Rinsed Issue 1 | ÂŁ3.50
Falmouth vs. Exeter Banter
Student Demolition Protest
Reviewed Remedies Trago Mills Harry Potter The Social Network
TheBigSociety
Hello
Welcome to Rinsed. We are a student produced magazine aiming to give you the news, and some giggles, as told by students. In this issue we’ve gone all political. We’ve turned our critical eye on Cameron’s big society, we’ve got a ground level viewing of the Demolition protest in London and, if none of that works for you, we’ve got features on the pros and cons of facebook, a cheeky look at the Falmouh-Exeter divide and an explanation of the rise in tuition fees. Still want more? Good. We’ve reviewed every Christmas light switch-on we could get to, as well as Harry Potter and The Social Network. If you’ve still got a few seconds we’ve got more from the Poly to the royal wedding covered in our news section.
Features
News
The team: Sam Batt Editor Charlie Derry Features Editor Hannah Crocker News Editor Emily Trant Reviews Editor Gabby Prior Arts Director Emily Jayne Smith Arts Director Josh Sinclair Thomson Copy Editor
Reviews
6 - Facebook: Friend or Foe?
3 - Poly Film Nights Retuurn
4 - Truro City of Lights
10 - Falmouth vs. Exeter
5 - A Storms A’coming
5 - Falmouth Lights
12 - Camborne School for Mining: Born to Drill
15 - Couch Surfing
8 - The Social Network
16 - The Big Society
16 - The Big Society 18 - Bunk Beds at Tremough Campus
9 - Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1
18 - Bunk Beds at Tremough Campus 22 - What Does The Rise In Tuition Fees Really Mean? 24 - The End Of Budget Fashion?
20 - Birthday Beats
27 - Trago Mills
21 - The Demolition Protest 26 - The Royal Engagement
Thanks to: Cover Image courtosey of James Thorley.
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14 - Remedies
Editors Notes: I love this. You should too. All photo credits to article authors.
POLY FILM NIGHTS RETURN By Emily Smith The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society (known affectionately as ‘the Poly’) in Falmouth has added a series of regular events to its portfolio including film, comedy, theatre, live music and poetry evenings. The Poly has been up and running for over 175 years making room for innovation and culture in Cornwall and was a key player in the Industrial Revolution in Cornwall. Today it operates as an arts centre in the heart of Falmouth working with students and the local community. In January 2010 Poly Trading went into liquidation and a huge public campaign was set up to ‘save The Poly’. A new board of trustees were elected in May 2010 and are now working extremely hard to get The Poly up and running as successfully as ever.
A series of weekly films started in October and have included a selection of art house, independent and world cinema films showing every Monday and Tuesday evening. The weekly film series has so far included films such as; ‘Some like it hot’, ‘Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky’, ‘Undertow’ and ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.’ Poetry and Comedy evenings have also been incorporated into
“Its also a great place for students to exhibit their work” the new evening series, The Poly recently being host to a student poetry evening, ‘Neutral Norway.’ Friday nights play host for comedy with Vince Atta, winner of the City Life Comedian of the Year 2006/07 award, being the first to perform. Mark Douglas a lecturer in film at
University College Falmouth said: “The Poly has long been home to a varied and exciting programme of new and classic cinema in Falmouth. It is a major cultural institution and the reopening of its film nights is especially important to this community.” The Poly’s doors are open to the local community and students with their evening events bringing in a good mixture of the two. Jessie Cotter an English and Creative Writing student at University College Falmouth said: “It is important to have places like The Poly in Falmouth for things out of the mainstream. Popular culture is everywhere and never hard to access, so it is nice to get the chance to experience more variety and its also a great place for students to exhibit their work outside of their educational environment.”
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Craft Students Light Up Truro By Sam Batt Students from University College Falmouth helped to make lanterns depicting Myths or Legends for Truro’s City of Lights Procession The procession was led by a group of dancers from the Truro School of Samba bedecked in fairy lights. They were followed by various local schools’ students carrying homemade lanterns crafted from paper and withy, slender willow branches. The contemporary craft students made larger lanterns based around a myths and legends theme. They were divided into four groups and each produced a lantern. One group made a Kraken attacking a ship, another depicted the Pied Piper, the third was a house with chicken legs to illustrate the Legend of Babayaga and the forth group crafted the Jabberwocky from Through the Looking Glass. UCF students had a large role in the preparation of nearly all of the lanterns. Contemporary Craft students lead workshops in local secondary and primary schools as well as community centres
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.Eleanor Hopwood is a second year Contemporary Craft student. “It was hard working with the kids, you don’t want to take away their learning experience, but we’re not teachers so it was hard to know how to instruct them. The older ones did some really cool stuff. In only a day as well. They produced really good work,” she said. Various local independent artists also made large lanterns to parade. Out of these the most memorable were a mermaid, a griffin and a very impressive flying Elvis. The City of Lights marks the start of the winter festival in Truro. It has been running since 1995 and was set up by a group of local artists. The Founders are now looking to expand in to Falmouth, one of the founding artists already ran a puppet making workshops at Gyllyngvase and there will be a parade similar to the Truro parade on as part of Falmouth’s Christmas celebrations.
The puppets designed by UCF students from top. The pied Piper, Babayage, the Jaberwocky and the Kraken.
Falmouth Lights
By Charlie Derry
A canopy of 50,000 LED lights lit the streets of Falmouth last week as the annual lights switch-on brought Christmas spirit to town. Children paraded through the streets as crowds gathered in the town centre on December 2nd to celebrate Falmouth’s main Christmas event. Hundreds of children alongside their families set off the event with a parade through the streets of Falmouth. Leaving from the Events Square at 6pm, the parade marched through Arwenack Street, Church Street and Market Street towards The Moor for the grand lights switch on at 7pm. Closed from traffic, the lights from rows of shops lightened up the way, kick starting December’s Thursday late night shopping series. With handmade lanterns held high, even if re-used from Truro’s Festival of Lights, children marched in excitement, banging drums and
holding hands with their even-more excitable parents. A choir of school children and Falmouth’s School Jazz Band welcomed the huge gathering of festive revellers that ever so quickly filled the Moor. Wrapped in layers of winter clothing, the crowd began to countdown for what they had waited so long in the freezing cold weather for. The lights were switched on by seven-year-old cancer patient, Chloe Edwards, and the night ended with Christmas music played from the stage as it began to snow over town, giving a somewhat magical end to the night. “It was very festive,” said Mikie Daniel, first year Creative Advertising student at University College Falmouth. “I thought it was very tasteful actually, compared to the light display we have back at home.”
Batten down the hatches... There’s a storm a’coming By Hannah Crocker Falmouth has ground to a halt after a bout of ‘extreme weather conditions’ and reports of tornadoes over Falmouth bay. As thunder, lightning and hail storms hit the town and ice played havoc with bus services, the cherry on top of the snowy cake was the apparent formation of a tornado spotted from Gyllyngvase Beach. Ala Mallinder, a water sports student at Falmouth Marine School, said: “My mum works at Helston Navy Base, and she phoned me and told me about the tornado. It’s crazy, you don’t really expect it in Cornwall!” The tornado reports are spreading like Chinese whispers, with a number of photographs all claiming to be the Falmouth twister posted all over the internet.
A photograph of the tornado off the coast of Falmouth Bay, taken from Gyllyngvase beach Falmouth Marine School student Toby Hale saw the tornadoes first hand. He said: “There was one that didn’t really take off, then a bit later there was a bigger one. Neither of them actually made contact with the water though.”
This is not the first time tornadoes have been spotted in Cornwall; in 2009 a tornado was spotted near Bude. These new sightings have lead to a fresh bout of excitement and gossip. As well as the tales of tornadoes, the apparent snow has also caused somewhat of a problem in Falmouth. You have to question public transport when less than an inch of snow stops buses mid-journey, leaving students stranded and having to trek their way home in the arctic conditions. Vicki Hughes, a first-year photography student at UCF, said: “I tried to make it into uni but halfway there the bus broke down, and we had to hitch a ride back to town.” With the big freeze expected to continue for some time, it’s probably best to stock up on the Christmas essentials before it’s too late.
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Facebook: Eight billion hours are spent on it every month. Six thousand status updates are made every minute. Gabrielle Prior explores whether this thing called Facebook is, a help or a hindrance? Facebook. You either love it or you hate it. It's the bane of your life when writing an essay -- so very easy to waste away a day flicking through those embarrassing photos of the night before. (And we wonder why we never get firsts). There is even such a thing called Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD). This is a term introduced by US psychologists for those of us who are addicted to Facebook and whose lives are really effected by their uncontrolled activities on Facebook. (So every one of us?) According to US psychologists the number of patients suffering from FAD are increasing. Psychologist Dr. Michael Fenichel, who has published numerous writings on FAD online, describes it as a situation in which Facebook usage “overtakes” daily activities like waking up, getting dressed, using the telephone, or checking e-mail.
“Six thousand status updates are made every minute” But could it be that Facebook and wasting away our days online is actually helping us in our studies rather than holding us back? Julia Kennedy, a lecturer on the BA (Hons) Journalism course
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at University College Falmouth says: “The web presence has revolutionised communications. Online communications have improved day to day running and dissemination of course information, and have been particularly effective in enabling us to stay in touch with students out on work placement.” For many, Facebook linked students to Falmouth before they had even set foot across the Cornish border. Through groups such as 'University College Falmouth Freshers 09' many prestudents were able to find course mates and friends before arriving, allowing them to slip in more easily with University life. It is a lot easier to enter a room full of people if you recognise at least one face. Yet it is not just Facebook that is infiltrating student's lives; Twitter is fast catching up on the social networking phenomenon. Journalism lecturers have also
started using twitter as a way of interacting with students and letting them know of any important course information and updates. Julia Kennedy continues, “Twitter is an increasingly important form of communication, both on a professional and social level. In addition to the formal channels of communication offered by the virtual learning environment, we use twitter to convey important updates on course information to
“Eight billion hours are spent on Facebook every month” students, and to keep them up to date with current news affairs.” However helpful social networking sites may be to lecturers, many students are now seeing Facebook as more of an addiction than a networking tool, and psychologists are starting to agree. Rob Bedi, a registered
Friend psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Victoria, Canada, said that Internet addictions are common on university campuses, often helped by “free internet access, web-based assignments and unstructured blocks of time.” “There's a difference between procrastination and addiction. If you're losing coursework time to Facebook, though, that's a problem.” So what can we do to change these habits and finally rid ourselves of FAD? "Find out what's missing from your life," said Bedi. "Whether it's having too much free time, not knowing anyone or just escaping, think about what made you resort to Facebook, and what you could be doing instead." If that fails why not try joining one of the 500 Facebook addict groups on Facebook. Or does that defeat the purpose? So it seems that even in the deepest and darkest depths of Cornwall, where pace of life, let's admit it, is rather slow, we still manage to allow ourselves to be controlled by the dreaded Facebook. What can be done? We can admit defeat and diagnose ourselves with FAD; or we can go out there and occupy ourselves, go surfing, go swimming, finish that essay; or you could just get back to looking at those pictures of your ex.
or Foe
?
10 Signs you are addicted to Facebook
1. You feel popular when some one “tags” you in a photo (it shows others that you do actually get out). 2. You are a member of more than 10 groups and respond to every event invitation "attending" even if you have no intention of going. 3. You think “poking” is a valid form of flirting. 4. You have Facebook “friends” that you’ve never met in person. 5. As soon as you meet some one in real life, you go home to search for them on Facebook. 6. You think that wishing some one “happy birthday” on their wall is sufficient. 7. Instead of calling you’re friends you write a post on their wall. 8. You check your Facebook page when you get up in the morning, before you go to bed every night and some 10 more times every day. 9. You make a conclusion on how interesting someone is by the number of his/her photos on Facebook. 10. You have checked Facebook at least once while reading this.
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Enter: The Geek Gabrielle Prior reviews the story of the social networking phenomenon Facebook, ‘The Social Network’ 2010. 'You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies' is the tagline for the film The Social Network and never has this been more true. David Fincher, of previous conquests such as Fight Club (1999) introduces us to the story behind Facebook, the world's largest social networking site. Following many recent 'trendy geek' films that have been released such as 'Juno' and 'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist' we seem to have stepped into a new era of film. Gone are the days of the romantic comedy and horror; enter the geek. The film instantly shouts dorky when you're introduced to Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg,-; a typical nerdy student studying computer science who stumbles upon the notion of Facebook while trying to get his own back on his ex-girlfriend. Eisenberg plays the part well, fitting the shoes of the conflicted genius, an emotionally isolated, socialclimbing outsider with an unpredictable set of motivations and allegiances.
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Along with Eisenberg, the cast hosts a range of reasonably new talent. Andrew Garfield plays Eduardo Saverin, Zuckerberg's best friend at Harvard. Saverin gives Zuckerberg the money to start the operation, a loan of £1,000, but as the Facebook project grows, he gets increasingly ostracised by his so called best friend resulting in a hefty law suit. In the meantime, also with Zuckerberg on their wanted list are the Winklevoss twins (Armie Hammer and Josh Pence). The twins are star Harvard rowers who employ Zuckerberg to help them develop their own website, but instead of doing what's asked of him, he leads them along, apparently stalling their project to give himself time to advance his
Photos courtesy of deadline.com
own. What follows is a whirlwind of court cases, money and jealousy. The film itself was perhaps a bit long, especially when viewing it at half 9 at night, nothing more tempting than to doze off in a comfy seat in a dark room. However it fits in with our world today; it is a portrait of the times. It is an eye opener in how the internet has affected us in such a short space of time. I can guarantee a good percentage of people in the cinema are likely to go straight home and check their Facebook after seeing the film. If anything it gives us something new to think about next time we log in to that well loved site. After all you don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows The Premiere Emily Trant tells of her red carpet experience at the ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ premiere in London’s Leicester square. Harry Potter is the worldwide sensation that has swept the globe leaving men women and children alike utterly spellbound, totally transfixed, and downright hooked. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is the penultimate installment in the fantasy film franchise, and it has already received an incredible response. As much as that oh so clichéd expression ‘potty for potter’ is infuriating, In this case it certainly rings true, the film made £18.3 million over the three-day weekend, and smashed five UK box office records. The premiere was held in London’s Leicester Square where Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and a whole host of other characters and celebrities graced the red carpet. Amongst these were the X factor finalists, a particularly arrogant group of people, who seemed to think it was their premiere we were all attending. The fame famished semi stars swanned about the event saturating their egos in their five minutes of prominence. As the lights dimmed and the golden three finished their rather hurried and feeble speeches which really just involved Emma Watson puffing around doing her usual spew about how this is the best film yet, or in other words silently screaming, ‘Hey look
Daniel, Emma and Rupert looking glamorous on the red carpet at my new crazy wild haircut isn’t it so elegant but edgy, classy yet fresh.’ the audience were united in a collective quiver of excitement. Utter silence descended as that familiar theme tune harnessed the absolute attention of everyone present. It had begun. The film grips your attention the entire way through, and apart from a rather odd and wince worthy dancing scene between Harry and Hermione half way through, it is completely brilliant. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will find yourself so utterly mesmerized that when the film ends, I warn you it will feel like a backhander to the face. The film focuses primarily on the three main characters, Harry, Ron and Hermione, who perform admirably throughout, their chemistry seemingly more evident and more vibrant in comparison to any of the previous films. Ralph Fiennes was incredible as ever, as Lord Voldemort and Helena Bonham Carter gives a tremendous performance as the sadistic psychopath Bellatrix Lestrange, including a torture scene between
herself and Hermione which will have you on the edge of your seats. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the film was the fact that this time; it was evident that the director had made a conscious effort to keep the script as close as possible to the books storyline, in all six other Harry Potter films this has been severely missing. I for one had no shame mouthing along to the movie as it went at every possible opportunity. Alas the film had its imperfections. Director David Yates saw it fit not to include some of the more personable and emotional aspects of the book, such as the heartwarming moment where Dudley, after all his years of ill treating Harry, shakes his hand. A small, yet I think crucial turning point in the story which was sorely missed. There are several other examples of this throughout the film which have been sacrificed for some additional scenes which do not appear in the book. Finally the appearance of Gellert Grindelwald was far too fleeting, and the storyline of Dumbledore’s and his relationship was barely included. It will be interesting to see how they play these gaps out in the next film. Now, what are we going to kill time for the next 6 months?
Image of Harry and Hermione taken from the new film
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“If you are on Exeter Cornwall campus and you’re going to moan about the students, then you should really just keep quiet.” 10 | Rinsed
S Battle of the banter Sharing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Emily Trant looks into campus rivalry at Tremough. Ok, enough is enough, lets all calm down, pipe down, take a deep breath and all just get over it. I think we can all agree that this ‘Falmouth Vs Exeter’ enmity on campus has spiralled into what can only be described as, the biggest bitch fight this quaint little Cornish town has ever seen. Why? Is the first question upon everyone’s lips? Why, when we are all piled into remedies on a Monday night throwing shapes, sharing jeagerbombs, rollies and saliva, do you not hear the usual insults thrown around a more sober atmosphere? “How many Kellogg’s vouchers did you have to get before Falmouth let you in?” “Nice chino’s, did Daddy choose them for you”. Ranked 14th in this years Guardian league table, Exeter University is indeed an esteemed ‘Red Brick’ University. The university has split itself into two; one half is in Streatham, which lies in the heart of Exeter, and the other, in Falmouth. Ironically, The University College Falmouth is ranked 14th in the Guardian’s latest league tables in association with art and design. So we ask ourselves, is one party more to blame? Whilst Falmouth students swan around in their low cut vests, fake glasses and fixie bikes, and Exeter wield their A level Results in their faces like some sort of academic lightsaber, it is truly indiscernible who the real fire starters are. It cannot be disputed that Exeter
University has brought a huge amount of benefits to the campus. It has acquired a hefty £5.4M in new research income to Cornwall since 2004, a figure many Exeter students, rightly so, like to brandish in the face of Falmouth. Exeter Geography student Francis Kellaway said: “I just think it’s all just a bit of fun and I don’t really take it too seriously. I think some Falmouth students are insecure about their degrees though. This is not a Falmouth campus, its paid for by Exeter, Falmouth’s campus is in fact Woodlane. If you are on Exeter Cornwall campus and you’re going to moan about the students, then you should really just keep quiet.” He continues: “I think some of the degrees are pretty useless in the real world. Obviously the world is going to need fashion designers, but they really don’t need that many.” “The people on those courses are not really getting a degree at the end of it, a degrees teach you how to think.” Textiles student Rachel Lumley of The University College Falmouth said: “It’s absolutely ridiculous, it’s so judgemental. If I wanted to do an academic subject like maths or science I could of, but I didn’t want to, textiles is my passion. The fact that the Exeter students think we are stupid because we do art courses is just ignorant. They are completely different universities. The world would be a very boring place if everyone did maths.” Facebook has played its part well in rousing this pathetic debarkle, acting as a hoarding device for each party’s whining and sniping. Sparking discussion groups entitled
“The awkward silencewhen your boss realises your degree is from Falmouth”, in which Falmouth students retorted with: “The awkward silence when an Exeter Cornwall campus student forgets they weren’t accepted into Streatham.” These groups along with chains of comments and virtual ‘bitch-slaps’ containing vicious generic remarks about how the Exeter students wear Jack Wills and have rich parents, and how Falmouth courses are a waste of taxpayers money, and other such stereotypes. These intentionally offensive, yet lets be honest, chortle-worthy groups litter the online networking site, fuelling this ongoing, competitive spew. One of the more amusing backlashes was when an anonymous Exeter student created the group ‘The awkward silence when a Falmouth student complains about their workload’ and in his haste to create havoc, unwittingly misspelled awkward as ‘Awkard’. Oops. This of course escaladed into arguably one of the best online battle of the wits Falmouth has seen, a notable chap spouting arguably one of the more classic comebacks, “You’d surely need a learning difficulty to make such a fundamental spelling error in the title of a page designed to assert your academic superiority over other people :)” And a smiley face to finish, painful. But are the tables beginning to turn, are Exeter and Falmouth beginning to forget their differences and unite against the newest addition to the Cornwall Campus; Dartington, or better known around campus as, Glee Club. I think we can safely say that this is a conversation to be continued.
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Born t Camborne School of Mines is an often forgotten gem on Tremough campus – a small college with a big reputation. Emily Smith delves into i ts history. The saying goes, that in every hole in the world you will find a Cornish man. If this is the case, then it stands to reason that many of those people will have passed through the doors of Camborne School of Mines (CSM), a college that dates back to 1888 and based at the CUC’s Tremough campus for the last six years. CSM part of the University of Exeter, is the only school still teaching mining engineering in the UK. Today there are an estimated 278 students studying as part of CSM over three courses, Mining Engineering, Renewable Energy and Geology compared to 168 students in 1900. Frances Wall, CSM head of department and associate professor in applied Mineralogy says: “The courses evolve all the time, we
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are always changing the content and syllabus of the modules.” The mining industry in Britain has diminished but CSM’s reputation hasn’t. It’s expertise is valued around the world. When the recent Chilean mining disaster occurred the press came directly to CSM. The BBC needed expert opinions and lecturers at Tremough could provide them. The reputation of CSM is so
“CSM will thrive.” well established internationally that students who graduate from the school do not struggle to find employment. This year alone 22 of the mining engineer graduates had good jobs lined up before they had finished their three year course. Frances Wall believes the school is so renowned that it will not have any problems when tuition fees are raised. “We have degrees that lead directly to employment; they will still be very attractive degrees for people even if they cost more money. CSM will
thrive because of this reason.” There are over 1,000 members of CSM in existence all over the world and half of these are living or working overseas. Many are employed in production mining, exploration, tunnelling and quarrying. Frances Wall says: “The CSM degree is your ticket to travel the world. A lot of students travel and get very high salaries.” The brand of CSM is so apparent that prestigious mining families from Africa to Peru send their heirs to CSM to study, regardless of the demise of mining on British soil. Cesar Fernades, an international student born in Brazil comes from a mining background, his father a trained mining engineer, working all over the world. “The reputation of CSM is so good internationally that my dad told me to come and study here in Cornwall, it’s one of the best traditional mining schools today.” CSM is so famous for its research and applied sciences that many students are from further afield even though the industry may have been
o Drill more accessible to them. CSM has a traditional constituency and many of the graduates regularly come back to visit Cornwall. Locals and past
“It makes them feel part of a group.” students alike are particularly keen to support the school at the yearly event, The Bottle Match, a sporting competition taking place against Royal School of Mines in London almost every year since 1902. CSM Student president Alex Cox says: “We have lots of support when we play in the Bottle Match, many locals come to watch and support us. The locals like to see us not only supporting Camborne but supporting the history of the mining school. It is very important for us to
continue to promote the history we all are so passionate about.” CSM students are passionate about what they do and believe strongly in becoming part of the CSM family, however this is not always the first thing other students think of when hearing the CSM name. The stereotype of a CSM student at Tremough is that of boisterous, heavy drinkers. But the miners try very hard to prove this stereotype wrong. There are certain periods when CSM comes alive on campus. CSM Freshers’ week being the first held shortly after the FXU equivalent. CSM Freshers’ week is a time where the second and third year students make the new arrivals feel part of the ‘family’. Then after the Christmas break the school also promotes raising and giving week, or ‘Crazy Week’ as its more widely known on campus. The
‘Crazy Week’ is entirely organised by the first year students and allows them the chance to raise lots of money for charity. Alex Cox says: “It’s really good to get first years involved, it makes them feel part of the group and allows them to organise a really good event which raises lots of money for charity. CSM are a big group of people who are there for each other.” Behind the scenes of Tremough lies a history that continues to grow, an institution providing great employment and opportunities worldwide, a home for many students that feel part of a family. Strong minded miners with a passion for work and a loyalty to the CSM brand. Open your eyes to this gem.
CSM Timeline: 1858. Miners association formed. 1863. Some 200 students attend classes in eleven mining education centres in Cornwall. 1888. Camborne School of Mines is created. 1902. First bottle match is played between CSM and Royal School of Mines. 1936. The Associate ship of the Camborne School of Mines is introduced. 1993. Merger with University of Exeter. 1998. South Crofty closes. 2004. CSM moves top the Tremough Campus in Penryn.
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Remedies warning: do not enter sober
By Hannah Crocker
Remedies, more affectionately known as Rems, is the place to be for students on a Monday night. A mere £2 entrance and shots for £1, what’s not to love?
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But when you look past the cheap drinks deals, you realise Rems is actually a hot-bed of alcohol-fuelled vulgarity and debauchery. Perhaps part of the reason for the cheap drinks deals is to get you hammered enough to actually enter because while it lacks the sweatiness of Shades and the classily carpeted walls of Club I, Rems more than makes up for it with the oh-so-tacky pole and cage combo. You definitely do not want to enter if you still have the ability to walk in a straight line. Having said this, if you go in with the right attitude (i.e. completely sloshed) then a good time can be had by all;
the music manages to strike quite a nice balance of cheesy sing-a-long and not-quite-so-tragic chart dance music, and if you can get past the couple necking in the corner and the barely-clothed girls grinding in the cage, it’s actually a pretty fun night. And let’s face it, who doesn’t love a bit of depravity every now and again? A word of warning though: wear sturdy shoes; you’re unlikely to make it through the night without being severely trampled on. Remedies is like a drug; no matter how disgusted you are by it in the harsh light of sobriety, you will always end up going back for more.
Cornwall Couch Surfers Expand By Emily Smith A student couch surfer has set up a local group for fellow participants to meet each other and expand the organisation within Cornwall. The evenings are designed for people taking part in the scheme, which allows people to travel the world and stay on fellow couch surfer’s sofas, to meet other couch surfers in the area and learn more about their own cultures, hobbies and personalities. Elina Priede a student originally from Lativa has been a member of the international organisation for two years. “It’s so important to know other members in your area; if you know what they are like you can suggest
places to stay for fellow couch surfers from abroad,” she said. When in Lativa, Elina who is studying photography at UCF, met with other members on a weekly basis for CouchSurfing parties and hopes for this to happen here in Cornwall. Two years ago Falmouth only had five hosts, as the organisation grows it now has 100 members. The organisation is expanding and as it does it creates experiences, cross –cultural encounters and links for members all over the world. There are currently 2,365,624 members in 243 countries across the globe.
Elina says: “Couch surfers are very open to meet new people this is why I want to set up weekly or monthly events for the Cornwall members. It’s so important to set up a community.” The first meeting was held at The Chainlocker in Falmouth town. Elina is trying to arrange meetings at a number of venues in Falmouth. She is hoping the nex will be held in Jacob’s Ladder. You can find out where and how to get involved on the couch surfers website, www.couchsurfing.org/, where there is a forum set up for Cornish couch surfers.
The Times they are a-changing, The Big Society is a-coming! But before you start smashing up Conservative headquarters again, let’s have a look at what David Cameron calls his ‘great passion’ By Josh Sinclair Thomson Many students have been disillusioned by the Coalition’s plans to raise tuition fees; perhaps then some ideological reconciliation is needed. Bring forth the Big Society! The government’s Big Society initiative wants us to be a nation of volunteers, doing our part to run towns and communities. The expectation will be for us all to volunteer in places like public libraries, post offices and on local transportation services. Effectively the government wants charities, volunteer groups and community enthusiasts to ensure the survival of the public sector. Imagine sharing cars with strangers
on trips to the hospital, organising dinner parties for the entire street and riding bicycles made by tramps. These are just some of the stories that demonstrate what has already been accomplished. The coalition government’s manifesto has proposed that such projects are to be funded by a Big Society Bank. The bank would work by collating dormant bank accounts for funds. Legislation to create a National Citizenship Service for 16-year-olds is under consideration. As is a plan to free information on police and local government statistics, allowing locals to monitor crime and spending figures. What do students around the country think of the Big Society?
Well many of them don’t actually know what it is! Some of those that do had this to say: “It’s a load of bollocks,” said Exeter student Felix Vaux. “The Tories can fuck off! Why create something that won’t happen and won’t work?”” says Nottingham University Henry Mathias. “It’s a load of cod wallop that makes the Conservatives sound friendly, but really has no importance to it.” Said UCF student Adam Larkin. So it seems that the starry-eyed cabinet ministers face criticisms emerging like an angry and confused tempest. For more on the big society read ‘Watch out Falmouth it’s the mother flipping big society’
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Watch Out Famouth, It’s The Mother-Flipping Big Society! Well done also David Cameron for proving that the Lennon song and Black Panther slogan ‘power to the people’ could be as subjective a quote as any, by Josua Sinclair-Thomson.
Inevitably we’ll all very soon be spending our lectures contemplating not where to spend the night boozing, instead you’ll be enthusiastically envisioning the next few hours of your life as a voluntary poop scooper. Or at least you should, unless you want a slap on the wrist from the Big Society fanatics. The Big Society is David Cameron’s brainchild, an ideological mash-up of neoliberal economics and parish committee like values. This will see reduced spending on universities, libraries, museums, police forces and the handing over of these responsibilities to big businesses and local communities to look after. So what implications will this have for students at the University College Falmouth? Well firstly when establishing a Big Society the reduction of the public sector and therein university education seems a must. This is an idea that should theoretically see students self-funding a large proportion of their own education. Hooray though for the sciences because the Tories have been convinced to leave the science and research departments alone. Wait a minute how will they cut university spending by £3.2 bn a year then? Well it looks like a big 40% cut to the teaching departments for the arts and humanities courses: ‘Jinkies that’s us!’ Sorry kids maybe not a big hooray then. So what else are the Tories cutting?
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Well Lord Browne reported that those darned caps on tuition fees of a measly £3,290 a year should be abolished. This could have meant payment rises of up to £12,000 a year! Luckily for us this would be political suicide for any government, so we won’t see this happen for at least another decade or so. Instead they’ve now been recapped at the more reasonable price of £9,000 a year... phew right! It will also be a requirement for any university charging over £6,000 a year to ensure that poorer students will not be disenfranchised, which is of course in no way a complete contradiction: “I’m sure the already deterred peasantry will be delighted by the prospect of a higher education that involves borrowing even larger sums of cash than they do now,” George Osbourne probably thinks to himself. So be thankful we’re that generation that got to go to university on the cheap, thanks to the lavish-overspending days of old that got us into this mess! So aside from the crippling debts, job losses, placement repercussions and course shutdowns, the arts might actually benefit from the cuts:
African American music was born in the ghettos, Vincent van Gogh lived in a shack and Laurie Lee nearly starved to death in the Spanish Civil War! We should all be thankful then that the Conservatives are reminding us that negativity inspires people. Now for David’s Big Society- which may also be referred to as the giant cushion to soften the damage of every cut dealt to the public sector. At least that’s what David thinks, he believes in community values, charity and the rolling forward of big business; basically read or watch anything set in Victorian England. Surely then we could spare our precious drinking time to instead affiliate ourselves with David’s Big Society? Or maybe if you wait till after your degree vast unemployment will leave you with no other option than to help out at the local workhouse with Oliver Twist and friends. So before signing up to the poorhouse what else can students do to help? Well grab your Union Jacks and listen up; this is what I’ve gathered so far: Firstly Post Office employees will soon be asked to work for free, unfortunately slavery is never that popular with the enslaved, so we may be expected to step in and take their places. With big slogans like ‘power to the people’ reverberating around our skulls and pretending like its World War II again we can all help out by voluntarily and unintentionally sorting the post into the wrong categories. Secondly the transportation services might need your help, how exactly that works in a community such as Falmouth dominated by the private sector, I couldn’t tell? So be prepared to set up a voluntary rickshaw service that may receive no funding for a carriage and sees students piggy backing their redundant lecturers home from University like Ton-Tons. Third and certainly not finally the libraries; we have uh three libraries in Falmouth? You’ll want to volunteer for one of these three, otherwise the next best option is for all of us to overcrowd the libraries hoping to avoid rubbish collection or ambulance services, at least until we’re all forced to construct autobahns .. I mean motorways.
“You’ll be enthusiastically envisioning the next few hours of your life as a voluntary poop scooper.”
Interview: Professor Mike Wilson, UCF Dean of Media & Performance, talks to Joshua SinclairThomson about cuts and the Big Society. What is the Big Society? On the one hand the Big Society is a marketing slogan that was coined by the Conservatives during this year’s election campaign. One of the difficulties is that the definition was kept necessarily vague, so no-one really knows what it is. If one is feeling generous, you could say it is about communities taking control of local decisionmaking and responsibilities. On the other hand, it looks like a way of government cutting its costs by pulling back on its commitment to local services and, in particular, placing social projects back in the hands of the voluntary sector and charities. It might be seen as a regressive step back to the Victorian idea of the Parish Committee. Did you vote in the General Election? Yes. If so: where did you vote? Who did you vote for? Let’s put it this way: not for the present government. Do you agree with the idea of the Big Society? I’m all for community action and local involvement in decision-making in certain areas – who wouldn’t be? But I am suspicious of the real motivations behind this. It doesn’t appear to have been thought through at all and sounds like an empty electioneering slogan. Would you be willing to take part in the Big Society, if so what community enhancing projects do you envision yourself a participant of? I don’t know without knowing what the Big Society really means. I have previously been involved in community
initiatives and I’m sure I will be in the future, but I wouldn’t be happy delivering services that government should deliver and that I’ve already paid for through the tax system. Do you think the rolling back of the state and the establishment of a Big Society will impact on UCF? If so for better or for worse? Difficult to say in some respects, but any cuts in public expenditure will affect those organisations and activities that depend on public money. However, the little sense I have of the Big Society is that it isn’t about the HE sector, but is about other local services.
“If so: where did you vote? Who did you vote for? Let’s put it this way: not for the present government.” Do you yourself remember the Thatcher era; do you see a resemblance between that government and this one? In hindsight was that era overall a positive one for society and the economy? I do indeed remember Thatcherism and there are worrying resonances in the current government, not least because of a clear ideological drive to dismantle the public sector and a misguided belief, in my view, that the private sector will provide the answer to everything. The Thatcher years were an absolute disaster economically, socially, politically and morally.
With the caps to be removed from tuition fees, do you predict a rise in the cost of an education at Falmouth University? Well, the cost of education may not rise, but a much greater share of the burden will fall on the student. But not just at Falmouth. If the cap is raised or lifted (and we’re still unsure as to what will happen) the cost of higher education to the student will rise across the whole country. What do you make of the 40% cuts to higher education? The cuts that are being talked about here are to the teaching grant, which is important to remember. It is a huge cut, even though it will be spread over a number of years. We have yet to see where the axe will fall, but it is expected that the largest cuts will be made to the teaching grant for courses in the arts, humanities and social sciences. If this is the case (and we are potentially facing the prospect of all funding for these courses being ended and the total cost being passed on to the student.) Then UCF will be affected certainly. What we are potentially facing is a complete privatisation of arts and humanities provision and that is worrying on a number of levels. It does not, though, mean that the quality of courses will suffer adversely or even that the level of provision and resources will change. It just means that students will bear the full cost – as much as £7000 p.a. at the moment. Thankfully UCF, as a specialist arts institution, is probably better placed to respond to these challenges than many larger institutions.
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Who gets top bunk? Universities all over the country are struggling to deal with unprecedented demand. Sam Batt looks at UCF where it’s not a struggle for places that has caused controversy, but a struggle for bedrooms. Imagine the months before your move away to university. Probably the first time you have moved away from home. In July and August your nerves will mount as you start to imagine every worst case scenario possible. Then one day you get a call from your university that tells you the single room you applied for isn’t available and you have to be in shared accommodation. For 200 students at University College Falmouth this wasn’t a nervous nightmare, it was reality. “At first I was annoyed, really annoyed. You move to university to get independence, to live on your own not to go back to when you were
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a kid sharing a room.” Tom Ward is a first year graphic design student. He was told he would be sharing a room a month before he moved down to Falmouth. “I just felt a bit messed about. I mean It’s not complicated is it? You tell a course how many students their allowed based on how many rooms they have.” Tremough Campus Services, the
“You move to university to get independence, to live on your own, not to go back to when you were a kid sharing a room.”
company that manages Glasney Villiage, solved their oversubscription by swapping double beds for bunk beds in 200 rooms. Lucy Black is Campus Services Director for Tremough Campus Services. She explained why there was a need for extra beds on campus. “Predicting accommodation numbers is never an exact science. We have a model to predict how many places in Halls people and this year that model went wrong, mainly due to an unprecedented demand for places. Which has obviously been a national trend.” Rupert Pearson is a land lord in Falmouth who rents specifically to students. “Last year was probably the busiest year in terms of enquiries on record. We rented all our houses in a few days in February. We then continued to get calls in June and July when the less organized people started looking. Finally in August and September we brought another property on stream and received over a hundred enquiries.” Pearson told me about the new developments that had been built to house students in Falmouth. “I know that it is houses that the students are really after and I don’t know whether the supply of flats which have recently come on stream: the flats by the docks, Maritime house and “The View” on New St have been so overly subscribed.”
He went on to say, “There are a couple of developers who plan to build another 250 beds either on a site in Penryn or if that doesn’t work out somewhere else in Falmouth. Again these will be flats and not so
“Last year was probably the busiest year in terms of enquiries on record.” popular but will at least provide the missing accommodation.” The element to this story that caught imaginations, wasn’t just that 18-year-olds would be sharing rooms, it was the idea of them sharing bunk beds. This fairly juvenile sleeping arrangement seemed to be the big deterrent to prospective students. Tremough Campus Services had opted to use bunk beds as opposed to the more mature solution of twin beds. “If you put twin beds in Glasney rooms you end up with virtually no floor space and, on balance, we found people usually prefer to have more floor space, to sit on or put your guitar on or whatever. So that’s why bunk beds, purely practical reasons. We have a few rooms that are twin rooms, but those are only the rooms with bigger floor plans, like the rooms built with disabled occupants in mind.” Ward is now half way through his first term and has just been offered a double room on his own. “I didn’t take it. I really get on with the guy I’m living with. I love my flatmates here and its pretty sweet only having to pay 60% of rent. I got really lucky, but I can imagine how crap it would be if you didn’t get on with the guy you lived with. “It’s not like the accommodation people have been doing a lot to help us. They said we would get extra storage, and all we get in these oversized lunch boxes to put under the bed. And any time we go up to talk to anyone they just seem rude.” Lucy Black told me that Tremough Campus Services are working hard to ensure that everyone still in bunk bed rooms are well supported. “We have hired extra support staff to handle any issues that may arise, we have put money into the library to make it 24/7 so people always have space to work.” When asked about next years intake Lucy said “There will be fewer first years next year.”
5 Great space saving tips! 1. Who needs personal space to work? You’ve got a whole library full of desks, use them to work on and your half-adesk as a t-shirt storage area. 2. Thinking about surfing? Don’t. You could never fit a wet suit in your half a wardrobe and do you really want to impose your sandy surf board on your suffering roommate? 3. What arm do you use the most? Do you really need the other one? Don’t you just find it a cumbesome nuisance? 4. Got a significant other? Dump them. Dump them now, they wouldn’t fit in your bed anyway. 5. If you’re still short on space, we have the ultimate tip. Put everything you own in a black sack, tie the black sack to your window handle, hang the sack out of your window. There you have it an instant tidy and spacious room. Brought to you in no-part by Tremough Campus Services
TCS Report By Sam Batt In terms of future planning the report simply states: “UCF would be undertaking an enquiry into why the accommodation The report covers a number of problem had arisen.” Which issues that had already arisen in indicates TCS is taking no further the 2010-11 academic year. part in the investigation of the Regarding student accommodation situation. accommodation, it stated “The The report also featured a demand for single rooms in the paragraph on sustainability where student residences had outstripped TCS reported that: “emissions rose supply, because of the increased number of first year UCF students by 6% against a target of a 2% reduction.” requesting accommodation at The report is available to anyone Tremough.” from Ruth Oliver at TCS and was It also states that the numbers published in late November. The of students that UCF had provided board meeting took place on the TCS for the start of the year 14th October 2010. were actually a prediction of the end of year figures and so were underestimated.
TCS published a report from a board meeting near the beginning of term.
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Birthday Students Emily Trant and boyfriend Francis Kellaway returned home bleeding and bruised after being severely beaten up by a local girl gang during a night out in Falmouth. The pair, along with friends, went out into the town after a Harry Potter themed party to celebrate Emily’s 20th birthday. At around 12:00pm the two of them separated from the group to go on to Club International in the centre of the town. Here, Emily describes her experience. ‘I was dressed as the ‘Golden Snitch’ from Harry Potter and I may have looked a bit of a prat, but I didn’t care, all I wanted to do was dance, drink and have a laugh with my friends on my birthday. My boyfriend Francis and I ended up at Club I, on what has become known as ‘Locals Night’, not the classiest of clubs, but one that has
Image of injury taken by mobile phone always seemed friendly enough. Suddenly I felt a rap on my shoulder, I turned around smiling, expecting it to be a friend. The next thing I know I was head butted full in the face and knocked to the floor; immediately five or six girls swarmed around me kicking me, pulling my hair, and scratching my body relentlessly. I felt another crack and a sharp sear of pain as a bottle was smashed over the back of my head, making me drowsy. I could do nothing but wait for them to stop as I was wrenched around, being kicked; sharp acrylic nails scraping and pulling at every part of me. I felt Francis try to get to me, but I later found out whilst trying to do this, he was grabbed by several men
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B a ts e
who were with the girls, pushed into a corner and punched repeatedly in the stomach until he too was saved by another bouncer.
“I was head butted full in the face and knocked to the floor; immediately five or six girls swarmed around me kicking me, pulling my hair, and scratching my body relentlessly.” After what seems like an age I was dragged from the rabble, plucked from it by a burley bouncer, and carried outside where the police were waiting. Bruised, bleeding and hysterical I tried to tell them what happened hand in hand with Francis. The police woman was patient and kind as I told her what happened. I was told that the girls had been found and were at that moment being questioned in a swat van nearby. Both having had something to drink we were told to walk home and sleep on it, which we went to do. Half way up the street I heard the dull thuds of someone sprinting towards us from behind, in a second we turned and Francis yelled at me to run as fast as I could but my legs, whether from fear I don’t know, wouldn’t seem to move. As she shouted at me: “I’ve been in a swat
“I started crying, apologizing to them for whatever it was I had supposedly done.” van for the last 20 minutes, you have given us fucking hassle tonight’. I started crying, apologizing to them for whatever it was I had supposedly done. Bang. Another hit, smack in the mouth, and my head cracked onto the concrete path. Francis ran after them; phone in hand to the police once again. I followed him to the moor, where a local boy and girl stood;
Lip injury caused by second attack she gently asked what was wrong and pulled me to her trying to warm me up. Francis spoke to the police again whilst clutching his stomach in pain. The girl typed her number in my phone, gave me a fiver and called us a taxi, which then took us home. I have Francis to thank for getting me out of there before they did any real damage, he himself felt
“I felt another crack and a sharp sear of pain as a bottle was smashed over the back of my head.” powerless, unable to hit a girl he could do nothing but try to pull me from the floor, pushing them back as he did so. I don’t know what I did to provoke these girls. In some ways I think they were just rooting for a fight and those cowards picked the smallest girl they could find in the club, or the only girl dressed like a moron, and chose to ruin their night, it was almost like I was picked straight out of a hat. Although every student knows of the animosity between the students and locals within Falmouth, I had no idea it had become this serious. We have had our cars smashed in, graffiti plastered over walls about us, and now it seems that some of them are even going as far as targeting individuals.’
Don't Bring Cuts Down To Pasty Town By Charlie Derry One hundred and fifty-nine students from University College Falmouth took part in the national protest against education cuts and rise of tuituin fees last month, remaining peacfully distant from the Millibank riots. Students joined 52,000 others in the streets of Londonfor the national ‘Demolition’ protest on November 10th, making it the biggest protest against the Government’s plans so far. “Today we have taken to the streets of London in unprecedented numbers on the biggest student demonstration this century to tell politicians that enough is enough,” said Aaron Porter, President of NUS. “This is the fight of our lives.” The protest was organised by National Students Union (NUS) and University and College Union (UCU). It was set up to show the resistance towards government plans to raise the cap on tuition fees from £3,290 to £9,000. It was later reported that UCF could be one of 18 universities in England to lose all government funding. According to Labour’s analysis on the Government’s spending review figures, UCF could have all of its funding axed due to being an institue that only offers arts related courses.
“We are going to fight these unnecessary, these vicious, these right-wing anti-logical cuts, and we are going to win.” Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, Frances O’Grady, said: “I want to bring a very clear message to the government here today – We are going to fight these unnecessary, these vicious, these right-wing anti-logical cuts, and we are going to win.” Colleges and universities from towns and cities all over the UK took part in the protest. NUS reported that the turnout for the
UCF Students at the Demo Protest. protest was over 50,000. Sally Hunt, the General Secretary of UCU, said: “There are thousands and thousands of you here to say no to fees going up to £,9000, no to cutting
“Education is a right, not a privilege. No government will take this away from us.” EMA, no to the cuts in education and no to a government that breaks its promises.” “We’ve got a big fight on our hands,” she added. “It’s going to be tough, but I’ll tell you this – we are determined to expose these government cuts as unfair and unnecessary.” The crowd cheered, showing the government their disagreement with the government’s direct assault that they are making on further and higher education. “This isn’t just about an assault on our education system,” said O’Grady. “This is about turning our colleges and universities from places of learning and opportunity into a finishing school for the rich.” Nearing the end of the rally, student made videos were shown, expressing their opinion about the cuts. Many were disappointed with MP Nick Clegg’s ignorance after promising to make sure a rise in tuition fees wouldn’t happen. “We will not put up with these
half truths and lies anymore,” said O’Grady. “Together we are the new coalition.” Abusive chants and banners were aimed at the government such as “Tory Scum” and “Nick Clegg, keep your promises!” Although a minority of students headed towards the riots at the Millibank office when the rally ended, UCF students remained peaceful in their protest. “I think the protest went well, proving that we can make things happen if we stand united,” said MA photography graduate at UCF, Gopi Mohan. “We showed the government that no matter what happens, we will stay strong and will fight for our rights and for the rights of every other student in the country.” Students felt a great success from the day and felt optimistic that their voices had been heard. Kate Linnell, second year Film student at UCF said: “Seriously, I feel like I’m part of something. I really feel that I can make a difference now.” The next national protest against the cuts, organised by TUC, will be held on 26th March 2011 in Hyde Park, London. We will protest again and our voices will be heard, so put the date in your diaries.
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What Does The Rise In Tuition Fees Really Mean?
With funding slashed and tuition fees rising, Charlie Derry looks into what the future holds for education and the effects that may arise for university students. For students attending the assumptions made by Lord university in 2012, the upper Browne in his Independent limit on tuition fees will Review of Higher Education rise from £3,290 to £9,000, Funding and Student Finance, following the reductions from launched in November 2009. the education cuts which were Browne’s Review was set up announced in The Spending to consider the future direction Review last month. of Higher Education funding Side-by-side, it’s only easy to in England. The main topic presume the worst from a first highlighted in his Review was look at these new government “This is a devastating decisions. Now that official blow to higher and plans have been made for the further education future of education, the worries of students and educational that puts the future staff have turned into plans of of colleges and protest. So what exactly are we universities at risk.” fighting for? Are these new plans as really as bad as they seem, or the strong policy towards the can any good come from them? abolishment of the cap on tuition The universities minister, fees. Whilst the government David Willetts, announced scrapped the idea of unlimited proposals in November for what fees, they adopted some of he described as “progressive” Browne’s other proposals reforms on Higher Education. including the £21,000 threshold He says these plans are to and parity for part-time students. maintain England’s world class The President of NUS, university sector, confirming Aaron Porter, believes the
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proposals will “force students to shoulder the bill for devastating cuts to teaching.” “This is a devastating blow to higher and further education that puts the future of colleges and universities at risk and will have repercussions for the future prospects of students and learners. This is a spending review that looks an entire generation in the eye and says ‘you’re on your own,” he says. The basic threshold of tuition fees will rise to £6,000 a year, but institutions will be able to charge up to £9,000 if they agree to help fund undergraduates from poorer families. This means that graduates will face an averaging debt of £30,000, and it is expected that half of all graduates will not be able to pay off this debt within 30 years of graduating. Whilst students may be put off by having to pay more back, the government insists that a quarter of graduates, those on the lowest incomes, will pay back less overall than they do now.
More optimistically, fees will be taken out as loans so that the student will only start paying back once their earnings are above £21,000 a year (at the moment it’s £15,000), repaying 9% of their income above this level. This will make monthly rates lower (A graduate earning £30,000 a year will pay back £15.58 a week). Experts predict that this rise in fees is said to create a two-tier system, with the most competitive universities charging higher fees. This could deter
“It is expected that half of all graduates will not be able to pay off this debt within 30 years of graduating.” students from studying their preferred subject and, if it doesn’t put students off students going to university altogether, could increase the demand for shorter, cheaper courses. Nonetheless, universities should be based on education and not wealth. The Government will establish a National Scholarship fund to support students from the lowest earning backgrounds. But although this sounds positive, they have only allocated £150 million which may seem a lot, but in real terms will offer very little support. Labour said the rise in tuition fees was a “tragedy for young people” whilst Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, regrets promising to oppose higher
student fees (regretting his promise rather than breaking it says enough in itself). Former FXU Student President, Ian Pogonowski, foresaw what was going to happen with the cuts through his role at UCF. In February he organised FXU’s first student protest with the Falmouth Town Takeover. He more recently organised for UCF students to participate in the national ‘Demolition’ protest against education cuts, organised by NUS and UCU, held in London on November 10th. “I believe that every student, who cares for their future, and their children’s futures, should protect the right to keep Higher Education a free privilege for everybody who desires to take it. University is not just about attaining a degree; it’s about life experience, and maturing as a person. No matter where you study or how much a university may charge you, the life experience gained cannot be ranked as any value,” he says. From looking at these new government decisions in detail, it’s fair to say that it is not all negative. These cute new system will ensure that students will will restrict opportunities for students and will not support poorer students to stay on in further education as well as they do at the minute, but these decisions have been put in place to get the funding system on a more sustainable financial footing.
The new system will ensure that students will only pay once they have graduated and can afford to do so, but students will be paying more for less as they prepare themselves for jobs that are already in short supply. In the meantime, we’ll just have to wait and see, whilst most likely having to deal with the consequences until then. For more information on the Demolition protest, visit:
http://www.demo2010.org
The Lows That Students Have Had To Go To On Their Budgets At The Minute:
”I ate some bread ends that I put in the bin the night before...that was an all time low.” “Going to Tesco just before it closes to buy the 1p foods!” “I’ve known people to grab any unattended drink so that they don’t have to buy their own.” “Not eating at all, haha.” “I ate pasta and beef gravy together, maybe more than once.” “I’ve used stubbed out fags to make a new one when I’m desperate for one.” “I tried to make a bowl of soup with hot water and an oxo cube.” “I cooked an onion by itself as that’s all I had to eat before my loan.” Rinsed | 23
The End of Bu
As rising cotton prices threaten to push up cheap-chic clothing prices, Hannah Crocker looks at the impact on students.
Budget fashion. It doesn’t exactly scream catwalk glamour, but, as students, desperate times call for desperate measures. There’s nothing wrong with shopping in lower budget stores. Everyone would love a wardrobe from Net-aPorter, but for most people the student loan doesn’t stretch that far. However, prices in budget fashion stores such as Primark, Peacocks and George at Asda may be on the increase. The Beach Boys once said: “Don’t care if them cotton balls get rotten, when I got you baby, who needs cotton?” Well, I’m guessing Pakistani farmers are going to care. The flood water may be draining, but problems in Pakistan are far from over. In 2009, Pakistan exported 9.8 million bales of cotton. After the floods in July, an estimated fifth of its cotton crop has been wiped out. 70% of the world’s cotton is – or was – grown in Pakistan;
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so cotton prices are set to soar. According to excitable hacks and so-called ethical consumer experts, that is a good thing – because it could bring to an end what one journalist snootily describes as the ‘cheap clothes era,’ where ‘completely mindless’ shoppers rummage around in places like Primark for £2 t-shirts and £6 pairs of jeans,” says Brendan O’Neill from The First Post. said:
“2011 looks set to be the year Primark died” “Just as God sent floods to punish the people of Noah’s era for their Godless, oversexed ways, so Nature is sending floods to help wean the mindless shoppers of the West off their addiction to cheap tat,” he added.
John Bason, finance director for Primark’s owner, Associated British Foods, says: “Certain prices of materials are going up a lot and then there is the impact of the VAT increase – the combination is quite a big impact on margins. Primark will make absolutely sure it remains the best value on the high street.” Most people will happily spend £50 on a dress in Topshop if they have the money, but gasp in horror when a similar dress in Primark costs £12. We are living in an era of throwaway fashion – we buy clothes cheaply and discard more than ever. Thanks to the increase in cotton prices, that £12 dress could soon be costing you £16. £1.50 pants will cost you £2. This doesn’t sound like a lot, but as our good friend Tesco once said, “every little helps.” Leanne Bilsby said on her blog, Beauty for all Budgets: “2011 looks set to be The Year Primark Died. Due to
udget Fashion? a complex combination of economical and global setbacks, cheap clothes are set to become a lot less cheap. “Statistics released by the budget chain recently indicate that sales have already started tailing off this year (a sentiment that’s clearly not reflected in the long queues I witness at the tills each time I visit); so perhaps the wind-down has already begun. “Is this really the end of the outfit-under-£10 era that so many of us have come to rely on? I’m not entirely convinced that this heralds The End for Primark and the like as we know it. Whilst the experts are predicting that cheaper stores will be hit harder than the high-end ones next year, fortunately Primark’s prices are so cheap already that an extra pound or two here and there shouldn’t add up too dramatically. And even so, it’ll still win the price war with the many more expensive
shops facing the same hikes.” The rising prices affect more than just the fashion industry – students will also suffer as raw materials rise in price. Hannah Kayum, a second year textiles student at University College Falmouth (UCF), says: “I’m just pissed off to be honest. It’s going to cost me so much to print on cotton now and I just can’t afford it, so I’ll have to print on other materials instead. I like to use natural fabrics rather than synthetic, but now I feel I don’t have much of a choice.” Gemma Worthington, also a second year textiles student at UCF, says: “The rising cotton prices leave the fashion and textiles industries in quite an uncertain state. The prices of our materials have gone up already, and a lot of students already struggle financially. I‘m going to miss Primark‘s £1.50 pants!” So, a word of advice: stock up on your underwear now.
“Just as God sent floods to punish the people of Noah’s era for their Godless, oversexed ways, so Nature is sending floods to help wean the mindless shoppers of the West off their addiction to cheap tat”
Cheap? C’est chic Top 3 party season outfits Cheap chic shopping has never been more fashionable. George at Asda boasts some of this seasons best party wear, particulary after their collaboration with Biba founder Barbara Hulanicki.
Top: £7 Trousers: £16 Shoes: £20
Dress: £20 Shoes: £20
Dress: £25 Shoes: £20
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Prince Charming is Off The Market Gabrielle Prior reports on the engagement of the decade. There goes every girl's dreams of marrying a Prince. Prince William is to marry long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton next year, Clarence House has announced. William, who is second in line to the throne, will marry Kate at Westminster Abbey, London on April 29th 2011. They will be living in north Wales, where he is serving with the RAF. "We are both very, very happy," the Prince said. He proposed to Kate while on holiday in Kenya in October, giving his fiancée his mother's engagement
“1 in 10 of our students meet their future partner at St Andrews.” ring. William said that using Diana's ring was "my way of making sure my mother didn't miss out on today and the excitement". The couple, both 28, met at St. Andrews University, Fife, and have been on and off for eight years. St. Andrews is Scotland's first university and the third oldest in the English-speaking world, founded in 1413. It has established a reputation as one of Europe's leading and most distinctive centres for teaching and research for over six centuries; a perfect place for a Prince one might say. A spokesperson for the University of St Andrews said: “St Andrews is a special place – one in ten of our students meet their future partner here, and our title as Britain’s top matchmaking university signifies so much that is good about this community. “2011 will see the launch of our 600th anniversary celebrations
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Photo courtesy of HarpersBazaar.com and we will be proud to share our anniversary with the royal couple. “We hope that they will take the opportunity to return to Scotland and join us in celebrating the romance of St Andrews.” It is hard to imagine Prince William sat next to you in a lecture, locking eyes across the room with Kate. Who knew University could offer love as well as a degree? Ten percent of 5,000 graduates are now currently married to each other. Stephen Magee, vice principal of external relations at the University
of St. Andrews said: “Because it's a rather small town and university, it's not a city, you can't disappear in the evening into anonymity. So people get to know each other really quite well. And they find a strong bond or friendship if nothing else, and some of that turns into romance and marriage.” Of the engagement, PrinceCharles said he was "thrilled, obviously" joking: "They've been practising long enough.” It may be a sad day that William has now been snapped up, but don't give up hope, there's still Harry.
Merry Tragomas! Extracts taken from “Christmas at Tragos’ An upcoming book to be released this January in Trago Mills Stores only. By Joshua Sinclair-Thomson
I have just completed my Christmas shopping, 38 days before Christmas Eve (the usual date of completion.) “How so sir?” You ask, “How does one so swiftly waddle through suc an audacious, time consuming and costly task?” Well listen closely now everybody; let me tell you a story of a magical wondrous place named Trago Mills… Ho, ho, ho! Trago Mills sells everything you couldn’t imagine, the infinite giant shed of jolly assortments that will have you overdosing on consumer choice. It is scientifically proven that to just wander into Trago on a shopping expedition has killed people. Not even Bob could do an entire Christmas shop at Trago without having some kind of a nervous breakdown that might completely jade his comprehension of the word hypocritical. In order to avoid more threats to my life from the three Christmas ghosts; I have taken the pleasure to begat joy for one and all in Cornwall,
“It is scientifically proven that to just wander into Trago on a shopping expedition has killed people.” with this must have seasonal shopping list and guide to Tragos. Fear not citizens very soon all your Christmas woes will seem as distant as UKIP member Bob’s grasp on reality. 1) Let us begin with that special someone, maybe a floral loving wife or perhaps a particularly important backyard gnome? Whoever it may be why not exalt one’s affection with the gardening craze of the year; the pretend butterfly, a revolutionary invention that replaces the need for the living kind. 2) Sometimes it’s healthy to take the time to just think about yourself for a moment or two, because you deserve it. So be the proud aesthetic know-it-all by purchasing the childscaring glow-in-the-dark-whiskers
Santa Claus; a real decorative must have this season. 3) What about that one eccentric difficult to buy for brother, well years of struggling ends here, this will fit in perfectly with those wacky posters on his wall of silly people like Che Guevara. It’s the ‘woman riding a moped on the sea photo canvas,’ you know he’ll love it. 4) Dad always away on business trips? Does it tear your heart fibers apart each year when he isn’t there for Christmas? Well let him know how short life is with the hangman travel game, also includes actual 9” tall skeleton figurine. 5) Does your sister like aquariums? Ah so does mine! Well why not provide wisdom as well as pleasure this year with: ‘A book all about Piranhas’! Now sit back put another log on the fire and give the misses a big kiss, because you’ve done it again you sly dog; it’s because of you that the family shall be united at this year’s annual celebration of capitalism day.
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