Sports: Ashes preview -pg

Ashes preview: England stoked for tough test

By Gabriel Naylor-Leyland

Photo credit: Wkimedia Commons

England head Down Under for their much anticipated fi rst Ashes Test against Australia on 23 November without their talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes. Stokes has not (yet) travelled with the rest of the squad due to the pending criminal proceedings against him following his recent arrest in Bristol on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm. Th is begs the question: can England perform without Stokes, such a crucial big-stage performer for England in recent years? Confi dence will certainly still be high in the England camp, with most bookmakers still installing them as favourites to win the series, on the back of their promising albeit unspectacular start to Joe Root’s tenure as captain. In their most recent series against the West Indies, a 2-1 win, England showed glimpses of what they are capable of. However, their lack of ruthlessness leading to a surprise defeat at Headingley will be alarming for fans and players alike. England do possess a squad brimming with talent; with Root himself easily one of the top three players in world cricket on current form, Moeen Ali cementing himself as a fan-favourite following some swashbuckling displays this summer, and Jimmy Anderson still consistently delivering at the top level despite being in the twilight years of his career at 35. But Root’s men will have to show a great deal more spirit and determination if they are to lift the coveted urn in Australia for the fi rst time since 2010/11. Th e Stokes saga only adds to the intrigue in what is set to be a fi erce battle off the pitch, one which is diffi cult to escape. Th e recent bad blood between the two sides (Australian opening batsman David Warner having infamously punched the now-England captain Joe Root in a Walkabout bar in 2013), suggests that we can expect plenty more fi reworks, and some hotly contested Test Match Cricket to boot. Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc recently, in true Aussie style, claimed that the English batsmen will struggle to cope with the added pace and bounce of the Australian attack. It’s this kind of ‘sledging’ which really sets this series apart from any other in world cricket. David Warner, that man again, has recently come under criticism for likening the Ashes to war. Th ough this is an off ensive overstatement, one cannot doubt how much victory means to these players. England would be right to have a sense of trepidation heading into the series, with two 5-0 whitewashes still fresh in the memory, including Mitchell Johnson’s almost single-handed destruction of England’s batsmen last time out in 2013/14. Th e threat posed by Australia’s pace attack is plain to see, and the series will likely be decided on how well England’s batsmen adapt to the challenging conditions. With these questions dominating the pre-series discussions, only one thing is certain: Th is series will not fail to entertain – it never does. It’s all to play for, and all eyes will be fi rmly fi xed on the First Test at the Gabba, Brisbane, come November 23.

F1 rule enforcement: what causes inconsistency?

By Jonny Brighton

At the US round of Formula 1 a few weekends ago, Max Verstappen was given a fi ve second time penalty aft er the race for overtaking Kimi Raikonnen on the fi nal lap by driving outside of the white lines that denote track limits, ultimately costing him a position. Th e ruling states that drivers will receive a penalty if they gain a lasting advantage by leaving track limits. However, in the wake of this incident, many people (including 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg) are still arguing that Verstappen did nothing wrong, especially when compared with other drivers driving outside of the marked track limits, citing an inconsistent enforcement of the rule as evidence that the Dutch driver should be reinstated with his position. Th is is not, however, the fi rst example of people complaining about the inconsistency of rule enforcement in F1, which begs two questions: are the rules being enforced correctly, and if not, why? In 2016 at Suzuka in Japan, Lewis Hamilton argued “I don’t see the rules being an issue, it’s just the rules being very grey”. Th is was aft er Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo lined up on the grid with half his car outside of his specifi ed grid slot to avoid a damp patch, which failed to draw a penalty, despite Mercedes being told this was contravening the rules by the stewards at the previous race. Th is seems to highlight the key issue in the debate; the stewards/ offi cials. Th ere are seven key offi cials at each race, fi ve of which are nominated to the position indefi nitely by the sport’s governing body, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), the other two being chosen by the national sporting authority of the country holding the race. In theory, this is supposed to stop two key issues: 1) favouritism, by having the same seven individuals every race, they might start to treat some drivers more favourably than others based on previous actions, 2) inconsistency, by nominating seven new offi cials for every race it is likely to cause some inconsistency over rule interpretation from race to race. However, it appears both issues still exist despite the system that the offi cials are chosen in. Th is, in part, may be explained by the fact that the fi ve nominated offi cials tend to hold their positions for an extensive period of time; Charlie Whiting, the Race Director (most powerful offi ciating position) has been in the role since 1997, for example. While this does make the fi ve key offi cials experts in their roles, it also means that they build a set of values for each driver; all of the drivers currently active in F1 have only ever had Mr Whiting as their race director, and he, alongside the other offi cials, will have personal opinions of drivers which may impact bias in decision-making. Th is is not to say that F1 should instead elect fi ve-seven new offi cials every year; this could cause an inexperienced line-up, which has its own negative implications. Instead, the only real way to counteract any potential bias might be to automate as many of the rules as possible; for example, using all the analytics and data collected from the cars and the track to help inform decisions. Th is is already being done to an extent, however in the case of obeying track limits, a transponder locating a car’s position on track, and relative time gained or lost to a previous lap, might be better able to consistently report violations of track limits than a group of seven individuals looking at it subjectively. Th is is a huge subject of debate, and favouritism has long been a theme in the Formula 1 sphere. While it may not be possible without extensive research to tell whether or not the offi cials have biases impacting their decision-making, it is possible to suggest that ultimately, a move towards data-driven, objective rule enforcement will lead to better consistency than seven individuals, vulnerable to subjectivity and human error.

University grassroots team score incredible cup giant-killing

By Daniel Lewis Sunday League football: plump, old men battling their hangovers on dodgy pitches, right? Well, while on placement it was suggested that we, a group of humble students who dabble in the odd six-a-side fi xture, actually create an 11-a-side adult team competing in a local Somerset league. Th e idea was initially laughed off , and then we got thinking. Why couldn’t we do it? We had the time, the players and the desire; all we needed now was to get the ball rolling. Fortunately, one of our players was on placement at the Football Foundation – the UK’s largest sports charity which funds the development of the grassroots game and, to our benefi t, provides supportive grants to new teams which help off set all the initial costs involved, including: kit, league registration, Somerset FA affi liation and insurance cover. Alas, the team was created, and so began the story of ‘GLF Panthers’. Despite our bubbling excitement at the inception, as we returned to university this September, the reality of Sunday League football began to dawn. First game in the Panthers blue and white strip – a la Argentina – and we faced off in the cup against a team two divisions our superior. As expected, we lost 4-0, but the performance was still encouraging in many areas. Next up was our fi rst fi xture in the Bath and Somerset District League, Division 4. Big boy football. Th ankfully, this was more our standard, and we

came out with an encouraging 3-0 win. Soon aft er this initial high, however, we were brought crashing back down to reality to fi nd out our opposition in the following week’s Somerset FA Cup fi xture; this being, rather ominously, the leaders of Division 1, Atletico Bath. Pre-game spirits were understandably low, with talk doing the rounds of an embarrassing double fi gures loss. We arrived to fi nd our opposition – seasoned veterans of the grassroots scene – training in full kits and pinging the ball about for fun. It wasn’t looking good. Nevertheless, as a Division 4 side we had nothing to lose, with the odds very much stacked against us. Ten minutes into the game and, somehow, we still haven’t conceded. Aft er some bright link up play around the box, we win a corner. Th en, forcing his way through a mound of large, ageing men, akin to the weekly scrum found at the SU happy hour, our imperious centre-back Daniel Arthington met the out-swinging delivery to volley home from close range, giving us a 1-0 lead. Th e previously unimaginable couldn’t happen, could it? Th en came the onslaught; wave aft er wave of relentless attacks, dealt with time and time again by the Panthers’ brave defenders until eventually, a wonder strike beat our keeper at the front post to draw the scores level at 1-1. Our heads noticeably dropped and Atletico Bath seized the momentum, looking to close in on victory. Th e onslaught from the Division 1 leaders continued, peppering our box with increasing gusto, yet still to no avail. With 15 minutes to go and Panthers’ legs looking increasingly weary, a seemingly innocuous ball was played out to the left wing, with Atletico Bath’s keeper understandably sensing no danger. Yet, despite being 35 yards out, Panthers’ oft -troublesome winger Daniel Lewis did the unthinkable, the unstoppable, lashing a venomous shot across and over the stranded Atletico Bath goalkeeper, who was left helplessly clutching at thin air as the ball crashed into the net to give the Panthers an incredible 2-1 lead. Th e celebrations were understandably euphoric, with our newly-created mish-mash of

student footballers very much daring to dream. Stunned, Atletico Bath came again, but aft er a period of concerted pressure, the ball was slipped into a pocket of space through the left channel, with Lewis taking the ball in his stride to poke past the keeper and put the Panthers 3-1 up. Bedlam ensued, and with Lewis’ second strike almost the last kick of the game, the referee blew the fi nal whistle, drawing the curtain down on an historic, once in a lifetime victory. At this early stage in the season, it’s still all to play for, yet the GLF Panthers remarkable foray into Somerset grassroots football rumbles on.

IDFC feature match: Physics 3-3 Management

By James Quinn and Richard Murray

Th e game of the week saw fi rst division heavyweights Management take on newly promoted Physics. Both teams started brightly, trying to get the upper hand in the game, but it was Physics who began to dictate the play, receiving much of the early possession and creating several early chances in quick succession. Despite this, it was Management who made the breakthrough. A free-kick, awarded a good 30-yards out, meant Physics naively did not set up a wall. Jasper Baijings’s powerful shot took everyone by surprise, nestling into the net to make it 1-0. Physics responded well and continued the high tempo and pressure they had exerted throughout the half. Th e equaliser followed shortly, a 25yard strike from Will Giles into the top corner. Th e game was now an end-to-end aff air. Management’s wide attackers were causing the Physics full-backs problems, making well timed and tricky runs, and providing dangerous balls into the box, all of which were cleared by Physics or just eluding the incoming strikers. As the half was nearing its end, Physics midfi elder Ryan Shepherd found his way into a shooting position before being bundled over in the box. Th e penalty awarded was arguably soft , nonetheless, Josh Moore convincingly slotted the ball home to give Physics a deserved lead going into the break. Th e second half started with a revived Management on the front foot and were quickly rewarded through a smart Jasper Baijings fi nish from a low driven Matt Saurin corner, all level. Physics quickly responded to the setback and claimed the initiative, pushing players forward and creating a number of good chances. Th e lads in black had a goal disallowed for a marginal off side in the build-up but pressed on. Management fought back and won a dangerous free kick on the edge of the box, which was well defended by the sizeable wall. Physics pressed on and were rewarded for a good passing move when a low ball swept across the box was hammered past the Management keeper for their third of the day. Management responded with an improved tempo and began to fi nd some of the short passes that had been absent for much of the game. Th is improved football led to an excellent ball, which was despatched past the keeper by Jasper Baijings. Physics again pushed forward and won a late corner but it came to nothing. All square it fi nished in a thrilling encounter for the four neutrals present.

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27 Photo Essay

Tour around Vietnam

Francesca Petryszak

With the rise of popularity of travel in South-east Asia, Vietnam is quickly becoming the top of many people’s destination list. And it is not diffi cult to understand why. From the street bustle in old Hanoi to rolling landscapes of Sa Pa, Vietnam is rich with stories and beauty, making it impossible not to want to visit right away

28

Challenging Logic

By Glen McAlpine

Are you in control? For generations, Economic theory has assumed that we have the ability, time, and will to make every single decision perfectly; from choosing a university that invests your student loan wisely, to avoiding splurging on a burger you can’t stomach at 3 A.M. on a post-Bridge binge. I sure know, I’m not always in control. For contributing to an Economic theory that highlights our simplicities, Richard Th aler was awarded the Nobel prize in Economics. Behavioural Economics studies our limited rationality and lack of self-control in making consumption decisions.

Th e theory explains phenomena that lead to us making decisions that are not in our best interest and can be used and abused by the most sinister corporations to extort our money through manipulative marketing. Fresh, for example, drives customers through an alleyway of booze, grab bags and chocolate bars in a fi nal attempt to sway us from sticking to strict budgets. Th aler’s primary contribution, the “nudge” theory, approaches the study of Economics through a psychologists’ lense. Imperfection, individuality and cognitive processes are therefore taken into account as nudge theory explains the interference of these in our decision-making processes. Selecting a way to present information in a marketing campaign is the economic equivalent of fi nding your best angle for an Instagram post. Th aler labelled this process of misrepresenting information as framing, a process that can divert us from making the best choices for ourselves whilst making the product appear more desirable. More recently Th aler’s theory has been applied in Government policy. From October 2012 a quiet change was made to UK pension policy. Workers now have to actively “optout” of private pension schemes rather than “opting-in”. Participation rose from 49% to 86%, which is

unquestionably a positive result as we should see less elderly in poverty. Our carelessness can, however, be taken advantage of. Firms are choosing to have the marketing e-mail box pre-ticked, applying Th aler’s theories to increase sales at the expense of clogging our inboxes. Understanding of Th aler’s nudge theory can prove to be a powerful tool, its application can have an array of positive and negative outcomes. Th ese outcomes prove it to be accurate or at the very least, useful. We are not in control of every single decision we make but at the mercy of psychological processes and external infl uences that govern our decision making.

Photo Credits: Chatham House

Richard Th aler won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2017

Brexit Deadlines Start to Bite

By Th omas Knight - Columnist

Brexit is becoming scarily similar to essay writing at university. If June 2016 was the moment where the fi rst motivation hit such giddy heights I visited the library to pick up books for research, the disastrous snap general election was me accidently deleting all of my notes but claiming it ‘wasn’t a big deal’, then the past month has marked the metaphorical point where I realise I have only three days to write 3,500 words. Across the economy, alarm bells are now ringing loud and clear and panic buttons are being hammered as the notion of a disastrous ‘no-deal’ scenario becomes more likely by the day. Th e government, paralysed by a bizarre set of recent scandals, continues to accelerate towards political oblivion. Th e calamitous timing of this collapse has prompted thinly-disguised SOS calls from a number of high-profi le business fi gures. Voices from the Bank of England and the CBI are warning of disastrous consequences of a ‘no-deal’ scenario for growth and investment levels and jobs. A recent report suggested that 75,000 jobs could leave the City of London alone. Business members privately admitted to considering backing Jeremy Corbyn’s socialist agenda if it meant preventing a hard Brexit, a staggering proclamation which exposes the rift at the heart of the Conservative party. What can the government do? One option is to off er more concessions in negotiations and hope for a breakthrough (this would be the Red Bullfuelled library all-nighter). A second, and more plausible, option is to admit you’ve messed up and ask your Director of Studies for an extension. In Brexit terms, this means joining EFTA and continuing Single Market membership as a hard Brexit would spell nothing but failure.

Tinder & Co: How ‘New’ is Modern Day Dating?

Photo Credits: Brilliantearth.com Tinder is just one of numerous smartphone dating apps that enable people today to fall in love at fi rst swipe

By Félix Keane - Bath Time Contributor

Technological innovations have shaped the way people meet and date: the internet is oft en blamed for an imminent “dating-apocalypse”, but “online” dating is not actually that new. Th e invention of the printing press and the subsequent development of newspapers in the 18th century saw the emergence of “Lonely Hearts” columns, sections where one could publish an ad to look for a partner. Originally male dominated and borderline creepy, these columns were generalised and became a genuine way of fi nding love, not unlike online dating. Today, fi nding a partner through social media and online dating is widely accepted. Th e proportion of couples who have met online is on the rise since the 90s, reaching one fi ft h of heterosexual couples and two thirds of homosexual couples. Th e most striking innovations which now aff ect the way we date are smartphones and dating apps. Mobile dating is not exactly the mobile extension of online dating: websites like match.com tend to be aimed at those seeking a long-lasting relationship and are used by an older age group, whilst dating apps gamify the process of dating by giving easy access to a renewable dating pool. Apps like Tinder help the dating scene by speeding up the traditional process, squeezing the fi rst date, wedding night and break up in only a few hours. It has never been easier to connect with this many people in such little time, making dating increasingly casual. Whilst dating websites are a means to an end (fi nding a relationship), swiping through Tinder is an end in itself, like fl ipping through an Argos catalogue and choosing a new washing machine to replace the broken one. An Iowa State University study showed that the majority of “Tinder encounters” left students insecure and confused. Vulnerability had been suppressed to partake in the hook up culture, leaving students feeling “empty”. So, is the Tinder eff ect spreading? People who meet through social situations and strongly consider personality should not worry, as Tinder will always remain a separate area of the dating game. It serves its own type of people well, those who would have remained superfi cial in dating. Mobile dating simply enables those mostly interested in physical appearance to match more easily. Overall, online and mobile dating are a new vector for a universal quest of companionship; dating apps make relationships increasingly casual and short lived for those who want them to be, but they will not end meaningful dating for those seeking it. Th e nature of innovation cannot be blamed for making dating a superfi cial endeavour, as personal values will shape the way new technologies are individually used in relation to dating, and to what end.

Engineers Without Borders Unleash Your Inner Comedian

By Lewis Lindop - Chair of EWB Bath

What do clean drinking water, access to appropriate sanitation, prosthetic design, building design, transport infrastructure and electricity networks have in common?

Th ey all involve humanitarian engineering. Engineering is about the application of our scientifi c and mathematical knowledge to meet the needs of society. Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Bath focus on the ‘society’ part of this equation – we call it humanitarian engineering. Th is year we aim to create an active society that provides a variety of engagement opportunities for our members and spark initiatives that have a wider impact. Th e year will consist of trips, workshops, guest speakers, socials, community outreach, projects and more all under the banner of humanitarian engineering. We have already held a very successful workshop generating solutions to problems, motivated by the devastation brought by Hurricane Maria in September this year. Groups have also been active in their creation on solutions, with one group building a water-pump out of recycled materials to learn about the ingenuity needed when implementing solutions in developing countries. Our upcoming events include a collaborative workshop at the EWB Bristol branch, which will be run by Daniel Kenning, an expert in the emerging and sustainability focused fi eld of Transition Engineering. Next year we will be organising a residential trip to the Centre of Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales and a new EWB UK conference, based in the South West of the UK is in the pipeline. It is fair to say that in EWB Bath right now, it is all systems go. Our ambition does not stop there! At EWB Bath we have now set our sights on changing the way engineering is taught to new engineering student at the University of Bath by challenging all of the engineering departments to introduce the EWB Challenge into their fi rst year courses. Th e EWB Challenge is a design program for primary year university students coordinated by the EWB UK team and delivered in partnership with universities around the world. It provides students with the opportunity to learn about design, teamwork and communication through real and inspiring, sustainable cross-cultural development projects. By participating in the EWB Challenge students are presented with a fantastic opportunity to design creative solutions to real world problems. By integrating the EWB Challenge into our university’s engineering disciplines, Engineers Without Borders’ mission to build a movement that inspires, enables and infl uences global responsibility through engineering will be one step closer to becoming a reality. By Naomi Holdaway CWIPS – Bath’s very own comedy society spe d it cializing in comedy, writing, improvisation, and performance have lots of exciting activities coming up. CWIPS caters to all, whether you like watching comedy with your friends, performing or writing: the opportunities are endless. We regularly run workshops on all aspects of writing and performance, and occasionally invite professionals to lead them. Workshops help you to build and improve your skills, road-test your own creations and grow in confi dence in a relaxed and supportive environment with other people who share your passion. For our fi rst professional workshop, on the 4th of November, CWIPS will be welcoming Imogen Palmer, a UK based actor, writer, comedian, and improviser to run a workshop. Th e workshop will look at authenticity and how we can use the truth of our own lives to help tell powerful stories. She will help be use authenticity, vulnerability and good storytelling in the contexts of improv, theatre and comedy. Imogen has performed to sellout crowds at Edinburgh Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, Bristol Improv Festival and Melbourne International comedy festival, to name a few. If this is something that would interest you, keep an eye on Th e Edge website or email CWIPS for further information. CWIPS is also starting preparation for the semester one sketch show and currently have applications open for the production team. Ever wanted to try writing your own play or directing? Th is is your opportunity! If you would rather enjoy comedy from the audience, come along to the sketch show for a night of laughter and frivolity, as guaranteed by the fact it is performed and written by fellow students on the 24th & 25th of November in the Edge.

If you would like to get involved with CWIPS activities, then please join our Facebook group or email the committee at su-cwips@bath.ac.uk.

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An Interview with Deaf Havana

Tom Dolton

Deaf Havana, one of the UK’s best-known alt-rock bands, are celebrating the release of ‘All Th ese Countless Nights - Reworked’, an acoustic reissue of their fourth album. Th ey’re also heading out on a UK tour in November, including a show at Bath Komedia. We caught up with frontman James Veck-Gilodi to fi nd out more…

Hi James. First of all, congratulations on the release of the reworked album! Is there a reworked version you’re particularly proud of?

I think probably ‘Ashes, Ashes’ I’m the most proud of. Me and Adam arranged all the string parts, and we don’t really play stringed instruments. Th e string players who recorded it said they didn’t really change anything, they just recorded it, and we spent hours agonising over diff erent string arrangements and stuff . So I’m proud of the arrangement of that song. played a headline set in a long time as we’ve just been doing festivals and support tours.

You’re playing at Komedia in a few weeks, have you been to Bath before?

We’ve never played it as like an actual full band, we played it on the Unplugged tour back in 2013. I love it there, I’m from Salisbury so it’s not far away. I’ve been quite a few times, been to the Spa. It’s really nice, I love it.

Some of the songs including ‘Ashes, Ashes’ have taken on a new tone in the rework, oft en a lot darker. Was that something you planned?

I think we just wanted it to sound more, and I know it’s a terrible word, ‘epic’. I don’t think we were like, ‘let’s make it sound a lot darker’, I think it just ended up sounding like that. Saying that, we did take reference from loads of like Bjork stuff , and that’s quite dark and weird.

You mentioned the orchestra on the reworked album, would you consider using strings again on future albums?

I don’t know, I’ve always been a fan of that, but then the only problem is when you go to do it live it can get quite hard. You have to get other musicians in and that can be expensive and time-consuming. But I would be keen to try it, anything new and diff erent is exciting to me, I get bored pretty easily. I would love to, but whether it’s realistic or not is a diff erent thing.

Are any of the reworked versions coming out on tour with you then?

Yeah I think we’re going to play 3 or 4, including ‘Pensacola 2013’. I think it’s kind of diff erent in the verses and choruses, but then the end bit, which is my favourite part of the song, is kind of the same as it was on the record. So for me that’s a happy medium between the record version and the reworked version.

Are you writing new music at the moment?

Yeah pretty much, I’m taking my recording stuff on tour with me. I basically need to write an album as quickly as I can, without compromising. I think I’ll be writing and recording for the foreseeable future.

Do you have a release date in mind for the next album?

It’s ambitious, but I think late summer next year. So yeah, I’ll have to get my skates on. I normally go through this process of not writing anything for ages, and then everything just comes out really quickly, so I’m hoping that happens.

Deaf Havana formed while you were at college together. Do you have any advice for current students looking to go into music?

Umm, don’t do it?! Do something you actually make money off ? It’s diff erent isn’t it, when we were younger, I think there was still a chance you could make money, but now it’s really hard for a band to keep yourselves afl oat. If you study music, study it because you love music. Th ere was a lot of people on the course I did where they just wanted to be part of the scene, be in a band, and they all dropped out as the years went on. So don’t just study it because you think it’s cool.

Th is was your fourth album, and there’s the reworked version as well. Th at’s a lot to fi t into a setlist; how do you balance the old favourites in with the newer songs?

It’s so hard! We have way too many songs now. We fi nally decided on a setlist but it took ages, and we had drop a few that people will probably be annoyed at. It’s always a compromise, I mean what’s the maximum you can play without people losing interest, an hour and a half? Th ere’s a lot of compromise, a lot of ‘should we play this, should we play that, are there too many slow ones’. It’s a long process, but it always works out in the end.

Are you excited to be back playing UK shows this month?

I’m really excited, we haven’t really toured in England for ages. I’m just looking forward to playing a headline set, we haven’t kiera_paige

Lucky 7: Tips To Avoid “Bad Luck” At Airports

Th ere are certain things that can’t be put down to bad luck, no matter how much better it will make you feel. Check out these travelling tips to help you avoid “bad luck” (cough cough) at the airport.

Fir0002 Flagstaff otos

1. Weigh your bags! Th en, weigh

them again. Leave a few kilograms allowance since sometimes your scales may be giving you a lighter reading – I like to think due to a secret global Weightwatchers scheme – so do be prepared to hear that your bags may be a kilogram or two more than you expected. Even if they’re not a gram over your own reading, this means you’ve got a little extra weight for some last minute airport duty-free deals. Fun fact: a Toblerone weighs under 500g… and you can probably fi t more too, now that they’ve robbed us of half the chocolate per bar! Sadly, even Ryanair is getting strict on this one, so do stay up-to-date on the latest baggage policies – you really can’t simply rely upon past experience to determine your limits.

2. Dress to impress? Sorry, dress

to de-stress. Th e dream of stepping off a plane looking like Kate Middleton, pristine, groomed and put together is, sadly, no more than a dream for most of us. So, you might as well make yourself comfortable. Th ink Sunday aft ernoon Netfl ix attire: add some supportive shoes and you’re all set. 3. Water - as airports continue to force us to pay for the very fl uid that makes up around 60% of our own bodies, it’s a good idea to think ahead. Take your own bottle and drink it all before security (oft en feeling the burning eyes of those behind you in the queue as you make them wait till you’ve downed every last drop of that 1.5l you ambitiously bought). Th en, once through security, where liquids are a no-go, you can begin the search for a drinkable tap – or ask slightly cheekily if one of the food outlets will fi ll it up for you. I once managed to get a security staff member to fi ll up a bottle from the staff water fountain, so never underestimate the power of a friendly smile and parched visage. 4. Charge your devices before going,

and again at the airport if possible. Arriving in a foreign country with 5% off your phone battery left is never going to reduce your stress levels, nor those of your companions relying on you for travel information. Besides, how will all your Instagram followers know you’re off fi nding yourself if you can’t check in once landed?

5. Research your airport – this can be the diff erence between attempting to sleep on the fl oor and lounging on an almost-comfortable sofa for those long lay-overs or midnight waits until the check-in fi nally opens. A great site for this is Sleeping in Airports, dedicated mainly to those planning to sleep/ spend the night in airports, but providing indepth information and experiences of practical elements of various airports worldwide. From opening hours of cafes to places to charge your devices, these can make all the diff erence to your airport experience. 6. Get your money before you go to the airport to avoid losing out on an unfavourable exchange rate. If you’re planning your travel in advance, it can also be worth keeping an eye on the exchange rate and choosing your time wisely to buy your currency. Alternatively, you can get a pre-paid travel card to avoid carrying large amounts of cash on you at the airport. 7. Make copies of documents, have digital copies on your phone/tablet, and give a trusted friend or family member a copy too. Covering all bases will save even the worst of luck of misplacing your passport. So, stay clued up and prepare well. Save the spontaneity for the holiday itself – rarely are airport surprises of the positive kind.

By Connie Hogg

Should We All Run To See Th e Blade Runner?

By Sebastian Buckingham Bollock

Our contributor discusses his experience running away rather than towards the brand new release of Th e Blade Runner

When the news broke about a Blade Runner sequel I rolled my eyes. Th e original 1982 fi lm was (arguably) Ridley Scott’s magnum opus.

Why return?

Not without its fl aws, the original Blade Runner works perfectly well as its own succinct little detective story, loaded with some interesting questions about autonomy and ‘what it means to be a human’. Blade Runner is also one of the fi rst examples of neo-noir science-fi ction, a confl uence of the high-tech and low-life of a dystopian-future Los Angelis, an aesthetic that has inspired artists for generations. If you can’t tell, I’m a fan.

A ‘soft -reboot’ sequel 35 years aft er the original seems to be an obvious cash-grab by Hollywood, ostensibly due to inability to produce any original content anymore. So, I assumed Blade Runner 2049 would be like most soft -reboots: total dreck. However, aft er the opening weekend, it started to look more promising. Like the original, 2049 underperformed at the box offi ce, but critics loved it. Th is piqued my interest: I consider this to be the sign of, at least, an interesting watch, if not a good fi lm.

abductit 2049 saps the original’s cityscape of all of its darkness and character in favor of a big, bland, conventional sci-fi aesthetic. Even the costumes are dull. When the soundtrack isn’t completely ripping off Vangelis’ original Blade Runner score, 2049 employs the all too familiar Inception bull-horn when a scene needs some tension. 2049 is populated by two-dimensional characters, including Jared Leto’s pontifi cating Niander Wallace, his incomprehensibly evil henchwoman (Silvia Hoeks) and Ryan Gosling’s (purposely?) wooden performance as K, the central protagonist. Harrison Ford turns up at some point and, well, acts like Harrison Ford. Needless to say, the characters of 2049 lack the moral ambiguity and complex motivations of the characters of the original. In the end, you don’t really care what happens to them; you just want it to be over. What else?

Th e fi lm moved along at a snail’s pace, which wouldn’t be an issue if the twists and turns were at all emotionally engaging or philosophically substantial. Instead 2049 opts for pretentious sound-bites like ‘you do not know what pain is yet, you will learn’ – wow, that sounds deep, very deep indeed. Ultimately, I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed. I love the original Blade Runner and 2049 pales by comparison. All I want to know now is this: What were the critics smoking when they saw 2049? And can I have some please? To be fair, some of the CGI eff ects were pretty cool – but that’s about it.

I was wrong.

David Holt

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