Letters to the Editors
Message of Support 1
Dear Sirs,
Your article "University IT network wide open to hackers" (News, 27th May) has recently come to my attention via Slashdot news. I wish to express my support for the actions of your reporters in exposing serious security flaws via non-harmful hacking. Do you know of any point of contact through which I can urge the University to abandon any disciplinary action against Messrs Foster and Waite? Articles from the BBC and Guardian newspaper suggest that a fine may be levied by the Proctors. If this occurs, I will be happy to contribute towards any fund to pay fines on their behalf.
Steve Jessop
Lincoln College 1996-2000
H Lomborg Lambast
Dear Sirs,
I am disappointed with the rather one-sided tone of Peter Cardwell's
'interview' of Bjorn Lomborg, "Hot Air or Real Scare" (Ox2, 3rd June). Being one of Lomborg's most vocal critics I am deeply disturbed when scientists like myself are dismissed as "environmentalists". I wish to unravel the lies and distortions plaguing Lomborg's book and repeated in the press as if they are facts.
I particularly take exception with Mr Cardwell's description of Lomborg's "exhaustive research". Lomborg's blatant bias can hardly be called "exhaustive", but your lay readers are left with the impression of scholarship where it is actually lacking. Just because Lomborg has been given a megaphone by the media does not mean he is even vaguely correct. I'd be more than happy to highlight the myriad of ways in which Lomborg distorts the issues in his book. He is an obscure academic who saw a robust market for books attacking the scientific consensus on environmental issues, and seized it.
The media, which supports "establishment" or "elite" perspectives, wants Lomborg's message to be heard as much as possible, and damn the truth.
Dr Jeffrey Harvey
Department of Multitrophic
Interactions
Netherlands Institute of Ecology
Centre for Terrestrial Ecology
Disenfrancisment
Dear Sirs,
I wish to highlight the City Council by-election in Carfax ward, on Thursday 21st October. Carfax is around 65 per cent student, and the elected councillor will make decisions on issues important to the student body, like air pollution in the city centre, cycle safely and crime.
The by-election has been called due to the death of Dr Mike Woodin from lung cancer, aged only 38. Cllr Woodin represented Carfax for the Green Party for over 10 years, and among many other things helped lead the fight against tuition fees. He greatly appreciated the support from student voters. The Green candidate for his seat, Sushila Dhall, is a graduate of St Hilda's College and has lived in the city centre for many years.
Unfortunately, the large majority of student voters have been disenfranchised before this election has even begun. Despite the urgings of the Green Group, the old electoral register is being used for this election - meaning that only those students who lived in Carfax ward last year will be eligible to vote. Out of 2,500 students in the ward, only around 800 can vote, even though the councillor elected will represent students for four years, without having been chosen by most of them. I urge all students who do have a vote in this by-election to examine the different candidates and to exercise their democratic right, on behalf of the entire student body. More than ever, your vote is important in this by-election.
Councillor Matt Sellwood
New College and Oxford Green Party
Message of support 2
Dear Sirs,
I feel that I should write a quick email of support from Cardiff Univeristy Student's Union newspaper, gair rhydd. As an editor I know this is probably the best and worst thing to happen.
"University IT network wide open to hackers" (News, 27th May) was a fantastic piece of journalism, probably one of the best articles I've read in any student paper all year, but at the same time to have your journalists hauled before a disciplinary panel simply for doing a very good job is every editor's nightmare. Although the only support we can offer is moral, gair rhydd is right behind your paper and I sincerely hope that your writers are cleared by the University. I'll be interested to see how it all pans out.
Gary Andrews
gair rhydd Editor
Cardiff Univeristy Student's Union
6th Oct 2004