May 2013
13 posts
The right for freedom of choice
Photo Credit: marco gomes
Written by: Hugo Verity
Catherine Zeta-Jones does it. So does Kate Winslet. You might have dabbled now and then or hate everything to do with it. You might hate me in 500 words’ time. The question is: who are the haters to tell the smokers they can’t do it?
I’m not a die-hard tobacco lover or cancer sceptic; I would never encourage it or deny its risks. But I’m not...
Interview: Tom Hesketh
Four years ago Tourism Australia ran a competition for “The Best Job in the World”, looking for the perfect candidate to look after Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef. They ran the competition again this year, expanding to six positions, and one of Bath’s very own students is through to the final 25 for the job of Wildlife Caretaker on Kangaroo Island. bathimapct got chance to talk to Tom...
Bath student fined & jailed
Photo Credit: CalebWheelerRobinson
Written by: Dylan Baker
A former University of Bath student has been jailed for 12 months after admitting to charges of bribery and possession of an imitation weapon.
Yang Li, a 26 year old Masters student in innovation and technology management attempted to bribe Professor Andrew Graves to give him a passing mark of 40% in his dissertation, after it was...
High Tension: DPRK Undercover
Photo Credit: prebano66
Written by: Daphne Karnezis
In March 2013, BBC journalist John Sweeney convinced not only the North Korean authorities, but also a group of unwitting students that he was in fact Professor Sweeney, History professor at LSE. This façade was adopted in order for Sweeney to accompany the LSE students on a trip to North Korea, thereby gaining entry as a tourist into a...
Powell's Peeves: Keepers creepers
This latest and rather upsettingly last entrance into my sporting sentiments is going to look at a subject very close to my old ticker. For those of you that are regular readers of my ramblings over the last year, or if indeed you know me, will more than likely know that I am one of those lunatics that decide to stand between the sticks week in week out all in the name of fun.
The reason I am...
Getting your tits out for feminism
Photo Credit: Ammar Abd Rabbo
Written by Rebecca Muir
The naked female body is used by feminists to subvert institutional sexism and reclaim ownership of the female form. However, is this actually an effective method to get feminism to be taken seriously, or does it just mean that people seriously miss the point?
How a woman reveals her body uproots so many assumptions deeply engrained in...
What does Ice Hockey mean to you?
Written by Ben Hooper
What does the acronym NHL (National Hockey League) mean to you? I’m guessing it doesn’t mean a whole lot and just looks like I’ve spelled NHS wrongly.
Well you can un-hold your breath; this isn’t going to be an article about sport in the health service, or a team of nurses in tight spandex fighting their way through the underbelly of the seedy custard wrestling...
British vs European: The Divide
Photo Credit: vl8189
Written by: Tom Ash
If you put a gun to my head and told me to answer, in one word, the question “where are you from?” then the answer would have to be “Europe”. Naturally, it is not the answer I would give in more amiable circumstances. I like to explain that I was born in Britain, but currently live in Spain and my immediate family are based in France; clarity saves on...
Inter Halls Championships 2013
Photo Credit: 3:Thirty Club
Written by Jordan Kenny
Wednesday 17th April saw the University of Bath hold its second annual recreational sport day, the ‘Inter Halls Championships,’ building on the success of a year’s worth of student competition as a part of the 3:Thirty Club, funded by Sport England.
Whilst not all of the 3:Thirty Club activities were hosted on the day, a number of...
Revolting students & their protests
Photo Credit: Morten Watkins
Written by Tom Ash
Amidst the green and pleasant pastures of rural Sussex, a storm has been brewing of late. Anyone paying much attention to the news will know that the student protesters have been uprooted from their makeshift camp by a court injunction issued last month, ably assisted by over a hundred security and police officers who laid siege to Bramber House,...
Powell's Peeves - Give him a break
This week I would like to talk about the furore surrounding one Mr. Paolo Di Canio. He has recently moved managerial positions from Swindon Town to Sunderland. He left Swindon citing mistreatment from the Board, including the sale of Matt Ritchie behind his back.
At Swindon, Di Canio managed to get the team out of League Two and was doing well in League One. As such I can’t help but sit here and...
Tremendous effort from Tri Club
Photo Credit: University of Bath Tri Club
Written by: Emily Hogge
At 7am Wednesday 13th March the chatter of voices and whirring of tires could be heard outside the library, as distant splashes rang out from the pool and the first murmur of pounding feet emanated around the Bath university campus.
The challenge had been set, the goal was clear and the next 18 hours would determine the...
Awards issue is now resolved
Written by Matthew Powell
April at the University of Bath. Many things happen at this time – our brief glimpse of the sun is one. Another is awards season. If you have made a sizeable commitment to university sport over the length of your course then there is a chance that you could be eligible for a Blues Award.
The majority of these awards are in recognition of “achievement, performance and...
April 2013
1 post
3 tags
bathimpact Special Report | Animal research on...
by Rowan Emslie
There is a certain, unfortunate breed of mouse that is incredibly prone to addiction. It will forsake water for alcohol, it won’t contain itself around drugs, it will abandon almost all other activities to run around and get high all day. This type of mouse is coveted by scientists who wish to study the effects of addiction – how the brain and behaviour are altered, or how to...
March 2013
62 posts
SU President to run for NUS NEC
Written by Dan Phillips
University of Bath Students’ Union President, Chris Clements, is set to stand for election to the block of 15 on the National Union of Students (NUS) National Executive Council (NEC).
The primary purpose of the NEC is to ensure that NUS is fulfilling the policy mandates from National Conference. It also sets emergency policy, resolves conflicts and prioritises the work...
Prof Sci: the art of rigging elections
Photo Credit: Darius Gilani
Dear Professor Science,
My “friend” is running an election campaign at the moment and “they” were wondering if there is anything that “they” could use to help “them” in their efforts to drum up votes?
Mr. W. Clinton
I shall split today’s question into two parts. Firstly is against all rules, pure and simple – rig the election. I’m assuming, for no reason...
BIC: the dragon, tiger and macaw
Photo Credit: dilmarouseff
Written by Norton Yeung
Brazil, Russia, India and China – four up-and-coming economic powers –predicted by Goldman Sachs to dominate the world economy by 2050. Out of the BRICs, Brazil, India and China (BIC) are especially interesting as nations with no prior statuses as superpowers. China, with its double-digit growth over the past three decades, is emerging as the...
Economics of racism
Photo Credit: theps
Everything has roots, including stereotypes. The Jews are stingy because they dealt money, one of the few trades they could get away with during the Diaspora. Blacks are criminals, because discriminatory employment and economic procedures pushed them to the brink of society and often into moments of desperation. The French are smelly because the only eat cheese, the Chinese...
bite meets... That Joanna Bradshaw
TG: First up, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your EP?
JB: I’m Joanna, a recent Sociology and Social Research graduate from the University of Bath and I release music under the name of That Joanna Bradshaw. I’m releasing my first EP, ‘As Promised…’, on the 11th March and the type of music that I play is acoustic/folk and it tries to tell stories through the music from my...
Sat in seat A25
Written by Holly Narey
The man in B25 looks like he is about to die. Pallid,
gaunt, with an unhealthy sheen betraying the battle
of conflicting temperatures within him, each breath
he lets juddering out of his lungs is followed by a tense
pause as all around him doubt slightly that it will ever
be followed by another creaking inhalation. As he shuffled
down the aisle, clutching his ticket...
Our differing social norms
Photo credit: Disney ABC Television Group
Written by Helen Edworthy
As everyone with any memory capacity knows (sorry, goldfish), the Academy Awards (more commonly referred to as the Oscars) happened very recently, another night in the long parade of awards shows all taking place within a month of each other. As everyone also knows, amongst the glitz and glamour of the whole event there were a...
Etiquette, a Flintstone's guide
Photo credit: Mikecough
Written by Ben Charles Hooper
Etiquette as I’m sure you’d agree is a form of social norm, the customary code of polite behaviour. It seems to me etiquette resides safely from objection, apart from that of perhaps angsty teens and cats, and is much safer from rebellion than regular normative behaviour. Many people in many ways break social norms every day, and of course...
The Hobbity wonders of Wellington
Photo Credit: Gemma Isherwood
Written by Gemma Isherwood
Wellington, New Zealand. The capital. Also known as Wellywood; home to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Peter Jackson’s own turf and one of the most fantastic little cities I’ve had the pleasure of exploring. At current, Wellington is, understandably, Hobbit central. You can barely turn your head without being accosted by a giant...
UKIP: the party isn't over till it's over
Photo Credit: Euro Realist Newsletter
Founded in 1993, the UK Independence Party has long been stuck on the fringes of British politics. Although UKIP has enjoyed growing success in European elections in recent years, it has failed to ever win a single seat in Westminster. In the last general election in 2010, the party, led by Nigel Farage, managed to win only 3.2% of the votes. This long...
Varsity Champions 2012-13
Photo credit: Mervin Clingan
Written by Matthew Powell
The biggest sporting event of the University year has now been and gone, and the University of Bath defeated Exeter University and was crowned ALDI Best of the South West Varsity 2013 Champions for the second year running.
Action started up on campus at 11.30am with Men’s Basketball and Women’s Football, both of which the Blues won,...
Baby, give it up: the power-graspers
Photo Credit: Ukbezi
Written by Sarah Aston
Judging from recent international political events, 2013 looks set to be the year in which the international community and the dominant West will face severe challenges to key assumptions of political governance and international assistance. Whether this is a good or bad thing is yet to be decided but what we do know from the recent goings on in...
The Killer Bees make history
Photo credit: BrienPhotography
Written by Simon Love
The Bath Killer Bees made history again on Sunday, beating Loughborough 14-13 in a thriller to send them to the playoff quarter finals.
The first quarter was largely uneventful, typified by small gains from either side. It was a mutual display of stuttering offences capably snuffed out by two well drilled defensive line-ups.
...
'Online learning revolution'
Photo Credit: Overton2012
Written by Ailbhe Rees
Speaking at the Guardian Higher Education Summit, Universities Minister David Willetts urged UK universities to join the online learning revolution. According to Willetts, online universities were going to be “very significant” as demographic and economic changes in Asia have massively increased their market potential.
In order for UK...
Pool club win BUCS points for first time
Photo credit: Bath Uni Pool, Snooker and Darts
Written by Martin Rowland
The University of Bath sent two teams of five players to this year’s
BUCS Pool championships held in Great Yarmouth from the 21st-24th of February. The team event is split into two tiers of forty teams with
Bath 1st team entered into the Team Championship and Bath 2nd team
entered into the Team Shield....
How Starbucks has ruined my bar
Written by Nick Hill
Starbucks has ruined my bar. I remember a glorious time before this year when my bar was different. It may seem like a bizarre notion to lay any claim to The Plug, a distinctly communal place, but being an unhealthily heavy drinker I feel like I’ve been propping this bar up for the last four years, as much as it has been propping me up.
My drinking has led me to many bars...
Running apps: cheap and effective
Photo credit: bathstudent
Written by Grace Fox
You shuffle home after a long day of lectures, library visits and exams. Your eyes are drooping, your body is slumping to one side, and school children are running in fear as you groan inwardly at the prospect of returning home to a mountain of readings. Quite frankly, the idea of grabbing those trainers is a ludicrous one to your weary mind;...
Modern Notes: Tradition
Written by Rowan Emslie
The world of classical music is obviously a place of high class and formality. The musicians dress in full black or white tie, the venues are generally grandly decorative and formidably agéd, and the audience even more so. Walking into your first concert can be an intimidating experience.
Richard Wagner is the pinnacle for demanding and exacting concert hall...
2013 Students' Union Officer Campaign Coverage
Photo credit: CalebWheelerRobinson
Written by Helen Edworthy
On Monday 4th March, campaigning for Students Union Officer positions began. Campaigning spans the course of two weeks, with voting opening at 9am on Tuesday 12th March and will close at 10pm on the 14th.
These two weeks are a busy time on campus, with the nominees for the different positions canvassing on the Parade through the...
Horoscopes
Pisces February 20 - March 20
Hey Pisces, it’s your birthday, we go’n party like it’s your birthday, we go’n drink barcadi like it’s your birthday, and you know we don’t give a fuck coz it’s your birthday.
WE’RE BRINGING IT BACK !
Aries March 21 - April 20
I’m not putting you down. I’m just saying that what you do is a really bad form of pollution that makes us dumber and meaner and is...
Agony Aunts Lucy and Edie
Dear Lucy and Edie,
So the other week I was in Forbidden Planet and I saw a really hot girl looking at the Star Wars action figures. I walked over to her and somehow plucked up the courage to try to start a conversation. She’d just picked up a Han Solo figure so I picked up a Chewbacca and did a pretty good impression of him to her then laughed. She didn’t laugh back and just looked at me oddly...
Sex Column: Get that Geek
Photo Credit: linendoll
Written by bite’s sex columnist
When it comes to choosing guys, I think it’s safe to say that us ladies are always drawn to the ‘bad boys’: the ones who will corrupt us and look hot doing it; the ones who smoke and drink and talk about threesomes; the ones who our mothers would hate but also secretly fantasise about. But maybe it’s time we focused on what’s actually...
The Guide
Photo Credit: fiberfib
Listen to The Guide on 1449AM URB on Monday’s at 6pm for more information on local events, such as The Courteeners hitting Bristol as part of their latest UK tour
Music
Netsky LIVE, Saturday 2nd March at O2 Academy Bristol. Tickets: £12.50
Belgians finest DnB producer brings his acclaimed Netsky LIVE tour to Bristol as he continues a relentless touring schedule on the...
Film Review: Wreck It Ralph
Written by Ron Morrow
It is well established that films based upon videogames commonly only leave room for disaster, but a film wholly about videogames? That’s some largely uncovered ground, and Disney has shown that it is well worth some further exploration because Wreck-it Ralph is a joy.
Ralph (John C. Reilly) is a wrecker, the antagonist to Felix Jr. (Jack McBrayer) of Fix-it Felix Jr.;...
Music Review: Everything Everything
Written by Robert Page
The first time someone listens to an Everything Everything track, their reaction is usually something along the lines of “what the fuck was that?” or “What is wrong with that man’s voice?” But after a second or third listen, it all starts to make a lot more sense. Everything Everything are nothing if not different, or as lead singer Jonathan Higgs put it when asked what...
Theatre Review: Great Expectations
Written by Rom Morrow and Lucinda Vinestock
Despite my previous closest contact with Charles Dickens being A Muppet’s Christmas Carol, I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed the new West End production of Great Expectations. It could have been something to do with the fact that the main character, Pip, is played fantastically and is totally my type: rugged, lost, in need of saving and not...
bite Editorial: Chris Brown
I’m sure that most of you (I’m not actually sure at all, it just seems like a good way to start this) read the editorial on page two of bathimpact that raises the question of Oscar Pistorius and what will history remember? The heroic amputee who struggled against both his disability and regulatory bodies to become the first Paralympian to compete in the Olympics, or the far less heroic individual...
Chem time!
Written by Peter Hachfeld
Frank Morton is an annual event where Chemical Engineering departments from universities across the UK compete against each other in a variety of sporting events. Sports range from the more classical sports, like football and basketball, to the more recreational sports, like rounders and dodgeball.
The original Frank Morton was a Professor of Chemical Engineering who...
Adventure with DofE
Photo Credit: DoEBath
Written by Catherine Cherry
Early on Sunday 27th January, while the rest of campus enjoyed a well-deserved Inter-Semester Break lie-in, the Duke of Edinburgh society gathered in East Car Park, ready for our first trip of the year to prepare for our practise expedition at Easter. Jumping into the minibus, the group embarked on a rather snowy journey to Brecon, Wales. With...
Jack, 16, the miracle cancer kid!
IntelFreePress
Written by Vishala Ramswami
Introducing Jack Andraka. Jack is a boy from Maryland who at 15 just so happened to develop a new way of detecting pancreatic cancer and saving millions of lives by doing so. No biggie. You may have already heard of this incredible story, it hit the press massively about a year ago, but I still think it’s a story worth telling.
I don’t know about...
Review: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Photo Credit: BUST
Written by Ben Butcher
In general, BUST has left a rather sour taste in the mouth this year; a cringe-worthy pantomime and two fairly average, inconsistent productions have been the cause of this. However, when writing reviews, one must remember that these are amateur productions starring amateur actors, so any criticism of performances must be sweetened up a bit. It was...
Got beef? Why not try horse too?
Photo Credit: Moyan_Brenn
Written by Mike Szweda
How would you like a steak that’s tenderer, sweeter and leaner than beef? There is meat described as a hybrid between beef and venison; it’s versatile, textured and, quite simply, delicious. You can have it as the Japanese cuisine of bagushi, thin slices of sakuraniku wrapped in a shiso leaf, or a simpler meal of just having the meat salted...
