Courier 1355 by The Courier Online

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Monday 23 October 2017 Issue 1355 Free

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Comment Our view on Louis Theroux’s view on Trump Page 8

Lifestyle Dealing with mental illness at university Page 14

Music As You Were is picked apart by Max Hobbs Page 23

Armed robbery at Lonsdale The independent voice of Newcastle students

Est 1948

Attempted robbery unsuccessful Questions remain about the weapon Suspect was arrested at the scene of the crime Laura Higgins News Editor On Monday 16th October at 11.45pm, Northumbria police were called to the popular Lonsdale Pub, located next to the West Jesmond Metro Station, to respond and defend the public after an attempted robbery. Northumbria Police revealed that “a man had gone into the pub armed with what was believed to be a handgun, however it is not known whether the weapon was real or for intimidation, and threatened a member of staff.” Despite the ambiguity of the situation, police officers responded efficiently at the crime scene and arrested the man who has now been released under investigation. When The Courier contacted The Lonsdale for a statement, a spokesper-

son said: “We can confirm that there was an attempted robbery at the Lonsdale Hotel on 16th October, fortunately no team or guests were hurt during the incident and no property was stolen. We are working closely with the Police, and as this is a live investigation it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.” Local resident and student, Teddy Lee, was shocked at the incident. “I can’t believe something like this could happen in the Lonsdale. First Sainsbury’s, now my local, my place of worship, I’m just angry really.” For Mr. Lee, this is becoming a more common occurrence. Last February, an individual who stole cash before heading towards Lyndhurst Avenue targeted the Sainsbury’s Local next to The Lonsdale. Mr. Lee thinks the two might be linked. “All I’m saying is that it’s definitely a strange coincidence that two establishments have been hit are side by side. Where next? Well, they might take my supermarket, but they’ll never take my pub” Other than the aforementioned cases, this is not the first time that Jesmond has been victimised by attempted robbery. In 2015, disguised men targeted Jules B on Acorn Road and stole money and clothing before fleeing the scene in the direction of Osborne Road. In response to the most recent event,

students have been reminded to stay safe in the university surrounding areas. The Complete University Guide has outlined ten points on how to stay safe after dark, which students should adhere to including ‘taking responsibility of yourself which includes pre-booking a registered taxi and carrying a charged mobile phone, watching how much you drink, insuring your valuable property and ensuring that your house is secure’. Following these tips is considered to be best practice for students to enjoy city nightlife safely.

“A man had gone into the pub armed with what was believed to be a handgun, however it is not known whether the weapon was real or for intimidation” Northumbria Police

Despite the attempted robbery at the Lonsdale, it is believed that the student friendly pub will continue to thrive. Northumbria Police have urged anyone with more information to come forward.

Students warned against initiation chaos

The issue of initiation events within sports societies in the name of ‘hazing’ new recruits are once again causing controversy across campus. The ceremonies are reported to involve ‘team building’ activities and dares in which new members are pressured to participate to earn status within the society.

Accounts of such events often reveal that the ceremonies revolve around the excessive drinking of alcohol, embarrassment and physical abuse of students, nudity, and consumption of inedible foods. Newcastle University distributed an email to its students warning against the organisation and participation in initiation ceremonies in name of sports teams, as they are officially banned. The Student Union attempted to remind students of the dangers of such ceremonies, commenting in their email, signed off by Athletic Union Officer Clara Pettitt and Rebecca Bainbridge: “These ceremonies and behaviours have gained acceptance among some students and student groups because they are believed to accomplish or improve

team building, instil needed humility in new members, establish a necessary hierarchy and allow individuals free choice regarding their participation. The reality of these ceremonies is however somewhat different with many cases of Students throughout the country being prosecuted, seriously injured or even killed because of or during such activities.” They also asked that students report any of these events to the University welfare team. Last year, initiation ceremonies faced severe backlash when Newcastle University Student, Edward Farmer, allegedly died as a result of excessive drinking

Email from Students’ Union outlines six points explaining why to avoid initiations Louise Hall News Editor

The Lonsdale Pub Photography: Izzi Watkins

Inside today >>>

continued on page 7

Degrees go digital

Autumn Jumpers

Stanley Kubrick overview

The apocalypse nears?

Newcastle squash Leeds

Newcastle University has partnered with Digitary made the move to issue digitise degree certificates News, page 6

Emily Scott advises on how to deal with the worsening weather with some high street option Fashion page 16

Kubrick’s filmography is thrown into the spotlight as his filmography and creative direction are debated Film, page 26

Newcastle’s odd red sky is analysed and the reasons behind it’s colour are explored Science, page 32

Leeds travelled up north to take on Newcastle 3s at Eldon Leisure, only for Newcastle to win comfortably Sport, page 39

the courier Monday 23 October 2017

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Preview: PLAZA at Think Tank

The post-indie rock quartet from Hartlepool are bringing their UK tour to a close in Newcastle on 28 October

Editor James Sproston Deputy Editor Alex Hendley Online Editor Jared Moore Copy Editor Laura Staniforth Current Affairs Editor Sunil Nambiar News Editors Valentina Egorova, Hanson Jones, Louise Hall, Laura Higgins and Isabel Sykes Comment Editors Jamie Cameron, Caitlin Disken and Alexandra Sadler Life & Style Editor Izzi Watkins Lifestyle Editors Sophie Henderson, Jaymelouise Hudspith, Lauren Sneath and Victoria Young Fashion Editors Chloe Bland, Sophie Schneider and Zofia Zwieglinska Beauty Editors Laura Greatrex, Lois Johnston and Susanne Norris Travel Editors Charlotte Hill and Talia Gillin Culture Editors Zoë Godden and Errol Kerr Arts Editors Scarlett Rowland and Carys Thomas Music Editors Toby Bryant, Charlie Isaacs and Ally Wilson TV Editors Jacob Clarke, Joel Leaver and Alex Moore Film Editors Helena Buchanan, Daniel Haygarth and Christopher Wilkinson Gaming Editors Gerry Hart, Georgina Howlett and Richard Liddle Science Editors Jack Coles, Christopher Little and Ciara Ritson-Courtney Sports Editors Tom Shrimplin, Courtney Strait and Mark Sleightholm The Courier NUSU King’s Walk Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QB Tel: 0191 239 3940 The Courier is printed by: Print and Digital Associates, Fernleigh House, 10 Uttoxeter Road, Derby, Derbyshire, United Kingdom, DE3 0DA. Established in 1948, the Courier is the fully independent student newspaper of the Students’ Union at Newcastle University. The Courier is published weekly during term time, and is free of charge. The design, text, photographs and graphics are copyright of the Courier and its individual contributors. No parts of this newspaper may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor. Any views expressed in this newspaper’s opinion pieces are those of the individual writing, and not of the Courier, the Students’ Union or Newcastle University.

Do make-up dupes have value? Whale of the Week, three years ago Image: Becky Irvine

Do cheap copies make cosmetics more affordable or are they just a glorified copy of someone else’s work?

Courier quickie 1

1 2 3 4

Across

1 Almost had a tribute act at Monument on Wednesday, now sadly cancelled 2 Rocks containing metals 3 ___ Monfils, popular French tennis player 4 As well

From the archives 6 YEARS AGO

Northumbria rugby initiation slammed

Initiations also reared their ugly head in 2011 as Northumbria’s rugby club were accused of humiliating freshers on their ‘team-building’ social. First year students spoke to the Courier about their experiences of the night out. One described how in a city centre bar “everyone was in a circle, then freshers were made to go into the middle and dance naked,” while members were also encouraged to “try and get with” passing girls in a game called “lunge”. “This is just what I’ve heard,” one fresher recounted to the Courier, “but apparently there were some instances of second and third years being sick on freshers”. The incident was condemned by Northumbria University, who reminded students of their zero tolerance policy to initiations.

Hardly Athletic v Boca Seniors The Intra Mural season kicked off with a - hardly surprising - stinging defeat for the Hardly Athletic new boys

Down

1 Worn by Romans and frats 2 Of or relating to the mouth 3 River flowing through Middlesbrough 4 Norwegian capital

31 YEARS AGO

Boating club breaks Barclays boycott

Newcastle University’s Boating Club found itself in hot water after accepting £400 worth of sponsorship from Barclays Bank, contravening the students’ union’s boycott of the bank. Barclay’s involvement with the apartheid regime in South Africa prompted a widespread boycott from students across the UK, and Newcastle’s students’ union had passed a motion officially boycotting Barclays. However, the Boating Club pointed out that Union funding alone could not support all sporting activities and had previously encouraged clubs to source sponsorship deals. In contrast to the Boating Club’s decision, the Union had turned down an offer from Barclays to pay for a new lift for disabled students.

46 YEARS AGO

Gatecrashers bring guns to Union night

Gatecrashers caused havoc at a prog rock gig at the Union, with reports of “a guy running round with a couple of guns” and a disabled man being beaten up outside the Union building. Rowdy members of the crowd had disturbed performances earlier in the evening, with some even interfering with the sound equipment, but at 11:40 around 20 gatecrashers entered through the fire escape. “They all appeared to be drunk and some students began to dance boisterously” during prog rock band Gnidlorog’s performance. The band “lost their temper and left the stage” after the gatecrashers tampered with their equipment. The incident was the latest in a string of disturbances at the Union, leading to concerns over safety at future events. Mark Sleightholm

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@TheCourier_News courier.news@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/news Current Affairs Editor Sunil Nambiar News Editors Valentina Egorova, Hanson Jones, Louise Hall, Laura Higgins & Isabel Sykes

Students helping to Keep Jesmond Clean Valentina Egorova News Editor

Newcastle University Students’ Union and Keep Jesmond Clean have come together to develop a community spirit and to give Jesmond a clean-up. The focus of this initiative is to improve the relationship between residents and students and to respond to complaints about environmental offences in the area. Jesmond residents had reportedly said they were fed up with litter on the streets left by students and called for actions. On Friday, 13 October, around 20 volunteers from NUSU and Keep Jesmond Clean gathered together for the first joint litter pick, which was followed by drinks and sandwiches at Newcastle Cricket Club. Keith Jewitt, the social media officer of Keep Jesmond Clean, said: “The working partnership between Keep Jesmond Clean and NUSU is still in its early stage, but the joint litter pick has got things off to a great start. We hope to organise regular events like this and to get students involved in wider initiatives. These might include communicating with local businesses and rental agents. “Keep Jesmond Clean is a young organisation and we are still open to ideas about our future direction. We’re always happy to hear from students on Twitter or our Facebook group “Keep Jesmond Clean Community Action Group”. Ronnie Reid, the President of NUSU, told The Courier that the union is currently looking at other ways of collaborating with residents in addition to regular litter picks in the area. Plans include “computer/tablet clinics with senior members of Jesmond community”, where students would be able to-

help people of advanced age to master technologies. Reid said: “Newcastle University Students’ Union is at the forefront of improving community relations between different groups, particularly in Jesmond. The astonishingly successful “Leave Newcastle Happy” campaign last year produced 5119 bags of clothing and other items for the British Heart Foundation, and a massive thank you must go Kay Hattam for her fantastic organisation of the project.

“The student-led work that we do at NUSU shows the true nature of our students in Jesmond” “However, we always feel that we can improve and this is why we’re looking to diversify some of the work that we do in Jesmond. We’re currently in discussions with Keep Jesmond Clean and various societies to increase litter picks but also offer events which are more connective between students and residents. “I think that the student-led work that we do at NUSU shows the true nature of our students in Jesmond. They are committed and helpful individuals that care about their local community and making it a better place.” A recent investigation by JesmondLocal has revealed that Newcastle City Council has fined Jesmond residents nearly £22,000 for environmental offences in the past four years. But it is not clear what proportion of offenders are students.

Students keeping Jesmond clean Image: Keep Jesmond Clean

Are academic staff helping students cheat? Hanson Jones News Editor

Students’ work Image: Pexels

A new government-backed report is expected to find that academic staff across the UK are involved in so-called ‘essay mills’, companies that offer academic essays and other works in exchange for money. An issue already known to exist amongst students who would rather pay than perform, an inquiry has been commissioned by ministers concerned that British universities themselves may be implicated in the problem which undermines the integrity of academic institutions. The report by the Quality Assurance Agency is expected to find that lecturers and other academic staff across the country may be paid by ‘essay mill’ companies to write students’ work. The chief executive of the QAA, Douglas Blackstock, has asserted that these companies prey on vulnerable students and academics. In a report by the Sunday Telegraph, he claimed that “these are hard-pressed research assistants or lecturers, topping up their earnings. Many companies claim they get genuine academics to write their material. To make their businesses viable, they need to attract people who know enough about the

subject.” The Office for Students (OfS), the Government’s new regulator in the field, has considered this type of activity, whether between academics and students in the same university or otherwise, as cheating. It has warned the removal of powers to award degrees from institutions which continually ignore these activities. The OfS is to publish a range of new conditions for registration, which may include a clause compelling universities to outline that aiding students to commit academic offences will deserve disciplinary action.

A new governmentbacked report is expected to find that academic staff across the UK are involved in so-called ‘essay mills’ The usage of these ‘essay mill’ sites has dramatically increased over recent years, with some charging over £6,500 for a postgraduate dissertation. The Sunday Telegraph reported earlier this year that over 20,000 students across

the UK are using this method to get by at university. The QAA has raised concerns of the practice becoming “rife” amongst students in higher education, as well as suggesting its presence in sixth forms. Such works produced through socalled “contract cheating” – when a student pays an academic to write their work – is likely to fall through sophisticated anti-plagiarism software, as the academic piece in question has not previously been published, making it difficult for examiners to spot it. The guidance from the QAA was welcomed by Universities minister Jo Johnson, who said he expected the OFS to “ensure that the sector implements strong policies and sanctions to address this important issue in the most robust way possible. The OfS has not yet specified any universities that could be implicated in the subsequent action following the report. When queried, a Newcastle University spokesperson clarified the University’s stance on such matters, “this type of activity constitutes misconduct and would be dealt with under the University’s disciplinary procedure. There is no evidence of such activity at Newcastle University.”

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NUS launches #TheLastStraw campaign Yiming Gao Recently, the National Union of Students (NUS) launched The Last Straw campaign to encourage students and their unions to pledge to stop the use of single-use plastic straws. This initiative is among the latest moves of advocating reducing the consumption of single-use plastic items worldwide. Robbie Young, the vice president of society and citizenship at National Union of Students

“Minimising our environmental impact is at the centre of every decision we make at the Students’ Union” (NUS) said, “We’re surrounded by plastic straws. 500 million of them are used and discarded every day in the United States alone, with fatal consequences for the wildlife that swallows them. As young people we have a responsibility to do something about that.” Ronnie Reid, President of Newcastle University Students’ Union has responded positively to #Thelaststraw campaign in an interview with The

Courier. “Minimising our environmental impact is at the centre of every decision that we make at the Students’ Union, and the issue of straws is no different. We’re pleased to announce that after our current stock of plastic straws have been used up; we’ll be using only biodegradable paper straws.” When asked about applicable methods of reducing plastic waste on campus, Ronnie told The Courier, “Here at NUSU we have a very good track record of 99% of our waste being recycled, but we’re always looking at interesting ways in which we can decrease our carbon footprint and become even more environmentally sustainable.” An anonymous Japanese Studies student at the University expressed her support for the campaign to The Courier, “It’s gonna lead the way in showing people the small ways in which to help the planet on a daily basis. Because fair enough, the university has a good recycling scheme but the rest of the city isn’t as good at recycling and much of the trash doesn’t even end up in a bin. The less non-biodegradable trash, the better.” Grace Arainai, a first-year history student said, “It’s good to do this sort of thing around people of our age so that when we end up living independently, we can be more aware of what helps the planet and what doesn’t.”

The straws Photography: Flickr

Making your clothes with Fashion Soc Deborah Akun

The workshop Photography: Deborah Akun

Newcastle University Fashion Society hosted a workshop “How to make your own clothes with Fashion Society”, as part of NUSU’s “Give It a Go” on Tuesday, 17 October. The idea came from Khaleel Shazade, president of Newcastle University Fashion Society, and Annie Chavez, the vicepresident of the society. They proposed the plan to the “Give it a Go” team in a hope to get people involved into learning something new and to get wider exposure for the society. It was the first event hosted by Newcastle University Fashion Society this academic year, which was aimed to attract more people to become members. Shazade stepped in as the teacher for the first sewing lesson, while his other duties varied from preparing patterns to designing samples in advance. He also sewed samples of trousers, which were then used to highlight the basic sewing techniques. 20 students, both undergraduates and postgraduates, from different backgrounds such as Journalism, Modern Languages, Chemistry or Psychology, got involved with great enthusiasm to experience sewing. Shazade said: “The purpose of our meeting tonight is to teach some basic sewing skills and techniques. What I will mainly focus on is to provide the right mind-set, the thinking that goes into making clothes. All the equipment including machines, fabrics and thread are provided, so the only requirement you need to have is your creativity and enthusiasm to learn something new”. The participants gathered around a big table in the History Room, where the workshop lasted for two hours, to listen to Shazade’s tips. They were taught how to cut fabric correctly, how to draw lines and introduced to the professional sewing terminology such as ‘hem’, ‘seams’ or ‘contouring technique’. After they were introduced to the theoretical part of sewing, it was time to practise what they had learned. Eve-

ryone was asked to pick a fabric sample and to choose a sewing machine, and then the sewing began. Chavez said: “You can actually learn a new thing every week and next week we will be doing Bomber Jackets. It is so exiting”. “I also think that people are going to appreciate getting some foundation of sewing if they do not have any experience. It’s a great opportunity to be creative. They can then take the basics and get more tips when they join the fashion society”. Some participants were clearly enthusiastic about this experience.

“I think that people are going to appreciate some foundation of sewing if they do not have any experience.” Julia, who came to the workshop, said: “I decided to sign up for this section because I thought it would be nice to know how to sew a bit, since my mum knows how to and she always adjusts my clothes when I need them to be sorted”. Other participants, however, were slightly disappointed about not tailoring actual clothes, although they found the event very interesting and the whole section well organized. Barbara, a PhD student in Psychology said: “I was expecting to go home with a sewed dress or get a pair of trousers done but obviously this wouldn’t be possible since I have never sewed before”. The organisers made it clear that there would be more occasions for those who want to come back and learn more about sewing clothes. The first sewing class was only a ‘Give It a Go’ activity, but for those who want to learn more about sewing techniques and deepen their abilities there are free sewing lessons every Wednesday for all members of the Fashion Society.

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Monday October 23 2017

Newcastle University launches Daniel Wood Award Gerry Hart Errol Kerr Newcastle University’s Disability Interest Group held their inaugural meeting entitled “Closing the Gap” on 19th October 2017. The Closing the Gap event brought together academics, professionals, staff and students to launch the Disability Interest Group, a network coined by wellbeing staff in conjunction with last year’s Students with Disabilities Officers. Talks by local disability specialists were followed by a poetry reading by autistic poet Sez Thomasin, followed by a talk led by Errol Kerr, one of last year’s Students with Disabilities Officers and

“Daniel was an amazing person and he is the reason I’m still here”

Daniel Wood Photography: NUSU

current President of the Disability and Neurodiversity Society, discussing both his experience at Newcastle University as a disabled student and introducing the Daniel Wood Award. The event provided live speech-to-text as well as a hearing loop to include all individuals. This follows the launch of the Disability and Neurodiversity Society (DANsoc) last year, which was established with the aim of increasing representation of disabled students within Newcastle University. In addition to inaugurating the Disability Interest Group, Closing the Gap

also saw the launch of the Daniel Wood Award, which aims to celebrate the accomplishments of disabled individuals at Newcastle University. Daniel Wood, who previously served as joint Students with Disabilities officer, passed away on 12th June 2017. Daniel’s family were in attendance as the award was introduced. Concerning the Daniel Wood Award, current Students with Disabilities Officer Zöe Godden said this: “I’ve been working closely with the Disability Interest Group over the summer in preparation for their launch, and I’m really excited to see where the project goes from here. The staff are incredibly passionate in making change at Newcastle University, and I’m really keen to get students involved too. The Daniel Wood Award aims to celebrate the work of a disabled individual who has gone out of their way to make real change for disabled students and staff. Daniel was fiercely passionate about his work, so it seems only fitting we award someone with as much drive to make change as he did.” Additionally Errol Kerr, who also served as Students With Disabilities Officer alongside Daniel Wood added: “Daniel was an amazing person, and he is the reason I’m still here. Without him, DaNSoc wouldn’t exist, and I wouldn’t be speaking about our achievements. I’m in discussion with Judith Rankin, who is chairing the award nominations this year, to ensure that the person winning this award upholds the kind of standards and fighting spirit that I saw whilst working with Daniel last year.”

City-wide dramas celebrate freedom Anna Savage Isabelle Sykes News Editor A unique theatrical event is coming to Newcastle as part of Freedom City 2017: a year-long affair celebrating the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. receiving his honorary degree from Newcastle University. Since the 16th of January (Martin Luther King Day in the US) the city has seen public lectures, many of which have been held at the University, and various music and theatrical performances as part of the programme. An important aspect has also been working with local schools to educate young people on the issues of war, poverty, and racism, which King spoke of in his passionate acceptance speech in King’s Hall in 1967.

Freedom on the Tyne’s final performance is the first ever event of its kind Five dramas inspired by key events in the civil rights timeline will be acted out in various locations across the city on Sunday 29th of October. Although inspired by King’s role in the fight for black civil rights, director Tim Supple has chosen to reenact international events dealing with a variety of issues. Besides the events of Selma in 1965, struggles for equality and justice from South Africa, Manchester, and India will be reenacted alongside a more local story; the Jarrow March. The Jarrow March performance will feature the workers who marched from the Tyneside to London in 1936 to petition the government to bring employment back to the Jarrow area. They will also be joined by anti-racist,

anti-war, women’s rights and LGBT groups with their own banners and songs, making this historic march especially relevant today. In an interview with The Courier, Tim Supple spoke about selecting the events for the five dramas: “I was thinking about struggles that involved single days when extreme things happened. “The reason I wanted that was because this is a single day so I thought that would make it dramatically sharp. All these events had single moments that were very terrible and had a big impact upon those struggles.” Local people are being encouraged to get involved, with a local cast of hundreds taking part. Public workshops for those looking to join the cast are taking place in the coming weeks, including student-specific workshops at the University Sports Centre on the Wednesdays leading up to the event. Tim Supple told The Courier that they wanted the day “to be a big public event for people to be in, to stimulate greater cross-community connection and celebrate the growing multiculturalism in Newcastle.” On working with the cast, he said: “You get to meet very interesting people. You get to meet lots of people who are very different. They’re not all actors, they’re from different walks of life, different ages, different communities. “Its such an interesting, unexpected, inspiring process.” The dramas will overlap throughout Sunday afternoon and evening. Audiences can watch events from start to end or show up at any moment. In addition to local theatres, the city will be used as a stage. Freedom on the Tyne’s final performance on the Tyne Bridge is the first ever event of its kind to take place there, closing the day by celebrating the positive changes achieved in the fight for equality and justice.

The Tyne Bridge Photography: Herbert Winata

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Monday October 23 2017

Newcastle Uni goes digital with degrees Isabel Sykes News Editor Newcastle University has become the most recent institution to issue digital degree certificates following its partnership with a company called Digitary. The company provides secure, verified, electronic documents to a number of higher education institutions. Their partnership with the university means that students graduating from 2018 onwards will receive their degree documentation in digital form.

“You have something that’s easy to send to employers, but you also have something to keep that’s special” Lucy Fairchild, student

This will include the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) and their academic transcript, and could evolve to include more documents in the future. A spokesperson for Newcastle University said: “We are introducing a technology that means that all students graduating from July 2018 onwards will have access to an electronic HEAR document and final degree transcript.” The company claims their service could help to increase efficiency, cut costs, and tackle fraud. The university

said the new technology will “enable students to manage and control the secure access to their verified documents for third parties, such as new employers. This will reduce the time required for degree verification down to a matter of minutes anywhere in the world.” Many other UK institutions are already using Digitary, including the universities of Cambridge, Manchester, and Sheffield. According to the university, the company is “well established within the sector” regarding “provision of verified secure electronic documents.” Some students have expressed concern about the move from paper to digital copies of degree certificates. Carmen Murphy, a Marine Technology student, told The Courier: “When you graduate it’s nice to be physically handed something, and people like to put their degrees in picture frames and hang it up.” Lucy Fairchild, studying Cellular and Molecular Biology, said: “Everyone wants to have that picture in their gown with their degree certificate, taking away that moment would be very sad.” She thought providing both a digital and a hard copy would be the best outcome: “You have something that’s easy to send to employers, but you also have something to keep that’s special.” Currently, the university assures that students will still get a hard copy of their degree certificate. The university’s spokesperson said: “It is anticipated that the degree parchment is another document that will also be offered electronically in the future, although an official hard copy parchment will still be provided to all students.”

Students graduating Photography: Pexels

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Monday October 23 2017

“We must act now” to save our NHS Phil Thompson Professor Allyson Pollock warned on Thursday “that it is not too late” to save the NHS, “but we must act now.” Newcastle University’s Director of the Institute of Health and Society gave a lecture in the Curtis Auditorium as part of the Insights series of public lectures. The 360-seat auditorium was full to capacity with healthcare professionals, campaigners, students and concerned members of the public. An overspill room had been set up to deal with the extra number of attendees to watch via a video link.

“There needs to be a dialogue with the older generation who remember what it is like without a National Health Service.” Professor Allyson Pollock

A considerable proportion of the room were born before 1948; Pollock highlighted that they would understand the fear of having no healthcare and had been responsible to pay exorbitant charges. Pollock reiterated on numerous occasions that the establishment of the NHS in 1948 gave “freedom from fear.” Pollock began with a breakdown of the United States’ Healthcare system; in what she believes is the grim future we as a country are destined for. Pollock’s statistics revealed how the U.S spends over 17% of GDP on an inefficient market economy healthcare system. 60 million people remain uninsured despite the recently introduced Affordable Care Act. 40% of personal

bankruptcies relate to inability to pay healthcare bills. The audience laughed with shock; in disbelief at the surreal, fraudulent and wasteful nature of the American system but also at the real possibility that this could be our future too. The skeleton of a U.S system can already be seen in the NHS now. Pollock referred to Lord David Owen’s comment that this was “no NHS that any of us can recognise.” Since 1990 in particular, legislation has been passed that slowly erodes at the core principles of the NHS. Private Finance Initiatives introduced by John Major had been scarce, but exploded after 1997 under New Labour. Future generations are being saddled with the debt they created as private investment firms financed the building of new hospitals; yielding them enormous returns. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 removed the duty on the Secretary of State for Health to provide a duty of care for all and opened the floodgates to private companies. The tone of the lecture was sobering and sombre. Pollock argued her NHS Reinstatement Bill was “the only way to bring it back.” However, it currently needs cross party and public support and an MP who is willing to table the Bill. Pollock said she “would love” a North East MP to be involved. I asked Allyson Pollock what message she has for younger people; who are unaware of the creeping privatisation of the NHS and face the future of an insurance based healthcare system. “This is why I opened with the statement freedom from fear… there needs to be a dialogue with the older generation who remember what it is like without a National Health Service.” Pollock apologised for the mess made under New Labour. She concluded my question by saying “yours is the inspirational generation…the generation to bring it back.”

On 13th of October, Stu Brew had a social celebrating the brewery’s third birthday. They offered eight of their best beers, accompanied by Sghetti Monster street food, which provided tempting food deals for members. The event took place at Mertz Court and included a 45-minute presentation delivered by the committee. They explained the brewing process stretching from the hops to the casks, and some recent technological improvements in brewing.

The chance to taste some beer and socialize with fellow people interested in the brewing industry This was followed by a bar set-up in the car park outside the brewery, where attendees had the chance to taste some beer and socialize with fellow people interested in the brewing industry. Approximately 100 people attended the event, including prospective and old members, as well as members of staff. In addition, DJ La Do live of the Student Radio Society pleasantly provided the music for the celebration. Some interesting facts about Stu Brew are that they are the first student-run

microbrewery in Europe, which works as a social enterprise, managed by students from Newcastle. They grow their own hops and have the ambition to also start selling canned beer, since they offer only bottled ones at the moment. This society is one of the fastest growing at the university, with one of a kind beer tasting sessions. Closely connected with the Real Ale and Cider Society, Stu Brew often make joined beer and cider socials. With regards to sustainability, they work with a variety of current outlets, selling beer outside Newcastle’s borders. The next step promises dissemination in the international beer market. Currently, Stu Brew has many creative opportunities for students - such as the option to design your own beer can and buy it afterwards. They have also arranged a mini-competition, whilst searching for a name of one of their latest brews, which is green. The one who comes up with the best idea is promised to receive free beers as a reward. The committee is determined to involve more enthusiastic people in the beer-making process and their society. Due to a high amount of interest they operate on first come, first served basis, but will always try to cater for larger groups. If you are keen to get involved with the society, you can contact them via the NUSU website or sign up to their mailing list which will inform you of their socials and tasting events.

in association with one of these events. After consuming large amounts of alcohol, Farmer was rushed to hospital in critical condition and died the following day. In light on the incident a spokesperson for Newcastle University gave the statement: “In close collaboration with our students’ union, we take a very hard line on all activities and behaviours that may constitute a risk to the safety of our students. “Both the university and the Students’ Union have strict codes of practice and policies on safety and responsible behaviour, and we take every opportunity to ensure that our students understand the importance of safety matters.” Newcastle University Rugby society also faced a temporary suspension last year after hosting a large initiation party in Jesmond. It was heard that Jesmond locals made several noise complaints and the police were called when bins were pushed over and vomit was found on the street. The suspension was lifted in February 2016 after the club complied with new regulations including the removal of committee members in place at the time of the incident.

“We follow a zero tolerance to any initiations or of similar activities within clubs and societies, and there are sanctions in place.” Sarah Craggs, Welfare and Equality Officer

Physical examination Photography: Amanda Mills

Happy Brew-thday social for Stu Brew Aaron Bacon

continued from front page

Afterwards the Students’ Union appeared to make an added effort to tackle the initiation culture within some clubs. However, the incumbent Activities Officer Rebecca Bainbridge stated that this is nothing new “For over a decade now NUSU and the University have had a zero tolerance policy towards initiations. NUSU want all students to feel welcome within a club or society and there are so many things committees can do to make this happen.” In terms of advice for Clubs and Societies moving forwards, Bainbridge added “In a city like Newcastle and with the programmes run by NUSU there are endless opportunities as to what students can do to make their club or society inclusive, diverse and most importantly fun.” For many involved with the University, this has become a welfare issue. Sarah Craggs, Students’ Union Welfare and Equality Officer commented on the Student Unions welfare stance on initiation ceremonies: “we follow a zero tolerance to any initiations or of similar activities within clubs and societies, and there are sanctions in place.

£200

the potential fine should multiple complaints from different parties report a disturbance

“As a sabbatical team, we are here to support all society and club committees run and host inclusive socials, which do not represent a drinking culture. It is important for societies and clubs to run events which represent their society or club, and not to run generic bar crawls all the time” Officers from both clubs and societies have had welfare training and social secretary training with the aim of making socials a safer and more inclusive environment for everyone. Students at the Stu Brew Social Photography: Stu Brew Society

comment 8

the courier

Monday 23 October 2017

@CourierComment courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/comment Comment Editors Jamie Cameron, Caitlin Disken & Alexandra Sadler

HowIlearnedtohatethebomb

John Holloran takes the Trump administration to task: it’s time to demand for the immediate resignation of the US President

ugust 1945. The atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, has dropped, reducing thousands to ash in a second. Professor Openheimer, the lead of the Manhattan Project, only thinks of the Hindu Passage when Shiva says “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” Since that time, gratefully, no nation has used an atomic grade weapon against another nation - all know the consequences. It’s true: if there were a WWIII, then WWIV would be fought with sticks and stones. The concept of Mutually Assured Destruction seems to have worked so far - we haven’t had a nuclear war. Still, it’s had its challenges over the decades. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 was the closest the world has come to their use since 1945. Thankfully, on that occasion and others since, leaders on both sides have found their conscience and pulled back from the precipice of annihilation, even if it meant ‘losing face’ and bruising their own egos.

Trump’s biggest issue is his breath-taking incompetence and emotional fragility That’s what is worrying the international community now. The US president is a buffoon, a manchild and a narcissist. If that were all I wouldn’t be as concerned. Bush Jr. was a fool, Clinton was a narcissist. Trump’s biggest issue (of countless others) is his breath-taking incompetence and emotional fragility. Fellow Republicans in the US are genuinely scared that his constant undermining of talks by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with N. Korea could cause further hostilities.

On the other side, Kim Jong-Un is a dictator hanging onto power in a nation increasingly exposed to the outside world. He knows his time is short if he looks weak in the eyes of his military, and his generals could also act brashly if they feel the regime collapsing. This is greatly dangerous if he is he is left with nothing to lose, but destabilising the regime is ostensibly what Trump is trying to do. Trump’s attempts at threatening the North Korean leader are exactly what could trigger a preemptive or panicked attack. Escalating tensions is wisely regarded as stupid when they have nuclear weaponry.

Trump must be removed for a chance of relations with North Korea to be reset, and for negotiations to be rescued Even if it is true Korean nuclear weapons cannot hit the USA, they can kill millions in allied countries. Even a bombardment of the South Korean capital with ordinary munitions would be a disaster. That is why the time has come for those with the ability to affect change to do so with haste. Trump must be removed from office before the year is out. This could give a chance of relations with North Korea to be reset, and for negotiations to be rescued. Pence would take over and enact all the things the US conservatives want, tax-cuts for the rich, more contracts for defence companies and less regulation. An fair price: he at least wouldn’t accidently start WWIII because a spottynosed despot on the other side of the world hurts his feelings.

Resign? Image credits: Jamie Cameron

Shameless Trump: Every vice, a virtue?

Alexandra Sadler hits back at Louis Theroux: Trump’s shameless behaviour can only be condemned, not admired

et’s be honest, politics can be pretty awful. Unless you’re an enthusiastic supporter, it’s highly likely that you think that Trump is part of the awfulness. Louis Theroux’s view that ‘for all his awfulness I admire his shamefulness’ seems to describe Trump’s particular style of rule perfectly. It’s clear that Trump has no shame when it comes to spiting and demeaning groups and individuals (women, disabled reporters, the gay community…take your pick), and his unapologetic nature is seen in a positive light by his supporters. Part of his appeal stems from his plain-spoken and straightforward method of communication, mitigating the usual criticism of pretentious political language. Trump’s lack of coherent policy plans during the campaign indicates that many voted for him because of his shamefulness and brazen attitude, not in spite of it. His u n re p e nt ant nature is part of his appeal

in a political system where many are weary of unfulfilled political promises and bombastic rhetoric. Despite Trump’s inability to fulfil the majority of his campaign promises, his unabashed deflections and antagonistic approach affirms continued support.

Trump has no shame when it comes to spiting and demeaning groups and individuals Shame is often employed as a tactic by the media to expose politicians and can result in them being forced to resign or removed from office. This clearly isn’t going to work in this case, as Trump’s vanity and (false) self-assurance ensure that he’ll continue to be deluded by his own capabilities and ideas. A large part of his shamefulness emanates from his extraordinary self-confidence and refusal to believe facts, such as the size of the inauguration crowd or the legislative action under previous presidents. Trump wields power through his refusal to admit any wrongdoing, particularly to mainstream media networks. Whilst his attacks on the media are undemocratic, they reinforce approval from his supporters, further bolstering his shamefulness. However, I disagree with Theroux’s comment that ‘he seems to have figured out that if you refuse to be shamed, it gives you enormous power’.

This statement seems rational, but I’m not wholly convinced that Trump is deliberately employing shamefulness as a tactic. It seems that his brazen flaunting of the facts and opinionated statements are a facet of his personality, rather than a political or business strategy. How can telling the widow of a soldier that ‘he knew what he signed up for…but when it happens it hurts anyway’, be construed as anything other than callous, insensitive or heartless? Trump shows shamefulness in that he shows no remorse for deplorable actions and opinions, but this is as a result of his narcissism, ego and disregard for inconvenient truth, not a savvy political technique.

Trump shows shamefulness in that he shows no remorse for deplorable actions and opinions Shamelessness can be an admirable quality. When employed positively, shamelessness is often the acceptance of that which society traditionally dictates as ‘wrong’ or ‘immodest’, such as people’s sexuality or weight. I’d argue that whilst shamefulness is very similar, Trump’s particular brand stems from a complete disregard for the damage caused, and is therefore inherently negative. Being shameless may be respected, but nothing about Trump’s behaviour is worthy of admiration.

the courier

comment

Monday 23 October 2017

Brexit means _______. Fred Hunt argues we keep an obligation to the 52%, the majority vote - we must leave the EU

onths on from the Brexit referendum, one could be forgiven for entertaining the notion of calling it quits on the whole thing. The deadlock that is currently enduring has not materialised over petty dithering over the minutiae of terms, but from significant and arguably irreconcilable differences between both sides of the negotiation. The impasse over the so-called ‘Divorce Bill’ had Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson infamously proclaiming that the EU should ‘go whistle’ at the demands for a single payment from the UK.

There is no evidence of popular support for Brexit’s abandonment Neither has there been progress on the question surrounding the Irish border, an issue of profound importance to those who live there. If no agreement is found, a hard border could present both an economic and social catastrophe for the people of

Northern Ireland. A crucial internal cause of the standstill will very much worry Conservative MPs in particular. Rather than strengthening her hand in the negotiations, Theresa May’s 2017 snap election has crushed her administration’s reputation across the channel. It has demonstrably had an emboldening effect on Barnier and the EU, and will dissuade them from making concessions.

The reputation of an entire generation of politicians will be irreversibly annihilated However, regrettably for Remainers, it still would be naïve at best to expect the Brexit process to be aborted. Lingering over the issues of the negotiation are two crucial and indestructible realities that harness the UK to its current trajectory. First and foremost,

Theresa May has made it clear that ‘no deal is better than a bad deal’ with which she has bound herself unconditionally to Brexit – no matter the cost.

Theresa May has made it clear... she has bound herself unconditionally to Brexit Secondly there is no evidence of popular support for Brexit’s abandonment. Leave not only won the 2016 referendum but also overwhelmingly won the 2017 general election, with 84.2% of voters choosing Brexit supporting parties. The unfortunate truth is that for all the promises from May, Corbyn and their parties who have spent over a year now ‘respecting the democratic will of the British people’, if Brexit’s implementation is not pursued then the political reputation of an entire generation of politicians will be irreversibly annihilated.

Errol Kerr is saying enough is enough: Brexit can be avoided, and it is vital for this country it is

rexit. The idea of that singular, separate British superpower, a desperate attempt to relive the British glory days, reduced to the nightmarish reality that it, honestly, always was – we’ve seen the pound in radical decline and several businesses pulling out of England in favour of working within the EU. Don’t want to say that the Remainers told you so, but they told you so.

It’s entirely feasible for us to halt the two-year Brexit negotiations indefinitely and permanently However the Remainers aren’t all smug – the idea of a second referendum is entirely out of the question/ every major party with a chance of holding more than 15 seats, and several political organisations across the board internationally have basically wiped that possibility out entirely. That doesn’t surprise me; referenda destabilise the centralised power of Westminster and no major party wants

that – other than maybe the SNP. Having said that there’s always the option of just… not doing it. Just stopping the mechanics of Brexit. This is a serious option – before you laugh at me – several EU countries have said it’s possible for the UK to just… deactivate Article 50. All it takes is the Tories – or whoever is in power throughout these next two years – to announce they’re cancelling the process. I know this is contentious in EU politics, but it’s entirely feasible for us to halt the two-year Brexit negotiations indefinitely and permanently.

52%

of the British public voted to leave the European Union

It would be a hellscape. It would delegitimise the popular vote, probably damage the economy and be completely embarrassing for whichever party announces it – probably killing them politically in the process. But considering Brexit is also embarrassing, exists due to a thirty year misleading of public opin-

ion, and has caused irreparable economic turmoil nationally, I don’t know which is worse. Trying to patch the hole we’ve caused with Brexit, or trying to patch it over with an infinitely useless sticky plaster.

It would just be another U-turn on policy, thought it’s a kind of big one. Considering this would completely ruin a manifesto point of most major parties regarding Brexit it mightn’t be likely, but considering how many manifesto u-turns and backtracks that recent governments have been known to do – never mind the ones we never really hear about – it wouldn’t be a surprise. It would just be another u-turn on policy, though it’s a kind of big one. As I’ve stated it’d be a death sentence to the party responsible but, when it’s either the death of a party or the death of an entire country in the field of international politics, what’s the greater sacrifice? This isn’t a question of “is it possible” – they could. But it’s asking whether they should.

Rohingya: A history of pain Pablo Charro De La Fuente gives a historical account of the persecuted minority in need of help

he Rohingya Muslims are often described as one of the most persecuted minorities in the decades since the Second World War. The most recent episode of this persecution started in August when the army of Myanmar started coordinated and systematic ethnic cleansing operations against Rohingya people.

The Rohingya Muslims have been one of the most persecuted minorities since the Second World War The aim of these attacks is to expel from the country this minority and to prevent them from coming back. The government, lead de facto by the Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has prevented

the UN international observers from entering the country. Thus far, the security forces and the Buddhist mobs have murdered more than 1,000 Rohingya people. More than 500,000 Rohingya people, half of the population of this minority in the country, have fled to Bangladesh. This ethnic tension started in the Second World War when the Rohingya supported the British, and the Rajin Buddhists supported the Japanese, who occupied Myanmar. After the Second World War the Rohingya expected to achieve their independence or to be part of Bangladesh, a Muslim country. But the British, who wanted to sympathize with the Buddhist majority in Myanmar, ordained that the Rohingya areas would be part of the recently independent Myanmar. Ever since the rights of the Rohingya were withdrawn after being considered illegal immigrants. The current situation in Bangladesh of the Rohingya refugees is precarious. Although Bangladesh

is a Muslim country they don´t welcome the refugees. Many organisations are calling the UN Security Council to impose an arm embargo to Myanmar, and even to conduct economic sanctions until the people responsible of these crimes against humanity is judged.

The current situation in Bangladesh of the Rohingya refugees is precarious However, it does not seem that the situation in Myanmar is going to be easily solved. The truth is that unfortunately the repression against a Muslim minority in a third world country does not seem to bother the countries like ours that have the economic power to stop it.

SOAPBOX COMMENT’S HOME OF WEEKLY RANTS BEST OF KIN

Megan McManus

omething that has come to my attention so strongly recently, is how very precious the bonds between siblings and cousins can be. I’m sure we are all aware of the significance of a strong parent-child relationship, but it seems to me that the bond between siblings and cousins is often overlooked as almost unimportant, or a bonus. Having many cousins but only one sibling, I am perhaps only partly qualified to comment on the topic, but I know that growing up with them has armed me with some of the most supportive and healthy relationships that I maintain to this day. Having them as friends who, despite inevitable fights and disagreements, I know will always sustain and encourage me has I believe, helped me in forming many of the non-familial friendships that are so important to me today. As the first friends of our childhood and constants throughout life, I do not believe their value can be underestimated.

A SEARCH FOR MEMING

Rory Cameron

he dawn of the age of the internet has changed the very way we think, feel and connect. In recent years we have seen the rise of a new form of communication, which seems to exist almost exclusively on the internet. I’m talking of course, about memes. The growth of this online vernacular undoubtedly has a lot to do with how easily relatable, digestible and frankly fashionable memes can be. (Remember Salt Bae in January, or sPonGeBoB back in May?) The visual nature of memes makes them engaging and their points succinct; they quickly cross the chasm that exists between our screens. In the age of the internet, who has time to read, say - I don’t know- a Courier column of 150 words? But, herein lies the danger. Language is a fundamental part of our society and what makes us human; how we communicate and interact with each other. Memes could spell the end of the language, and the way we use it. We must have language that we employ to relate to with one another. Should you be unable? Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

MORE MR NICE GUY

Jamie Cameron

our eyes catch across the room. He tips his trilby at you longingly, but he calls it a Fedora. He assures you he’s a nice guy, not like those other men. He’s different, he’s sensitive, he’s caring. At least to him, anyway. Yet, he’s weird, grabby, you’re just not into him. Then he turns angry - obviously, women just don’t like nice men! This is deeply untrue. Kindness is very attractive, but anyone looking for it can tell when it’s faked. Importantly, you’re not being a nice guy if you expect something for it. You can’t paint yourself as the nice guy if you reveal your true colours when it all goes wrong. Be kind because you genuinely want to be, not because you expect to gain something from it. Kindness for selfish means isn’t kindness at all - it’s manipulation in disguise. The gift of kindness is in the act of giving it.

the courier

student voice

Monday 23 October 2017

Chat: Ronnie Reid

Alex Hendley chats to the NUSU President about student fines, prayer spaces and library meal deals

So you’ve been in the job for a while now, has it got busier with all the students showing up or does your role not change too heavily in and out of term time? It has got a lot busier actually but mainly because staff are off their holidays, so the meetings have kicked on a lot. With Early Arrivals Week and Freshers week too the student engagement has been massive. You’ll have been getting a lot of questions about the idea of community service being introduced in Jesmond, for students who can’t afford fines, where are we on that? Yes I have been getting a lot of questions. My stance is that students have different lifestyles and that it’s important that the community accommodates to that, and that we accommodate to the existing community there. We’ve also been working very closely with Keep Jesmond Clean, and they’re really keen to diversify some of the stuff we’re doing. Rather than just litter picks, there’s going to be interaction with the more elderly members of the community, such as showing them how to use iPads, which will really bind the community together. Have you had a few people saying that the system allows people with a bit of spare cash to avoid the community service, while those worse off will have no choice? I would be hesitant to comment as I haven’t spoken about it, but what I do know is that we managed to stop the fines raising from £30 to £50, which is a real success of the sabbatical team so far. I think it (community service) is a very interesting idea that’s been tried at other universities, which allows students to avoid the hit of a fine while also giving back to their community. It would be a really good, reciprocal way to give back to the area.

Back in the summer, there was some issues surrounding the 24 hour prayer space and the Islamic Society, where are we up to on that? The prayer space reopened on the 25th September after the asbestos works and the position that we’re in now is that until the end of this term the office will be used by a faith space coordinator, who is a non-religious individual, to determine the logistics of the space. It will remain a dedicated Muslim space. The difficulties we find now are the opening times, as the space is no longer ran by the Islamic Society. The space cannot have 24 hour opening times as we do not have the estate staff to provide that. The opening hours, to some members of the Islamic Society, feel this isn’t up to standards. Therefore we’ve asked the university to extend weekend opening hours. Unfortunately, the university has been unable to grant us this, as they felt it would be too much of a strain on the estates team. We’re continuing to mediate the situation between the university and ISOC, but a real success has been to keep that space as a dedicated prayer space. Finally, what can you tell us about affordability on campus, that you’ve been fighting for cheaper café prices amongst other things? My main strategy behind the election was to make tangible changes on campus, that people can see. We didn’t want to just make minor price changes in the library, so we’re starting the NUSU Affordability 18, a wider umbrella campaign in favour of cheaper food, gym memberships and even petrol money for medical students. We want to make small but meaningful price reductions, and the first big win for us has been to launch the new meal deal in the library which will be £3, competing with the likes of Tesco. We’ve been examining and scrutinising Eat@Newcastle’s pricing structure, given that they don’t pay rent on the library, and we hope to continue making these positive changes.

Esther Michel-Spraggett shares her Nicaraguan adventures

y summer with Raleigh International through the ICS (International Citizen Service) programme is, so far, the most challenging and amazing experience I have ever had. The ICS programme enables young people from the ages of 18 to 30 to participate in an international volunteering project with the charity of their choice. All you have to do is fundraise an amount of money ranging from £800 to £ 1200 and within six months of returning, participate in a local volunteering project. For 10 weeks on the other side of the world, with vaccinations, flights, accommodation, food and visa covered, it is the most accessible international volunteering experience there is. If I could describe my whole time there in one word, it would be sweaty. Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America, located between Honduras and Costa Rica. Summer, which is their winter, is the most humid season of all. With nine active volcanoes and rainforests, it is the picture of a tropical climate. I worked in a small team of 11 people, including two team leaders and two in-country volunteers from Nicaragua and Costa Rica. This was probably the ultimate teamwork experience. The volunteers are thrown together in a small rural community, with no access to the internet for the remainder of the 10 weeks there. Relationships were intense but we learned to look past each other’s differences to work effectively and complete the project. To become part of the community and gain a better understanding of the culture and language, volunteers live with a host family. My host family, the Gutierrez, live in a small wooden house. The bucket shower and water tank are outside and the bottom of the garden has a wooden structure known as a latrine. The family own two pigs and chickens. The chickens walk freely around the house, something which took some getting used

to. Typical Nicaraguan food is rice, beans and tortillas. To vary, plantain, egg, cuajada (cheese) or yucca serves as a side. Everything is deep-fried and extremely salted. My host mother, Ubeiki, adds salt by the handful. After 10 weeks of rice and beans, I expected to be sick of it. However, I still make bean chili at least three times a week now. The project focused on water, sanitation and hygiene. To improve health and hygiene practices and living in the community, the team divides into three sub groups. The first part was eWash, aimed to help a local entrepreneur build eco toilets and develop business skills. Secondly, the FECSA (healthy families, schools and communities) division of the team trained local promoters to carry on encouraging and monitoring families and children in school to adopt hygiene habits such as washing hands, food hygiene and safe animal keeping. Finally, I worked on the CAPS (Safe Water and Hygiene Committee) division of the project. CAPS is a voluntary committee of important community members who manage the source and distribution of water, the payments and the maintenance of the pipes and the water tank. We gave basic accountancy training to the treasurer, opened a bank account for the committee in the nearest town to store the money collected safely, and helped them construct a recycling centre for the community. The whole project is designed to have a lasting effect on the community. Creating infrastructure seems to be the typical volunteering; however, the sustainability comes from implementing good habits and enabling the communities to work well independently from the charity. Overall, after almost 3 months of latrines, hand washing clothes, smelling bad and chlorinated water. I learned some of the most valuable things about teamwork and simply living. I would not change my experience in Nicaragua for anything.

Student Agony with Erin and Harris The other week I got with one of my course mates, however they are now upset that I have started seeing someone else. The woman I’m seeing is in her mid-thirties and I think she might want something more serious than I do, as she’s a mature lady. I’ve got myself in a spot of bother, do I keep seeing her? Am I a terrible bloke? Harris: Hold tight my anonymous friend; as an Agony Uncle, I’m naturally here to help. I’ll start by saying no, you’re not a terrible bloke – terrible blokes say “espresso” like “expresso” and wear three quarter length shorts. From what you have told me anonymous, you are not a terrible bloke. Now that we’ve established this, let’s deal with the problem at hand. The best thing you can do for your sake, your course mates sake, and your new woman’s sake, is just talk to them; be honest about how you feel and what you want from a relationship and all will be well. They might be angry or upset, but they have to understand that your happiness is your priority. You can’t live a lie and drag yourself into too much commitment at your age; dropping the step-kids off at school then off to your 9am. On the other hand, your “new woman” might even share in your interest for a laid back, casual relationship – wouldn’t that be wonderful! Either way, keep your chin up and move on if you must, there’s plenty of fish (young and old) in the sea. Erin: I wouldn’t call you a terrible bloke as it is notoriously hard to gauge semi- romantic relationships without discussing every inch of it. You are more likely to be regularly seeing someone on your course so it is important to make things right with them. Maybe a casual meeting for coffee would be a good opportunity to explain the situation or at least diffuse any of the hard feelings. Regarding the new woman - if you are not 100% ready for a more committed relationship do not do it. You will only end up feeling pressured into moving too fast and this will most likely have a negative effect on the relationship. Try telling her how you feel – that you are looking for a relationship of substance but don’t want to commit so soon. If it feels like too much stress then you could be better trying to break the relationship off?

I think I might be addicted to Tinder. I’m looking for love, but all I can do is keep on swiping. I’ve met some nice people, but they’re only on here for a one night thing. Should I quit Tinder or keep trying in the hope I find someone? I just can’t bring myself to delete it! Erin: Tinder can be great to improve your self-esteem whilst simultaneously introducing yourself to new people romantically. It appears the likelihood of finding substantial love on Tinder is rare, as the app seems to be used more along the lines of one-night stands and flings rather than sincere relationship building. Maybe try writing in your Tinder bio that you are looking for something a little more serious and would like to speak online with a match for longer and then go on a date. I do think it is possible to find a long-term partner through Tinder by focusing more on the personality of the individual. Read their bio and see how similar you are, rather than focusing on the photos perhaps? I don’t think you should quit Tinder just yet, you might just need to modify what you are searching for. Deleting Tinder would rid you of an addictive app yes but it would also prevent you from meeting further matches online that could turn into something serious- if I were you I would keep trying to find the perfect match. Harris: Its relieving to see someone here who isn’t just one of the plethora of students breeding like rats in the burrows of some forlorn filth somewhere that can only be associated with Castle Leazes. I can only say that I understand your struggle; we’ve all been there. Love is a tricky game, after all. The best advice I could give to you would be to socialise. Go out! Meet new people! It’s about enjoying the journey, not reaching the destination my loveless friend. And if love finds you in the whirlwind of excitement you’re going to be swooped into like a Caribbean kite merchant in hurricane season, then great! Jobs a good un’. All in all, the take home message is this: don’t look for love, let love find you. Forget about swiping right and swipe life. The Courier’s Agony Duo are Harris Slater and Erin Holley

the courier Monday 23 October 2017

life & style

@CourierLifestyle c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/lifestyle Life & Style Editor Izzi Watkins Lifestyle Editors Sophie Henderson, Jaymelouise Hudspith, Lauren Sneath & Victoria Young

Blind Date Amy on

Amy Urmston, 2nd Year Physical Geography meets Andrew Kitchen 4th Year Modern Languages

Andrew

Hi Amy! How was the date? What did you get up to? It was a good night, quite casual. We met at monument then went for food at Bella Italia. Although I did order pomodoro pasta and tap water, so he probably thinks I’m dead boring. Ah but what were your first impressions of Andrew? He was really tall with a friendly face. He had a NorthEastern accent which was different to anyone I’ve been out with in the past. I really didn’t know what to expect to be honest. What did you start talking about? We were joking about where to go for food because neither one of us could decide. We just did typical first date chat, started with our interests and degrees. Then it was his year abroad in France and what we both wanted to do after we’ve left Uni. So is your usual type similar to Andrew?

Andrew on Amy

What were your first impressions?

I thought she was a nice girl, very talkative, like myself. Good. Where did you go? We went to Bella Italia! What did you talk about when you got there? We talked about lots of things really. Talked about uni, and you, and her friend who works for the Courier? Me? Yep, we talked about the people who roped us in and how the whole thing came about. Also about what TV series we liked. A wide range of things really. So you said you had good first impressions, was Amy similar to your usual type of girl?

Lol, we actually brought that up! We both said we weren’t each other’s usual type, but then again, our ‘usual types’ haven’t exactly worked out.

Not sure, she wasn’t like anyone else I’ve chosen in the past.

A few light-hearted questions, if Andrew was a Spice Girl, which one would he be?

Erm I wouldn’t say I had a type really. But fine, we’ll go with that?

Definitely Sporty Spice. And if he was a dog breed? Labrador I think, everyone likes them and they’re friendly!

So not your type at all then?

If Amy was a type of food, which would she be? Hahahaha, we’ll go with pasta, just a solid choice. Hmmm, was there a spark?

The all-important question - would you see him again?

I’d say... We didn’t find it difficult to talk. It was very friendly.

Probably not. Don’t get me wrong, he was a really nice guy but we just don’t have much in common.

Just friendly? Going to stay that way? Have you spoken since?

So what would you rate the evening out of 10? I’ll give it a 7? It was good company, but not really romantic. Thanks Amy!

Fancy a date? We’ll set you up. Find us on our Courier Lifestyle Writers 2017/ 2018 Facebook page or drop us an email at c2.lifestyle@newcastle.ac.uk

Yeah, and not really no. We exchanged a text message. I’d like to think she thinks I was a nice person. Do you think there’ll be a second date then? Probably not. We had a good night. We’ll leave it at that. Out of ten then, how would you rate your date? Hmm... that’s a good question. We had a good night, I’ll go with a 7. Thanks Andrew!

the courier

life & style lifestyle

Recipe of the Week with Hope Coke Cauliflower and Potato Falafels

Monday 23 October 2017

How to be ‘winter body’ ready Lifestyle Editor Victoria Young puts a new twist on the popular notion of ‘beach body ready’

hen summer comes around, and those winterspring months are fading away, women particularly seem bombarded with glossy magazines promoting ‘bikini season’ and instructing us how to ‘be beach body ready’. But, it’s not often we hear of any articles helping us to achieve that ‘winter body’.

There’s no more need to ‘flash diet’

Image: Hope Coke

think I’d count Middle Eastern as my favourite type of cuisine, and like to consider myself a bit of a falafel pro. I love the combination of those flavours so much that I thought I’d marry them all together in these easy, falafel inspired cakes. Makes about 15 falafel balls (around 3 servings) Ingredients: 1/2 a cauliflower 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 200-300g) 100g chickpea flour 1 tsp garam masala 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp chilli powder 1/2 tsp salt A small handful fresh mint and/or coriander A drizzle of olive oil

Directions:

Start by preheating your oven to 220 degrees C. Grease a large baking sheet with a little oil or butter and line with baking paper. Chop the sweet potato into chunks about 3cm big, peeling them beforehand if you mind having little bits of skin in the falafel (I don’t bother as you don’t really notice it). Then, boil the sweet potato in a saucepan of water for 10 minutes, or until cooked and very soft. Drain in a colander or sieve and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the cauliflower. If you have a food processor, then trim off any outer leaves, cut the cauliflower into large chunks and tip into the processor, blending until the cauliflower is broken up into small, rice sized pieces. If you don’t have a blender, use the coarse side of a box side grater to grate the cauliflower into rice sized pieces and tip into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, take your cooked sweet potato and mash it thoroughly, either with a potato masher or a fork if you don’t have one. It doesn’t need to be completely smooth, a bit of texture is fine but you want any big chunks broken down. Finely chop the coriander and/or mint and tip into the bowl with the cauliflower along with the sweet potato, gram flour, spices and salt. Stir together until everything is evenly combined and the mixture becomes a thick and doughy in consistency. It will still be a little sticky, but you need it thick enough to scoop and roll into balls so add a little more gram flour if it seems too wet. Now, it’s time to form the falafel into balls. Drip about half a teaspoon of olive oil onto your hands and rub together so that the mixture won’t stick to you. Then use a tablespoon to scoop up heaped spoonfuls of the mixture, before using your greased hands to roll them into balls and placing them on your lined baking sheet, making sure they aren’t touching in case they spread at all in the oven. Carry on with the scooping, rolling and placing on the sheet until you’ve used up all the mixture, greasing your hands with more oil as needed and trying to keep the balls as uniform in size and shape as possible (although don’t stress if they aren’t perfect; they’re home made after all). Finally, use your fingertips to lightly press down on the top of each falafel to slightly flatten them into fat disks, then place in the oven to cook for about 40-50 minutes. Oven temperatures do vary so keep an eye on them, but by the end you want the falafel to be nicely golden brown and crisp on the outside. Use to top salads, fill sandwiches and wraps or just dip straight into a tub of hummus. They’re delicious hot but they also store well and will last a few days in a sealed container in the fridge, so any leftovers can be repurposed into packed lunches or make a great late night snack.

Winter is the season of endless indulgence, with chocolate, pies, cake and cookies flowing in abundance. Let’s be honest, on Christmas Day, you’re more than entitled to help yourself to seconds, thirds and then dessert, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that the calories aren’t going to make that much of a difference! Whilst summer magazines offer you weekly means of shedding the pounds, and often promote unhealthy and unsustainable ‘flash diets’, may I suggest taking a rest from that this winter. It’s more important to be fit, healthy and having fun than it is to just look thin. Why not switch a thousand calorie diet, for a mile run, or do some indoor exercise to avoid the nasty weather: yoga, rock climbing or swimming are fun and active ways to counteract those Christmas calories.

Extra weight means extra warmth

Mammals are well known for packing on pounds and wearing weight for the winter, and just because we have winter knits and Ugg boots, why should we be any different? Some may argue that weight is nothing but a number - in one sense that’s true, but it’s also great insulation. In the winter, it’s sure going to be a lot colder and a few extra pounds will help to keep you extra warm and snug while the snow falls and the wind blows. If you’re anything like me, you don’t have to put in much effort to pack on a few pounds, but if you’re one of those fortunate souls who can’t seem to gain a little weight then I have three suggestions for keeping warm this winter: chocolate (lots of it), layers (lots of them) and High Intensity Training (none of it). Just make sure to keep your weight healthy and manageable. It’s not so much our outer size that matters but the condition and health of our internal bodies and organs.

Because we drink less in winter months, this poses a problem to our general dehydration levels. My very British solution to this is tea! Tea has a lot of detox benefits but is easier to drink than cold water as it warms you through to the bones. It’s around 95% hot water, keeping you hydrated, and a much healthier option than hot chocolate or coffee. Fruit teas, herbal teas and flavoured teas add excitement.

Get plenty of sleep

During the summer people are always complaining about busyness and lack of sleep. Days are longer, warmer and simply more exciting. But the good thing is with winter and getting winter body ready is there’s no such thing as getting too much

sleep! Tuck in for an early night, lie in through the dark mornings, and nap for goodness sake. I’m pretty sure that the benefits of a power nap have been scientifically proven... So, whilst the winter months come in, and the temptations to stay in, sleep and snack are stronger than ever, perhaps you can give yourself a break. Allow yourself to enjoy the season, enjoy your holidays and enjoy indulging in those treats that the ‘bikini body workout’ robbed you of. Realise that a little bit of weight and a whole lot of sleep is good for you. Exercise a little, stay hydrated and manage your health, but when you look in the mirror and hate the winter body before you, just think... It won’t be long till I’m getting “beach body ready”.

Drink tea!

Believe it or not, it’s just as important to be well hydrated in winter months as it is in the warmer seasons of the year. In summer, it’s easy to dehydrate, as our bodies are exposed to glorious sunshine and work overtime to cool us down and use up our energies, so we drink much water. In the winter, it’s completely different it’s cold, and our bodies struggle to drink as much water.

Image: @Pexels

Rifle Club back with a bang with GIAG session Two ‘willing’ Courier editors took on the challenge of taking aim with the University’s Rifle Club Jack Coles

n the 18th of October, I was invited to Give it a Go’s taster session on rifle shooting. Bear in mind that I have never shot a gun before. Well, that’s a lie; I shot for my flatmate’s P226 air pistol, when we tried to estimate its power by firing it at a row of Pepsi cans. (As it turns out, it can penetrate 0.8mm of aluminium alloy.) Doesn’t really count, though, does it? Anyway, I tend to expect the worst at all times – in this instance, I was expecting to just be shooting larger air guns. So imagine my surprise when I was handed a massive fuck-off rifle and fifteen nitrocellulose-based .22 LR bullets. After a short safety briefing, we were pointed towards ten targets 25 yards (22.86m) away.

I only knew the rifle had been fired because there had been a loud noise The rifle itself was much easier to handle than I was expecting. First of all, we got to lie down and support it on a box, which is probably much easier than trying to stand up and fire like on TV. The other thing is that there was virtually no recoil; I’ve seen videos where people fire a gun and twat themselves in the face with it. With these rifles, I only really knew I had fired because there had been a loud noise. I wasn’t the greatest shot, hitting only six of the ten targets. Fortunately, one of the trainers was onhand to adjust my sights as necessary, so towards the end I was hitting the mints glued to the target, as opposed to the areas above them. (The mints disintegrate when shot, so you can keep track of which targets you shot. A neat little addition.) Overall, it was a fun little experience, and one that I would heartily recommend to anyone with any sort of interest in this sort of thing.

Image: Jamie Cameron

Jamie Cameron

decided to give it a go and head down to the rifle range. Firing one of mankind’s most prolific killing machines is something of a rite of passage for the modern age, and I figured the practice wouldn’t hurt for when the apocalypse comes. Yet only after I signed up did I realise I was tricked into writing an article about it. Such is the life of a Courier editor. Still, I can’t complain. After all, the Treasurer of the Rifle Club provided myself and 3 others with a luxury minivan service to the firing range. Don’t expect this if you sign up, you’ll have to get on your bike. When we got there the first thing to be taught was health and safety: don’t aim at people, don’t shoot people, don’t walk into the firing range under a hail of bullets - it’s all pretty intuitive if you have some sense of self-preservation. The gun enthusiasts running the show seemed to share this sentiment, because they all seemed like thoroughly balanced and non-murderous individuals. I think this will be a vote of confidence for newcomers. Our sacrificial lambs for the hour were paper targets seized from their homes and put up against the wall. They resoundingly managed to hold firm and accept their fate - they are bigger men than I. We all lie prone to get into shooting position; this

will be familiar to all the sweaty Call of Duty players reading this. The bullets are only a small .22 calibre, and fired one by one, so the recoil is negligible. Breathe out, squeeze the trigger, pull back the bolt, and reload. The gun nuts say shooting is great for stress-busting: they’re only paper targets, but I suppose imagination is a powerful thing. I found the whole thing vaguely entrancing - maybe it reminds me of my dreams.

Because they all seemed like balanced and non-murderous individuals When the red mist withdrew I found myself sitting in the lobby of the firing range writing this article. The whole affair provided a fleeting but involved enjoyment. To sign up it costs £37 for the year, and £4 per box of 50 bullets, although for some reason you’re not allowed to take the guns home with you. I hear some of the more experienced shooters trying to name a rifle - Eclaire (yes, you read that correctly) or Chantelle? I figured they must be very lonely people, but worthy of some human company all the same. Why not help them out, pull the trigger, and sign up today?

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Monday 23 October 2017

Keeping yourself organised at uni

Miranda Stoner shares her top tips for staying on top of a busy schedule when at university

eing more organised is one of those vague goals that gets thrown around as a New Year’s resolution or at the start of the Uni year, but what does it really mean and how do we achieve it? Staying organised can mean anything from arranging your fine liners in rainbow order to handing your work in on time. However, for some, organisation in its purest form can mean you never feel hungry or stressed, never have a bad hair day or break out and notice an improvement in your grades. But before you take it too far and turn into a personality-less routine machine, consider these simple tips to stay organised without missing out on the fun things in life.

If you know the washing machine is going to be 60 minutes use that hour to cook up some food But before you take it too far and turn into a personality-less routine machine, consider these simple tips to stay organised without missing out on the fun things in life. My first suggestion is to invest in some Tupperware. IKEA and Wilkos do a set of 17 different size clear plastic boxes for £4, without which I would never have made it this far. The biggest boxes I use for my cooking ingredients so I can always see what I have and what needs to be added to the shopping list. The next size down is for leftovers, so I only

Image: @mylittlejournalblog

have to cook twice a week – meal prep at it’s finest. Then the smaller boxes I use to pack sandwiches for lunch, this means I don’t have to go hungry and I have more money for more important things, like chai lattes and espresso martinis. Finally, the tiniest boxes are perfect for revision time, fill them with folded up notes and test yourself or your friends or stuff them with skittles for a rustle free sugar loaded snack. Another tip is to do a little every day. Revision will be so much easier if you listened in the lecture or prepared for the seminar. 15 minutes of reading or 5 minutes of practice questions, you’re unlikely to regret it. Also, remember that ‘optional homework’ is optional, it can always be used for revision come exam time, but at the same time you are at uni because you chose to be. My next suggestion is to learn how to multi-task. By which I don’t mean doing 16 things at once, rather schedule all your must-do tasks into one or two hours. For example, if you know the washing machine is going to be 60 minutes before you can

hang everything up to dry, use that hour to cook up some food and then store it in the fridge or freezer for the rest of the week. Use the half hour walk home from uni to call your parents. Moreover, having a daily or even weekly routine is a really important part of being organised and healthy. Try to set aside an evening for laundry, an evening for exercise or smothering your hair in coconut oil, or a restocking your empty cupboards, all the jobs you don’t want to do but have to. If you know the washing machine is going to be 60 minutes before you can hang everything up to dry, use that hour to cook up some food and then store it in the fridge or freezer for the rest of the week. Use the half hour walk home from uni to call your parents. Just remember to stay flexible, Thursday evening might be laundry day, but if the call of a night out is louder, it doesn’t hurt to go another day wearing the same pair of socks. Therein lies the secret to staying organised- people who are organised don’t do more than other people, they are just more efficient. Once you accept that you are going to have to tick everything off your to-do list at some point, it doesn’t make sense not to create a plan of how to do it in the most painless way possible.

Do a little revision everyday Plan out your must-do tasks Keep kitchen-tidy Have a flexible schedule

The battle of the student house vs. halls Holly Margerrison delves into the unsaid rules of housing in the first and second year of uni A h, the sweet aroma of microwave meals and passata sauce welcoming you home after a long day’s graft. House or halls, you can’t escape it. Seeping under the cracks of your door and into your room, into every sassy outfit you plan to wear, until eventually you must accept your fate as a walking spaghetti Bolognese. This is just one of the many encounters you must embrace as a student. Despite this shared struggle, living in houses and living in halls are two entirely different experiences. As a second-year student myself, I have just discovered that the horror of 9ams are heightened by the 25-minute walk to campus. Sadly, one must now evaluate if the sweaty 3am pizza outweighs an extra half an hour in bed. The Newcastle housing situation follows the unsaid rule of halls for first year, houses for second. The reasoning behind this is unclear – although most second and third years hold an air of superiority over Jesmond territory. Generally, student halls are located within a ten to fifteen-minute walk to campus, whereas houses in popular ar-

eas are closer to the half an hour route. Proximity wise, halls win out on this one.

longside the lectures, the new friends, the notorious fresher’s flu and those famous bubble-gum trebs, living at Newcastle, like at any university, comes hand-in-hand with responsibilities of the adult kind. No matter how long you eat super-noodles for or how many times you take your washing home to the parents, one day it will be time to face ‘adulting’ at university whether you like it or not. So yes, that means washing your bedsheets, making a ‘proper’ meal (as your Mum might say) and taking out the overflowing bin that no housemate wants to go near. Your university journey may have started with the pros of drinking on a school night and ‘being independent’ but when it comes down to the basics, your Mum won’t be there to hold your hand and iron your clothes (although we wish she was). Some students are adults without realising and are experts with a slow cooker whilst the rest of us are constantly puzzled at all the adult tasks we didn’t’ even know existed. You ask yourself, ‘is a diet of pot noodles and po-

tato waffles really that bad?’ or at two months in, ‘can I leave my bedsheets another week?’ You may just want to give up, fake an absence form on S3P and run back home to your parents but the whole ‘adult’ lifestyle will only be waiting for you to return. And sorry to break it to you, but whether it be in university halls or in your second house in West Jesmond, the tasks of adulthood will never leave you as a student. Although you learnt from your university halls that tea-towels don’t clean themselves and that there isn’t little fairies who come and empty your bins at night, your house or flat will still be lacking adult-ness even in your third year here at Newcastle. Even the experienced third year student will indulge in the easiness of a pot noodle from time to time or shrink a new t-shirt after years of supposed ‘adulting’. But it’s not just the davinci code of gas, electricity and kitchen appliances which needs an ‘adult’ brain. How about when you’ve realised you’ve spent all your student loan on Sinner’s trebles by week 6 of the university calendar? The second loan

Living in houses and living in halls are two entirely different experiences

But living in a house is not all bad news. For those clever enough to have considered proximity to the metro, a £1.70 ticket can land you at Haymarket station in a matter of seconds. This saved time even means you can shove some stale bread in the toaster for your journey ahead. What a luxury. Even better, your bank balance will thank you when the cost of your room plummets to the other end of the price spectrum. You can be sailing past the £100 mark for student halls, whereas houses are more budget friendly. Warning though – there’s the hassle of setting up gas, electric and water bills

and ensuring you split the cost equally. You need to take this into account when looking for houses. Advice to freshers – take advantage of the included water and heating before your scrimping and saving leaves you questioning whether a shower a day is excessive. In second year fleecy jackets, cosy slippers and hot water bottles become a pertinent part of student life. First year is all about finding your feet and finding your friends. The advantage of living in halls is the never-ending opportunity to meet new people. You can feel stuck between four walls, but if the people in your flat aren’t your cup of tea, head downstairs and introduce yourself to others in your block. On the other hand, living in houses means you can buddy up with your chums. For many, this means more time for tea and sympathy, or prosecco and party time (beer and banter for the guys). Both halls and student houses make life an adventure, and one simply does not surpass the other.

Does ‘adulting’ always have to be hard? Laura Buckle shares the joys of ‘adulting’ and the new responsibilities of university life A doesn’t come in till January and you’ve still got Christmas presents to buy and academic books to fund. Getting a part-time job and managing your finances is another area of adulthood which is really overlooked at university. If you have a parttime job, balance a decent social life and manage your studies then ‘you’re doing amazing sweetie’. After all, getting this balance right is super difficult when you have the tendency to end up in Soho every night of the week. Whether it’s housing issues, finance issues or just general struggles, ‘adulting’ at university comes and smacks you in the face, whether you’re prepared or not. And congratulations if you have your ‘adult’ self together at university. But for those who don’t know how to use a washing machine, who can’t figure out the shower settings or arrives to lectures in pyjama bottoms, don’t worry, everyone’s in the same sinking ship. So next time you ask yourself, ‘why is adulting so hard?’ chances are the guy sat next to you in today’s lecture has asked the exact same.

lifestyle life & style

Rant of the Week: Christmas in October!

alking around Eldon Square’s shops today is enough to make you begin to question what month we are actually in. Twinkling lights, seasonal decorations, aisles of gift ideas…surely it must be December? On checking my calendar, however, I can confirm for you that it is, in fact, still October. October is a month when we’re still reveling in the last excitement of our summer adventures. There’s a growing chill in the air, but definitely no ice or snow yet outside, and when people are making the important decision of their Halloween outfit. So, why is it that you can find adverts and decorations everywhere you turn, attempting to encourage your participation in this crazy, early preparation for what is really just one small day in our calendar year? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a complete Grinch. I love a bit of Christmas cheer and excitement just as much as the next person, particularly the excuse it provides for eating and drinking a little too much… But why is it necessary to begin the holiday madness in October? Even for those of us who are incredibly indecisive (this includes myself), three months of advance preparation is not required to find some presents for the friends and family. Although it is still an important element for some, for many others the Christmas period has already lost its original religious meaning. Yet, it does usually still carry some important messages, the main one of which is of course creating time to spend with loved ones. A time of cheer and celebration, spent hugging hot drinks and hiding under blankets for warmth. A period for playing board games with family, singing cheesy over-played songs, and decorating the long-deliberated perfect tree. But how are we to even enjoy these elements of Christmas when it is becoming increasingly more cynical? Shops don’t create their adverts for the perfect gift in October because they’re worried you might be a bit disorganised, or because they want to help share Christmas cheer. We know their only goal is to increase their sales and to encourage us to spend even more money than last year, on presents that people probably don’t actually want. Further to this, who can really enjoy a celebration that has become so commercialised and controlled? Not only does it drain away any real joy for the day but it also adds unnecessary pressure, indoctrinating the idea that buying presents is essential for showing love to friends and family. A lot of us can’t afford to participate in this construct, particularly as students or as parents with large families, and the constant adverts can begin to make guilt seep into those of us who have had to settle for a cheaper gift. I think it can safely be said that this is definitely not the point of Christmas. I for one would really like to enjoy the pleasure of autumn, Halloween, and Bonfire night before even thinking about Christmas. So let’s all put the baubles away, take the heat off the mulled wine and for the love of God don’t let Mariah Carey out of her cage just yet. One more month- that’s all I’m asking for. Katherine Rawlings

Image: @PublicDomainPictures

@Courier_life @courier_lifestyle

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feature lifestyle

Monday 23 October 2017

Mental Health Matters

Student mental health is paramount and often forgotten, so your Lifestyle Editors and writers have compiled some advice for struggling students, including Errol Kerr’s tips on where to find help, and ideas for dealing with stress by Billie Hargreaves

Stress at university: managing mental health W

hen people ask you to explain University life, what is it that you think of? The constant partying? The exciting societies? The new found freedom and independence? How it will be the ‘best years of your life’? These ideas are all relevant parts of what makes the University experience, and they can be truly great! However, what people neglect to mention is the other side to University, the forgotten and negative side which is often pushed aside. A friend of mine once said to me that nobody ever told her about ‘the Sunday after Freshers’, and I think this completely describes the point that I am trying to make. We come to University full of excitement after hearing about all the amazing things that we are to expect, but we are not told of the loneliness, of the homesickness, of the overwhelming pressures, of the issues we will have with finance and trying to make friends and of all the other causes of stress we will encounter throughout our time here. This lack of awareness creates the sense that if you are struggling with stress, or mental health, you are abnormal and are just not quite coping as well as you should be. I’m here to tell you that this is a myth! In fact, a recent ‘YouGov’ study found that 6 in 10 students report struggling with stress to the point that it interferes with their daily life. It is actually a much bigger issue than it seems, under the mask of all fun, all the time ‘university life’. Now you might be thinking that just because you experience stress, that doesn’t make you suffer from a mental illness, that it is just another element of life, and yes this is true… BUT stress can

have an extreme impact on all other elements of life, from physical to mental health and your everyday life in general. So whether you do consider yourself to suffer from mental illness or not, the problem is still extremely prevalent and one that requires action.

Work towards expelling the myths you might believe about how you should be feeling and coping So, what can you do to help yourself manage the stress that University brings? First, work towards expelling the myths you might believe about how you should be feeling and coping — which hopefully I have already prompted within this article. Try to change your way of thinking, to not be so hard on yourself. When you look at the reality of what us students have to cope with; deadlines, financial problems, being away from home, making friends, learning to look after yourself for the first time (I could go on), is it any wonder we should feel stress? Is it not an inevitable emotion to experience after having all of these things surrounding us? Try to treat yourself with the same level of compassion that you would if you were an objective other within the situation, how you would judge a friend for feeling the way that you do. Because your

Places to find support at university

ith mental health at a crisis point it’s important to recognise and make use of all support available at University. I’ve trawler through a good few websites to provide a helpful little guide, starting with our SU and working outward. The Students’ Union has many representatives for mental health and support. Sarah, our lovely Welfare and Equality Officer, can be found and contacted very easily as can our Students with disabilities officer, Zoë Godden, who also works to represent students with mental health difficulties. Societies are available to provide student peer to peer support. Mind the Gap, the University society for students with mental health difficulties, provides discussions, socials and peer support networks across the University year in order to bring together students who are struggling with mental health difficulties. Having ran for several years now, including the annual conference on mental health which they lead, it’s an incredibly important platform for students like ourselves to start talking about our mental health, whether that’s with the aim of seeking diagnosis or locating assistance for difficulties outside of the University. Many other societies have a Welfare officer and it’s pretty much rolled out in all Sports groups at the University, and each of these officers is an individual trained to support students facing difficulties within the society. Other societies may be more directly applicable should your issue focus on another element – such as being LGBTQ+ or disabled. Members of these societies are available to assist on more focused areas. The Student Advice Centre on the ground floor of NUSU is available during the day to provide support for any needs. Should you face any issues later on in the day, the student Nightline service is open from 8pm through until 8am and can be accessed via calling 0191 261 2905, as well as online on the NUSU website. This active and student run listening service can be invaluable for any issue you may have, whether you consider it trivial or serious. Of course if any issues are life threatening, to yourself or others, don’t hesitate to call in to these services. The Union will be holding several campaigns and

events across the year to start opening up more discussions around mental health. It’s key for you to keep up to date on the NUSU website to look into campaigns in regards to mental health. Keep an eye out for April’s conference! Student Wellbeing can be located at Kings Gate, the fancy looking building opposite the SU that isn’t the Northern Stage. Book an appointment for any assessments, referrals or casual discussions, where you as Students can receive help and support that you may need throughout your academic career. Often, your school will have personal tutors or peer mentors. These individuals are able to help with personal issues and offer adjustments or advice on a course oriented level to help you through your studies. Whether your issue is personal, mental or physical health or other recommendations and adjustments, these guys are your port of call for official support. Wellbeing’s mental health advisors are an essential and valued part of the University and do want to hear from you if things go awry. Should you wish, local GPs can be contacted for any referrals or appointments. It’s vital that you register up here during studies. You genuinely never know what’s around the corner and if you need an appointment or medication it’s so important to have nearby access to it. Whatever the case, know that your students union and university is behind you whatever issue you have and emails to your societies and officers are always available to help you at any turn.

Image: John Lord on Flickr

feelings are just as important. Next try to focus on basic self care. This means getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising, all the boring things, yawn I know. It may seem like a hassle and not actually that important, but how can you expect your mental health to be in peak form if your physical health is not? It makes the world of difference, trust me! Make sure to talk to people about how you’re feeling, whether that be friends or family. Don’t feel like your feelings aren’t ‘serious’ enough to talk about, or that you will be bothering people by opening up about them. More than likely, they will be happy to help and enjoy being there for you. And if you don’t feel that you have these people in your life, make sure you look into other services available to you.

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even just an hour everyday. Do something that genuinely makes you happy and allows you to unwind. Whether it be reading, going for a walk, watching Netflix etc, make sure you schedule in time for it. But most importantly, don’t feel guilty about doing so or like it is a waste of your time. You are entitled to this time, it will make you feel better and you will, in turn, be in a better place for the pressures that you are facing. So I leave you with this: your feelings are valid and you are not alone. You will manage this, you are much stronger than what you might believe right now. Credit yourself for how far you have already come. And keep pushing through. Maybe slowly, maybe with difficulty, maybe with excitement, but don’t stop pushing. You will get there!

of students will suffer from mental illness whilst at university | YouGov

Take advantage of your personal tutors, your module leaders, your seminar leaders, the library services. It is what they are there for, and what you are paying for after all. When you feel worried about anything academic, or personal for that matter, flag it up to them. I used to avoid doing this but once I actually decided it was worth doing, I found that it often helped a hell of a lot more than I initially thought it would. And finally, give yourself time to relax. Maybe

Image: Collegedegrees360 on Flickr

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lifestyle feature

Monday 23 October 2017

Sexual harassment on campus

Lifestyle Editor Jaymelouise Hudspith exposes the facts, gives her opinion on student lecturer relations, shares her top tips on how to say safe around campus, and highlights the support available to students who have suffered any form of harassment.

Student lecturer relations: the risks, the pros and the cons

our university lecturer is your go to person for coursework help, revision rescue, even deadline distresses. They’re a figure of authority, intelligence and wisdom. So, it’s only natural to begin to develop a school girl crush, we all know someone who has been attracted to one of their lecturers but what happens when this crush is acted upon, when the attraction fizzles into something more and a lecturer feels the same way? More often than not these relationships seem to develop within personal office hours in a one to one environment or in flirtatious seminars, we’ve all been to a 9am where you and one or two other dedicated students are the only ones to show up – it’s soul destroying, no snoozing in the back this week but it’s also uncomfortable. Watching two people flirt while you sit awkwardly waiting for an answer to the questions you prepared at 2am the previous night. Relationships between faculty staff members and students are more common than you’d expect, and are rarely disciplined by universities as long as they are discrete, lawful and declared to the head of the department. You may not feel like it but you are seen as an adult so technically there isn’t the same breach in ethics and authority as there would have been back in secondary school. However, many issues are still raised against the acceptance and lenience of student lecturer relationships. Due to the fact your lecturer is still in a figure of authority even if it is not exactly the same as a school teacher and student or doctor and patient, both relationships which aren’t ethically accepted and can result in an immediate suspension or dismissal. Some believe that this level of power over a student creates a hunting ground premise at universities for professors making a relationship with any current student inappropriate. Statistically most of the relationships you have at university aren’t going to have a happily ever after ending and taking the risk that a relationship with your tutor or lecturer is a dangerous one. Is it worth putting yourself in such an uncomfortable situation with someone who is a lifeline to you when you need help, and who holds such a position of power over you? Ask yourself whether the relationship is worth the ever-pending implosion and ending, leaving you (and other students) to endure the awkwardness and painful fake politeness whenever you come into direct contact with another. If the relationship ends badly your lecturer still has a professional duty to follow as an educator to provide efficient feedback and support to all students regardless of any personal relations. On a positive side, all your assignments and exams are marked anonymously and are checked by more than one member of the faculty team so if you decide to take the risk and go for a relationship with your lecturer then your personal life may fall apart but your academic grades can’t be impacted. Although you will spend the next few years of university actively avoiding them and any modules they teach to spare yourself the embarrassment and awkwardness of spending any time alone with them every again. Who really wants to see their ex ever again? Even when it ends mutually on good terms, you’re never really friends are you?

Image: @projectconsent

Student support and other services at Newcastle

ore and more young people are accepting being sexually harassed or assaulted as part of life or more commonly an expected part of a night out. Sexual harassment comes in many forms; some more severe than others but all should be taken seriously. All forms of sexual harassment and assault, whether its verbal harassment such as cat calling or physical actions including everything from groping to rape, are serious and damaging to the victim. With something so serious why are we simply accepting this? A study conducted by YouthSight, a specialist research group, showed one in three British students have been a victim of sexual harassment at university. One in eight male students in the study stated they had been targets of some form of harassment, one third of women involved identified as being a victim of unwanted advances and touching, a further one in twenty of those women had experienced a more severe form of harassment. YouthSight also included details that 43% of women and did not report their assault or harassment incidents, contrasted against 60% of men who chose not to file a complaint or charge against their harasser.

One in three British students have been a victim of sexual harassment at University So many cases go unreported in many instances partially due to the normalisation and acceptance

of harassment such as groping by our generation. However, the biggest influence on the lack of incident reported is due to a stigma of shame and embarrassment around admitting being sexually harassed. A stigma we need to remove. If you have been affected by sexual assault, it is not your fault. It can happen to anyone regardless of your age, gender, or sexuality. It is nothing to be ashamed of and there Image: @projectconsent is always help available. Consent classes have been introduced at several established universities across the country including mandatory lessons at Oxford and Cambridge. In 2016 Newcastle University Students’ Union passed a motion to introduce sexual consent classes for first year students to teach the legal definitions, giving students a chance to undo the destructive patterns enforced by society and to advise students what advice and support is available to them if needed. Newcastle offers a range of support for students who have been subjected to any form of harassment. On the back of all Newcastle University students smartcard is the number to nightline – the student listening and information service and the university campus security. If at any point you are made to feel uncomfortable or at risk simply contact the relevant number and the university will make required safe arrangements.

Newcastle University can also offer every student help via the student support services, where you can speak confidentially to a counsellor who will help you find the best methods and practices to deal with any trauma. They also offer a free sexual health service through the NHS where they can help access emergency contraception, sexually transmitted infection tests and information on abortion if necessary. There will always be support available to you, whether you’re made to feel uncomfortable or harassed by a fellow student or a member of staff, there will always be someone to speak to, or to ask advice. The university has to take all complaints seriously and will follow up any case with the student or staff disciplinary investigation so don’t be afraid to speak up.

Top tips to stay safe and aware on campus

n an ideal world the only tip we would need is don’t harass anyone but sadly that isn’t the case. I can guarantee we’ve all heard the stereotypical advice on how to stay safe, not all of which I agree with. For instance, in this I will not tell you to cover up and wear more clothes to avoid unwanted attention and advances because as the victim of sexual assault or harassment it is never your fault, no blame falls on you or your outfit choices. However, some of those tips your nan probably tells you aren’t too outrageous. It may seem silly but try not to walk alone, whether it’s on campus or your regular route home, you’re an easier target on your own, especially at night in a badly lit area. You’ll often feel safe in a familiar area but it truly is better to be safe rather than sorry. In today’s tech-savvy world apps such as findmyfriends and safezone are making it easier than ever to make sure you and your friends are safe by sharing each other’s location in a private space. However, you should still send updates on your location and when you’re leaving. Sharing your location has its benefits but you should be cautious of sharing your location on social media sites such as Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. Sites such as these make you a target and easy to track down.

stomach, never disregard something when your entire body is warning you something isn’t right. Nonetheless, if you find yourself in a situation your gut is screaming for you to get out of there are tips to make you feel safer and prepared for anything.

Your elbow is the strongest joint in your body - if you feel threatened use it

Be cautious sharing your location on social media Similarly, never leave home without sufficient battery charge, you phone is your lifeline in any situation turning south. You don’t want to be without it. Make sure you it’s kept somewhere easily accessible and your emergency calls are set up in case of any emergencies. My biggest advice to anyone will always be to trust your gut instinct. It doesn’t matter how irrational or idiotic you feel, whether it’s the hair on the back of your neck or the butterflies in your

Image: @projectconsent

Take a few self-defence classes, more often than not these are offered free in community centres, but if not invest in your safety, it may be expensive but your life and happiness is worth more than money. If you can’t take a class, your elbow is the strongest joint in your body – if anyone makes you feel threatened use it, along with other techniques including bending back fingers, nipping, even kicking and scratching if that’s what it takes. Many violators stated they were less likely to peruse a victim if it was clear they were going to put up more fight than it’s worth. If you find yourself alone with someone harassing you and making unwanted sexual advances be brave. Make eye contact, ask them a question – anything as mundane as the time, by asking this you’ve not only seen their face and had time to note any distinguishing features you’ve also heard their voice. More often than not this is enough to put off an attacker. Make people earn your trust, I’m not saying be suspicious of everyone you meet, and you should never be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Simply remember advertising your life can put you at risk and in a difficult situation with a stranger. Equally, it’s okay to lie to get yourself out of an uncomfortable situation where you feel at risk or uncomfortable. You do not need to justify your reasoning behind it or feel guilty in anyway.

life & style fashion

Harvey Weinstein: Hollywood scandal

the courier

c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk Fashion Editors Chloe Bland, Sophie Schneider and Zofia Zwieglinska

Monday 23 October 2017

Bring out your sparkles

Nam Hoang shows the most dazzling trend from the catwalks for daytime and night looks

Weinstein’s offences are a representation of the darker secrets of Hollywood In a BBC interview with Emma Thompson regarding the Weinstein case, Thompson reflects on the need for more to be done about the vulnerability of young female performers in show business. She says this of the Hollywood industry – ‘there are so many blind eyes and we can’t keep making the women to whom this happens responsible’. It seems Donna Karan is to whom Thompson is referring. A blind eye, of which there are many, who would prefer to justify the actions of a powerful man than support the claims of vulnerable women. Any reasonable elements of Karan’s interview about the abundance of female sexualisation or the frequency of predators in Hollywood are undermined by her sympathy for Weinstein. It’s almost like she’s implying he has been hard done by, or deserves some respite from fierce media attention because there are others who are guilty of similar crimes. Calls for media attention to be directed towards other significant people of Hollywood are warranted, but time spent giving women the means to voice their experiences of Weinstein is not time misspent. Shortly afterwards Karan apologised as she claimed, ‘I made a statement that is unfortunately not representative of how I feel or what I believe’. While she might have changed her opinion or lamented the phrasing of her interview, her message that women should change their behaviour before that of men remains harrowingly clear. Rory Ellis

Image: Instagram @donnakaran

Images: Instagram: @glitter_fashion401, @jwanderson, @emmavervaeke, @couturefeast, flickr.com

ondon Fashion Week proved that political uncertainty can’t take pleasure out of creativity and aesthetics. In the sombre painted picture of the future of Britain, the ready-towear runway still shone. In LFW’s S/S 2018 season, the fashion world has witnessed the dramatic revival of glitter and sparkle. Within 7 days, the trend has spread over the London catwalk stage. It was seen in the glamorous Ralph and Russo ball gowns but sparkle also shone unexpectedly in the J.W. Anderson collection. Even Emporio Armani returned to London after more than a decade with a profusion of twinkling garments. The flash of sparkle comes from the reflection of the light at different angles on the material’s surface when it moves. Apart from the Christopher Kane-eque jewelled embroidery details, the two most common components were sequin and glitter. While Ralph and Russo retained the ‘atelier’ image as an haute couture house; Julien McDonald gave his audiences a club atmosphere with bias-cut sheer glitter gowns. Alice Temperley closed her show with a series of sequin designs, including a dreamy little mermaid dress and an impressive silver jumpsuit. The newcomers also had no

reservations in experimenting with sparkling layers. Molly Goddard, who had only joined LFW 3 years ago, carried on her layering experiments with the sequin midi dresses. Then Ashish brought a dance floor replica on his runway. During the show, glitter dominated and appeared in very different forms and textiles; like in the ‘Peter Pan’ collar dress, the lace slip dresses and the vertical disco star’s suit.

Nothing is more dazzling when you are out and about than a sparkling outfit When glitter or sparkles are mentioned, people straightaway think of nights out. Nothing is more dazzling when you are out and about than a sparkling outfit. If a girl is looking for a secret weapon to draw attention to her in the club, a gold/silver sequin dress or a jumpsuit set is a wise choice. Imagine you are there on the dance floor,

dancing, and those night crawlers around you have to concentrate on your every single movement. The LED light in that moment can’t stop you from shining. Sparkle, to be honest, is not regularly seen as daywear as it is hard to pull off when you have a wake-up-late kind of morning. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that sparkle is just for evenings. It is not a complicated day trend, as you can make it simple with layers. The most effortless way is to pick a sequin top, which can be mixed with minimalist pieces: plain pants or jeans and a pair of high heels and even sneakers. In the cheekier manner, style it up with sparkly trousers or skirt and see everyone stare dumbstruck as the new ‘it’ girl is born. In case you don’t want to be the centre of attention but have had enough of boring hoodies, pay attention to sparkly details. Alternatively, a sequin collar or jewelled embroidery effortlessly upgrades daily looks. Any accessory, like a sparkle clutch or a pair of glittered flats is not any less stylish to add a little wow factor and ensure all eyes on you.

Autumn jumpers: where to find the look With the weather turning sour, Emily Scott teaches us how to layer up with a collection of jumpers Oversized cable-knit sweater; Zara, £39.99

Black knit top; Zara, £19.99

Image: flickr.com

here are many worrying aspects to this story. The amount of victims that have declared a form of sexual harassment on Weinstein’s part, the potential number of women who may have been harassed but remain unidentified and Donna Karan’s suggestion that these women are largely responsible, all 29 of them. During a red carpet interview at the CineFashion Film Awards, Donna Karan made some controversial statements, especially for a woman who has supposedly ‘spent [her] life championing women.’ The self-confessed equal rights activist said that ‘we have to look at ourselves’, in an attempt to suggest the blame does not rest solely with movie mogul. She continued ‘It’s not Harvey Weinstein. You look at everything, all over the world today, and how women are dressing, and what they’re asking by just presenting themselves the way they do. What are they asking for? Trouble.” In other words, the women involved in these cases of rape and sexual harassment invited his advances because of the way they either dressed or acted. I can appreciate that Karan was making more of a general point about mainstream media and its sexualisation of women. But by coupling this point with the assertion that Weinstein and his wife are ‘wonderful people’ she suggests that Weinstein is the real victim of the scandal. ‘I think he’s being looked at as a symbol, not necessarily as him’ she continued, while an unsettling smile stretched across her face. It’s true, Weinstein’s offences are a representation of the darker secrets of Hollywood that are yet to be investigated, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t responsible for his actions.

Embroidered sweater; Zara, £39.99

utumn in Newcastle is cold, so cold it can sometimes feel equivalent to the weather conditions of an artic trek, especially when you can’t afford the luxury of having the heating on. At this time of year, finding that quick jumper fix could not be more important. Red is a great place to start, being the colour of the season and dramatically autumnal, yet a colour anyone can pull off. Seen by designers such as Victoria Beckham and Tommy Hilfiger it has now trickled down to the high street. Zara has this look covered with a collection of big chunky block coloured cable knits, a style that is a hit every year.

At this time of year, finding that quick jumper fix could not be more important They are also following through with the summer embroidery look adding red as a touch of minor colour

Dip dye wide aleeve; Topshop, £34

and decoration if you want a more adventurous design, but not quite daring enough to wear only red. This small detail can change a look entirely, allowing to accessories in various ways. Although, to the disappointment of us all there is no Zara in Newcastle town centre, there is a great sized store in the Metrocentre that is definitely worth a trip to grab these amazing jumpers. Another key look for jumpers and knitwear this season is the wrap round and tie, offering another textual detail and layering look. This can be tailored and fitted to your personal style. Again, Zara has this look nailed with a black cropped jumper, perfect for both dailywear or a night out on the toon. Two outfits for the price of one! This interchangeable look can paired with either a casual pair of high waisted mom jeans and trainers or a skirt/ fitted trousers for evening wear. It can be tied in any way you like, as you can wear it tighter and more figure hugging or looser with a big bow design. The one arm look is also very flattering on anyone, adding a touch of class to an outfit. Like Zara, Missguided have also played around with this Autumn style. Instead of putting the detail on the arms, they have taken a basic jumper and transformed it to add more character. This look is even easier to dress down

Image: Pixabay

and keep casual, as the basic grey goes with anything. The previous year’s preppy style has continued into Autumn, and a cropped sweatshirt is perfect for throwing on for the days you can’t be bothered to make much effort.

A cropped sweatshirt is perfect for throwing on for the days you can’t be bothered This final jumper completes many ‘Instagram’ looks, the new dressing down to go out look, comfort being key. Both Zara and Missguided are aimed at the student shopper, Missguided always providing you with great student offers, and Zara, although no student discount is available, their products are always sold at affordable prices. Both shops are always on the ball when supplying us with the latest catwalk and high street fashion style, providing individual unique styles that anyone can adapt to their own taste, allowing you to think outside the box and find your fashion niche.

the courier

@CourierFashion c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk

Monday 23 October 2017

Depop: the good, the bad and the unique Hannah Callaghan looks at the lighter and darker sides of our favourite shopping app

ou may question why the social marketplace app Depop, has suddenly become the latest online shopper craze. The former CEO, Runar Reistrup stated in 2016 that the growth was achieved through ‘word of mouth’. It’s true, everyone is talking about it, with its buyers and sellers ranging from your common Hypebeast’s who are solely interested in re-selling designer street gear, all the way to the DIY masters who create all things sparkly and unique. The platform in which Depop has created for itself appeals to the everyday teen buyer, as most items are one of a kind. This makes us feel special and cutting edge when it comes to fashion choices. “But how is it different to Ebay?” I hear you ask. On Ebay, you have to scroll through endless pages upon pages of crap that no one wants; yet it is never the case for Depop. You follow the sellers you are creatively inspired by, and the hand-picked pieces they offer you are next to none. If you don’t like the style you simply unfollow them. It’s that quick and easy to use. The possibilities to become your own entrepreneur are all there. It’s a modern way

for everyday people to create their own business in the fashion world and the chance to get a massive following (like the very well-known female seller: @pasttrash who has a following of over 125k). But Depop can’t be perfect, right?

You follow the sellers you are creatively inspired by, and the hand-picked pieces they offer are next to none There is a dark side to Depop like any other online marketplace. Loads of sellers who promote electronics can be dodgy, claiming the sender “sent the item but it got lost in the post” is a very common excuse, or a forged PayPal receipt created by the buyer in order to scam the seller. The forgery goes both ways. However, this happens everywhere online. Another critique of the app is that 10%

commission is taken automatically by Depop from every purchase, so as you can imagine, for all those Hypebeast’s out there reselling Supreme hoodies for £800, it can end up taking quite a bit off from your overall profit. Was the opportunity to sell on Depop really worth 80 quid? Some argue that Depop can tend to take advantage of naive teens who are merely looking through all that Depop has to offer. For the majority, Depop’s sense of style is unrivalled by high-street brands. They don’t have the cutting edge street style that teens are looking for these days. That’s why I rarely shop anywhere else. You can buy an item you love, wear it for however long you want, put it on an account to resell, and can either make your money again or even gain profit. With this new addition to your wallet, you can keep up to date with the quick pace of Depop fashion trends and buy yourself a new favourite. This addictive cycle is what makes everyone preach the wonders of Depop and is why everyone should give it a go; it could change your wardrobe and shopping habits for the better.

fashion life & style Minimise your fashion footprint

he “Primark effect”, the less than endearing term for the current trend of fast, throwaway fashion, brought about due to the cheap, poor-quality clothes seen in low-priced shops such as Primark, H&M, and Forever 21. Whilst at first the idea of cheap clothes seems appealing, especially for the average student budget, the environmental and ethical aspects that are overlooked due to this drive for rock-bottom prices, may change your mind. Fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world and it can take up to 10,000 litres just to make one pair of jeans. And our demand for cheap fashion made from poor-quality, non-recyclable materials has resulted in landfill sites being filled with more and more of our clothing, without the means to get rid of it. The most common nonrecyclable material favoured by fast fashion is polyester, made from fossil fuels. It’s scary to think that, as it is non-biodegradable, every piece of polyester that has ever been produced is still around today, not to mention the addition of the billions of new clothing items produced each year. If you are wondering where it’s all ending up, many microparticles from those clothes get washed into the ocean and are found in the fish we eat!

Fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world, and it can take up 10,000 litres to make a pair of jeans

Images: Instagram: @fionajhappy; @depop ; @depop.community

Death of the bandeau dress: Hervé Léger Natalya Baranovskaya looks back on the life and millinery inspired dress from the designer

ervé L. Leroux, mostly known as Hervé Léger and the creator of famous figurehugging bandage dresses, died on the 4th of October at the age of 60. The cause of his death was a ruptured aneurysm as was announced by the Fédération de la Haute Couture. Hervé Leroux, christened Hervé Peugnet, was born on the 30th of May in 1957 in Bapaume, France. He studied Sculpture and Art history at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, but not having completed his studies he then became a hairstylist and milliner. His life changed at 23 after his talent was recognised by Karl Lagerfeld, who encouraged Hervé to continue to work in fashion industry. Firstly, the young designer was working alongside Lagerfeld at Fendi, and then he has contributed designs to famous brands such as Chanel, Lanvin, Chloé, Swarovski and Diane von Furstenberg. In 1984, at the age of 28, he created his own line- Hervé Léger. His preceptor Karl Lagerfeld suggested the name for his line, as Léger is the root from the French word légèreté, which means ‘lightness’ in English. The name justified itself as

Images: Wikicommons, Flickr

it brought lightness into fashion industry, giving fashion the bandage or ‘body-con’ dresses. The idea of the sexy, body-hugging dress was born while Hervé Leroux was a hat maker. Once during his work on factory he noticed some useless bands. He decided to put these bands next to one another as he did in order to make a hat. This idea brought him the eternal fame in the world of fashion after he just introduced his first ‘bender dresses’ on the catwalk in 1989, which stole the hearts of the millions. At that time, they were called ‘bender dresses’ instead of ‘bandage dresses’ as they sculpted the female body shape.

The idea of the sexy, body-hugging dress was born while Hervé Leroux was a hat maker Léger aspired to make women feel attractive. He said in one of his interviews: “I like to make

women look beautiful, [make dresses for women] who want to please and be noticed.” You could readily argue that he did indeed achieve his goal as bandage dresses became popular among celebrities and stars like Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Melania Trump, Hilary Swank and Victoria Beckham. In spite of the fact that the company was sold to BCBG when Hervé Léger lost the majority stake in the company in 1998, the brand was born again in 2000 and bandage dresses appeared on the shelves again in 2008 and to this day have remained hugely popular. So it seems like in the pantheon of fashionable dresses these body-con dresses will never die. They will always be worn by girls and women who would like to define their body in order to create the perfect skin-tight silhouette, wherever they would be: on the party, red carpet, in cinema, on the wedding. These dresses are timeless and can be worn for different occasions. Despite the passing of their creator, it could be suggested that bodycon dresses will always be popular among women, alluring people around them.

However, fast fashion isn’t just damaging our environment, but often the people that make the clothes too. Although most people would confidently say that they do not support the idea of child labour or sweat shops, how many of you actually know where your clothes come from? In the past Primark itself has been called out for the use of sweat shops and one report even suggested that they would pay children just 60p a day to produce their clothes. This is where the idea of sustainable fashion comes in. It works on the principles of good quality materials, clean production that doesn’t damage the environment, fair conditions for producers and accessible prices for consumers. Although the items may be pricier than a £5 top from Primark, sustainable clothing is durable and designed to last for many years to guarantee your money well spent. The move to sustainable, environmentally friendly fashion is increasing in popularity with designers such as Stella McCartney and Lucy Tammam opting to add some sustainable elements to their collections. This is a great start but their designer fashion is not always very attainable for a typical student. Fortunately, creating a sustainable wardrobe can be done on a budget. Rummaging through charity shops is not only satisfying when finding an amazing piece that no one else has, but you will also be preventing the clothes going to landfill and supporting a charity at the same time. Being creative with the garments you already have, redesigning them, or even swapping them with friends are other low-cost ways to a sustainable wardrobe. Just being aware of how your clothes are made and how to sustainably dispose of them can help to minimise your fashion footprint and its effect on the environment. Amy Carroll

Instagram:@stellamccartney

life & style beauty

courier.beauty@ncl.ac.uk Beauty Editors Laura Greatrex, Lois Johnston & Susanne Norris

the courier

Monday 23 October 2017

To chuck or not to chuck?

The many colours of beauty

e’ve all got that drawer or make-up compartment, where you’re not exactly sure what’s inside but you’re keeping it anyway. I’ll take you through a whistle stop tour of mine: a green eyeshadow, liquid eyeliners I’m bad at using, chunky glitter, a foundation four shades darker than my actual skin colour, mini lip-glosses which are really cute but always get lost in my bag and serve no real purpose other than being cute. Apart from all these products being awful, they share another thing in common: they are old. I’m talking Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 old. I think it’s time I educate myself on how long make-up products really deserve pride place in our collection. First things first, it’s important to understand how make-up expiry date symbols work. Most symbols are on the bottom of the packaging and only begin once you have opened the product. The symbol is a little open jar, with a number and letter inside, for example, ‘12M’ would mean 12 months until expiry. However, the expiry date between mascara, powders and concealer differs between product, brand, and formulation. So, to keep it simple, I’ve broken it down into the most basic form of expiry dates for each product. Mascara: Mascaras have a short expiration date, and last between just three and four months. After this time, due to oxidation, the mascara becomes clumpier, lighter and a lot flakier. Keeping an old mascara isn’t great hygienically either because mascara wands hold a lot of bacteria on them and this can often lead to eye irritations. Moisturiser: Moisturisers last for about a year – which is great, despite the fact I’m pretty sure I go through about one bottle a month when Newcastle hits arctic temperatures. Lipstick: Lipsticks can last for over 2 years; however, they can become sticky and dry if left out in the heat, so it’s best to clean them with a wipe every so often. More of an excuse to buy a new Charlotte Tilbury lipstick I think! Brow and eyeliner pencils: Pencils last for up to 2 years. The best way to keep them fresh is to sharper them to remove any bacteria or germs on the top layer of the product! Liquid Concealer and Foundation: These last between 6-12 months, which means it’s a good reminder to change between colours from winter to summer as your products might not only be the wrong shade but also reaching their expiry date! A top tip is to keep foundations out the UV light as this destroys the preservatives and spoils the product. Hard-Pressed Powder: i.e. blusher and mattifying powder. These last for a pretty hefty time of 2 years, rarely becoming flaky or dry, however it’s important to remember that these products are directly coming into contact with your face and let’s be honest, spots! It’s great to invest in a product sanitizer, or simply wash your brushes every month or so – just to make sure what you put on your face is actually good for it! Perfume: A real shocker here, perfume lasts between 8-10 years! Wow! Although the notes of perfume can change over time, especially if kept in harsh light or direct sunlight, so the best thing to do is keep your bottles in a cool and dry place to make sure you get your ten years’ worth out of them. It does make you realise why they are so expensive! Hannah Lockyer

Image: @topshelfieillustrated

Rashida Campbell - Allen discusses the inequalities found in the ever-growing beauty industry he beauty industry is teeming with paradox. It claims to be ‘evolving’ and conveying the façade of inclusivity but the extent to which this is actually happening certainly raises a few eyebrows. Today’s so-called standards of beauty are damaging to non-white women, with the industry failing to recognise diversity and its shortfalls in the products and variety companies offer. From personal experience as a black woman, memories of my early attempts to find my shade, convincing myself that a pale one would eventually match my skin colour if I rubbed it in hard enough, induce a cringe that could keep me up at night! Why is it that there’s a plethora of shades (some impossible to differentiate) and only a minuscule selection for darker skin tones-suggesting a sense of “one shade fits all”? This isn’t to say that there hasn’t been change. Development in the beauty industry has been relatively tremendous (yet note my use of the term ‘relative’ as there’s still a long way to go!). Media representation of the coloured woman has increased and there’s a selection of profound faces in the industry that are non-white women. Rihanna, Zendaya, Naomi Campbell, Jourdan Dunn etc.

Today’s so-called standards of beauty are damaging to nonwhite women, with the industry failing to recognise diversity However, is this due to a genuine morality and equality shift, recognition of the marginalisation of this demographic or more cynically, an indication of the persistent novelty and entertainment of it-

objectification and exoticisation of the coloured body? A blind eye remains turned towards our multiracial society, inevitably creating isolation of the minority, which here, is the non-white woman. This question is complex for there are various credible arguments. Hence why we must look into modern forms of intersectionality and accept that beauty isn’t necessarily “natural”- it’s a socially constructed concept which is selectively applied to certain members of society that coincidentally, rarely turn out to be women of colour.

From personal experience as a black woman, memories of my early attempts to find my shade ... induce a cringe that could keep me up at night Now unless you’ve been living under a rock or chosen to take a much needed break from social media you’d know about that Dove advert. Earlier this week, Dove released a campaign gif on Facebook showing a black woman taking off her t-shirt to then become a white woman, who then becomes another non-white woman (Asian/ Latino/Eastern European). One particular frame has triggered an uproar about the literal depiction of a black woman using this product to treat and shed her skin to become lighter. Although this may not have been Dove’s intention, there is no question that this is perceivable as racist. However, if people have seen the entire advert they’d understand the universal concept behind Dove products. Perhaps this was simply a case of unfortunate events and poor advertisement design but the underlying concept itself isn’t racist - which Dove have

Image: @fentybeauty

apologised profusely for. Alternatively, we’ve Fenty Beauty! Where do we begin? Rihanna’s cosmetic range offers 40 shades spanning all skin tones. It’s the first of its kind, providing women of all ethnicities with great options. However, is this too little too late? Why has this not been done before? Perhaps we, as well as cosmetic companies, should begin to reflexively criticise the constructions and inequalities of beauty that are so easily overlooked. Indeed, this is an incredible feat for black women in particular but the success is only a drop in the ocean, and I can only but hope that this will inspire bigger brands to practice greater inclusivity rather than simply preaching and sampling it. It’s said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but who exactly is that ‘beholder’? It seems to be a society that claims a false ideology of equality, representation and inclusivity, but complacency and ignorance will continue to feed the unhealthy cycle of racial inequality within the beauty industry.

Confidence is key

Bridie Lonsdale opens up about her experiences with acne at secondary school and reminds us all about how important it is to be happy and confident in ourselves and our own skin

chool corridors - breeding grounds for torment, humiliation and devastation. Unlike a playground or yard, where it’s somewhat easier to make a quick U-turn, the necessary journey from A to B becomes a nervous scuttle. Head down. Shoulders likewise. Zero eye contact. For the best part of my secondary education this is how each day would pan out. The trials and tribulations of adolescence, particularly in school, greet us in varying forms, whether it’s testing the patience of those who claim to know best, not to be questioned because they’re “older and therefore wiser”, relationship break ups and make ups, or the universal desire for acceptance. This acceptance is often accredited on a superficial basis that is unforgiving to those with less fortunate skin. Judgement cast at face value.

80%

nine years old I was developing the typical skin of a child five years my senior, and this only became worse as time went on. Cleansing wipes, washes, creams, pore strips, skin peels, masks, antibiotics, diets, herbal supplements - you name it I tried it. It goes without saying that being bullied about your skin, about your face, the part of your body that can’t be covered and hidden as easily as you might like, would seriously affect anyone’s confidence. In this case, the happy ending to my story arrived in the form of Isotretinoin (Roaccutane). Yes, there are side effects - the majority fairly standard, but others more severe, making the drug less appealing to many, myself included. Without wanting to draw this into a Roaccutane sales pitch, I cannot recommend this more to anyone with problematic skin. Seriously. Have a little read, speak to a dermatologist, and don’t be frightened by any

of young people aged between 11 and 30 suffer with acne

One of the biggest misconceptions about acne is that it is caused purely by poor hygiene. While it is true that not washing your face can produce spots, in the case of many, the issue is more deep rooted and requires a course of topical creams, antibiotics or prescription drugs to clear. Those who suffer with problem skin are also unfairly labelled as struggling with a condition that is purely superficial, cosmetic, a waste of doctors’ time, and something that you should just accept. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Of course, I can only speak from personal experience. Having been born with baby acne, it seems my fate was already sealed. By around eight/

horror stories. It is very frustrating to see someone battling with problematic skin, without knowing that there is such a brilliant potential cure for it. To approach a stranger and interrogate them on their skin is not something I’d have appreciated that’s for sure, however I would hope that in sharing my experience, I have reached out to those of you feeling utterly helpless.

Being bullied about your skin ... the part of your body that can’t be covered ... would seriously affect anyone’s confidence There’s nothing cowardly or vain about seeking treatment for skin conditions - whatever they may be, no matter how big or small they may seem. Loving the skin you’re in doesn’t mean bearing the pain of unruly cysts. To love, accept and be confident in yourself, comes from knowing you’re trying to be the healthiest, best and most twinkly version of yourself - regardless of what form that takes.

@CourierBeauty @courier_beauty Image: @simpleskin

the courier

@CourierBeauty thecourieronline.co.uk/beauty

Monday 23 October 2017

Back to beauty school

Following Channel 4’s series Educating Greater Manchester, Emily Cartwright covers the ageold debate: should students be allowed to wear make-up or should it be banned in schools?

debate which the education system has suffered for years: should students be allowed to wear make-up in school? I say students, not girls, because it’s the 21st century, and quite frankly, boys, or any other gender a person may identify with, can wear make-up too. It could be said that the debate itself is completely preposterous, as education and whether an individual wears make-up or not, do not correlate. However, it could also very easily be argued that wearing or not wearing make-up can lead to other issues such as bullying and then have a knock on affect an individual’s education.

Education and whether an individual wears make-up or not, do not correlate

good about themselves. Furthermore, individuality is important as you go through the teenage years. Who wants to simply ‘blur into one?’ Expressing yourself how you desire, whether this be through make-up, piercings, hair colour or tattoos, is key to the development of personality. So, to take away the option of expressing yourself through make-up is the wrong way to go. On the contrary, it could be said that school is no beauty pageant so it is not the place to express yourself. Who cares what you look like? Students who want to wear make-up can save it for when they’re at home, where they can paint their faces to their hearts’ content. The focus of school should be education and not how you look. It may be the best thing to have a no make-up rule in schools

Allow me first to consider the idea that make-up should not be allowed in schools. The immediate suggestion would be that bullying may occur as a result of wearing make-up, or not wearing it if the majority do so. The ideology is that, by a school making a rule where no individual can wear makeup, everybody looks the same. Through this, students are blurred as a group in uniform to reduce differences and therefore things to pick on. Having said that, such a rule may result in insecurities in a student. If an individual with acne, for example, wants to cover up their skin and they can’t, this may lead to severe self-confidence issues. Bearing in mind the fact that mental health problems, especially amongst teenagers, are increasing day by day, the right to wear make-up shouldn’t be taken away from a student. Wearing make-up in such circumstances can therefore be seen as a confidence booster, allowing an individual to feel

but then again, wearing make-up has no affect on anyone else. A 10-minute make-up routine in the morning before school isn’t going to affect anyone’s education, but if a student starts to do their makeup in class, it lies with the teacher to intervene, as they would if a student was on their mobile phone. Students should be allowed make their own choices - isn’t that part of a learning process too? The debate could last all day, but ultimately I see the debate as somewhat absurd - who cares if a student does or doesn’t want to wear make-up? The choice shouldn’t be taken away from them. Whatever reason they want to wear make-up, and how they want to wear it, should be left completely up to them and no-one ought to say a word about it.

Image: @mypaleskinblog

The Glossier-est revolution begins

beauty life & style

Cruelty-free swap: Skincare edition

t is increasingly difficult to find crueltyfree alternatives - especially ones that are affordable! We’re hesitant to stray from products that are already staples in our collection, but finding a cruelty-free swap gives us not just a great new product, but a clear conscience while using it. A lot of brands are becoming crueltyfree, and many have alternatives to cult products that haven’t harmed any animals. One product that has been popular within the beauty community is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, sold in John Lewis, Fenwick or Space NK. This product is amazing for when your skin needs revitalising, as it gives a healthy glow without making your face oily. Another great cruelty-free alternative to make your skin glow is Lush’s Breath Of Fresh Air. This product also contains rose, an ingredient great for sensitive skin as it helps soothe and reduce redness. These products both come in a handy spray bottle, perfect for on-the-go. If you love glowing skin, another cruelty-free alternative is the Pixi Glow Tonic, a cult product amongst the beauty community, available in the Marks and Spencer beauty section. Use this multi award-winning toner before your moisturiser, as it gently exfoliates the skin to give your complexion a natural glow. The glow comes from the glycolic acid, which is a mild exfoliant made up of small molecules. These penetrate deep into skin, and can be used for all kinds of skin issues such as acne, dullness and even fine lines! A great and cheap product for breakouts is The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, which can be found in Fenwick or online at ASOS or Cult Beauty. This is a great cruelty-free alternative for Neutrogena’s spot treatment, as this product’s active ingredient is also salicylic acid. Moreover, The Ordinary’s product also contains witch-hazel, an ingredient known for its powers of reducing redness and inflammation. The Ordinary produce a vast amount of skin products for other issues too. Try the Vitamin C Suspension to brighten complexion, or the Caffeine Solution to reduce dark circles.

Following the hype of Glossier launching in the UK, Nimra Rafique gives us a run-down of the company’s history, it’s journey to the UK and all of products you need to check out and why

lossier is a name that has been circulating in the beauty world a lot recently. Be it on Instagram, blogs or YouTube, Glossier has been a hot topic amongst beauty lovers, and now it has come to the UK. Glossier’s founder and CEO, Emily Weiss, began her career as a fashion assistant at Vogue after studying art at New York University. While working alongside big beauty brands she came to the realisation that there was a lack of a personal connection between these brands and their audience. As stated in her interview with Teen Vogue, Weiss expressed that she found “there were great products available, but I felt a disconnect between the brands and me, the customer”. In an attempt to decrease this “disconnect”, Weiss launched her beauty blog IntoThe Gloss in 2010 where she would get a peek inside the bathroom cabinet of glamorous celebrities. She focused on women such as Karlie Kloss and Kim Kardashian to give insight on what beauty products they used. This allowed Weiss to present details on what these inspiring women thought of beauty, what it meant to them and the products that they love. Moreover, through the comment section Weiss’ audience became involved in the discussions. In 2014 Weiss expanded her brand with the launch of Glossier, a beauty brand that is now adored by many.

Emily Weiss The founder of Glossier’s go-to beauty look is dewy skin with layers of mascara. She is never without her trusty lip balm. Image: @emilywweiss

When the New York-based company launched they initially started with four beauty products. These were Rosewater Setting Spray, Priming

Moisturizer, Skin Tint, and Skin Balm, all of which were focused on creating dewy skin. Weiss explained on her blog when she launched her brand they wanted to start by “laying the foundation for a beauty movement: one that celebrates real girls, in real life”. Now Glossier, with its vast range of beauty products, has launched in the UK. This launch took place on 9th October due to the high demand from the Glossier’s UK audience. Social media plays a major role when it comes to Glossier, particularly Instagram, as it allows the Glossier team to communicate with their audience and showcase everything related to the brand with just a click of a button. As Weiss explains to Evening Standard “close to half of our Instagram followers are international — and we saw that a lot of our UK fans were asking for Glossier”. So, in listening to her audience’s demands Weiss has made Glossier available in the UK, so that her UK customers can easily get and enjoy her products. With a wide spectrum of products to choose from and because Glossier is very new in the UK it can be an overwhelming task to find out what products are worth trying and will be right for you. Here are just a few products you may want to try: Phase 1 - £35 Why not start with the products that are believed to create a beautiful, glowy foundation to your beauty routine and what Glossier call ‘Phase 1’. Included in this set are a Milky Jelly Cleanser, Priming Moisturizer and Balm Dotcom. Cloud Paint- £15 This delicate, gel-cream formula blush is designed to give you a natural flush of colour and radiant dewy skin. It comes in four lovely colours: Beam, Puff, Haze and Dusk. Boy Brow - £14 Brows frame the face, so they should be a vital part of everyone’s beauty routine. To help you get the perfect brows why not try Boy Brow, which is the No1 bestseller on the Glossier website.

Haloscope - £18 If you’re looking to get natural looking, dewy skin, Haloscope is perfect for you. This creamy formula glides onto the skin, giving it a gorgeous glow. Image: @deciem

Unfortunately L’Oréal’s well-loved Pure Clay Face Masks and Glamglow’s amazing, but pricey, SuperMud Mask are not cruelty-free products. However, Lush have a gorgeous range of Fresh Face Masks, each for a specific skin type or issue, and each with the reassurance they have not been tested on animals. For oily skin, try the Cupcake Fresh Face Mask – this beauty will moisturise your skin while simultaneously unclogging your pores. Oatifix is great if you have dry skin, as it gently exfoliates and hydrates your complexion. The Fresh Face Masks from Lush are a great option if you already buy lots of their potted products, because if you bring 5 empty pots to the shops, you can choose a Fresh Face Mask for free! Sophie Hicks

Our picks: Cruelty-Free Kitty: An informative blog featuring lists of crueltyfree brands. The writer, animal-lover Suzi, has also composed an extensive list describing the reasons why we should all consider going cruelty-free. Despite its humorous and friendly tone, Suzi’s writing doesn’t shy away from highlighting the horrors that occur behind the scenes of companies who still continue to test their products on animals. Follow Suzi on Instagram @crueltyfreesquad Image: @glossier

life & style travel The perks and perils of flying solo

Image Pixabay

o, your friends don’t want to go travelling, and, for some reason, you’re a student with enough money to still be able to. There are only two solutions: either travel with a secondchoice mate, or on your own. I’m telling you now a semi-mate won’t hack it- you’ll rip each other’s head off faster than you can say ‘I thought you booked the hostel’. You must make the venture alone. Between you and me, it’ll be better. Solo travel is much easier than you might expect (certainly easier than going with a friend). Tension is inevitable when travelling with others. You become responsible for them, and them to you, and eventually you both get tired of the responsibility.

Problems are solved in the way you want and there’s no need to compromise your own fun But alone, things are easier. Problems are solved in the way you want and there’s no need to compromise your own fun. Hungry? Go and eat. Tired? Nap. No need to buy that €6 savoury croissant ‘cause your mates hungry, or give up your bed ‘cause they’ve found a tasty Mediterranean boy to munch on. Solo travellers have no horror stories; they have real stories. Don’t be scared- it’s easy. People will come to you. Most people outside the Interrail circuit travel solo and are also looking for company. When you’re on your own, you’ll become closer with the people you meet than if you were with someone else.

Alone, you are fascinating. With another, you become intimidating. Solo travellers enjoy the company of locals who are bound to approach you at every corner. Alone, you are fascinating. With another, you become intimidating. There’s no way you’d be invited to someone’s for tea, or on a stranger’s motorbike were you not alone. It’s amazing how hospitable pretty much every country is outside of Britain. If you’re feeling lonely, just hang around in the hostel and before you know it you’ll be hanging out with people from all over the world, and locals will be shoving whatever their vile ‘delicacy’ is down you like it was keeping you alive. Basically, you can do it! If you’re willing to stomach a little deep-fried sea urchin. Sidney Pinsent

@Courier_Travel thecourieronline.co.uk/travel

courier.travel@ncl.ac.uk Travel Editors Charlotte Hill & Talia Gillin

the courier

Monday 23 October 2017

Top tips for sustainable travel

Amanda Goh shares her top tips for treading lightly with your carbon footprint when off exploring

ith increasingly popular photos on Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest exposing the beauty and nature of the earth, more and more of us want to travel the world. With so many ways to now travel plane, train, boat or even by foot- it really is easier than ever. Upon arrival to our destination, experiencing every aspect of the location gives us a sense of happiness and pleasure. However, the growth in travelling has not resulted in all smiles and pleasure on the earth. Unrestrained tourism has been increasing, resulting in pollution and other consequences on the earth. Before taking up geography, I was not fully aware of what travelling could do to the earth. Since, I had been more self aware of how everyday activities can harm the earth– simple things such as not unplugging my appliances when I am not using them or buying imported goods. I have since learnt how to be more eco-conscious and made an effort to be more sustainable in my travel. There are no excuses- even as a student, it is easy to make changes that will not result in a dent in the bank! So here are some ways how we as students can be more eco-conscious and sustainable travellers:

Stop littering

Respect your surroundings

effort. Read up on the places you are about to travel to and learn more about their country and local environment. When travelling or hiking, don’t go off course as you might stumble upon protected grounds without knowing it.

Top Tip

Use reusable water bottles rather than plastic bottles

though you are not directly paying for how much electricity you use in your hotel, by not conserving energy it still hurts the earth. Spend less time on transport and go by foot! You will be able to see so many more parts of the world where the cars can’t get to! If you do go by transport, try to take the most environmentally friendly form of transport. This will reduce the pollution that is caused by transport and help create a happier world.

Save energy

It really isn’t that hard to remember to turn of the lights and air conditioning in hotels to save electricity. Be smart and know that even

Buy local

By supporting local businesses, not only does it create jobs and business for the locals, it helps us to be more sustainable. This is important as buying imported goods leads to an increase in your food miles – creating more air and water pollution on the earth. Further, by supporting locals, we are also able to learn more about their culture and traditions, which is always a benefit!

Start throwing away litter and cleaning up the mess that you’ve made. There is only one earth that we can live on and we should start treating it well. Recycling what you are able to and putting your mess away in the nearest bin equals a happier and more sustainable planet- it really isn’t rocket science! Avoid using plastic bottles when you can as it results in a lot of waste.

Be aware of your surroundings and respect the cultures and traditions of the place you are at. Locals really appreciate your towards them and their culture so it’s important we all make a real

Image Pixabay

I left my heart in Greenwich

This week Leslie Deng tells of her age old love affair with London’s Royal Borough, Greenwich

uring my first ever trip to London five years ago, Greenwich left me with some of my happiest memories. Last month’s visit reassured me of its charm. Greenwich placed a sudden charm on me as soon as I arrived. It is vibrant, refreshing and intimate. The streets are memorable, lined with unique shops and restaurants. Despite being so close to London, Greenwich has its own identity- away from the pressure of a big city.

1676

year the Greenwich observatory was built

When I arrived at the riverbank, the distant sound of music stirred my curiosity. I followed it, and found myself at the music school of the Royal Naval College. As I entered through the archway, I was suddenly immersed in a strange ocean of

tunes. The sound of violins, trumpets, saxophones, and guitars was pouring out of the windows, forming wild currents against the ordered stones. Through another arch lies the river. The sky was grey, the river dull. But a beautiful scene was on the lawn: a man kneeling down on one knee next to a woman in joyous tears. I couldn’t hear their conversation, but an eager hug told me her answer. Still the sky was grey, the river dull. Until, gradually, the waves leapt higher, crashed harder, and suddenly erupted into a golden flame. The splashes charged with a fearless youth, clashing against the aged, green moss with such proud mockery that I felt everything was suddenly clear and full of energy. The golden colour seemed to have united the world. The arrival of twilight offered me a third, thrilling surprise. After the gloaming dimmed, the sky bloomed into an intoxicating violet. The symmetrical towers of the college became silhouettes, framing a man in the central lane, and forming a perfectly balanced picture.

Despite being so close to London, Greenwich has its own identity- away from the pressure of a big city What really made the scene was the subtle colour overhead- flowing, fleeting, unstructured. The man must have been stunned by the beauty, because he stayed still for some moments, until the appearance of another figure from the left. The human element of the picture became dynamic again. They walked, hand in hand, across the meadow; their conversations I couldn’t hear, but their hearts were reflected in the evening lights.

Newcastle students’ travel pictures of the week Charlotte Hill shows us the magic of Morrocco with a collection of snaps from her recent trip @Courier_travel @courier.travel

culture What’s on 19

the courier Monday 23 October 2017

student voice editor.union@ncl.ac.uk

thecourieronline.co.uk Culture Editors Zoë Godden and Errol Kerr

NSR SHOW OF THE WEEK The Football Tube Mondays 6pm-7pm

Fronting up The Football Tube are Callum & Luke, two second-year students with a deep knowledge and understanding of the footballing world. Not only do they manage to debate and analyse European Football while focusing on England’s top tiers but do so with a unique, and award-winning, perspective. Fresh off of winning “Daytime Show of the Year” at the NUSU Media Awards in 2017 the duo return to tackle another year of football with features like “Prem in the Periscope” where they divulge the weekends Premier League Action and “The Berwick Bulge” in which they follow the only English Club playing in a Scottish League. You’ll also be able to catch a weekly roundup of Newcastle United’s progress this season in “Minute for the Mags”, a concise 60 second roundup. The show kicks-off a night of 5 brilliant shows on NSR.

Union University Campaign Society Monday 23 October

12pm LINKS: CPR Marathon Location: NUSU Forum (Big Heads) 7pm SHOOK: New Material Comedy Night Location: Venue, NUSU 6.45pm MSF: Refugee Discussion Location: Dental Lecture Theatre 3

Tuesday 24 October

1pm Pumpkin Carving Meet: Outside NUSU 5.30pm Halloween Ghost Walk Meet: Outside NUSU 5.30pm Mineshaft Thirteen: Halloween Maze Meet: Hatton Gallery 5.30pm Halloween in the Park Location: Felling Park, Gateshead 5.30pm Luther’s Halloween CarnEvil Location: Luther’s NUSU

STU BREW BEER OF THE WEEK Extended Overdraught Available now

Last Friday, Stu Brew – Newcastle University’s very own student-led brewery – celebrated the third anniversary of their first batch of beer. If there’s two things you can count on students and brewers to do, it’s to make decent beer, and hold a decent party. With live music from Newcastle Student Radio’s own DJ La Do and cracking food from Sghetti Monster, good beer and good times were had by all. Given the extent of the partying the night before; you might forgive Stu Brew for taking a week off to recover. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. This weekend, there’s a double brew of their flagship IPA – Extended Overdraught – the spiritual successor of that prototype that started it all three years ago. This golden-brown beer uses Caramalt and Marris Otter malts, and Magnum and Dr. Rudi hops. This gives it a smooth finish with notes of resinous pineapple, and apple peel. If this sounds like your kind of thing, you can try it at Luther’s or at some of the EAT@ venues, as well as in some bottle shops around town. Dan Jordan

POETRY IN ACTION POEM OF THE WEEK ‘Spain sought to silence Catalonia with laws. When they refused to cover, They forced them down with their blows. Catalonia bleeds Due to state-sponsored violence; Yet Europe cowers In a bludgeoning silence.’ Poetry In Action Society

Wednesday 25 October

5.30pm GIAG: Ice Hockey: Introduction Meet: Hatton Gallery 2pm Exit Room: Escape Games Meet: Outside NUSU 2.30pm/3.15pm Horse Riding: Beginner Course Location: Stepney Bank, NE1 2PN 3pm LINKS: Heartstart Course Location: MLK Room, NUSU

5.30pm Spanish Beginner Classes Location: Language Resource Centre, Old Library Building

LINKS: SAVE A LIFE WEEK Monday 23 - Friday 27 October The joint Newcastle and Northumbria First Aid Society is putting on a week of activities to raise money and awareness

Thursday 26 October

18.50pm LINKS: Training Meet: Outside NUSU 5pm GIAG: Dog Cafe Visit Meet: Outside NUSU 7.30pm Musical Medics Performance Location: Jubilee Theatre 7.45pm Thai Soc: Remembering the Late King Location: Domain Hall, Northumbria University 9pm GPS Social Location: Mono

Friday 27 October

11am LINKS: Bake Sale Location: NUSU Forum (Big Heads) 4.30pm Friday Night at the Races

Meet: Outside NUSU 5.30pm GIAG: Cocktail Making Masterclass Meet: Outside NUSU 7.30pm Musical Medics Performance Location: Jubilee Theatre

Saturday 28 October

9.30am Beamish Museum Meet: Hatton Gallery 9.30am Dance Taster Class Location: History Room, NUSU 3pm NUFC v Bournemouth Collect tickets: Activities Office NUSU 6.30pm The Complete Stone Roses Location: NUSU 7pm Aikido Location: Multipurpose Room B, Sports Hall 7.30pm Musical Medics Performance Location: Jubilee Theatre

Sunday 29 October

9.30pm GIAG: Alnwick Castle & Gardens Meet: Hatton Gallery 10am Snowboarding Lesson Meet: Hatton Gallery 5pm GIAG: Badminton Location: Eldon Leisure, Grey’s Quarter 7pm Ladies Football Location: Sports Hall

Student spotlight MUSICAL MEDICS

SOUTH ASIAN

THAI

Performances: 26, 27, 28 October

Diwali Ball: 3 November

Musicals Medics present Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5: The Musical, in aid of Newcastle Women’s Aid. The society is made up of 4th year medical students who put on a show every year for their chosen charity. The musical is a story of three undervalued secretaries, who are suffering under the hands of their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical boss. Expect an allsinging, all-dancing spectacle with some Dolly Parton classics and men in fluffy pink handcuffs. This is all in aid of a fantastic charity, Newcastle’s Women Aid, who provide support for sufferers of domestic abuse. So come along to the Jubilee Theatre at St Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth on the 26th, 27th and 28th October; get your tickets online on the NUSU website. or keep an eye out on our Facebook event for paper ticket sales! Tickets are £7 in advance or £8 on the door. See you there!

The South Asian Society invites you to their Diwali Ball, coming up in the first week of November. The event will be held in Newcastle’s Assembly Rooms, and those interested in tickets should contact the Newcastle South Asian Society’s Facebook page or buy them directly from the NUSU website. We hope to see many of you there.

Remembering the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej: Thursday 26 October For the occasion of the Royal Cremation Ceremonies of His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the 26th of October 2017, Newcastle University Thai Society and Northumbria University Thai Society are arranging a gathering for Thai students to grieve and mourn for the loss of our great King. We invite all those who wish to remember His Majesty to join us in the event and do justice to his incredible life. If you wish to participate the event, please be informed of the following: Date: 26/10/2017 Time: Starting from 7.45pm and expected to finish no later than 9.00pm Venue: Domain Hall, Northumbria University Students’ Union, 2 Sandyford Rd, NE1 8SB

culture music

On Campus

UJO (Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra) is a student-run big band that plays jazz and pop music. We regularly perform at student events such as society balls, as well as playing other functions and gigs around the city. The band is made up of students studying a whole range of subjects but who all enjoy playing, or singing, this style of music. For many, the weekly rehearsals are a good opportunity to keep up their playing whilst at uni and also maintain friendships within their accommodation (I once tried practicing the trumpet in halls…it didn’t go down well!)

20 points if you find the music editor in this pic! We’re not sure how long the society has been running, but over that time we have sourced all our own music and equipment, so much so that the band is fully self-sufficient and independent. This freedom is great, as it gives us the flexibility to try out new music, ideas and play as many gigs as we can fit in. As important as the gigs are, there is also a large social aspect to the band. Spending time together away from the music means that you get to know the people around you, and also improves your playing as a group when it comes to performances. The big social of the year is the weekend away to ‘the middle of nowhere’, Northumberland. Crucially, instruments are banned on this trip.

Theres a strong chance NUJO have played at a ball or event you have atttended There’s a strong chance that NUJO will have played at a ball or event that you have attended. “There’s a lot of organisation needed to coordinate a band which often has over 20 musicians”, says society President Oli Presland, “but it’s well worth the effort when we’re doing a gig and have the whole room up and dancing!” For booking enquiries please email nujo@hotmail.co.uk Joe Davies

@Newcastle University JazzOrchestra @Courier_Music @TheCourierMusic

Monday 23 October 2017

Have music royalties gone too far?

James Davies questions the validity of streaming and royalties in the industry today, and asks if they are good for accessibility or whether they’re just another excuse for big names to complain

here’s always a huge amount in the news about streaming services and how they ‘exploit’ artists and make the music industry unfair. Most notably was Taylor Swift removing all her music from Spotify and her open letter to Apple music. This really got me thinking about royalties and whether there’s any truth behind Taylor Swift’s accusations. To be honest, I really don’t agree with them. For years and years, artists have been able to make millions of dollars simply by recording a basic song- Taylor Swift herself is worth near to $260 million. In fairness, it is far harder to make money from music these days. With the likes of Spotify paying very small amounts of money to artists, up and coming acts find it almost impossible to make a living and get a footing in the industry unless they’re somehow miraculously spotted by someone. However, it’s usually not these artists that speak out. It’s the ones such as Swift who make millions of dollars a year (sometimes upwards of $50-100 million) who speak out and complain.

of them and it really is to do with the power they have. Do we need to change the way we think about music royalties? True, everyone deserves to be paid, but does it really

matter if these larger artists make a few million dollars less every year? In all honesty, I think most people would agree with me. After Taylor Swift removed all her music,

There is something fundamentally wrong with the way in which artists make money There is something fundamentally wrong with the way in which artists make money, almost resembling the situation with footballers. It seems ludicrous that celebrities like these can make so much when there’s people on £21,000 a year or even less when they work so much harder for their money. These artists use their position of power to exploit the industry. They make far too much money because they’re frankly greedy, as are the record labels in charge

Image: Flickr

1989 became the most pirated album of that month on Pirate Bay, but at the same time she sold around 3 million copies in the first week. Her album was £15 upon release so just attempt to imagine how much money she made from that. It’s not hard to understand why she’s worth so much.

After Taylor Swift removed all her music, 1989 became the most pirated album of that month In my opinion, we shouldn’t listen to these artists complaining in a changing music scene. Yes, it’s getting harder to make money from music but I believe that makes things fairer. It’s not right that they’re paid into the millions when there are people who work hard every day and make pennies in comparison, and yet these are the very people who choose to pay £15 for an album, funding these A-List lifestyles led by the musicians at the top. Artists fundamentally are paid far too much for everything from singles to gigs. There’s enough greed in this world without artists constantly complaining about how much they’re paid and that they aren’t getting enough in royalties when they already get extortionate pay. So ultimately, music royalties are changing and it is much better for consumers like us. Maybe artists are paid less, but it makes things fairer.

Battle of the streams

Which digital download champs come out on top? Molly Greeves talks you through the title contenders of the best streaming services to download your Saturday night party anthems onto

ndeniably, music streaming has dominated the world of music consumption and this is no surprise. Amongst a generation who want to save money, gain accessibility and discover music from a variety of genres, streaming sites have filled a void and blown all other methods of music consumption out of the water. The question is now about which one will come out on top. Whilst Spotify currently dominates the market with around 60 million paying users, it was only a matter of time before the $750 billion technology company, Apple, reacted to their loss of iTunes sales by launching Apple Music in 2015 - which has already converted 30 million paying users. Although a little further behind, Tidal is also holding its own. The site owned by Jay-Z has gained 4.2 million users since it’s 2014 launch. For music fans, a streaming site is like a home, and this comparison can help you decide where to lay your head. First things first, price. Everyone wants to save

Streaming sites allow us to listen to more music for less dough Image: NUJO

the courier

c2.music@ncl.ac.uk Music Editors Toby Bryant, Charlie Isaac & Ally Wilson

money, especially students, and one of the key appeals of streaming sites is that they allow us to listen to more music for less dough. Spotify and Apple Music are both priced at $9.99 a month ($4.99 with a student discount). However, Spotify allows users to listen for free, so long as the advertisements don’t drive you crazy. Although Apple Music don’t have a free option, their free trial offers three months of free listening which trumps Spotify’s thirty-day free trial. Tidal’s HiFi subscription is priced at $19.99, probably explaining why they have fewer users. However, they created a $4.99 Premium option to compete with Spotify.

recently boasted eclipsing 40 million. However, the curation of playlists and discovery of new music continues to be important for musiclovers and keeps many loyal to Spotify. The site’s “Discover Weekly” feature allows users to find new music that they are likely to enjoy, and it’s “Daily Mixes” provide new playlists tailored to the specific areas of a user’s music taste from their running songs to their guilty pleasures. For many, Apple Music’s “For You” feature is not as useable, as it requires the listener to select their favourite artists to create playlists they will enjoy.

All else aside, the most important aspect of a music streaming site is, unquestionably, the actual music. This is what attracts many users to Tidal. Not only is the site endorsed by major stars such as Kanye West and Madonna but it has also enticed listeners with exclusives such as Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Rihanna’s Anti and Jay Z’s own 4:44. Not to mention, Tidal’s 40 million tracks give them a leg up on Spotify’s 30 million whilst Apple Music have

Spotify boasts usermade playlists from the likes of Lorde, Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar Additionally, Spotify boasts thousands of usermade playlists, including some by Lorde, Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar. Whilst Apple playlists are curated by music journalists and professional DJs, there is a personal aspect to a Spotify playlist that is yet to be outshined by any other site.

30 SPOTIFY Launched: 2006 Paying Users: 60mil Student Fee: $5 Songs: 30mil HQ: Stockholm, Sweden

APPLE Launched: 2015 Paying Users: 30mil Student Fee: $4.99 Songs: 40mil HQ: California, USA

million paying users have subscribed to Apple Music since its launch in 2015

Overall, all three sites have different merits and the question of which one to use depends on what type of listener you are. No matter which you pick, you will inevitably come across great music that will stay with you for years to come unless the artist removes their catalogue)!

the courier

@CourierMusic thecourieronline.co.uk/music

Monday 23 October 2017

As You Were

To...

Gabber

amongst others, has largely proved to be a good choice. The lead single ‘Wall of Glass’ has a thunderous chorus and driving groove that makes it easily the highlight of the entire album. Other highlights include the slower ‘Chinatown’ and the chugging ‘Greedy Soul’.

Where once he seemed to let his nose do the singing, Liam’s new refined tone makes for much better listening However, there are plenty of shortcomings, the biggest one being a lack of originality. Influence and cues from elsewhere are obvious, one being a constant and perhaps inevitable attempt to channel Oasis. Whilst this works more often than not, it only ever manages to replicate the band’s already bland post-2000’s era material. Other echoes include a scattering of allusions to other bands, (“happiness is still a warm gun” clearly references the Beatles, as “I believe the resurrection” does with the Stone Roses). The song ‘Doesn’t Have To Be That Way’ even seems to mimic the psychedelic production and style of Tame Impala by incorporating tape delay and flangers.

3 Image: Wikimedia Commons

Raised Under Grey Skies

years off music for Liam Gallagher as he releases his first album since Beady Eye split in 2014

Heaven Upside Down

Marilyn Manson

Skies. JP Cooper is completely confident and comfortable in what he is doing and it’s rare to find a breakthough act like that. From the opening croons of the title-track it’s so easy to buy into the sound the 33-year-old is producing. Raised Under Grey Skies follows a number of storylines, the most touching being Cooper’s loss of his mother at a young age. Single ‘Momma’s Prayers’ has a beautiful air of reflection whilst Stormzy, a long-time lover of JP’s work, adds a verse which is the rapper’s best collaboration to date.

A more organic form of what Ed Sheeran is releasing Other previous singles ‘She’s On My Mind’’ and ‘Passport Home’ sound even better in the context of the album. In terms of charting potential, the phenomenal ‘September Song’ still stands head and shoulders above the rest. However, there’s no sense of chasing trends. You could go as far to call JP Cooper’s work a more organic form of what Ed Sheeran is releasing. Heading towards the end of the album, ‘In The Silence’ is a truly remarkable effort that showcases why the Mancunian’s voice is so highly sought after by collaborators such as Jonas Blue and SG Lewis. Perhaps, 13-tracks is a little too much as some songs are pleasant, but a little forgettable. A more dynamic version would’ve been that final step to achieve perfection. But that’s splitting hairs. JP Cooper deserves all the admiration he gets for the superb Raised Under Grey Skies. Toby Bryant

while. Liam and brother Noel were perhaps always two pieces of a puzzle; iconic vocals coupled with iconic songs. Instead we get what feels lacklustre, with a longing for the past. The track ‘For What It’s Worth’ even seems to address Noel and the mistakes that drove the band apart. Even the title of the album As You Were seems to look backwards to a time long since passed. Yet there is perhaps one pitfall that dwarfs all others: the lyrics, which can be anything from meaningless and dumb to meaningless and extremely annoying. These include such gems as “what’s a European?” and “the police are taking over/whilst everyone’s in yoga”. Although no one was expecting James Joyce from the former Oasis singer, even the lowest expectations are blown to shit.

The ghost of Oasis becomes hard to ignore after a while As You Were is no masterpiece, but it certainly isn’t bad. The songs that do hit the mark are exceptional, but the fact is that most don’t. Perhaps the best thing to be said about it is that it demonstrates potential: something Liam Gallagher hasn’t shown since Oasis. Watch this space.

Max Hobbs

Editor’s Picks

ach week, The Courier’s Music Editors are working with Newcastle Student Radio to bring you the best new tracks from the week before...

here’s an unfortunate trend among 90s rock stars to age poorly. One need look no further than Korn’s failed dubstep experiment six years ago. Thankfully, after several admittedly unremarkable releases, Marilyn Manson seems to have bucked this trend with his latest album Heaven Upside Down. In many ways, Heaven Upside Down is something of a throwback to Manson’s earlier work. It’s certainly his most consistently heavy release in over a decade, with much of the album characterised by churning, almost glam-esque guitar riffs in the vein of Mechanical Animals. Indeed the glam influences become particularly apparent in the last track ‘Threats of Romance’, where the main riff sounds suspiciously similar to that of T-Rex’s ‘Children of the Revolution’. Still, other songs such as ‘We Know Where You Fucking Live’ and the opening track ‘Revelations #12’ have a more abrasive edge to them, reminiscent of Manson’s breakout album Antichrist Superstar. But for all the similarities to his earlier work, Manson doesn’t blatantly copy anything (save that T-Rex riff), and Heaven Upside Down is very much its own entity. I particularly liked the way the electronic elements of the album were used, which not only add another layer to the instrumentation, but also has a wonderfully discordant and unsettling effect on certain songs like ‘Blood Honey’. None of this is to say that Heaven Upside Down is perfect. Whilst some of the lyrics are deeply intimate and personal, others miss the mark (“You say God, I say Say10” isn’t exactly Shakespeare if I’m honest). Nor does Manson break any new ground. If you’re not really a fan of Manson’s work, chances are you won’t find anything particularly special in this album. But as someone who is, I consider Heaven Upside Down to be a real return to form for the Antichrist Superstar. Highlight tracks: ‘We Know Where You Fucking Live’, ‘SAY10’, ‘Saturnalia’, ‘Blood Honey’ Gerry Hart

by Jack Gill

Pop not doing it for you? Rock feeling bland? Hip-Hop not your scene? Then join us as we delve into the dank corners of musical genres

The ghost of Oasis becomes hard to ignore after a

JP Cooper

he man who brought you ‘September Song’ is back this October with his silkysmooth debut record, Raised Under Grey

music culture

A Love Letter

by Liam Gallagher iam Gallagher: British icon, polemic troublemaker and now solo artist. Slightly hypocritical of him, having always insisted that he would not go solo following the break-up of Oasis in 2009 and instead opting for his band Beady Eye, a band so completely terrible that it wouldn’t really matter how it was followed up so long as it wasn’t allowed to be the final word in Liam’s career. In many ways, As You Were is a fantastic return to form. Whilst Liam’s vocals have retained their characteristic snarl, he no longer channels Kermit the frog with sinusitis. Where once he seemed to let his nose do the singing, Liam’s new refined tone makes for much better listening. The song writing has also been significantly boosted from the days of Beady Eye. The decision to employ Greg Kurstin, responsible for Adele, Sia and Ellie Goulding hits

‘Hello There’ Dillon Francis Dillion Francis is criminally underrated in the U.K.. His new track, ‘Hello There’, with Young Pinch is a playful EDM earworm you’ll be singing for days. Toby Bryant, The Courier ‘Why Don’t The Beautiful Cry?’’ the Darkness The darkness return with their much-missed classic rock style. This track has some gorgeous Thin Lizzy-esque riffs and harmonies which make you realise was great singers they actually are. Ally Wilson, The Courier ‘Tic Tac Toe’ Django Django Django Django have always trod the line between catchy electronica and entrancing art rock; the upbeat first single off their upcoming album manages to capture the dance-ability of the former with the auditory ecstasy of the latter. Charlie Isaac, The Courier ‘Vacation Town’ The Front Bottoms After waiting for their new album, Going Grey, I was pleasantly surprised when it landed on 13th October. ‘Vacation Town’ is the most Front Bottom-esque track on the album, its nostalgia making it my favourite song on the stellar album. Meg Smith, NSR ‘Beautifully Unconventional’ Wolf Alice The track has a poppy, alt-rock vibe and will, without a doubt, be a live anthem on their upcoming tour. Catch Wolf Alice play the 02 Academy Newcastle on the 13th November! Amy Woods, NSR Hear the Editors’ Picks first, as well as all the latest music news, reviews and gossip on NSR’s Music Show, Wednesdays at 4pm.

hen considering the cultural exports of the Dutch, one may be quick to point toward their iconic Edam cheese, the windmill, or perhaps even a pair of wooden clogs. Yet it is Rotterdam’s niche subgenre of hardcore house music, ‘gabber’, which I plan to share with you in this article. Born into the early 90s hardcore scene that had been gaining momentum in Rotterdam, the term ‘gabber’ was coined by recognised house DJ K.C. The Funkaholic, as a response given when asked about his thoughts regarding the city’s harder dance scene. Like the squeezed toothpaste tube, its contents spilled to the world, the ‘gabber head’ was born.

Like a voracious alphawolf leading its pack of synthesised bass drums With its demonic bass drums, grizzly kick sounds, and 200+ beats-per-minute, gabber savagely enters the party. Like a voracious alphawolf leading its pack of synthesised bass drums, the genre prides itself on a heavy, overdriven bass sound, all sewn together in a heavily repetitive beat. When considering a comparison, one could mention the likes of Diplo, if he produced his tracks heavily intoxicated on lighter fluid, and played them to Satan’s minions in the depths of hell. But beyond its exacerbated descriptions, the genre’s cult following cannot be denied.

In no other genre can two strangers unite at their shared love for ‘filthy bass’ The typical fan may be recognised from an abundance of features: a shaven head, a pair of Nike Air Max 90s or simply an oversized bomber. While this distinct aesthetic is popular among hardcore followers, there’s no questioning of gabbers communal vibe. I can confidently proclaim that in no other genre of music can two strangers unite at their shared love for ‘filthy bass’, sweaty underground raving and baggy Lonsdale shirts, all at the same time. While old school enthusiasts will recognise pioneers of the genre such as DJ Vince and 3 Steps Ahead, the genre has today been popularised through artists such as Death Grips, with their recent release Steroids merging the bands intense hip hop lyricism with the genres equally-powerful bass kick. It is with such forceful passion the genre drag itself into the 21st Century, and confirms itself as one of the most prolific subgenres.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Newcastle Student Radio: nsrlive.co.uk @NSRlive

culture TV

the courier

c2.tv@ncl.ac.uk TV Editors Jacob Clarke, Joel Leaver & Alex Moore

Narcos Scout Found Dead

Monday 23 October 2017

The Future for Historical Dramas

As historical dramas take over the present, Jagoda Waszkowiak delves into where the future for these shows could lie and reveals what periods of time she wants to see on screen next On the contrary, national historical events make a strong, visible base for the plot and are shown through struggles of regular citizens. I am a big fan of this modern take on biographical pieces and I would like to see more of them. Maybe this format would work nicely not only in Britain but also in different countries. I would love to see full Swedish monarchy backstory, during their mid-17th century Deluge in Europe. Or the German, French or Spanish nobility perspectives, contrasted with the perspectives of their citizens during the uprisings and civil wars.

Image: Ori Singer (Vimeo)

n September 16th Carlos Muñoz Portal, a thirty-seven-year-old location manager for Redrum, was found dead in his car on an unnamed dirt road in the community of San Bartolo Actopan, in Temascalapa in central Mexico. The area is on the border with Hidalgo, the Mexican state with the highest homicide rate. Munoz Poral was in Mexico scouting possible locations for the fourth series of Netflix’s hit show Narcos when he was found dead with multiple bullet wounds. The show, which premiered in 2015, documents the real stories of the cocaine trade in Columbia throughout the 1980s and the rise and fall of the infamous drug-lord Pablo Escobar. A statement by Netflix confirmed the murder: “we are aware of the death of Carlos Munoz Portal, a respected location manager, and offer our condolences to his relatives. The facts are still unknown as authorities continue to investigate what happened.”

There is no evidence, no suspects or anything that could lead to discovering the truth The shooting even attracted the attention of Pablo Escobar’s brother. Seventy-one-year-old Roberto De Jesus Escobar Gaviria sent a warning to Netflix and advised them to avoid using Mexico and Columbia as locations for the show. He told the Hollywood Reporter: “You have to eliminate all threats. If you have the intellect, you don’t need to use weapons. If not, you have to. In this case, Netflix should provide hit-men to their people as security [...] It’s very dangerous, especially without our blessing. This is my country,” he continued. “I don’t want Netflix or any other film production company to film any movies in Medellín or Colombia that relate to me or my brother Pablo without any authorisation from Escobar Inc.”

TV period drama needs to grow and develop... writers should try to diversify their shows. Image: YouTube

istorical dramas are defined by the fact that their plot is set in an earlier time period, that is at least more than 20 years in the past. The timeline may be as long and general as the Middle Ages or as limited as one decade. The definition is quite informal and fluent, so this type of film or programme usually combine several genres. Often historical fiction is mixed with romance and adventure. But most importantly a period film attempts to faithfully depict a specific time period. Many of the most successful television series has been known as period pieces. Notable examples include The Tudors, Downton Abbey, Dr. Quinn, Father Brown and Little House on the Prairie. But, in my opinion, after some time their themes seem to be quite dull and boring. TV period drama needs to grow and develop. Writers should try to diversify their shows, to find new, interesting perspectives on history. Old clichés like romance and the British aristocracy

Image: Josve05a (Wikimedia Commons)

The death is very mysterious as no witnesses have come forward meaning there is no understanding of the events that led up to the scout’s death. This means there is no evidence, no suspects or anything that could lead to discovering the truth. The police are still actively seeking leads in the case. Munoz’s friend told Spanish newspaper El Pais that he believes that locals may have become suspicious and wary after seeing an unknown man in the crime ridden area with a camera collecting information. His assumption is that they decided to then track his movements. The crime rate in Mexico is extremely high and is still increasing year after year. Government statistics this year showed that 2,186 murders were committed in May alone while 9,916 murders were reported in the from January to May. Carlos had maintained a successful career working for Redrum, a Mexico City-based production company, for over ten years. His death, scarily similar to those depicted in the show, has caused feelings of insecurity amongst the crews as they question where they will shoot the fourth season of the show. It is uncertain if shooting will continue in Mexico or if the crew will be forced to move elsewhere. Laura Bolden

@thecouriertv @Courier_TV

Image: YouTube

The ranking is already made of TV shows which channel many different time periods and nations. For example, the global fan favourite The Americans, which deliberately with irony, tells the story of Soviet spies in early 1980s during the Cold War in the USA. This is an example of choosing an uncommon perspective on a recognizable time period, that we have seen implemented on film many times before. I would love to see more of the Great Depression, Korean and Vietnam War or just problematic, critical eras from the perspective of minorities, people in the fight against addictions, oppression, and social injustice. Last month HBO premiered a new series called The Deuce, which follows the story of the rise of porn industry set in and around Times Square, New York in the early 1970s, including the perspective of women. I think the series so far shows a great potential and a flashpoint for more period pieces to be created in a similar concept.

Batman vs. Scooby Doo? Crossover culture revisited Haaris Qureshi provides a history of franchise crossovers in this climate of superhero takeovers of these, with what had started as Batman: The Animated Series is now a large enough connected universe to rival the comics they’re based on. But even before that, you would have Batman appearing on episodes with Scooby-Doo and Speed Buggy – all owned by Hanna-Barbera.

PEDRO PASCAL Narcos star, and Game of Thrones alum, Pedro Pascal told TMZ that the show must only return for a fourth season if in a “safe way” for the cast and crew.

should be implemented differently. Biographical period dramas like Netflix’s The Crown and ITV’s Victoria, have a strong, independent woman in power as the main character; their emotional journeys are not only about their romantic relationships. Even more, the main protagonist is not in the centre of focus anymore. The background ensemble is portrayed as much more vibrant and diverse than is used to. The problems of usual people are not being ignored.

Image: YouTube

or almost as long as there has been fiction there have been crossovers. Ancient Greek (and Roman) mythology is essentially one big expanded universe, full of crossovers (like Tiresias appearing in Oedipus Tyrannus and later in the Odyssey). The Illiad is essentially the Civil War (the comic, not the film) of the Ancient Greek world, the depiction of the Trojan War being primarily told in the Illiad, but plays and stories like Ajax, the Aeneid, The Trojan Women and then the Odyssey depicting satellite stories revolving around the War and it’s outcome. The desire to see crossovers has continued in fiction from then on. Wherever there is a shared continuity (and even when there isn’t), you will find some sort of crossover. Comics thrive off of it; video games use it for mash-up vs. fighting games; films used them to pit your favourite horror villains against each other until Marvel Studios revolutionised the film industry by successfully launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe – a move which inspired apparently every single other franchise and studio to hurriedly copy suit and cause nearly every online film critic to vomit every time they see the words ‘shared cinematic universe’. And then we come to TV. After comics, I’d hazard TV probably has the most crossovers of any medium. With cartoons in particular, where, much like comics, a lot of the popular franchises were owned or licensed by the same company, be it Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers or Disney. The DCAU is one of the most prominent

8.4

million viewers tuned in to watch the Family Guy/ The Simpsons crossover in 2014

These are all good examples of the fun, cameo style type of crossovers. Even before nerdgasming was a thing, seeing heroes from different cartoons team up was exciting enough that I still remember it now. But crossovers are also found in the liveaction side of TV and serve many purposes, as well as just for the fun of it. Franchises like Star Trek have enjoyed longevity by using spin-offs to expand their universe. And where there are spin-offs, there are crossovers. With the exception of the prequel series of Enterprise and Discovery, every other tv series had a premiere with some sort of handover from the previous series (Bones appeared in Encounter at Farpoint, the Enterprise-D with Captain Picard literally delivered most of the crew to DS9, Voyager started its journey at DS9 – and while Enterprise didn’t start with a crossover, it ended on one,

Image: YouTube

although more on that later). Buffy the Vampire Slayer incorporated clever crossover episodes with its spin-off Angel, although Buffy moving to a different network caused both to have independence from each other for most of their respective runs, which may have worked in their favour. Crossovers are also used to celebrate franchise anniversaries, like the very memorable ‘Forever Red’ episode of Power Rangers: Wild Force bringing together ten years of Red Rangers. Fiction is the grown-up way of make believe – and much like one might play with toys from different franchises, crossovers let creators do the same with beloved characters while also celebrating an expanded universe and long history, in a fun and nostalgic way. But are there downsides? Well, one criticism that occurs is sometimes there is too much crossover and references. The aforementioned ‘These Are The Voyages …’ episode of Enterprise is called out by fans and creators alike for focusing too much on Riker’s story, instead of what should have been a farewell to the characters of that actual show. On the flip side, the MCU’s presence on TV is often berated for not enjoying too much of a connection with the films, although a lot of this has to do with the films avoiding any references to the show, for bizarre reasons.

Like one might play with toys from different franchises, crossovers let creators do the same with beloved characters But this Goldilock’s-aspect of the right amount of crossover isn’t a flaw of crossovers – as with any and every TV trope, it all comes down to execution. A crossover between franchises, done with love for the story or franchise without compromising the integrity of the show usually without fail rewards long term fans for their loyalty and devotion to the characters and the universe.

the courier

@CourierTV thecourieronline.co.uk/tv

Monday 23 October 2017

Reviews

Made in Chelsea

Star Trek: Discovery

Back

Image: YouTube

ur favourite Londoners returned to our screens this Monday for their 14th season after an explosive summer soaking it up in Ibiza. It’s hard to believe that the faces of Chelsea’s finest first graced our TV’s over six years ago. That’s six years of break ups and make ups, countless champers, caviar and conflict and enough gossip to satisfy Regina George. But what will SW3’s finest have in store for us this time? The season kicked off in true Chelsea style with classy cast members being chauffeur driven around in a Rolls Royce, organising extravagant singles parties and squabbling over boys and what they’ve supposedly said, or not said. With only a few remaining original cast members, it’s time for the latest generation of socialites to take centre stage, and new boy Charlie Mills made a bold first appearance on the show, already captivating the attention of the girls, which is sure to cause some juicy drama.

Why do we continue to engross ourselves in the lives of the wealthy? It’s safe to say that the show has come on a lot over the years, since the days of Spencer Matthews and Millie Mac. But are 14 seasons worth of flirting and partying pushing it a little bit now? How many times can we watch a new influx of fresh faces get up to the same old cavorts? The Phene and a gossip? Completed it, mate. So why do we continue to engross ourselves in the lives of the wealthy? Escapism. The small insight into the indulgent lifestyles lived by the rich allows us to live our own fantasy of spending our days wining and dining in West London’s most upscale bistro’s, shopping in designer boutiques and not having to worry about money. And you’d be lying if you said you didn’t love the drama and scandals; what would Chelsea be without a weekly break up or an explosive showdown? Monday nights without Made in Chelsea would be undoubtedly boring. Not only does it provide A-class entertainment, but also a glimpse into an outrageous world where only the wealthy survive, and it gets a ‘yah’ from me. Rhianna Stenson

Image: Smoha1996 (Wikimedia Commons)

tar Trek on mushrooms – that’s not a commentary on the series, by the way, that is literally what the plot is of the newest entry in the franchise as it returns to the small screen in Star Trek: Discovery! Star Trek: Discovery is (allegedly) set in the time between Star Trek: The Original Series first pilot The Cage and its second pilot Where No Man Has Gone Before. We follow Michael Burnham, a disgraced officer of Starfleet, as she explores the mystery and secrecy of the USS Discovery and its strange spore drive that allows the ship to teleport instantly anywhere in the galaxy.

Discovery keeps drama closer to home with the cloak-and-dagger operations of Captain Lorca Unlike previous Star Trek series, Discovery is completely serialised, and as such, is hard to really decide how good the plot is in comparison, as we are only really in early stages. The first two episodes are a prelude to the series, so have only just started to explore the plot (not all the characters have even been introduced yet!). Interestingly however, it is already apparent that where previous Star Trek stories use alien planets and settings as their source of story, Discovery keeps its drama closer to home with the cloak-and-dagger operations of Captain Lorca and the ship itself. That’s not all that sets Discovery apart. Aesthetically, the show is very different. The series exploits its Netflix home by using a more cinematic aspect ratio, and the camera angles are more varied, with Dutch angles and contrasting shots. The show has a feel more in line with the more recent (“Kelvin timeline”) films than it does the previous shows. This, in addition to the futuristic feel of the ship and equipment (remember, the USS Enterprise is already on operation at this point, with Spock on board, just not Kirk), can sometimes make you forget you’re watching Star Trek. Haaris Qureshi

BBC TWO

Image: YouTube

s a die-hard peep show fan, I was thrilled that David Mitchell and Robert Webb would be returning to our screens with new, fresh comedy (sparing me from re-watching all nine series of Peep Show for the 576th time). Of course, it would be impossible to create anything of peep show’s magnitude twice. Comparing Back to Peep Show is like eating a Terry’s chocolate orange when it isn’t Christmas – it’s good, but it’s not quite the same. Although anyone with a gigantic Mitchell and Webb shaped hole in their life will be relieved to know they can finally fill it – to some extent at least. Back, is their new sitcom, with new characters, but old drama. David Mitchell plays the same old up-tight, irritable, fussy character he does best, although this time he is significantly hairier and somehow even angrier. Just how David Schwimmer will always be Ross Geller no matter who he is meant to playing, David Mitchell will always be Mark Corrigan. The sitcom is also structured around Mitchell and Webb’s character’s ever turbulent and questionable relationship (I think it would be weird now to ever see them play people who actually get along).

Mitchell plays the same old up-tight, irritable, fussy character he does best Back is a slow burner, setting the scene gradually and developing its characters so that the viewer is always left guessing. The show revolves around Stephen (Mitchell), the recent inheritor of The John Barleycorn pub following his father’s sudden demise. Things worsen for Stephen when a mysterious ex-foster child of his parents, Andrew (Webb) shows up. His abrupt arrival bombards Stephen with vicious feelings of resentment, regret, and jealousy. His thoughts become consumed by the burning desire to discover Andrew’s true motives. Is Andrew a con-man? Or, are Stephen’s unresolved childhood issues the real focus of this sitcom? Helen Stevens

Takeshi’s Castle: Back with a vengeance Amy Gildert weighs in on the announcement of Comedy Central’s reboot of the cult classic

hen I think back on nostalgic television of my childhood, the Japanese game show Takeshi’s Castle always stands out. There was something overwhelmingly entertaining and universally appealing about watching people hurl themselves at ridiculous obstacles, particularly when paired with narration by Craig Charles. And of course, who could forget classic obstacles such as Bite the Bun, the Skipping Stones, and the Honeycomb Maze?

As long as the show attempts to capture the mayhem and silliness of the original series, I’m confident Takeshi’s Castle carved a place in the heart of Britain with its nonsense, so it only seems right that

a new season is due to finally return to Comedy Central this month. But as with any reboot, it is hard to shake the wariness that it may not live up to the expectations we have created by regarding the original series as a cult classic. Of course one of the biggest concerns when considering the success of this new series is the absence of our favourite sarcastic narrator, Craig Charles. Fans of the show have proven picky in the past when it comes to their narrator; demonstrated by their adamant dislike of Dick and Dom in the 2013 reboot. Jonathan Ross will be taking over narration in this series, hopefully to a higher degree of success than his predecessors. From the looks of the latest trailer that has been released, the new season of Takeshi’s Castle does appear to have incorporated some of the more iconic games and obstacles that we know and love. However there are also a variety of new obstacles we can expect to see that will appease our desire to laugh at the misfortune of the contestants. As long as the show attempts to capture the mayhem and silliness of the original series, I’m

TV culture

Louis Theroux: Dark States

Channel 4

Netflix

confident that the new series will fill the Takeshi’s Castle shaped hole in our hearts.

Images: xenmate / Damien Everett (Flickr)

Ross will face a challenge to achieve the same cult status enjoyed by Craig Charles. The reboot of the cult classic gameshow is due to air on the 26th of October at 8pm on Comedy Central.

Image: YouTube

ouis Theroux’s beloved wry smile is finally back on our screens. This time, however, he’s left his extremely subtle put-downs and witty remarks at home ready for his next encounter with scientologists, the alt-right or Chris Eubanks. He’s back for some grave and earnest documentary journalism to uncover the backward and harsh realities in one of the world’s most powerful countries. Dark States promises to reveal “the other side of America”.

Would you suck a dick to get high? Just 30 seconds into ‘Heroin Town’ and we are introduced to a woman whom we already know her heroin addiction started through an over-prescription of pain killers following a car accident. She confides in Louis about begging the doctor for help with her pain-pill addiction: “the doctor cut me off, cold turkey”. Already, the documentary uncovers a possible reason as to why so many of the town’s residents are heroin addicts. This episode is set in the town of Huntington, West Virginia. A town where one in four of its residents are addicted to some form of opiate and the rate of fatal over-doses is 13x the national average. There are times where a no-context meme worthy quote appears, for example, when he questions Petty Betty on her name choice or when he innocently asks, “Would you suck a dick to get high?” but the moments soon turn unsmiling and sombre as it is revealed Petty Betty started using at 12 and answer to the latter question is not so funny. We meet Katillia and her boyfriend, which at first sight appears to be a normal relationship as any despite his calmness to her addiction. But, later we are left with the actuality of physical abuse and her complacency due to the shelter and drugs he so willingly provides. Katillia, under her breath after asking him to leave the room, describes herself as his “pet”. The documentary manages to explore a range of people from all walks of life that have fallen into deadly grips of addiction as well as the family members that get hurt along the way. As Louis points out, whether you are addicted or not, in Huntington nearly everyone is affected by heroin. We even meet Nate, perhaps the only person in the show who unashamedly tells Louis he’s comfortable with his life. However near to the end of the episode he admits to being “delusional” as his jok-

1/4

The proportion of people in Hungtington, West Virginia, dependant on opiates - out of a population of 48,000

ey demeanour fades and we start to see his contrite side. The episode ends with Louis holding Alisha’s ten day old baby, Archie, who has inherited a drug dependency. Louis’ loving smile is a reminder of the care that many helpless victims of this crisis desperately need. Louis Theroux uses this documentary to highlight the true severity of drugs that we sometimes seem to overlook or happily ignore. He overrides the drug addict stereotypes and instead lays the blame on a system that would allow pharmaceutical companies to exploit the vulnerable. Overall, it may be gloomier than his past documentaries but that may be because we are not looking at these people as eccentric characters like we may have done during previous Theroux-docs. This time, we are learning about these people as victims of a crisis. There is no aloofness, no mockery, just sympathy. Phoebe Griffiths Want to write for us? Pop us an email to c2.tv@ newcastle.ac.uk - we are always after new writers!

culture film

the courier

c2.film@ncl.ac.uk Film Editors Helena Buchanan, Daniel Haygarth & Christopher Wilkinson

Golden Oldies

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

part of the Stanley Kubrick Season at Tyneside Cinema, A Clockwork Orange is a testament to Kubrick’s endless imagination, experimentalism and intelligence as a director and much of the reason why we are celebrating him today, as one of his most wellknown works. Stanley Kubrick’s infamous creation is a dark yet comical concoction of an evil gang’s pursuit of fun and the consequences this brings – a shocking while simultaneously endearing watch, you will be left with questions about your own morality. ‘When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man’, says the Prison Minister to our ‘Narrator’ Alex DeLarge. More than anything else I could think of, this represents everything A Clockwork Orange is about. The moment we realise what choice we have made, to watch a film so vulgar, so violent, so evil (are we these things?). The moment we realise we prefer our murderous leading man as a murderer than as a man restricted from choice.

We realise the choice we have made, to watch a film so vulgar, so violent A Clockwork Orange teaches us that freedom is the most important power we have, that to be a human with choice, be it bad or good ones, is better than being a ‘clockwork’. The film distorts reality, a reality where we despise criminals and evil, by stripping us of moral judgments while simultaneously throwing us into a lion’s cave of violence and shocking atrocities. Kubrick removes any manipulation to make us sympathise with the victims, rather, we in ourselves must have that morality. Intertwined with this depth, the film has a unique humour. Alongside the satirical black comedy - the surrealism of Alex and his ‘droogs’’ committing such violent acts, for example, just after getting high at the local ‘milk bar’ - there is an endearing and likeable humour that will have you in bits. The awkward interactions between Alex and prison inmates, prison guards and girls sucking on ice-lollies, all with perfect comedic timing and brilliantly crafted facial expressions; surreally thrown in with scenes of horror, this film is a whirlwind of confused feelings. In this way, Kubrick’s work is defined by its combination of the epic and realism. Using grandiose music, mostly ‘Ludwig-Van’, and surreal settings, dystopian and artistic, alongside the awkwardness and funniness of human nature, Kubrick creates a film that has it all. And, that is why, A Clockwork Orange is, and will be, a timeless masterpiece. Winifred Hewitt-Wright

Monday 23 October 2017

All work and no play makes a dull director

How do you choose the top five films of an auteur so prolific? Joe Rafferty is up to the challenge, giving us his favourite quintuple of renowned director Stanley Kubrick’s kooky filmography No. 5 – A Clockwork Orange Based on Anthony Burgess’ novel of the same name, the story is set in a dystopian Britain, and follows a young gang leader named Alex (Malcolm McDowell), whose interests include classical music, rape, and a “bit of the old ultra-violence”. This was a difficult choice, because there was a period in my life where I absolutely hated this film. While I personally don’t have a problem with dark material, I thought the film was sadistic and gratuitous. However, I have recently come to appreciate the film for it’s visual merits, compelling story and the disturbing nature of its characters.

2001: A Space Odyssey lays the groundwork for science-fiction in modern cinema No. 4 – 2001: A Space Odyssey Consistently praised as one of the most influential and technologically ground-breaking science-fiction films of all time. Cited by George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott as having informed their own sense of style, as well as laying the groundwork for the standard of science-fiction in modern cinema. In my opinion, the strongest aspect of this film, is its ability to convey both the existential nature of space exploration and also fear of the unknown, through incredibly minimalist techniques. And who can forget the iconic

character of HAL, whose calm voice is enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine.

No. 3 – Full Metal Jacket “The dead know only one thing, it is better to be alive”. Full Metal Jacket chronicles a platoon of U.S. Marines during their time in boot camp at Paris Island, to their eventual deployment into the combat zone in Vietnam. Without a doubt one of the most harrowing war films ever made. Former USMC drill instructor R. Lee

Ermey, gives a vicious insight into the psychological impact of military recruits training for war. Also, the film contains several crucial themes including, the reality of war, military brainwashing and a soldier’s journey into an unknown world.

No. 2 – Paths of Glory This film perfectly embodies the words of Georges Clemenceau, “war is too important to be left to the generals”. Set during World War I, the story follows French Army Colonel Dax, as he attempts to save some of his men from being executed for cowardice. The portrayal of the French General Staff resorting to scapegoating in order to cover for their own failures, is a theme that resonates around the world, about how war is conducted by those entrusted to keep us safe. The ending scene is also in my opinion one of the most emotional moments in cinema history. No. 1 – Dr. Strangelove Finally, the number one position has to go to the phenomenal Dr. Strangelove. When a mentally unstable U.S. Air Force General orders a bomber crew to carry out a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the Soviet Union, the duty falls on the President of the United States, his advisors, and an RAF officer to prevent a nuclear apocalypse. Kubrick’s ability to satirise many Cold War themes, such as Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) and the possibility of World War III, are a testament to his calibre as a director. Peter Sellers performance serves as the pinnacle of the film’s comedic brilliance.

I’m sorry Kubrick, I’m afraid I don’t like that

Tom Kooney tells us why Kubrick is a master of the art of direction, worth his place in cinematic history, whilst Joe Holloran asks whether his notable unorthodox methods justify artistic ends

budding cinephile wishing to delve deeper into the classics, I experienced my first Stanley Kubrick film when I was around 14 years old. It almost goes without saying that I was caught rather off-guard. The film was 2001: A Space Odyssey – sharply educating my unsuspecting mind that something made prior to 1970 could not only look good, but be a genuine visual masterpiece. And that’s only the tip of the weirdest and most wonderful iceberg. One of the first things anyone taking their first foray into Kubrick should know, is that his films aren’t exactly easy-going.

Kubrick is the very definition of a visual storyteller Directing only 13 features in his almost-50year career, the auteur tackled numerous genres, topics and ways to make you feel all kinds of uncomfortable. Whether he’s helming a bonechilling horror (*cough cough* The Shining), brutal war film (hello, Full Metal Jacket) or mesmerising erotic drama (Eyes Wide Shut, anyone?), Kubrick is always exposing and inspecting some kind of cultural nerve. Despite the subject matters, it’s his masterful eye that consistently places these films in many critics’ Best Films of All-Time lists. Through his use of lighting, tracking shots, framing and many other similar techniques, Stanley Kubrick is the very definition of a visual storyteller. And when you cross such cinematic flair with the kind of stories that the man chose to tell (how could I forget his adaptations of Lolita and A Clockwork Orange?), you meet one of the greatest directors in film history.

here are few names in western cinematic history as renowned as Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999). One would be hard pressed to criticise his un-matched artistic vision. The man himself is a different story. Numerous first-hand accounts indicate that the director went beyond being a ‘perfectionist’ and strayed into abusiveness to get what he wanted. For Kubrick, the end certainly justified the means. Actors such as Shelly Duvall, Alan Cumming, Nicole Kidman and Malcolm McDowell have all spoken many times about the stressful and often unpleasant nature of the sets. Kubrick confessed himself ‘Not a people person’. The case of Shelly Duvall stands out as an extreme example. Duvall was so traumatized by the treatment she received on set of The Shinning(1980) by Kubrick that she effectively retired from acting and fell into depression. Many of her scenes in the film required her to act terrified and cry. Kubrick and Jack Nicholson would shout and scream at her to produce a more realistic performance - Kubrick in interviews after was un-repentant.

The director went beyond being a perfectionist and strayed into abusiveness I’m not a religious man by any-measure, but I am reminded of a quote from the Bible Mathew 7:16 ‘Ye shall know them by their fruit.’ In other words, the tree may be foul and unpleasant to experience, but if it produces sweet fruit than you shouldn’t question it. Kubrick, undoubtedly was a difficult ‘tree’ to love. So with that in mind I will leave it up to you whether you can reconcile the end-products with the man, his personality and his questionable methods.

the courier

@Courier_Film thecourieronline.co.uk/film

Monday 23 October 2017

The Snowman (15)

film culture

The Raid 2

Emma Brady reviews the week’s hottest (or should we say, coldest) release. Can Michael Fassbender thaw our hearts and solve the case?

he Snowman starts out promising. One of the opening shots - a bleak and lonely cabin set against the stark beauty of the endless white snow – is stylistically indicative of the popular Scandinavian noir genre; the genre that portrays murder, rape, misogyny, and an array of other morbid things with complete simplicity. That’s why it works so well on-screen: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo manages to be thrilling without being convoluted, as the focus on one case and a select few characters ensures plot and character development without the film losing track of itself. Sadly, the same cannot be said of The Snowman, which attempts to build to something grand without realising that, somewhere along the way, it all got a bit muddled. After the startling opening, we are catapulted forward in time – a different place, a different character. Fassbender’s Harry Hole, a grizzly and melancholic detective, is assigned to the case of The Snowman after receiving a threatening note from the killer. With his partner, the newly-hired Katrine (Rebecca Ferguson), they chase lead after lead. The only thing that is certain: the killer is triggered by snowfall, and his victims are all either mothers, or pregnant women. The film jolts along unsteadily. The pacing, although initially good, is lost amongst the

The Glass Castle (15)

he Glass Castle reunites director Destin Daniel Cretton with Brie Larson, four years after the latter’s second feature, Short Term 12, won widespread critical acclaim and announced Brie Larson as one of this generation’s most promising actresses. Here, Larson plays journalist Jeanette Walls in an adaptation of her bestselling memoir, which charts Wallis’ unconventional, nomadic upbringing and the financial luxury of her young adult life. Larson is well cast and on top form, but is hampered by the flashback structure which does not allow her the time to make a significant impact upon proceedings. Somewhat fortunately, this enables newcomer Ella Anderson to shine as the young Jeanette. Anderson’s performance has all the nuance and confidence expected from an actress well beyond her years, while her scenes with her alcoholic father (Woody Harrelson) are the film’s highlights. Harrelson is magnetic in the role, which brings much humanity to a deeply flawed and frequently unlikeable character. The destructive nature of alcoholism is illustrated superbly by Harrelson’s performance, which is not tainted by the film’s lazy belief that merely swapping his wigs is sufficient to display over twenty years of ageing. In spite of the excellent performances, Cretton’s direction is disappointingly nondescript. Displaying none of the flair seen in his previous work, he takes a plodding approach to the story and the split narratives mean that there is little opportunity for the drama to gather momentum or maintain a focus. The constant switches between decades become a distraction and do not allow either strand of the story the screen time that they deserve. A solid, well-acted family drama that is tainted by its attempt to pack as much story as possible into the runtime and its overly sentimental, saccharine ending. Simply, Larson, Anderson and Harrelson’s performances deserve to be in a much better film. Dan Haygarth

introduction of minor characters who seem important but are essentially irrelevant.

A dark and sleek thriller which entertains but lacks punch Furthermore the atmosphere is not withheld throughout, and seems confused. A scene which should have been shocking and heart-breaking falls flat, and the film allows no time for reflection: both ours and the characters’. Perhaps The Snowman would have worked better as a TV series; the source material - Jo Nesbo’s brilliant novel - is so well accredited, it seems almost sad that the film fails to occupy the same level of excellence. Despite the messiness of the plot, it is a beautiful-

looking film. Pans of Oslo and Bergen, fill the screen. A train hurtles silently through a vacant and icy landscape; a dark-looking cabin standing alone at the edge of the world. Fassbender does his best with Harry, giving him a hardened edge but allowing his idealistic interior to show; it is a shame that the film does not lend room for the character’s growth. In fact, promising expositions but disappointing deliveries seem to be a theme with this film. It is watchable, and enjoyable. But one can’t help feel that there should be more… The film feels rushed – and if this were not the case, perhaps the material could have delivered in a way which would leave any audience in awe. Sadly, The Snowman falls short; which does not render it a bad film, merely a one of missed opportunities.

The Party (15)

The Mountain Between Us (15)

he Mountain Between Us works well as a disaster movie, though when the film takes a more romantic turn, things start to fall apart. Director Harry Abu-Assad chose established actors Idris Elba (Ben) and Kate Winslet (Alex) and, predictably, both give strong, believable performances as two strangers who meet when stranded at an airport, and decide to charter a private plane to get to Denver. When the plane crashes on a remote mountain Ben, Alex, and the pilot’s dog are left to fend for themselves in this unforgiving environment. These two characters are stark contrasts and the chemistry between the two helps fill some of the more strained moments of the film where the onscreen action is trekking through snow or lying in a cave. There are tense scenes in the film; but these are sporadic, and overall, one does not feel that the protagonists are in any real danger. Instead of focusing on the perilous environment and the struggle for survival, Abu-Assad wove a romantic theme into the film which failed to fit comfortably into the story. However, the human drama explored in the film is not wasted. Ben’s character unravels slowly over the two hours running time and both Ben and Alex grow as the film treads on. The highlight of this film lies in the cinematography. The sweeping wide-angle shots of the mountain range in which the pair are stranded makes for compelling viewing in and of itself. The crisp sky and mountain throws the viewer into the wilderness. But this is also why the films denouement, which is set in a more mundane environment and spans about twenty minutes, lets the rest of this movie down. Abu-Assad takes too long to tie up the loose ends and tries to give the film snug ending that comes across as clichéd. Overall, The Mountain Between Us is an enjoyable story of survival, but one that should have ended at the ninety minute mark. Steven Ross

black and white dark comedy about the troubles of being part of the liberal elite; pretentious? Absolutely, but it’s got Cillian Murphy and the rat man from Harry Potter in it so I’ll give it a shot. A newly appointed Health minister gathers friends from the political and Social elite for a party plagued by the tribulations of being successful and clever. My immediate reaction was I don’t give a shit about these childless, soulless professionals but Sally Porter manages to make a film with a veil of pretentious morality so thin I just ended up hating her. Cillian Murphy is brilliant as a cocaine fueled “wanker banker”, while Kristin Scott Thomas paranoid politician gives the film tenderness and relevance. But good acting only keeps you invested for so long. The script begins to drain you of any hope of caring. The narrative is spoon fed and boring; everything ‘happens’ but none of it has consequence. The result is an infuriating lack of humanity; I wanted someone to cry or laugh or at least make me laugh. Indeed, The Party is one of those comedy you’re not supposed to laugh at, a gentle grin will suffice. But the lack of laughs isn’t replaced by anything more profound; it’s written as if asking intelligent questions is intelligent film making. The black and white photography is a weak excuse for making a bad film as if to say, ‘sorry the film doesn’t say anything but its arty so its ok!’. It’s not. Although the claustrophobia of the Georgian townhouse does leave you with a sense your stuck with these sociopaths for the next 70 minutes whether you like it or not, unfortunately in the case of The Party this is not a good thing.

Sid Pinsent

once thought that in the vast realm of action films, none could unseat The Raid: Redemption from atop its lofty throne. How wrong I was – it was the 2014 sequel, The Raid 2 that had the glory of usurping the originals crown. Once again, we follow Rama (Iko Uwais), a police recruit, survivor of the events of the first film, and certified Hardest Man in the World. Tasked with undercover work and sent to jail to infiltrate the Indonesian criminal underworld, it’s not long before he gets back to what he does best: kicking seven shades out of every criminal in Jakarta. Only tangentially related to the events of the original, The Raid 2 cranks up the velocity of the action sequences that defined the first. Iko Uwais – a real-life practitioner of the Indonesian martial art style silat – churns out showstoppers from the first to last scenes.

The Raid 2 cranks up the velocity of the action sequences that defined the first And that is perhaps the most surprising about The Raid 2; the distance between those moments clocks in at a formidable two and a half hours, yet it drags less than the first. Remarkably, you sit wondering where the time vanished to, and how your arse doesn’t feel remotely as numb as it should. There are plenty of changes from the first, but fans need not worry. Casting aside the claustrophobic setting, the action opens up from the tower block to the surrounding city. Initially I wasn’t sold; the survival dynamic of the first gave it an air of nastiness, but the larger scale gives potential for set pieces (such as car chases) and more space for minor characters and subplots. Additionally, whereas the first Raid had all the events unfolding in real time, the chronological expansion of the sequel works to its advantage, giving more wiggle-room for character development. And it’s certainly needed; for a film in which fight scenes are ten-a-penny, there’s a surprising depth to the narrative, with Rama’s transition through the underworld playing out with an Internal Affairs-esque tension. All in all, The Raid 2 transcends what you’d want in a sequel to the breath-taking original. The action is turned up to anti-social levels, the pace remains sky-high and, most importantly, it brings a new narrative element to the burgeoning franchise that opens up the Raid world in a highly complementary way. Action fans need look no further for their next hit. Finbar Oliver

culture gaming

courier.gaming@ncl.ac.uk Gaming Editors: Gerry Hart, Georgina Howlett & Richard Liddle

Top 5: Pubs in Gaming

Middle Earth: Shadow of War Review

That’s what I’m Tolkien about: Amy Gildert simply walks into Mordor to give us the lowdown

fight a captain, and two more will round the corner and join the fight. Similarly, captains you have already killed can come back a seemingly indefinite amount of times. My arch-nemesis (an orc named Pug) defied death a grand total of four times before I finally put him down for good. Shadow of War also shares a similar problem with the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies regarding its female characters. Fans of Lord of the Rings will remember Shelob as the giant spider that almost devours Frodo and Sam. In Shadow of War however, she is bizarrely turned into scantily clad woman who has visions of the future. It’s such a strange choice that I can’t help but feel that there were so few female characters to choose from in the original lore that they felt the need to make the literal giant female spider sexy, rather than dare to introduce a new female character.

5) The Milk Bar The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

I’m not sure if I’d call the Milk Bar as a pub per se but it’s the closest the residents of Clock Tower have, doubtless due to Nintendo’s family friendly nature. Well, I say family friendly but this game stretches that. After all, this is the game where you must prevent a nightmarish, gurning celestial object from ending the world. Makes you want a drink but the Milk Bar only serves, well, milk. You not got anything stronger? No? Not even a Shandy? Christ, we’re all going do die, you could at least break out the Jack Daniels!

Image: YouTube

4) The Pelican Inn Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception As a native of the northeast, I’m not entirely sure what qualifies as an authentic London experience but I’m pretty sure The Pelican Inn from Uncharted 3 isn’t it. Found at the start of the game, The Pelican Inn plays to the EastEnders interpretation of London, with England flags adorning the walls and frequented by angry, balding dads whom, in the series’ commitment to cross-cultural understanding, you beat the ever-loving shit out of. Personally, if I wanted to see middle-aged men fight each other, I could go to Darlington on a Friday night. Cheaper than London too.

3) The Bloated Float The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion It seems everywhere has to have some sort of gimmick and the realm of Tamriel is no exception. Found in the impoverished Waterfront district of the Imperial City, The Bloated Float’s big talking point lies in the fact it’s a ship moored in the city’s docks (so at least its not taking up valuable goblin infested real estate). There’s even a quest where the ship gets hijacked and put out to sea with you sleeping last night’s sesh off on board. Come to think of it, isn’t The Bloated Float’s waterborne nature somewhat problematic? I mean I feel queasy after six pints. Imagine that plus being on a ship surrounded by Oblivion NPCs.

2) Gathering Dust Bar Planetscape: Torment

You know when a bar is dead? Well the Gathering Dust Bar from Planescape: Torment takes that expression to a whole new level by literally filling the place with death worshipping cultists and zombies. In addition to serving as the Hive’s local, the Gathering Dust Bar is also the main recruiting ground for the Dusters, who offer to buy peoples’ corpses after they die and turn them into zombies, many of whom staff the bar itself. Still as unseemly as that might sound, I don’t think its too principally different from places like Wetherspoons. After all, the staff here are actually dead as opposed to merely dead inside.

1) The Lion’s Pride Inn World of Warcraft

Goldshire is one of the first settlements human players encounter in World of Warcraft and as a result has a deliberate rustic charm to it. Unfortunately, its also located just outside of Stormwind city, so that charm is dampened somewhat by ABSOLUTE FUCKING MAYHEM. You see, Goldshire and it’s quaint little local, The Lion’s Pride Inn is a popular hangout for Alliance players who like to relax by socialising, duelling one another and engaging in some rather suspect roleplay. This combined with WoW’s bold visual style results in something resembling a small country pub hosting an anime convention. So no CAMRA recommendation there then. Gerry Hart

the courier Monday 23 October 2017

Image: IGDB.com

onolith Productions’ long awaited Shadow of War picks up where Shadow of Mordor left off. It follows the undying ranger Talion and the body-bound wraith Celebrimbor in their quest to forge a new Ring to defeat Sauron. From that point on, you can choose to follow the story, build armies and hunt for collectables. Battles come thick and fast, alternating between epic, cinematic cutscenes and detailed one-on-one fights. Combat is not overcomplicated, but still intricate enough that you can adopt your own play style, choosing from close combat, ranged attacks, stealth, Celebrimbor’s wraith attacks, or a deadly combination of all four. Aesthetically, the game is beautifully detailed, particularly in the variety of regions that you can explore. Each area has a distinctly different feel, with its own environmental advantages. One of the features that make this game so interesting is the continuation of the Nemesis

system which first earned praise in Shadow of Mordor. Essentially, every encounter with an enemy can be made personal. If you are killed, your enemy will remember you when you come back, and often will have been promoted through the ranks for killing you. They will frequently adapt to your attacks, and will take on new titles that reflect their actions. If you are slain by an orc, you have the option to perform a vendetta mission to get revenge on the orc who killed you. The nemesis system is so effective that it’s easy to get caught up in avenging your own death rather than following the story. Ultimately, this feature adds a whole new dimension to the gameplay that makes it stand apart from monotonous battles and makes your enemies memorable. While this system is a main point of attraction for unique gameplay, it can sometimes be a bit much. Orc captains can ambush you at any point, which quickly gets annoying when you are attempting to

ideo games have always had a dubious relationship with realism; that is the point of the medium. But even while players flit around alien worlds and carve a bloody path through Hell itself, one of the most egregious breaks with reality has always been the existential inertia showcased by the protagonist blessed with regenerating health. On a practical level, regenerating health is a convenience for the player; it is an aspect of game design intended to keep gameplay threatening, without making it a hassle. It is a conscious choice to have the player focus on what is happening in front of them – a simplification designed to both stop you scavenging for health pickups, and from entering fights pre-wounded. If the player can recover all of their injuries in a few moments of sitting down quietly, then it encourages bolder play and more daring moves during gameplay. Consequently, it is no wonder that regenerating health is found so frequently in the first person shooter genre, especially in Call of Duty and Halo. Part of the fun of these games is your ability to engage in dangerous, risky moves without sacrificing the ability to make more later, to flow from combat scene to combat scene without the need to hunt for hidden health packs or rely on a healer. It seems that players like it, too. Coverbased games with regenerating health have become an industry standard nowadays, with the trope rolling around in so-called triple A products for decades now. Warriors from Chivalry to Gears of War have fought off bullet wounds and sword lacerations to the face with a comfy sit-down behind some cover. Any injury in Borderlands can be fixed simply by ending the life of another creature while you’re bleeding out on the floor. As a result of this, enemy design is also freed up: it becomes kosher to face foes who can knock out nine-tenths of your health bar when that only accounts for a 15 second time-out.

Some games try and explain away regenerating health as shields, armour or some other kind of ablative protection. This philosophy has resulted in a more nuanced application of regenerating health in some games, hybridising limited and replenishing health to add some permanent implications to damage.

Essentially, every encounter with an enemy can be made personal. If you are killed, your enemy will remember However, representationally the game is slightly redeemed by the presence of the first black character I’ve ever seen in any Middle Earth media. To that I can only say, I suppose baby steps are better than nothing. Despite its shortcomings, Shadow of War is a highly addictive and immersive game that makes good use of its cinematic elements whilst also inviting the player to explore the world their own way. Although it’s definitely not the high fantasy I imagine Tolkien had in mind, Shadow of War delivers on the entertainment aspect that first won fans over in Shadow of Mordor.

Club Trope-icana: Regenerating Health Al Ridley ducks behind cover and gives us their thoughts on one of gaming’s beloved tropes V It is an aspect of game design intended to keep gameplay threatening, without making it a hassle

wounds present but not overpowering, the overwhelming flexibility of approach these two games offer becomes a rich tapestry of experimentation without punishment for your failures. And, I admit, regenerating health is good for gameplay. Anybody who’s played Metal Gear Solid 3 has had the endless cycle of knife-styptic-disinfectant-bandage to cure bullet wounds burnt into their brain. It is going to remain a part of the industry for as long as first-person shooters remain popular. But I cannot help but have my immersion irreparably shattered every time my character picks themselves up off the ground, sucks their blood back into their veins and carries on fighting like their entrails aren’t painting the pavement.

Mass Effect 3 did it quite well, with your armour’s shielding acting as a regenerating barrier while the meat it protects needs restoration through medi-gel. Your robot body in Deus Ex: Human Revolution will secrete nanomachines

and heal itself over time in a non-obtrusive fashion. With the ability to recover from

Image: Flickr

the courier

@Courier_Gaming thecourieronline.co.uk/category/gaming-2

Monday 23 October 2017

The Versus Mode: Microtransactions Georgina Howlett and Gerry Hart face off over one gaming’s most controversial features For: Georgina Howlett

ith nearly every major game of the moment seeming to have some kind of microtransaction element, it isn’t hard to find criticism regarding their inclusion – no matter what type of game they are found in both online or in the media. “They’re making every game pay-to-win!”, you hear people cry. “They’re removing the need to make an effort in games and the rewards for doing so!” Well, while this may be true for a lot of games, there is a difference between ‘true’ microtransactions and pay-to-win shenanigans. Microtransactions as a rule are a brilliant concept: they allow developers to continually update their games and introduce new content, whilst also making a slim profit from the (usually reasonable) amount of money that consumers pay for it. They give players the choice of investing money into a game which they enjoy in exchange for what should be non-game breaking perks.

game-changing content, should absolutely not be locked behind a paywall – but that is the fault of the developers, not the microtransaction model itself. Done properly, microtransactions – like all DLC or paid-for bonus content – can be a fun way to add to your game experience without being ripped off.

Against: Gerry Hart

hey say that money can’t buy you happiness. This much Marcus Licinius Crassus, the richest man in Rome found out as the Persians were pouring molten gold down his throat. Tell you what it can buy though; randomised Orcboys with the all new Shadow of War lootboxes! Now you can personalise your Shadow of War experience without the hassle of playing the game! So what if the purchase is ephemeral and pointless! So is life!

Defenders of microtransactions argue that they’re usually confined to cosmetic items, or that the items can be obtained through grinding. However these arguments tend to ignore the fact that by adding microtransactions, the game has mechanically been altered to be monetised from within. Thus microtransactions will intrude upon your experience, whether you opt into them or not. Nor is it fair for a company to ask you to pay extra for a £50+ game. Furthermore, such arguments grant publishers the freedom to see how much they can get away with as in the case of Destiny 2’s shaders, a previously free feature commoditised by Activision. That said, I don’t entirely disagree with microtransactions in principle. I think they’re acceptable in games that are free to play (though only then if they’re not so intrusive as to render the game unplayable). To paraphrase Jim Sterling, microtransactions in free to play games are the price of entry. But microtransactions in paid games represent gaming’s capitalistic excesses at their worst and we should not tolerate such avaricious and contemptuous behaviour.

First impressions of the Star Wars Battlefront 2 beta

Is EA Dice’s sequel at one with the Force or just a steaming pile of Sith? Errol-wan Kerrnobi investigates Star Wars game and not just a reskinned Battlefield or average first-person shooter. The heroes and villains available definitely add to this feeling. You know how Darth Maul is like, unbelievably cool in spite of having three lines of dialogue and 20 minutes of screentime in Episode I: We Don’t Talk About the Prequels? He’s still unbelievably cool. I can’t understate how damned fun it is hacking clones apart with a double-bladed lightsaber.

I can’t understate how damn fun it is hacking clones apart with a double-bladed lightsaber

he beta for Battlefront 2, which I have been affectionately calling Betafront, has come and gone, but for a few fleeting days I managed to get my hands on a tiny section of the second instalment of DICE’s reboot and I must say, it’s pretty decent - from a certain point of view. The game, more like the Battlefronts of the mid 2000s than its most recent predecessor, has a far more class-based system. Assault, Officer, Specialist, and Heavy classes replace the previous game’s completely customisable system – whilst you can select certain weapons, some are locked to specific classes. This allows for much more teamfocused gameplay, and guides players into more secure roles – which can be performed or messed with as needed. Squad based gameplay became prevalent as I teamed up with Assault classes as an officer to secure bases, or hold points with large groups of heavy troopers. The class system exists in the Starfighter Assault game mode too, with interceptors, assault and bomber ships all making a return. It’s harder to

gaming culture

#NoMoreNazis the Wolfenstein “controversy”

Microtransactions in paid games represent gaming’s capitalistic excesses at their worst

Microtransactions can be a fun way to add to your game experience without being ripped off Overwatch is a brilliant example of this, with its new in-game content (such as new characters and maps) being added for free and its loot box system only giving players cosmetic items and bonus content and not anything which gives its players an advantage over others or makes the game unfair (I’m looking at you, Injustice 2, Call of Duty and, most relevant to the present moment, Shadow of War). In-game content, overpowered gear and horrendously strong weaponry, amongst other

I speak here of microtransactions, or the purchasing of certain in-game items with real money. And whilst microtransactions are nothing new (indeed they’ve become sickeningly ubiquitous over the past five years), it seems a number of companies have decided to test how far they can push their luck this year with lootboxes, which randomise your purchase in a manner likened to gambling by some.

Image: IGDB.com work as a team in Starfighter Assault due to the three-dimensional battleground that fighting in ACTUAL SPACE provides but its so damned satisfying. This game feels more like the first Battlefront games than ever before and I love it. Did I mention you’re fighting in space?

The game is more like the Battlefronts of the mid 2000s than its most recent predecessor I felt like I was in the Galactic Civil War, felt like a rookie Clone trooper or clunky battle droid as I made my way around the arenas. DICE made feeling like I was in the prequels a good thing. And I must give them credit where it’s a due. A lot of pressure rests on DICE making the game feel like a

Mind you, it’s not all perfect. Much to learn, DICE still have. To counter unbalanced StarCards (unlockable equipment) it’s locked behind... you guessed it. Loot crates. Micro-tran-bloodysactions. Hate them or hate them (there is no option) they are arguably a necessary evil to counter the lack of balance in the Force, which I would fix by, well, balancing things, but with Star Wars being the cash cow that it is, they’ve missed that mark like the Stormtroopers they are. So long as I don’t get repeatedly demolished by bowcasters from the high ground, I’m happy. It’s hard to judge a game by its beta. With a limited selection of maps, weapons, heroes and a limited timeframe there’s only so much one can do to make assertions. But my word, it’s an infinitely better game than its predecessor even after all the releases post-Rogue One. It’s taken the best of the first game, rolled it in the best of the older games, but unfortunately tied it with a beautiful bow you have to pay through the nose to get to. In the meanwhile, I can just log onto the old Battlefront 2’s servers now they’re back online, and watch those wrist rockets until the new game comes out in November. After all, it’s got one hell of a game to live up to with the old BF2, and if it can manage that, DICE might just bring peace, order and prosperity to their rebooted franchise.

Image: IGDB.com

ow in the hell did it come to this? Not to do away with the tradition of an introductory paragraph too emphatically or anything, but seriously – what the hell. We all know Wolfenstein: an FPS institution that stands alongside DOOM as one of the classics, and - most conspicuously - a game about killing Nazis. No beating around the bush here, that’s just what you do. It’s what you do in a lot of games, in fact, from early Call of Duty games to... well, recent Call of Duty games, as CoD WWII rolls out next month. Evidently, killing a time-honoured and plainly evil foe is just an easy crowd-pleaser. Or so you’d think.

This is emblematic of a gaming culture which is more and more partisan with every passing day As little as a year or two ago, the mention of a Nazi-killing game like Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. Hell, it might have provoked a few exasperated sighs – we’ve done this, we’re used to it. Now, in the absurdist dystopia of 2017, it’s somehow controversial. After the Twitter page for the game dropped a trailer with the hashtag #NoMoreNazis, certain members of the community took up arms in opposition. @ironyispoison shot back that Bethesda were ‘tapping into hysterical leftist power fantasy’, while @ckhttp lamented that the tweet was a bid to ‘make it political’ (as though wholesale Nazi slaughter was somehow a new addition to the 36-year-old series). Meanwhile, @LeviDeRosier bemoaned the developers’ ‘team[ing] with SJWs and ANTIFA’; in case you missed it, being opposed to fascism in general is controversial now too.

A year or two ago, the mention of a Nazikilling game wouldn’t raise any eyebrows This is emblematic of a gaming culture which is more and more partisan with every passing day. On this occasion, Bethesda have invoked the ire of the side who believe that developers have an obligation to appease every gamer, regardless of whether or not they consider people of colour to be human beings, or whatever other godawful belief they may have dredged up from wartime Germany. Personally, to put a fine point on it, I think that’s bullshit. Bethesda have made their stance on Nazis perfectly clear in Wolfenstein II – as with every game in the series before it, developed by them or otherwise – and it’s a stance I can wholeheartedly get behind. No more Nazis – not now, not ever. James McCoull

the courier

Monday 23 October 2017

c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk Arts Editors Scarlett Rowland and Carys Thomas

@CourierArts thecourieronline.co.uk/arts

Moaning Lisa discovered in the nude Julia McGee-Russell contemplates whether the Mona Lisa dropped her robes for a painting

to find a smoothly featureless Barbie doll, or a pair of apples and some straw stuffing. But there have been several religious and mythological nude paintings accredited to da Vinci, and nude paintings were not uncommon in the era. In fact, there are close to 20 copies of nude paintings and drawings of Mona Lisas in collections around the world.

There are close to 20 nudes of Mona Lisas around the world

eaked nude images of celebrities seem to have become as regular as the changing of the seasons, and with the faint cackle of Halloween approaching, a new nude image is making the rounds on the internet. Which celebrity is it this time, I hear you cry? Is it Selena Gomez? Kylie Jenner? No, my dear freethe-nipple warriors, it is (of course) Mona Lisa – or at least a nude, slightly Sid-the-sloth looking version of her. After over 150 years languishing in the Renaissance art collection at the Conde Museum at the Palace of Chantilly in France, the nude charcoal sketch known as the Monna Vanna or Joconde Nue is now being researched to determine whether it was primarily painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Maybe there’s something saucy behind that demure smile and those folded hands, and the sly side eye Lisa gives us in the ever-famous original is because she knew da Vinci wanted to get under that corset. But to our modern-day standards as part of

What’s On:

I suppose because the subject of the Mona Lisa is famous with her clothes on, people are horrified to discover that those clothes could actually be prized from her body to reveal a human body under those dark, musty layers. Perhaps people were expecting

Nonetheless, it has yet to be firmly decided whether the Monna Vanna was painted by da Vinci at all, as although the hands and body are almost identical, as is the size of both paintings, there is hatching near the head of the subject that has been done by a right-handed person. These are some of the reasons why experts must “remain prudent” curator Mathieu Deldicque told AFP news agency. You could liken the Monna Vanna’s face to a Bratz doll as much as you could the Mona Lisa, and the same hand position does not necessarily mean the same hands, especially as only one of the Monna Vanna’s hands was not fully completed. The many small details that complicate the classification of the work, and the fragility of the piece itself, mean that experts believe they will have conclusive evidence by the 500th anniversary of da Vinci’s death. This is a mystery that will remain mysterious until 2019 - a two year wait for all you ‘horny’ subplot seekers - but don’t despair, I’m sure there will be plenty of nudes in the meantime.

Yang Lian & Brian Holton @ The Culture Lab, October 26th

Pink Sari Revolution @ Northern Stage, Oct 31- Nov 4th

the Instagram scrolling hordes, it might not be a noteworthy nude. After all, it’s only a little gravitydefying boob – not exactly explicit in a world where there’s fresh nudity in every Game of Thrones episode. Still, with every bit of flesh a woman willingly or unwillingly shows, there are dozens of keyboard warriors grumbling under their troll-bridges, wondering if da Vinci was ‘horny’ if he painted her.

After all, it’s only a little gravity-defying boob

Yang Lian and Brian Holton will be reading from a bilingual edition of Narrative Poem.

Wilfred @ Alphabetti Theatre, October 24-28

Wilfred Owen wasn’t the only poet in the first world war, he also wasn’t the only person called Wilfred. This is the story of Wilfred Wright.

Paul Nash @ Laing Art Gallery, Tuesday-Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 2-5

This exhibition includes a fascinating array of photographs and surreal objects, assembled as sources of inspiration by Nash and artist Eileen Agar.

SWEET COLUMN Gig Theatre ELENA TRAYANOVA

ecently a new trend has been developing among the theatre circles and it is a great and exciting trend that simply makes life

better. Gig theatre is the greatest theatrical discovery of the twenty-first century in my humble opinion and deserves a special place in every theatre lover’s heart. As such, I can easily say it has managed to make me fall in love with it while also making me fall in love with theatre as a whole all over again. The concept of gig theatre altogether is a play whose storyline is enhanced by incorporating live music into it.

It combines two types of art and creates something unique It combines two amazing types of art and creates something unique for different types of audiences to enjoy. It adds something extraordinary to the whole concept of theatre; it throws in a certain beat to it and makes it not only engaging but also ‘catchy’. For the past couple of years it has been gaining a lot of popularity, making instruments an essential part of the stage setup. And thinking about it, what could possibly be better than theatre and music working together to tell a story, creating a completely new exciting type of art, making the audience a part of it and taking us on a journey of a lifetime.

@TheCourierArts @thecourierarts Image: Wikipedia

PHOTOBOX

Rosie Minney shares her thoughts on crafting, and if it deserves to be put down by ‘real’ artists

Image: Flickr

personal expressions, making his work a melange of art and craft. His 2011 show at the British Museum, The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsmen, paid homage to craft as a respected practice. The collection spans from shamanism and holy relics, prehistoric weaponry and coins, to more contemporary craft such as badges. A craftsman more than an artist is a maker, whose skills have been garnered from strict process. In this way, the line between the two fades, printmaking being a prime example. The rigorous timings and use of chemicals makes etching as exacting a procedure as ceramics for example. So is the distinction really that stark?

Craft has an intention, a final destination The Arts and Crafts Movement in the 19th century was borne out the fear of forsaking traditional skills during the rise of industrialisation. Based on ideals, it reformed art across the homes of every social backdrop, pioneering value for materials and designs, whose influence made it as far as Japan. Perhaps one of the most recognised names in the

arts culture

In Uttar Pradesh, where violence against women can be traced back to Indian mythology, one woman has raised an army to say “no more”.

Defending craft as an art form he debate between the two practices of craft and fine art has been widely discussed, with craft often being unjustifiably viewed as the inferior. Craft predates fine art, often artists at the service of their religion, tribe or local customs, and this service is often what is used to distinguish between the two – craft has an intention, a final destination, whereas fine art is largely more an expression of self. However, certain materials are distinctly predisposed to being viewed as ‘craft’, with ceramics, textiles, embroidery and glass falling into this category. Renowned artist Grayson Perry is integral in blurring the lines between craft and art, being probably the most prominent ceramicist and tapestry weaver in contemporary art. Whilst he is prolific in his exploration of craft, he still communicates political, social and

Arts and Crafts Movement was William Morris and his wallpaper designs, which gained prominence in the latter half of the 19th century. His patterns such as Daisy and Fruit were borne out of 15th century wall hangings, ‘mille-fleurs’ tapestries in the medieval period and links to decorative arts with Ruskin and Pre-Raphaelite painters. Morris also lectured that ‘any decoration is futile…when it does not remind you of something beyond itself.’ This statement presumes that crafts, as well as fine art, should stimulate the viewer to think beyond what they immediately see, thus prompting links to self-expression and higher echelons of craft-making. Aside from the history of art and craft, the process of making something has numerous cognitive benefits especially when activities are implemented from an early age. Studies show crafts such as colouring and cutting improve bilateral coordination with the dual usage of both hands. Fine motor coordination is also developed with the drawing of patterns and shapes. So whilst fine artists often look down their nose on craftsmen, we have to ask ourselves, are the distinctions really that clear? And why does elitism have to be instigated into something which brings so much joy to the individual?

Image: Wikipedia Commons

Brighton Pier Sunset NEVE MCMAHON

aptured at Brighton Pier, the harsh breeze of the February evening could not possibly whisk my attention away from such a sunset. Despite the frankly brain-numbing temperature, the scattered rays of light exuded a certain glow that even the summer sun couldn’t replicate. As waves brushed against the beach’s pebbles, the birds above imitated a similar rhythm. The derelict pier, lifeless and abandoned embodied a reminder of the harsh reality of nature itself. The nostalgia drawn from the collapse of the west pier lead me to consider in the fragility of manmade structures exposed to the environment. This sunset to some may have been just another burst of colour in the sky, yet it has remained with me as something of memorable beauty.

Image: Neve McMahon

science & technology

Are you Tech-ing the piss?

f you’re a language student with aspirations of becoming an interpreter, I’ve got some bad news for you: Google’s latest creation may well have just made your dream job redundant. That’s because the technology company have unveiled a set of snazzy new wireless headphones that can translate language in real time – and they actually work! We all know that learning a new language is hard. Very hard. But whilst most countries are quite adept at becoming bilingual, we Brits have never quite got the hang of it. On the whole, the British population are about as bilingual as a troublesome parrot; we have a scattered catalogue of inane phrases, peppered with the odd colourful profanity. But in the end, it’s all useless when it comes to striking up an actual conversation. Smartphones have offered us a plethora of apps that promise to teach us French in 90 days, Mandarin in our sleep, or Dothraki in five easy steps. But in truth, most either don’t work, or are too bloody time consuming. Google’s new device, however, could be about to make learning a new language something they did back in the old days. The newfangled headphones, called Google Pixel Buds, use translation software to allow users to both listen to and speak in foreign languages. All you need to do to become a master linguist is connect the headphones to your smartphone and you’re ready to go (provided you’ve got a good internet signal and a decent amount of battery).

The newfangled headphones, called Google Pixel Buds, use translation software to allow users to both listen to and speak in foreign languages For listening services, users simply hold down the earbud and the headphones will work their magic and translate another language into your very ears. This feature provides a fantastic opportunity to eavesdrop on all the locals when you’re on holiday, though in all likelihood, you may not actually want to know what’s in that casserole you’re eating. If you wanted to order four steins of beer and some savoury snacks when you’re in Berlin, just press the earbud and say, “let me speak German”. Sadly, though you won’t be able to instantly speak German, Google Assistant will automatically translate what you say and play it through your smartphone’s speakers. Anyone who has used Google Translate before may well be having doubts at this point. As useful as the application can be, it’s far from perfect. One only needs to spare a thought for the small Spanish town of As Pontes for proof of that; who, thanks to Google Translate, mistakenly advertised their food festival as a ‘clitoris festival’ - needless to say visitors were a tad disappointed. But Google claims they have progressed their software more in the past 12 months than they have in the previous 10 years. And when they showed off the live language translation feature during an onstage demo in San Francisco it translated an entire conversation from English to Swedish without a hitch.

£159

The cost of Pixel buds on release on the 22nd November 2017 (not inc the necessary phone)

The Pixel Buds are due to be released in the UK on 22 November and will set you back £159, but you’ll need Google’s new Pixel phone for full functionality. For those of you hoping you’ll be able to use this new tech to finally understand what all these Geordie folk are saying, I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed. Though the device supports a whopping 40 languages, Geordie twang is well outside of its translation capabilities – you’ll have to stick with Korean Billy on YouTube for now. Christopher Little

courier.science@ncl.ac.uk Science Editors Jack Coles, Christopher Little & Ciara Ritson-Courtney

the courier Monday 23 October 2017

Apocalypse in the air? Editor-in-chief James Sproston dusts off the apocalyptic rumours and explains this weather

ed sky at night, shepherd’s delight right? That’s what my mum always used to tell me anyway. However, this red sky in the morning was no ordinary warning for Britain’s notoriously well-warned shepherds, instead they faced something that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the dusty setting of the new Blade Runner.

mph

Ex-hurricane Ophelia’s winds reached heights of 50mph

Rather than being a sign of an incoming storm, or indeed what some thought was a nuclear storm, what our Geordie shepherds woke up to was a storm that had already hit us, Ex-hurricane Ophelia. Though the true impact of the storm would hit Newcastle during that night, with 50mph winds flying about, it was the red sky that posed most questions. Surprisingly enough, the odd orange tint was caused by Saharan dust carried into the atmosphere by a tropical air mass. As you can imagine, tropical air masses don’t often migrate their way up to Britain, but it was the remnants of Hurricane Ophelia that caused the unusual occurrence.

The odd orange tint was caused by Saharan dust carried into the atmosphere by a tropical air mass Essentially, air moves from high to low pressure, and this movement is what us lot call wind. A hurricane is a low-pressure system, meaning lots of air get dragged into it, causing bloody strong winds. That’s why we’ve got tropical air, and that’s why Newcastle was knocking on 20 degrees last Monday. On its way this air mass has picked us dust from both the Sahara and forest fires on the Ibe-

rian Peninsula. Now here’s where the Geography becomes a nifty bit of Physics. We see the red sky because the dust that was dragged up into the atmosphere by the storm causes the blue light to scatter due to its short light wavelength. That leaves the longer wavelength of the red light to shine on through and take rare ownership of the sky. I for one have been sick of how much blue has been hogging the spotlight. Whilst some have enjoyed the odd sky, for many it has a bit too much of an apocalyptic feel about it. A quick search in Twitter for ‘red sky’ and ‘apocalypse’ brings up some amusing results, and I’m sure for most of you will have seen how many Instagram posts of either the sun or the sky appeared today.

Asthma charity Asthma UK issued an official warning effectively telling everyone to stay inside to make sure their lungs maintain intact. Everyone else is welcome to inhale enough dust to contrast tuberculosis or any other slow-burning respiratory illness.

The dust that was dragged up into the atmosphere by the storm causes the blue light to scatter due to its shorter light wavelength The real threat, as is always the case with these storms, is that of the wind. Watch one episode of ‘Ambulance’ on iPlayer, and you’ll soon learn that half of the East Midlands ends up in hospital because a particularly strong gust of wind topples a hanging basket onto someone’s head. Death by daffodils is probably the way I’d like to go in these conditions if nuclear war or biblical apocalypse are no longer viable options, but for a young asthmatic such as myself, there are really a plethora of options as to which way you want to go. So much for shepherd’s delight.

I’ve even put together a little graph that plots the search interest of ‘red sky’ and ‘apocalypse’ out of 100 over the course of the seven days leading up to and including the day the sky changed colour. Both ‘red sky’ and ‘apocalypse’ peak on the final day, though ‘apocalypse’ considerably less so. I guess people aren’t as pessimistic as many first thought. Aside from the general fears that the world may have ended, there were other reasons to not be enjoying the weather phenomenon occurring outside our windows. Namely, the asthmatics.

Google trends

Blue line: red sky hits (UK) Orange line: apocalypse hits (UK)

Ballooning babies and chewy children Amanda Jane Yap discusses one of the largest and widest problems of 21st century health

ur lacklustre attitude towards our health has finally caught up with us. The rising trend of obesity is becoming a worldwide epidemic, and our attitude towards it is the cause. The World Obesity Federation has just announced that the global annual medical cost of treating obesity is expected to hit US$1.2 trillion by 2025. Dismally, the effect has now spread to children and adolescents, with the percentage of sufferers jumping tenfold in the past 40 years. If this is not clear enough, it means that a previous 11 million obese children and adolescents have jumped to over 120 million over a short span of 4 decades. According to studies, the trend of obesity is noted to be accelerating in low and middle-income countries, especially in Asia. Researchers in Imperial College London and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have reported that childhood and teen obesity rates have levelled off in the United States, north-western Europe and other wealthy countries but still maintain the “unacceptably high” levels.

$1.2

trillion spent on treating obesity by 2025

Health researchers are using these statistics to sound warning bells to call for better nutrition at home and school. There needs to be concerted efforts to reduce the consumption intake of unhealthy food and snacks. For example, soft drink manufacturers in Singapore have agreed to reduce the amount of sugar in their drinks. In the UK, suggestions of adjusting the salt and sugar intake in food corporations has been slow to catch on.

A quick tour around our local Tesco supermarket reveals the quantity of junk food on sale, a bag of Walker crisps for just 99 pence. Come the next week, a family sized packet of Kit Kats beckons you with its sugary goodness, and we take two or three because the sale ends on Tuesday. It is no wonder why obesity is considered a growing epidemic when temptation is dangling at every section. Professor Fiona Bull of WHO says, “what is available, the cost, the pricing and the marketing of individual foods influences our choices every day.” When sticking to a groceries budget comes as the topmost priority to most families, many will go for the cheapest, sometimes the unhealthiest food choice just to save a pound of two. Naturally, what the adults eat will pass on to their children, because why buy homegrown products when processed food keeps hunger at bay at a cheaper price too. It may be extremely adorable to have a chubby

Professor Fiona Bull Professor Bull holds Visiting Professorships at Loughborough University (UK) and at the Institute of Public Health, Cambridge University (UK). Previous work includes Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, USA and the World Health Organisation in Geneva.

baby to cuddle but studies have found that obese children are at a higher risk of being obese adults. The excessive ballooning of weight can lead to the contraction of diabetes, heart disease and cancers at a young age. The problem does not only lie in the diet, but also within the increased amount of screen time that replaces exercise! Gone are the days where children frolic in the parks and beaches at dusk, now we see kids as young as 2 years old glued to their electronic screens. If this epidemic persists, we will be raising a generation of overweight and low self-esteem chil-

dren. We will see a trend of bullying and low selfconfidence in schools, these insecurities are likely to follow them to adulthood where the pressures of working life will cause habits of stress-eating. The cycle will never end.

120

million children and adolescents in the world are obese, and continues to increase

Education could very well be the turning point to countering obesity and encourage families to participate in outdoor activities. Events like National Vegetable Day should be as important as Pancake Day, where everybody from students to working students get a free fruit to eat. Of course, the Government should come up with measures to regulate the price of homegrown products to make it more affordable for citizens in the long run. Ultimately, it takes a concerted effort for everyone to make huge overhauls to their lifestyle, but slow and steady wins the race. After all, when there are people around the world fighting desperately to preserve their lives, why should we squander away our health then cry when we see our bodies wasting away?

the courier

@CourierScience thecourieronline.co.uk/science

Monday 23 October 2017

science & technology

Easy on the environment

Thomas Atkinson flies us through the details of this budget airlines biggest green proposal

he budget carrier easyJet recently announced they’re collaborating with American firm Wright Electric to develop new electric aircraft suitable for flying some of easyJet’s routes within the decade. But – before you get all excited and start imagining jetting off to Mallorca for your hols on the aviation equivalent of a Tesla Model S – these planes will only be deployed on easyJet’s short haul portfolio. This covers flights like London to Edinburgh and Amsterdam.

15%

laptop saving both the cost of said paper and the man hours going into making sure it’s all up to date. They’ve also got rid of their traditional seats and replaced them with so-called ‘slimline’ seats to cut back on weight and increase capacity; both of which increase fuel efficiency and reduce effective emissions per

reduction in emission offered by Aircraft types such as the Airbus A320 neo and Boeings 737

The main benefit of these new electric aircraft is of course reduced emissions. Airlines are under increasing public pressure to cut emissions, and newer aircraft types such as the Airbus A320 neo and Boeing’s 737 MAX offer reductions in emissions of around 15% compared to the previous generations. However, a significant driver for the airlines is cost efficiency improvements. Electric is cheaper than aviation gas and with the possibility for new tax structures if electric aircraft ‘take off ’, cost advantages are ripe. Another benefit is reduction in noise emissions, which allows airlines to fly later from more airports whilst remaining on the right side of noise regulations.

EasyJet isn’t afraid of innovation either. In 2014 they took the plunge and made their cockpits ‘paperless’ EasyJet isn’t afraid of innovation either. In 2014 they took the plunge and made their cockpits ‘paperless’ – replacing the tradition array of paper charts, checklists and manifests with a ruggedised

passenger. So do I see these as being a not-so-roaring success? Well, possibly. One issue with these new aircraft is rather simply that they’re not Airbuses. Most low-cost carriers standardise on a single type of aircraft so they can bulk buy aircraft parts when they’re cheap, have bargaining power for maintenance contracts and have some semblance of ‘hot-swappability’ if they need to change aircraft at last minute as the sizing and capacity will be the same. This would see this ad-

vantage somewhat diminished for easyJet. They also don’t have the range to ply the lucrative routes to places like Palma de Majorca, the Costa del Sol, Germany and the like. In the interest of efficiency, the engines will be mounted in the wings like the old days. This has the disadvantage of making them harder to maintain and replace and this is all added cost. The batteries are stored in the hull. This presents the possible issue of eating into hold space for baggage – an area that is well utilised now. This would stop the aircraft being used on holiday routes (even if they had the range) where passengers typically take a couple of suitcases with them, and these routes are some of the airline’s most profitable. A significant barrier is regulatory approval as well. Aviation bodies have been reluctant to embrace new technology in the past so it’s likely to take some finagling to get them to agree to battery powered aircraft – especially considering the battery issues facing Boeing 787s a while ago. Attention must be paid to how the aircraft fails too. In a conventional aircraft if the lights go out the engines can still be controlled backup systems. If the batteries went kaput there’d be no restarting the engine so these aircraft wouldn’t be able to be used away from land unless something more reliable was thought of.

The batteries are stored in the hull, which presents the possible issue of baggage space This being said, these aircraft offer an exciting glimpse into what the future of aviation could look like; with clean, quiet aircraft the order of the day.

Word of the Week:

RIP to the probe that used to be

Kerbal Space Program enthusiast Jack Coles goes back in space and time to discuss Sputnik 1, everyone’s favourite probe

putnik 1’s batteries ran out 60 years today. (This is, of course, assuming you’re the sort of go-getter that reads our paper on release day. You guys are my heroes.) But seriously. Sputnik 1 was the space probe that the USSR launched to orbit the Earth. The probe itself was just 58.5cm in diameter, which is about the size of one of those gym balls that trendy people have in their office, but contained electronic gadgetry instead of empty air. Having said that, all the space within the probe was filled with nitrogen and used to measure the atmospheric pressure of its environment. It also sent back data on internal temperature and electron density of the ionosphere – a region of charged gases found between 60km and 1,000km above sea level. Sputnik’s orbit was at its lowest at 223km, and its peak was at 950km. For reference, most satellites orbit at around 36,000km, far above the atmosphere. Sputnik never completely escaped Earth’s atmosphere, but did reach the exosphere, a region of space where the atmospheric pressure is so low that it’s practically a vacuum.

Despite only operating for three weeks, Sputnik changed life as we know it The batteries ran out on the 26th of October,

1957, 22 days after launch. It wasn’t until two months and a week later when the probe was destroyed by re-entry heating; the intense heat caused by friction between air particles and the probe due to the high speeds. Despite only operating for three weeks, however, Sputnik changed life as we know it. Firstly, it got the USA pretty scared, causing them to ramp up the investment in education and space development. This included the founding of NASA, almost a year after Sputnik’s launch. NASA has since helped develop artificial limbs, memory foam, even MRI scanners. The Soviet satellite also helped test the legal waters for space development. Back then, nobody was sure what to think about launching things into space, and no ground rules had been set. By launching their probe, the USSR demonstrated that people weren’t really that opposed to it.

58.5

diameter of the widely-loved Sputnik1

Sputnik had two other members in its program; Sputnik 2, which carried the dog Laika into space, and Sputnik 3, which was used to measure Earth’s physical properties. The program was officially discontinued by the USSR and replaced by newer technologies, but Sputnik 1’s success still holds influence over our current existence.

Pneumoultramicroscopicsilivolcanocniosis

t 45 letters, Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is the longest word in the English dictionary. It was created by the National Puzzlers’ League during their 103rd annual meeting. The Oxford English dictionary defines it as “an artificial long word said to mean a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine ash and sand dust”. Its etymology is relatively recent, appearing in the dictionary for the first time in 1939, following a campaign by the National Puzzlers’ League to have it recognised. Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis has been occasionally used in popular culture, becoming the title of a song by American musician Tim Siler. It is also famous for its status as the longest word in the English Language. As a word, it is virtually useless in everyday dialogue due to its length. It is made even more pointless by the fact that it was a synonym to begin with, the original word being pneumoconiosis. Example: “I’ve had a pretty bad cough this week. I sure hope it isn’t Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis”. Max Hobbs

Mythbusters: Is the world flat?

he shape of the world we walk on has been used as lynchpin in countless ideologies, religions and scientific theories, as the basis for the way the universe itself is constructed. The majority of us take the current round-Earth model as gospel: but for some, the argument has never been settled. Where, then, did the idea of a flat Earth actually come from, and what’s the deal with its recent renaissance? Simply put, it began as a conception of the Classical world. With travel difficult and space inaccessible, the shape of Earth became another mystery to be explained with religion or philosophical thought, just like the seasons and the sun. It’s a natural conclusion, reconciling an immense sky with the seemingly flat ground. To this end, the sea became a cosmic ocean that acted as the planet’s boundary, the sky either the boundary between reality and firmament or simply the limit of the universe.

million to be spent by B.o.B. on a satellite to prove the Earth is flat

But as with the sun, it was the purview of later examination to explode this original model. Concepts of round Earths arise as far back as the sixth century BC, in Pythagoras’ geometric writings. From the Islamic astronomers to the work of Thomas Aquinas, from the Roman Macrobius to Bede’s The Reckoning of Time, the round Earth model rose in popularity. Iranian scholar Abu Rayhan Biruni, working in the eleventh century, estimated the Earth’s circumference a mere 31 kilometres shy of measurements performed by modern scientists. And, if you believe that Sputnik actually happened, our observation of the planet from orbit put the debate to rest. If the above doesn’t convince you, there’s literal libraries to do some of your own research in. So why has the debate been reignited? The key to the new flat Earth debate is simple: this isn’t the same argument. Instead, it’s an act of ideological protest, part of a network of conspiracy theories. According to the Twitter chapter of the flat Earth argument, a round world is just one of the alleged myths that NASA have been feeding the stupid “sheeple”, in addition to gravity, space travel and the existence of satellites. #FlatEarth teems with “strong” evidence such as memes, statistics without citation, six-hour Youtube videos and the ever-popular imploration to “think for yourselves”. There isn’t even any consensus as to the nature of flat earth they champion: whether the sea falls into space, or there’s a gargantuan ice wall surrounding the planet. It’s telling that one of their favourite arguments for the Earth being flat is that the Hebrew word “nāšā” – pronounced “nasha”, by the way – means “to deceive”.

Iranian scholar Abu Rayhan Biruni, in the eleventh century, estimated the Earth’s circumference a mere 31 kilometres shy of current measurements And even in national organisations, the debate is predicated on similar ideas. A Colorado-based Flat-Earther, known by the pseudonym Knodel and speaker at the upcoming Flat Earth International Conference in Raleigh, insists that the round Earth model is an ideological tool of oppression, that it’s a conspiracy by intellectuals to “to create two classes: the ultra-rich and servants.” Information censorship by this international conspiracy conveniently accounts for any holes in the model. So, is the Earth flat? The evidence seems overwhelmingly against it. But if the conspiracy theorists are right, the cover-up is real and Earth is a secret pancake careening through the stars, the implications about our leaders are disturbing to say the least. Alex Ridley

puzzles

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Monday 23 October 2017

Puzzles Editor Joey Barton Deputy Puzzles Editor Alex Hendley

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spot the ball

M A G Y L E N K T

HAYMARKET JESMOND BEDE BYKER AIRPORT P

R Y T L D N N Y J O B L PELAW PALMERSVILLE SHIREMOOR LONGBENTON JARROW

1 9 5 9 4 6 4 1 9 5 3 7 3 6 2 8 1 4 7 4 5 3 7 8

metro search

1 Famous type of Liam (9) 6 You’ll find Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos here (4) 8 Too many trebs and you might just... (5) 9 Southern Peruvian desert city (3) 10 Cumbrian slang: ‘unfair/embarrassing’ (4) 12 Warning: Egyptians inside... (11) 15 Opposite of save, economically (5) 17 ___ to Joy (3) 18 Kung Fu Panda protagonist (2) 21 Subatomic particles (9) 23 Scottish ‘chav’; ___ Flanders (3) 25 Salvador ____ (4) 26 Central and South American wild cat (6)

Down

1 _____ and Stacey (5) 2 Make shiny (8) 3 Dec’s other half (3) 4 You car wheels are naked without them (7) 5 Thin strip of land, Panama is a perfect example (7) 7 Italian for ‘year’ (4) 11 Opposite of alkaline (4) 13 Better than the iPhone (7) 14 I’m feeling supersonic, give me Gin and _____ (5) 15 Northern food (5) 16 Everyone wants to find the source of it (4) 19 Recently remade scary clown film (2) 20 Sacred song or hymn (5) 22 Santa’s gift to bad lads (4) 24 __, a deer, a female deer (2)

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sport

Monday 23 October 2017

Ashley takes the (Sports)Direct train out of Newcastle Callum McCormack reviews Mike Ashley’s rather eventful ownership of Newcastle United as he puts the club on the market Chairman Freddy Shepherd agreed to sell his 28% stake in Newcastle United in 2007 to the man that has single handily stymied Newcastle’s ambitions over the last ten years; Mike Ashley. Shepherd predicted that Ashley and his company will “provide the best opportunity for the club to flourish in the future, to the benefit of the company and its fans”. How wrong he was. Despite the Newcastle fans’ frustrations over the last decade, Ashley announced on the 16th of this month, that he would be putting the club up for sale as a result of not being able to compete financially with owners at the likes of Manchester City. It begs the question; did he ever attempt to compete with the big boys in the league? Did he ever try to add to the rich 150 year old history of the club? I’ll let you answer that one as we look back at his decade in charge of Newcastle United. After a good opening nine games to the 07/08 campaign, Allardyce’s Newcastle sat 11th with St James’ Park becoming increasingly frustrated at the uninspiring performances

Ashley, despite winning The Championship and returning to the Premier League at the first time of asking under the new management of Chris Hughton, was under a lot of pressure by the fans who were now begging for him to step down as owner. Alan Pardew then replaced

Hughton in December of 2010, despite the club sitting 11th in the league. This decision left most fans scratching their heads, especially when Newcastle only finished the season in 12th.

This led to a landslide of calamitous errors from the board which ended in relegation for Newcastle, despite the shocking yet incredible appointment of Rafa Benitez at the end of the 15/16 season. And to the fans’ delight, Ashley said he wouldn’t leave until Newcastle had won a trophy.

Ashley’s ownership has been somewhat controversial Image: Wikimedia Commons before them. It was in December 2007 when Mike Ashley made his first important decision, and swiftly replaced Allardyce with a club legend Kevin Keegan. Not many disagreed with the decision at the time and Ashley was off to a good start with the fans.

Fans will be hoping for better times after Ashley sells up Image: Wikimedia Commons

Rafa continues to be a popular figure among Newcastle fans Image: Wikimedia Commons

2011-12 2017-18 2013-14 2007-08 Newcastle’s end-of-season league position

2010-11 2012-13 2008-09

Premier League Championship

The 08/09 campaign kicked off in August and a month later Keegan resigned due to board interference in transfers, and Ashley put Newcastle on the market. Three months later Ashley labelled 2009 as “the year in which we drive the club forward together” when he took Newcastle back off the market. The rest of 2009 consisted of three managers, lacklustre performances and even the energy of club legend Alan Shearer managing the last eight games of the season couldn’t stop Newcastle from relegation.

2015-16 2009-10

2016-17

the 2005, £15m signing of Michael Owen is still their record transfer. In the last two seasons, nineteen of the other Premier League teams have broken their transfer record, begging the question why Ashley has never got his wallet out and splashed the cash? Rebranding St James’ Park as the ‘Sportsdirect.com@St James’ Park’ was a massive insult to the fans, and many believed Ashley was using Newcastle as a business stunt.

Alan Pardew never really won the fans’ hearts in his tenure Image: Wikimedia Commons

Fans turned on Ashley and his lack of investment Many labelled the managerial appointments as “thoughtless” and fans had turned on Ashley and his lack of investment. To emphasise the lack of spending over the last decade at Newcastle,

2014-15

Undeterred by the lack of transfer activity and doubt around the club, Benitez guided Newcastle to Championship success, and publicly called for bigger investments from Mike Ashley at the end of the season. Over the summer Newcastle were raided by HMRC after tax fraud allegations, leading to yet another poor transfer window and more unrest at the club. Surely this series of setbacks and an abdication of responsibility by Ashley, means he will finally sell the club meaning Newcastle supporters can dare to dream of a bright future yet again.

CHRIS HUGHTON

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer briefly took the reigns Image: Wikimedia Commons

Small but continuous investment over the next four seasons meant the likes of Papiss Cisse and Loïc Rémy gave St James’ Park a reason to celebrate. In the 11/12 season when Newcastle qualified for Europe after finish-

ing 5th above the likes of Chelsea, the fans were in high spirits. However a bizarre, never before seen, eight year contract was handed to Pardew in 2012. He then left shortly after for Crystal Palace.

Following Hughton’s sacking in 2011 he managed Championship clubs, later taking Brighton to the Premier League

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sport

Monday 23 October 2017

Athletic fail to break hoodoo against Jesmond Tutu INTRA MURAL FOOTBALL 11s

Hardly Athletic 1 Jesmond Tutu 8

Dan Haygarth at Close House Buoyed by a valiant performance in a 4-3 friendly defeat to Boca Seniors, Hardly Athletic went into their first league game of the season against Jesmond Tutu filled with anticipation and excitement. Previously non-existent confidence had developed into bona fide arrogance as bold statements of ‘if we can give a division one side a game like that, we’ll have no problem in this league’ and ‘if we get promoted we’ve all got to stay to do a masters’ had been thrown around with very little self-awareness. The salubrious setting of Pitch Three at 18th century manor house and golf club, Close House played host to this Division Three clash. Unfortunately, the quality of the surroundings was not reflected in the standard of football, from one side at least. Lacking the encouragement and intimidation of their ultras, who were strangely not so keen on an away day, Athletic slumped to a disastrous 8-1 defeat. A truly embarrassing outcome. With only one player unavailable (due to a speed awareness course, not

injury), the matchday squad seemingly possessed strength in depth. Or at least it would have if the car containing their goalkeeper, left back, left winger, number ten and centre forward had not managed to get completely lost on the ten-mile journey to Close House. It’s reassuring to know that the squad’s incompetence is not exclusively football related. Fortunately, thirteen players had managed to arrive on time. Unfortunately, they had only brought ten shirts with them and were a pair of shin pads and boots short. As player-manager, I gallantly started on the bench and surrendered my shirt and boots to the starters. This resulted in possibly the first instance of shirtless management in the history of Association Football and the ruin of my once cherished Adidas Stan Smiths. While the latecomers’ leisurely tour of Northumberland had just taken its fourth crossing of the River Tyne, the referee was keen to start the game. We were not. A makeshift starting XI was assembled reluctantly, which involved reverting to the primary school tactic of throwing the biggest lad in goal (without gloves) and hoping for the best. The game kicked off and Jesmond went 2-0 ahead after half an hour – not

This resulted in possibly the first instance of shirtless management in the history of Association Football and the ruin of my once cherished Adidas Stan Smiths

CAMPUS LEAGUE FOOTBALL 5’s

Seeding Round One

James Sproston at SoccerWorld In perhaps the most miraculous event since Jack Cryer pulled off pink socks, Berocca Juniors went unbeaten in a tournament. Not one of these radish-growing tourneys, we’re talking about a real-life actual football tournament. The day started out with 50-odd teams crowded into one SoccerWorld pitch listening to the man, the myth, the legend Liam Isaac. BJFC were seeded into a group with Cra3ter City, Dozy Coves and BAF FC. Decent looking sides, but as we all know, looks aren’t everything. This was what the Juniors feared, as the new kit made the boys look professional, but memories of the old SoccerWorld days still lingered. Donning the official yellow and black jerseys, BJFC’s full-kit wankers took to the field feeling anxious to get started. Without a set Starting V established in the preview, and no Gaffer present on the sidelines, it was Jake Hawkyard, Harri Saunders, Jack Edwards, Tom Coulthard and Harry Van Der Hoek that lined up against Cra3ter City. Buoyed by the news that normal footy rules applied, Hawkyard opted to take on the Beckenbauer role, being spotted by the keen keeperologists more outside than inside his own box. The man between the posts had a stormer, keeping his first clean sheet of the year in his first appearance this season. It took a solo goal from Van Der Hoek to separate the sides, even though the Juniors keeping the opposition under the kosh for the full 12. In retaliation, Cra3ster put Edwards’ head into the kosh, knocking the colour out of his face, forcing him to miss one match. Having taken three points in the first match, spirits were high going into the clash against Dozy Coves. Hailing from the small Flemish town of Coves, Dozy Coves derive their name from their narcoleptic defensive tendencies. Needless to say, the lads took advantage, with Teddy Lee, William Nicoll, Saunders and Coulthard converting in front of the West Road End. One man who didn’t take advantage was Harry

Needless to say, the lads took advantage, with Lee, Nicoll, Saunders and Coulthard converting in front of the West Road End Backed by the Welsh government, we can only presume that this lot are the Bryntirion Athletic Fans’ Football

formance dominated by errors. There were a couple of positives, though. Callum Jackson and deadline day signing Henry Clark played well in the centre of defence, an odd statement considering the result, but the former Raiders FC pairing stopped the score from becoming any more embarrassing. Tough-tackling midfielder Ben Lowes, determined to slide tackle at any opportunity, also put in a decent shift. All in all, a day to forget for all involved with Hardly Athletic. I just hope that the board give me more time than Frank De Boer received at Crystal Palace. Stay humble.

A combination of bad luck and defensive errors lead to defeat Image: Dan Haygarth

Berocca Juniors in tourney triumph Van Der Hoek, who came off injured early on. After being taken to A&E it was revealed that HVDH had a potentially fatal case of chafage on his left nipple, so severe that just a smooth patch of skin remained. In their final group game, BJFC took on BAF FC. For those unsure for what it stands for, fear not for the Juniors’ researchers have found an answer.

a great start. Five minutes later, the final car arrived, bringing reinforcements and a shred of hope. This hope disappeared instantly, as after forty minutes Athletic were 4-0 down. With the last act of the half, the trailing side finally managed to string more than two passes together. Winger George Yates picked up the ball on the halfway line before picking out Liam Mulligan, who finished with aplomb from the edge of the box. 4-1, were things about to turn around? No. Four more goals were conceded in the second half as Jesmond ran riot and Athletic crumbled. The game finished 8-1 – a truly uninspired per-

Club. Having travelled all the way up from Bridgend, the boys’ felt that they had the home advantage. However, this lot’s travelling fan club hyped up BAF for a big match. With the support of Bryntirion Athletic Fans’ Football Club Fans’ Club, the away side started brightly, but Jake “The Fucking Octopus” Hawkyard kept the yellow-clad warriors in it. Goals from Coulthard and Nicoll assisted by James Sproston put the lads in control, then another from TC7 moved the match out of BAF’s reach. To round off the day, a lovely flick by Nicoll was volleyed in by Saunders to already put him straight in contention for Goal of the Season. To the delight of the fans, Edwards made a late appearance in the final match, with his facial injury seemingly not troubling him until he withdrew a few minutes later. Maximum points from this round of the tourney may look impressive, but the Juniors will be properly tested next week in the following set of fixtures to finalising the seeding. We’ll be up against the best of the best so expect some old-school BJFC reports. Should be a laugh.

BJFC got maximum nine out of nine points from their group Image: James Sproston

All square in Toon vs Beckett battle

BUCS FOOTBALL 11s

Leeds Beckett 1’s 1 Newcastle 1’s 1

Joseph Hamblin at Headingley After last week’s commanding victory over Manchester that got Newcastle off to the desired start for this year’s BUCS campaign, this Wednesday saw them travel to West Yorkshire as they faced newly promoted Leeds Beckett who were coming off the back of a 5-4 victory in their first outing. The Headingley campus is a traditionally tricky venue for the Newcastle side whose task was made that little bit harder by some important absentees due to injury and academic commitments. However, such is the strength of this year’s squad that Newcastle were able to bring in Theo Pizzarro and Yiannis Poullis who have represented the youth teams of Gibraltar and Cyprus respectively. Not to be outdone by Newcastle’s international pedigree, the hosts had Premier League referee John Moss on hand to officiate the afternoons proceedings. And following Mr Moss’ whistle to get the game underway it was Newcastle who started the better, as they threatened with their attractive combination of patient build up play and penetrative forward passes. It didn’t take long for Newcastle to start creating chances as the quick switch out wide to Walden that was so effective last week was employed again and he floated across a ball that arrived upon the unmarked head of Thomas on the six-yard line but unfortunately he wasn’t able to get the desired connection and the Beckett defence went unpunished. Newcastle were in control of the game and starting to create chances with referee Moss waving away claims for a penalty after what looked like a foul on Yiadom, as the Beckett defence struggled to cope with the physical prowess of the striker. The final big chance of Newcastle’s dominance fell to Woodier

as his left foot shot trickled wide after good play to find himself in space in the Beckett box. The home side then grew into the game as the Royals began to find it difficult to find their rhythm on what was a lively pitch that seemed to hamper the footballing exploits of Newcastle. It took until the stroke of half-time for the Newcastle defence to be troubled as Hesketh blocked a shot in his own 6-yard box. Apart from that it was comfortable as Mairs and debutant Yiannis marshalled the right-hand side of the defence, which the hosts seemed to favour attacking. The second half started in the same manner as the first ended. Beckett continued to put pressure on Newcastle without troubling Patterson in goal as the visitors struggled to find the freeflowing football that the Royals faithful have grown to expect. Both sides were looking threatening until they reached the opposition box. That changed midway through the second half as Newcastle started to ramp up the pressure as they searched for the goal. And Yiadom provided as he converted from close range after a good drive from the dynamic Zylko who saw his looping effort pushed onto the bar and down into the goalmouth as the striker tapped in to claim his third BUCS goal in two games. Newcastle would have been confident in defending their lead and escaping with all three points but some lackadaisical defending from a deep Beckett free kick presented the ball to the opposition winger who somehow found the bottom corner with the outside of his boot in what looked like a fortunate result from a mishit cross. Newcastle through everything at the game to get the winner with the best chance of the final period falling to Yiadom who blazed over from inside the box at the death, which meant the Royals had to settle for a draw. A decent result against a team who will take points off Newcastle’s rivals, as attention turns to next week’s hosting of title contenders Liverpool John Moore’s.

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Monday 23 October 2017

Comeback stopped short for men’s badminton MEN’S BADMINTON

Newcastle 2nds 3 Durham 3rds 5

James Sproston at Newcastle Sports Centre Newcastle’s battling badminton side fell to a 5-3 loss in a spirited performance against a very adept Durham third team. On the back of beating the York seconds 5-3 just a week before, Newcastle’s men’s seconds went into their second league match of the season looking for consecutive wins. In their way was a confident Durham side, filled with fresh faces and buoyed by a 6-2 win against the Leeds Beckett secondss in their curtain raiser. As is often the case this early in the season, both sides were filled with players still trying to find their feet in the university badminton world. At a glance both teams looked like they were a bunch of individuals, if just because few of the players on show were wearing university kit. However, going into the match Newcastle were already at a disadvantage. With their usual captain, Jeremy Revell, called up to play for the 1st team, NUBC turned to James Ashcroft to lead the side on the day. Under the watchful but supportive eye of the AU Officer, Clara Pettitt, he wouldn’t disappoint. It was Ashcroft that kicked off the day on Centre Court. He faced Durham’s Matthew Peart, whose composure saw him seal the first set 21-16. Shouting at himself in frustration, the captain picked up his game, pulling together two brilliant sets to take the match two sets to one, with scores of 21-14 21-13. Newcastle’s Pratyush Pradeep didn’t

have the same fortune in his opening match. Up against Durham’s Joshua Davidson, the NUBC player fell one set down. Unlike Ashcroft, Pradeep wasn’t able to turn it around, as Davidson took the match 21-7 21-11. Next up the two doubles matches got underway. On the far court, Newcastle pairing Yap Yixuan and Jeremy Liew were up against the tough-looking Freddy Levitt and Theirry Fasnacht. Despite looking the part, Newcastle were considered favourites going into the clash, with our sideline badminton correspondent tipping the two Newcastle lads for the win. Sure enough, Newcastle took the first set; with the newly paired Newcastle doubles side sealing the first set 21-16. However, Yixuan and Liew dropped the cock in the second set, losing out 22-20. Nevertheless, NUBC’s dangermen showed enough character to comfortably seal the third set 21-61, giving Newcastle the point. In the second doubles tie, Durham were the ones who took advantage. A very tight first set saw the Newcastle pairing of Ryan Jackson and Ganzy Gan lose out 21-19 to Dom Pellow and Leith Osborne. Newcastle then crumbled in the second set as Pellow and Osborne pressed their advantage to win 21-12, and take the match. With the score poised at 2-2, the next four fixtures had double the amount of pressure piled on them. This showed in the two remaining singles matches, as both Pradeep and Ashcroft took their ties into agonisingly tight final sets. Ashcroft took to the court first, dispatching Davidson 21-17 in the first set. The same form was not replicated in the second, losing 21-14. With a fantastic

blend of power and accuracy, Ashcroft put himself in the driving seat in the final set, but Davidson’s relentless consistency paid off, finally sealing the tie 21-19. On the flipside, Pradeep struggled in the first set, losing out 21-11 to Durham’s Peart. However, Pradeep seriously found his feet in the second set, and his form along with it, winning the set 2110. In the final set, Pradeep made Peart work for every single point, but lost out in a tense final set 24-22. Newcastle gave themselves a real boost going into the final fixture as Yixuan and Liew coolly won their last match in two sets, beating Pellew and Osborne 21-15 21-13. This gave Jackson and Gan an opportunity to draw the overall fixture if they beat Levitt and Fasnacht. After losing the first set 21-14, Jackson and Gan fought back in the second. Playing with a fluidity not shown previously, the pairing put themselves in serious contention, with a third and final set looking like the likely destination. However, the last few points were very sticky as the game become more viscous, as the Newcastle pairing fell to a narrow 22-20 defeat. Though the 5-3 scoreline may look comprehensive, it was just a few key points that separated the two sides. No doubt the Newcastle freshers will grow into he team, and therefore grow in confidence as the season progresses. Newcastle next face the York seconds down in God’s county, as they both look to progress in the cup. Having beaten the 2s 5-3 already this season, Newcastle have reason to be confident, but complacency could be their downfall if they don’t take it seriously. Cup badminton doesn’t take any prisoners.

Newcastle badminton in full swing against Durham Image: James Sproston

UPCOMING EVENTS Check out upcoming sports fixtures across the Toon and show your support for Team Newcastle

BASKETBALL - Women’s 1sts, 20.00 at Royal Grammar School FOOTBALL- Women’s 1sts, 14.00 at Cochrane Park Men’s 1sts, 14.00 at Cochrane Park NETBALL - 1sts, 19.15 at Newcastle Sports Centre RUGBY LEAGUE - 1sts, 14.00 at Red Hall Drive VOLLEYBALL- Men’s 1sts, 17.00 at Newcastle Sports Centre

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Monday 23 October 2017

Leeds squashed as Newcastle return to form MEN’S SQUASH

Newcastle 3rds 3 Leeds 3rds 0

Charlotte Cooper at Eldon Leisure After a disappointing loss in their opening match to Hull’s first team last week, Newcastle men’s thirds managed to secure a strong 3-0 win against promising league contenders Leeds thirds. The ongoing redevelopment of the Sports Centre means that Newcastle are currently playing their home matches at Eldon Leisure, and after last week’s unfortunate loss they were keen to get on court and make their mark on this season with a home win in their second match. The Leeds boys rocked up to Eldon Leisure feeling confident but this was no match for the determination of the Newcastle team held to secure their first win of the Northern 3B league. Despite all other Newcastle squash matches being away this week meaning little home support from the other teams, the thirds went on court with a fighting spirit. Third seed Alistair Geear took to the court first with an extremely close first game, battling it out with his opponent who appeared just too much for the Newcastle player and came out victorious in the first game.

Both players performed some high-quality squash that kept the audience’s eyes fixated on the game After an encouraging talk with the rest of the team Geear took the next game 11/7 making it one game each between Newcastle and Leeds. Geear dug deep in the final two games, adding pressure to his opponent who crumbled and couldn’t keep up with the pace, resulting in a 3-1 win to Newcastle. Next up was hard hitting second seed Sam Austin. After a close first game and Northern 3B

Newcastle made light work of their Leeds opposition Image: Charlotte Cooper

BUCS RESULTS BADMINTON

M1 v Leeds Beckett 1sts M2 v Durham 2nds W1 v Edinburgh 1sts W2 v Leeds 2nds

BASKETBALL

M1 v Worcester 1sts M3 v Leeds Trinity 1sts W1 v Edinburgh 1sts

FENCING

M2 v Bradford 1sts M3 v Hull 1sts W2 v W3

4-4 3-5 6-2 4-4 79-88 68-53 40-53 w/o 104-106 135-78

FOOTBALL

M1 v Leeds Beckett 1sts M2 v Leeds Beckett 2nds W1 v York St John 1sts W2 v Leeds Beckett 3rds

FUTSAL

M1 v York 1sts

HOCKEY

M2 v Hull 1sts M3 v York 2nds W1 v Durham 2nds W2 v Leeds Beckett 2nds W3 v Leeds 3rds W4 v Hull 1sts

LACROSSE

1-1 3-0 0-4 4-2

M2 v Leeds 1sts W1 v Leeds Beckett 1sts W2 v Durham 3rds W3 v Leeds 2nds

1-1

W1 v Leeds 1sts W2 v Leeds 2nds W3 v Leeds 4ths W4 v Northumbria 3rds

1-4 w/o 2-1 1-0 2-2 1-1

NETBALL

RUGBY LEAGUE

M1 v Northumbria 1sts M2 v Sheffield 2nds

12-0 7-6 7-13 24-1

Pld

Pts

1 Durham 3rds

2 Hull 1sts

3 York 1sts

-9

4 Newcastle 3rds

5 Sheffield 3rds

-4

6 Leeds 3rds

-6

RUGBY UNION

M1 v Durham 2nds M2 v Durham 4ths M3 v Leeds Beckett 3rds M4 v York St John 1sts W1 v Edinburgh 1sts

SQUASH

M2 v Leeds 2nds M3 v Leeds 3rds W1 v Leeds 1sts W2 v Leeds Beckett 1sts

TABLE TENNIS

45-45 43-42 49-29 27-37

M1 v Northumbria 1sts M2 v Leeds 2nds

12-48 0-66

M1 v Leeds Beckett 4ths M2 v Sheffield 2nds W1 v Sheffield Hallam 1sts W2 v Sheffield 1sts

TENNIS

22-40 34-19 31-23 42-20 0-72 1-4 3-0 3-1 4-0 15-2 7-10 4-6 10-2 4-8 0-12

a very strong start to his match, Austin took on a two-point clear game in the second. Both players performed some highquality squash, keeping the audience’s eyes fixated on the game. The Leeds player had some great defence strategies in this second game, resulting in Austin narrowly missing out and Leeds taking a 14/12 win to level the match. This made the current score a draw of 1-1, and provided the motivation for the Newcastle second seed to step up his game with some attacking winning shots and secure the next two games, 11/9 and 12/10.

JAMES LEES Newcastle’s first seed battled through the ebb and flow of a thrilling fivegame match to take his team’s overal score to 3-0

The 3-1 wins from both Newcastle seeds meant that the pressure was off for the final game as Newcastle had already secured a win. This, however, did not stop the first seed players striving to win every point and pushing for every shot in what was an epic nail-biting match. Newcastle’s James Lees thrived in the first game and played upon the home team advantage winning 11/7. The following game was Newcastle’s second two-point clear game of the match. Neither teams were willing to give up the win until Lees stretched his game and took the 13/11 win. Determined to ensure at least a one match win, Leeds’ number one player secured the next two games with some excellent sharp drives and volleys and dominated the fourth game 11/1. This made the score 2-2 and took the match to five games. Despite an incredibly well-fought comeback from the Leeds player, their number one just wasn’t strong enough to take the win as Lees came back fighting with an unfazed attitude towards his opponent’s equalising games. Securing the win meant the final score was a 3-0 win to Newcastle. The victory lifts Newcastle up to fourth place in the Northern 3B league, while Leeds continue to languish at the bottom of the table as they wait for their first win of the season. Next week the Newcastle thirds face a Leeds team once again, as Leeds Trinity make the journey to Tyneside for the opening round of the Men’s Northern Conference Cup. The winners of this match will play another Leeds team, in this case the University of Leeds’ men’s seconds.

VOLLEYBALL

M1 v Northumbria 2nds

WATERPOLO

M1 v Northumbria 2nds M2 v Durham 2nds

0-3 6-18 10-10

OVERALL BUCS POSITION Pos

University

Pts

Northumbria

1140

Cardiff

1123

Newcastle

1028

Leeds Beckett

993

Cardiff Met

915

sport the courier

THE BEROCCAS BACK IN BUSINESS P37

Monday 23 October 2017 Issue 1355 Free

@Courier_Sport courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk thecourieronline.co.uk/sport Sport Editors Tom Shrimplin, Courtney Strait & Mark Sleightholm

BADMINTON BATTLE AGAINST DURHAM P38

THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF ASHLEY’S REIGN P36

Newcastle grounded by Rockets

Newcastle still managed a smile in the face of defeat Image: Courtney Strait

MEN’S BASKEBTALL

Team Newcastle 68 Reading Rockets 72

Courtney Strait at Sport Central The Newcastle Knights Basketball Club made their NBL Division 1 debut on 16 September with a victory against the Bradford Dragons. Last weekend, Team Newcastle faced its biggest challenge thus far this season facing the mighty Northumbria, the defending league champions. Despite a spirited effort by the Division 1 newcomers Team Newcastle fell to Northumbria 66-82 on 23 September. The Knights threw the first punch in the game, jumping out to an early 6-0 lead in the first few minutes. This would be the only lead of the game for Team Newcastle as Northumbria quickly caught up and took an 8-6 lead with 5:30 remaining in the first quarter. For the remainder of the first half

Newcastle hung around, and even knotted the score at one point in the second quarter. The second half was a different story as Northumbria utilised aggressive defense and a balanced offensive attack from its two star players — inside the key and behind the three-point line — to overcome Newcastle and eventually run away with the game. Team Northumbria used their size and physicality to overpower Newcastle in the second half. The Knights were no match for the strong, physical post player from Northumbria, who gained position in the lane with ease and couldn’t miss from inside the paint. In addition the inside presence from Northumbria dominated the offensive boards. They muscled their way through Newcastle defenders for a number of second chance baskets and were a force to be reckoned with from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Newcastle newcomer, Greek guard Thanasis Iokeimidis, provided a posi-

tive spark for the Knights during the match. His court vision and ability to read the defense led to double figure points and steered the Knights on a run in the final minutes of the game. Despite Iokeimidis’ efforts the score was too far out of reach and the run wasn’t enough to catch up to the hosts, who led by as much as 17. Following the loss to Northi, Team Newcastle looked to bounce back against a scrappy Reading Rockets squad on Sunday, 8 October. Slow starts in the first and third quarters ended up being the difference maker for the Knights and led to a final score of 6872. Reading maintained a double-figure lead throughout the second half before Team Newcastle made a dramatic comeback that, unfortunately, fell just short. As in the game against Northumbria, the Knights were plagued by offensive rebounding troubles and were unable to penetrate the Rockets’ stifling defense

for the majority of the game. Reading also used a strong transition game to catch Newcastle off guard and score quick points in the fast break. American imports Joey Bennett and Patrick Wrencher provided strong contributions — both tallied double figure points and played big minutes for Team Newcastle. Bennett caught fire in the first half, coming off the bench and scoring more than 20 points in a short amount of time including a huge breakaway dunk to swing the momentum in the Knights’ favour. Veteran guard Mark Elderkin has run the show for Newcastle thus far this season directing traffic, creating scoring opportunities and making hustle plays throughout every match. Moving forward, the Knights must utilise their speed and movement on offense to nullify physical defenses and create openings and scoring opportunities inside the key. Although the Knights have not quite

found their footing in NBL Division 1quite yet, the Newcastle University BUCS squad got off to a hot start against a formidable Worcester lineup. After a long drive south, the Knights stretched their legs and pushed the pace — they found points in the fast break throughout the entire game. Newcastle returners Romonn Nelson, Jack Beresford and Alei Wol led the Knights break and used their speed off the dribble to put Worcester on their heels. BUCS newcomers Zach Leal and Kingsley Pinda posed strong threats to the Worcester defenders and posted big numbers for Team Newcastle — Leal played the entire 40 minutes and impressed the crowd with a multifaceted offensive attack. Aside from the fast break, Team Newcastle found luck playing small ball — with Leal at the center position, the Knights switched every screen on defense and used their speed to score on the home team.