BIG M by Dave Monk

THE

Winter Edition

BIG Glasvegas INTERVIEW

Student Health Fashion

Sport Old Firm Rip Off

THE

BIG

Magazine…

Editors Chris Irving, Tricia Wright, Michael Dott, Brionny Leiper Articles Lisa Boyle, Derek Howie, Kristian Truelson, Michael Dott, Lesley McKenzie, Chris Irving, Heather Chambers, Daniel Gillespie, Grahame Gallacher, Brionny Leiper, Tricia Wright, James Hamilton, Thom Bennett

…Would like to say… We all hope you enjoy December 2008’s edition of the college magazine and find it not only resourceful but entertaining too.

Contents… Glasvegas Exclusive

We’ve dedicated this issue to all the students currently studying at the Glasgow Metropolitan College to bring you hints, tips and ideas for the coming festive season. Not to mention news, reviews and gossip on all our favourite stories.

PaGE 4

Interview with Paul Donoghue by Derek Howie

MORE Sport

PaGE 8

‘Kris Boyd’s move on Scotland’ by Chris Irving

FASHION Feature

PaGE 11

‘Credit Crunch Survival Guide’ by Lisa Boyle

Trish xx

You know you partied too much at Freshers when…

• You’ve woken up at least twice with the night before’s kebab or pizza stuck to your face, the thing is you can’t even remember buying it… • There is a traffic cone sitting in your bedroom and you get flashbacks of you running down the street with it on your head – and you thought it was hilarious at the time. • When you look at your phone you have ten texts from the most random people – your ex ‘Hi, I got your message last night. Sorry I don’t think that would be a gd idea’

PaGE 15

‘Joe Calzage’s Best Bits by Kristian Truelson

MONEY MATTERS

Merry Christmas from all the Journalists who worked on the magazine to all the students reading it. Our hard work has hopefully paid off. And in order of effort!…The Big M Magazine thanks all our writers below.

The Freshers hangover

‘Shape up’ by Lisa Boyle

Sport

We hope you enjoy it and have a FANTASTIC Christmas and a BRILLIANT New Year !! Here’s to a successful 2009 to you all.

• Your best friend - ‘hey got ur messages, u okay? text me wen u get this I’m worried!’ • Your old friend from school - ‘hey, not spoke to u in years, that was random! Tb’ The friend you were out with – ‘ haha! you were so funny last night! we drank so many shots! take it ur hugover?’ • You still have one of your shoes on from last night but when you look for the other one, you can’t find it and remember walking home with one shoe on oblivious to the fact you had lost the other!

PaGE 16

• You could barely open your eyes when you got up because your mascara stuck them together and when you look in the mirror you look like Jodi Marsh on a ‘tanned’ day. • You can’t get the cheesy songs out of your head that were played at the end of the night and at the time you almost cried with happiness because they got played – Queen – don’t stop me now, Oasis – don’t look back in anger and The Killers – Mr. Brightside. • All you want is a bacon sandwich and a big bottle of Irn Bru and for to crawl back into your bed and watch hangover TV – Hollyoaks, Eastenders, the footie. • You’ve woken up with carpet burns due to the fact you crashed at your mates flat, and suddenly thought the most comfortable place to sleep was the floor... and your head feels like its been banged against the wall 20 times. • You’re not really sure why you thought that tattoo was a good idea.

w e i v er

In E V I LUS

Metro sexual Who?

EXC

ow we used to get offended when associated with the term, now we can’t get enough of it.

As I sat in the hairdressers glaring at the young woman snip away inches of my hair, I wondered if she was also snipping away my masculinity, inch by inch. Trying to resist the thought of my manliness vanishing quicker than Usain Bolt sprinting, I looked for distractions. I started to check out the products that were on sale around me, but to my surprise all I could see where beauty products being sold for men. Hair straightners, skincare, hair care and even Anti-Ageing Cream, everything was there. I left feeling confused, and definitely left with some of my masculinity scattered on the floor along with my hair cuttings.

s a g e v s a l G Paul of

by Derek Howie

nyone who has ever heard of Glasvegas will most likely know that lead singer James Allan is an ex professional footballer but not quite as many will know that bass player Paul Donoghue is a tiler to trade - and a bad one at that. “I left school at 15 and worked in the industry for seven years. I think I may be the most unsuccessful tiler in Glasgow. I would hope not to go back into it but no doubt I will. It’s my ball and chain, my trade.” Modesty and realism are two of the many apparent traits of Paul’s. Like the rest of the band, he was born and raised in the east end of Glasgow and that culture has shaped them and made them the band they are today. “I’m pretty unremarkable. Apart from having no front teeth I’m a typical guy from the east end,” says Paul, before adding “Saying that, that’s not a million miles away from the typical guy here!” Clearly, humour is another one of his obvious characteristics. Growing up in the east end of Glasgow, Paul had two choices in life - football or music. When he was younger, he was more football orientated. “I wasn’t really into music until I was about 15,” he explains. “My mum used to smoke Benson & Hedges cigarettes and back then, when you smoked a certain amount, you could choose things out of catalogues. My mum got me Definitely Maybe by Oasis.” From that day on, music would become his life and Oasis undoubtedly helped shape Glasvegas as a band. “They were the only band that was accessible to people where I came from. Like Rab and James, if it wasn’t for Oasis, we wouldn’t have picked up a guitar nor had any aspirations to make music. They let you see that people from a working class background can achieve things and it opens up a whole different world.” As we spoke, Paul had not long arrived back from supporting Oasis at the London Proms, an experience that he described as “mind blowing.” 2008 has been a hectic and hugely successful year for Paul and Glasvegas. They released their self-titled album earlier this year, which was only beaten to the top of the UK charts by heavy metal giants Metallica. They also played the majority of the summer festivals to packed crowds and toured the United States. The band is also releasing their highly anticipated Christmas album, ‘A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt like a Kiss)’ on December 1. “My favourite song on the album is ‘Cruel Moon.’ It’s all about Christmas but written from the perspective of a homeless guy. It’s the guy singing and he’s basically saying to people walking by, I was doing the same thing as you this time last year. It just shows how your life can change in such a short time,” says Paul sincerely.

What is a metrosexual and who are they? Officially, a metrosexual is “a guy who is definitely straight, but has embraced the world of grooming, facials, shopping with women and, of course, their feminine side”. The way I see Metrosexuality is, essentially, all about shopping and grooming for men; a swan dive of self-indulgence into a world of pedicures and manicures. Like the new “indie scene”, the metrosexual look seems to have hit 2008 with an enormous bang. With metrosexuality mixed with sheer ruggedness in this year’s Big Brother TV show, we have seen the launch of new products that our fathers would scoff at. You can go into any cosmetic store now and without a hint of embarrassment, buy products such as “Guyliner”, “Manscara” and hair straightners. Before, grooming was never about getting in touch with your feminine side: it was there to help you get a girl, not to get you accused of being like one. How times have changed. Despite this, there is more than meets the eye. A lot of advertising for these kinds of products is to make the buyer happy and more confident about themselves, and to do that you make yourself look better. It’s basically adopting the same approach that women take, but less drastic. Nevertheless, every man now aims to look their best when going out and now it seems will go to great lengths to accomplish that goal, whether it be to darken your skin slightly, or hunt the whole day to find that ‘in-demand’ pink t-shirt. The question is, why? A friend of mine who is a “metrosexual member” believes it’s simply down to looking your best and feeling good. “If you don’t love yourself, no one else will! I think when you’re going on a night out you have to feel good about yourself. If you believe that you look good, then that confidence will come across to other people.” When asked if he would he try out the newer products such as ‘Manscara’, he joked “I feel that I’m quite comfortable with my sexuality and the like, but even I don’t know if I would wear Manscara!” This is saying something from one of the more metrosexual males I know, and an ex footballer at that too. “Football is full of confident, trendy and popular young guys who are all pretty content in themselves. You want to look the best in the changing room and when you’re out on a night out. Maybe if I cared more about football than I did about my appearance, I would still be a footballer!” Why is Metrosexuality so appealing? Is it the higher self- confidence? To make you look cooler? To get you that girl? Or is there just an acceptance now that men no longer want to constantly be scruffy? Unconsciously, we as men have already shown that we are changing. You look in the town and see men walk by mirror windows and stop to look at themselves, you will see this generations ‘lads mags’ will heavily include grooming and fashion tips, and how the most famous of footballers, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham, both are frequently in the news about their fashion views and styling tips, something unheard of a number of years ago. So what’s next for Metrosexuality? Apparently the next big product to hit the trend is ‘tights for men’. The Skintight legwear is just another in a long line of products that’s selling out UK stockists, but is it a step too far? “I’m pretty certain I would never wear tights!” My friend confessed, which I think is a fair assessment. It could be metrosexuality gone stark raving mad, but if you do find yourself borrowing your girlfriend’s tights soon to go out, you probably should consider not having a girlfriend in the first place, never mind tights! That is Metrosexuality in all its glory, but the question is “Are you metrosexual”? Do you find yourself trying to resist the urge and look at yourself passing by a mirror? Or do you worry about the rain ruining your hair? Metrosexuality, despite being relatively new, is quite a powerful trend and I know I have been sucked into it a little, but think to yourself, when will it happen to you?

Glasvegas are the latest British band to attempt to break into ridiculously difficult American market. Will they succeed where their heroes Oasis failed? “I don’t know if we’ll break the market. People think we’ve got some sort of global domination plan but our heart and soul just went into making the album. It’s up to the record company to worry about things like that. The feedback so far is good though.” At the end of this year they will head to London before they begin their European Tour. When that finishes, more touring begins in American and Japan. “We have to spend a lot of time touring and building ourselves up, so we’ll be concentrating on that. I think people expect us to be back in the studio soon but as we’ve said before there might not even be another album.” The man who will ultimately decide that is lead singer James Allan, a man who Paul clearly has the utmost respect for. “James has a really special talent. We trust him implicitly.” James is the creative force behind the band. He is the writer, the singer, and arguably the face of the band. Wouldn’t Paul like to become more involved in those aspects? “I think if I were to write a song it would be like a parody of James. It wouldn’t do justice to Glasvegas,” he says honestly. “Saying that, I can’t play the guitar either!” As we near the end of the interview, Paul pauses for a moment and again takes time to reflect. “I just feel really lucky that I get to wake up every day and do something that I love. I think a lot of people do it for the fame or to be cool, and you can see right through that. It’s a really sad thing about music because it can mean so much to people.” He may have been one of the world’s worst tradesmen, but he is now in one of the world’s best bands. I think it is safe for Paul to pack up the toolbox for good.

The MixUps ABC2, Glasgow 15/11/2008

by Brionny Leiper

Upon hearing of The MixUps, you may immediately think of those famous Haribo sweets. You’d be nearly right, as they were named after the 10p mix-ups you got at school. Apparently “you just never know what you’re going to get next with The MixUps.” Having only gotten together earlier this year, Jamie Cameron (vocals/guitar), Ryan Tobias (bass) and Paul Preston (drums), have gathered a large crowd for tonight’s gig. The set may be fairly short but there’s a lot packed in, especially in the way of musical influences. The Glasgow-based band are a mixture of The Beatles and Oasis with a bit of Sex Pistols rock and roll thrown in for good measure. An unusual blend perhaps, but this is a cocktail that creates a surprisingly pleasant result. Listening to The MixUps, there’s a definite nostalgic feel and a clear love of old musical styles. The MixUps wouldn’t be out of place in the 90s Brit Pop revolution but we’re in 2008 and maybe Brit Pop’s on its way back in… 5

Diego Maradona

by Kristian Truelsen

ou could have been forgiven for thinking Scotland’s friendly with Argentina last month was in fact a tribute match for Diego Maradona and his ‘hand of god’ goal against England. The 32,000 Scotland fans didn’t turn up at Hampden Park to see if George Burley had improved his side’s tactics ahead of next year’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Holland. The Tartan Army certainly weren’t wondering how Barry Ferguson’s return to international football after a year’s absence would work out. They were really at the National Stadium to pay homage to the man who netted the most infamous goal in football’s history at the 1986 World Cup against England.

In addition to their classics they played some more new tracks from their album which, to be honest, were a bit hit and miss. This was highlighted by the crowds’ reaction when Ricky suggested playing an old song and then a new one. The chorus of boos that followed caused him to concede and stick to their older songs. During an epic rendition of the, ‘Angry Mob’ Ricky decides he wants to run through the crowd losing his temper at a particularly drunk woman who wouldn’t move out of his way, causing him to yell down the microphone at her. Eventually crowd surfing, with some difficulty, back to the stage to end the show with, ‘Oh My God’ which judging by the crowd’s participation, they loved. The Kaisers, with crowd encouragement, then re-entered the stage for the encore finishing with, ‘I Predict a Riot’. All in all it was everything you have began to expect from the Kaiser chiefs, pop songs that everyone knows the words to. by James Hamilton

Maradona’s first game in charge of his country turned into a side-show and the fact Argentina won through Maxi Rodriguez’s solitary strike didn’t seem to bother any of the Tartan Army. Scotland’s love affair with Maradona was clear for all to see as he strode through Glasgow Airport on the Sunday before the match. Hundreds of fans, journalists and photographers crowded the terminal just to catch a glimpse the wee man.

Dads make kids smarter

There were similar scenes at Celtic Park where the Argentina squad trained the night before the game as press men from across the world travelled just to see the greatest footballer waddle around the centre circle. But not everyone connected with Scotland was happy to see Maradona in the country. Scotland assistant Terry Butcher admitted he was still bitter towards Maradona for the goal that knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup and revealed he was odds on to knock the Argentina manager out on the touchline. That didn’t happen but it would have certainly livened up a dull match which turned into an anti-climax. Maradona promised to serve up a feast of word class football. Looking at the opening 20 minutes it seemed he would be true to his word as Carlos Tevez, Rodriguez and Ezequiel Lavezzi left the Scotland defenders chasing shadows. But after that early spell of tantalising football the visitors took their foot off the gas and settled for the 1-0 win to the relief of the Scotland backline - but to the disappointment of the Hampden crowed and the millions watching on TV. But just what can we expect from Maradona’s reign as Argentina boss? Many believe it could go two ways. The decision will either be the greatest in Argentina’s football history or it will be the country’s worst disaster since the British torpedoed the Belgrano battleship. Well, it maybe won’t be that bad. But one thing’s for sure, though. The Tartan Army will be wishing Maradona the best of luck in his new job.

Gadget Stocking Fillers

by Tricia Wright

Can’t think of what to buy your partner, nieces, nephews or kids this Christmas? Then look no further. Everyone loves a gadget and that goes for useful ones and ones that aren’t so practical. Firebox is an excellent website to browse the world of cool things and trendy presents and furthermore, everyday until Christmas they are reducing one item in their gadget range by up to 50%! Everyday, you have 24 hours to buy their daily offering, all you have to do is visit www.firebox.com/festivefrenzy and see what today has in store for you. During November, they had a micro remote controlled helicopter reduced by 40% to only £11.95. Perfect for a stocking! Firebox also offers some great deals on Notebook laptops, cameras, and music players. In fact just about everything you could imagine and more is at the click of a mouse. They even customise a Monopoly Board game to include anything you want on it for that extra personal touch. But hurry. Stocks are limited on the Christmas frenzy items. Go go gadget shopping…. 6

s they entered the stage I begun to wonder whether I had came on the right night, perhaps this was Boyzone or some other boy band. But no, the fans are clearly screaming at their hero Ricky Wilson and his band enter the stage. And he is so clearly loving it has he begins to break into the first song of what was a very solid performance. Starting off with a few songs from their upcoming album, ‘Off With Their Heads’, the crowd didn’t really join in until they played their new single ‘Never Miss A Beat’. This continued as they went through a very predictable, but extremely enjoyable set, playing all their classics including, ‘Every Day I Love You Less And Less’. They mixed up these by adding some tambourines to some songs to give them a refreshing and uplifting sound.

When it comes to taking care of the kids, it is well known that it is usually the mother who takes on most of the parenting roles, while the dad goes out to work and makes the money. The mother gets the kids ready for school, makes the breakfast, tidies the house, cooks dinner etc. The father then comes home, puts his feet up and slouches in front of the TV. That is the stereotypical British household. The father deals with work and money, while the mother deals with the children and the household chores. Everyone thinks it is better this way. Or is it? Maybe not, the majority of mothers take on the role of bringing up the kids. However, it appears that the minority rules this time. In a recent study from Newcastle University, it was claimed that children who have been brought up by their dads benefit more than those who are brought up by their mums. Fathers who take a big part in the upbringing of their children help to promote intelligence and social skills. These children are more likely to develop a high IQ and are likely to achieve a higher social status later in life too. It has been found that a child’s development improves significantly when they spend general time with a father who gets involved in playing or listening to music, but a kid’s intelligence improves even more when they spend time reading. One dad who seems to particularly enjoy helping his kids to learn through reading is Ernest, a construction worker from Manchester. He recently featured on the Playbook website, a site for dads who have an interest in encouraging their kids to read books. Ernest, who is a father of two, spoke about his ‘techniques’ when reading to his kids. “I had reading problems at school, which I still have to this day. My eldest daughter seems to have the same problems, but reading has helped her immensely. If she doesn’t know how to say a word, I break it into syllables so she has an idea of how to put it together and pronounce it”. The study was carried out by asking the mum of each child how often the father participated in activities with their children. There was analyzing of the ‘basics of bringing up children’ and how often the father was involved. These activities included organizing ‘quality time’ reading, playing sports and doing homework. When the father participates in even the simplest of activities the child’s intelligence was very high compared to that of a child who has been brought up mainly by their mother. Research has shown that the mind encompasses many related abilities, such as the capacities to reason, plan, think abstractly, solve problems and learn. In some cases, intelligence may include traits such as creativity, personality, character, knowledge or wisdom. However, most psychologists prefer not to use these traits in the definition of intelligence. The candidates whose fathers spent a lot of their time with them, had significantly higher intellect in most of these areas of intelligence, compared to those children who were predominately brought up by their mother. Cases such as Ernest’s were the most successful in terms of their children’s intelligence. Fathers who were consciously educating their children by having them take part in activities, such as reading, were actively changing their kid’s lives for the better, as these were the kids who developed the highest IQ’s in the study. Ernest was not surprised by this finding. “Teaching my kids to read is very important to me. I tell my kids that if they can’t read then how can they travel if they can’t read the road signs? I make sure they know how important reading is because I know how important it is. I am so proud of my kids, they are smart and I want the best for them”. It seems that times are changing, and, although it is not the stereotypical family, more mothers are opting to go to work while the father stays at home with the children, or in some cases both parents are going to work and are sharing the child care responsibilities. Both scenarios can only be good for our children’s future if these studies are anything to go by. The results are very impressive indeed, although, I’m very doubtful that the mothers will be as impressed. zie

by Leslie McKen

(continued) So what he is saying is that he believes that something has to happen to them in order for them to change their drinking habits, but he also believes that this would not last long unless the experience was particularly horrific.

Whether the licence would work, if it came to pass, is difficult to tell at the moment. Jack Law, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland finds the proposal interesting but said, “The difficulty would be enforcing the licence”. Even Dr Hick conceded that there would be some holes such as what if someone came up from England or abroad and wanted to go to a bar up here, in Scotland. If this or other proposals like this one come to pass, the government could be seen as targeting the student population, even though binge drinking is not age specific. Once they leave higher education people do not automatically stop drinking. When will the government begin to trust young people with their own responsibility for their actions and that alcohol misuse does not equal a student? by James Hamilton

Students shortchanged by Old Firm by Christopher Irving

f the thousands of students studying in Glasgow this year, a large majority of them, particularly male, will support one half of the Old Firm. There are of course the minority who support the so-called “wee teams” in the city. But it’s the students who pledge their allegiance to the ‘big two’ who are being shortchanged by the two richest clubs in Scotland so I decided to investigate and find out what offers are available to students.

Here is a detailed look into what is on offer at your clubs:

Club Full Price Students Saving

Leave Student Drinking Out of It!

uite close to the North Hanover Street is a building that is loved by nearly all students. It’s called the union. Do you know about it? Of course you do. It’s a place many students use regularly to relax and generally forget about the load of course work due by Friday. Ask the vast majority of people what it is that students do and drinking is defiantly in the top three. For the most part this does not bother most students, speaking to a few; the main reason for it is that simply they enjoy it. It’s a laugh and is a good way to generate some good banter. But we all know at least one person who we either go to college with, or have known forever that takes drinking in excess a bit far. Speaking to 2nd year students, who regularly visit the union, they recounted various tales of missing lectures due to hangovers and turning up to lectures still a bit drunk from the night before. Now however the government seems to have taken notice of these select few and targeted the whole student community. First we had the doomed proposal to introduce a law making it illegal to walk into a shop and buy alcohol over the counter. Luckily for most of you it didn’t pass. Now psychiatrist Dr Jonathan Hick, an Edinburgh University Lecturer believes that people wanting to drink when they turn 18 would have to apply for a licence, and in order to get it would have to pass a theory test and sign a pledge stating that they would not “abuse the privilege and responsibility of being able to purchase and consume alcohol”. The licence would then be revoked if they were caught binge drinking. The problem is that they are building these schemes on the stereotypes created by the select few. In fact the National Statistics Office revealed that the number of drinkers between the ages of 16 and 24 was down by over 10%. When I asked non-drinker, Craig Bow, an ex-Glasgow Met Student now at university why he didn’t drink he said, “It’s just because I like to keep healthy, I go to the gym”. He wasn’t the only one either some other student have cited their health as the reason for not drinking, or not drinking a lot. He also believes that shock advertising by the government, such as diseased livers and drunken injuries, have no effect on younger people’s attitudes to drinking “I think they learn more from personal experience”.

Motherwell FC £22 £15

£7

Airdrie United £17 £10

£7

Hamilton FC £22 £11

£10

St Mirren FC £21 £15

£6

Partick Thistle £15 £10

£5

Rangers FC £24 £24 no saving

Celtic FC £25 £25 no saving

As you can sum up, the Old Firm’s are the only two clubs who don’t offer discounts to students. This means that they have to pay over 20 quid to watch their supporting team! This is clearly unacceptable and pretty sly, especially when you consider the fact that you can take in a decent SPL experience by jumping on the train to Lanarkshire to watch Hamilton or Motherwell! Having said that, the fact remains that the Old Firm obviously feel they don’t have to offer student discounts. They know that they will fill their ground every match day with supporters who are willing to pay full price to watch quality Old Firm. But what about the matches when they are only managing to fill just over half the stadium on a cold winters evening? Didn’t they think that the student element of their support may be tempted to pop along if the price is right because let’s face it, would you pay 24 quid out of your student allowance to watch 90 minutes of football? Nah, it ‘aint worth it so we can just thank the Lord for bringing us online broadband Setanta for just £7.99 a month, and it’s contract FREE!

Legends of Leather

p u e p a h S

by Lisa Boyle

eather has taken another comeback within the fashion stakes of late, if I had been asked 5 years ago would I wear a leather jacket, I would have replied with a snort and asked if in the future I would be playing the part in the remake of a ‘Cher’ music video. By now I come to realise what goes around will most definitely come back around in the fashion generation. As I sport the latest biker chic look I ponder how the history of the leather look came around. After all, the T-birds jackets from Grease and those legendary leather pants worn by Jim Morrison were such a hit some generations ago.

Goth is no longer seen as scary and women have been painting the town black in their ruffled gothic gowns, making men quiver at the mystery and appeal of this confident and sexy rock look. This look is about adding raw edge to feminine fabrics such as throwing a leather jacket over a prom dress, or sexing up a pretty blouse with a leather mini and lace tights. Alexander McQueen and Giles mixed up tough leather trousers and soft romantic layers on the catwalk. The dark side is the way to go this winter and these latest inspired trends can be found in virtually any high street or designer store. Even the timid can be inspired by this look just by adding some sexy platforms or leather gloves to accessorise their individual look. If you haven’t already you will be rocking this look before you can say Harley Davidson.

MATURE STUDENTS – DISCOUNTS DO NOT APPLY

f you’re over 25 like me, and in full-time education, you have to budget very carefully. I was stunned to discover that I was exempt from many student discounts because of my age - I am 31. I travel by train. I was told by my local staffed station, that discounts only apply to students from the ages of 18-25. They can save up to one third off. I have to pay the full price for a monthly ticket, just as I did when I worked full-time. I was made redundant in May this year. When I started college in September, I was amazed to find that a four week pass had gone up by over £3.00. £3.00 in the space of four months, when it had already risen significantly at the beginning of the year. When are they going to stop increasing the fares and improving the service? I have since realised contradictive facts from my fellow classmates. They are mostly under 25. They informed me that the discount only applies after 0930 hours. All our classes start at 0900 hours so the discount does not apply. How do the railways get away with that? The college recently held a “Freshers Week” and I found that a huge disappointment. Alliance & Leicester informed me that I was too old to apply for a student account. The age limit on that is 21. A Young Scot discount card was obviously no good to me either. Why don’t they make a Mature Scot discount card? The only thing that was of any use to me was a 10% discount leaflet from stationers Artstore and Millers. Since I’m studying Journalism, I use a lot of stationery. However, I’ve since discovered that all my needs can be met at Poundland, so even those discount cards are of no use. I was made aware of an NUS card . On inspection, again I was disheartened. I’m not a huge fan of HMV or GAME as given on the card. I did my own investigations in stores that I shop in such as Boots, Waterstones, WH Smith and Debenhams to name a few. They do not accept student discounts regardless of an NUS card. The card itself costs £10.00. When I first went into full-time education back in 1994, it didn’t cost me a penny. The discounts were amazing back then too. Almost every store accepted it. Those in my class who did invest in the card have been dismayed at having to wait weeks to receive it. When they have went to use the card, they were left reeling with anger when they discovered that it was not applicable in that particular store. The embarrassment they have endured, having to return items, resulted in them just throwing the card in the bin. So, in my experience, student discount is a myth. My course lasts until June 2010. Will things change by then? I won’t hold my breath.

Hourglass

Gothic Glam

Black, lace and soft gothic trend have been seen all over the catw s this Winter and alk its this look no mat easy to carry off ter is. We’ll show yo what your shape u how to pull of f the trend whether its your going for, or full on goth glam just a subtle hint goth chic. of

Punk style also began to gain notoriety when The Sex Pistols wore Vivienne Westwood designer punk collections, which included bondage gear, spiked collars, PVC and leather trousers, chain detailed tops and tartan heritage clad designs which is another trend that has broken through this winter. Leather jackets have always been cool and associated with motorbikes, vintage and rock. After Marlon Brando rocked the standard black leather in 1953 movie ‘The Wild One’, soon enough others followed suit. The girls wore preppy circular skirts and matching cardigans and they chased after the greased up men. Five generations down the line and it’s the women sporting the sexier look, mixing it up with pretty punk and lace for a darker, more-sultry look. Gothic styles have become the epitome of glamour this winter, embracing skinny fit trousers, leather skirts, zip and stud detailing on bags and jackets and lots of lace.

this n i lf e s r u o y le Sty ds n e r t re t n i W ’ s season ket looks great on This fitted tartan jac this ruffle black d hourglass curves an ows off great legs. sh d an s mini flatters hip and opaque or lace Wear this with heels daytime look. nter for a p, shoes £30 asos tights in the wi , skirt £30 all Topsho Jacket £45 , top £45

Petite

Petites can carr y dresses great, ad off fitted minid to update the this lace bolero LBD and som statement shoe e s and jewellery to brighten up the look. Petite body con dress £3

e girls and th gth for tall a modern n le t c e rf e bring is the p This dress and criss cross heels lets have been t il n g o r fr fu m Faux bow tie rtan trend. and this luxe one fro ta e th to t te twis la f o 2 at night! where seen every e will keep yougec, oshsoeys £30 Barratts, bangles £1 id g lfr d Se ri lf Miss Se arehouse, Gillet £40 Miss

Tall

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Good in Games

The Gaming industry has come under fire in the mainstream press on occasion; violence, moral ambiguity and sexual content corrupting our nation’s youth have all been debated. There is more to the industry than shocking games and first person war simulations. There is in fact a “good” in games. Nintendo has been synonymous with gaming since the 80’s; creating the iconic Super Mario franchise, gaming’s most recognisable mascot. In December 2006 Nintendo released a console that has not only become a gaming success story but has also changed people’s attitudes towards gaming altogether. With the use of the “Wii remote”, gamers found themselves carrying out physical activities such as swinging the remote like a tennis racquet or using it like a bowling ball. The physical workout this gives those who play did not go unnoticed by many Physiotherapists who quickly adapted the Wii for their patients use. The term “Wii-habilitation” was soon coined, “Taking the patient’s mind off the pain - that’s what we’re trying to do” said Debbie Franceschini of Healthcare Rehab in South Jersey, USA. With patients concentrating on the game and the fun they have with it, pain and boredom of monotonous exercise is all but eliminated. Even Angelina Jolie recently admitted to using the system to do Pilates, something she attributes as key to the figure she has. While much focus is on the games consoles themselves, there are those behind the scenes in the industry who devote much time to charitable work. One such group is the charity Games Aid. The charity consists of many key members of the games development community in the UK. The charity acts as a “broker of charitable activity on behalf of the industry”. Recently Games Aid took over operation of the Entertainment Software Charity. The ESC has been running since 2000 and has donated a total of £507,000 to educational and medical causes specifically affecting young children. Andy Payne of game publisher Mastertronic is the Deputy Chairman of Games Aid and the Chairman of the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association. “This is very much an Everyman charity” he said, reflecting the statements on the Games Aid website. Recently the charity has paid the fourth of seven payments on behalf of the Entertainment Software Charity, after taking over operational control of the charity, the sum being £214,000. “We auctioned off 2 Golden Joysticks tickets, worked with Future to raise money at the event itself, and importantly added in all the takings from the EuroGamer Expo”; with over 4,000 people having attended and each paying the £5 entry fee, Games Aid is making major contributions to many children’s lives.

by Lisa Boyle

osh decided to copy Chanelle’s look after seeing her amazing performance on Big Brother 8. Many of us have individual idols who we look up to, or who we wish to emulate. This is not always a bad thing, sometimes having someone to idolise can help motivate us in our goals, our dreams and who we would like to be that little bit more like. However there is a thin line between taking a leaf out of someone’s book and actually trying to become them. So what is the definition of idol? “A blind of excessive devotion to somebody.” Many people who have idols believe it is good to have someone who they admire and aspire to be like. It is often found those who have low self-esteem and are critical of them self, are the ones who feel more comfortable in playing the part of someone else. Those who find it hard to make their own decisions and accept them self are the ones who tend to obsess over their idealistic image and re-enact that image in their head out. Teenagers often look up to their idol and those with little self-acceptance could be in danger of obsessing over their idea of ‘perfection.’ They could be vulnerable peer pressure, and may attempt to copy their idols actions or appearance in a bid to become more popular or accepted. Sarah Gunn, an 18 year old hairdresser from Pollok told of how her obsession with a certain soap star (who cannot be identified) led her to losing most of her own identity. “I’ve never been the most confident person so when people told me I looked like this gorgeous actress I had a boost of confidence and did my hair the same as hers to try and look a bit more like her as it was nice to feel pretty for a change.” However Sarah’s attempt to transform herself led to obsessing about the actress “ I started wearing the same clothes and make-up as her, and even acting slightly like her character so that people would compare me to her. I thought it was harmless but people started noticing me trying to copy her every time she dyed her hair or wore something, I thought her character looked really sophisticated and glam sitting around drinking wine all the time so I started drinking a lot more heavily. I woke up with loads of hangovers and I felt ashamed of myself for obsessing so much on becoming just like her. I feel so stupid now and have learned to accept myself more. It’s strange to think for almost a year I was trying to be someone I wasn’t.” Many of our idols are those in the form of the public eye, singers, actors, writers, perhaps models. 21 year-old guitarist Daniel McGuire spoke of his music idol Jim Morrison, lead singer of 1960s phenomenon, The Doors. “Jim Morrison is probably my idol, his music is inspirational and poetic, I’d like to be more like him, he didn’t care about what the world thought of him and he crossed the boundaries and sent people amazing messages through music and poetry.” When asked if Morrison had an effect on his life he said “Probably, I’m a bit wild when I’m on the drink like him. His music makes you just want to drink and trip, people should be more laid back about drugs like he was, most of them are harmless.” After approaching a group of teenage girls, I asked if seeing their idols ‘at it’ would it want them to drink more or even take drugs? One girl said “ Nobody makes me want to drink or take drugs but going out and getting really pissed or something seems more acceptable to do if you see everyone else doing it.” Joni Ewart, 19 from Glasgow spoke of why supermodel Gisele Bundchen is her idol, “Because she always looks so perfect, I want her body! She actually has a good effect on my life because she stops me wanting to eat junk food and makes me want to hit the gym more!” she laughed. It is common for many young women to idolise someone that is rich, beautiful and successful, however idolising someone who they see as the image of perfection can harm the person’s perception on how they should look, and can be damaging to their own self esteem which can lead them to resort to dangerous ways of staying thin and beautiful etc. Logging onto a pro anorexia website, it was easy to see who many young women idolised. Posts on a thread named ‘Thinspiration’ included images of the likes of Mary-Kate Olson, Paris Hilton and Kate Moss. It was frightening to see comments such as “She’s so thin and bony! I wish my hipbones stuck out like that,” and another alarming post “god, this makes me not want to recover, I definitely won’t be having dinner tonight.” It seems the idols we wish to emulate can be damaging to both our minds and bodies, especially those who suffer from low self-esteem or a lack of sense of identity. Our Idols’ can affect our actions by influencing us, either inspirationally or excessively. However when it leads to obsession, we should appreciate our own identities more and try not to live up to the lives of others, because many of us don’t have the luxuries many stars have - such as personal trainers, gyms, stylists and makeup artists - to take care of us every day!

Controversy always follows when games deemed too extreme for playing are banned outright. Outrage over violence has followed the industry since its inception. Banning games is extremely rare in our country, only Carmageddon and Manhunt 2 have been completely banned; both being released after appeals. Many gamers support game classification, it is being told what they can and cannot play that irks nearly all. T.J, a 24 year old gamer from Connecticut said “I don’t think Adult games should be banned. However, I have no problem with the rating system and still think they should not be sold to children.” Andy Payne gave his view from within the industry; “Going forward, the international games industry needs to work more closely with governments and consumers to ensure that minors are protected”. Free-spirited, 22 year old French gamer Jari however had this tale to tell, ‘We got our first computer when I was around 9 or 10. Some of first games I played as a kid included the Mortal Kombat franchise and Carmageddon, so I had a very early introduction to what many might call “disturbing content”. Luckily, my parents were smart enough to quickly teach me the difference between masses of pixels fighting it out on the screen and what is acceptable in the real world’. After all it’s only a game.

Violence Elimination for Women, Marches on by Chris Irving

buse and violence of any kind towards women is seen by most as a great evil in our society today. Unfortunately there is still a large majority of individuals who feel that it is ok to behave violently towards women. This year marks the 9th anniversary of the ‘International day for the elimination of violence towards women.’ As part of this anniversary, 16 days of action began on November 25th and will end on December 10th. That, appropriately, is also International Human Rights day. These 16 action days are in support of the worthy cause to try and educate people about the consequences and evils of violence towards women. However, this year the women of Glasgow are trying something different. They are trying to resurrect the popular marches that took place in the late 1970s

The ‘Reclaim the Night’march. Due to the overwhelming success of the march last November, they have decided to organize yet another protest this year, with a view to making it a regular, annual event. Although the marches take place in Glasgow, the group gets support from all parts of the globe as women come together to send out a strong message to Scotland and the world. Ruth Evans, a representative from the ‘Rape Crisis Centre’ in Glasgow, expressed her enthusiasm for the marches by saying, “the march looks set to be an even bigger and better event and again it marks the beginning of the 16 days of action.” When asked why the march is so important, she replied, “It is a way of making sure that our voice is heard when we say STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.” Ruth also added that the women involved are theoretically “Reclaiming the Right- to their own bodies and personal safety.” Well let’s hope their voices are heard loud and clear by all, in the hope that we may finally find a way to stop cruel and evil violence towards vulnerable women. 13

Cannabis link to harder drugs When fourteen-year-old Christopher Hill rolled his first cannabis joint in the school playground, he had no idea that it would affect the rest of his life. Christopher is now 21 and a drug addict. He recently told me about his history with drugs and reflected on how it all began with cannabis. “I was never interested in drugs, alcohol or even smoking. However, I started getting picked on by these older guys for being geeky, and one day they offered me some cannabis in the schoolyard. I knew that if I refused, I would get beaten up, and that’s how it all began.”

Danger

Ever since the reclassification of the drug from class B to class C in 2002, people have started to look at cannabis in a different light, and it has become socially acceptable in many parts of Britain. Taking cannabis has almost become as normal and acceptable as smoking a cigarette. Calling up our friend for a few ounces of cannabis has become as accessible as taking a trip to the local newsagents for a nicotine fix. People need to realise that by being a class C drug, cannabis is as dangerous as steroids or antidepressants, and that’s exactly why it is still illegal and it should stay that way. The drug may give its users a feeling of relaxation and a sense of euphoria, but it can also help them to become mentally ill, as cannabis has been scientifically linked to schizophrenia.

Greatest Calzaghe’s fights ˆ J By Kristian Truelsen

oe Calzaghe fulfilled the dream of ending his boxing career undefeated by dismantling Roy Jones Jr in a breathtaking 12round battle at Madison Square Garden. The Welshman was king of New York City this month after a hard-fought battle against the legendary Jones. Despite being sent tumbling to the canvas in the first round he recovered to win by a unanimous decision. For the undisputed world champion the victory was the icing on the cake to what has been an illustrious career. In over 15 years he has gone from boxing in murky halls in Wales to fighting in the glow of the bright lights of Las Vegas. vs Mikkel Kessler

vs Chis Eubank vs Roy Jones Jr

Peer pressure

The majority of drug addicts started off on cannabis, which means that many youngsters these days who are taking the ‘harmless’ drug, may go on to harder drugs and some of those may become drug addicts. I asked Christopher exactly why he thought cannabis was responsible for moving him onto a harder drug. “For me, it was all about rebellion and peer pressure. I smoked hash from time to time and I liked it when people looked at me like I was the cool kid, so I wanted to go one step further.” Statistics are terrifying. 38 percent of 15 and 16 year old in England have used cannabis-the highest rate in Europe. If cannabis was legal, the numbers would rise. I asked Christopher how the possible legalisation would affect society. “Many of these people who ‘innocently’ take cannabis are the people who could one day be committing crimes in order to get money for a drug fix, so along with drug rates being up, general crime rates will increase also”.

vs Roy Jones Jr vs Bernard Hopkins

More harmless than we think

The opposing argument to legalise cannabis is that it is a ‘natural plant growing around the world’. The ‘Legalise Cannabis Alliance’ claims that the majority of cannabis users they have been in touch with find that their experiences with the drug do not correlate with the dangers touted in the press and by the government when they pushed the ‘war on drugs’ campaign. It seems that the ‘Legalise Cannabis Alliance’ believe that the press and government think that cannabis is more harmful than it actually is. “We believe that there is no logical reason to allow people to use alcohol and tobacco and not cannabis”, they claim. I am under no illusion that cannabis is more harmful than nicotine or alcohol, but what will making cannabis legal do for the future generation who this possibility will affect? I put this question forward to Christopher. He said, “If cannabis was legal, kids would be even more likely to move onto a harder drug because a lot of the appeal about taking cannabis is that you aren’t allowed it.” Britain hasn’t exactly led by example in their recent hopeless attempts to make us healthier as a nation. The government’s solution to drink problems was to allow 24 hour drinking, which of course only make statistics worse. Not to mention their lack of success recently to pass a bill banning under 21’s being able to buy from off-licences. Drug problems are increasing in Britain every year, becoming as much of a problem as alcohol. What solution will the government put forward? Legalise one of them as well? Come on Britain, don’t make our society even worse by increasing our Country’s health problems and don’t diminish our country’s reputation even further by simply ignoring us…

Here is my pick of five of his best bouts from the last 11 years: Calzaghe vs. Chris Eubank 11/10/97

Calzaghe clinched the WBO super middleweight title and picked up serious recognition from British fans for the first time in his career after his victory over Eubank in Sheffield. Calzaghe floored Eubank in the first and tenth round and, although the Londoner put up a brave fight to the last bell, the Welshman went on to deservedly win by a unanimous decision. That defeat signalled the beginning of Calzaghe’s rise to prominence. Six years later Eubank admitted that it had been the toughest fight of his career.

Calzaghe vs. Byron Mitchell 28/6/03

You Me At Six ABC, Glasgow 03/01/2008 You Me At Six have been hard at work over the past couple of years. Near constant touring has not only seen them build a loyal fan base, but has seen massive improvement in the quality of their live shows. The ABC is the biggest headlining show they’ve played in Glasgow and all 1250 tickets are sold out. The floor is packed tightly with 14 and 15-year-old girls, something the band have gotten used to in their short time in the spotlight.

The ‘Hamma from Bama’ was no match for the ‘Italian Dragon’ at a packed Cardiff Arena. Calzaghe was left shaken in round one when Mitchell floored him – for the first time in his career. However Calzaghe picked himself up off the deck and destroyed the Floridian fighter with a flurry of unanswered powerful punches. The fight was stopped in the second round.

Calzaghe vs. Jeff Lacy 4/3/06

Astonishingly Calzaghe was reluctant to go ahead with this clash because of his damaged left wrist. But the south-paw delivered possibly his greatest ever performance in a boxing ring. Lacy, who had been predicted to be the next Mike Tyson and was the bookies’ overwhelming favourite to come out on top, was out-boxed and out-classed by Calzaghe. He deservedly won by a unanimous decision and in doing so unified the WBO and IBF super middleweight titles.

Calzaghe vs. Mikkel Kessler 11/3/07

You Me At Six appear onstage to the same dramatic instrumental as the X Factor judges and kick the show off with album opener, ‘The Truth Is A Terrible Thing.’ For anyone who hadn’t yet bought the album, the set was a good mixture of old and new material. Recent single ‘Jealous Minds Think Alike’ and fan favourite ‘Gossip’ both pack a good punch but ‘If You Run’ is where the fun and the pit really start. Typically there are a few young men with their shirts off attempting to dance and looking ridiculous in the process.

Calzaghe went face to face with the undefeated Dane in front of 51,000 fans at the Millennium stadium in Cardiff. The fight was a unification bout for the WBO, WBA, WBC and Ring Magazine super middleweight titles. Calzaghe won by unanimous decision over Kessler, surpassing the 20 defenses made by Bernard Hopkins and Larry Holmes at middleweight and heavyweight respectively. A month after the victory Calzaghe won the BBC Sports Personality of the year.

As the crowd writhes beneath them, the band throw themselves headlong into the show, initiating singalongs and handclaps as required. There’s one song everyone here tonight knows and that’s ‘Save It for the Bedroom.’ Mayhem ensues. ‘Always Attract’ slows things down a bit with singer Josh Franceschi putting in an outstanding vocal performance. But it’s ‘The Rumour’ that steals the show as usual. It’s heavier than most of their other material and suddenly bodies are flying everywhere and the crowdsurfer’s are out in force. It’s a riotous finale and one this show definitely deserves. Watch out, You Me At Six are about!

Before the fight Hopkins insisted he couldn’t face being beaten by a ‘white boy’. But Calzaghe, fighting in the USA for the first time, won by a controversial split decision at the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas to lift the light heavyweight title. The American felt the defeat was an injustice as he floored Calzaghe in the first round with a straight right. However, stats showed Calzaghe landed more punches on Hopkins than any other previous opponents.

Calzaghe vs. Bernard Hopkins 4/19/08

Credit biting tips for students

by Lisa Boyle

Here we have devised our amazing tips to beat the credit crunch! • Bringing in a home-packed lunch can almost save £20 a week or more on lunches! Trips to the pub and soft drinks at break can add up to £10 a day! So even if you spend £6 a day in college, if you brought in your own lunch you could save around £80 this month!

Tasty credit crunchin’ lunches • Homemade Spicy sandwich - Make up as many slices of bread as you can, and fill wholegrain or good old white bread with some sliced ham, lettuce, cucumber, mayonnaise, a little bit of hot chilli sauce and some tangy jalapeno peppers for extra spice to heat you up in the Winter. • Buy a cheap flask from ASDA or Argos and take your favourite soup and bread in with you! • Pasta Salad - keep some of last nights pasta and stick it in the fridge for a cold pasta salad dish. To make your own tasty pasta, cook pasta in a tomato or another Dolmio based sauce and add chicken pieces or smoked sausage through it. Mix in chopped onions, mushrooms, jalapeno peppers, and some celery for a chunky pasta dish. Tasty!

More money-saving tips •

Stop buying magazines! Pick up the free ones such as our college magazine :) and stop wasting your money on boring celebrity magazines. They are usually filled with the same old stories and they can be read within 10 minutes so it feels a bit of a waste once you are done! Invest in a good book that will last you or borrow a good book from the College library, it will be a lot more satisfying than reading about Jennifer Aniston’s new lover!

• Shop for presents on Ebay! Don’t worry, we don’t mean go and buy someone’s ratty pair of shoes for your dad. Ebay usually has the same brand new dvd’s or pair of trainers from the Ebay shops which are cheaper than you would usually pay! Ebay is also a good place to pick up a cute dress for that Christmas party or a game for your boyfriend or brother. •

When shopping for groceries, shop late in the evening as most supermarkets have some tasty food in the reduced baskets, you can sometimes pick up some tasty cakes, handy tins or croissants for brekkie! Also look out for buy one get one free offers, do some research, look online for deals and stick to stores such as ASDA and Tesco rather than the more expensive places like Marks and Spencer’s and Sainsbury’s. Also buy the cheaper brands such as the basic Smartprice or Tesco Balue ranges. Don’t be a food snob, most of the time the value versions taste just as good as the brand names.

•

Sell stuff! Set up an Ebay account and sell that old dress or pair of jeans that you’ll never wear again, be honest with yourself, do you really need those old sequined hot-pants, yes you looked good in them once, but today we’re a bit more subtle in our choice of clothing. Sell old dvds, books you’ve never read and even gifts that you’ve never used, somebody will want them, trust me! If you don’t trust Ebay, go along to a car boot sale and start your own! Ask family and friends if they have any old stuff their wishing to throw out and display them nicely for someone else to buy.

• Log onto Wealthystudent.co.uk, there are loads of discounts available for restaurants, cafes and other entertainment to help you out and gives you tips on saving and housing advice. It also tells you how to become a mystery shopper and how to earn money from it! •

Put away just £1 a day! You’ll be surprised at how handy it could be in a few months time when you’re skint after Christmas. You would usually spend £1 a day on something minor such as a bottle of coke or a little snack. If you start now you’ll have a good bit of spare cash for a night out at New Year! Also save other spare cash such as pennies, 5p’s and 20p’s, supermarkets such as ASDA and TESCO now have a Coinstar machine which converts spare change into real money, if you have loads of coins you might even end up coming out with £20 or £30!