APRIL 2012 ISSUE #001 ÂŁ1
do we need them? senior prefects? devonport voice? joe hill investigates democracy in action at dhsb
feature title DESCRIPTION PAGE NO
contents 2 - welcome & head’s note 3 - school captain’s report - book review 4 - social networking: more addictive than smoking? 5 - houses update - f1: still in pole position 6 - should phones be used in lessons? 7 - people and the powers that be 8 - poetry corner -dhsbroadway 9 - film review: the muppets 10 - cigarettes: the problem 11 - the not so united kingdom 12- the winning attitude editors James Clarke Rahul Raman design & layout Tom Brewer our writers Alex Lea Alex Rowe Ben Scott Connor Willingham Dylan Morris George Pope Joe Hill Luke Vicary Nathan Vosper Sam Duxbury Tom Phillips Will Reis 2
welcome!
Hello, and welcome to the first ever issue of the Devonport Spectator. With this being the publication’s debut, we had our work cut out to bring you the best content possible for your reading pleasure. This issue
wouldn’t have gone to press without the time and fantastic amount of effort from our entire team. Special thanks must go to Ms Davarian without whom we would never have produced a paper and to our designer
Tom Brewer who has sacrificed a lot of his time to design this publication. We really hope that you enjoy the rest of the newspaper and the following issues to come. If you would like to be involved in upcoming
Head’s Note Following the success of the Annual School Magazine, some of the editorial team are planning the launch of a more regular publication – Devonport Spectator. Motivated in part by the sheer physicality of paper, pictures and words in our increasingly virtual interactions, the team hope to re-kindle (no pun intended), an atmosphere of active, visible journalism with contributions from across the school community. I am pleased to have
been asked to pen the opening editorial. The title, if true to its namesake, promises an eclectic and intellectual commentary on contemporary life, politics and the arts. It will be fun to see how the publication develops, which columnists thrive and whether cartoonists and personalities are elevated to cult status within the school. Previous experience of successful school magazines reminds me of their potential. Two former students
brain warm-up easy
and school magazine collaborators from my early career went on to careers with the BBC and Sky. I will get behind anything that promotes creative engagement at DHSB; we’re ready for a regular forum for sharing talent, expression and opinion. So, I am pleased that the team is also seeking to embrace social media to stimulate conversation and encourage contributions. I am uncertain of the
issues, we would love to hear from you. Please email (spectator@dhsb.org) James Clarke Editor Rahul Raman Deputy Editor
source of the quote but, to paraphrase, “greatness will not be attained by those who do not use the tools of their age.” The blogosphere has given voice to many who would not otherwise have had an inclination to put themselves forward or share. We need to listen to the geeks too. Follow @ DHSBSpectator for the latest news.
try your hand at some of these suduko puzzles picked by our resident puzzle expert alex lea
difficult
killer
School Captain’s update
HEAD BOY ALEX ROWE ON THE REWARDING EXPERIENCE OF SUCH A POSITION AND THE CHALLENGES HE HAS COME UP AGAINST SO FAR.
Since the beginning of my office - in January of this year - there have been many challenges that have presented themselves to myself and the Prefect Team. These have come in various forms: Parents' Evenings, the 11+ admissions tests, the "We Will Rock You" production, school tours and many other events besides. I have been continually astounded and
impressed by the professionalism of the Prefect team so far, which now consists of over 80 members. The position seems to have become more coveted than ever, and many members of Year 12 who were not initially successful have expressed an interest in becoming Vice Prefects too. I am humbled that each and every Prefect gives up their time
and effort to play such a significant part in the runnings of day to day life at DHSB. As such a large body of pupils, the Prefect team has the opportunity to influence the continual progression of the school. As a team, we believe that a smart and tidy uniform is a prerequisite for learning, and have
been encouraging pupils in the sixth form and lower years to dress properly. Also, as the Prefect team often comes into a great deal of contact with younger pupils, they can be role models by demonstrating good behaviour and mature composure. On a personal level, the role of School Captain has tested my organisational,
leadership, and time management techniques. It continues to stretch and develop me as an individual, and I am sure that the skills I am learning will come to my aid in the future. Having three excellent and competent ViceCaptains is also a blessing that I do not take for granted. I look forward to what the upcoming months have in store for myself and the Prefect Team.
book review:Inheritance Author: Christopher Paolini
The final book in what is an epic series many people have grown up with, was a long time coming and many were eager to read, but did it fulfil the expectations that were laid down in the bastion of the series Eragon and Eldest? The book luckily starts off with a reminder of the previous events from the series, considering the last book, Brisingr, came out around 3 before. When the book starts you find yourself in yet another familiar war scenario, being Eragon and Saphira are killing any of Galbatorix’s forces with unbelievable and repetitive ease. Throughout the beginning of the book this is repeated and shared between Eragon and Roran, the battles are interesting, but you feel it doesn’t necessarily move the story forward. The character of Roran does also have a chance to develop further, something which is of interest to those who take a more personal tact to their reading. After and between the numerous battles you also get an insight into how Eragon is coping without the help of Oromis and Glaedr, his
Dragon Rider mentors in the elven city of Ellesmera, after meeting with an unfortunate end. This makes this part of the book rather interesting, due to him having to ponder over knowledge that is hard to come by as well as trying to get in contact with Glaedr who is suffering with major
chance of defeating Galbatorix. From this point on in the book, the story finally seems to deviate back to the storyline, which is the rebellion defeating the antagonist king of the Alagaësia and to restore the Dragon Riders to their previous status. In the series he had been given
This is a shame as it is a turning point in the whole series, if it were changed slightly, then maybe the revelation would be rather more spectacular. Once this part of the story has rather quickly finished, the part of the book we have all been waiting for since the start of the first book
depression after the loss of his Rider. After this period Eragon starts to realise how out of practice he has become, fighting the common soldiers of Galbatoix’s vast army. This leads him to want to better himself and has to involve his elven bodyguard in order to attempt to conquer this trouble, in order to stand even the slightest
advice by a werecat named Solumbum that instructed him to look for ‘The Vault of Souls’ and to speak his name in order to enter. Unfortunately it takes what feels a little too long to come around to this point. Once this eventually comes round, unfortunately another problem occurs, for a rather thick book of 800 pages, it feels rushed.
comes along, the fight with Galbatorix himself, the first meeting between the two Riders. The lead up to this event upon Eragon’s return to the Vardern (Rebel fighters with whom he fights among) is rather fascinating; unfortunately the meeting of the two is not as brilliant as was expected. The encounter is rather short
and the outcome and method chosen, rather unspectacular. After this, the last 100 pages or so feel like an attempt to tie up many loose ends that were left over from the city. The final outcome of the storyline was how many fans of the series wished for; it brought a tear to the eye of a diehard fan, but still had an unsatisfactory tang to it. Overall the book is a must read for those fans of the fantasy genre, or who enjoy reading a book because the series was a massive accomplishment for the author. The series as a collective was pure brilliance, it managed to capture the sort of world devised by Tolkien, but managed to make it easier to read to encompass a wider audience. I would thoroughly recommend the series to those who haven’t read it, and to those who started but never finished it, what are you doing?! Despite a few negative points, the book is a great read and conclusion to the series, with numerous side stories, twists and turns. Written by Connor Willingham
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Social Networking: More Addictive Than Smoking? Facebook. Twitter. Google+. These are the three big social networking sites. Yet, the internet is full of hundreds that allow people to continuously update information about themselves, what they are currently doing or who they're having on/off
relationships with. The majority of people use social networking sites every day. Even if it is just because they are bored and having nothing better to do. We scroll down the page, looking at what people think is interesting enough to post. We 'like' or 'RT' things that we find: funny, informative, important or useful. We comment or reply if we feel the need to voice our own opinions. It is very difficult to escape the mass of
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social networking sites today. Recent research has shown that social networking sites have become more addictive than smoking, and just as difficult to give up.
A survey of 250 people found that sleep and sex are the things that people long for each day, but resisting the urge to go on social networks were shown to be the hardest. There has also been additional research carried out that was conducted by the University of Chicago Booth School, in which they fitted participants with devices that logged almost 8,000 reports about their everyday desires. Their results showed that having resisted a particular urge, i.e. looking at Facebook etc, frequently or recently would increase the chances of giving in the next
time. In contrast to this, alcohol and tobacco (the substances you would assume were more addictive) had lower desire recordings. Dr Wilhelm Hofmann, who led this study published in the Psychological Science journal saying that "As a day wears on, willpower becomes lower and self-control efforts are more likely to fail.� This research shows that even though you having a strong mindset in the morning that you won't go on social network sites for that day, you will eventually, for whatever reason.
This research can also relate to other areas. One is in cases of studying. It can be shown that towards the end of the day, and possibly in the later hours of the evening, it is more difficult to discipline yourself to keep working. This may not be true of everyone, but it is a possibility for other people. Other research found that nearly four in five students had significant mental and physical stress, panic or confusion when they were forced to unplug from technology for an entire 24
hours. The research was titled 'the world UNPLUGGED' which you can find their full details at theworldunplugged. wordpress.com. The majority of 1,000 students from 12 different campuses, in 10 different countries, were unable to go the full day. Written by Ben Scott
are you hooked on social networks? why not share your views on your preferred network. like ‘devonport spectator’ on facebook or tweet us @DHSbspectator
houses update T h r o u g h o u t Devonport High Schools for Boys’ 106 year history, the house system has often played a prevalent role in student life; does it continue to do so? Having taken on the role of a house captain this year, it certainly does involve a lot of my school time organising and running events for students. In a school of over one thousand pupils, with six different houses, it can be difficult to encourage people to feel a sense of pride about their house. One of the possible reasons for this lack of spirit is the recent overhaul of the system. In 2009, the previous four houses, Drake, Gilbert, Grenville and Raleigh, were broken down and changed into the six houses we have now: Campbell, Edison, Newton,
Smeaton, Priestly and Winstanley. The aim was to make the system simpler by arranging the houses parallel with forms, resulting in everyone in a house in each year knowing each other. However, in my personal experience, this did serve to break down any house spirit that had previously existed, as well as doing away with 103 years of history. Alongside this, the form setup has meant that students aren’t able to integrate with those from other forms, a view echoed by Fergus Shaw, 6CG, who says, “With the new system, students aren’t really encouraged in the younger years to intermix with those from other forms like we used to with the old houses”. Whilst this may be the case amongst older students
such as myself, the dissolution of the old houses doesn’t hold such importance for younger students who are only used to the new houses. Tyrin Webb, 7W says, “I think the house system is really good, you just have to do your best in school and it’s really easy to get involved.” This enthusiasm is clearly present throughout the younger years, with all the recent sports events for the Year 7s and Year 8s consisting of huge teams of eager players. Even the tutors of the younger forms take an active role, with Miss Fennell and Miss Landrigan both encouraging their students to earn commendations and take part in house events. The older years clearly have less enthusiasm at the competition, with it sometimes being a struggle to create
teams and to get them to take part. Any semblance of house spirit is almost completely absent in the sixth form, save for the house and sport captains, most likely as a result of the change in houses. However, aside from some problems with student participation in the higher years, the organisation of the competition appears to have been greatly improved. Mr Huq and Mr Bunney invest a lot of time in the scheme, which is reflected by the wide variety of house events that take place regularly throughout the school, which contrasts to several years ago when organisation of competitions was sporadic at best. Every week there are at least two or three events happening, meaning that students always have the opportunity to become involved in the competition. Alongside this, Mr Huq and Mr Margetts have been working
pupils still in pole position
Students from Devonport High School for Boys have retained the top places in their most recent regional finals. The two teams competed in the most recent South West Regional final of the F1 in Schools competition and both teams came out as Regional Champions and picking up 5 awards between them along the way. Vitesse, the senior of the two teams entered in the F1 Class, and won the awards for the Fastest F1 Class, the Best Engineered Car and the Overall Best F1 Class Team in the Southwest.
Team Oblivion won the awards for the fastest bloodhound car and the Overall Champions in the Bloodhound Class. F1 in Schools is an international competition which allows students between the ages of 11-18 to design, manufacture and test their very own miniature balsa wood cars. As well as the engineering side of the competition, teams also have to create an effective Team Identity as well as approaching companies for sponsorship. The South West Regional Final took
place on Thursday 26th January, where teams from all over the South West arrived at the University of Exeter ahead of a very long day of fierce competition. Parts of the competition varied from the exciting part of racing the car, to the nitty-gritty Engineering Judging, where teams have to present their entire project to a panel of judges and they cross examine the team on how they design and manufacture of the car. Other parts of the competition include a verbal presentation, each team’s pit display and finally the scrutinising
of the car to ensure that each concept meets competition regulations. Nathan Vosper, Team Manager of Vitesse said, “We couldn't believe that we retained our title of overall best F1 Class in the South West. Our competitors this year were really good. We hope that we can build upon our success over the last two seasons at the national final in March.” The School has a good track record in the competition following from Pulse
on a new scoring system, which is to be unveiled within the next few weeks and will cause the St Levan’s Shield to become a much more competitive event. So after changes in recent years, the house competition has certainly changed in appearance, with house events being a much more regular occurrence, and Year 7s and Year 8s taking part with great enthusiasm. However, whilst the organisation has improved greatly, the split in houses has definitely served to alienate myself and other older students from the competition, meaning it does not play a huge role in school life. It will possibly only be after several years, when all students have only known the new system, that it will be an important aspect of student life. By George Pope
who competed in the competition in 2008 where they broke the world record 3 times, setting a staggering time of 1.064 seconds, before becoming the World Champions. Both team Oblivion and Vitesse have recently returned from the National Final at the Nation Big Bang Fair in the NEC in Birmingham. To find out how they did, visit the website. You can find more information about Vitesse at www. teamvitesse.co.uk
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phones in class: a device of distraction? are phones a nuisance in lessons or are they access to a wealth of resources to accelerate our learning? written by alex lea
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For as long as humanity has developed and thrived, there have been ground-breaking developments which have enhanced the working lives of many people, whether it be the stone headed spear that made our hunter gatherer ancestors' jobs that bit easier, the printing press that made knowledge immeasurably more accessible in the Middle Ages or Steve Jobs' Mac or Bill Gates’ PC that make the day-to-day goings-on in so many workplaces across the country, and indeed the world, so much easier. But with these advancements comes a very important question. How should we utilise cuttingedge technology in the classroom? There is one particular example that I will focus on here, which embodies many of the positives and negatives that can be drawn from the use of technology in schools. There are about 30 of them in most classrooms and they have become so embedded into our routine and working methods that we sometimes forget they’re there. I’m talking of course, about the mobile phone. The use of mobile phones is an
issue that will have presented itself to anyone who has entered a secondary school classroom in the last 10 years. Almost every student has one and their use in lessons is becoming commonplace, but is this a good thing? First let’s focus on the positives, taking as an example probably the most advanced phone of the moment, the iPhone. Its App Store allows you to download a myriad of applications that would make almost any situation slightly easier to deal with, two prominent examples of which that I've heard of being used throughout the school being iDHSB, developed by two of our own students to provide on the go access to our school VLE and iStudiez Pro, an app with
built-in calendar and assignment planner to help organise all your schoolwork. Not owning an iPhone myself, I couldn't tell you about these apps' most intricate workings, but I can report from what I've heard from others that they've become an invaluable part of their school life,
without which they would be lost. The mobile phone then, integrates our homework planner, calculator, notebook, e-mail inbox and so much more into one handy device, ensuring that we are always connected wherever we need to go. But most of the advantages of phones could also be seen as disadvantages merely by looking at them from a different viewpoint. You want something on your phone? Well, there’s an App for that! But unfortunately, teenagers being teenagers, whenever we’re using the useful, educational apps that I mentioned earlier, in class we’ll probably all feel at least the slightest temptation to start playing “Angry Birds” or “Temple Run”, thus detracting from our learning. The 500,000 apps on Apple’s app store could be seen as a great opportunity to improve learning by one person, but could be 500,000 different distractions to another. And the internet access that phones most often now have? Can everyone honestly say that every single time they used it in class it’s been for a legitimate educational purpose?
You’ve never once used it to see what the football score is, or check up on your Facebook account? Then there’s the connectivity to friends. Yes, we could use it to get hold of people when we really need to, but why stop there? Why bother doing the boring old exercise your teacher’s set you when you could just text your mates? I mean that’s much more fun, right? And the calculators and notepads on phones. Can you honestly say they are better than their more traditional counterparts? Yes, the calculator could be used for basic sums, but when you have more complex functions to compute they are just not up to the task. And admittedly the notepads may be good for getting a few details down quickly, but an exercise book or folder of notes is a much better way of organising your work long term. But what, you say; of the fact that it brings together almost everything you could possibly need throughout the school day? It saves time in rummaging around for your planner, means you have your calendar right next to you and can check on it in an instant and are
able to see e-mails from teachers that may be of importance of you. Yes, there is no denying that the phone can do all these things, but what happens when it gets lost, damaged or stolen? If you’re reliant upon your phone to see what homework you have to do, then you’ll be missing deadlines. If you have important notes on there, how will you access them? If this is the only calculator you have with you, then what? You’re stuck without the necessary equipment and information to get through the school day and learn effectively. So, it seems that the piece of technology with perhaps the most potential for good in the classroom also poses some of the greatest risks to our learning. With careful self-control over how we use them, they can be great tools, but when we become dependent upon them, they can lead to serious problems. This is a point that holds true, I think you’ll agree, for most technological advances we make and something that we’d do well to bear in mind, as technology seeps its way into both our social and academic lives.
people and the powers that be democracy in the school environment written by joe hill.
School Councils, School Captains, David Cameron, Barack Obama. It may not seem like each pair has much directly in common with one another, the former can suggest where to place new water fountains or organise a parents’ evening, the latter are managing budget deficits that reach into trillions of dollars. I doubt George Hawker or Alex Rowe will be debating what school services to cut anytime soon. However there is one large thing – democracy factored into their accession to those positions. Democracy is widely accepted as the best form of government that actually ‘works’ well enough and allows peace, that is indisputable on the world stage today. Thus it would make logical sense to integrate the concept and ideals of this system into the school environment. It does not only involve the election of officials, but also the active participation of the citizens and that is precisely what allows a school to work well, be effective, and progress: active participation. Nevertheless, the important question arises, how much and where should the aspects of Democracy
come into play? We have a prime example in Devonport Voice at our school today. When the new leadership team initiated the application process for Years 7-11 earlier this year, there was controversy amongst some students and teachers as they removed the vote within forms on each representative. This obviously eliminated any input from the student’s peers on whether they would be a good candidate, yet equally it removed the possibility of the election becoming a farcical popularity contest. Instead application forms were issued, students invited to interview, and nearly everyone was accepted as a representative. This is one of the first years where there has been the capacity for more than two applicants from a single form in some instances – Year 7 has 25 representatives across the 6 forms! Yet the issue is still there, democracy has not come into play at all. Yet does it really matter overall? For Devonport Voice to work effectively and fulfil its purpose, of being the student body mouthpiece, its representatives
have to take their job seriously. If a form had voted for its applicant who requested a ‘helicopter pad’ for the school on his form, then is he likely to go to all the meetings, portray serious points from his class group effectively, and take on the responsibility with all due eagerness? I personally am a strong advocate for the provision of a student and individual voice, all of the team at the Spectator are, that is the purpose of this publication, but for success as progression is made to the higher echelons of not only school life but society also, then genuineness is required. As I have already stated, constant Democracy requires the continued inputs of the inhabitants, or students in this instance. It’s not an issue of being serious all the time about everything; I find that most things in life are much easier and better with added humour, but there must be a line for the system to work efficiently. It’s not necessarily a bad idea to suggest a DHSB Helicopter Pad, I’m sure all those students and teachers who own helicopters would use it frequently, but
Democracy is about the majority. It is an unfortunate truth of life that it is nigh impossible to please everyone all the time, particularly in a school with such a brilliantly diverse populous as ours, and those in the lead must make the decisions for the benefit of as many as possible – with a level of student input. Devonport High School for Boys has a fantastic level of pupil interaction in the decision making process throughout the school. Students often are involved in an interview process for new teachers, even a Devonport Voice representative sits on the Board of Governors, there is a lot of behind the scenes work that many people don’t even know about. It’s completely justified that we as students should have the right to portray our opinions to the entire democratic school community, but if we want our ideas to be taken into account and respected by teachers, parents, and governors, then it has to be done in the best way possible, and there will always be a best person for that job. Everyone who wants one deserves a chance, and that is what we
have in the extensive application and interview process. Some may still argue that an element of democracy is still consistently required, but it is not in every single case. Very few applicants for Devonport Voice have been disappointed with the change in system, because in reality it has become more effective. This is a prime example of how even without the constant implementation of a superfluous vote, the system works sufficiently, perhaps even better. Does this mean to say that a system of democratic vote shouldn’t be present at all? Of course not, I think it’s clear that a level of balance is needed between the both, which DHSB certainly achieves. Not every other school is able to say its students have such a big input – and we should be proud of that! Joe Hill
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‘April hath put a spirit of youth in everything’ Spring is here again: exam season is upon us once more. At this time, when teachers and students alike are turning to their textbooks and past paper materials, it seems the world outside our doorstep is of little importance. The seasons will come and go, but this is our one opportunity to make something of our lives. It is a time to prove our worth, and show our mettle. It is the moment of the mark and the period of the percentage! What use is the sunshine to us then, and the flowers and the
birds, when we can only watch them with unending jealousy? We pray, for the first time in our lives, that the Easter holidays will be miserable as hell, and that the easterly death-wind will blow its tragic chorus the whole fortnight through. For then, we can scorn the weather with our diligence and our revision! But we need not envy the sunshine. Rather, Spring has been inspirational to many poets and creative thinkers. Through their work, we may both enjoy the beauty of nature and the elegance of
written by tom phillips
language. We don’t need to be outside to contemplate the world around us! Indeed, I find that Hopkins describes Spring in a way that intensifies its energy, whilst
also lamenting its destruction. In a few words he has made springtime more beautiful and fragile than my seventeen years’ experience has been able to imagine.
Nothing is so beautiful as Spring When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush; Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing; The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling. What is all this juice and all this joy? A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning In Eden garden. – Have, get, before it cloy, Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning, Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy, Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning. Gerard Manley Hopkins
DHSBroadway
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After an excellent and thoroughly successful production of We Will Rock You, the school is now looking ahead to next year’s musical. The cast of We Will Rock You, which also involved students from the girls’ schools, all agreed that the production was a resounding success for the school and for themselves and are definitely looking forward to next year’s production. The pit band mastered the total of 28 songs by Queen, and only had chance to rehearse with the cast 2 days before the opening night! Now, the Music and Drama
department are faced with the difficult decision of what to do next. Oliver!, Sweeney Todd, Oklahoma!; the list is endless. Part of what will contribute to the final decision is what the teachers and Department Ambassadors believe is possible with the current musical and singing ability of the school. This year, a lot more students featured in the chorus than before and so the volume and atmosphere felt in the theatre was much more dramatic. Next year, we are aiming for an even larger cast to enable us to
I guess what I’m suggesting is to not submit to the temptation of your sunny garden, but rather to admire it through the window, as you prepare for your English exam!
take on the larger and more famous and prestigious productions such as Les Miserables, in which the chorus is vitally important to the show. Don’t be tempted into thinking that not having a main role in the show makes you any less important; on the contrary, the majority of musicals would not be able to run if they didn’t have an amazing group of actors and singers who sometimes have to play 5 or more roles in the background in one show. Mr Norris and Mr Newton (along with the Music and Drama
exciting new projects are in the pipeline for the creative arts teams at dhsb. written by will reis Ambassadors James Clarke and Harry Samuels) are on the lookout for anyone interested in taking lead roles or forming part of the chorus, and also for anyone who would like to play in the band/orchestra alongside the cast. There is a lot of new musical talent making its way through the school at the moment, the brass section flourishing in particular. If we took on one of the more classical shows such as Oliver! or Les Miserables, then we also have quite a number of strings in the lower school as well as in the older
years to add to a more traditional pit orchestra. If you have any questions or suggestions for musicals to perform, or if you are interested in becoming a cast / band member, then please see Mr Newton or Mr Norris (whoever is most appropriate). Next year’s musical looks set up to be one of the best the school has ever put on, with the band looking to become even more versatile and hopefully with one of the biggest casts ever seen here!
The Most Sensational Inspirational Celebrational Muppetational Movie
a childhood memory for many is brought to the silver screen. written by ben scott
To some people, the title will mean nothing. To others, like me, it brings back great memories of childhood and growing up. Yes, I’m talking about The Muppets. Just a quick summary for those who aren’t aware, although you really should be. The Muppet Show was a television show that involved puppets, created by the great Jim Henson. It was essentially a sketch show involving these puppets, and it involved some great musical numbers, and it was fantastic. The puppets were a similar style to those of Sesame Street. Although Sesame Street had nothing on The Muppets, in my opinion. The Muppet Show lasted for five series, between 1976 and 1981, and was followed by several movies: The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Muppet Christmas Carol (the one everyone seems to know of), Muppet Treasure Island, Muppets From Space and then some TV movies. However, the latest instalment, simply titled The Muppets has appeared.
It may seem childish, and to an extent it is, but the fan base includes a wide range of ages, and the film, in my point of view, will not disappoint. It’s already received critical acclaim, garnering 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. The same as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. After
including: Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal and many more. The basic plot revolves around a Muppet called Walter, who is brought up with a human family. With his human brother Gary, he grows up watching the Muppet Show and becomes
watching the film myself, I can see why. The Muppets stars Jason Segel, known for starring in the hit sitcom ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and the film ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’, Amy Adams (Enchanted, Doubt and The Fighter, to name but a few) and a whole bunch of Muppets that people know and love,
their number 1 fan. When they become older, Gary and Walter, along with Mary (Gary’s long time girlfriend) travel to L.A. and go on the Muppet Studio tour to find that it is now desolate. Walter stumbles into a room and overhears a conversation between the grumpy old Muppets, Statler
and Waldorf, and Tex Richman, an oil tycoon, about selling the theatre. It then becomes apparent that Richman wishes to destroy the theatre due to oil below, unless the Muppets raise $10 million. Walter than reunites the original Muppets to put on the Muppet Telethon. The story sounds simple, but the writing is excellent. The characters are lovable, as they always have been, and the new additions are great too. The screenplay is written by Segel and Nicholas Stoller (Director of ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ and ‘Get Him to the Greek’) and directed by James Bobin, co-creator of Ali G, Borat and Bruno. To accompany the good writing are the excellent musical numbers. With one song, ‘Man or Muppet’ (written by Bret McKenzie of ‘Flight of the Conchords’ fame), that won an Academy Award for Best Original Song at this year’s Oscars. I was genuinely surprised by the singing abilities of Segel and Adams. The soundtrack includes audio snippets from the film, cover versions of well known songs (a Barbershop Quartet
version of Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ is surprisingly refreshing), songs included in the film and, of course, original songs. Then we come on to the smorgasbord of cameos. Jack Black. Zach Galifianakis. Whoopi Goldberg. Selena Gomez. Dave Grohl. Neil Patrick Harris. Sarah Silverman. Ken Jeong. Jim Parsons, and more. Some add more to the story than others, but the collective group of them make The Muppets special, representing different groups of people of different ages who are being subjected to The Muppets. This is a film for the entire family, and I mean the entire family. People who know the Muppets will have great feelings of nostalgia seeing the characters reunited, and the rest of the family will enjoy seeing these characters for the very first time, and may go on to buy The Muppet Show DVDs. This may be because I grew up with The Muppet Show, but I loved this film, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. So if you have the free time, go and check it out, you may be pleasantly surprised.
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plain paper packages tied up with strings
these are a few of my least favourite things. written by dylan morris.
600,000. What is that figure? The average cost of an inner London house? No. The number of cars on Britain’s roads? Definitely not. Annual pay packet of a City banker? Close, but no cigar. In fact, cigars are important to this figure. 600,000 is in fact the rough number of smoking related deaths that occur in Britain each year. That is almost 18% of adult deaths. It is no wonder then that the Government have seen fit to tackle this problem. Tobacco duties have taken steep rises over the past decade, with no signs of this slowing. Cigarette packagings have to carry warnings emblazoned on them. And now, it is the Government’s plan to introduce legislation which requires cigarettes to be completely plain packaged aside from this warning, to prevent any further advertising from taking place. Health researchers and pressure groups are naturally supportive of this move: it will hopefully discourage new smokers, especially children, with Cancer Research UK reporting that the chance of people under eighteen taking up smoking increasing by 35% for each
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brand they know and recognise. This must, however, be contrasted, with libertarian groups and activists saying it inhibits the free market and the choice of the consumer. The argument is also there that simply by blankly packaging cigarettes, no change will occur: people who are set on smoking won’t simply be put off by a lack of brand on a case. They further argue that it is not the place of the Government to interfere in the lives of its people; the decision to smoke or not by adults is entirely their own: it is their choice whether to spend their money and harm their own body. This in itself is a risky argument, with several arguing that it is the basic responsibility of Government to ensure that people do not harm themselves or others, citing the increased risk of cancer even from passive smoking which led to the institution of the smoking ban. Whichever way you think, however, the issue set to arise in Parliament and across the wider political spectrum more and more over the next year, it is a contentious issue which will be closely
watched over coming months.
the
Opinion piece: Why the state are going one step too far, yet again.
The UK government is considering a new policy of ‘plain packaging’ for tobacco products. If the law is passed, all cigarettes, cigars and even smokeless tobacco, will be sold in completely plain white paper packaging, with the only image being the unnecessarily hideous pictures of tumours and corpses that I’m sure you’re all familiar with. Smokers will only be able to distinguish between brands by the brand name, which will appear on the packaging in a small standardised font. The packaging will be exactly the same colour, and exactly the same size, all decided upon by the state. So now, the question I am posed with, is this the right way to go?
Many anti-smoking activists will argue
that the state should do everything in its power to stamp out smoking in its entirety, and so will support the ban. Now, though I agree wholeheartedly that smoking is a horrible thing, and that anyone who smokes should really be encouraged to stop, there is a very key difference between the illiberal antismoking campaigners and I. Whilst they want their so-called ‘health-promoting’ agenda enshrined into law, and pushed upon the citizens of the UK, I feel it is the right of the consumer to decide what they buy, and it is the right of the business to promote their product however they see fit. To those that believe in persecuting businesses and consumers alike by enacting this unwanted legislation, I ask them for their evidence. Where is the evidence that glitzy packaging converts non-smokers
to smoking? I, for one, would like to think I am strong-willed enough not to be swayed by the gold coloured packaging that the death sticks come in. Most rational human beings probably consider the massive health risks, which are already plastered all over the packaging anyway, to be more of a deterrent to taking up smoking than some silver paper which the cigarettes are actually wrapped in. I mean, can you honestly say that you’d buy a packet of cigarettes because they came in pretty packaging? In conclusion, I see the illiberal agenda being pursued by the current government in this situation to be a dangerous affront to the rights of businesses and consumers alike, and I for one reject the proposals completely and utterly. The fact that the state feels the need to butt into the affairs of the regular citizen by banning cigarettes in public places is bad enough, but now they wish to regulate the trade of them this strictly? I’ll give you a quick clue as to what this reminds me of: “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
a not so united kingdom sam duxbury on global politics and economics
A not so united Kingdom? Alex Salmond announced recently his intentions for a referendum on Scottish independence. The issue has been at the heart of the First Minister’s agenda since being elected as party leader for the SNP in 1990 and then again in 2004. Confrontation between Holyrood and Westminster has been caused because of the date fixtures. Salmond wants to hold the referendum in 2014 whereas David Cameron wants the poll to be held “sooner rather than later”. The Prime Minister also wants to maintain the voting age to 18 whereas Mr Salmond wants to extend the voting to 16 and 17 year olds. Another question which Salmond’s cabinet
must overcome is the inclusion of an option to devolve further powers to the Scottish government. This so called “DevoMax” would primarily give Holyrood powers over taxation and seems to be popular with Scottish voters although the Prime Minister favours a simple yes/no ballot on independence.
The rise of the... west? Recent data suggests Brazil has become the world’s sixth largest economy, to the detriment of the UK. The news comes from the Brazilian finance minister Guido Mantega, who claims that Brazil’s economy has reached 2.52 trillion US dollars compared with the UK’s 2.48 trillion. Brazil’s economy has
the economy of brazil grew by 7.5% in 2010
boomed recently due to decreased inflation and seemingly endless supplies of natural resources: most notably oil and gas. Brazil’s economic prowess is shown with its BRIC economy status. This multinational organisation was set up to denote
the world’s largest emerging economies, tying Brazil with countries such as Russia, India and China. Back home, these figures have
prompted the UK government to make further efforts to engage in business with emerging markets.
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you can write about anything from school events to news that breaks on the world stage. use the email above or tweet us @dhsbspectator to let us know what you want to write about... Scottish independence referendum call ‘will only help the SNP’ 11
the winning attitude written by luke vicary
It seems no matter where you are in the world, professional sports and the largerthan-life characters that fill its many various leagues are everywhere, dominating both the real and online world. From billboards in the largest cities, to videos on YouTube, these professionals often take the place as role models and icons for many a young sportsman or woman, and in a lot of cases for good reason. None of these athletes inhabiting the leagues were just given their spot on the world stage; there is no man or woman who ever entered the world of professional sports that can say “I didn’t work for this.” Every single one of these persisted to get to where they are now, and it seems this year more than any other, persistence is paying. First, let us cross the Pond to the United States. Here an extraordinary individual is gripping the hearts and minds of Americans all across the States, resulting in massive media explosions of Twitter trends, endorsements and magazine covers. The Cinderella story of Jeremy Lin has swept through the States, a story that has seen reverse a stumbling franchise in The New York Knicks, whilst also extraordinary
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leadership skills, while also being a model of humility and persistence. Coming out of Harvard with a degree in Economics and a 3.1 Grade-Point average, Lin went undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft. Despite this however, his persistence led to him getting a place in the Summer League with The Dallas Mavericks, where he averaged 9.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 steals, gaining him a contract with the Golden State Warriors. Although he had a contract, in a year with the Warriors, Lin played in only 29 games, of which he averaged a measly 2.6 points and 9.8 minutes a game, leading him to being waived and appearing to be nothing more than an NBA benchwarmer. And this is where the Cinderella story begins. On the 27th December, Lin signed with the New York Knicks, and on the 4th February, Lin recorded career-highs of 25 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. In the next game, Lin was a starter in his first NBA game and hasn’t looked back since. The 23 year old Asian-American in his first five starts has averaged 27.2 points, 8.8 assists and 1.2 steals, scoring in total 138 points and surpassing Shaquille
O’Neal’s league record for the most points in the first five games as a starter, whilst also leading the Knicks to a 6-0 win streak,
number of coaches beat the 14th ranked team in the world Ivory Coast in a thrilling penalty shoot-out to win this year’s African
most prominently scoring the game winning three against the Toronto Raptors. Lin’s persistence and drive has led to worldwide stardom, and the birth of “LinSanity”. Lin has gone from sleeping on the sofas of his teammates, to appearing on magazines and TVs worldwide. However, this persistence story isn't just unique; there have been thousands of stories. While not as impressive as Jeremy Lin's, each involves a man or woman with that all important (and very cliché sounding) never say die attitude, and a persistence that is outright admirable. We've had Zambia, a team who was rated 101st in the World and who had faced tragedy ten years earlier when the plane carrying the team to Senegal for a 1994 World Cup qualification match crashed, killing all 30 passengers, including 18 players and a
Cup of Nations. And these incredible stories haven't just been during this year. In 2003 Bethany Hamilton was attacked by a 14 ft tiger shark which ripped her left arm off just below the shoulder. By the time she reached the hospital she had lost 70% of her blood. She was surfing 3 weeks later and in 2004 received an ESPY award for Best Comeback Athlete of the Year. In 2001 Natalie Du Toit was riding on her scooter when she was hit suddenly on the side by a careless driver, causing her to lose her left leg just above the knee. Less than 2 years later she qualified for the finals of the 800 meter freestyle at 2002 Commonwealth Games. In 2008 Natalie qualified for both the Paralympic and Olympic games. All these stories should prove at least one thing to the
younger generation of sports enthusiasts and players, that no matter what disadvantages you may have, no matter how difficult things get and how useless things appear, persistence is the most important thing in sport, and perhaps even in everyday life. Persistence tempers character, it is a quality that shows employers and peers that when you persist, you will stick with something for the long term, not just for a while. It shows you’re willing to put in hours and hours of work to get to where you want to be, that you don’t have the view you won’t have to work to be successful, which is why, in my opinion, persistence is the most important quality any man or woman can have. To end, I'll leave you all with a quotation from the 30th President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge. “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”