by Becky Derbyshire

Do we not all have one of those friends who just seems to be able to discover bands and singers who no-one else has heard of? Mine introduced me to bluegrass through a band who I most cordially encourage you to seek out, Nickel Creek. Impressive enough on CD, on stage they are open-mouth gawpingly awesome. It is only on stage that you can fully appreciate the skill, talent and downright enthusiasm that bluegrass musicians have for their genre.Bluegrass has only had an impact on mainstream British music fairly recently. Often mistaken for folk music, bluegrass in fact has many influences on it. The genre combines old-time British and Irish inspiration with a great African-American influence (gospel, ragtime, jazz and blues all having their effects), to create a mesh of sometimes toe-tapping and sometimes incredibly soothing music.The father of the genre however was one Billy Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. The band formed in 1939, but it was only in 1945 when Earl Scruggs, a banjo player, joined the group with his distinctive playing style (a three-fingered roll on the banjo) that this new genre of music actually developed.It only became truly distinctive in the mid-1950s during the emergence of Rock and Roll, and whilst electric guitars began to be strummed by the fingers of many Country players, the Bluegrass players stuck to their acoustic instruments. There has indeed been much debate between those in the know as to what constitutes a bluegrass band, Most accept the benchmark of a fiddle, a five string banjo, a mandolin and an upright bass. Nevertheless, there have been movements in recent years to more progressive bluegrass music with some electric instruments.Like with any style of music boundaries are flexible and the style of bluegrass in often very varied. One of the few guarantees of bluegrass though is that the music is likely to be very technically demanding with fast and complex melodies often being improvised. Indeed the great aptitude of these players is amazing when one considers that often all within the band are not only good singers but virtuoso musicians.With the fusion of different styles that have influenced this genre, there is a little of something for everyone. From the pure and meaty sounds of Flatt and Scruggs, to the silky feather-light voice of Allison Krauss, to the more progressive sounds of ‘newgrass’ with Nickel Creek, Bluegrass is a well worth giving some ear time to.

by Aaron Borbora

Tucked away between the back of the Westgate Centre and County Hall, Liaison is certainly not one of Oxford’s better-known restaurants. And while "location, location, location" may be the mantra of property buffs everywhere, it certainly does not hold true in the case of Liaison, an establishment which in my opinion should be considered one of the finest Chinese restaurants in the city.

The unimpressive location and slightly grubby exterior are more than made up for by the inside of the restaurant. The dining area is small, but mirrors give an illusion of space. Very comfortable chairs mean that one can easily spend an entire evening here without feeling the urge to wiggle around in one’s seat, making conversation that bit easier. The lighting was low but in a way that added to the atmosphere rather than being a nuisance. Heavy and high-quality tableware and glasses added to the experience of solid quality which the furnishings and fittings exuded.

Right from the beginning the staff were excellent. During the booking process they were very helpful and accommodating and on arrival we were seated quickly and efficiently. Throughout our meal, they were friendly and attentive without being invasive or overbearing. There was a good ratio of staff to diners, meaning we were served promptly.

To drink we had a couple of bottles of house white; in contrast to similar offerings at other restaurants, it was eminently drinkable and, in keeping with the excellent service provided by Liaison, it was at a suitably cold temperature.

The menu offered an extensive, almost bewildering, choice of food from all the expected genres: vegetarian, meat, poultry and seafood. We chose a set meal of three courses in order to sample a cross-section of the offerings. The starter was duck pancake, in which the duck was perfectly sweet and crispy. So generous were the portions that we had to ask for extra sauce and pancake in order to finish the provided duck. The rest of the meal was similarly excellent, in particular the lemon chicken and that old favourite: special fried rice.

In conclusion, Liaison provides a truly first-class dining experience. Both the food and the surroundings are high quality and well-trained staff complete the picture. The menu is expensive – our bill came to just under £66 for two, although by drinking less and ordering a main course rather than a banquet it would be possible to eat far more cheaply – but definitely worth it. As well as getting an excellent meal and an impressed date one gets a huge Liaison-style portion of credit card points!

by Fraser Raleigh

What was supposed to be a serious look at the Middle East turned into a farce last week at the Union as the original line-up boycotted the debate following the withdrawal of the invitation of the controversial academic Norman Finklestien. The chamber was left confused as instead of experts, 5 Union debaters and Paul Usiskin, Chair of UK Peace Now walked towards the front benches. After many members had shown their disdain by walking out and the President had struggled to avoid being drawn into a stand up argument with a protester, the debate got under way.

Ben Jasper tried his best to make the case for a proposition that he acknowledged was neither popular nor easy to defend but he was overly complicated despite being well-meaning. Alex Worsnip did a better job in terms of argumentation, structuring his speech well by talking of the dangers of abuses of rights and of civil war and picking holes in the Proposition’s case as did his partner Andrew Goodman who spoke of the absurdity and unlikelihood of any form of coalition under one state. Jamie Furness, last speaker for the proposition, was one of the few good things to come out of the debate as he at mixed charisma and arguments effectively. Peter Usiskin, speaking for the second time, was sufficiently experienced in the question to shed some real light that had been missing from the other speakers.

This in itself highlighted the problem with the debate. The Union debaters did very well technically and substantively, especially given the very little time they were given to replace the original line up, and they should be praised for this. But they were just debaters, given a brief and told to argue it. Unlike outside speakers, they often didn’t really believe what they were arguing and as such the debate was ultimately flat. No punch, no passion and ultimately, no point.

by Cathy Thomas and Beth Williams

Have you ever heard someone compare a wine’s aroma to "cat’s pee on a gooseberry bush" or a pile of grey flint? Wine buffs have a reputation for overblown adjectives and can seem to have a language of their own. Half the skill is in flaring one’s nostrils delicately over the glass in an attempt to demonstrate wining prowess; the other half is about having the imagination to catch a whiff of petrol or leather.

Doesn’t sound appetising? The good news is that the smell of wine isn’t necessarily a reflection of whether you’re going to like it. We both agree that our favourite has a whiff of soggy trainers left to fester under the stairs for a couple of years. Very Jilly Goolden.

What’s more, don’t feel obliged to drink the whole bottle just because its got an impressive tag on it…trust your taste buds. If they revolt when your father proudly presents his finest vintage, tucked away in the garage since he bought the house, then don’t feel you have to merrily drink the stuff as it ruins a good meal. Beginner or not, the first and most important thing you are taught is that despite the wealth of wine-related know-how, there is no substitute for being confident in your own senses. Rule number one: there are no rules. This should be a breeze then…

Wine tasting, as Bacchus President Catherine Lee explains, is a ‘contact sport’: you have to learn by doing. At the meeting, armed with a brightly coloured and amusingly-labelled tasting wheel and some guidelines, we set to examining the wine’s appearance, nose and palate. Wine tasting isn’t about knocking back glasses of the stuff: it’s about analysing smell, taste, acidity, alcohol and tannin. Swirl the wine to release its smell, and do really smell it, as so much of a wine’s taste is wrought together with its nose. And remember, what one person may smell and taste can completely diverge from the next person’s opinion. We took encouragement from this when our views clashed horribly with those around us.

Wine is also an academic subject: the beginners’ classes certainly open your eyes up to how much there is to learn about wine production and its cultural significance. The ‘Five Vs’ hint at the myriad variables that make one wine taste the way it does: vines, vineyard, vintner, viticulture and vitification. The beauty of Bacchus is that it enables you to keep building up from the foundations laid by the beginners’ course, so that the next time you’re tasting in a posh restaurant, you can use wonderful little phrases such as "this wine’s a little too young to be up so late" with aplomb.

Why does wine tasting matter? Maybe you want to make an impression on a first date. Maybe you need to choose the wine for a birthday party. Whatever the reason, skilled tasting makes you appreciate wines and their individuality: you can work out what it is you like in a drinnk and what you don’t. Experimenting with wine is fun, especially with friends. Unlike certain members of the class, we don’t profess to be connoisseurs (or perhaps that’s just Beth being bitter because she couldn’t tell the difference between a £3 and a £30 wine) but here are a few skeletal tips to get you going.

Although expensive wine does not necessarily equal good wine, spending a few extra pounds can make a world of a difference. Roughly £1.90 of how much you spend on a wine will go towards duty; a decent cork will cost upwards from £1; pasting a brand label on a bottle will add another £1. If you’re spending under £5 on a bottle, think how much it cost to actually produce the wine you’re about to drink: it doesn’t take a genius to realise it’s unlikely to taste phenomenal.

Some wines are delicious on their own but others taste wholly different when used to complement food. The easiest way to choose the best wine for meal is to take recipes and wines from the same region, where they will have developed in tandem.

Red wines are often served far too warm, and whites too cold. The colder the wine, the less aromatic and flavoursome it is. On the other hand, you might get away with pouring an abominable wine for unsuspecting friends if you serve it cold enough.

If you like the way a wine tastes now, drink it now: a wine can taste completely different with age. A bad wine will always age badly. Screw caps are nothing to be ashamed of: for young, floral whites, they’re the best way of trapping in their light flavours.Having been enlightened by the classes, we have decided to turn over a new leaf. No more Oddbins’ special in plastic cups, no more bargain bin deals. Cheese and fine wine soirées are the future.

Oxford students continue to be twice as likely as students at other universities to suffer from eating disorders at some point in their lives.

A ground breaking investigation conducted by psychologists Sell and Robson in 1998 revealed that 36 per cent of female students at Oxford have suffered from eating disorders, and a follow-up survey 9 years later, conducted by this newspaper, confirmed that over 30 per cent of male and female students continue to have the same problems.

61 per cent of students said they knew more than one sufferer of disordered eating, and considered anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating to be a real problem within the University.

Almost 40 per cent of those students who suffered from disordered eating said that life at Oxford had definitely been a contributing factor to their illness, with an additional third stating that it had possibly aggravated their illness.

One student commented, "As an arts student at Oxford you spend a lot of time by yourself working in the libraries. I remember I was having to get through so many books each week that I stayed in the library all hours. Being at Oxford allows you to do that, whereas other places are more class-based with seminars and things like that. Here, you can get away with not seeing people."

Dr Nicky Boughton, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Warneford Hospital, expressed her concern at Oxford students’ susceptibility to eating disorders. "The people that are vulnerable to eating disorders tend to have perfectionist personalities. The whole system reinforces the view that if you don’t do exceptionally well, then you may as well not bother. Students can become very insecure when they realise that maybe they’re not the best, and it’s easy for them to retreat into their room and lose sight of what’s important," she said.

According to the survey’s results, over two-thirds of students feel that the University has adequate welfare provision to deal with students with eating disorders, while 15 per cent felt that services provided were very good.

This stands positively against Sell and Robson’s research, which found that 63 per cent of students felt there was a stigma attached to seeking help from a professional.

Despite this, students have expressed their concern that current welfare provisions at Oxford are inadequate.

One student suffering from bulimia and anorexia described how she felt let down by her college’s response to her admission that she had an eating disorder.

"I went to the College Nurse to admit that I had a problem and she was pretty unhelpful and said in a jovial tone that I shouldn’t worry, because there were people at Oxford who went down to 5 stone and still got through their degrees. That’s not helpful when you’re thinking of leaving. You feel like a cop-out. I took it to mean that I hadn’t lost enough weight. I mentioned that when I went into hospital and they were livid. That’s why it’s so important to educate College staff about this," she said. An Oxford welfare officer who wished to remain anonymous said, "The fact that eating disorders have again been shown to be unusually high in Oxford says something very serious about the culture which students live in, and the failings of the University’s welfare provision. While student welfare officers do an excellent job, the University must start living up to its responsibilities to students."

THE MASTER of University College has called for tuition fees to be raised so that the University can provide more financial assistance for poorer students.

His remarks have drawn criticism from student groups, who say that current levels of debt are too high and risk creating a ‘two-tier’ university system in the UK.

Writing in the Oxford Magazine, Lord Butler said that fees paid by middle class students were too low, and that they should contribute more to fund the degrees of poorer students.

"Instead of using scarce Government resources to subsidise youngsters from middle-class homes who could afford somewhat higher fees and would be prepared to pay them (especially when they don’t have to meet the cost until they are in well paid jobs) the Government’s resources and Oxford’s endowment could be concentrated on helping youngsters whose need for help is greatest," he said.

He advocated raising the tuition fee gradually, from the current maximum of £3,070 which is paid back once graduates earn more than £15,000 a year.

Butler, a former Cabinet Secretary, suggested that doing so would give the University some degree of independence from the Government’s HEFCE teaching grant of £1bn, enabling the Government to better fund universities with a poorer "brand".

"This would release resources (as the increase in tuition fees has already done) to provide more generous bursaries to encourage students from lower income families," he argued.

James Lamming, OUSU Vice-President (Access and Academic Affairs), said that he opposed a further increase in fees because it risked creating a two-tier system across UK universities.

"When last discussed in 2003, Oxford students opposed differential fees because they believe it will create a two-tier system of education based on the ability of a student to pay, not on a student’s ability to learn," he said.

He added that OUSU will be exploring student opinion over an increase in fees.

"OUSU will be consulting Oxford students’ opinions on funding higher education during the course of the year, as part of preparations for the 2009 review to be undertaken by the government on top-up fees.

"I hope Oxford students will reach a consensus on a funding system that ensures your university choice is only determined by your academic potential, but that provides our universities with the resources they need to continue providing world-class teaching and research."

Jonny Medland, Queen’s JCR President, feared that universities would not be able to offer similar sized bursaries.

"I’m opposed to any attempt to lift the cap on tuition fees. If Lord Butler’s proposal were implemented then there would inevitably be a disparity in the quality of bursaries offered from different universities to poorer students, with the danger being that the rise in tuition fees would not be matched by the expansion of bursary schemes," he said.

"Even if bursary schemes for the poorest university students were better funded, any increase in tuition fees would risk placing an unacceptable financial burden on students who didn’t quite meet an artificial standard for financial assistance."

He also pointed out that the 2006 increase in tuition fees has already caused a rise in individual student debt, saying, "At present, graduates are typically leaving university with a debt of about £4,000 per year spent doing their degree.

"Last year’s first-year undergraduates, the first year affected by the top-up fees regime, racked up an average debt of £5,586 per year, showing that tuition fees are already causing massive damage to student finances. The last thing that we should be doing is increasing the amount of debt that students are in when they leave university," he said.

Other universities whose Vice-Chancellors support raising the cap include Exeter and Birmingham.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY has the third highest cost-of-living index in the country, a study by The Independent has found.

With rent and associated costs reaching on average £120.01 a week, only the Royal Academy of Music and Imperial College, both in London, are more expensive.

The survey took into account the cost of accommodation, drink and a sample basket of goods. The Royal Academy of Music, costing on average £147.07 a week, was the most expensive institution surveyed.

The University and OUSU have been quick to point out that Oxford offers a large number of bursaries and have criticised the figures.

A spokesperson for the University suggested that the figures do not account for the shortness of Oxford terms compared to other universities, and that some rent payments also include costs for food.

"These figures must be put in context. First, rent should be compared to other universities on an annual basis, not a weekly basis. Since Oxford terms are only 8 or 9 weeks long, students in college accommodation are actually only paying rent for half a year, which brings the annual costs way down, and most Oxford students get 2 if not 3 years in college accommodation," he said.

"These rent prices also often include food. Third, we have the most generous bursary scheme in the country to support students from lower income backgrounds, with colleges offering additional financial support."

James Lamming, OUSU Vice-President for Access and Academic Affairs, did not believe the Independent’s study was a cause for concern, confirming that Oxford provided greater bursaries and hardship support to assist students.

"Along with other Universities in the Southeast, the cost of living in Oxford is higher than in other parts of the country," Lamming said. "However, this fact’s importance must be considered in a wider context where Oxford University provides one of the most generous bursaries in the country, considerable hardship support and fantastic facilities such as libraries that help keep academic expenses down for all students."

He also reiterated OUSU’s campaign for student loans to better reflect the greater cost of living in Oxford compared with the rest of the country. "OUSU policy, supported by students, believes regional weighted loans must be available outside of London to reflect the actual cost of living in a particular region, so as to ensure students base their decision to study on their ability to learn, not their ability to pay," he said.Britain’s cheapest weekly rent is at Bradford University, costing only £40.51 a week.

"I STARTED as a fresher at Oxford against the advice of my family and my doctor.

It was clear to them that I was struggling with anorexia with bulimic tendencies but I still couldn’t face up to it. Despite the excited phone calls I used to make back home every week and the enthusiastic, fake emails I sent to friends about uni, I was having a crap time. I was lonely, permanently exhausted and I felt I had to constantly act to make people like me or else they’d discover the fraud that I was.

At the advice of my doctor I went into an eating disorder clinic for a week to try to get some help with my eating. I ended up deferring my year at Oxford and staying there for two months and part-time for another two months. It was as if I just suddenly realised what a bleak existence might lay ahead of me if I carried on lying to myself. Oxford is not the best place for having an eating disorder. I don’t think I could have tackled it had I still been here. I probably could have survived it, but I don’t think I’d have been able to get my head around it and understand it. It’s hard to accept help here because at Oxford you have got to be a strong person and not need help from people.

I think a lot of people at Oxford with disordered eating have a predisposition towards it before they come, but whereas it might not become such a problem elsewhere, here it’s exacerbated hugely because of the stresses that go along with this place. Also, there is a certain kind of person who comes to Oxford – quite a perfectionist who wants to live up to other’s expectations of them – and that sort of person is more likely to have disordered eating.

Quickly after arriving here, my whole life routine completely changed. Suddenly I could spend so much time on my own and I didn’t have to eat with anyone. That just made it unbearable.
But you can’t just point the blame, for example, at hall food, because if someone’s dead-set on not eating, they’re not going to eat regardless of whether it’s a gourmet meal or not, but when you’re facing cannelloni covered in cheese, it does make it easier to convince yourself that you’re doing a normal thing not eating that.

Now, I’m quite happy with the University welfare provisions for this issue, and I’m willing to accept help. The University are really good at being supportive and recommending stuff. People do complain, but if you’re not willing to admit it or see someone, that’s a problem. What colleges could do more is take advice from professionals and be more aware of this situation.

I’m glad I came though, as I realised I just couldn’t keep up my façade of starving, purging, self-criticism and endless hours in the library for the next three years. I was sick of the constant ringing in my head and the anxiety of Oxford.

Being at the clinic wasn’t all a pleasant experience, and I only stuck with it because it had been my decision to do so in the first place. Rewiring my brain to try and eat sensibly was very tough but there was a lot of support in the clinic from fellow sufferers and the staff. I did feel patronised at times during supervised meals, but also felt much more ‘adult’ than I had ever done before. I think that was because I had taken a step, by myself, to try and help give myself a deeper understanding of my illness and what it means to share my real thoughts and feelings with others. I couldn’t believe that people actually didn’t mind being with me when I acted as nervous as I felt, when I was snappy and when I didn’t want to talk.

When I returned to Oxford as a second-time fresher I wasn’t ‘cured’ but I felt much more like a human being. I see a nurse counsellor at the Warneford every week to talk through how I’m coping with work, people and food. Although Oxford is a notoriously rubbish place to be as an eating disorder, it’s one of the best towns for ED services and the NHS is more efficient here than a lot of other places. Colleges are also starting to recognise the huge numbers of people here with some form of disordered eating. My college was incredibly cooperative when I admitted how tough I was finding things, I think my tutors respected me for my honesty. I still struggle with food, work and I still feel like a fraud but not as much as before and I can recognise when I’m acting the perfectionistic ‘I’m always happy and smiling’ somewhat sickening persona. At least I can admit to myself that I don’t ‘adore’ my subject and that sometimes I would just prefer to watch ‘the office’ rather than be in the library and that’s ok."

OXFORD UNIVERSITY Conservative Association President Alex Stafford has opened his campaign to stand in next year’s City Council elections following his brother’s attempt to win the same seat three years ago.

Stafford, a third-year historian at St Benet’s Hall, has accused current Green Party Councillor Matthew Sellwood of failing students living in Hollywell ward, which includes Magdalen, Wadham, Hertford and New colleges.

In 2004, Alex’s brother Gregory Stafford, a former Oxford Union Treasurer and student at St Peter’s, also unsuccessfully ran for the same Holywell ward seat against Sellwood. In that election, Gregory came third with 225 votes, over two hundred behind Sellwood’s 443.

Alex told OUCA members in a campaigning meeting held at the Town Hall on Wednesday night, "As city councillor for the Hollywell ward I would use the power of students, who have already indicated what they want to change. At the moment they are calling for a number of things, but they need more help, and the current councillors are not giving it to them."

He pointed in particular to councillors’ failure to adequately address environmental issues, and said he would offer greater support to student bodies in making the University more environmentally friendly. The comment follows accusations by Oxford residents that once-fortnightly rubbish collection had led to rat infestations throughout the city.

"The focus on green issues within colleges has not really been taken seriously. Students are telling me that they want to reduce the energy uses of colleges, but the current councillors do not seem to be listening," he said.

Cllr Sellwood has responded by defending his record on green issues and accusing Stafford of making unsubstantiated claims.

"Mr Stafford couldn’t be more wrong in his allegations. It’s a pity that, rather than making wild accusations and beginning a negative campaign in Michelmas term, he hasn’t spoken to me about the things that the Green Party has accomplished since my election in 2004.

"The Green Party has secured over £3m in the City Council budgets of the last three years. This spending has included hundreds of thousands of pounds for renewable energy investment. I have also been deeply involved in the drafting of the groundbreaking ‘Natural Resources Impact Assessment’ planning policy, which has pushed Oxford to the forefront of local authorities on environmental sustainability," he said. OUSU Environment and Ethics Officer Niel Bowerman defended Sellwood’s record as a Green Party councillor. Citing his involvement with the Green Electricity campaign, which made Oxford University the UK’s fifth largest user of green electricity, he said, "Matt has been key in communication between students and the Council on environmental issues, and personally, I would label accusations of poor communications with students as unfounded."

THE CAPTAIN of Magdalen’s University Challenge team has been rusticated for a year due to poor academic performance.

Second year history student Jon Wright hopes to continue as captain despite being sent down, but has yet to hear from College authorities whether he will be allowed to continue in the role.

Wright said he would oppose any College attempts to remove him from the team. "I haven’t heard anything at all from College: this is only rustication, I’m still a student. We don’t really have anyone who could take my place on the team, so if College do have a problem with me carrying on I’ll be vigorously opposing that," he said.

Magdalen have already won through the first round, beating Liverpool 185 to 100, and have filmed their next match against Birmingham, but due to contractual agreements Wright was unable to reveal the result as the programme has not yet aired. Magdalen have previously won the competition three times before in 1997, 1998 and 2004.

He was "quietly confident" that the team had a good chance of doing well in the competition, but stopped short of predicting victory. "We don’t expect to win, but given the right opponents and right questions we could have a chance of winning," he said.

Magdalen’s Junior Dean, Dr Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, refused to comment on whether Wright would be allowed to continue as University Challenge captain, saying he would have to wait until the matter was dealt with internally.

"As its in an internal disciplinary matter we can’t make any comment. Jon is of course allowed to think what he wants, but we won’t make any comment until it has been dealt with by the College authorities. It’s the sort of thing we would have to discuss internally and with Jon before we make anything public," he said.According to Wright, he was rusticated for a year by the College due to poor academic work. "It was purely for academic reasons, just because I didn’t work hard enough, so they suggested I take a year off and regain my focus which I am now doing. I hope to get a job to give myself some structure and then work towards my penal collections at the end of Trinity Term."