YOUR SHOUTS Voices of Roedean
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
The BIG Question with Jess Roper
‚What’s your worst exam story?‛ Note from the Editor: Well done to those who've emerged sane and stable from the exam period, and welcome back to those who have just emerged from their status as social hermits dwelling in dark caves of revision. Here, the intrepid Jess has brought us a collection of gruesome examination war stories. Enjoy.
"I tried to write three essays in a History exam, not realizing that we only had to choose one" - Hamida S-D, U4
"I fell asleep in my SATs." - Saffron Amis, U4
“In a Latin exam, I found the vocab really hard, but then two minutes before the end, I found out that a glossary had been included at the back of the paper.” -Kat Poll, U4
"I finished about twenty minutes before everybody else in a Maths test, and it was only five minutes before the end when I realized that I had only done half of it, and that there was another sheet to do." - Jess Roper, U4
"I thought that I had an hour and a half to complete my Spanish exam, so I went really slowly and thought about my answers really carefully. It was only when madam said "pens down" that I realized it was only one hour." - Anonymous
"We were only meant to complete three topics in a Geography exam, but I accidently tried to do all of them." - Anonymous
EXAM STRESS By Rosa Martin and Bookie Fagbola Hands up who has never stressed about exams. Hmm, that‘s what I thought. Examinations are the most stressful period in the lives of young adults and it is a huge part of the ―school experience‖ (that‘s adults talking). With the exception of you few people who make the rest of us feel like failures we‘ve all had the conversation in our heads that goes; ―I‘ve got an exam at 9am tomorrow. I really should open my file, but Gossip Girl/Grey‘s Anatomy/ Vampire Diaries/Glee just seems so much more important!‖ Unfortunately for us, getting into university is a slightly bigger priority than finding out whom GG‘s Blair is taking down this week or if Glee Club made it to regionals. I know you‘ve heard it all before, but being stressed does not help you when trying to revise. Here are some things that maybe you should consider before clicking on that next episode: Getting 8 hours of zzzz‘s is invaluable in helping your body process everything you‘ve learnt that day. You could use that 45 minutes of watching to plug yourself into a ―sleep‖ playlist in order to unwind before shutting your eyes (maybe a sneaky game of solitaire… actually don‘t go down that road, it‘s SUCH a time waster!) Exercise gives you a 25% greater chance of remembering so maybe spend two episodes‘ worth at the gym or jogging around the field. This also releases endorphins which make you happy and therefore more likely to revise. Instead of watching an episode why don‘t you socialize? Remember, the real world? This is sometimes good during a steady break. Having a bit of an ―FML‖ session with a friend usually goes down a treat – Don‘t forget we‘re all in the same boat! During exams we are usually faced with the feeling that (to put it dramatically) we might want to end our lives. This is not advisable. The cliffs are there to look pretty NOT to jump off. Therefore methods of survival that myself (and Wikipedia) suggest are; Steer clear of stressful conversations such as ―I slept at 3:00 am, what time did you sleep?‖ or ―Oh! But I only read my history book like 4 times‖. It doesn‘t matter if your friend slept at 5:00 am or read her history notes twice as many times as you read yours. People have different ways of revising, so don‘t be put off by others‘ techniques. Step away from the coffee machine! Avoid drinking coffee as caffeine stimulates the production of stress hormones and coffee can lead to one‘s inability to sleep. You may say ―Err, well that‘s the point,‖ but what did I say about getting all those invaluable zzzz‘s?! Let it out. When you are done sitting your exams feel free to scream at the top of your lungs (AWAY from the exam hall). What doesn‘t matter is what your friend wrote down in question 4b.The exam is over, it‘s too late, and you can‘t change your answers. So don‘t worry yourself about it! The Boudicca Bulletin hopes everyone survived the exam period, and wishes everyone a stress-free summer holidays!
Buzzword of the Issue
BB NOTICES
By Victoria Woo
Watch out for The Repository‘s return in the next issue!
An overheard one-sided cellphone conversation. (Half + dialogue)
A huge thanks and a fond farewell to those leaving the BB team: Astrid Ainley, Rosa Martin, Anouska Wise, Esme Brand, Jazz Baharie, Anna Augousti, and Nkem Ike-Nwabuoko. We‘ll miss you, and best of luck! And congratulations to all the incoming new editors on your posts: Sports with Camilla Gibson; News with Serena EsiriBloom and Emma Alexander; Features with Jasmine GordonBrown and Jamie-Jo Whelan; Entertainment with and Julia Kisray.
Halfalogue
Overheard from: http://tinyurl.com/halfalogue You're on the bus and suddenly, you hear the muzak rendition of Usher's OMG chime. The lady in front whips out her phone and begins to engage in what may be the most banal phone call ever. The dreaded halfalogue. Check out the site above to find out why we find them so annoying. For more hilarious out of context content, check out http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/ or even contribute to http://www.overheardinlondon.co.uk/ if you happen to be in the area over the summer!
The Last Word: A tan gives off the impression of a younger and healthier you. However, every time you're out baking in the sun, you're inviting cancer over for tea. A fake tan gives you the possibility to become one with a ripe Seville orange, albeit without risking your health. Stay pale and you could be mistaken by a twihard (die-hard twilight fans) character and get mauled. You win some, you lose some. Just be safe: wear sunscreen, don't double spray and don't go close to cinemas on July 9th.
PAGE 12 YOUR SHOUTS
Roedean School Newspaper
THE BOUDICCA BULLETIN “Honour the wordy”
Volume II, Issue III
Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ
Airports: Do We Feel Safe?
Prank Anticipation By Julia Kisray Since the 6th September ‘04 this eager Roedeanian has been keeping a close and scrutinising eye on the progress of the annual sixth form pranks. Even though I am a woman of particular taste and critical nature, I can‘t help but praise the pranks that have happened during my time here. The themes have been varied; Roedean has previously been converted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Willy Wonka‘s Chocolate Factory, and a colossal game board of Monopoly. A multitude of eye-catching yet controversial things have been hung over the front of the school for the enjoyment of commuters taking the A259 to and from their various destinations: a massive ‗For Sale‘ banner, a washing line from one side of the school to the other with a huge ―papier mâché‖ polka dot bra which read ―Leavers of ‘08.‖ Other brilliant ideas have included members of staff becoming participants in Blind Dates, the entire contents of the staff room being transferred to the front quad, and the whole of the 6.2 year group attending final chapel in fancy dress. Come mid-June, the rumours of the prank always start circulating the corridors and dorms. Some hysterical, some peculiar, some overblown, this year‘s is sure to be elaborate, innovative, and original. The rumours have included three pigs labelled 1, 2 and 4 being set free around school to cause mayhem (slightly ―17 Again‖ if you ask me) which would result in an unfruitful hunt for pig number 3! So what have the leavers of 2010 got in store for us this time? The swimming pool turning into a massive ice-skating rink? A massive communal pyjama day? I‘m already excited. Whatever it may be, it‘ll be one to add to a long list of Roedean‘s memorable pranks.
The General Election
By Sophie Watson The Christmas day bomber raised serious concerns that current security measures already in place at airports are just not enough. The process of getting through security at an airport is a lengthy one. However with new measures that are to be put in place soon, the length of airport queues are going to decrease, but the heat of the controversy is on the rise. As Roedean frequent-flyers know all too well, passengers already have to put bags, belts, and shoes through a scanner and walk through a metal detector. However, even these seemingly excessive measures did not stop the Christmas day bomber. Heightening the aura of insecurity in the airport setting, sniffer dogs, with the ability to detect drugs or explosives in bags or on travellers, are being used in increased numbers. Thus the hot debate lives: should we sacrifice our privacy for our security? When we can‘t even foolproof the process of preventing explosives from boarding planes, is it still worth sacrificing the privacy of the person travelling? Possibly the most controversial new instalment is to be put in place this year: body scanners. These daunting machines take a photo of the person in the booth in order to expose concealed explosives or weapons. While you may think this a perfectly reasonable exercise of security, the scanners have sparked significant debate. On the scan, explosives are not the only things revealed, and thus some passengers have protested at the idea of allowing airport personal to see a fully exposed graphic image of their body. It could be argued that airport security measure such as the body scanners are violating our fundamental human rights to privacy. It does beg the question; just how far will we go to ensure our safety?
‚Should we sacrifice our privacy for our security?‛
Called by some ‚the most exciting election of this generation.‛ But was this election all hype and no substance?
By Brittany Morgan and Hannah Redwood The election on May 6th was anticipated to be the most closely fought election in British history. The people of Britain were faced with the important task of electing a new government, a daunting prospect as the long established twoparty system was threatened by the Liberal Democrats who emerged as key players in the political arena. Even now, weeks after the election, the hype is still continuing with the unprecedented Liberal-Conservative coalition forming the new government. For the first time, the three party leaders took to the stage together to appear in the three televised election debates, this added a more personal approach to the election, with members of the public asking the leaders questions. Nick Clegg‘s performance in the first debate catapulted the Liberal Democrats into the centre stage, hinting at the prospect of a hung parliament. As the debates continued the polls showed a fall in Conservative and Labour popularity and a rise in that of the Liberal Democrats. These debates crystallized what political theorists had theorized was a long term trend towards a more presidential style election, and subsequently presidential-style government. Further supporting this theory, party leaders monopolized the polls, not the party themselves, as major cabinet members went unnoticed during the course of the election campaign. One of the highlights of the election was the scandal involving the incumbent Prime Minister Gordon Brown and a Labour supporter in Manchester. Gordon Brown was caught on tape calling this former supporter ‗a bigoted woman‘, after a one-sided discussion about the government‘s immigration policy. Thus,
‚The word ‘Bigot’ was transformed by journalists and despondent citizens alike into the acronym ‘Brown Is Gone On Thursday.‛
June 2010
in an attempt to rise to the demands of this new presidential-style election, Brown shot himself in the foot with this memorable mis-statement. Some have argued that this misdemeanour cost him the election, and thus the word ‗Bigot‘ was transformed by journalists and despondent citizens alike into the acronym ‗Brown Is Gone On Thursday‘. For some, this event shed a questioning light on the capability of Gordon Brown to lead his party through another 5 years in power. For others, it humanized an otherwise dry political figure who often struggled with the ‗appearance‘ side of politics. Some have criticised the election results by claiming that they are not truly valid due to the problems that arose on election night. Over 600 voters were unable to cast their ballot due to the lack of ballot slips and in some cases, a lack of time. However, while this is obviously unfair practice it has been argued that the difference of a few thousand votes would not have changed the overall result and therefore no action has been taken to challenge these missed votes. Although this can be reasoned in the name of efficiency, some argue that disenfranchisement of any proportion is still of massive significance. This election has also brought the question of proportional representation forward, a voting system where votes are translated into representatives in a loosely proportional manner. The new coalition government, despite acting against the Conservative manifesto, promised a referendum on the current voting system, a highly unproportional system called ‗First Past the Post‘. If a more proportional system like AV Plus were in place, there would have more than likely been a different winner, despite all the votes being cast the same. This would have resulted in an increase of Lib Dem seats from 57 to 110. This would also mean that smaller parties would have received more recognition. Although this would have been arguably more democratic, it could‘ve lead to more extreme parties like the BNP gaining seats in the House of Commons. Do you think that every vote should count? Democracy would say yes, but the 2010 election demonstrated otherwise.
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
THE BOUDICCA BULLETIN EDITORIAL
Gender Dress Code
Good Bad Poetry
By Angela Needham Metrosexuality Pronunciation: \ˌme-trə-ˈsek-shə-ˈwa-lə-tē\ Function: noun A metrosexual is a male who is seen as more body and image conscious. Usually more emotional and cares more than most males about how he is viewed. Typically lives/works in or near a large metropolitan area. High disposable income. Often mistaken for being gay. Dame Edna, Lily Savage, and Russell Brand, are some celebs who have graced the entertainment world with their glittering heels, wigs (obviously based on those fashioned by the likes of Audrey and Emily in Coronation Street, no doubt) and, rather unfortunately, skinny jeans. We all love their comic quirks and their outrageous personalities, but have their feminine qualities positively influenced men‘s fashion? Russell Brand famously entered our TV screens with his tight skinny jeans and proved to the world that guys can pull off women‘s most popular jeans too. Not only that, but he also admitted to have shared tops with fiancée Katy Perry. Let‘s not forget those fancy 3-inch stilettos he favours to teeter along to MTV award shows on. Today the thin line between women‘s fashion and men‘s has slowly dissolved as trends start to overlap from the smallest quirks to the plain obvious. However, should a man be able to discover his own feminine qualities just as women do with their masculine side? In this day and age, surely the need to express yourself through clothes shouldn‘t be hindered just because of your gender. For years tom boys have been rightfully accepted into our society as a typical stereotype. Shouldn‘t boys have the same liberties without scrutiny? A girl wearing jeans, t-shirts, and trainers has become the norm, but when a man dresses in a skirt or a dress they tend to be viewed with far less understanding. Even sexy Scottish kilts, a clothing item defined by one‘s culture, not fashion forwardness, have been put under intense scrutiny by those who cling to tradition gender roles. What makes it more degrading for a man to dress and act like a woman, than a woman to dress and act like a man? Both Dame Edna and Lily Savage have won the nation‘s hearts with their fun, hilarious, and sparkly skits. But are we laughing at their jokes or are we mocking them for playing women? Men struggle today to express their love of fashion without society using it as some indication of their sexual persuasion. Fortunately, as we entered the Ricky Martin era of the late 90s, it has become more acceptable for a man to flash some femininity – or his ‗sensitive side‘. So ask yourself: are the metrosexually dressed men on TV, magazines, and even on the high street dressed for attention or are they individuals doing it for themselves? After centuries of fighting for equality, women can‘t pull the hypocrite card now: metrosexualism is simply another form of expression, and to treat it as otherwise is unfair to not only your brothers, but to the women who fought for your right to wear blue jeans today. So, unless you‘re riding sidesaddle, get off your high horse and embrace the 21st century.
By Joy Crane Don‘t underestimate the art of truly terrible poetry. As a result of our postmodernist society and with the explosion of the blogging phenomenon, a true child of the ‗noughties‘ steers sharply away from what their GCSE English Anthology tells them is ‗quality poetry‘. These pre-existing conditions coupled with the Indie-Chic love of irony have resulted in a very active rejection of conventional ‗good‘ poetry, replaced by the ‗discovery‘ of a socalled diamond in the rough, unblemished by the popular assent that today‘s individuals detest so adamantly. However, genuinely awful poetry needn‘t be stamped with Indie-approved-irony for it to be relished, nor need it be condemned by those who consider themselves to be Vulpes Libris. In it‘s own right, bad poetry can humanize the great masters, it can topple over the pedestal where those who pompously confess a profound love of ‗litch-rahchah‘ (literature) reside, it can teach (by contrast) what makes good poetry, and it can quite simply provide some light relief or a hearty chuckle. So who are the bad poets? Before you start tossing your journals into wellconcealed corners, it is comforting to know that some of the worst poetry comes from some of the most celebrated names. In D B Wyndham Lewis‘s ―The Stuffed Owl, an Anthology of Bad Verse,‖ the ‗greatness‘ of some of the great masters, such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, Longfellow, and Tennyson, becomes under question with some of the cringe-worthy poems compiled in this satirical anthology. Take, for instance, this excerpt from a lesser known Wordsworth poem, ―The Thorn‖: There is a thorn; it looks so old, In truth you'd find it hard to say, How it could ever have been young, It looks so old and grey. Though let‘s not let Wordsworth steal all the glory; after all, what would bad poetry be without the notorious William McGonagall? A self-educated handloom weaver from Dundee, he has been widely hailed as the writer of the worst poetry of the English language. McGonagall always yearned to become Poet Laureate, and upon the death of Alfred Lord Tennyson he actually walked all the way to Balmoral Castle to ask Queen Victoria for the title. He was turned away at the gate. One needn‘t wonder why, with such gems such as ―The Newport Railway‖: Success to the Newport Railway, Along the braes of the Silvery Tay, And to Dundee straightway, Across the Railway Bridge o' the Silvery Tay, Which was opened on the 12th of May,
So, what makes poetry ‗bad‘? Oscar Wilde said ―All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling,‖ but to be amongst McGonagall & co. misdirected emotion simply isn‘t terrible enough. For instance, Internet ‗poem generators‘, such as http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/Poem/, may mechanically produce weak verse such as: This is a terrible poem The trees of life are dripping with blood-stained dew. Mashed potatoes, where's the gravy baby? She kicked up her hooves and let out a "moo" But this poem will hardly resound through time for its awfulness. Supreme achievements of the lame, the meretricious, the naive, the bathetic and the sentimental are rare and precious. In fact, supremely terrible poetry, so far removed from the ordinary and the mundane, moves full circle and re-emerges as an art form of some merit. For this reason we remember McGonagall and his dire works, and not the contemporaneous Poet Laureate of his time, Alfred Austin, whose verse was presumably of decent standard. Thus, in the throws of summer romance or inspired by your pristine setting, do sit down this summer to write a truly terrible poem. Although you many never aspire to be quite as terrible as McGonagall, with the right amount of distance away from your A-level texts and with close proximity to Nichols Sparks and Jodi Picoult, you may just be equipped to write a blog in McGonagall‘s honour. But, alas, if this article of drivel stills leaves you devoid of inspiration to compose that abysmal masterpiece (it‘s not an oxymoron, dear) then observe my personal favourite of the supremely terrible, "The Potato" by Eliza Cook (1818-1839): The useful and the beautiful Are not far apart we know. And thus the beautiful are glad to have, The homely looking Potato. On the land, or on the sea, Wherever we may go, We are always glad to welcome The homely Potato. A practical and moral lesson This may plainly show, That though homely, our heart can be Like that of the homely Potato.
The Realistic Modern Day Doomsday Menu As the numbers of far-fetched movies of apocalyptic vision rise, we touch down on the reality of having a single day left on the planet. By Camilla Gibson I have only one day to live. Great, that‘s just fantastic that I have just booked Lady Gaga tickets, 50 quid wasted! Well now the matter of what to do in the meantime whilst I wait for my impending doom? Facebook. Status update: ―I‘m going to die today, it‘s the end of the world.‖ Scrolling down the page, ahh, let's stalk that rather attractive gappy from Brighton College. Whilst staring at the photos of his ‗hideous‘ girlfriend, I consult my two options before I have to die: • • • •
Ride an elephant Buy all the sweets I can afford Fly to Paris Tell all the people I know what I really think about them
• • • •
Go to lessons (and don‘t listen) Go to break and eat more depressing digestives (again) Check my facebook (again) Pretend I like all the people I know
Or
PAGE 2 OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
It‘s a tricky decision but I think that the latter option is going to be more likely… Facebook notification- somebody has commented on your status ―hey what‘s this about you riding an elephant?‖ Well, aside from the elephant riding, it‘s going to be a normal school day. I eventually realised that it was Friday when, after the raucous students in the dining hall had banged their cups on the already dented table, screaming happy birthday out of tune. The 1:30 fire alarm blared out; shortly followed by the chorus of several monotonous voices saying ―Fri-day‖. Leaving the smell of fish chips behind, I trooped all the way up to Chemistry (which I haven‘t concentrated in for about 2 years now). After singeing my eyebrow several times (my friends saying ―I didn‘t know you had eyebrows‖), class was over. Springing to life out of my quiet stupor and jostling people in the corridor, I finally reached my destination. The café. ―One cookie please‖. Mmmm now I will go a happy person.
FASHION
Why Dr. Kaye wears waistcoasts:
With Phuong Dinh Phuong: Hello Sir, I would like to ask you some questions. On fashion. For the school news paper. Dr. Kaye: What, me? I don‘t imagine why... Phuong: Oh, but of course Sir! Your style stands out; it‘s eccentric! Which brings us to the first question: a lot of people think of ‗waistcoat‘ when they think about Dr. Kaye. Would you say this is your signature style or is it something else? Dr. Kaye: Well not so much a ‗signature style‘ really. I wore waistcoats because my old car didn‘t have a heater! So I had to pile on every piece of clothing to keep warm in mid winter. (Dr. Fisher walks in) Ask Dr. Fisher! (To Dr. Fisher) Isn‘t it true that my car didn‘t have a heater? See so it‘s out of necessity rather than sense of fashion. (Dr. Fisher in the background saying he‘s rather disappointed as he thought Dr. Kaye‘s waistcoats are fashionable). But I do quite like them, actually. Phuong: Hmm our readers will be very surprised to hear this. Anyhow, do you think it is safe to say purple is your favourite colour? Dr. Kaye: Oh. I don‘t know. I do kind of like red and purple. But then it‘s probably because I‘m colour blind and can‘t see very well. Phuong: Sorry Sir, colour blind? Dr. Kaye: Yes, well one out of three men is red/green colour blind. So what seems to others a bright or vibrant red colour wouldn‘t look so bright [to me]. But I do like red and purple... Phuong: Moving on Sir. Well, a lot of our readers wonder about your bracelets. Who makes them for you? Dr. Kaye: My bracelets? They‘re actually quite personal. I got them to remind me not to shout at my children so much. But they didn‘t work very well... (After a moment) But I quite like old, hippie stuff. Phuong: And the coil around your belt? Dr. Kaye: That‘s because the leather thing broke. (Laughs) Ahh my stories aren‘t very good are they? Not what you expected, sorry. Phuong: No no, it‘s absolutely fascinating! So, where do you usually shop? Dr. Kaye: Well all shops really. Some of my waistcoats are from charity shops. Some shirts, too. (Examines shirt) in fact this one might be... and the ties, well my ties are mostly from leaving Roedean girls; they have a great sense of fashion! My best ties are from people who left, like a fabulous one from Ghana that‘s black, yellow and green. Phuong: Finally Sir, seeing that you‘re such a style icon with your cool rock style, do you have any advice for budding rockers? Dr. Kaye: What? No, no. I don‘t have a rock style. Well I wouldn‘t dare give anyone advice on fashion, apart from ‗Do your own thing‘. One thing I quite like about our school is how Sixth Formers don‘t have to wear uniform. Okay this might be slightly political, but... they can express themselves, but of course within limits. Clothes are good for that. Phuong: Well thank you for letting us in on your fashion secrets Sir. Have a good day!
How to Dress for the Summer By Harriet Scott This summer it is all about Maxi dresses. It is a trend that has never cropped up before and it is making its mark on the fashion world, with the likes of Nicole Richie to the stars of The Hills all wearing their own style of maxi dresses! Maxi dresses will look great teamed up with some wedges or gladiator sandals for effortless cool. They can be dressed down or dressed up, for a summer evening or a day on the beach. You could go for a floral flowing maxi or a simple stylish one-colour maxi, whatever suits you best. If you want to steer away from the stereotypical summer look then leopard print is a trend that‘s coming back for summer! This summer animal print is screaming ‗style‘-but it can also be tricky to wear… as it is seen as garish by some. However, with some help from the stars, we know exactly how to wear it this summer. If you don‘t want to look too grown up then go for a flirty leopard print day dress with some black pumps. Alternatively, leopard print can look great in small quantities, for example a leopard print mini. As vogue said “there is something undeniably captivating about a woman in leopard print”. If Leopard print makes you cringe every time it crops up then maybe
watercolour floral is more your thing. They are easily adaptable to your individual style. A watercolour dress paired with a biker jacket creates effortless style in seconds. So enough about prints and dresses, you get the idea that big statement prints are definitely back for summer 2010, and I personality can‘t wait! Now we know what to wear we just have to find out what to wear it with. Military jackets have been in and out of all the seasons this year, and I think they are back on fashion‘s front line this season. Military jackets are just perfect to match up with summer dresses for cool evenings or with some jeans for a day in summer that isn‘t so summery, which we must prepare for in England! A summer outfit isn‘t complete without shoes! The shoes you choose with your summer look could change the style completely from formal to casual. So the fashion world has come up with a new invention: wedges! Wedges will complete every summer look whatever your want to wear! If high shoes really are not your thing, then simple gladiator sandals will do you justice. They may seem plain, but nevertheless they are undeniably stylish and you can be sure they wont draw the attention away from your chosen summer style.
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SPORT
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
The FIFA World Cup 2010 By Nkem Ike-Nwabuoku Red cards, penalties, and unwelcomed profanities are all included in this exciting package of intense football matches. Unfamiliar to the whirlwind of hype and hysteria that is the World Cup? Here‘s the low-down: The 2010 FIFA World Cup is the 19th and current FIFA World Cup, the premier international association football tournament. It is being held in South Africa, beginning on 11 June and is scheduled to conclude on 11 July 2010. The current format of the tournament involves 32 teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation over a period of about a month.In the recent matches incredible results, such as the 4 -0 win to Germany versus Australia, have been achieved. However, this Sports Editor strongly feels that Brazil will take the cup home as they have won the World Cup a record of five times and as they are the only team to have played in every tournament. However, I think it‘s safe to say that talent isn‘t the only reason for such success. Let us not forget those rippling muscles, surely also a measure of success for some the World Cup‘s more superficial viewers. Italy, who is the current champion, has won four titles and Germany is next with three titles. Don‘t let being in an all girls‘ school be an excuse for missing this exciting event. This World Cup is rumored by some commentators to produce the most interesting results in FIFA history so stay tuned Roedean!
Commercial Fitness Is fitness a product or a lifestyle? By Camilla Gibson and Gabby Tomlinson Do you want to lose weight quickly? How about sticking a plaster on your bum? If this sounds appealing to you then you should try the latest Innov’Patch. This fail- safe way to make you super skinny has been proven to help you lose pounds in a matter of weeks. Simply peel the patch out of the packet and place it on the area of skin which needs some toning! However, I wouldn‘t recommend wearing them on your face because, let‘s just face it (no pun intended), that‘s a lost cause. If sticking a dodgy plaster on your buttock doesn‘t seem very tempting or reliable, why not try toning shoes? An innovative way to tone your bottom without much effort; all you have to do is walk! These shoes have been labelled ―the world‘s smallest gym‖ and they help to tone the buttocks, stomach, back, and legs muscles. They also help to increase muscle circulation. Unlike the “Innov’patch”, these shoes are being sold worldwide and on the high street. Better yet, they‘ve been proven to work by the public, not ambiguous supposed ‗experts‘. These shoes are being sold by a variety of retailers including Reebok and so, if I were you, I‘d take my advice and wear the toning shoes - the dependable, reliable, and trustworthy way to tone your bum.
PAGE 10 SPORT
Extreme Dieting vs Extreme Madness
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
An Exposition of the World By Cammy Cho Being the most expensive World Fair to date, the Expo 2010 Shanghai China received a great amount of publicity in China in the months counting up to the opening ceremony on May 1st. The selection process for Shanghai to host the © 2010 Expo consists of the International Exhibition Bureau voting for the country that they thought was most suitable for hosting the event that took place in 2002, in which, China won all four rounds of the vote. Taking ―Better Cities, Better Life,‖ as its theme, the billions of dollars spent on 200 pavilions that will only last for six months, hardly seems that the Expo is taking its motto seriously. By far, the largest and most expensive pavilion built is surprisingly, not China‘s Wisdom in Urban Development, but the Saudi Arabia‘s Vitality of Life that has a reported cost of 1.4 billion RMB (£141 million). In spite of this, there are already plans to have all these exhibitions demolished, save for a few, on the 31st of October. So much for its eco-friendly thesis. Nevertheless, the Expo has successfully brought the world together, culturally and politically. Some observers have said as far as the gains made from Saudi Arabia‘s pavilion will improve relations between their country and China as thousands of visitors flock to see Saudi Arabia‘s 1600 square meters of curved hi-tech screens each day. China has surpassed the USA as Saudi Arabia‘s most important oil importer last year, which makes up 20% of China‘s oil imports – and this is reflected by the Saudi‘s well-chosen boat design that to many Chinese people is seen as a sign of ―prosperity and fortune.‖ The show is also offering the many mainland visitors a rare opportunity to experience life and cultures from abroad. As little as 5% of Chinese mainlanders have been out of the country, which explains the large number of visitors queuing up for their photographs to be taken with pavilion staff dressed in traditional clothing of the different countries. University students have also taken this as an opportunity to improve their English by photos taken with British, Norwegian, American visitors at the Expo. In short, the Expo of 2010 is so far a contributing factor in world cooperation. The Expo 2010 Shanghai China is being held until October 31 so if an opportunity arises, take the chance to be part of the largest Expo ever.
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
Volume II Issue III Th e B ou d i c c a B u ll et i n ; R o ed ea n S c h o o l N e ws p a p er Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ Editor-In-Chief Joy Crane News Editor Astrid Ainley (aa10) & Rosa Martin (rm5) Features Editors Jazz Baharie (jb6) & Anna Augousti (aa14) Opinions & Editorial Editor Victoria Woo (vw3) Sports Editors Nkem Ike-Nwabuoko (ni2) Fashion Editor Aimee Taylor (at8) Entertainment Editors Anouska Wise (aw11) & Nneka Mbadugha (nm5) Business & Advertising Manager Joyce Ip (wi1) Layout Design Sheena Cheung (sc10) Photography Manager Esme Brand (eb5) Faculty Advisor Mr. Back Images Esme Brand melemel, sanami276@deviant art for cassette tape vector and tape
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A diet of just liquids to just laughter, whatever happened to the ‘bon vivant’? By Nkem Ike-Nwabuoko I‘m sure every girl‘s dream, after being the queen of the world, is to look healthy and feel comfortable in their own skin. In the every growing pressure of the world we live in now, dieting has been taken to a new extreme. The fine line between doing it the healthy way and the life threatening way has been severely blurred by the desire to fit into a number (size 0). So why the number zero? When you multiply it by another number, it equals to the same boring number, perhaps a metaphor for the monotony and pointlessness of yo-yo dieting. Where is the excitement in that? If you think you have seen the most extreme form of dieting, I‘m about to prove you wrong. Parental guidance is definitely advised from here forward. Some say cutting out solids completely is the next step to a ‗million dollar body‘. I can tell you now that a million dollars is not guaranteed with this diet but, such rather this astronomical sum would be guaranteed on your medical bill if you actually practiced this diet. The very famous rapper, 50 Cent, recently cut out solids from his diet and stuck to a strict liquid diet. In addition, he spent three hours of his day on a treadmill five times a week. I don‘t know about you but, I would rather spend those three hours relaxing in my bed enjoying life. If you want to take the risk of possibly fainting, this diet is for you; If you want to miss out on the exciting varieties in the different textures of foods, this diet is for you; If you want to feel envy towards your friends as they eat pizza and you‘re sipping on Evian water; this diet is definitely for you. The Dare Devil Diet of only eating when the sun is out can guarantee failure. The theory behind this diet is that you are more likely to sweat with more heat as the sun is an incentive to exercise. People clearly following this diet do not live in the UK, as the rotation of the Earth doesn‘t provide us with the sun that often, unlike the rain, which is a big fan of the UK. Dare to do this diet in the UK, and you simply wouldn‘t eat! Have you ever heard about the Laughing Diet? This diet is designed to tone your stomach muscles while leaving you happy with something to laugh about. The more you laugh, the tighter your muscles in your stomach contract, which is meant to make you more active and work on your whole body as you‘re supposedly rolling on the floor. Even thinking about this diet gives me a headache. What if their joke really isn‘t that funny? If I was you, I would just eat healthily but at the same time enjoy little treats here and there. There‘s nothing wrong with spoiling yourself after a groveling week of just salad and grilled chicken. However, there are alternatives, such as placing thinning mirrors around your house and air brushing every picture you take. However, I think we can both agree that deceiving yourself won‘t lead to success or happiness, so just diet the right way, with your sanity intact.
‚The laughing diet… What if their joke isn’t really funny?‛
Delightfully Random Statistics!
By Camilla Longman and Indie Mandal Did you know that, on average a person spends about 3 weeks of their life stuck at traffic lights? And also, that men are 6 times more likely to be struck by lightning than women? However, women are 37% more likely to go to a psychiatrist than men. In unrelated random facts, on average, there are 178 sesame seeds on each McDonalds BigMac bun, and that an average person spends about 2 years on the phone in a lifetime. And finally: 95% of statistics are made up. Oops!
I want YOU to be a YouTube Celebrity Your guide to cyber-fame! By Eniola Ogunlaja Forget reality TV shows, it seems that YouTube is the latest vehicle for instant celebrity status. YouTube stars are numerous, and varied in the talents that win them fame. Celebrities like Justin Bieber and Esmee Denters have had huge breaks in the music world, others like Shane Dawson become known for their comedic videos. Jessica Lee Rose had a successful acting career after her lonelygirl15 videos, while Phil Defranco‘s videos focus on his take on current events, politics and celebrity gossip. If your dream lies in the entertainment industry, but the prospect of facing industry executives and harsh critics like Simon Cowell on Britain‘s Got Talent is daunting, then YouTube might just be the place for you. Achieving YouTube success is not as easy as it seems. One key factor is talent, and if you‘re singing at home with your guitar into a webcam, you better have a lot of it. It might not seem like more pressure than facing a live audience, but it is. People have to find your videos and like you so much that they tell their friends about you, giving your videos the hits they so desperately need to make an impact. Charisma and an engaging personality help here, because if people don‘t like you they can simply move on to the next video. In
‚Forget reality TV shows,‛
a way, cyber fame is more brutal than the notorious covers of OK magazine. Originality is also important, so don‘t be afraid to think outside the box. There are millions of people on YouTube attempting to sing a better version of Alicia Key‘s hit ―No-One,‖ so if you‘re trying to catch attention in the midst of more of the same, you won‘t. It helps to bear in mind that some of the most successful YouTube videos are usually off the wall; Noah Kalina took a picture of his face every day for six years, arranged the photos in chronological order, and then uploaded them in a now viral video that has over 15.5 million views. When you do achieve success, spare a thought for the devoted fans that got you there in the first place, you still need their help as much as ever. Justin Bieber still uploads videos to his YouTube channel; his single ―One Time‖ only began selling quickly after it was uploaded on YouTube, proving that you are nothing without your fans. So when (as a result of this fool-proof guide) your cyber-celeb status finally filters over into the three-dimensional world, don‘t forget the writer who got you to the top!
‚In a way, cyber fame is more brutal than the notorious covers of OK magazine.‛
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NEWS
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
PENNSYLVANIA, USA By Emma Alexander A huge underground coal fire in Centralia, Pennsylvania, USA has been burning since 1962 and is estimated to go on burning for another 100 years! The fire was started by a volunteer fire company that was hired by the town council to clean up the landfill and was never properly put out. Today only nine people live in the town as it is so dangerous – many roads have melted and ground in some areas is known to just suddenly collapse due to the underground fire. No wonder only nine people live there!
LAGOS, NIGERIA By Chioma Ike-Nwabuoku One afternoon when I was 10, I heard what sounded like really loud gunshots close to my house. My Grandma was chilled and said not to worry, that it was probably a funeral ceremony setting them off as is the tradition in some tribes in Nigeria. However, shortly after, as I walked through my living room the chandelier came crashing down on the floor beside me and the whole house shook. I lived 5 minutes away from the place where the government stored their bombs and they had accidentally been set off. Sadly many people were killed in the Bomb Blast of 2002. I suppose the only good thing was that we didn‘t have to go to school the next day.
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Dog Days of Summer
Checklist 2010
By Julia Kisray So you spend your Sunday mornings lying blithely in bed, seeing what Perez has to say on your laptop, and listening to Heart FM; a new song comes on by some band attempting to make it big on the pop scene. It‘s catchy and ends up topping the charts, the one-hit wonder is released as part of a bestselling album and you end up scurrying out to buy it. Whether the band becomes a dangerous obsession of yours or more of a guilty pleasure, the point is that they‘ve hit the jackpot... but is the fame and fortune worth it? The upsetting truth about the mainstream music industry is that many of the artists have received a contract to do a few money-making stunts, rather than launching a career fueled by the artist‘s harmonious passion and mellifluous talent. The second album is released and, as presumed, it flops. Record companies grimace faintly and, in the heartless manner so typical of the industry, decide to gradually destroy the image they had created of the synthetic artist, causing them to become burnt out, aimlessly roaming the streets, lost, insignificant and in need of a job. For instance, whatever became of Gareth Gates? He struck gold all thanks to Simon Cowell and Pop Idol, as his first album went platinum twice in the UK. But, have you ever heard of his 2007 album Pictures of the Other Side? Nah, me either. No need to feel guilty though, apparently now he is the 49th most popular artist in Bulgaria. Aside from this, there are plenty of schemes to make money out of the most innocent and musically inept. When a popular group split up, the producers get their claws out and fight tooth and nail over each band member. They use the release of the second album as a means of testing waters. It may make us cringe, but there are endless examples of careers that have bitten the dust: Lisa Scott-Lee from Steps, Matt Willis from Busted, and all five poor members of Spice Girls. After saying this, there are still plenty of examples showing the talent and power of some successful musicians. Robbie Williams, originally part of the cheeky nineties boy band Take That, broke away in 1995 to launch a solo career and fifteen years on is still a heart throb, brightening up the lives of many British women. Any predictions about his career backfiring have obviously been disproven, as his record sales now stand at over 60 million worldwide. However, most of the other genres do not suffer from the pressure to sell as chart music does. Therefore, artists aren‘t instantly dropped as soon as somebody else sells more singles. For instance, in his second album, Michael Bublé has taken a safer route of remaking and commercialising old school rock, swing, and blues classics (e.g. Cry Me A River originally by Ella Fitzgerald). The risk that popular artists should take is releasing a second album of ―experimental‖ music. Take, for instance, Justin Timberlake‘s second, more adventurous album called FutureSex/LoveSounds: nobody was expecting it, but everybody went crazy for it. The sad thing is that it may just depend on whether or not the artist provides enough eye candy to satisfy the customers. Solution? Choose what you listen to under a watchful eye.
YOUR WORLD
BRAZIL By Sophie Sharpe Having arrived in the market car park in Brasilia, Jess and her family got out of their car and were immediately engulfed by Brazilian roadmen. One in particular was especially persistent in trying to sell them his windscreen wipers. He insisted for at least 10 minutes that they should purchase these superfluous pieces of plastic. After spending 2 hours in the market, the Ropers returned to find their windscreen wipers missing. Whilst standing there in sheer confusion, that particular roadman came rushing up saying ‗See, I told you that you needed new windscreen wipers. Here, buy some of mine‘.
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Pressing news. Interesting tidbits.
ENTERTAINMENT
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
By Victoria Woo So here we are at last. Summer 2010. We've got two whole months to spend in any manner we fancy. Whether you choose to pass it by preparing for the year ahead, or by watching the days trickle away under the sun, summer is whatever you make, or don‘t make of it. When pondering whether the answer really is blowing in the wind, here are some ideas close to home (or close to someone else's home) to think about.
Personal anecdotes. The News Map.
Wherever, Whenever Have a lie in and not get woken up by someone doing morning stretches to AC/DC at 6am. Do a good deed. Volunteer at a local animal shelter or cook a surprise meal for your family. Stay awake through a Lord of the Rings marathon. (Added bonus if you learn to speak Elvish.) Get some work experience. It's never too early to start thinking about your future. Find a hammock. Then lie in it on a sunny day. That's how they do it in the movies. Make a pros and cons list determining whether it is time to start the work you've been set… solely to practise key decision making skills. Make a sandwich from anything you can find in your fridge. I dare you to take a picture and post it on Facebook. Tag me!
Certain Places, Certain Times 2-4 July: Wireless Festival, Hyde Park, London. Be there. Please. Because I can't. 3 July: Under 18 Party for all you dubsteppas and bassheads at City Gate. 4 July: Eat a cheeseburger, feel American. Then veg out with Heather Mills at her garden party held in her vegan cafe, VBites. Then go see Rufus Wainwright at the Brighton Centre. Then collapse from exhaustion. 11 July: Watch the Word Cup Final decked up in team colours. Join Hamleys (the toy haven in London) in celebrating their 250th anniversary. Surprises lined up all summer. Visit the Kew Gardens. Nothing like lush ferns and flutterby butterflies to put you in the mood for summer. 15-18 July: Lagos International Fashion Week. Check out the new talent on the block. 20 July: Moon Day (commemorating the day of the first moon landing). Move in slow motion, talk like Darth Vader and annoy everyone by telling that anything you do is a "giant leap for mankind". 21-27 July: Hong Kong Book Fair 2010. Keep that squishy thing alive and crack open a book. 30 July - Aug 1: Camp Bestival. Family fun for everyone. 30 July: Tiesto & Pendulum at Victoria Park, London. 5 Aug: Work Like a Dog Day. Don't skate by life. Have a hard day's work. 6 Aug: Wiggle Your Toes Day...on the beach, by a pool, wherever. It's a declared day, do it. Then find out how to declare your own day. 17 Aug: Ricky Gervais Live at the Brighton Centre. Get your comedy quota filled. 26-28 Aug: Serenata in Dorset, the UK's first classical-music festival. Less mud, more aria arena. Last days approaching. Time to add "Impending doom in September if work not complete" to the pro side. 6 Sept: Mourn the sunshine and 11am wake up calls. Up and early for school.
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ENTERTAINMENT
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
Hollywood Remakes Has Hollywood lost it’s touch? By Debi Adesanya Has anyone noticed how the majority of the recently released films are either remakes, book based, or complete demonstrations of the lack of originality in the industry? I won't complain because some of them are actually entertaining, but in the cheap entertainment are the movies losing their credibility? Hollywood, home of the world's leading film industry, prides itself on its ability to spin gold from the creations of people's imaginations. But, in the past decade, hundreds of films have been remade, causing some people to claim that Hollywood has lost it‘s edge. For example: '13 Going on 30' starring Jennifer Garner is a remake of '14 Going on 30' 'Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton' is a remake of the 1933 'Alice in Wonderland' 'Clash of the Titans' is a remake of the same titled film released in 1981 'Fame' the 2009 is a copy of the 1980 release 'Freaky Friday' starring Lindsay Lohan is a remake of the 1976 version 'Nightmare on Elm Street' is the recent remake of the 1984 movie More often than not, the modern copies don‘t compare to the original, lacking the innovation and sense of awe that came with the first. However, the realism of contemporary special effects does give the monsters and the explosions a certain POW! Not to discredit it
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entirely, there are still a handful of beings in the industry that possess the ability to bring never-before-seen ideas to their eager audiences. Case-in-point: Avatar. Ranging from the inventive plot to the imagination behind the blue characters and the setting of Pandora, James Cameron brought brilliant innovation to cinema screens worldwide. It didn't hurt that the film raked in $2,728,813,052. I think a ten digit gross revenue would be incentive enough to spark most people's imagination. In addition to the surge of remakes there has been an increase of movies and TV series based on best-selling novels i n t e n d e d fo r r e a d i n g … N O T WATCHING. What do the record breaking Twilight movies, Gossip Girl, and The Vampire Diaries have in common? They are all based on the original stories created by authors, not scriptwriters. If the authors found it within themselves to think of something groundbreaking, new and fresh, clearly it can't be that difficult for script writers to do the same. Babies and toddlers are taught to develop their imagination and sense of creativity, hence the success of multi-coloured characters like Barney and the Tweenies. If this is what must be now be done for those in Hollywood, then so be it. Being daring and ingenious is always encouraged, because greatness is always imitated, but can never be duplicated. If only Hollywood would realise this once again and return to the screen the inventiveness that it was once so eager to deliver. Then again, there's always Bollywood.
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UNITED KINGDOM By Astrid Ainley According to statistics, there are more illegal Australian and New Zealand immigrants working in the UK than Polish and Middle Eastern workers. Does it not beg the question; why are we making such a fuss?
MACEDONIA By Katy Feek My Dad is a Major in the British Army. The year I was born he was in Macedonia where he and his friend were looking after an area for the day until the rest of their regiment arrived. However, to their surprise, the tanks that turned up were not their own but Russian tanks. This meant that my Dad and his friend had to spend 3 days hiding in a trench without a radio, weapons or provisions while they waited for rescue, luckily it came!
NEPAL By Emma Alexander Mount Everest, Nepal, is the highest mountain in the world. If you think it is high enough already, at 8850m, then think again. Specialists have determined that the mountains in the area are growing at a rate of 2.4 inches or 6 cm per year. Although this may not sound like a lot it means that in the past 34,000 years they have risen just over two kilometres into the upper reaches of the Earth‘s atmosphere!
YOUR WORLD
Compiled by Mina Topley-Bird and Julia Kisray Summer remixes galore! Get your holiday started with some Boudicca beats! Ain't No Rest For The Wicked (I Chase The Devil Remix) by Cage The Elephant You Got The Love (The XX Remix) by Florence and The Machine Little Lion Man (Benlucid Remix) by Mumford and Sons Train In Vain (Discotech Remix) by The Clash Hunting For Witches (Crystal Castles Remix) by Bloc Party Dita Dimoné (Pink Enemy Remix) by Pop Levi Vision One (MMMatthias Remix) by Röyksopp Bittersweet Dirt Off Your Shoulders (Mix) by Jay-Z VS The Verve Invaders (Djedjotronic Remix) by DSL Township Funk (TRG Remix) by DJ Mujava Walking On A Line (Lifelike Remix) by Pony Pony Run Run
Pressing news. Interesting tidbits.
Tunes for the Eclectic With Julia Kisray♪ It‘s fair to say that this term has been very hectic. So, I‘ve been listening to music which is a little less stroke-inducing than before. If you‘re up for something downbeat, listen to Spider’s Web by Jamie T, and Elephant Gun by Beirut. Try the 2nd movement of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 if you‘re into classical, or, for any rockabilly fans, Lucille by Little Richard when the sun comes out in between your revision sessions. If you find yourself living in previous eras, relive your imagined childhood with Groove Is InThe Heart by Deee-Lite, or catapult yourself into the sixties with 54-56 That’s My Number by Toots & The Maytals - all whilst basking in the sun. Happy summer holidays!
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NEWS
Personal anecdotes. The News Map. ANTARCTICA By Cammy Cho So everyone's talking about the Arctic, polar bears, and melting ice caps. Ever thought about the other pole? Antarctica is the only land mass on the entire Earth not owned by any country; it contains 90% of the world's ice and therefore 70% of the world's fresh water. Think of what would happen when all of this precious water gets melted into the sea? Interestingly, Antarctica is actually a desert! It is one of the driest places on Earth with a humidity level that's lower even than the Gobi desert!
BYRON BAY, AUSTRALIA By Rosa Martin When my friend and I were little we used to play hide and seek (I mean who didn‘t!) at her house. She lived in the rainforest so there were a lot of animals around all the time but it never really bothered us. One day she found a genius hiding place in a suitcase in her parents room, being small she got right in it and shut the lid. After much searching I opened up the case and she climbed out, defeated. However she was not the only thing that wanted to get out. In her haste to hide she hadn‘t noticed the enormous carpet snake that had been curled up in the case next to her. We didn‘t play hide and seek for a VERY long time after.
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FEATURES
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
Technology Addiction How technology has taken over the lives of people in society today. By Jamie-Jo Whelan
‚Britain has become a nation of mobile-phone junkies.‛
From Monday through to Sunday, whether we are waking up to the harsh sound of an alarm clock, or receiving a text message just before we‘re drifting off to sleep, technology plays a colossal part in our lives. We, as a society, have become so reliant and utterly obsessed with technology that we dare not imagine what our lives would be like without it. Take me as a prime example, I practically live with my blackberry attached to me at all times and let‘s face it, with all its applications, it‘s hard not to. Presently, it is estimated that more than forty million Britons, including many children, own a mobile phone. Britain has become a nation of mobile-phone junkies. There are said to be 62.5 million mobile phones in this country, which is rather astounding when you consider that we have a population of around sixty million.
Over the past ten years there has been a revolution in communication. On one hand, this is brilliant; we all get to stay in contact with each other via the internet, Skype, BlackBerry Messenger, email and many more glorious inventions, but sadly, it must be said, scandalous as I know it is, our social interaction skills are beginning to go down the drain. As a fellow Roedeanian of mine once said, ―Young ladies should not be conducting their social life through the medium that is Facebook, but instead, through one another‖. This is true, with all of the social networks out there, people don‘t have to meet face-to-face anymore. We have Facebook, Myspace, iChat, Skype, Twitter and BBM instead. Even Stephen Fry is updating his Tweeting non stop about every nuance of his life. Our culture reveres the Internet as a technological nirvana, which suggests to me that the Internet and its many social © networks have a negative influence on individuals and their social skills, and as a society this can be seen. Besides, whatever happened to good old-fashioned letter writing? Which, from my experience is far more personal and touching, and shows effort and time were involved. Letters make you feel like the person has spent time thinking over you and you get great satisfaction when you check the letters and one is for you, the anticipation is thrilling. Many people have resorted to sending letters via email, which in fairness is an easier, faster way of communicating and costs a lot less, especially sending things abroad. Yes, we still produce
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letters, using pen and paper, but not as much as we used to. This a great shame, not to mention the fact that sitting in front of a computer screen for hours on end every day cannot be good for our health. It is said that the increase in numbers of people investing in a laptop, has been a huge contributing factor to the rising number of young adults suffering from obesity, and the relationship is clearly visible. This ever-rising pandemic is becoming more and more serious as technology continues to produce games and inventions that simulate out-door activity, such as sports. The amount of computer games that are advertised on television, which children regularly watch has defiantly increased. The easiest way to publicise a product now appears to be via the television because almost everyone in their home owns one or more television sets.
‚whatever happened to good old-fashioned letter writing?‛
With the added help of new technology and the use of technology in daily life, undeniable advantage is that it allows us to be able to communicate with people around the world at anytime, anyplace, anywhere. With the added benefit of applications such as Skype, people can not only contact people abroad but many businesses now use this application in order to make conference calls due to its has cost-effective advantages, and in the current economic climate the more pennies saved the better! There are a vast number of advantages to using technology and these probably do outweigh the disadvantages, however the disadvantages must not be forgotten. Not only is there a higher chance of us facing the problem of obesity, but there is also the problem of what to do with spare scrap metal parts after old computers and other devices break as they are difficult to recycle. Recycling is another problem that the world faces.
‚Our culture reveres the Internet as a technological nirvana‛
The revelation of technology and technological advances has clearly had a huge impact on our lives and how our lives now revolve around it. Every minute of every day we are constantly thinking about ―Oh, I must text this person‖ or ―Oh, I need to contact that person‖ and communication is constantly on our minds. Have you ever thought about where we would be without technology in our lives? And what would happen if we didn‘t have it? 40 years ago, we didn‘t have air travel and not everybody owned a phone and now we can‘t live without it, and our lives revolve around it. In more recent years, younger and younger children are getting phones from their parents and this is
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resulting in children becoming even more dependent on technology from an even earlier age. Internet message boards such as Yahoo!Answers are now bombarded with pre-teens asking and discussing matters that are frankly too mayure for their age. The fashion industry isn‘t the only one at fault for exposing 7 years olds to sex, drugs and pornography. One wonders that when more parents aren‘t at home and thus children are left to their own devices, are our children growing up too fast with the aid of technology and its relatively uncensored free flow of information? The age range of technology users is getting larger too. The oldest known UK Tweeter and Facebook user Ivy Bean (follow her @IvyBean104) is an impressive 104 years old, regularly posting about her tea or her anticipation for ‗Deal or No Deal‘ and has a staggering 4,973 Facebook friends to date. As the teenagers from 10 years ago grow older, the median age of Internet users increases as well. It is no longer shocking to find a technology user past the age of 40, and the stereotypical net user is not an acne-ridden pre-teen anymore. 17th April 2010 was the day the world stood still, at least in the skies in Europe. No planes took off, and no planes landed in region. Mass panic ensued. Half of the modern whole world literally came to a standstill. This was the day when the volcano in Iceland erupted, and the volcanic ash that was emitted into the atmosphere stopped planes from flying from A to B. This completely natural event took place, and it sent the world into mayhem because it was so unexpected, we never imagined the world being without technology. It was a total shock to the system. Here at Roedean, we were definitely not left untouched by this tragedy as most of our overseas girls were left ‗stranded‘ (though some did cheer for the extra week of holiday) at home due to all European flights being grounded. Continuous days of cancelled flights not only became a massive headache to reschedule, it also left staff and students flustered due to delayed teaching schedules and impending exams. Although most of us could not physically be there at school, the Extranet managed to save the day by online communication of work—so technology wasn‘t a complete letdown in the whole event. I for one know that technology has definitely become an important theme in almost everyone‘s daily life. If we were to survive without technology admittedly our communication skills might be greatly advanced, but it would be more difficult to communicate and perhaps this would result in loss of diversity. How much do we rely on technology?
‚The Internet is ‘a -twitter’ with outrage‛
Just a decade ago at the turn of the century, there was the scare of the ―Millenium Bug‖, Y2K. People predicted catastrophe as records of dates worldwide jumped from double-digited ‗90s back to ‗00s as we have developed the habit of abbreviating four-digit years into two. The technological world had the crashing realisation years before New Year‘s Eve of 2000, and they panicked, ranted, raved, and searched frantically for solutions that would save computers because they feared that all digital devices would fail to operate with their logical scripts and just not function correctly anymore. Although this looks to be a merely technological problem affecting electrical things only, some people were actually stocking up on canned goods and toilet paper in genuine fear. The choice was between starting over rewriting all program codes everywhere, or find a way to amend the current programs‘ storage of data. Internet forums flooded with speculation and chants of ―the end of the world‖ much similar to those you hear nowadays about year 2012 — and as the world got wind of this impending disaster in 1997, over 300 billion US Dollars was spent to correct the Millenium Bug. This is not just a problem in the distant past when most of us were still in our single-digit years either — just earlier this year, ten years too late, on March 1st, 2010 this problem resurfaced as PlayStation 3 systems worldwide searched for February 29th 2010 as a date. When the game consoles did not find them, they reset their system clocks to January 1st 2000 and wiped all their memory — millions of players‘ saved progresses, trophies, downloaded data were deleted. The Internet was ‗a-twitter‘ with outrage and Sony had to apologise, embarrassed by all this. These past and more recent events just highlight to us how dependent we are on technology. Our fingers melded into keyboards, eyeballs to the monitor and for some, earphones to our ears. A te chnolo gi c al ca ta st rophe translates to real world economical costs, more panic of the world ending (so stock up on those disaster-sized cans of beans), and as ever efficient and sometimes cruel the modern Internet is, mass panic spreads like wildfire and scathing emails spam the authority‘s inbox, demanding answers. © The fact is, is that technology is important in the everyday running of jobs, schools, businesses, everything; the whole world relies on it. We are dependent on it, and although we hate to admit it we, as a nation, or even as a world know that nowadays with new technologies such as mobile phones, computers and other technological devices we would struggle to cope without them. So I end with, what would you do if you went back 40 years? Would you be able to cope? Or is the necessity to have technology in our lives too great to get rid of?
FEATURES
Roedean Architecture By Jess Roper The architecture of the school seems extremely complex, yet when you peer closely at the portrait of the school outside the dining rooms; it shows that it is actually rather simple. To begin with, before the Science block or Keswick was added, it was extremely symmetrical. With two boarding houses each side of the Quad, each with courts (also known as the ‗bunny runs‘), sitting exactly in the middle of them, the orderly architecture portrays the discipline and structure of the school. The ground plan of the school shows how each and every part of Tanner and Lawrence Main are identical, yet swapped around to form a completely and utterly symmetrical design. From everything from the number of stairs going down to the bunny runs, to the shape of every bedroom, they are completely symmetrical. Tanner Main is then also a mirror of Tanner Senior, and this is the same as Lawrence. This therefore results in Lawrence Main and Tanner Senior being identical, and the same case with Tanner Main and Lawrence Senior. The Music Department is also perfectly organized, and it in the exact centre of the school: if you walk directly from the double doors from the library to the music wing and then down to the front Quad, in front of the clock, it is a completely straight line. The offices and practice rooms in the music wing are also identical. However, now that the theatre has been added, if you include this into the music wing then it is by far longer and a different shape one side than the other. Only by walking past the science block can you see how modern it is compared to the gothic features of the rest of the school and was opened by the first British astronaut. Described in a poem as ―a frowning fortress‖, on first appearance the school seems massive and terrifying: many of the younger girls say how it seemed ‗just like Hogwarts‘ when they first arrived. The new paint has certainly lightened up the school, and looks like honey in the sun, yet, unfortunately, looks like mustard in the rain. Overall, the architecture of the school is extremely well organized and structured. Yet whether Roedean itself reflects this is entirely up to the people inside the school: not just the bricks and hard work, both physically and mentally, put into its creation.
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