement for the Euro- more representative and clear for every- If you are ever trapped between two arguments to support your feelings. the time to  nd it. pean Constitution from a few years back one. ere’s nothing really new in it” people who know a lot about the Treaty So, what do you think? ough for that would have given the E.U. an almost To which the critics say, “Ohhhh”, (which sadly, it seems I now do), the best God’s sake don’t tell me. I  nd the whole single-nation feel, some argue, with an also attempting to seem knowledgeable, course of action is to run away and  nd thing terribly dull…. Rachel Davies anthem, President and  ag-waving galore. “but what about the creation of posts like some people who are normal. If you’re not Jez Harvey 6 October Issue 2009 COMMENT www.seren.bangor.ac.uk Unsatisfying LGBT column by apology, sir? Emily Collins No, I’d rather just have my loan ’d like to apologise to you all you ordered shouldn’t be served for the following article on fake hot and they have some money f you have been living in a box or the cards’. Of course, we must place our read it. en they might not have man- Iapologies. Articles like this are you want, if you’ve already been misguided and in future, I will work caught doing something wrong, and underground for the past few weeks trust in Jan’s knowledge of gay sex and aged to lodge 21,000 complaints with my hardest to ensure that you, the everyone knows it, just give a real you might be among the minority of agree with her when she states that ‘the the Press Complaints Commission over little people, get exactly what you apology! I realise it must be diffi cult Ipeople who didn’t hear about, read and/ circumstances surrounding his death are one weekend. Phew, thank God for social deserve. to remember what being an ordinary, or make a complaint over the Jan Moir more than a little sleazy.’ networking sites. e article went viral Sadly, however much I’d like to, I decent human is like, but please, give piece in e Daily Mail. Ms. Moir – the Pretending for one moment that within hours of being posted and Twit- won’t, because I have absolutely no it your best shot! Otherwise when the delightful little soul – took it upon herself Moir’s comments aren’t bigoted and ter’s trending topic was ‘#thedailymailis- respect for you and will continue to do revolution comes, you’ll be getting to write a column on the tragic death of verging on slanderous, the overall mes- gay’ by the end of the day. e PCC had my best to get away with any sordid our best shot. ex-Boyzone member Stephen Gately. sage of the article is one of clear hate. to put a special link saying ‘if you’re com- little trick I can, for I am a politician. In terms of unsatisfying apologies, Whilst Stephen’s family members, In a time when it is illegal to commit plaining about Jan Moir’s piece, please This is what I think seems to be does anyone else feel better knowing going through the mind of any that the Higher Education Minister band mates and fans were all solemnly anything close to a ‘hate crime’ moti- click here’ on their website to manage the of our great leaders when would like to be sorry preparing for his funeral, Jan’s article en- vated by race or sexuality, it’s a wonder tra c. Jan, I think you’ve really started they’ve been caught with for some of us still not titled ‘Why there was nothing ‘natural’ that Moir hasn’t been arrested. I would something here. their hands in the cookie being able to pay rent, about Stephen Gately’s death’ appeared Which brings me onto a more jar (or worse one of their student fee’s and other on the Mail’s website. Did she have in- “The plan was to engage positive note… Despite Moir heavily researchers) and have to give little student frivolities like side information? A secret source with- implying that Stephen Gately died of a faux-pology to the cameras. food and drink? in the police investigation into his un- in a night of rough, a bad case of Gay Flu, the public reac- Jacqui Smith, the former Second Apparently, an fortunate demise? Perhaps she was even dangerous, drug-aided tion was one of outrage and – clearly Home Secretary, gave an absolute e x t e r n a l review will be privy to the exact circumstances of his – a great number of people felt strongly classic in this genre, well worthy carried out on the sex (probably including of winning a Fraudy at next years problems within death…? No, she’s just been theorising enough to complain. Whilst it is ter- an animal or two), Slimeball Awards. The fact that Student Finance all by herself; the clever sod. rible that anyone has a platform to this was delivered in the Houses of England (for more O cial reports into Gately’s death because that’s what gay publicly abuse a community of people Parliament added a touch of class, info, read the article have concluded that he died of natural men do, right?” like this, the silver lining is obvious. to what was otherwise, a fl awless by the devilishly witty causes – a tragic heart condition. He ere’s nothing like blatant homopho- faux-pology. Jez Harvey back a few was on holiday with his civil partner bia to highlight how many people – gay The mark of the true apology pages on the problems) and – so the story goes – had come home de nitely testify in the Moir vs. All Ho- or straight - are actually supportive of requires the apologiser to use by a former Vice- from a night out, bringing a friend with mosexuals case. As well as being entirely the cause. So, at the same time as hope- some grace and humility in the Chancellor and someone him. Of course – contrary to the expec- disrespectful towards Stephen Gately, she fully scanning the papers for news of face of the awful thing that from the Inland Revenue. they have done. I can see why Let’s just hope it isn’t the tations of every couple in history who also claims that his death ‘strikes another Jan Moir’s ‘drug and sex fuelled death’ I those who work in shops and same person in charge of has ever had a goodnight cup of co ee blow to the happy-ever-a er myth of would like to say a big ‘well done’ to all restaurants aren’t allowed to checking MP’s expenses, or with a mutual friend – the plan was to civil partnerships.’ of the lovely people who have caught up ever admit that they they may not realise what engage in a night of rough, dangerous, Myth? Oh Jan, you’ve really put your with us and see that this ‘very di erent did something the problem drug-aided sex (probably including an foot in it now. You’re lucky your column and more dangerous lifestyle’ ( anks wrong in case was. animal or two), because that’s what gay was posted online because otherwise the for that one, Jan) is actually something you decide men do, right? As Jan writes in her arti- 40,000+ couples who are literally liv- to be defended and treated with respect. that the Jez Harvey cle: ‘it is not disrespectful to assume that ing the myth in the UK currently might coffee a game of canasta was not what was on have missed out on the chance to A Survivor’s Account of Freshers Week Paul Dicken experiences life as a student from a more mature perspective we individually retained, that live off-campus in Deiniolen (8 miles organisers of the event (I suspect had managed to penetrate our from Bangor). the head man because of the way all ears which felt like they were I did join a few societies: the Welsh the staff deferred to him) asked me bleeding from overuse! Learners’ Society, Seren, the African- if I was OK. I explained I was there The main event of day three Caribbean Society (because they were to register but I’d dropped my wife was Serendipity which my the friendliest people at Serendipity), at the hospital and I was concerned sons (both ’90s graduates) the Christian Union, Unity (the LGBT to get back. He immediately said for had encouraged me to attend society to support my son) and a few me to come back tomorrow to register and, “Join everything Dad, others. I got some dry instant noodles if I could. I asked him if it would be you’ll love it. And you’ll get from the Lidl stand in their goodie bag possible to jump the queue and he a free Pot Noodle and a tin of but no baked beans! I also got a year’s took me up to collect my magic green my brand-new shiny School baked beans!” Well, I spent over two supply of pens and pencils, no less form and I was through registration in of History ones. We were told in our hours there and I have to be honest than fi ve (!) bottle openers, a mug, a 10 minutes! school induction that we have to look and say that like the Curate’s Egg, it torch, a mouse mat, some notepads I texted Christine and asked her inally today, fi ve frantic, for information in our email inbox, to call me as soon as she could. The bewildering, exhausting, on Blackboard (the University course “We have to look for information in our phone rang almost immediately in confusing, amusing, frustrating, F info board), notice boards in a dimly- response. I blurted out anxiously to exciting and even inspiring days pigeon holes and I suspect it is, in true lit corridor, in our pigeon holes and I Christine, “So what’s this about you have come to an end and I’m a fully- suspect, in true Harry Potter fashion, Harry Potter fashion, brought by owls.” going in for an immediate operation, fl edged, card-carrying ‘Is-raddedig / brought by owls. If you’ve seen our you said you were waiting for an op?” A Undergraduate’ at Bangor University. building, it does put you in mind of puzzled silence followed, then through I started the week planning to read Hogwarts but with marginally fewer was ‘good in parts’. (Google ‘Curate’s and far too many sweets, all of which helpless laughter she responded, “No, Welsh History and Archaeology and towers. I’m sure I shall miss vital Egg’ if that reference baffl es you.) My I gave away immediately! not an operation, I’m waiting for out- fi nally settled on Welsh History with information in all that lot! problem was that at 61 years old I The fi nal hurdle was Registration patients!” I wasn’t sure whether to be History (it makes sense even if it looks The Module Fair was a complete simply didn’t look like a student and (that capital ‘R’ is appropriate as it’s relieved or to kill her. odd!) with an intermediate level Welsh scrum, everybody attempting to get many people didn’t know whether to the culmination of the week) which And so all I have on my agenda language module. I’ve experienced the to desks of harassed lecturers and speak to me or not. I am sure nobody took place on day 4. The day was today is a social for mature students student frustration of hanging about administrators, staggering around was intentionally discourteous and complicated for me as doctor’s visit over a pint tonight. I’m not sure between sessions killing an hour here looking dazed and confused. My eventually I started to speak to people for my wife resulted in a very rapid whether I want to make a strong and there and concentrated on fi nding form with a changed course as some when they handed leafl ets to students appointment at Ysbyty Gwynedd and I association with mature students or all the places I could sit comfortably false starts would have presented a preceding and following me. Two dropped her at the hospital and drove not. I see myself as a student who and get a coffee. major problem in interpretation but people thought I wasn’t a student and on the mile or so to the University lives off-campus and want to make My personal tutor is a Welshman somehow seemed to have worked. another said they thought I wouldn’t to register. I was about the join the friends with my fellow students of all and we hit it off straight away. He By the end of day two, all of us be interested (but I was), and two 700 yard queue when my phone went ages. Later in the semester, I plan to helped me change my course and were bonding rapidly. This was mainly others simply apologised and gave me with a text. Christine had texted invite some home for Christine’s home sorted out the problems with my login because information overload meant literature. It’s going to mean positive me, “Had scan now waiting for op”. I cooked meals and to use our house to which still wanted to look at my IT we could only survive by piecing the choices on my part to fi t in: I’m three went white as a sheet – straight into relax. courses I did in the Spring rather than information together from the scraps times older than most students and I the operating theatre? One of the 7 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk COMMENT bean form. wages are what they deserve. But it Admittedly since seems like it still has a long way to then progress has go; according to ‘Ethical Consumer’ been made as magazine, Starbucks is lagging the company now seriously behind competitors such as takes on more of the railway kiosk fi rm AMT and the an active role in Marks and Spencer’s Café chain, as Sour Milk? promoting and they now sell only fair trade coffee. t was recently revealed that harder for smaller, local, independent delivering on ethical issues. It is now Social networking website Facebook global coffee chain Starbucks is businesses to compete and succeed - attempting to grow and source coffee has a group of four-and-a-half-million Iplanning to ‘re-brand’ many of the corporate forces often get away in a more responsible manner, and has people who list themselves as avid its outlets, moulding them so that with certain things going unnoticed, also opened up a specifi c ethically- Starbuck fans, and there are also they encompass a more homely and with customers being otherwise sound coffee plantation in Costa Rica other groups on the site with similar comfortable feel. The company’s vice preoccupied with the name, the to ensure farmer’s are working in the high number of followers such as the president Tim Pheffi er was quoted to brand, the image… c o n d i t i o n s ‘Starbuck Appreciation society’, ‘We say it was all about creating a greater Enter Starbucks, and all its a n d want a Starbucks NOW!’ and the ‘ I sense of “community personality’, but moral strife, particularly Love Frappuccino’ crew . Question Not all surely - there’s got to be more to it regarding the issue of though, when was the last time any than that, right? fair trade. In June 2008 of these people, or even you yourself, So called ‘coffee culture’ has it was estimated that were offered a fair-trade frappe? silence is undergone an incredible popularity around seven- The popularity here is blatant and increase within the last decade with and-a half-million just think by how much the above chains now being as commonplace producers and golden fi gures of Fair Trade benefi t could along the high street as newsagents, their families be increased if Starbucks actually his month President Obama ad- clothes shops, and ATM machines. were benefi ting delivered its fair trade promise. From across the pond came the highly from Fair Trade Sensing the heat they have mitted that the shocking “Don’t successful TV sitcom Friends which in some way or generated in an increasingly anti- ask, don’t tell” policy within the introduced us to ‘Central Perk’ with its another, meaning corporate society, they are now trying TUS military is in line to be scrapped. It enviably cool and hip vibe, with such that wages and to lose the ‘corpy’ stigma and make is a rule that forbids homosexuals from no doubt an infl uence in this growth working conditions a clean break from the black mark serving, and gay soldiers are prosecuted of coffee-house interest - particularly would respectable against their name with a change of if they reveal their sexuality. In a speech amongst the younger student and reasonable, identity. At the moment the initiative generation. Add to this the alluring however Fair Trade to the Human Rights Campaign he ex- is centred around the American pressed his exasperation at the punish- sway of European customs, which still only accounts stores, however it is believed to cross ment of patriotic Americans keen to convey coffee drinking as a social and for between one and the Atlantic in due course. This is all relaxing everyday norm, such a boom twenty percent of sales fi ne and good, however the ‘Copper serve their country and yet no time- in status and is not at all surprising. across Europe and Kettle’ will still be just as corporate if it frame has been produced. Sceptics on Named after a main character in the North America. In 2002 doesn’t change what is actually sold; both sides of the Atlantic have attacked classic novel ‘Mock Dick’, Starbucks Starbucks proudly, community notice boards, beans bags this lack of timescaling as a sign of an fi rst set sail in 1971 and since then and quite publicly, and local music and poetry is all well empty promise. has acquired eight-thousand shops announced it was going and good, but the best way to actually in across a staggering thirty-four to start supporting the boost the company’s image would be "It's easy for the gay different countries. The obvious notion of Fair Trade, to trade-fairly with Fair Trade one- community in Britain success of the coffee chain cannot but in practice this was hundred percent of the time. be questioned as it averages around actually only applied to The head of the media to take the last 12 years twenty-eight million (yes, million!) one selling one particular communication of the Worldwide for granted" customers every week, in spite of this coffee type on the basis Fair Trade organisation put is nicely though in recent years the company of an ‘offer of the week stating that “Starbucks needs to move Given the dreariness of current af- has been heavily criticised for being rotation; sales ploy quickly and catch up.’’ They do aim to fairs at home, many British politicos a dangerous corporate infl uence; an disguised as a good-deed, do this by 2015, but that is still a good can be forgiven for being drawn to the ubiquitous force that is driven by perhaps? Staff have also six years away. A makeover might scene in the States, dominated by char- capitalist gain. been reported as being make things seem better, but it’s what However, today’s generation is completely ignorant to ismatic  gures Obama and Hillary Clin- in the coffee cup that really counts. ton. ese certainly o er more charm becoming more and more aware of the issue, often stating So disguising yourself as and magnetism than Messrs Brown or the damage that corporate domination it is only on a certain independent but still selling the same can lead to; in one sense, yes, big day of the week you can and somewhat corporate product? A Cameron. Yet in doing so, we threaten operational companies do provide buy Fair Trade coffee, or very-short term caffeine fi x I feel. to abandon tackling issues at home in fa- a sense of comfort and stability as – even more ridiculously vour of merely observing those abroad. these ‘founding pillars’ of a city centre for a takeaway café that e truth is, gay rights in the UK have are always going to be there but - at is meant to provide instant Victoria Osten only just been brought up to date, practi- the same time as making it much refreshment – in the dry cally entirely due to the e orts of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. However we are so attentive to the stigma of their as- sociation with George W Bush and the Diary of a disenchanted teacher American Republicans that even those of us who have gained the most despise hen friends and family use the word (for the 18 lessons per week that you are teaching) them nonetheless. Despite British ho- ‘teacher’ with reference to me, I feel quite have specifi c boxes for each step of the lesson, mosexuals still being unable to marry, proud. I’m not a teacher yet, at least the point in the KS (acronym count: 5) curriculum W and while gay men remain banned not in the eyes of the government QTS (acronym the pupils are working at and the methods you will count: 1) scheme, I’m only an ITT (acronym take to ensure no pupil steps out of line (my god, from donating blood, without Blair and count: 2) – a trainee teacher – on my PGCE course what if they don’t conform?). Brown the gay community would have (acronym count: 3) but I still feel like I represent Conformity is not limited to the training, as it gone without sixteen major advances something positive in their eyes. I must seem a is such an obviously effective way to keep a large in rights, from the equal age of consent pillar of society; shaping the generations to come number of pupils in line between 8.30am and 3pm. to the illegalisation of homophobic hate with my perfect ideals, inspiring the eager young But I have a genuine fear that the youngsters crimes. Without Blair and Brown, Brit- minds to aim higher with my zest for mathematics. currently in our schools won’t even know what it is ain’s armed forces would be as closed o Right? Wrong. to be an individual. to gay citizens as that of the US. Despite My main irritation at the PGCE scheme is that it They must wear identical uniforms with all this, despite civil partnerships and doesn’t create good teachers. It churns out clones absolutely no scope for making the uniform of what the government considers their own, their hair must be equal employment rights and the Gen- ‘effective’ teachers; people who "My God, what if ‘suitable’, they mustn’t wear der Recognition Act, the gay community manage to create high GCSE make-up, they shouldn’t ‘go out’ is quick to dismiss Labour and either grades and keep their classes they don’t with classmates, they certainly throws itself into the melee of US gay staring quietly at the board. shouldn’t hold hands in the rights or else allows itself to be tempted Among these, of course, there will conform??" corridors, they mustn’t ask by shallow and meaningless Tory gim- be excellent teachers. But those questions that aren’t related to micks like the resentful apology for the teachers will be the people who have managed the lesson and under absolutely no circumstances monstrous Section 28. With an election to pretend to teach the government’s way for the are they allowed to talk to the teachers they required next year, and with so much to duration of their PGCE and their NQT (acronym spend 40% of their waking hours with about their count: 4) year before fi nally being allowed to teach personal experiences of life (I mean, what would thank Labour for, surely we cannot sim- in a positive way. we do if they started telling them about love or ply ignore all this? It’s similar to the driving test. Everyone realises happiness?). It's easy for the gay community that your driving lessons are actually teaching you Okay, I’ve gotten a little off topic here. But when in Britain to take the last 12 years for to pass a test; not to drive well. No one actually I’m in front of a class of students, my knowledge granted. With a huge erosion of civil lib- checks all of their mirrors and blind spots every of top-heavy fractions has absolutely nothing to erties in the name of the ‘war on terror’ time they move, honestly. Once you’ve convinced do with how much they learn from my teaching. a smokescreen of cynicism can blind us the government that you can do it their way, you I’ve been forced to take seminars on How To Be to the huge and profound improvements get your license and you’re free to drive in a logical, Confi dent so that I can control a class of unruly gay people’s lives have seen since 1997. more natural way. With the PGCE you have to pay students and lessons on what witty comebacks to do on-the-job training for a year, then you have I can use on smart-ass pupils whilst remaining We can grow cold to our own govern- to work a ‘probationary period’ (your NQT year) to appropriate. They just seem to really be missing ment and turn abroad for the optimism prove yourself even more, then you are allowed to something… they’re human beings. I don’t need of Barack Obama and his warming rhet- teach in your own way. to sell them my product or achieve high viewer oric of hopefulness, and so forget that Everything on a PGCE must fi t into a box on a ratings, it’s my job to form them into decent gay rights are a constantly evolving issue, form. There is absolutely no room for individuality, human beings, not statistics on the government’s not simply a matter of getting there and from the teachers or students. Your lesson plans listings. Emily Collins turning away. 8 October Issue 2009 FEATURES www.seren.bangor.ac.uk

Nick Major asks how ethical can our “Fairtrade” university be if they stock Coca Cola products?

iller Coke is the name of legal responsibility if something world’s drinking needs for 10 days!” commercial for black history month in Teras, downstairs in the Main Arts an Amnesty International horrendous happens to the workers (3) With over 1.2 billion people America. Building and buy a coffee from Kcampaign against The Coca who, effectively, work for them. It has around the world without access to One of Coca-Cola’s counter- the Fairtrade machine they have Cola Company. The integration of been suggested that The Coca-Cola clean drinking water, a fundamental arguments is that it takes part in installed, you will no doubt notice the Fairtrade products into university’s Company have also been involved human right, then what gives Coca- what is called “Corporate Social strange paradox you are suddenly food policy raises some interesting in anti-trade union activity in Turkey Cola the right to take what little water Responsibility”. This basically means thrown into. As you slot your money questions about fair trade and ethics and Ireland, which includes forcing there is in drought prone areas for companies construct a series of in you may well hear the familiar at the university. If the move to stock workers to resign from trade unions their own commercial gain? programmes, projects, charitable rattle of a can falling into the tray at Fairtrade products in the university’s and corroboration with governmental Lastly, the company was involved in pledges, codes of conduct and impact the bottom of a vending machine – as cafes and shops shows a willingness armed forces to quell any worker racial discrimination during the 1960s. investments to show the benefi cence you have been spending money that to take a moral stance on what rebellions. Martin Luther King’s last speech of the company. (5) They invest in will go to help producers maintain a type of products it invests in good quality of life for their families, and sells then why are they someone else directly behind you still stocking and selling a wide Martin Luther King: Withdraw your support for has just given money to a company range of products from the Coca- who, I believe, systematically strips Cola Company? Is it because they“ Coca-Cola others of their basic human rights. simply do not know of the alleged If you wander into the Students’ massive human rights abuses and In India The Coca-Cola before he was assassinated called for ethical initiatives to help people ” in Union shop to quench your thirst you environmental atrocities carried out Company have been accused of “African Americans to withdraw their disadvantaged situations and help will be met with the opportunity to by one of the world’s biggest, if not overexploitation and pollution of economic support for protect the environment, presumably buy the new Fairtrade cola, Ubuntu the biggest, corporation? water sources. According to the India companies if they out of the goodness of their heart. (which the Students’ Union have What is wrong with drinking a Resource Centre “communities living haven’t been fair in Undoubtedly, in a world that revolves rightly and nobly incorporated into Coke? around Coca-Cola’s bottling plants in their hiring policies” around money this does help people, their range) or you might be tempted The answer put simply is this: I again by a variation of Coca-Cola, believe The Coca Cola Company is one Sprite, Lilt, Fanta or Dr. Pepper – you of the world’s most sinister human get the point. rights and environmental abusers, What to do? but you can decide for yourself. If you don’t already know about The Coca-Cola Company have Coca-Cola’s practices (and many been taken to court in the United people don’t) People & Planet and States after the murder and silencing Bangor Amnesty Student Society of Sinaltrainal trade union members strongly urge you to go forth an in Colombia. The lawsuits charge investigate the company by doing that Coca-Cola’s bottlers in Columbia your own research on websites “contracted with or otherwise such as www.killercoke.org or www. directed paramilitary security forces cokejustice.org or try and pick that utilized extreme violence and up a copy of Mark Thomas’s book murdered, tortured, unlawfully Belching Out the Devil. If this article detained or otherwise silenced trade has done enough to persuade you union leaders.”(1) This anti-trade that the Coca-Cola Company have union activity allegedly carried out questionable morals then you can by the Coca-Cola bottling plants start your own personal boycott; contravenes the UN Declaration of luckily the friendly people at Coca- Human Rights Article 20,1: ‘Everyone Cola have a list of their brands on has the right to peaceful assembly and their website so you can check out association.’ What do The Coca-Cola what to avoid. If you want to be part Company make of the accusations of a wider campaign then People & made against their bottling plants? Planet and Bangor Amnesty Student They deny “any connection to any Society will be campaigning and human-rights violation of this type” calling on the University not to stock and disassociate themselves from products from the corporation. the bottling plants by saying that I n d i a are experiencing that is, favouring white workers but in (1) ht t p : / / w w w. k i l l e r c o ke . o r g / “The Coca-Cola Company does not severe water shortages – directly as a over black workers. One of three r e l a t i o n to Coca- cokefl yer1.pdf own or operate any bottling plants result of Coca-Cola’s over extraction companies that were targeted for Cola’s other p r a c t i c e s (2) Thomas, Mark Belching out the in Columbia.” (2) They distance of groundwater. A government study boycotting that night was Coca-Cola. their social responsibility appears Devil (Random House, 2008), pg. 36 themselves from the bottling plants in in the desert state of Rajasthan Dr. Kings exact words were, “we are to amount to more or less a PR (3) http://www.indiaresource.org/ the same way that clothing companies found that ground water levels have asking you tonight, to go out and tell campaign. campaigns/coke/2004/Brochure.pdf (eg. Nike) distance themselves from dropped 10 meters in just fi ve years your neighbours not to buy Coca- How pervasive are Coca-Cola? (4) Thomas, Mark Belching out the sweatshops – by outsourcing their since Coca-Cola started operations. Cola in Memphis.” (4) The Coca-Cola Here are just a few examples Devil (Random House, 2008), pg. 7 production to factories around the In 2004, Coca-Cola used 283 billion Company seem to have forgotten this of where to fi nd Coca-Cola in the (5) Thomas, Mark Belching out the world. This way they can avoid any litres of water – enough to meet the piece of history when they aired a university: if you venture into Cafe Devil (Random House, 2008), pg. 154

The Caretaker - Harold Pinter James McAllister reviews the Harold Pinter play that is set in a league of its own.

eing a Pinter virgin, ‘The Care- ceased to be funny. I felt Aston, The third character, Aston’s other in the play, for me, was taker’ was an interesting play played by Peter McDonald star of brother Mick played by Tom a monologue by Davies. We Bto start off with. It is a play of Spooks, fed off this atmosphere Brooke, acted as a catalyst to the hear a rudimentary telling of a an elderly drifter who is taken in by very well. McDonald’s character uncomfortable atmosphere. Tom humorous story when Davies, two brothers. Set in a pokey room reveals a peculiar past, which Brooke’s ‘likely lad’ character had Jonathan Pryce’s character, of a derelict house, it allows the au- was enough to make me feel the ability to intimidate audience turns the punch line into a dience to gain access to the basics uncomfortable, combined with his and cast alike. The brutal honesty serious social class comment. of human emotions and comedy in simple expressions and chillingly about his character meant that I This line is delivered in such this stripped down environment. calm nature. At one point in the play was left wondering whether it was a a way that it personally sent Having read the play previously, shivers down I was very curious to see how This line is delivered in such a way that it my spine. In this would be presented on the my opinion it is stage. personally sent shivers down my spine. moments such Jonathan Pryce, star of as this that make Pirates of the Caribbean, played a “we witness a haunting monologue front. I felt in comparison to his co- the play what it is very interesting Davies, a homeless from Aston which all at once unlocks stars, Mick seemed to be in a league and so worth going to see. old man who was down on his luck. his character. At one moment I felt a of his own. It” is currently showing at Pryce was able to portray many complete stranger to the characters Pinter himself said, “The the Everyman in Liverpool curious mannerisms through the but the next I felt unifi ed with Davies Caretaker is funny, up to a point. until the 31st October. To pre- character. . The lack of character about his suspicions, whilst also Beyond that point, it ceases to be book, the tickets range from development and spontaneity of sympathising with Aston’s situation. funny, and it was because of that £9-£20. It is a defi nite must Davies allowed us access to view It was surprising shifts like this that point that I wrote it.” One instance see. the moment when the comedy kept on drawing me back in. that illustrates this better than any UNION 9 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk FEATURES withwith StaceyStacey GannonGannon Summer is now well and truly over (since around June for those who stayed in Bangor!) It’s It’sgettingFashion the middle crisp andof the cold term from and the I’m autumnsure you’ve weather, been out so let’sspending wrap your up warmloan in and a sensible see what way jackets (in Time andFashion Academi) and its getting to the important question of what do I wear?! Here’s our quick fi x from will make you look stunning whilst battling with Mother Nature. Peacocks and New Look for this semesters must haves!!

New Look £25 Peacocks Shirt £35 Peacocks £14 New Look £18 £35 Shirt Dress £12 £12

Belt £6

Waist- Leggings Military £8 coat jackets have Mac jackets £18 The have been featured been coming in and Quilted jacket is featured In in many of the Autumn/ Jeans out of seasons over the Winter collections from throughout men’s Bangor you £25 last couple of years. Now fashion for this Autumn. Chloe to Tommy Hilfi ger. may know (or are they’re back and even if High-profi le quilted jackets It is very popular in Dress about to fi nd out) the this is the last time, it will are produced by Barbour£21 camel and beige. weather is unpredictable, be seen for a while. It and have been increasing Jeans represents a classic, in popularity over the so you need a lightweight vintage look. rain jacket. Quick drying, £10 last few years. so by the time your lecture has fi nished Shoes you can race the £20 rain home.

Shoes This casual/ £18 smart combo has We all saw the Bright colours chequered shirts. reached an all Everyone had one. time high and is still work with 80’s neons are simple and effec- Be the FIRST to funky hair colours. set the new trend fl attering in big tive to achieve. Greens and blues of stripes like this patterns with a You could have all compliment red The colour for this Year’s 2009 Autumn/Winter collectionversion is purplefrom New and plain background. this for £24 from hair colours violet. If you fi nd that you don’t like this colour or it clashes with your From 13thThis ofdress September is Peacocks. exceptionally well. Look. from New Look hair, try greens and beigeThis which outfi t come are still very in season. to the 15th of October from Peacocks. Peacocks will be offering 20% student discount, and 10% over the rest of the year. Do you have love for the 80’s?New Look also has 10% student he start of the winter 09-10 most women look like American I am sorry to disappoint any pieces with poppers on the crotch. autumn/ winter collection, Football players. It was quite frankly fashionista’s that this spring/ Yet in spite of this something Thad promise. Bring hope Emphasisdisappointing on and I couldn’t wait summer collection mainly consists of bad comes out of something good, for something fresh, new and to hear on next season hoping for 90’s themes and replica’s fromTo bum complement Kitten heels are back so no more Make up Tipsthe purpletones inventive.Run out We of got old, Smokey w o r r i e s reused, excuses to about sore causemascara? disasters. Try The We have moved on swiftly to avoid the shoulder pads, making feet at the 80’s using known liquid as one of end of the worst decades for most women look like American Football players. the night. fashion,eyeliner brought and backan “ This does withold vengeance masacara with more frills, something that in 20 years will still bags, to cycle shorts (the clue is in mean that the loved Louboutin red lips brightis a rufflbrush es and neon’sto create than was needed.main look focus tolerable, this instead of bring out the name of the only time these thisare is out and Jimmy Choo could be Thankfully we have moved on swiftly the comment “it was the fashion back eyesappropriate) although they aren’t making a” come back. the same kind to avoid theof shouldereffect. pads, making then”. aremeant still toin bestyle, worn alone and one to get the best 10 October Issue 2009 UNION www.seren.bangor.ac.uk To B(NP) This year, we seem to have quite a lot of cards for our wallets... So, here’s some clarifi cation about the University or Union or not to cards you might have (and what they’re actually for). B(NP),

What is it? 1. ‘Student ID Card’ This card proves you are a student at Bangor University that is the and doubles as proof of your automatic membership of Bangor Students’ Union. What does it look like? question... Blue for undergraduates and red for postgraduates. It features your details, a barcode, the University logo and the Students’ Union logo. f Nick Gri n were to give a public What does it do? speech at one of our Students’ Union - Provides swipe access to some University buildings and rooms events, would you attend? Should - Entitles you to vote in Students’ Union elections Ithe Students’ Union even allow a plat- - Allows you to borrow books from University libraries form to the BNP for them to promote Where do I get one?! their values and ideologies? Should your - New students for 2009/10 should have received this card at Registration during Welcome Week SU o er a stage to any other organisa- - Other students will already have one from their fi rst year here tion that is linked, allegedly or actually, - If you lose this card then you will need to visit Deiniol Library to racism, xenophobia and intolerance? for a replacement At the time of writing, the leader of the BNP Nick Gri n, is about to appear on BBC’s Question Time, and as such, the topic of free speech vs. no platform 2. ‘Discount Card’ (NUS Extra/Love Bangor Card) is very relevant. At the next SU Senate meeting (27th October), students will What is it? This card is the offi cial nationally recognised student discount be discussing and debating the pros and card and, with the automatic addition of our ‘Love Bangor’ cons, the rights and wrongs, the do’s and feature, can be used locally too. don’ts when it comes to o ering a plat- What does it look like? form to organisations such as the BNP or EXTRA Predominantly lime green with the NUS logo on the front and the National Front. the Bangor SU and Love Bangor logos on the back. It is without doubt a di cult subject What does it do? to debate. Does the fact that we live in It will bag you lots of savings and promotions offered by a wide a democratic society outweigh the SU’s range of local and national businesses including the University and the SU duty of care to its students, especially 982612 1234 7654 9185 Where do I get one?! those from minority groups? Does the dob: 14/10/89 - www.bangorstudents.com SU’s commitment to equality prevail Simon Chang exp: 09/10 over the argument that you are adults Newcastle University Union Society and can make up your own mind as to who you want to listen to? At what point does not o ering a platform become 3. ‘Students’ Union Activities Card’ censorship? How would an organisa- tion such as ours police any policy that What is it? banned organisations and topics of a This card is required by all students involved in clubs and sensitive nature? societies run by the Students’ Union e ‘No Platform’ issue is one that is What does it look like? Predominantly white, featuring the Bangor SU logo and your o en di cult to draw to a conclusion. photo; at the bottom of the card are different coloured strips NUS have a no platform policy and sug- representing the area(s) in which you are involved. gest that Students’ Unions adopt some- What does it do? thing similar. We currently don’t have - proves your membership of the AU and/or Societies and/or one and it is my belief that either way, UMCB (Welsh Union) departments Bangor Students’ Union should have an - insures you to take part in club and society activities opinion on this issue. Where do I get one?! Come along and add your voice to From the Students’ Union (ask at reception) the debate at Students’ Union Senate, the To fi nd out what clubs and societies you can join please visit http://www.bangorstudents.com next two of which take place on Tues- day the 27th October and Tuesday 17th November, in the Main Arts Council Chamber from 6:45pm onwards. Don’t forget to join the other 2000+ students on our offi cial SU Facebook group; search for the group Spencer George called “Bangor Students’ Union” (Deputy President)

MCB (Bangor Welsh Students’ time to get a part-time job, it will just want a taster session to pick up opportunities Union) is the part of Bangor also help in pronouncing your new some phrases or to practice your and exposes UUniversity Students’ Union address! People with bilingual skills Welsh outside of the classroom. you to a brand that deals with all things Welsh, are generally more creative, good Not all Welsh traditions involve new culture! (except for the weather) and at maths, lateral thinkers and are sheep; they also involve wooden For more represents Welsh speakers, likely to earn 8-10% more than shoes and naked fl ames – so why i n f o r m a t i o n learners, and those with a general their monolingual counterparts. Plus not come along and celebrate the m o n t h ! ) c o n t a c t interest in the language and culture. think of all that extra information Welsh culture? to inter-collegiate the UMCB Although you may have come you can pick up from listening in to UMCB holds loads of events to dances, Eisteddfods and rugby trips, p r e s i d e n t , to Bangor for a degree – you’re twice the conversations! promote the Welsh language and there’s something for everyone! Not Sharyn Williams: umcb@undeb. probably here for at least the next UMCB can help learners with culture that are open to all students only does socialising within UMCB bangor.ac.uk three years so you may as well fi nding courses; Cymdeithas - from Clwb Cymru nights every improve your chances of picking up learn some of the local lingo! Not Llywelyn (the Welsh learners’ Thursday in Academi (Welsh and Welsh – even if you’re not actively only will it be an advantage when society) provides all of the help and English language music and live trying to learn it – it also doubles your overdraft says that it may be support that you need whether you bands on the last Thursday of every your social and entertainment 11 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk UNION Give it a Go week 7th - 14th Nov angor Students’ Union is offering you the chance to have fun, get involved and try something new without having to commit yourself to anything. So for one week only we are running heaps of one Boff BRILLIANT events that should make you smile and keep you out of mischief! And not one of them Beaumaris Fireworks trip involves alcohol! Fancy getting out of Bangor for the day? Then get on board! We have got some brilliant trips planned for First up is the annual trip to Beaumaris to you and they start from as little as a pound! Want to get some friends together and be a little bit silly? Then watch the amazing fi reworks. This is one come along to our Wii night in the Basement and take part in the Arctic Roll Challenge! Want to do your bit of our most popular trips and offers all for charity? Then fi ll a shoebox for the Rotary Shoebox Appeal! the things you need for Bonfi re night – We really want you to really enjoy your time here in Bangor and give things a try that you might never fi reworks, toffee apples and sparklers! have thought possible. There are loads of different events toto try, fi so nd why out don’t the you full get involvedschedule, and GIVEgo to IT The Students’ Union is putting on A GO! Here’s a selection of what’s on offer during the week - transport to Beaumaris from Bangor so www.bangorstudents.com that you get to see the action up close and we will only charge you a pound. That’s right! One shiny pound! Once we get there, Beaumaris Town Council will ask you to pay Sunday 8th November £2.50 to access the areas where you can watch the fi reworks and we promise you, it is well Welsh Mountain Zoo worth it! You MUST book your place as there are We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo! And you can limited spaces. To do this, all you have to do is come too! come along to the Students Union and see Ceri in Set high above Colwyn Bay with panoramic views the activities offi ce on the 3rd fl oor. and breathtaking scenery, The Welsh Mountain Zoo Time: Pick up outside the Union at 5.15pm, back is home to an amazing variety of animals. Roam the at approx 8.30pm wooded pathways, relax on the grassy slopes and Venue: Beaumaris spend a lovely day learning about many rare and Price: £1.00 per person (+£2.50 in Beaumaris) endangered species from Britain and around the world including Snow Leopards (including two brand Saturday 7th November new twin cubs!), Chimpanzees, Red Pandas and Sumatran Tigers! Enjoy the Penguin Parade, Chimp Encounter, Bear Falls, New Condor Haven and the Children’s Farm plus much more. Visit the New ‘Sea lions Rock’ and watch the Californian Sea lions being trained. For the bargain price of just £6, you will get your transport from the Union and your entry fee into the zoo. So what are you waiting for? Come and get your ticket from Ceri in the Students’ Union now! Again, You MUST book your place as there are limited spaces! Time: Pick up outside the Union at 10.30am, back at approx 4.00pm Venue: Colwyn Bay Price: £6.00 per person

Tuesday 10th November - University Challenge The fabulous People and Planet society will be hosting the highly acclaimed Age of Stupid fi lm. We’re looking to put together Bangor University’s team for the forthcoming BBC recordings. Age of stupid takes a unique look at how climate If you think you’ve got the knowledge to take on Paxman then come along with 4 of your mates change may have affected the world as we know and take part in our University Challenge quiz for a chance to be part of the team! It is free to it by the year 2055. This enormously ambitious enter and is taking place at Bar Uno from 8pm onwards. drama-documentary-animation hybrid is a Time: 20:00 Venue: Bar Uno Price: Free! must see so don’t miss out on your chance of attending! Time: 20:00 Venue: M.A.L.T Price: Free! Tuesday 10th November

This year, Bangor Students’ Union with SVB have decided to support the Rotary Shoebox appeal within our Give it a Go programme! Throughout the year Rotary send thousands of shoeboxes full of gifts to children and their families in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. You can make your own individual gift and help these people by fi ling one of the shoeboxes. Boxes are split into three categories and any items from any of the below would be gratefully received because even the smallest item can make a huge difference. Thursday 12th November Toys such as ‘Matchbox’ type toy cars, small Wii Night and Arctic Roll Challenge bouncy balls, jigsaws, fl uffy toys, dolls, colouring By far and away the coolest night in Give It A Go, books, felt tip pens, Lego, yoyos, bubble blow, etc. come and join us tonight down in the Basement for Teenagers- Please remember boxes for teenage some very silly, chilly fun! All through the night you will boys and girls up to the age of 18. Such as: Rotary Shoebox Appeal be able to take part in some Wii fun and then we will make-up, toiletries, sportswear, scarf, gloves, hat, be giving you the chance to eat an arctic roll in a super writing materials, deodorants, comb, mirror, football Monday 9th – fast time and be crowned champion! memorabilia, etc Household Goods such as hand soap, toothpaste and Time: Wii games start at 7.30pm, Arctic Roll Friday 13th November brushes, envelopes, letter paper, biro pens, etc. Challenge will be a various points throughout the night Toys are especially appreciated, since these boxes can be Venue: The Basement, Students Union Building used for birthday gifts. Price: £1 to enter the arctic roll challenge! This box is also good for the elderly, especially if a warm scarf or a pair of gloves is included. 12 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk

This year Willow is breaking free from the confi nes of Bangor to bring you reports from places as exotic as Llandudno and Anglesey. So I think you’ll agree that this year promises to be an even better one than the last.

pon approaching Bangor one of the Ok now you can wake up! On a rainy my legs) and I have been told that this is main features which stands out is the day Penrhyn castle is a great place to because people used to sleep sitting up (the Umagnifi cent Penrhyn Castle. This mock visit as there is so much to see inside the stewards may or may not have been pulling castle is not only a majestic stately home but manor house. The house holds a unique my leg when they told me this). My favourite it also houses one of Wales’ most extensive furniture collection and one of best private room in the house is the grandiose dining art collections, has beautiful grounds for art collections in Wales. The interior of room where Queen Elizabeth II dined. walks and informative exhibitions. the house has a gothic and ostentatious Outside the castle the walled garden is Firstly some condensed history (yawn); cathedral like interior design. One of its main home to many tropical plants and in the Penrhyn Castle was originally a medieval attractions is the main staircase which has summer there are always events going on fortifi ed manor house such as food festivals, and in 1438, Ioan ap jewellery exhibitions Gruffudd founded the I like to spot all of the gargoyles in the and the chance to abseil stone castle adding a down the ice tower tower house. In the staircase and compare them to people I know (can I just add off- nineteenth century topic here that I once George Dawkins Pennant appointed fl ights of stone steps leading through richly abseiled down the marquis column). The Thomas Hopper to transform the manor ornamented stone arches. I like to spot all of stable blocks also house a dolls exhibition, house into a neo-Norman mansion the gargoyles in the stair case and compare a railway museum and most interestingly an using money acquired through sugar them to people I know (trust me this can fi ll exhibition to commemorate the bi-century of plantations in Jamaica (stay with me...). hours as I did a work placement in Penrhyn the abolition act of parliament as the Castle Unfortunately for the Pennant family, in Castle two years ago). is a product of the Atlantic slave trade. 1951 Penrhyn Castle was accepted by Another of the houses main attractions With such a famous landmark situated the Treasury through death duties, it is the very uncomfortable looking one ton right on our door step there is no excuse now belongs to the National Trust and is slate bed in the state bedroom where Queen not to visit Penrhyn Castle which is defi nitely one of the most highly thought of mock Victoria once took a snooze. The bed is quite worth a trip. Norman Castles in the UK. short (even I wouldn’t be able to stretch

nother way to step back in time is worth a visit itself and is apparently the mid 1860’s and runs for 7 ½ miles place to get off for a panad. and experience the past is through where ‘Wales Welcomes the World’ with along the banks of the River Dee from The trains run most weekends all year Ataking a trip on one of the many many festivals held in the Royal Pavilion. Llangollen to Carrog and back. The steam and during the week in the summer. heritage railway steam trains in North/ If you don’t fancy a trip on the steam train is quite speedy and I would strongly There are also steam train events coming Mid Wales. These steam trains run train as I did there are also canals with recommend this trip if you are a fan of up such as the ‘Ride with the Rocket fi re through some of the most picturesque horse-drawn boats and the Pontcysyllte The Railway Children. Feeling like a true work train’ on November the 5th, the areas of North Wales and allow you to aqueduct which is over 1000 feet long, Victorian I sat at the table graciously murder mystery on the 7th and ‘Santa experience these corners without having both sound equally as entertaining. There observing the river and stately homes Specials’ throughout December. So if you to take a step. are plenty of places to eat too, I chose which we passed. Then feeling more like a have already visited Penrhyn Castle as I For those of you who drive, the fun the Corn Mill as it was set overlooking dog I decided to stick my head out of the suggested, pop down to Llangollen for a (ha) starts when you leave Bangor as the the River Dee in an eighteenth century window for the majority of the duration of fun fi lled day. best way to get to Llangollen I think is watermill with original iron water wheel the trip and got my face covered in soot, through Snowdonia, on the winding A5 still in place and turning. narrowly avoiding decapitation when we which will take you just under an hour and The Llangollen Railway replaced the entered the tunnel. There are a few a half. Llangollen, the gateway to Wales canal as the livelihood of the town in quaint little stations along the way and a

I decided to stick my head out of the window for the majority of the duration of the trip narrowly avoiding decapitation 13 Freshers’ Issue 2009 O v e r www.seren.bangor.ac.uk the summer Bangor’s student radio station, Storm FM had a makeover. Everything has changed!STORM Gone are the old jingles and & dated logo.SVB We’re back looking and more importantly, sounding cooler than ever before! We want YOU to get involved and help; after all it is Bangor’s STUDENT sound. So whether you want to be the next Chris Moyles, Terry Wogan or John Humphries, we have so many opportunities for you. We have a music team, and many more. If you are interested in revolution in student radio then please news team, production team stormfm.com being a part of the new for details on becoming email GET IN secretary@ TOUCH! a member. We love hearing from you, so if you have any requests or comments, here are the details! Phone 01248 388048 Text STORM + your message to 60300 E-mail us: studio@ stormfm.com Visit the website and fi ll the NIFTY LITTLE FORM

THE THURSDAY NIGHT LATE BIT

If you fi nd yourself by a radio or clicking your way through Facebook on a Thursday night between 10 and 12 then ‘The Thursday Night Late Bit’ on Storm FM with Cameron Ward could brighten up those two hours… There’s a song from every year of this decade in the noughties at nine past ten, we sum the weather up in a noise and Cameron asks for your opinions on the big issues of our time! Should tomato sauce be kept in the fridge? Are fi ve Ps the most annoying coin? 10pm, Thursday. Hopefully see you there!

BIG WILL’S CLASSICAL COUNTDOWN

Big Will’s Classical Countdown focuses on the very best of classical music. Every week we choose a different theme or composer and countdown the top ten. But this isn’t just me playing my favourite pieces of music. The top ten is voted for by you. So if you’re a fan of the classics or just want to unwind with some truly beautiful songs, tune in to Big Will’s Classical Countdown with Will Bulteel, every Thursday from 5-6pm!

MENAGE A TROIS

Ménage a Trois brings Will Bulteel, Rob Hobbs and Matt Ison to you every Sunday from 6.30-8pm. The show was started two years ago with one thing in mind: banter. The trio take the Michael out of each other and even the audience each week and play not just the best tracks of today, but some classic anthems as well. If you fancy joining in the madness, listen in every Sunday. The Ménage a Trois: because sometime two just isn’t satisfaction enough!

Volunteers recently helped out at the University’s 125 Celebrations. A huge thanks to everyone who took partth Anniversary on the day.

tudent Volunteering Bangor is enjoying a successful start to the new academic year with a considerable increase in the number of students wanting to volunteer. If you’ve been trying hard Sto get a place on one of our many projects but you’ve not yet been successful, don’t worry, there’s still plenty of projects recruiting volunteers. We’re currently looking for enthusiastic people to take part in our environmental projects which are great for those of you looking for one-off volunteering opportunties and not wishing to commit to anything long term. We’re in the process of establishing a city clean up project so if anyone out there knows of any grotty back alleys or manky green spaces in need of some TLC, let us know! Our Beach Clean project will shortly be recruiting volunteers so if you fancy a nice relaxing afternoon on one of North Wales’ beautiful beaches, then come and join us. Well, the ‘relaxing’ part’s a bit of pork pie but the beaches around here are stunning! We’re also shortly about to launch our new website (well, our new part of the SU website!) which will include a lot more detail about each of our projects and how you can get involved. We’ve also included an FAQs section which will hopefully dispel any myths you may have heard about volunteering – it’s true we don’t actually make people dress up as 6ft tigers! As well as all the hard work, we’ve got a fantastic SIN night in the pipeline for November 24th – you will not want to miss it! Also, for those of you wondering whether there’s going to be a Moulin Rouge night this year, fear not, it shall be back in the new year bigger and better! Seren’s very own agony aunts are here to answer all your problems. Big or small, they’ve got an answer for you. Contact them [email protected]. ac.uk if you have a question you need solving Social Q - it’s my fi rst year at Bangor University and I’ve found it hard to fi nd genuine like minded friends. Although my fl at mates are nice, I have not been able to jell with them. How can I fi nd some friends like me?

A - Join a club which you have an interest in; although you may have to start off on your own you will make a whole team of new friends who share that same interest with you. There are not just sport clubs there are all different kinds and it is not too late to join. Make an effort with your fl at mates as you might fi nd you have more in common than you fi rst thought. Spend time getting to know your course mates as your chosen subject is the one thing which will instantly bond you together. Don’t be so narrow minded when being introduced to people who don’t fi t into your ‘type’ of friends who you want or are used to. As university is all about new experiences and with these come new people also.

Disclaimer: They aren’t professionals, just Relationships two sensative souls who hope to help. Q- I’m in a relationship with someone at home and since coming to university things have changed dramatically. We have been together for over a year but now the distance and lack of spending time together has driven us apart. We argue all the time but when I go home we can pretend things are normal but for the weeks in-between it’s hell. What am I going to do?

A - It is entirely up to you whether this relationship is going to work. It must be a joint decision as to whether you both have the motivation to make the relationship work. You must keep communicating even if you are not going to see each other for a few weeks, a conversation about your day will keep you close. However if the arguing continues and the issues cannot be resolved it may be a sensible idea to terminate the relationship. Your experience at University is priceless and unique to each individual and we would not advise you to jeopardise it for anybody. Sexual Health Q – I am in my third year and met my boyfriend when we were both in our fi rst year at Bangor. We have always been sensible when it came to contraception and always took the right precautions. However this last month I missed my period. I’m petrifi ed to tell my boyfriend as I am unsure of his reaction.

A – First of all you must take a pregnancy test; these are available free from the Students’ Union advice centre (2nd fl oor). The opening hours are Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm. This is not to say you are 100% pregnant as this situation is common in many women. But it is vital you take a pregnancy test anyway if only for peace of mind. Our advice is to tell your boyfriend because despite his personal opinion I’m sure he would want to be there for you. Lifestyle Q – I’ve been out a lot recently, about 4 or 5 times a week and I always drink when I go out. I don’t always get drunk but I still have alcoholic drinks all night. But now I am starting to feel the effects, I’m not sleeping right and I’m tired most of the day. Although I don’t drink heavily every time I go out, I am constantly having headaches and don’t feel myself until the time comes to go out.

A – The reason for you being so tired is clearly due to the late long nights which you are having. It would be a sensible idea to cut back on the amount of times you go out a week, maybe 1 – 2 nights and make one of these a sober night (you can still have fun!). The hours you should be sleeping per night are 8 ½ hours. This is the vital amount you should sleep to ensure you perform a fully functional day. The headaches are due to you being very dehydrated from the alcohol intake, so you must keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water. You don’t state what food you consume within an average week but if your diet is lacking fresh fruit and vegetables then it is an idea to add them to your diet. As they will replenish you with the nutrients your body needs and will add extra energy to get you through the day. If however the sleepless nights proceed it is a wise idea to go to a GP. Bodnant medical centre deals with many student cases and can be contacted on 01248 364492.

Hanging out with the Mystery Jets Seren gets a sexytime!

IN THE WILD! At The Green Man Festival ‘09 Warning: May cause Dwight MCcarthy serious offence Presents: The idiocy of everyone but me weeks ago I was walking have no problem with chain shops, It has lower price points compared for the weather” I fl ick over to watch detonation is a step too far. Even for through the Trafford Centre, McDonalds although delicious is to its parent brand (Abercrombie the consistently brilliant Simpsons Soapland. But the acting (forever 3and there was a queue to go (apparently) highly unethical and and Fitch charge but £36 for their . When my defences are low after back to the acting) seriously gets my into a shop. It looked amazing, kind of full of bad things, but tastes bloody tshirts). The brand’s stores resemble watching the cartoon family work goat. like a cross between a voodoo shack delicious! It doesn’t pretend to surf shacks with dim lighting and out moral dilemmas I watch 7 million I have seen more love between and an awesome gig venue. I was be a home run family business blast rock music (reminiscent of a gig people cram into a caravan van full Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole than d i s a p p o i n t e d of chewing gum I have between any of the couples it was a shop and witness in this made up fi ctional suburb of called Hollister. “These good-looking Abercrombie wearing b*stards make me what I call The Chester. For those of want to hurl my telly out of the window” Pinocchio Effect. Basically I hate Abercrombie, you who do Essentially it Hollyoaks and but I do like cheese not know, it’s describes the and pickle sandwiches, Barack classed as an “American lifestyle (apparently) it buys cow bones and venue right?) Hollyoaks actors’ acting - wooden Obama and the font Helvetica (but brand” so when you pay 24 quid hooves and pumps out tasty burgers So basically I hate cool things, as hell. These good-looking I really hate Papyrus!). for a tshirt, you can be a surfer and on the cheap, winner. But shops like cool things that people off Hollyoaks Abercrombie wearing b*stards Now go buy into yet another subsidiary of Hollister fl ip me off. like. Which brings me to my next make me want to hurl my telly (with and study a n d a giant American conglomerate. I The description on Wikipedia point - soaps that are . Such as newly retuned freeview box) don’t say I never (source of all Hollyoaks, after a day of hard graft, out of the window. The gave you any good accurate knowledge I’ve mentally exhausted my brain scripts on Hollyoaks are advice. in the known world) by meditating upon topics like, barely believable, just states that Hollister war and peace, the universe, and like most soaps but is marketed whether Jeremy Paxman is a a man blowing up a as Southern Mac or a PC. church with remote California by Admittedly my brain Abercrombie & welcomes the switch off, but Fitch. Themed the annoyance begins during after “SoCal” boot up the next morning (which for teenagers incidentally is quick as hell cause 14 through 22, I have just upgraded to Windows (thus making 7 for the pc half of my brain and you lovely Snow Leopard for my Mac half, sod s t u d e n t s Linux) I feel sick, after watching their target the news at 6 descend into “alright audience). George how’s the family, oh its time ONE MINUTE WELSH Oes gen ti gopi o Seren? Do you want to learn Welsh or Have you got a copy of Seren? even just a couple of phrases? Cymdeithas Llywelyn (the Welsh Gai panad os gwelwch yn dda? learners Society) is right up your Can I have a cup of tea please? street! We offer taster sessions at 6.30 on the last Wednesday of every month in lecture room 5 to help you learn those handy Wyt ti’n mynd allan heno? phrases. We also hold social Are you going out tonight? sessions every Wednesday Wyt ti eisiau pitsa heno? night in the Glôb at 8pm; this Do you want a pizza tonight? offers a chance to practice what you’ve learnt. Email llywelyn@ Dwi angen arian undeb.bangor.ac.uk for more I need money information.

Dwi wedi gwario gormod yn dre Dwi’n dy garu di I have spent too much in town I love you Dwi’n teimlo ofnadwy heddiw - dwi’n Dwi’n caru Seren!! credu mae gen i’r ffl iw moch! I love Seren!! I feel awful today – I think I have swine fl u!

DJ Mouse having a quick read between songs

Intruiging some Gambian Some light reading in monkeys Central Park, NYC 16 October Issue 2009 Presents.... www.seren.bangor.ac.uk

3rd November Amser / time

n 3rd of BBC Radio 1 Introducing. Lost Property, Bangor’s new Indie / Electro night is bringing BBC Radio 1 to Bangor! O h as the - November, Time will host three exciting new bands - courtesy of tured through BBC Intro BBC Introducing supports unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar musicians. Acts suc nationwide every week. Ting Tings and Florence and The Machine have been discovered and nur ke Glastonbury, ducing and heard first on their family of BBC radio shows, broadcast Property is stoked In addition, BBC Introducing have their own stage at major events and festivals li Reading & Leeds and the BBC’s Electric Proms. It’s pretty exciting stuff and Lost to bring it straight to the street of Bangor. So... who have we got then? Young Fathers Here we have some fresh, young- Scottish guys who the NME de scribed as being “locked somewhere between De La Soul and 3T, but - re-imagined for the hipster genera tion.” Sounds pretty nifty... Their tunes are fun, upbeat and funky. Gaining a reputation for their fun, energy-filled and good vibe shows,- Soft Toy Emergency are afive-piece electro-pop band from the trio have been touring the hot Liverpool; who like going round the country making noises that test UK venues before hitting the - entice people to dance. European festival circuit this sum They formed the band back when their “favourite pastimes in mer. They’re also supporting cluded buckfast-drinking and floor-breaking at houseparties” - and since then we have played some beastly gigs, gone on a SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO (yep, that’s few UK tours and crashed on many floors. This summer they’ve right) on their latest tour and are to play at some of the UK’s major festivals including: Glaston hopefully set to release their debut bury, Reading & Leeds, V and Isle Of Wight. - album soon. After releasing two singles through Friends Vs Records and gain ing support from Radio 1’s Jo Whiley and Huw Stephens, BBC6 - Music’s Steve Lamacq, Nemone and Tom Robinson and XFM’s Check them out on Myspace, we John Kennedy, they’re are now looking forward to releasing their think you’re going to love them... new single ‘Critical’ this November.

myspace.com/youngfathers myspace.com/softtoyemergency

The whole gig is A local new Indie pop/rock electronic influenced band that emerged on to Y Promatics the Welsh Rock Scene in 2007. Formed in 2005 the band are now just bout being recorded to release they’re first E.P entitled ‘100 Diwrnod heb Liw’ ( translated to English to ‘100 Days Without Colour’) - and broadcast on on the Sbrigyn Ymborth label this Sum mer. Originating from North Wales the - band’s members are both based in Not Radio 1. Be there tingham and and the Dyffryn Nantlle and witness area. Bangor’s moment of glory! Buy a 6” sub & 21oz drink get a 6” sub FREE with this coupon!

Regular subs only, Love Bangor card holders get any sub! Coupon only valid at Subway Bangor. Not valid Remember every Sunday 2pm-6pm is BOGOF! in conjunction with any other offer. 17 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk BOOKS & BOX awn French. What a lady. Possibly one of the funniest Dpeople that have come from the alternative comedy scene in the 80’s with TV show The Comic Strip. Kids say the She has many achievements to name, including a diverse career spanning three decades, realizing massive mainstream success while pushing humorist boundaries and challenging stereotypes. She also makes an funniest things excellent Harry Potter, as was shown in the 2003 Comic Relief sketch Harry reator Laura Lawson taught drama to children pure hilarity. Expect to see big things from the main Potter and the Secret Chamberpot and realised that unlike adults, children are far character of the show, Will Poutler, this 16 year old of Azerbaijan, possibly better than Cmore willing to be creative and inventive without had a role in Son of Rambow and can be seen in the Daniel Radcliffe himself, (although the fear of making a fool of themselves. This led new Chronicles of Narnia fi lm due for release in 2010. with slightly bigger breasts)... and is her to create what is now a very successful comedy However my personal favourite is Ella Ainsworth, most certainly one of the greatest actresses workshop called School of Comedy, it gives children notable for Lulu the lesbian, I just of our time...but what is she actually the opportunity to showcase their own improvisation can’t help but laugh at everything like as a writer? skills, sketch and stand up comedy. It is however, now she does. Her autobiography, ‘Dear Fatty,’ is much more than a workshop, E4 commissioned a TV School of Comedy is different, in the form of letters to the people she series and I’ve been watching. it’s fresh and above all, it’s loves and admires (including such hilarious. I can’t think of a better people as her mother, the parents of way I’d rather spend my Thursday everyone she ever babysat for and “You almost forget that nights, let’s hope Madonna.) It lovingly describes and some it gets a second documents her rise to fame, and the these comedians playing really quite series! quirks that inspired her along the way. the roles are so young.” She discusses her role in the all-female hilarious moments, and anyone with sitcom Girls On Top, along with Jennifer a sense of humour would defi nitely Saunders which fi rmly established fi nd it a fascinating insight into one of Britain’s most talented comics , but We basically see children, playing the part of the women’s role in British Comedy for future generations of comedians, such there are also some heartbreakingly adult, the fact that it’s teenagers acting may lead you intense moments, such as when to think that it is child friendly themed but no, there’s as Catherine Tate and Katy Brand. The nickname ‘Fatty’ refers to fellow French fi nds out about her Father’s adult themes and adult language, but the script is so performer Jennifer Saunders, and is suicide at the age of 19; that make it well written and performed you almost forget that a poke at French’s own size. The book a truly sensational book, harrowing, these comedians playing the roles are so young. describes her interesting upbringing emotional but also enjoyable, as she Characters include a cabbie that has no idea where as an RAF child, moving from station manages to charm her fans on the page he is going but will tell you all about his celebrity to station across the country; her as well as she does on screen, a trait customers, Pongo and Margo, (a 1940’s couple but education in Plymouth and New York; that most celebrity autobiographies Margo is a secret lesbian in love with Lulu, another Aaron Wiles the angst of teenage love; how she struggle to achieve. All in all, a great secret lesbian), two South African security guards and fi rst met Jennifer Saunders; their read for train journeys or with a cuppa Mr Mills, a teacher that bully’s the children to name mutual aversion to each other and how in bed. Make sure the train carriage is just a few. The jokes are very clever, sometimes a bit they then went on to become one of empty though, you may fi nd yourself too clever for me (which isn’t hard to be honest) and Britain’s fi nest comedy duo. laugh-snorting... are laugh out loud funny, both for the cringe and just The book, as you may expect, has Lizzie Blowey

hen adverts for Flash Forward started sky, drivers crashed and so on. Interestingly like... The truth is, you just don’t know. analysing people early on. Some people know appearing on TV we were given only a kangaroo appeared on a main road in New Since none of the characters know what’s too much if you know what I mean. Wsmall glimpses of what was going on. York (the spiritual home of the disaster movie). going on you’re drawn into a completely In short: it’s a good cast playing good Two minutes and seventeen seconds. Global Unexplained and slightly haunting, it hops believable world and follow the plot, picking characters with hopefully a good story. If it’s unconsciousness. Inevitable pandemonium. down the road and you’re left as freaked out up clues with Mark, predicting the future but as good as the fi rst series of Lost we should Cool! as everyone who’s woken up in a city that’s half hoping for his sake that it doesn’t come true. be in for a treat, it has amazing potential. It Based on a novel by Robert J. Sawyer on fi re. He heads up a project called Mosiac to collect could also go the other way and become weird it follows the lives of a few characters on a and unbelievable (we believe everyone in the mission to discover what the fl ashforward to 6 “Two minutes and seventeen seconds. Global world passed out at the same time and saw 6 months into the future means. Was it a vision months into the future, any more paranormal of the future? Something to do with the planets unconsciousness. Inevitable pandemonium... stuff would be pushing it). and magnetic fi elds? Aliens? Terrorists? The With the 25 episode season already doing questions are endless and as the makers are Cool!” well in America, Canada, Australia and Europe the same people who did Lost, the likelihood is it could be a welcome addition to our Monday that we aren’t going to be answered soon. night routines. That’s right. Monday night, 9pm, Whilst some people’s fl ashforwards were Apart from the sometimes bizarre details everyone on the planet’s fl ashforwards to see if channel 5. You’d better catch up on the fi rst few good, some were bad, some didn’t have one you’ll notice in each episode, the characters they can look for patterns and fi nd out if certain episodes before you watch though – so you can and some never came back to reality. The are well developed and believable playing your fl ashes confi rm others. pick up clues! monumental effect it’s had on the world standard anti-hero FBI agent in Mark Benford, If you like detective style programmes, becomes apparent when you see the aftermath comedy sidekick, troubled nurse who soldiers on Lost or shows that make you feel stupid just of unconsciousness en masse. People who had and characters you think you like but think you by being really clever you should like this. Georgia Mannion been swimming drowned, planes fell from the might be made to like so maybe you shouldn’t You’ll fi nd yourself being suspicious and over 18 October Issue 2009 MUSIC www.seren.bangor.ac.uk The Flaming Lips - Embryonic Music Editor, Aaron Wiles, brings you what’s hot he Flaming Lips have always – in fact this album suffers from the Elsewhere there are guest and what’s not in music this month been one step out of sync with same troubles that all double albums appearances from the likes of Ttheir contemporaries – one step do. They could easily have fi tted this MGMT (on the disappointing ‘Worm ahead of the game in many respects, onto one CD and it would have been Mountain’) and Karen O (the brilliantly curiously old fashioned in another, a much better album for it. weird ‘I can be a frog’). and way out to the left in yet another. To add to the great length ‘Embryonic’ is a sporadic, But to me they have always been a this is also their craziest and most overlong, overwrought, pop band at heart, a band with catchy experimental album in a decade, overwhelming, yet madly fascinating melodies, breezy harmonies and a no bad thing, but by the end of the album that re-establishes The unique identity. Yet this pop heart has record you feel exhausted and tired. Flaming Lips as one of the most Alexandra Burke - N-Dubz - I Need You always been well hidden under layers MGMT made an accessible, modern interesting and eccentric bands of All Night Long of psychedelic glam and space rock psychedelic record that managed to our generation. This is no easy listen, As if they couldn’t have been any lyrics, so commercial success hasn’t be fun and intelligent. ‘Embryonic’ but if you invest your time in it, Ok, so if you have the album by now uncooler, they start ‘rapping’ about always accompanied the critical feels just as intelligent but lacks ‘Embryonic’ may well blow your mind. you might be rocking out to this, I Facebook, oh dear. praise. the joy of ‘Oracular am, a lot. See review on Page 19! But since their last album (‘At Spectacular’ and Thomas Owen Tinchy Stryder - You’re War With The Mystics’) there has the pop power of Whitney Houston - Not Alone been an infl ux of bands labelled Flaming Lips better Million Dollar Bill albums. Taking a ninetees anthem for your “They don’t use the Nonetheless Been playing for a while, but the own song never usually works, there is much to X Factor performance sealed it, point proven here. extra space to dive into a get into here, especially the Freemason’s remix, Jazz odyssey or commit if you let the amazing. JLS - Everybody In Love accoustic suicide” madness sink Fake Blood - I Think I in. Highlights So they didn’t win X Factor, probably include opener like It wouldn’t win Strictly Come Dancing ‘Neo Psychedelic’ - bands who are ‘Convinced of the I think I like it too! either, Jesus. clearly indebted to The Flaming Lips, hex’, a song which and in touch with their adventurous makes them sound Beyonce - Broken Robbie Williams - Bodies spirit. MGMT, Animal Collective and like a 21st century Hearted Girl Star Death are all making great Jefferson Airplane, The editor once said, “So Robbie music, as well as achieving in the and the bleak but In the video she crys, it’s well sad, Williams is making a comeback.... charts. Flaming Lips once again have b e a u t i f u l but then at the end she’s smiling why?” It’s a good question. everything to prove but suddenly ‘ E v i l ’. and eveything is good with the have less obstacles in their way world again. thanks to these younger groups. Embryonic is the band’s twelfth album and their fi rst double record, Seren recommends: with 18 songs spread over two discs. But this is not really a sprawling double in the spirit of The White Super Furry Animals - album. They don’t use the extra space Radiator to dive into a Jazz odyssey or commit acoustic suicide; it all feels very Modest Mouse - We cohesive and very Flaming Lips. But Were Dead Before that’s not to say there are not any The Ship Even Sank problems with the double disc format

Rated & ollowing great success from Arguably the best track on the would have clicked onwards, but YOUR Reviewed their two previous albums, album is ‘Papillon, it offers the best carried on listening to see if ‘Smithy’ Fit should be easy for me chance of reaching the singles chart had anything else he needed to get to roll out the red carpet for the for the band. Dramatic, synthesized off his chest, this came to no avail. Birmingham four. Hits such as correctly and vocally brilliant, this ‘Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool’ is when ‘Munich’ and ‘Smokers Outside The is a welcome relief from the other I really lost my temper, “enough Hospital Doors’ reminded me why I tracks. ‘You Don’t Know Love’ and of this repetitive s***!” I said. The This Month: had taken an interest in the band in ‘The Big Exit’ perhaps kills the name of the song is perhaps fi tting the fi rst place. ‘In This Light and On album, these songs are gloomy for the new direction of the band, This Evening’ showcases very raw, but with rjgexplode synthesizers in all there enough practice and glory….or perhaps not. time I’m sure it will be The change from guitar to a delicacy for all of us Track Times played Gary Numans toy set has to enjoy. The fi nal track somewhat downgraded ‘Walk the Fleet Road’ my opinion of the band. was quite similar in Iron Maiden 2,829 I respect their decision to how I was preparing to challenge themselves and review the album, a lot In Flames 1,377 wonder into the unknown of humming and minor (or the 80’s) but the lapses of concentration. Amon Amarth 1,372 fi nal result is somewhat The song is ‘ok’ but lacks mediocre. Drafting in authority and certainly Mark “Flood” Ellis as does nothing to help Iced Earth 1,253 producer (notably having the albums’ course. worked with Depeche Overall the album rates Mode) was a stroke of 3/5, but please don’t Judas Priest 1,215 genius, what could go be put off by this. If wrong? you listen carefully, Megadeth 898 Initially nothing! But notably ‘Bricks and soon that glee of joy left Mortar’ you will sample my face to be replaced some interesting Battlemore 798 with a sour, somewhat electro riffs, a similar bitter expression. ‘In approach undertaken Blind Guardian 760 This Light and On This by Franz Ferdinand Evening’ propels my ‘Lucid Dreams’. The imagination skyward, future of the Editors is Bruce Dickinson 758 a repetitive pulse that unclear, Synthesisers vs builds anticipation, as the song Guitars; can’t they do enters its fi nal quarter it explodes and downright depressing, the line both? Papa Roach 726 with electronic hysteria. ‘Bricks And “you already know the way I feel Gareth Edwards Mortar’ is somewhat slow to start, inside” is enough said. ‘The Boxer’ whether fl ood & Co were watching (a.k.a Supermode ‘Tell me Why’) is Wiles’ comments: terminator before making this piece perhaps the most emotive track on is unknown, but it’s hard not to the album, transcending vocals and Seren recommends: I’m not going to lie, I’m not a fan of any of this, and if you make the comparison. The ticking a fl uent bass line offers a true night time feeling about the affair, one for could see my music collection you would probably die. I’m drum machine arrives not to soon after, if you’re not a fan of such the road maybe? White Lies - To Lose guessing you’re a fan of Mayhem? You may also enjoy the devices, the album is probably not ‘Like Treasure’ mirrors My Life for you. The track redeems itself via contemporary U2 songs in approach, Rammstein review on page 19! but perhaps another lackadaisical front man Smith; this is a recurring Interpol - Antics theme throughout unfortunately. song overall; had it not been for the Music Taste Rating: 4/10 line “you are what you eat” I perhaps 19 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk MUSIC fter a mere thirteen months be- metronomic riffs, haunting synths and mental, and it is perhaps in venturing tween the release of 2004’s Re- the commanding, evocative vocals into the unknown that some of the Aise, Reise and the equally bril- that placed Rammstein where they fi nest moments in the album can be liant Rosenrot, the four year wait for are today as the most successful prac- found. ‘Haifi sch’s’ pulsating synthe- Music is not dead! Rammstein’s sixth studio album, Liebe titioners of the Neue Deutsche Härte sizers could be easily mistaken for a ist für alle da (translation: ‘Love is sound. LIFAD fuses together the fi n- Depeche Mode B-side (if David Gahan A rant about the music industry. there for Everyone’, if you were won- est elements of Mutter, arguably the sang in a thick, aggressive German AA rant rant aboutabout the musicmusic industry.industry. dering) must have felt like an eternity band’s best effort to date, with the accent, that is). ‘Frühling In Paris’ is a for followers of the biggest thing to welcome change in pace; the album’s uying music is like paying for a Even with the hardships faced by come out of Germany since Jäger- “Rammstein have reached ‘power ballad’, much in the mould of painting to put on your wall. Many modern musicians, the industry is still meister fi rst graced our shores. And ‘Seemann’, ‘Ohne Dich’ and ‘Mutter’ Bpeople take pride in their CD alive and kicking. This is mostly because a level of creative freedom collection as if it were an art collection. there is a high a demand as ever for boy was it worth the wait. Rammstein not seen before from previous albums. The most sur- are back; bigger, better, louder and prising moment is left for the closing The fact that music is an art is often live music. More festivals are being overlooked by the general public. created every year and many of them more bizarre than ever. Even before from the band.” track ‘Roter Sand’, a beautifully haunt- How many people do you know that are committed to promoting talented the album had been given a name, it refined ing ballad ending the album in every would walk into an art gallery and take new bands as well as showcasing the was already making headlines thanks sounds of their later albums and way as gentle as the beginning of the a picture from the wall? Or even walk world’s fi nest acts. to the aptly named fi rst single ‘Pussy’, the techno infl uences of their early album is intense. into a cinema with a camcorder to rip Although music sales have fallen a satirical dig at the sex industry with records. With Liebe ist für alle da, off a new fi lm? Not many, I’m guessing, dramatically, anybody with knowhow a video more X-rated than if Tommy Rammlied, the opening track, Rammstein have reached a level of unless you live somewhere quite dodgy. can make money from music. If people Lee and Paris Hilton collaborated on a is classic Rammstein; heavier than a creative freedom not seen before How many people have downloaded play their cards right, a lucrative career ‘home video’. No, really… Panzer tank and catchier than fresh- from the band. It is certainly their illegally in the past or even just burnt in the business is possible. Producers, Liebe ist für alle da feels like a er’s fl u. The crunching riffs in the title best effort since Mutter, perhaps even a mates CD onto a laptop without session players, engineers, roadies, realising? The rise in torrent sites has sound technicians and even related smooth progression from the bands track are reminiscent of ‘97’s Sehn- surpassing the album which launched made downloading even quicker and businesses such as décor specialists previous offerings; vocalist Till Linde- sucht and the steamrolling behemoth them internationally, and is without more reliable; every piece of music and lighting engineers make up only a mann has a roar that would put Godzil- of B******** is as intense as anything doubt one of the best alternative al- that you could want at the click of a few of the many jobs on the ladder. la to shame, and the songs range from the band has written. However Liebe bums of 2009. mouse seems like a good deal when the The rise in video game producers the epic and grandiose, to understat- ist für alle da isn’t simply Rosenrot II; Nik Hughes chances of getting busted are so slim, has been a massive boost for the music ed and intimate. There are booming, the band are not afraid to be experi- doesn’t it? I am aware that the sea industry. Many developers will feature of musical tripe can be a factor when songs on their games and earn royalties people opt for illegal downloads. Why for the artist. With technology constantly Seren recommends: would you want to pay for something developing and new opportunities in that may be crap? The solution is the media, I think the music industry simple. Buy carefully and get to know is far from over, and with a little more the music you buy. thought and respect from consumers it Tool - ænema In recent years though, I have could bloom on many levels and take come to realise that when people buy control away from label fat cats! Megaherz - music it helps music to fl ourish as a Ladies and gentlemen. Music is not Kopffchuff trade. Arguably I have only become dead. so sensitive to these issues since the prospect of making money from music Messy Joe has seemed achievable. If I wasn’t involved in music Messy Joe recommends: would I be bothered at all? LOCKED SOUNDSYSTEM Legal download sales celebrate their fi rst have actually increased birthday on the 24th Oct. They signifi cantly over the past months few years. People are have a beastly couple of Rammstein selling their own music lined up with some amazing acts! on iTunes and other sites and without having to rely on Check them out on Facebook Liebe ist für alle da a label and a distributor. Myspace. Alexandra Burke - Overcome t’s been a long time coming. 10 amazing, I’ve literally had this on same, as she repeats the words down by Britney Spears! months in fact, since Alexandra won repeat for days. “Dumb” ended with “bye bye Overcome is another of the album’s IThe X Factor, but fi nally her album is You may have heard of baby”. few ballads and whilst it’s not as good, it’s here and it doesn’t disappoint. You may RedOne? The guy behind Other artists roped in still pleasing, in sound to Jordin Sparks – all sigh, yes she won a reality show, she’s two of the biggest selling for the album include Taio Battlefi eld which isn’t a bad thing for me “manufactured pop”, but her album is songs of last year, he’s Cruz, and the duet with because I loved that too! As with pretty seriously good. It also helps that I am a most famous for his Lady Ne-Yo, Good Night or much every album, there are songs that little bit in love with her. I was always a Gaga connections but he Good Morning. Is there don’t really do it for me. Fans are liking fan, but things changed dramatically the took time out to produce nothing this guy can’t do? Nothing But The Girl but I can’t get into it, moment Beyonce walked out on stage four songs for the album, The song was admittedly Gotta Go bores me a little and whilst They and made the duet happen. Alexandra including The Silence, which meant for Brandy, (after Don’t Know showcases again how well she has since found her way on to the music shows he can do ballads a little research proved) can do soft, I’ve found myself skipping it editor’s computer wallpaper, it’s quite as well as club bangers, and whilst it disappoints a lot. pleasing. and what a ballad it is! As that Alexandra is To conclude, the debut album is a good Anyway, back to the album. You’re she belts out “Don’t let the getting other one, and whilst it’s obviously catered for probably expecting to hear another Leona silence do the talking”, artists ‘cast when she attempts her US breakthrough, (which I also loved by the way), a cd full of you are reminded offs’, she in my (see Flo Rida’s input), it’s more than good ballads. Well tough, there’s only four, and of why she won opinion does enough for the UK, and I’m so pleased she one of those is the much hated Hallelujah The X Factor; she a better job. went with the up-beat because it works cover. It’s a pleasant surprise to hear up- sounds emotional Casts off can so well. One fi nal thing to note, don’t go tempo and quite Motownish music; see and vulnerable, s o m e t i m e s to the album ready to compare her with You Broke My Heart, written by Pixie Lott it’s diva worthy. be a good Leona, because whilst I am a huge Leona (I know!). It could so easily be a perfect RedOne also thing; see fan, they’re so different. hit for herself or even Duffy, yet I’m more worked his magic R i h a n n a ’s than happy with Alexandra’s vocals on it, on Broken Heels U m b r e l l a Aaron Wiles for me it’s one of the high points of the and Dumb; the which was album, along with Bury Me (the other former will most originally Motown one). Both are toe-tappingly defi nitely be a t u r n e d good, with the addictive rhythms and her future single soulful voice. and rightly All Night Long is the song to love off so, RedOne the album, after checking my Last FM it c e r t a i n l y Seren recommends: appears the amount of times I’ve listened k n o w s to it may be quite embarrassing. A perfect catchy and potential single, it could easily see the this sure same success as her huge number one is. The Beyonce - I Am Sasha Bad Boys, which until Cheryl Cole released latter is Fierce Fight For This Love was the biggest selling m o r e single of 2009 by a massive margin. She of the sings “As long I see the strobe lights, I’m dancing all night long”, so would I be if Jordin Sparks - this came on in a club *hint*. Later it Battlefi eld slows down; Alexandra softens and it’s 20 October Issue 2009 CREATIVE www.seren.bangor.ac.uk CORNER PrettyC girlsREATIVE make early graves In the middle of the rain in the grim twilight, Two young men came out to  ght. Arms at sides their  sts clenched tight, ey faced each other comparing height.

For the love of the same girl they would exercise their right, To her hand in a test of might. So the youths fought in the fading light, Until the darkness impaired their sight.

Now with regret I write, at both men died that fateful night. Wallflower

My Mind’s Eyes

All alone in everyone gone the silence of the creaking stair haunted spaces, empty faces By Alex Close my shadow stalks me everywhere.

All alone in nobody home the silence of the white washed wall clocks tick and tocks click my worry walks me here to fall. Stephanie Ellis Hello Alice how are you Environmental science Wonderland is close to truth knives and bladders, snakes and ladders unconsciousness is waterproof.

I watch  lms inside my head asleep- one eye, the other spies and I can’t toss and turn in bed "The School of Modern though slumber is my frozen cage. Languages" Now and then arise. I jolt to catch a glimpse of song or word always liked the sound of the words, memories, kisses, long cold nights " e School of Modern Languages".  ash my mind’s eye-  y like birds. I can't say why I like that sound, II've never really pinned it down, All is quiet as you are still But when I hear those words spoken I don’t know your world at all or see them on signs on walls all around, it leaks from you; unnatural chill I get a fuzzy feeling in the part of my brain leaves you pale, naked. small. which processes vocabulary and keeps me sane. All is cold as you are quiet the night seems not to end And what's a "modern" language? it forces sobs from my de ance I  nd myself bemused, and no comfort can I send. "Not 'cogito ergo sum'!" you say Morning Beauty you’ll be  ne But now I'm just confused! in your irritating laze It is a mission of mine! your wires and plastic armour shines (to learn them all at once is) I glare, I gripe, and gaze. I've already got a favourite word in Spanish; It's "entonces". I need you know you’re in your sleep and useless, lifeless; lost By Nick Lee but I wish that you weren’t in so deep you don’t know what this time costs.

I try to wake you every day and yearn for twitch, for sneeze or cough but no matter how long, or what I say I have been told to switch you o . Solange by Anna Donigan Elizabeth Jane Blowey 21 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk CREATIVE

AN EXTRACT FROM: Orange skies

uckily due to a freak solar event the sky is slowly turning orange, whilst the mice reveal to the world that Douglas Adams was right and they actually do rule the place. It’s in this strange, yet pleasantly mild version Lof our world that a young lad sat amongst the astounded crowds wandering around Euston station, he leaned against a pillar with a perfect view of Upper Lucy Baird Crust and a gurgling stomach that threatened to give him away. Despite this ar- Environmental Forestry guably ideal location he sat with neither pint nor delicious bagette on account of being broke, despite the barman IDing him con rming he was actually 21, and not 17. He was subsequently thrown out for being penny less.

Ride to Bangor He'd been travelling for a fair while, enough for passersby not fully engaged Midnight train ride sights by the orange sky, or the surprisingly forceful mice, to notice his unshaven and ever growing mop of hair. is gave some the urge to give him small change - And amber candy window lights had it not been for the fact they were Londoners and that would have involved Poking out of blue swathed homes some degree of social contact. Combined with his dirty, torn jeans and fading Where I can imagine my love with open arms red Rage Against e Machine shirt he was doing himself no favours. On the bright side the orange tint from the sky was making his usually pale complex- An open heart and a rosy glow ion look positively tanned so you know to say it Bywas all David bad would Hornbe a lie. But these are thoughts and thoughts alone Alex close

Goku Super Sayan by Kayley Roberts

Want to see your creative work in print?

Whether painting is your passion or you just enjoy the odd doodle we want your work! Poetry, short stories, and artwork are all welcome and can be sent to: [email protected] Kim Pemberton Be as adventurous as you wish, humour and Linguistics satire will be gratefully received as well as the deep and intellectual so get creative!

AN EXTRACT FROM: 5 WAYS TO SURVIVE A LONG CAR JOURNEY WITH YOUR MAN 4. AIM FOR OBLIVION. Choose his poison. Alcohol, cigarettes, a couple of sleeping pills if you can get hold of them, as long as it is legal, it’s pretty much fair game. I do not condone breaking the law, or anything resulting in hospitalisation or death... unless the circumstances are extreme. e aim here is to put him in a happy place, and preferably an unconscious one. If unconsciousness is not possible then it is best to balance the attempted oblivion with comfort; ensure snacks are on hand and toilet breaks are plen- tiful. A full bladder and rumbly tummy are not good. Snack wise, for your own sense of well-being, steer away from the crunchy, loud varieties and remember that sticky to ee doubles as an excellent man-friendly gag. Christiane Zander By Emma Daniels Psychology 22 October Issue 2009 FILM www.seren.bangor.ac.uk

ver the past few years it’s plain wrong. have breathed life into the tired horror to see that the horror genre has A few years earlier during the Second genre, although both coincidently have Ohad a serious case of déjà vu. World War, the atom bomb had been spawned many sequels, do fi lm makers Remake after remake of horror classics used to devastate Japan. People were really believe that audiences need Saw have been pouring out of the box offi ce shocked and dumb founded by the use number six in their lives, or is it just like there’s no tomorrow. Although of the atom bomb and with the arrival an excuse for lazy fi lm making and easy I wasn’t even alive when many of the of more new technology in the 50s their money making in a recession plagued ‘classic’ horror fi lms came out, I can’t thoughts turned to ‘what if’ scenarios, world? help but feel a little defl ated when I hence the giant monsters and mutated hear of yet another horror classic being scientists that fi lms of the 50s seemed remade. I may stand back and silently to revolve around. ‘‘ e bogeyman becomes grumble against these remakes but In the three decades that followed less terrifying when the real that doesn’t stop the large numbers of horror got more gruesome, bloody and people who still choose to go see them. disturbing. Social attitudes became horrors of the world can be Why do we choose to see a fi lm we’ve more relaxed and taboos were being accessed by just one click.’’ seen told before? Is it really the fresh busted here there and everywhere. Crazed schizophrenic mummy’s boys, children possessed by the devil, Film makers will argue the defence ‘‘Taboos were being busted relentless killer sharks, relentless killing of their bright and shiny remakes, here there and everywhere.’’ bogeymen, meant that nothing was off stating how the new generation of limits anymore. busy adults haven’t been able to new acting talent and promise of shinier Is this seen it all, done it all attitude see these old fi lms of Michael Myers, blood splatter that gets us excited to the reason for the infl ux of remakes Jason or Freddie Kruger and that see a horror remake? at the box offi ce? With all the original they need an updated version so that Or is it simply due to the world ideas already made into fi lms why not these classic horror fi lms don’t fade we now fi nd ourselves living in? The go back to the classics and change them into obscurity. Of late, the entirety considered horror classics have been around a bit for a new audience? Bingo. of Hollywood has been looking back and gone, the bogeyman becomes less Plucky young fi lm makers are given with a greedy, nostalgic gaze at classic terrifying when the real horrors of the access to instant characters, narrative fi lms that can revived by remake or world can be accessed by just one click. and background before their brains have in most cases an unnecessary sequel. As Bob Dylan once sang ‘The times even had the chance to register the (Yes Indiana Jones, I’m talking about they are a changin’, like everything else sounds of the box offi ce cash register. you) These poorly made remakes with the passing of decades, horror has Don’t get me wrong the Noughties have that only replicate the shell of their had to change its ideas and formats in produced some spectacular and truly original predecessors should be left at order to keep its audiences entertained terrifying pieces of horror; take 2004’s the discussion table before they fi nd and above all terrifi ed. The 1950s saw ‘Saw’ and 2002’s ‘28 Days Later’ for themselves with the knife of criticism at people becoming fascinated with giant instance. their throats. monsters, aliens and science gone They’re two classic examples that Louise Cotterill

olicemen dancing in skirts, giant ladders that reach to clouds and Johnny Depp fl oating on giant lily pads are just some of the eccentric quirks that The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus boasts. Director Terry Gilliam has made Pa great amount of successful fi lms over his directing career including one of my personal favourites, 1981’s Time Bandits. Unlike the rest of Gilliam’s works this one has a huge reputation; mainly because it’s the last fi lm that star Heath Ledger appeared in before his death in 2008. Ledger died before production and fi lming could be completed, the cast and crew were thrown into turmoil over their friend’s sudden death. Many argued whether Gilliam’s latest production would ever see the light of day again. After much thought and are planning, Gilliam approached actors Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell. The three were each asked to appear in the fi lm as different incarnations of Ledger’s character, Tony. The three agreed and even donated all their acting fees to Heath’s young daughter Matilda. The story follows the extraordinary Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) and his travelling theatre show as they park up and perform for the passing public. Watching spectators are encouraged to go up onto the stage and witness the many wonders of the show. The unknowing participants are encouraged to walk through a magic mirror that leads them straight into their own imaginations. Their imaginations are controlled by the ancient and mysterious Doctor Parnassus, a gift he was blessed and arguably cursed with. Behind his remarkable talent, the Doctor hides a sinister history with the devil, Mr Nick. (Tom Waits) Many years before, Parnassus made a deal with the devil to make him immortal. Years later Parnassus found who he believed to be his one true love, he returned to the devil begging him to make him youthful once more. The devil only agrees to carry out Parnassus’s wish on the terms that he can take away the soul from his fi rst born child when they turn the age of sixteen. Parnassus foolishly agrees to the deal and fails to tell his only daughter ‘Valentina’ (Lily Cole); her excitement at turning sixteen is met with petrifi ed anticipation from her father. Mr Nick arrives to collect Valentina and out of desperation Parnassus suggests another deal with him as a latch ditch attempt to save his daughter. Parnassus suggests a bet; the fi rst one to seduce fi ve souls shall be the winner of Valentina. Never one ‘‘Every sequence that we are treated to in the imaginary world is visually explosive.’’

to turn down a bet, the devil agrees, leading to a race against time to save Valentina. In the midst of the madness, the group save the life of a disgraced Charity founder called Tony (Heath Ledger). He unashamedly lets his own problems and imagination run riot in the berserk and bizarre world of Doctor Parnassus. Cinematically, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a real spectacle. Every sequence that we are treated to in the imaginary world is visually explosive. The stunning use of colour and CGI dazzles the viewer into believing that the imaginary world inside the magic mirror is real. These stunning and cleverly designed graphics are juxtaposed against the gritty minded streets of modern day London. The cast chosen by Gilliam is an eclectic but well rounded mix of old and new. Waits and Plummer work exceptionally well together in the roles of Mr Nick and Doctor Parnassus. Model turned actress Lily Cole is outstanding in the role of Parnassus’s daughter Valentina, bringing almost a cockney, Alice in Wonderland feel to the role. The alternative reality versions of Ledger’s character slot well into the overall narrative and make it seem like it was an original part of the story all along. Although the narrative can be diffi cult to follow at times, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a compelling and unusual tale The Imaginarium of that’s narrative, setting and characters all intertwine together to create a real unique and somewhat mindboggling experience for the audience. Louise Cotterill Doctor Parnassus 23 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk FILM DVD REVIEW Coraline 2-D / 3-D irector Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) Dbrings to life Neil Gaiman’s (The Sandman) novella, Coraline, by creating the fi rst stop-motion animated feature in 3-D. The fi lm tells the story of 11-year old Cora- line Jones (Dakota Fanning) who fi nds a doorway in her new home to an alternative world, in which eve- rything is the same - except more elaborate - and everyone has but- tons for eyes. The “Other Mother” (Teri Hatcher) and father (John Hodgman) give Coraline the atten- tion she has been lacking from her real parents, but it’s not long before the fairytale world turns nightmar- his latest zom-com to be W a s ish. released is the aptly titled this choice ironic Coraline demonstrates just how TZombieland. Four very unlikely in the fact that our four survivors far stop-motion technology has survivors must band together to this effectively, characterisation remains somewhat praise him for an inordinate amount come in the past few years, as it escape from the zombie-ridden Zombieland is as unoriginal as Friday 2D. Comedy of late seems to employ of time for being a god of comedy is nearly impossible to distinguish streets and reach safer grounds. The 13th part nine was to the slasher the underdog or the loser back-story, before our goon protagonist shoots from CG. The 3-D effects are used While exhibiting a sense of genre and the writers seemed who turns from zero-hero by a life- him? As much as the writers have with restraint, but help give the fi lm narration through main protagonist reluctant to add anything unique or changing day, and this has become strived to create some interesting a surrealist look. The downfall of Columbus (Jesse and distinctive characters we never watching the fi lm in 3-D, however, is E i s e n b e r g , ‘‘Comedy of late seems to employ the underdog or the loser really learn much about these that the colours appear less vibrant who starred mistrusting survivors, though than in the 2-D version. Which- in the recent back-story, who turns from zero-hero by a life-changing day.’’ acknowledgment must be made ever version you choose, Coraline A d v e n t u r e l a n d ) so repetitive, boring and cliché in the to the great chemistry between is thoroughly enjoyable for both was a smart idea, in helping provide new to the tired horror/comedy fray. fi lm genre that Eisenberg could have the four. Overall Zombieland has children and adults. From richly the fi lm with some of its funnier ‘Playing it safe’ results in Zombieland been replaced by Seth Rogan or any some large fl aws in its plot and half- detailed visuals, to good old-fash- moments (the genius ‘kill of the being compared to some superior other Judd Apatow lout and achieved hearted character creations, but ioned story telling that is as strange day’ sketch) as well as giving the movies of the same fi eld of which the same linear effect. As much as if you can look past the uninspired as Alice in Wonderland - talking cat fi lm some focus to distract us, the Shaun of the Dead is the prime Zombieland is humorous, the jokes nature of the fi lm there is a lot of fun included – and as scary as Roald audience, from a plot that has to example, to which it cannot hold up, do not come thick or fast enough to to be had here, oh and a lot of gore. Dahl’s darker children’s stories. All be the most recycled in fi lm history. and while the acting is above average make it a truly great addition to the opposed can button it! While credit should be given to (barring a superb Woody Harrelson Callum Rymer genre and this desperation is shown director Ruben Fleischer for doing as survivor Tallahassee), the Rebecca Farrell by the guest starring of Bill Murray.

Once f it wasn’t for my dedicated HMV rum- of them in order to pursue his dream of be- maging I may never have come across coming a successful recording artist. As well IOnce. Once is a modern day Irish mu- as following the pairs musical journey the sical (think more acoustic not dance) that audience is able to witness the close friend- follows a boy (Glen Hansard) and a girl ship growing between the two. We fi nd that (Markéta Irglová) as they bond over their the guy has been recently left by his long passion for music. Director John Carney is term girlfriend. His lyrics refl ect the sor- known for making quality low budget indie row and growing loneliness that he feels; fi lms, Once is a classic example of his that he wrongly mistakes the girls’ kindness for combines Irish culture with strong, emotive romantic feelings and makes a rushed move music and captivating friendship. towards her. Although hurt at fi rst, she soon The two main characters in Once are only brushes this encounter under the carpet and referred to as the ‘Guy and Girl’, a simple becomes one of his closest friends and mo- effect that seems to fl ow with the overall se- tivators. The girl also has her own problems. rene spirit of the fi lm. The story starts on Moving away from the Czech Republic to the bustling streets of Dublin. We are intro- Dublin with her young daughter and Mother duced to ‘Guy’, an Irish street busker and meant leaving her older husband behind. sometime hoover repairman who spends his She misses him but worries about the dis- days singing popular songs to passersby and tance put between them. As a viewer, the his nights singing his own songs to empty loneliness that the two protagonists portray streets. He is confronted by the pretty and through their music is absolutely torturing inquisitive ‘Girl’, an immigrant originally to watch for anyone that’s ever been in a from the Czech Republic. She questions him similar situation as it is acted with such pas- over his song choices and song writing skills. sion and feeling. The girl is overjoyed to fi nd out that he is Having the fi lm being set on the local a hoover repairman, she persuades him to streets of Dublin really gives the fi lm a warm meet her the next day so that he can fi x heart and sense of humour. The characters, her broken hoover. After a comical scene storyline and setting make for a real involving the girl pulling her broken hoo- beautiful fi lm. Even if you’re not a big music ver along the streets of Dublin, she takes lover I’d recommend fi nding a copy of Once. him to a local music shop. With his sooth- Its unique warmth and charm will more than ing and melancholy lyrics mixed with her likely want to make you watch the fi lm more mellow and haunting piano, the two fi nd than just once. themselves bonding over their love for play- ing and singing music. The two embark on a musical expedition; the girl pushes the guy Louise Cotterill to write more songs and as the story slowly progresses, to make professional recordings 24 October Issue 2009 TRAVEL www.seren.bangor.ac.uk A Gap in the Market

f an Erasmus year isn’t feasible, Look around and  nd something out Work experience placements work like Hi everyone! you may want to consider taking a of the ordinary. Everyone knows at least Gap Year projects: you pay a fee and they I’m Rachel, your new travel editor. Gap Year. Google search “gap year one person who had an amazing time sort out your placement and added extras This issue we’ve got student Iprojects” and you’ll be inundated with teaching water sports at Camp America, like tours and safaris. It’s not impossible experiences on extended trips abroad: whether you want to incorporate a websites: the Gap Year market is it seems, but at www.summercampworldwide.com to organise it yourself and avoid paying trip into your degree programme despite the recession, alive and well. De- you can  nd information about projects the fees though, if you’re prepared to do with the Erasmus scheme, or work spite the health of this market, it’s not not only in America but in Europe, China, loads of research. abroad independently or with an uncommon to come across certain pre- and even the UK if you don’t fancy going Generator Hostels reckon that the established company getting valuable conceptions. You don’t have to be fresh too far away from home. If you have a par- recession has not a ected longer trips work experience, there are loads of out of Sixth Form, you don’t have to have ticular career in mind, you may want to abroad and youth travel, with people do- options available. If there’s a city rich parents, you don’t even have to go consider work experience abroad. It’s not ing more research and booking as early as that you’re dying to hear a review of, away for a whole year. Whether you want always paid but it’ll look great on your CV. possible in order to make the most of their or if you have your own travel story to do a summer project, or take a year af- Teaching and medical work are the obvi- trip. Check out the articles on the follow- that’s begging to be told, get in touch at [email protected]. ter graduating to see the world, whatever ous ones but there are plenty of projects ing page for inspiration. Happy Halloween! your age or interests, there’s something for for careers from graphic design to cricket Rachel you. management if you look hard enough. Rachel Stretton Erasmus – an experience for everyone? Well, if the to go on a year abroad and many while you idea hasn’t departments have partner universities may take sold you which they already work with, making e x a m s immediately, the whole process easier. This abroad, marks from them are not t h e it’s the shouldn’t limit your options, however, transferred. This has the knock-on Erasmus grant, opportunity to see the world, or since Bangor if often willing to make effect of your fi nal mark depending which helps to offset the cost of travel sk the average student what at least a small corner of it, to seize ties with new universities if you have solely on your work in your third year. and accommodation. Switzerland Erasmus means to them and your independence and to understand somewhere specifi c in mind. Knowing Again, a daunting prospect, but not offers its own grant to help students. Amost won’t have a clue what a different culture. When you wake up a foreign language helps, but it is one you should be discouraged by Those wanting to go to the US or you’re talking about. Perhaps one or in a country, eat your meals and buy not compulsory as many European since your tutor will not advise you Canada, however, will have to look to two will think you’re talking about your stamps there, you really gain universities offer courses in English to go unless they are confi dent that their LEA or the SLC. Living abroad shaving soap, but very few will be an insight into a you will succeed in your will always cost more, in terms of thinking of the scheme which has culture that would fi nal year. If you’d still travel to and from home and travel allowed two million students to be impossible on a “Ask anyone who’s lived abroad and they will tell rather not take the risk, within the host country – after all, date to spend a year in work or at two-week holiday. there’s still the option it would be shame to spend a year a university abroad. Most of those Ask anyone who you of the time they got locked in a supermarket.” of spending a single abroad and see nothing of the country who have heard of it will be language has lived abroad semester abroad, which but the journey to and from university students who have to spend a year and they will have amazing stories or have intensive language courses to entails a more complicated set of – but it is a price well worth paying, abroad as part of their studies, but about the time they were accidentally boost your level of fl uency. academic requirements, a more because life experience is defi nitely a that is not to say that the option to locked in a supermarket or when they Now, spending a year abroad limited choice of foreign university worthwhile pursuit. study abroad is closed to those who tried the famous local cuisine only to might sound a lot like taking a year and the payment of tuition fees, If you are interested in spending do not require it for their degree. discover that it was horse. It really is out, but that is far from the truth. The which are not applicable to students a year abroad, make sure you apply Far from it, in fact. The majority of an opportunity not to be missed. second year of your degree being an spending a year abroad in the EU. before Christmas, so the opportunity students in their fi rst year are eligible Once having made the decision important one, most departments ask On the subject of cost, this varies doesn’t pass you by. Good luck and to apply, the main stipulation being to study abroad, the prospect can for certain academic requirements to depending on where you would like to bon voyage! that you need to be an EU citizen to still seem daunting if you don’t be met during time spent abroad to study. Students going to EU countries Katie Dyer obtain fi nancial support. know where to start. The fi rst step is ensure that your degree is are eligible for Great – but why would you want always with the personal tutor. You not negatively affected by to study abroad? can discuss with them why you want it. This is important because Everyone’s so friendly in Italy, it’s easy to strike up a conversation. Most are amazed that you’re bothering to e town is beautiful, with a beach right in the “speak their language at all and will centre and everything in walking distance. It make an e ort to understand. Some was a di cult but worthwhile experience; I had other Erasmus students I knew spoke “ to adjust to the Spanish way of doing things. For no Italian, but there are courses in Eng- instance there are no bus timetables, the bus just lish, so they got along  ne. turns up whenever. I found myself having to gesticulate to make myself understood. It would be too di cult there for a non-Spanish speaker. Jenny Reed, University” of Emma Dorman, Udine, Gorizia, Italy University of Caruña, Spain. ” It was di cult at  rst – I was so tired from speaking German all day! – but it e small French villages don’t have a lot to o er became easier. My mentor found me an in the way of fun; there is only so much excite- “apartment and the owner totally moth- ment you can squeeze out of la boulangerie. If ered me, which was great! For a non- “you’re heading out next year to rural France take a speaker, there would be a language bar- backup of novels and Cadburys to get you through rier. Most of the students speak English, the  rst couple of months before you break free and but it’s not the same as a big city. Over-  nd mates with transport who are equally bored of all it was a good experience. the village life. Yes they may only be 16 but a ride into civilisation on the back of a scooter is better than nothing! Tom Pike, teaching EstherEsther Milton, Milton, teaching teaching assistant assistant in in assistant” in Brunswick, Lansargues,Lansargues,”” France. France. Germany. 25 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk TRAVEL Eastern Experience

he world is your oyster so in Brazil, preserving forestry in worked on several wards where oriental way of life as the her work they say but when reality New Zealand, and teaching Eng- her duties included accompanying and 'play' time was balanced so kicks in, what with study or lish in China being just a few of the patients to physical therapy ses- that she got plenty of free time to Twork commitments and perhaps most popular programmes they sions, x-rays and CT scans, as well explore and really get a feel of Ja- time or  nancial restraints it is o er. Placements tend to last from as helping to perform basic medi- pan. e volunteers also earned a sometimes hard to  nd the time to two months to a year, and as they cal checks such a temperature and small allowance which helps keep discover what is actually out there. are organised properly through a blood pressure readings. She also you going whilst living out there. However, if adventuring really is respectable agency they are also got the chance to observe consul- "I made friends for life whilst your thingthen there are de nite- guaranteed to be accessible, safe tations, and even a few surgical I was out there and also felt as ly opportunities available which though I was doing a really good are dually bene cial in terms of thing helping out. I can't recom- enabling you to see, feel, taste and “Lattitude Volunteering o er a range of mend it enough" said Lily when touch another cultures as well as schemes: you name it, they probably do it.” re ecting on her time with the providing you with an experience scheme. which is bene cial to your future So thinking of travelling plans too. and a ordable. operations so all in all it was a very abroad? Where there is a will there Latitude Volunteering for ex- Lily Monk, who is now a sec- hands on and worthwhile experi- is a way, don't you think? ample is a gap year charity which ond year medical student, par- ence. for 35 years has specialised in ticipated in a Latitude scheme last Lily stayed in the nurses dorms, volunteering for 17-25 year-olds. year and travelled to Nagasaki in making friends with other students e range of schemes they o er is Japan where she spent six months who were there on similar schemes Vicky Osten extensive - you name it they prob- working at the Nagasaki Genbaku and also managed to pick up a great ably do it, with protecting turtles Byouin Hospital. Whilst there, Lily deal of Japanese and experience the

Heather Torrance continues her exploration of Aisle see you Down Under Western Australia s you may or may not have read ones contain slightly more socially- in my last article in Seren, I told accepted language. I have written a long Ayou about a seemingly fun but dull list on what utter s**t Australia sells. job at a patisserie I had during summer. The long list includes what looks like The second job I had was completely polystyrene bean-bag balls as a form of mind-numbing. pudding, “special” water for your coffee Eager to get stuck straight into work machine charging you double what you’d in Western Australia, I took up two jobs pay for standard water and “deluxe” can- to give myself a little bit of spending openers – what exactly makes it “deluxe”? money for tat like cork hats and toy As it happened, they decided to koalas. What struck me as slightly odd completely change the layout of the was the fact that I walked into the store about halfway through my stay in place, asked for a job to which they Australia. This meant walking into the replied “of course!” and told me to shop one evening, fi nding a complete start work the next day. I could have aisle missing, meaning that the 16 year been an illegal immigrant and they olds working the aisle next to me ended wouldn’t have known. up working on my aisle with me. After a The job was stacking shelves in few minutes, I engaged in conversation a relatively small supermarket, one with them. They seemed eager to fi nd night a week for 5 hours. Doesn’t out about London, apart from one girl seem so bad, yeah? This shift may who told me she hated London. I asked have been the low point of what part of London she had seen and my life due to how utterly she replied “Essex” – she had a point. bored I got during what Also none of them seemed clued up on seemed like 10 hours. how racist that cheese company “Coon I arrive for my fi rst one, Cheese” was when I practically froze on already knackered, and the spot staring at it. All was far too good have to do back-breaking when I fi nished my shift 90 minutes early work like lifting what felt at 8.30pm. like boxes of bricks onto the The next week I got there, the aisle highest shelf in the world. I had been replaced. As well as having was assigned an aisle with to spend time running around the store boxes littered all along the fi nding where things where, we weren’t fl oor and told to restock the allowed to have all the boxes out at once, shelves after being handed a seeing as this clogged up the aisles for craft knife to open the boxes customers. I see the manager’s point, with. Now, these knives had however this meant our shift took about numbers on them and before 3 times as long to do. Imagine me each shift I had to write in a running around a supermarket with a book which number I had, in case for tray of jam in glass jars, trying to fi nd out some odd reason I felt like stealing where the hell it went whilst customers it and going on a rampage. Once are stopping me by a) asking where stuff my aisle was starting to look clear, was and b) just generally not getting out someone would come around again of my way. Apparently choosing the right with a fl at-bed trolley full of boxes coffee takes longer than you’d think, and and throw them all into my aisle, whilst you do so, you ignore anyone else making my job seem endless. trying to get past you whether they have What also didn’t help was that a tray of jam in their arms or not. the radio station they chose to put At the end of the day I did get around on during these shifts was of very about $150 paid into my account each bad taste, playing songs from the week which added nicely to the $400 a 80s which people had forgotten week I was getting from selling cakes about for a reason. After suffering and bread to crazy people. But when one week of this, I learnt the your shift is to end at 10pm, you’re importance of an ipod. And also practically in tears by the end of it, paying more attention to what I you’ve had to clear up some spillage of was stacking. luminous green liquid which is meant to On Facebook, I have already resemble a form of drink and you’re let written notes on my time in the off early at twenty-fi ve past, $150 isn’t land down under, however these nearly enough. Never. Again. 26 October Issue 2009 SPORT www.seren.bangor.ac.uk

i I’m Martyn, Seren’s new Sports Editor. If I’d have known it was going to be this stressful I would have saved myself good money and not paid to have my mop chopped two days Hago, having said that it’s been a lot of fun as well! I’m really keen in updating the sports SAILING pages into a more readable and wide ranging section. This means I need maximum feedback. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] with your opinions on sport related matters, or if you agree/disagree with the opinion based content; the best will be printed in the next issue! Furthermore, if you have any article, blog or sports info you would like to share, then CLUB please submit those ideas to the same e-mail. I don’t want these pages to be dominated by the angor University is famous for major sports, so the more obscure and extreme the sport the better! The more feedback I can its Marine Biology department, get from you, the more engaging this section can be. Thank you. Martyn Singleton Bbut on the non-academic side, it also provides one of the best sailing clubs in the UK. Operating from the Plas Dinorwic Sailing Club, situated on the Menai Strait; Bangor University sailing club provides the only ‘fun, wet and enjoyable’ weekend activity in Bangor, that doesn’t result in MUDDOGS an STD. BANGOR’S AMERICAN FOOTBALL CLUB Not just for keen sailors, the club lead as they went into his year Bangor University will provides a ‘cheap the halftime break. In be represented in competitive gateway’ into sailing. the second quarter the action for the fi rst time. The All abilities are T numerical superiority welcome, with the Bangor Muddogs will be entering told as the Tyrants club providing training BUAFL (British Universities American ran out eventual 34-0 to less experienced Football League) with a baptism of winners. members, as well as fi re, in what’s known as the division Following this the instructing up to RYA of death! Muddogs prepared But getting there has been a level 2 standard, with for their fi rst year in no less than 4 fully bumpy ride. the league. Following The Muddogs were formed in qualifi ed RYA dinghy a successful instructors. December 2007, by current Chairman recruitment drive, The club sails Peter Williams, but a year later the the Muddogs now every weekend, committee collapsed, and the club number above 30 usually on both was in danger of going the same way. players, as they days; and conditions Thankfully due to a lot of hard work look to get ready permitting, at least one & a recruitment drive the following L o o k to face their games day during the week. Not January, led by Matt Timbrell, Lindsey out for the sailing club against tough just providing instruction, Jankowski & Mark Burns as well as at the New Year’s Serendipity, but if o p p o s i t i o n s . the club organises regular Peter Williams, come Easter the club you can’t wait till then, you’re more Three of their free sailing sessions and were in a position to push for league than welcome to get in touch with fi rst four games racing, suiting all tastes and membership. In order to do this the them at www.undeb.bangor.ac.uk/ are against three abilities. Actively building Muddogs needed to play an associate sailing, at their facebook page -just teams that made skills for inter university and game, for which fellow associate type in ‘Bangor Uni Sailing Club- or the playoffs last national competitions. members the Manchester Tyrants come along to a social night at the season, including Recent events included were lined up. So in an assortment Belle Vue. . the Loughborough Aces who made S p o r t s trips to sailing competitions of jerseys, following a delay in their “For me it has been a great it to the Northern Final last season. Hall & Sundays at Cardiff and Weymouth, as payment for match jerseys & on a experience, meeting new and Chairman Peter Williams had this at Treborth, 12 -2pm. Everyone is well BUSA Qualifi ers at the West hastily marked up pitch at Bangor City interesting people of wide interests to say on this seasons fi xtures “I think welcome, even if you’ve never played Kirkby Sailing club, Liverpool. Rugby club, the Muddogs fi nally lined and backgrounds, I've made many we have a massive challenge ahead before. All you’ll need to bring is a pair The Club also has an active up for the fi rst game in what promises new friends. It also gave me a chance of us this year. But I’m hoping that of football boots, and some training social side, with regular to be a great rivalry. It has to be said to meet people of similar interest with our big three games in the fi rst clothes. We have weekly socials opportunities for members to that this was following news of the from around the country studying at half the season will help toughen us from 7.30pm in Bar Uno, before we get together. Meeting weekly universities doubt of commitment different universities.” - & shape us into a solid squad, ready head down to Skerries, both of which every Monday evening at from the team. for the second half of the season. We sponsor us. We also watch NFL games The game unfortunately went the around 8pm in the Belle Vue, have faced big obstacles as a club from 6pm in Bar Uno on Sunday and also put on a variety of way of the visitors, as the Tyrants 35 Mitchell Bradley- in the last two years, but we have nights. The Muddogs also regularly "special" social events such players to the Muddogs 16 players overcome them, I’m certain that all fund raise for charity including their as Fun Centre trips, summer proved to be the difference. In the fi rst Williams the guys will pull together & face recent climb up Snowdon in full kit, barbecues, themed nights out half both sides defences dominated these with equal resolve.” and are currently planning their next etc... the game, with the only scores of It’s still not too late to join the charity work, which will coincide with the half coming from a couple of Muddogs, they train on Tuesdays, Thanksgiving! safeties & a 2 yard touch down run 5-6pm on the Maes Glas Astroturf, in the dying moments of the second Saturdays, 11am-1pm at Normal Site Peter Williams quarter. So the Tyrants held a 10-0 Wrexham F.C, the TERRACE TALK story so far... likes of which the Non-League by the manager that was “the n i g h t . International Derby hadn’t seen fi ttest team in the league”. With Wrexham seemed to be slipping side from the Welsh Premier for years. Wrexham truly seemed this in mind fans maintained an air into the quagmire. A 2-0 victory League, the closest place to be fi ring blanks. Then, two of positivity about the chances the away at minnows Forest Green Aaround here you’re likely to losses against Kidderminster and team had for promotion. Next game seemed to help stop the rot, but see a bit of decent football would be Salisbury compounded Wrexham was York at home, and despite then only taking 1 point from the the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham, fans’ assertions that the Luton winning 1-0, the team was starting next 3 games (Barrow, Oxford and about an hour’s train ride from game had been a one off. By the to show cracks. It didn’t seem to be Cambridge) started to exacerbate Bangor. Well, I say decent…. Salisbury game, the animosity the players, or even the formations, irritation amongst the more vocal of This season, Wrexham’s second towards Saunders had become but the manner in which the team the Wrexham faithful. Indeed, on the in the Blue Square Premier was full such that sections of the crowd were playing. Wrexham’s number Wrexham fans message board Red of high hopes and expectations for were beginning to shout 9, ex-Doncaster Rovers and former Passion, Saunders was vilifi ed and Dean Saunders’ men, and with a comments out to him. Wales international striker Gareth backed in equal measure on an almost raft of signings coming into the club, However, Saunders’ job Taylor represented a major coup for daily basis. It seemed Wrexham from young hotshots coming from was assured by the Chairman the team, however it seemed all the fans were truly divided. When Luton Man City to experienced veterans Geoff Moss just hours after the team wanted to do was loft the ball Town visited the Racecourse on playing in the Championship last Salisbury game. When Essex towards him and expect him to do September 22nd, it seemed that the year, the season looked like it was side Grays Athletic visited the rest. However, a win is a win and promotion favourites were going to going to be a good one for fans of the the Racecourse on Saturday, fans attended the next home game, teach Wrexham a lesson. largest club in North Wales. However, it truly seemed make or against Kettering Town hoping for However, the fi ght which Wrexham despite an impressive opening day break time for Wrexham’s another win. The day was were lacking so potently so far in the victory against Eastbourne, where season. A 2-1 win granted largely frustrating for Wrexham fans season reared its head, and Wrexham Wrexham sauntered to a 3-0 victory, a temporary reprieve, but and Kettering ran out 2-1 winners. romped to a 3-0 win over a stunned a fi rst back to back win in the league unless Wrexham can follow it up with It was now that questions began to Luton. Turning point? Don’t be silly. since January was not to be as they a win against Stevenage on Tuesday be asked of Saunders’ managerial With the confi dence of Wrexham fans lost 1-0 at Crawley. 20th, it looks like the season could be At this point Wrexham fans were capabilities, and this was further running high into their passionate still optimistic with the entirely new compounded by a 2-1 away defeat to local rivalry with Chester City, fans over before it’s really begun… team that had been built over the newly promoted were expecting a whitewash. What Joey McNally summer, a team fans were assured Tamworth on a miserable Tuesday followed was a drab 0-0 draw the 27 October Issue 2009 www.seren.bangor.ac.uk SPORT

the fi rst Grand Prix. The teams tracks and the majority went for testing and the Brawn of the European races team performed. Their car was were too cold for t h e m . quick! N e v e r t h e l e s s , BEST OF BRITISH McClaren and Ferrari began Barrichello, who to make inroads as they closed was managing BUTTON BRAWN AND BRAINS BAG IT IN BRAZIL the gap on Brawn and Red Bull. the diffi culties Mysteriously Button was slower better, was e n s e n “crocodile”, behind Japanese Toyota It did not look good for them. than teammate Barrichello and c l o s i n g t h e B u t t o n debutant Kamui Kobayashi. Button Just as it seemed all was began to drop down the fi nishing 2 6 p o i n t Jbrushed was ahead, having just passed the lost, Ross Brawn, order. Barrichello, Vettel and Webber, gap race by aside the stubborn Kobayashi, with a brilliant who’d joined meanwhile took advantage, scoring race, winning feint manoeuvre on the main straight. Team Honda heavily as Button “made do” with a twice in Europe. doubters Webber and Kubica both gained, from Ferrari point or two. All four were in with Vettel was closing as he leaving Barichello in third. A late the previous a chance of the championship fast too, with solid s t o r m e d puncture dropped him to eighth s e a s o n , as the they headed for podium performances. to the F1 world and out of contention for the announced Hungary. Felipe Massa’s Red Bull enjoyed Europe, championship at championship. he had season ended when with Webber winning his Interlagos. Aggressive Vettel did his best bought the debris crashed fi rst ever Grand Prix and brilliance took him from from 15th on the Honda team into his helmet at Vettel proving his outstanding 14th on the grid, to fi fth at grid, fi nishing and Brawn 170mph on the talent by winning at Silverstone. the chequered fl ag. Vettel in fourth. Racing would Raikonnen lifted Ferrari spirits by and Barichello, enjoyed mixed be taking winning in Belgium. fortunes in their efforts to maintain part in Meanwhile, back in “Big Gun” land, a challenge, as Webber won in Brazil. Nelson Piquet junior was sacked by It was an unusual grid. Qualifying Renault. It would cost them dearly. gremlins left Hamilton, Kovalainen, Piquet claimed he’d been instructed Vettel and Button towards the back. to crash his car in Singapore 2008, It appeared tough for Button to seal H e in order to allow Fernando Alonso to the championship from his position. n e e d e d Hungaroring. win the race, which he duly did. The Inexperience was in front, aggressive fi rst or It was launched fallout saw another big name removed chargers, some with “KERS”, behind. second and into the air on from F1, that of Renault’s Flavio The scene was set for mishap. failure by Button. He a straight, by his Briatore. On the fi rst lap, Barrichello was out got neither. The top two unwitting friend, Hamilton’s light shone winningly front, driving away from the fi eld, with race honours went to Webber Barrichello. That he again in the night race in Singapore, Webber behind. In the midfi eld, there and Kubica, with Hamilton. The survived is testament to the helping Button keep his challengers was carnage. Raikonnen, Sutil, Trulli, championship, after the most safety of the helmet. That he at bay, as he sandwiched Vettel Alonso and Kovalianen were caught exciting F1 season in years, was now will return to racing his Ferrari and Barrichello in fi fth place. Their in the melee, ending their chances. in the hands of the most surprising next year, a mercy. Hungary challenge appeared to be stalling Trulli collided with Sutil, carting along champion in years, Jensen Button. marked defending champion alongside the stuttering Button. the barriers, he jumped from his car His team Brawn follows suit as the Lewis Hamilton’s fi rst win of Button still held a healthy double-digit to angrily confront the blameless most surprising team to win a world 2009. It had been a miserable point lead over Vettel and Barrichello, Sutil. By then end of the lap, Button championship for years. What a title defence for him, until then. though both could still win. was in ninth, having slipped past the season! Speculation was beginning to But something else happened. Take Renault of Grosjean. Lap two saw F1 wouldn’t be F1 if it wasn’t mount that Button was “choking”. a look at Brawn. There is friendship Kovalainen leave his pit with the fuel embroiled in hype, controversy and Button was fl ummoxed. “What between the drivers and their teams. hose attached, spraying Raikonnen’s skullduggery. The 2009 season hasn’t has happened to this car, why Now do the same with Red Bull. car with fuel as he passed. The fl ash let us down. It began with the fallout is it so bad”, he wailed to his Similar huh? The two teams that did fi re was quickly dealt with and both from the 2008 Ferrari/McClaren spy race engineer. It appeared best are nice guys. They are sporting. rejoined the race. allegations forcing McClaren boss they had no answers. Pundits They appear honest, humble and Poor Barrichello, you have to Ron Dennis out of Formula 1. Honda had a fi eld day, questioning his approachable, unlike some of those feel sorry for the guy. His dream meanwhile, withdrew from F1 leaving ability to sustain the pressure, now out of the sport. Perhaps that of victory from pole position at his Button and Barrichello without a drive they were happily enhancing is the most important change of all. home circuit was blown as his fi rst for 2009. There was a 700 strong through the media. But the F1 had a human face this year with pit stop cruelly saw him rejoining team, a new car, no engine and truth is, the Brawns had spectacular racing and a fairy tale. the race in the middle of a no money. diffi culty with grip on colder Roll on 2010! Nick O’Hara Champions Year British F1 Whilst luck has played a part in Jenson’s 1958 OPINION.... Mike Hawthorn success.. boy, that Button has talent! nd…that’s it! For the fi rst time Barrichello, as well as the lingering performance really deserved or did 1962, 1968 in over 40 years, we have threat of Vettel. he land lucky early in the season? Or Graham Hill Atwo successive British world The stage was set at the did it really come down to his father’s champions in Formula One. After a penultimate race; at the circuit theory, that it was a pink shirt and 1963, 1965 dazzling season, Jenson Button and which had decided the previous two white trouser combination on his part Jim Clark the debuting Brawn GP team have championships. that did it for Jenson? romped home to victory. But on October 16th disaster struck. It can certainly be said that luck 1964 For those of you who’ve only just Torrential rain struck the Sao Paulo has played a part in Jenson’s success. John Surtees joined us this season, Jenson Button circuit in Brazil and Button qualifi ed Having previously suffered from weak 1971, 1973 is the dark horse in this race. Last at a disastrous fourteenth place on cars, poor management and pure bad Stewart 1969, season his former team BAR Honda the grid. All bets were now on a last luck, surely the opposite can apply Sir Jackie disbanded and Button failed to secure minute Abu-Dhabi victory sealing for this season. What is completely 1976 a place on another team, in fact it the championship deal. Apparently undeniable though is that Button has Hunt wasn’t until March this year (less though, no one told Button. To win talent! Perhaps one that has taken James than a month before the start of the the championship, Button needed a ten years to develop but the level of 1992 season) that it was announced that poker combination. But his hand was skill in his drive is frankly astounding, Mansell former Ferrari whizz Ross Brawn was simple- drive as bloody fast as you as Martin Brundell put it, “This Nigel going to head his own team. After a can and hope lady luck was on your man has been as sharp as a sushi 1996 few test runs both Button and veteran side. And that’s what happened. knife all season”. When taken into Hill driver Barrichello agreed to drive for With some brilliant driving, Button consideration that at the beginning Damon the team and the line up was fi nalised climbed a staggering seven places of the season it wasn’t even known 2008 on March 6th of this year. in the fi rst ten laps and drove as a if race results would stand due to Lewis Hamilton The 29th of March saw the fi rst man possessed throughout the 71-lap confusion about the new car designs, race of the season in Australia, mixed marathon. All the more special as his Button has squeezed every ounce of 2009 reports fl ooded out of the press pit overtaking manoeuvres were against potential from his car and in races Jenson Button throughout the weekend but Brawn inexperienced drivers. where he has not ranked as highly as managed an impressive 1-2 fi nish Button needed to fi nish on the hoped or anticipated, there has been on their debut, with Button podium or above 5th if Rubens fails a genuine reason. The qualifying for taking 1st. Brawn’s to win. This seemed problematic as the Brazilian Grand Prix is a prime early success seemed Barrichello started from pole position example where the tyres were to to be unstoppable. At and held the lead for the vast majority blame for his disappointing position the Bahrain Grand Prix, of the race, until that is, disaster on the grid and it speaks volumes Button’s skill as a driver struck and with just ten laps to go that the one race where Button was on show; fi nishing he lost third place to Lewis Hamilton didn’t fi nish was due to an accident 1st from 5th. But despite who also drove astonishingly, having caused by another driver (offi cial this early dominance, started from eighteenth on the grid. FIA report). How can anyone deprive the season would prove It got worse for the Brazilian when, Button of this glory by undermining to be a rollercoaster. in the very last laps of the race a him with any possible insult now? Disappointment at puncture forced him into eighth place This is a hard earned title described Silverstone was continued and secured Button’s triumph. by Guardian reporter Richard Williams in the next few races, and This dramatic conclusion to a put it, “Button takes the scenic route the championship was sensational season now means that to world title”. becoming less and less November’s Abu Dhabi race will now certain. Performances did be more of a victory parade for Button Rhiannon Thompson pick up, but Button had a and the top drivers but what of the genuine rival in team mate rest of the season? Was Button’s Get Fit At Maes Glas

Mondays Lunchtime Precision ‘The Beast’ Kickaerobics Aerobics Cycling circuit 1:10 - 1:50 pm 5:00 - 5:45 pm 6:00 - 7:00 pm 7:00 - 8:00 pm Tuesdays Balltastic Precision Step Combo Cycling 1:10 - 1:50 pm 5:15 - 6:00 pm 5:15 - 6:00 pm Wednesdays Morning Lunchtime Boxercise Circuits Aerobics Mix toning 9:10 - 9:50 pm 1:10 - 1:50 pm 5:10 - 5:50 pm 6:00 - 7:00 pm 7:00 - 8:00 pm Thursdays Boxercise Precision Cycling Legs, Bums & Balltastic Tums 12:10 - 12:50 pm 5:15 - 6:00 pm 6:00 - 7:00 pm 7:00 - 8:00 pm Fridays Precision Body Max Cycling Trim & Tone Boxercise 1:10 - 1:50 pm 6:00 - 7:00 pm 7:10 - 7:50 pm 5:15 - 6:00 pm

(01248) 382571 www.maesglas.co.uk or call in for details [email protected] Maes Glas Sports Centre Ffriddoedd Road, Bangor LL57 2EH