Suspension Bridge Fireworks page 32
Brand’s Parklife page 49
Interstellar review page 44
Issue 280 Monday 24th November 2014 www.epigram.org.uk
It’s official: arts fund science degrees Epigram investigation: Bristol spends four times as much per Dentistry student George Robb Investigations Editor
Philip Bruland
Dept for Communities and Local govetnment
The revelations on funding per department expose the absurdity of arts students paying £9,000 a year
A Freedom of Information request conducted by Epigram proves what has been suspected for a long time: arts students at Bristol University are subsidising more expensive degrees. Around half of the £9,000 that most arts students pay in tuition fees each year is reallocated to other departments. Most of these departments are in the Faculty of Science and Faculty of Medical & Veterinary Sciences. Of the £9,000 that Bristol undergraduates pay per year, the University only spends £3,347.14 on each student, with much of the rest going on subsidising degree programmes which are more expensive to run. And History students each have just £4247.95 spent on them. Such evidence shows that arts students’ tuition fees are used to compensate for losses made by departments that offer more expensive degrees, such as Dentistry, Chemistry and Veterinary Sciences, which spend between three and four times as much per student. Arts students contribute an annual net profit of over £10 million towards the University, which is used to subsidise departments such as Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Chemistry and Physics, which make losses, and fund research. The government’s trebling of tuition fees saw a large subsidy, which in some cases was as large as £6,000 per undergraduate each year, removed, with students expected to make up the shortfall. Epigram’s findings compare the £9,000 figure to how much is actually spent on them, which varies significantly between departments. The figures for Medicine were not included in the list provided. continued on page 3
Students ordered to pay council Greg Clark MP tax straight after finals interview page 3
completing their undergraduate degrees at Bristol and beginning their Master’s degrees. Typically, not many students are made aware by letting agents or landlords that they may be targeted by the council in this way. Many students are being forced to pay immediately after finishing their final exams, with the date in which students are deemed to complete their time at University differing depending on whether students began in Students are being hit with council tax bills between exams finishing and tenancy contracts ending 2011-12 or later. continued on page 4
Could UoB students soon be paying council tax all year round? page 4
Images Money
Minister for Universities and Science
Bristol final year students are being targeted by Bristol City Council to pay council tax just days after taking their last exam. Many are forced to pay between the end of the University term - usually the end of June - and the end of their tenancy contracts, with the logic being that young people are no longer students from the day they finish their degree programme. A number of students have also been sent council tax letters in the period between
Epigram 24.11.2014
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Students at risk of council tax enforcement
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- Bristol Council send bailiffs in for pre-graduation council tax - Bath councillors raise fears of students paying all year round
Zaki Dogliani Editor As well as students being sent council tax letters in the two or three month period between completing undergraduate degrees and beginning Master’s degrees, during which Bristol students are temporarily no longer in full-time education, Epigram has learnt that enforcement officers have been sent to student properties to collect council tax for minimal periods of time.
‘Student statuses at some universities finish in September, so the middle of June seems arbitrary’.
Meanwhile,on Thursday 13 November, Bath and North East Somerset Council discussed changing laws that exempt students from payments. Councillor June Player, (Ind. Westmoreland) originally planned to propose the motion to change council tax laws for students in the city. However, after the motion was adjusted, the concept officially passed was whether student accommodation landlords should pay council tax or business rates on their properties instead. The motion will now be discussed at a policy development and scrutiny panel, and could be then taken on to central government with the idea of charging business rates for landlords. Currently, landlords are exempt from paying council tax where all people occupying a house are registered students. Despite the change to Cllr Player’s motion, the result could still hold consequences for students, as rent prices would surely rise in order for landlords to recover tax.
‘The last thing councils should be doing is increasing the financial burden on students’
Professor Judith Squires, Pro Vice Chancellor for Education •
Bristol University has a close relationship with the City Council ‘We [the University] made clear our wish to protect the interests of our students in any such discussion’
•
Bristol has an even higher student population, of 47,000. If passed, a similar situation in the city could see Bristol student tenant prices rise even more. Stephen Williams, Liberal Democrat MP for Bristol West, reassured Epigram he disagrees with changing the law: ‘I do not see any need to change the law on payment of council tax. Students are exempted for a very good reason, their grants and loans are not treated as ordinary income and are outside the benefits system. There would be no net benefit to the public finances. ‘Landlords... would increase their rents to recover the tax and the government would then have to consider increasing grants and loans.’ Labour’s Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East, told Epigram that she would also be against the introduction of council tax for students. Tom Phipps, UBU Student Living Officer, added: ‘With rents increasing year on year and maintenance loans not keeping on track, the last thing councils should be doing is increasing the financial burden on students. This case highlights the importance of students voting and making their voice heard as increasingly, local authorities are placing a greater burden on students through mechanisms like council tax for short-term political advantage.’ If Bristol students were in danger of being targeted with a similar motion as the one in Bath, the University asserted that it would do what it could to protect its students. Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Judith Squires said: ‘Given our close working relationship with the city council, any such proposal would need considered debate and discussion between us and the council, a key factor within that being to ensure that we made clear our wish to protect the interests of our students in any such discussion.’
Tom Phipps, Student Living Officer at the Students’ Union •
The financial burden on students is already increasing, councils should not make it worse ‘Highlights the importance of students voting in local elections and making their voices heard’
•
Department for Communities
As the crackdown is to maximise council revenue, this raises the question of whether going after students who technically may be liable to pay council tax for a mere 5 or 10-day period costs more than it raises considering how high administrative costs of sending in enforcement officers can be. Sasha Brown, a third year Drama student, is one of those targeted : ‘I only just heard about it - I didn’t even want a lease until September, I won’t even be here during the summer so that’s already an added cost. My house is a mix of people graduating this year and next year, so some people don’t have to pay a share, therefore my cost goes up! It feels unbelievably unfair. I was told about the gas, water and electric bills I’d have to pay, but got absolutely no indication I might have to pay council tax until two months after I had already signed my lease.’ James Oliver, a fourth year Physics student, is also being affected. He is one of five people in a 13-bed house that will be graduating at the end of this academic year. This means that the five will have to split the cost of council tax on a 13-bed Georgian house in the centre of Bristol between them at the end of the year, inevitably paying more than double a single share each. ‘It seems like it has been slipped in
Cllr Player said that she did not want to target students, but wanted to see a financial return: ‘This is an issue which affects many more wards than just mine…and personally I think these properties should be treated as businesses and so pay business rates.’
UBU
“ ‘A court summons was sent, alongside £103 in “council and court costs”’.
sources, however, that costs of sending in enforcement officers in areas outside Bristol tend to be higher than £31. Eddins added, ‘The section on council tax in the Student Handbook, which is issued in hard copy to all new students at registration and is also available online (see page 27) includes the following statement: “For the majority of undergraduates exemption will cease on 30 June of the final year of study.”’ This statement appears to give no indication, however, of which courses are not included in the ‘majority’ mentioned, meaning it remains unclear to many students whether they will be liable. The 30 June date also appears to contradict dates listed elsewhere for when Bristol undergraduates cease to become students. The student info page on the University website for students on 4-year courses who began in 201112 state that ‘University membership/ student card expiry date’ is 31 July 2015. Whereas students graduating in 2016 or 2017 have told Epigram that their student info page lists their expiry date as 17 June 2016 or 16 June 2017.
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Sarah Newey News Editor
on the sly, only mentioned once it’s too late for us to do anything about it. There was no mention of it from my landlord or UBU Lettings when they have undoubtedly encountered this before. It is a fair amount of money and feels a bit sleazy. It’s something that could be completely avoidable as well - student statuses at some universities finish in September for this reason, so the middle of June seems kind of arbitrary.’ Victoria Thomas, LettingsManager at UBU Lettings, responded: ‘Council tax is payable if you are not a registered student and we recognise the issue this poses for graduates in tenancy agreements that extend over the summer. As part of our ongoing efforts to improve the housing experience for our students we actively encourage our landlords to offer 10 month tenancies and offer reduced summer rents. Our tenancy agreements make reference to council tax liability, however, we will look into making the summer liability for graduates more explicit now that this has been raised as a particular issue.’ Yet Alex Bradbrook, who is now Academic Experience Officer at UBU, was also affected this summer. ‘The council charged my housemates and I £31 in council tax for the week we lived in our property after our student status ended. They didn’t bother to tell us until 27 August, when they allegedly sent a letter to my ex-housemate, which she never received. On 12 November, a court summons was sent, alongside £103 in “council and court costs”. ‘It all seems to be a ploy to deceive students who aren’t aware of when their student status ends. The intimidation they have used, and stress it has caused us over £31 really is ridiculous. I have filed a formal complaint with the council over their handling of the matter, and have requested a refund of the additional £103 in charges. ‘The fact that there is no flexibility is ludicrous - we hadn’t even had our graduation ceremonies! The University also bears some responsibility. They had misled us into thinking our student status was current until 31 July (as it says on our student cards and on the student info pages), whereas in fact they had shortened it to 26 June without informing us.’ Lou Eddins, a Bristol City Council Public Relations Officer, told Epigram that ‘The council has a minimum debt threshold that must be met before we take enforcement action to recover council tax. In the case… quoted, the threshold had been met’. Epigram understands from other
University of Bristol
Ivana Scatola Deputy News Editor
The Main Opinions
Steven Williams, Liberal Democrat MP for Bristol West •
Against any changes to laws regarding students paying tax ‘There would be no benefit to public finances if students or landlords had to pay, as new benefits would be needed’
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Ciara Lally
Images Money
Students affected by aggressive council tax enforcement • Could council tax be yet another expense for students? Councillors in Bath are debating whether to make students liable
Angry that there has been no indication that this could happen before signing tenancy contracts
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Suspension Bridge location for ‘first ever’ bungee jump Stephanie Rihon News Reporter
Hinks (far left) opening the swimming pool in the Students’ Union in 2012
Sport chief Hinks steps down - Former cricketer in post since 2010 - Presided over increase in success of sports teams but accused by critics of showing ‘elitist values’ Zaki Dogliani Editor Simon Hinks, Director of Sport, Exercise and Health at the University of Bristol, has ‘decided to stand down’from his position, Epigram has learned. In an e-mail sent to all sport club captains, Deputy Registrar, Lynn Robinson, communicated that Mr. Hinks will ‘be leaving the University on 31 December 2014’. ‘I have worked with Simon since 2010 during a time of significant student growth. This has led to pressure on student sports facilities and programmes to which Simon and his team have responded energetically, finding creative ways to increase access to sport and healthy activities including through significant fund-raising successes.’ Ms. Robinson added that she ‘would like to thank Simon for the work that he has undertaken as divisional head over the last four years and also to recognise all that he has achieved over twenty years at the University, firstly as a successful sports fundraiser, then as Deputy Director and Director of Sport, Exercise and Health.’
‘I would like to recognise all that Simon has achieved over twenty years at University’
up front for a Sports Pass, going on to ask ‘who wants to go to University in Glasgow?’ when pushed on the matter after a comparison with Bristol’s infinitely cheaper Scottish counterpart. Since January 2010, Hinks has, however, not only presided over an increase in the success of sports teams, but also of an improvement in facilities. The opening of the new swimming pool within the union came under his stewardship, as did the opening of Bristol’s new £1.2 million boathouse. Additionally, Hinks supervised improvements to the structure of the high-performance squads and funding
He was arrested soon after. When asked about what he felt during the experience, Kirke answered with, ‘all
A still from the video footage
sorts of sensory impressions, a klunk and then you are whooshing up again’. The original bungee jumper was especially pleased with the fact that he had left such a lasting impact on other people who would have ‘fun’ jumping off the great heights of the world because he started it: ‘that’s a real reward, the richness of it’ he added. Different groups of adventurists followed in Kirke’s footsteps later on. Simon Keeling was the second man to jump off the famous bridge. Thegroup were also arrested but then went on to perform stunts around the world including San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. The discovery of this interesting footage comes just in time for the Suspension Bridge’s 150th anniversary. The bridge was opened in 1864 and based on original designs by Isambard Kingdom Brunel; a great piece of history, which has now become a part of our everyday lives. A 15-minute fireworks show will take place on 7 December to mark this. The organizer, Ben Hardy, hopes that it will be ‘the biggest firework display Bristol has ever had’.
Hinks came under fire for lobbying club captains to vote down a motion aimed at making university sport more accessible
Alyx Murray-Jackman, UBU’s Sport and Student Development Officer, who succeeded Hannah Pollak earlier this year, told Epigram: ‘Sport at Bristol has come a long way while Simon has been working at the University, lots of great changes have been made such as the development of the indoor centre. However, there is still a long way to go and I hope to work closely with the new Director of Sport in order to bring in a more flexible sports membership system.’ Details about the process of choosing a successor to Hinks have yet to be announced. Visit epigram.org.uk for updates or follow @epigramnews on Twitter.
Sarah
For his part, Mr. Hinks, a former Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and Kent County Cricket Club player, thanked the club captains for their work: ‘I would personally like to thank all club captains for their work so far this season and for the work that each club has undertaken in my time at the University. It is clear to me that all clubs are in a far better place than they were when I first arrived and the work that you, as club captains, do each year makes this happen.’ By the time he stands down at the end of the calendar year, Hinks will have served almost exactly five years in the role. Hinks came under fire in February 2013 for lobbying club captains to vote down a motion aimed at making sports at the University more accessible. Epigram reported at the time that: ‘Sports clubs have reacted angrily after the University’s Director of Sport, Exercise and Health, Simon Hinks, circulated an e-mail requesting captains of Bristol’s elite sports clubs to vote down an attempt to make sport more accessible.’ The motion at the UBU (University of Bristol Students’ Union) Annual Members’ Meeting was aimed at reintroducing the ‘pay-as-you-go’ option for sports facilities. It passed with 88 per cent of the vote, and Hinks later apologised to UBU, stating: ‘I have taken the step to apologise directly to UBU staff and student officers for the email sent ahead of the AMM and would like to extend that through Epigram to the wider student population.’ There had been a u-turn at the end of October 2012, with SEH announcing that it would reinstate the pay-as-yougo option for students at off-peak times, which had been controversially scrapped. A petition set up by UBU and the University of Bristol Underwater Club attracted around 1500 signatures. Just over a year after, in March 2014, Hinks told Epigram that ‘everything has a price’ in reference to paying £250
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Daniel Thacker Sport Editor
“ David Kirke chose the 245ft Clifton Suspension Bridge to jump off on April Fool’s Day 1979. He was arrested soon after.
BBC/David Kirke
Recently, among the countless cylinders of film in a warehouse, footage was discovered which would make Bristol the sight of the first bungee jump. Even though bungee jumping has become a global phenomenon, the activity of choice for students on their gap years or those visiting the South Pacific, there was a time when it was illegal. David Kirke, a student at Oxford University and member of their Dangerous Sports Club, was the first man to bungee jump off anything. He chose the 245ft Clifton Suspension Bridge to launch himself off on April Fool’s Day 1979 and was inspired by South Pacific land-diving rituals.
This was the site of the ‘first ever’ bungee jump
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Private school grads ‘out-earn’ those from state schools Wing Chan News Reporter State school graduates are earning thousands a year less than their private school counterparts, even if they graduated from the same universities, with the same degrees in the same subjects, and even entering the same occupations, research has found. The Institution of Fiscal Studies (IFS) gathers data on over 210,000 graduates who finished their first degree at undergraduate level in the UK in 2007. Conducted by the IFS, which is funded by the Nuffield Foundation, the report raises concerns over the impact of education on social mobility. It compared the earnings between private and state school alumni six months and three and a half years after graduation.
At six months, private school past pupils (£21,643) earn £2,700 more than their state school peers (£18,919). The pay gap between private and state school graduates is even wider threeand-a-half-years after graduation, with the former earming up to 17 %, or £4,500 more per year (£28,592), compared to the latter making £24,044 annually. Although the report also considers other factors such as socio-economic background, A-level results, degree class, and career, which may possibly affect their wages, it is observed that private school pupils still earn 6% more per year on average, which is equivalent to around £1,500 annually. Access to particular social networks, obtaining better non-cognitive skills, like being more self-confident, and cognitive skills by family investments, conceivably
Salary at 6months Private School
Pedro Plassen Lopes
Et0n College boys
Marine launch
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Private School
State School
Mean
£21,643
£18,919
£28,592
£24,044
Mean for females
£20,463
£18.259
£26,316
£23,295
Mean for males
£22,996
£19,903
£31,078
£25,755
Local MP frustrates Bristol Politics students Department for Communities and Local Government
tidal movement. They are designed to capture the kinetic motion of ocean tides in order to produce electricity. This form of renewable energy holds great potential for future power and Bristol students have been given a electricity generation. new opportunity this month thanks to the launching of the Marine Energy Accelerator Programme (MEAP) – a year-long programme of events and other initiatives, co-funded by Bristol City Council and Bristol 2015 European This coincides Green Capital. with Bristol The programme will make Bristol being awarded a world leading hub for tidal energy European Green engineering and technology Capital 2015 development thanks to its top rate research facilities and the potential of the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel as a source of tidal energy. As part of the launch, Mayor of The launch will accelerate the Bristol George Ferguson met with commercial development of tidal final year engineering students at energy technology in the area and has the University of Bristol who are the support of Bristol Tidal Energy undertaking research projects looking Forum, a highly successful network at tidal range technology with the hope of businesses including over 100 tidal to build a demonstration prototype companies which meet bi-annually that will harness the tidal energy in the city. Other initiatives will available at Bristol port. focus on marine energy investment Professor Colin Taylor from the opportunities at the International Department of Civil Engineering said: GreenTech Festival, which will be ‘We have long recognised the tidal held in April where further plans will energy potential of the British Channel. be developed for sustainable energy The engineering challenge has been to projects in the Bristol Channel. harness that energy in a way that is in All this coincides with Bristol being balance with the marine environment awarded European Green Capital 2015 and at a cost that is acceptable to the this year, thanks to its commitment to energy consumer. We are very pleased the environment. The city is known to be working with The Bristol Port for its many cyclists amd recycling Company and others in the industry to initiatives, and it boasts a lower energy enable some of our brightest students output than any other major UK city. to address this challenge.’ The award will act as a springboard Tidal energy is produced through for Bristol’s journey in energy the use of tidal energy generators sustainability. which are placed in areas with high
Tom McCarthy News Reporter
State School
Salary at 3.5 yrs
explains why previous private school pupils are paid more. Dr Clair Crawford, assistant professor of Economics at the University of Warwick, research fellow at the IFS, and one of the authors of the report, said ‘Education is often regarded as a route to social mobility. But our research shows that, even amongst those who succeed in obtaining a degree, family background – and in particular the type of school they went to – continues to influence their success in the work place.’ Private schooling seems to provide better access to prestigious universities by ensuring that students have higher academic achievements, and at the same time provides an economic advantage after graduation. According to The Guardian, in 2008 Bristol had one of the most disproportionate ratios of independent to state school students. University of Bristol’s Professor Richard Harris commented, ‘It is clearly unfair that people who went to a feecharging school typically earn more than those who graduate with the same degree qualification, from the same university but went to a state school. It makes a mockery of the idea that people are paid according to merit.’ ‘There is a pressing need to understand why private schooling confers such an advantage in the labour market, even amongst similarly achieving graduates, and why higher education does not appear to be the leveller it was hoped to be’, Dr Crawford added.
Stephen Williams is the MP for Bristol West political scene. Issy May Bull Williams tried to shed light on what is wrong with politics in this Deputy News Editor country. He said it frustrated him Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol when opposition parties don’t fully West, caused a stir when he came to counter the government’s views, and guest lecture a Year 2 politics unit. The only oppose them due to their party’s Liberal Democrat appeared unable to political stance. answer questions levied at him in the However, this seemed futile to many final minutes of the lecture. of the students there as he seemed to The lecture, which took place on dodge questions levied at him. Thursday 13 November, was for a One question in particular proved unit on British politics. As Minister to be problematic for him. When for Communities, Williams was an apt asked, with a mind to the upcoming guest lecturer; he was able to share General Election, what the Liberal his personal experiences of the British Democrats will do in the future to win
back student support after the tuition fees debacle, he did not respond with a straight answer. Instead he focused on re-explaining what happened with the trebling of tuition fees, and tried to cover his back. Megan Randles, a second year Politics student who was at the lecture, told Epigram that ‘Williams, like Clegg’s famous “I’m Sorry” speech, felt the need to take the classic dodge-theblame, dodge-the-question route that all politicians know and love. He stated that the Liberal Democrats never promised to cut tuition fees and that coalitions are give and take’. He was also asked why he abstained from the vote, as opposed to representing his constituents, the students of Bristol University, and voting no. Once again, however, he could not give a straight answer. This was not good enough for many of the Politics students present, with Megan stating that ‘the atmosphere was one of anger and frustration’. Another student also told Epigram that she saw people leaving the lecture ‘literary shaking in anger’. Historically, the Lib Dems have tended to be popular with students. However, the trebling of tuition fees, which the Lib Dems infamously ditched their free education policy for, has caused student support to fall for Williams’ party. A report published in The Independent in April this year showed only 6% of students now support them. This could prove to be significant both in Bristol West and across the UK in the General Election.
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24.11.2014
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Whose streets? Our streets! Bristol students Reclaim the Night Emily Faint Features Writer Emily McMullin Deputy Features Editor
The march was organised by Students’ Union Equality, Liberation and Access Officer Alice Philips. When asked for her reasons in organising the march, Phillips told Epigram that ‘at the time when I was writing my manifesto there had recently been several rapes and
is important because a lot of people don’t want to admit that the UK has a problem with rape culture and street harassment, and the marches show that there is a problem and that we are taking a public stand to tackle it. I think the event was very successful with over 500 people braving the cold and rain to take part, and it was very empowering for everyone involved.’ This march was not, however, an isolated event. Reclaim the Night, formerly known as Take Back the Night, can be traced back over fifty years to its European origins, where all-women councils convened to discuss street safety at night. Since taking what was the title of a memorial read by Anne Pride at a 1977 rally in Pittsburgh, the Take Back the Night cause gained momentum across North America, with rallies in San Francisco and Vancouver, protesting against issues from domestic
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‘Whatever we wear, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no’
sexual assaults in Clifton and the city centre. I felt that it was so important to bring Reclaim the Night back to Bristol to give people the chance to protest against the sexual violence happening on our streets. The march was a great success, over 500 people marched to reclaim the night - up from about 200 at the last march in Bristol in 2011.’ She also mentioned the great feedback she has received since, some women who attended the march have described it on Twitter as being ‘incredible’, ‘beautiful’, ‘cathartic’, ‘empowering’ and ‘uplifting’. The march also raised £173.31 for Kinergy, a professional counselling service for survivors of sexual abuse and rape. Hattie Stamp, the president of UBU’s Feminist Society, told Epigram such protests were critical to promoting awareness and resistance on the issues involved. ‘Reclaim the Night
abuse to pornography.
Reclaim the Night can boast establishments from Europe to Australia.
In a similar vein, the Hollaback! organisation was founded in the US in 2005 to fight against the widespread culture of street harassment, by encouraging victims to publicly document and blog about their experiences, a concept also employed by the famously successful The Everyday Sexism Project created by Laura Bates in 2012. Due to this increasing prominence of the fight against sexual violence, Reclaim the Night can, in 2014,
Philip Bruland
Bristol saw over five hundred people take to the streets on Friday 7 November, in order to protest against the continuing presence of sexual harassment and violence against women. Reclaim the Night is an international movement which rejects a victim-blaming culture that teaches women to stay off the streets and to never walk home alone at night, if they are to avoid sexual assault. After a moment of silence in memory of victims of rape, the Bristol march began in Queen Square, near the city centre, at 6pm with a candlelit vigil to remember survivors of rape and sexual abuse, followed by a poem written and read by one protester. The crowd, led by Alice Phillips and other Union officers, then marched from Queen Square to the Students’ Union building in Clifton, making lots of noise with whistles, tambourines and chants such as ‘whatever we wear, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no’.
boast establishments not just across Europe and North America, but even as far as Australia. Despite the distance between each branch, all, in liaison with similar organisations, are united under the aim to put sexual violence against women firmly in the past. Rowan Miller, director of Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (SARSAS, formerly Bristol Rape Crisis) at this year’s Reclaim the Night declared that victims are often forced to endure waiting lists of up to 18 months for counselling services, such is the enormity of this issue. Events like Reclaim the Night are really important as they raise awareness and can help bring about what is a far overdue conclusion to this problem.
Bathroom signs go viral for transgender awareness week Holly Jones Features Editor
Chloe Maughan
Signs going up around the university have gone viral on Tumblr, garnering over 105,000 notes since the beginning of November. Picked up by Pink News, an LGBT lifestyle news site, the signs hope to increase understanding and erase stigma surrounding transgender individuals using gendered bathrooms. Trans people are frequently made to feel uncomfortable using public bathrooms due to not being perceived as ‘passing’ for the gender designated to the bathroom, and are much more at risk of being humiliated or assaulted while out and about because of this. While many people object to this attitude, due to perceiving trans women as ‘threats’ to cisgender women (women whose gender
identity matches their biological sex), in actual fact, transgender women (especially transgender women who are not white) are more likely to be assaulted or killed because of their gender identity than any other demographic. Trans men are also subject to assault – sexual or otherwise – because some people think they are ‘really women’ and need to be ‘corrected’, much like the treatment of lesbian women. Trans people just want to be able to safely go about their business. Many cisgender individuals who do not obviously present as their biological sex (e.g. women who wear androgynous clothing or present as ‘butch’) are able to use public bathrooms relatively free of stigma – trans people deserve the same treatment. Trans awareness week ran until 23 November with LGBT+ Society holding a day of remembrance outside the Victoria Rooms on Thursday 20th for all transgender people killed for their identity.
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24.11.2014
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Bristol’s Best Budding Entrepreneur Josh Gare is a third year Economics student and one of Bristol University’s most successful entrepreneurs. Emily McMullin went to find out how he’s become so successful at such a young age whilst doing a degree at the same time. Emily McMullin DeputyFeatures Editor At the age of 16, not long after the iPhone first came out, Josh read about some people who were making a lot of money in a short space of time by making apps. It didn’t matter if they weren’t very good as there were hardly any apps in the App Store at the time, so it was a largely win-win situation. He did some research online and read books about how to make an app, and learnt through the process of making his first one – a speedometer app. Josh’s first really successful
home so I thought I’d check to see how the sales had gone that day and I’d earned £50 in one day’. It had just picked up in America and overtaken the current emoji app, so it was now the top emoji app in the United States, which is by far the biggest market. Josh explains that the reason the emoji keyboard exists is for Japanese phones because
app however was his emoji app; at the time there wasn’t anything like it. At first he was making about £5 a day from its sales on the App Store, which was great because it meant that he could quit his part-time job. Josh recalls the day the emoji app really took off: ‘I’d just finished GCSEs and I was with some friends at a swimming pool. We missed the train to get
it’s so hard to type in Japanese characters, so a lot of time they actually write the text instead, and it’s a lot easier to use emoticons to communicate. Apple had this keyboard just for Japanese phones but Josh’s app enabled it for non-Japanese phones. Although the emoji app still remains his biggest focus because of its continual popularity, Josh has recently developed a music recognition app, like Shazam, which he is now competing against. He tells me that what enables him to contend with them is the fact that he uses a different
flickr/Niels Heidenreich
Snaps. He did some research on material costs and looked into how much companies like RayBan were spending to create their sunglasses, and discovered they probably cost about 50p to make. Josh realised that there isn’t really much on the market in between the expensive designer sunglasses and the cheaper high street versions which aren’t great quality, so he decided to create something to fill the gap in the market. Josh has signed up to be one of Bristol Snowsports Club’s sponsors this year and is providing the teams with his sunglasses, and for the actual ski trip, Snaps is going on the order page so that people can easily buy a pair. Josh was reluctant to disclose how much he’s earned so far,
but he does pay for everything at university including his tuition fees and still has about 90 per cent of it saved, which is pretty good going for a third year university student. It certainly puts me to shame.
• Josh began making apps when he was 16 and still in school • His first app was a speedometer • Despite having around 25 apps, Josh’s most successful app is his emoji app, which has been number one in China and America • Josh has experienced highs and lows: he was interviewed by Sky News but was also threatened with legal action by a man in America
flickr/JeremyCrantek
“ When Josh was 17 a man in America tried to sue him
Emily McMullin
“ “ Josh has 4 million users on his apps
‘I was in Switzerland on the bus one day and I was just sat behind this lady. I looked over her shoulder and she was downloading my app’
recognition library which identifies different songs with more ease. Josh recently hit 4 million users on his apps which is quite an achievement at the age of 22. He tells me about a few moments over the past few years when his success has really hit home. In 2013, he was interviewed by Sky News who came round to his house with studio cameras which Josh described as very surreal, and he recalls a strange experience on holiday a couple of years ago. ‘I was in Switzerland on the bus one day and I was just sat behind this lady. I looked over her shoulder and she was downloading my app.’ That’s not exactly something that happens every day. However, the journey to success hasn’t always been plain sailing. When Josh was 17, a man in America tried to sue him over the emoji app. Josh’s app was called Emoji Free and the man in question’s was called Emoji Free!. He applied for a trademark but was rejected because you can’t trademark general words like ‘free’, so he contacted Josh telling him that he would take him to court if he didn’t get rid of his app. Unsurprisingly, the case fell through, and it turns out the guy was an ice-cream seller on a beach in California. Although Josh has about 25 apps now, his latest project is less app-related; he’s set up his own brand of sunglasses called
Epigram
Amnesty: Protecting the Human Ruby Huett Features Writer
a 16-year-old tortured into confessing to a crime, with Amnesty and HURSDEF. In addition to working for change itself, Amnesty is responding to it, and not only through working with local groups. While in the past the charity has decided to steer clear of debates surrounding abortion, it has very recently outlined a new stance to be a focus within its interest in protecting sexual and reproductive rights. In the campaign ‘My Body My Rights’, Amnesty do not take a stance on when life begins or on whether abortion is right or wrong. They do, however, argue that women who do have abortions should be decriminalised, and that women should have access to abortion in cases of rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormalities. This is a direct response to research in countries including Northern Ireland and Maghreb which shows that despite religious beliefs, there is overwhelming support for abortion in these circumstances. Amnesty’s research shows that women in Northern Ireland who want an abortion often take matters into their own hands, using coat hangers, pills and throwing themselves down the stairs. Did the conference, and do these examples of current interests, help define the organisation any more, or do they confuse the matter more by highlighting just how multifaceted Amnesty’s work is? It is clear that Amnesty adheres to universal standards
9 11
flickr/Matt Hamm
‘What even is Amnesty International?’ I have been involved with the organisation for four years now and this is a question I still ask myself. Indeed, it is a question that has no straightforward answer. Amnesty International is an evolving movement. A charity. A name. It is constantly redefining itself and its work. Current discussions involve whether funding should be focused on human rights education, research of human rights abuses across the world, longterm support for local civil and human rights groups across the world or more short-term crisis response. If aid is to be given to local activist groups, which groups should be helped and what can Amnesty do for them? Is this just part of a ‘Human Rights Crisis’ in our contemporary society? Are our long-treasured ideas of freedom, liberty and life for all just utopian and western ideas imposed on the world, and are Amnesty International’s current spending and focus debates a response to this confusion? On 1 and 2 November, I was lucky enough to travel to London and stay in a circus school for the annual Amnesty International Student Conference. There I met other students from across the country interested and involved in human rights protection. I heard panel discussions and talks with the Amnesty ‘Big Wigs’ as well as
with people across the world who have experienced human rights abuses and are acting, through various organisations, to ‘Protect the Human’. The conference was informative, thought-provoking and inspiring. It started with a head, a knock, a bash and a bang. Nigerian Human Rights activist Justin Ijeomah talked of his own torture in the hands of the Nigerian authorities, and his frequent house moves in response to death threats from authorities opposed to his work. Torture is not just a method of punishment or of gathering information. It is a means of making money through bribes and forcing false confessions. Three-quarters of all countries use torture. In addition to conducting research on, and fighting for justice and freedom from harm for individuals, Amnesty is working to close loopholes in EU legislation on the trade in torture equipment across the world. It is also supporting local human rights groups like Justin’s, Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF), who are a presence at police stations and prisons, where they protect the most vulnerable (particularly poor children) from torture. This support is important because Amnesty is an internationally respected organisation, and positive results are being seen. In Nigeria, at least seven torture chambers have been closed down and the authorities are currently discussing the release of Moses Akatugba,
24.11.2014
established in legislation across the world and according to United Nations human rights definitions established through a global collaboration. It researches human rights abuses, protects individuals and groups from harm and
proposes justice for all. It acts in response to crisis. Importantly, though, it also works with local organisations in their long term fights for human rights and justice in countries. It responds to their calls and their ideas for action according to their
culture. Since this is the current emphasis, it seems that Amnesty International is primarily a name. It thinks and acts big; it does so globally and indiscriminately and for that reason is well known.
Bristol Arena plans held up once again Sian Jones Features Writer
“ The arena is hoped to become a leading music attraction in the South West
Initially, the arena was planned with minimum facilities for parking. Whilst the stadium is next to Temple Meads and considerable investment in a Bristol Metro is planned over the next decade, the idea of people accessing the arena solely by public transport was highlighted as too unrealistic and a car park for 1,000 was then announced. This puts Bristol City Council
in a difficult position. A large car park will increase costs and is not ideal as Bristol moves into next year as European Green Capital for 2015. Practically, in an area already overwhelmed by traffic and where, at peak time, 23 per cent of journey times are spent stationary, local residents are unwelcoming to the prospect of even more traffic in the area. Yet, this proposal also does not seem to satisfy people who want a car park in the area. Because the car park proposed will be surface level, planning restrictions mean it may not be used by commuters during the day. As the same budget which announced this arena also announced a 2 per cent rise in council taxes, the fact that local people will be unable to use this car park is frustrating to residents, particularly as the arena is meant to complement the growth of business around Temple Meads. As £53 million out of the £91 million for the project is coming from Bristol’s City Deal, this money depends on the area thriving
flickr/Robert Pittman
In February Bristol City Council announced the budget for a £91 million entertainment arena that will hold music and other entertainment events, sports events and conferences. Located by Temple Meads train station, the arena will be central to the Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, an ongoing project to renovate the area around the station. Since 2003, there have been plans in some form or another to create an arena in the Temple Meads area but legal problems, planning oversights, underfunding and the recession all contributed to serious delays which saw the project stall. It was picked up again in 2009, yet issues with planning and the logistics of transport to and from the arena have done little to improve the reputation of the project. Mayor George Ferguson has made this project his top
priority and believes it is vitally important to Bristol, which is the only city of its size in the country without a venue on this scale. The arena is hoped to become a leading music attraction in the South West and the developers promise that it will bring millions of pounds of investment into the area.
economically. To make matters worse for the City Council, Bristol Liberal Democrats claim to have found a £10 million black hole as the costs of creating this car park were estimated to increase, whilst income from the car park
has been over-estimated. Evidently much more planning is needed to ensure that the arena can operate well and have a positive impact on Bristol’s community. Whilst the arena is not due to open until 2017, as a £91 million
project that has been deemed so important for Bristol’s future development by Bristol City Council, it is this lack of clarity over funding and parking which causes the most concern.
Epigram
24.11.2014
14
We students must not turn on each other
Oliver Carter-Esdale explains why arts and science students must stand together against the system
The figures obtained by Epigram via a Freedom of Information request reveal the truth behind many students’ long-held suspicions. Arts students, for the most part, appear to foot the bill for more expensive degrees. The biggest losers, English and History, seem to be giving away almost two thirds (£5,652 and £4,752 respectively) of their £9,000 tuition fees to other departments. At first glance, this vindicates the
Last year, a tutor informed me that at one Bristol University board meeting, a governor had queried whether Bristol should be run as a private enterprise, suggesting it would make far more money that way. This exemplifies how our education, a once highly-valued right, has become a commoditised resource. Neo-liberalism and ‘freemarket’ ideology has infected pedagogy in the UK. Such an attitudinal shift has arisen since the Liberal Democrats betrayed students in 2010. The phrase ‘top-up fees’, as the £9,000 fees were first termed in 2001, now seems laughable. Tony Blair’s highly praised mantra, ‘Education. Education. Education’ had been a ruse the entire time. The vast majority of students graduating in 2015 will now do so with an astonishing £44,000 of debt. However, it must be said that despite some scaremongering from the harder left, the idea that people from poorer backgrounds would be put off university by this cost is mostly anecdotal. Yet this is not to say that the class divide in student applications has decreased. The number of those from the middle classes applying to university is still unfairly disproportionate to those from more humble financial beginnings. This class divide would only grow if universities were to start charging differently for different courses. Prospective doctors from poorer families would be deterred from studying medicine. Plus, we need doctors. Us philosophers, linguists and historians might be paying to train future scientists, but from their work we will benefit.
their benefits; persuade arts students that the scientists are stealing their money. The answer seems clear: as students, we must stand together against this messed-up system. Young people, having been sold the idea that education is the most promising way to become upwardly socially mobile and successful, have become a generation of cash pigs. Already this idea is cracking at the seams: figures recently published by The Independent suggest that 73% of student loans will not be repaid.
a once highly-valued right has become a commoditised resoucrce
Should arts students fund the sciences? Or should we pay according to teacing costs?
”
Oliver Carter-Esdale Comment Writer
supposed notion that arts students are paying for other degrees with a higher cost. Should we arts students be angered by this? Should English and History students demand that their Dentistry, Chemistry and presumably Medical (although their figures were not disclosed) counterparts pay for their drinks at Bunker, or their now-threatened Donervan? In the logic of inebriation, this might work, but on the whole, it will not. Perhaps, instead of turning on each other, we should turn on the MPs who voted for the increase in fees, and make them pay back £9,000 for each of their free years of study. That sounds more appealing. Arts students are justifiably angry at their subsidisation of other degrees, but we cannot move to a system where science students are charged more. This would reduce the entire tuition fee issue to a rather base cost-for-cost level, ignoring the wider problem and ideology. Essentially, students should not be paying such extortionate amounts in the first place.
The figures uncovered by Epigram are truly shocking. But they should not inspire us students to attack each other, and demand fees proportionate to our subjects, for this is what the right-wingers probably had in mind. They like to pitch the hardest off against each other: persuade the working classes that other people are stealing
” The burden must be shared both equally and fairly
Together we must campaign for free education. We must do away with the particular valuing of any one degree as being worth more than another. The burden must be shared both equally and fairly. If our current economic model is to remain, then those with higher salaries, and greater personal wealth – most likely thanks at least in part to their degree – must shoulder their fair share, reflected in higher taxation. Now, I might not be an Aeronautical engineer, or indeed a quantum physicist, but the economics of equality and the right to a free education are not exactly rocket science.
Send us your thoughts to letters@epigram.org.uk
New US laws dehumanise the homeless
Nick Herbert condemns new laws which criminalise the feeding of homeless people in public
Nick Herbert Comment Writer
”
they are attempting to dehumanise homeless people
I doubt a Florida city tourist board would be overly keen on a large homelessness problem, and neither would local businesses, so we are told that the solution is to ban serving food in public to those who need it most. Clearly this is ridiculous. American cities are turning destitution into a criminal act; they are attempting to dehumanise homeless people. The problem has been acknowledged but
is not seen as a social issue, instead it is easier to hope that homelessness will simply disappear. At the time of writing, Arnold Abbott has received his third citation for breaking the laws of Fort Lauderdale, all three were for feeding the homeless in a public space. Facing a potential 60day jail sentence, Mr. Abbott remains defiant, promising to continue feeding the poor as he has done for 20 years. He would be safer from prosecution in most American cities carrying a gun down the street as opposed to a ladle. We cannot be naïve enough to see this solely as an American problem. Some statistics suggest that homelessness in Bristol has risen by 90% in the past three years. But just like the Americans, we are not doing enough to help. Between 2011 and 2015, Bristol City Council’s budget for tackling homelessness has been cut by 20%. We are funnelling money away from those with none. Instead of stopping to help, we walk by with our eyes firmly diverted from the human sitting in front of us. This needs to change. Clearly, there are some people attempting to make a difference. People
like Arnold Abbott, who give up their time to help fellow human beings. These people should not be hindered by authorities. What is happening in Fort Lauderdale and similar American cities is terrifying. Dehumanising laws are implemented not in the attempt to solve the problem of homelessness but to shift it. More terrifyingly, the issue of destitution is evident all around us, yet we do not feel the need to act.
The average age at death for a homeless man is 47; for a homeless woman it is 43. People’s lives are cut drastically short due to lack of aid. We can all do something to prevent this, and perhaps learning from Arnold Abbott is a good place to start.
Flickr:Gary Knight
Three people, including 90-year-old Arnold Abbott, were recently arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for feeding the homeless. The law states that groups who wish to feed the homeless must do so at designated feeding centres or provide portable restrooms and running water. This is supposedly a public health and cleanliness issue. I am not sure that this is really the case. Over 30 cities in the US have criminalised, or are considering the criminalisation of, the provision of food to the homeless. This makes me wonder whether American cities want to solve the problem of homelessness or simply move it on. The National Law Centre of Homelessness and Poverty conducted a study of 187 cities and found that more than half had laws which banned
sitting down or lying down in public. These laws will not solve the problem of homelessness. They will create extra costs for cities and simply attack the people who need the most help. As Mr. Abbott claimed, ‘they are doing the bidding of the very wealthy, and they are trying to sweep the poorest of the poor under the rug.’
Epigram
24.11.2014
15
”
The NUS has decided not to support us
Liam Marchant reflects on the NUS pulling support for the National Demo for Free Education cut university teaching budgets by six per cent this year. So not only are arts students criticised as ‘superfluous’ for choosing non-vocational courses, we have to pay for the books on our reading lists as well. This is to say nothing of academics watching their salaries dwindle whilst vice-chancellors are awarded lavish pay rises.
Liam Marchant Comment Writer
Flickr:Veronica Sawyer
There is a parasitic worm slithering its way through the intestines of Britain’s universities, growing fat as its victims become more sickly and pale. It has so far hiked up tuition fees, cut research funding, and turned academic institutions into job centres. This creature, better known as neo-liberalism, is slowly but surely killing higher education. The NUS has proven itself spineless in failing to stand up to it. Whether one’s lectures were on Shakespeare or cell biology, university used to be a place where students could grasp what it meant to be human. Degrees were much more than just flashy pieces of paper obtained to impress potential employers. They were an emblem of knowledge for its own sake, a marker of realised academic ambition. Men would remove their hats as professors dressed in tweed passed them in the street; such was the respect for these guardians of reason and knowledge. I exaggerate, of course, but nonetheless education has been reduced to a commodity by marketisation, one which will burden us with thousands of pounds worth of debt. Rubbing salt in the wound, the government has
The NUS has proven itself to be spineless
That universities are being penalised in this manner is an outrage, yet the paralysing cowardice of the NUS is even more stomach churning. The executive’s withdrawal of support for the free education demo confirms that it is obsolete as an organisation. According to its website, the primary purpose of the NUS is to act as a ‘national voice of students, helping them to campaign’. How an explicit refusal to support a march against fees, cuts, and debt amounts to that is mystifying. NUS President Toni Pearce offered a vague justification, citing the ‘level of risk that this demonstration currently poses to our members’. The dreary inoffensiveness of this faux-concern is deeply telling about the state of student politics today. It demonstrates that the NUS leadership sees its members as primitive and unable to conduct themselves properly in public. Whilst this image may
sometimes be validated, for example by Bunker on a Monday, to suggest that all campaigning should be left to aspiring student politicians who know best is simply condescending. Where admittedly there was violence at the 2010 student protests, this was at the hands of a few professional anarchists who had come looking to lob bricks at Millbank Tower. The overwhelming majority of students made a peaceful stand against the savaging of universities, and truly they did themselves proud. For Pearce to withdraw support because of the demonstration’s lack of public liability insurance presents an NUS leadership with no sense of priority when higher education itself is being smashed to pieces.
” To withdraw support because of a lack of public liability insurance presents an NUS leadership with no sense of priorities
This is only the latest in a series of NUS howlers. First there was the executive’s vote against declaring solidarity with the Kurds battling IS. Then there was the denial of a Holocaust memorial day on the grounds that such a commemoration would be ‘colonialist’. The demo is not only an opportunity to demand a progressive model of education, it is a chance to reassert the radicalism which students have historically championed. It is no use waiting for the NUS to stand up for us, we will have to do it ourselves.
Speakers’ Corner: Bristol Labour Students Student Co-Chair Lucy Simmons says Labour will stand up for Bristol and the poorest in society
Lucy Simmons Co-Chair, Bristol Labour Students
Flickr:Ed Miliband
Recently John Harris wrote an article in The Guardian on an alleged Green Party surge in Bristol. His article offered a glimpse of the so-called threeway marginal of the constituency of Bristol West. The seat is held by a Liberal Democrat, Stephen Williams, and is contested by the Labour Party and the Greens. Bristol West includes the wards Redland, Cotham and Clifton, where the majority of Bristol University students live. Bristol West is perhaps one of the most diverse constituencies in the country, with a recent report by UK Polling suggesting that around 25% of the voting population is in full-time education and wards such as Lawrence Hill, Easton and Ashley being economically and ethnically varied communities. According to Labour’s candidate for the seat, Thangam Debbonaire, the constituency is far more than just a Green Party hotspot. And she should know, as someone with strong roots in the city. Thangam has lived in the heart of her constituency for over 20 years, works in the voluntary sector tackling domestic violence, has campaigned for a clean air policy in Bristol, is a governor of a local school and a trustee of Bristol University Students’ Union. According to Thangam, Bristol West is thoroughly ‘green’, but there are ‘many people who live there who have green values, who have always voted Labour and will continue to do so’. Thangam sees this as a testimony to the Labour Party’s record of green policies in government, such as passing of the Climate Change Act in 2008, and undertaking
an EU wide agreement to cut carbon emissions by at least 20% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. But Thangam also believes that the Labour Party’s strength in Bristol West is because they are seen as confronting global issues like climate change and local issues such as poverty. The Labour Party’s principle is that insulating your house reduces both your carbon emissions and your fuel bill, and that this is better for individuals and the climate. So, in the well known aphorism: ‘Think Global Act Local’. This sustainability makes local people better off, while saving the planet. Parties such as the Green Party and UKIP, have established themselves as protest votes against the coalition. These parties are able to send an unambiguous message to those in
power about public dissatisfaction, but they will not end up in government and be able to legislate for change. An example of how this legislative modification is needed, is in the call for the outlawing of key meters. These key meters are how many people in social housing, as recipients of social security or with poor credit ratings, pay for their bills. These people are often the poorest in society, but these meters are actually proven to be a more expensive way of heating homes than regular billing. This is something that many people in the Labour Party want to change; a Tory or Lib Dem government will not give voters this. And no amount of protest voting will change this, Labour need to win in 2015
to enact changes like this. Local polling figures show that the race in Bristol West will be closely fought in 2015, but the Greens are still coming from a long way behind, having only got 2,000 votes in 2010 compared to Labour’s 15,000 and the Liberal Democrats’ 26,000. Growth, jobs and sustainability are at the forefront of Labour’s manifesto going into 2015. If you believe in social democracy, as well as standing up for the poorest in society and tackling climate change then please vote Labour in 2015.
Epigram
24.11.2014
Letters
@EpigramLetters
Editor: Olivia Petter letters@epigram.org.uk
No fun at Bunker Dear Bunker bouncer, I am not writing to you to apologise for my behaviour which was such that you felt the need to ask me to leave your esteemed establishment. That did not happen and has not (not since first year, at least). I am writing to express my dismay at the way in which we were treated in the queue during a foray to the Triangle last week. We were really looking forward to Bed at Bunker. We had found £1.60 pints at The Brass Pig. We were in a nice big group. We already had our tickets. Surely it would only be a matter of time before we got in. But no. One in, one out was employed very early on, even though, when we finally did make it in, there was clearly space inside for dozens more people to have been allowed in earlier. Our main gripe, though, was the incessant shouting that you felt the need to do as we queued, making it your mission to yell ‘Move back!’ or ‘Get back!’ as many times as possible per minute.
“ The shouting and rudeness that you showed made several of the people queueing stressed – not to mention soaking wet
This would already have been irritating, but it was doubled when you consider – as you could clearly see – that to ‘move back’ meant going from under shelter to the pouring rain. It remains unclear to every one of us there what the point of moving back was. The queue was fairly orderly. No-one near the front was getting crushed against the barriers or anything. That only happened when people were getting pushed back on your instruction and forced against
the side barriers. Indeed, the only other tangible impact of moving back was to give some the opportunity to sneak in front of others in the queue, which they did. The whole farce was so ridiculous that it was even a conversation starter with those around us who were equally staggered at the ‘Must shout “Get back” as much as I can’ mentality. It is not just you who is guilty of shouting ‘Move back!’ for no apparent reason. This seems to go on across society and happen everywhere, be it queues to get into festivals or the scrum of Ryanair passengers scrambling to get onto a flight. In general, I don’t mind queuing that much. I’m British. I tend to be happy to queue for a while provided that I have a book, or friends, with me (in this case, I obviously had the latter rather than the former). But this was an exception. It’s difficult to relax or make conversation in the queue when you hear unremitting shouting and are, as a result of having to move back, a victim of unrelenting rain. Indeed, the shouting and rudeness that you showed made several of the people queueing stressed – not to mention soaking wet. I ask that you please consider this the next time you administer a group of young people who are queueing to get into your nightclub and not to be shouted at like they’re still in secondary school. By the time we did get in, some of the group had understandably given up and gone to Mbargo. The rest of us had largely sobered up during the long wait and the kind of buzz one has when they enter the queue for a nightclub had largely been extinguished, in large part, thanks to your dampening of our enthusiasm for the whole night. And then, the DJ at what was supposedly a ‘nineties-themed’ night insisted on sticking to Rihanna, One Direction and Disclosure. We agreed that we are in no hurry to ‘get back’ to Bunker again.
Anonymous
Tweets of the fortnight: Alice Knox @aliceknoxxy
Michael Beard @beardy109
Sammy Mendel @sammymendel
Aisling Bea @weemissbea
Overheard: a girl lamenting that she had no rice to save her water damaged phone, so had to resort to cous cous instead. @ uobproblems Any chance of turning the heating up in SM2? #SaidNobodyEver #ToplessLecture #UOBProblems
Overheard at the Stoke Bishop bus stop: ‘omg guys, I found my choker! It was in my nikes!’ #edgy Sometimes if I feel a little under the weather, I remember that there’s a kebab van in Bristol called ‘Jason Donervan’ & then I’m okay
Image by Alan McAlpine
In Defence of ‘victimblaming’ Judge Mowat I must begin by saying that rape is one of the most callous, foul and damaging violations, leaving its victims to suffer the trauma for years. This is, or should be, obvious. According to the Ministry of Justice 2013 statistics, approximately 85,000 women a year are raped in England and Wales.
“ rape conviction statistics will not improve until women stop getting so drunk
This is not, however, reflected in the conviction rates. This brings me straight to the point. Former Oxford-educated judge Mary Jane Mowat has come under fire recently for saying ‘rape conviction statistics will not improve until women stop getting so drunk’. Cue a knee-jerk reaction from thousands of ‘internet trolls’ who have proceeded to send death threats. The impetus of these comments was one of practical application, in order to secure convictions. Rape cases are dealt with by a jury of peers, who must be satisfied with the relatively high probative burden ‘beyond reasonable doubt’. Thus, when Mowat’s comments are viewed in their wider context, that
for the most part rape cases are based on evidence of ‘he said she said’, being entirely inebriated as a victim can both lead to incoherent versions of events, and cast doubt upon their allegation, making it harder for juries to convict. Again, allow me to state that I am in no way justifying this concept. One must, however, attempt to think like a juror; the accused’s life is in your hands and the words ‘innocent until proven guilty’ churn around your brain. As I have already said, rape is a very serious crime with serious ramifications, and even once time has been served, a rapist will always be stigmatised. It is crucial that the jury receives the clearest version of events to be best equipped to make their decision based on evidence provided. Of course, when it comes to convictions there are an abundance of elements at play. Leading and provocative questions of barristers and time taken to report are just a few examples, but such a topic ought to be left to another article. Had Mowat’s initial inflammatory statement been immediately accompanied by the context in which it stood, perhaps the backlash would have been controlled to reasoned and logical arguments, allowing a discourse about one of the most prominent issues in society. But of
course that would not make for mustread articles. Where I take issue with Mowat, however, is in the notion that such a statement could appear to be indicating that vulnerability (due to excessive drinking) is a contributing factor to women being raped, and thus could be viewed as a form of vindication. This is where the great danger lies. The danger is in her position as a former custodian of the law. Although retired, Mowat is still taken to speak for the legal profession. For societal attitudes to change, the law must set a clear example, and any suggestion of legal victim blaming can become a cornerstone element of a ‘rape culture’. Further to which, the main focus of preventing rape should be teaching respect to would-be rapists, and not assigning ‘do’s and don’ts’ to potential victims, be they male or female. It must be remembered that rape does not solely affect the victim; rape is a crime against humanity.
Alexandra Miller
UBU News
News and opinion from the University of Bristol Students' Union www.ubu.org.uk
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Nov 2014
Help witH HoUsiNg chances are that come the beginning of next term
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Friday 14 November was BBC Children in Need. No doubt many of you knew that and no doubt many of you tuned in to watch. What you probably didn’t know, however, is that some of the money raised went to our very own UBU Volunteering.
Are you stressing about Christmas? Worried about the cost of buying presents, plus the cost of getting home? You could consider buying an NUS Extra Card for a whole host of fantastic savings.You could receive discounts on a 16-25 Railcard, National Express coaches, or Megabus, helping make your journey home much cheaper.
The Children in Need grant will help fund three of our student-led projects that support children and young people:
Nov 2014
• Jolidays provides fun day and weekend trips for young carers. Najib Chowdhury, Jolidays coordinator, says that the funding is very important to the project: "The grant allows us to give a greater number of young carers a much needed break from their responsibilities. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to offer the same sort of opportunities to children who really deserve them."
There are also discounts available on over 200 other brands, including: Amazon, ASOS, The Ticket Factory, Jack Wills, Superdrug, Pizza Express, Oasis and many many more. Some brands give a huge 25% or 40% off each purchase!
• Pitstop, where young people with disabilities are given the chance to go on trips with an emphasis on new experiences.
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• The annual UBU Volunteering Kids’ Christmas Party for vulnerable children and young people.
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Epigram 24.11.2014
44 30
Interstellar
overwhelmingly powerful tidal wave of emotion has hit you straight in the face, leaving you completely disorientated and at a loss for what to think or say. Most sci-fi spectaculars leave the viewers astounded and baffled by the visual and technical prowess, and leave them constantly searching for more answers. Interstellar does not only this with its jaw-dropping visuals and beautifully crafted original score by Hans Zimmer, but it also harbours the capacity to reach out and touch you deeply
The film explores vast themes such as science and love, but the most prominent value is the one representing the common ground between the two: hope. Hope is the key to the entire resolution of the film. It is what keeps Cooper, Murphy and everyone else alive. It guides the space mission, fuels the explorers’ drive and keeps everyone back on Earth from giving up. But most importantly, it is what keeps the viewer completely mesmerized and moved by the film from beginning to end. Although from time to time the various feats do not seem entirely plausible and the science does not always add up, overall Nolan deals with the scientific side rather accurately (at least it seems that way to a non-overly scientific film buff... ) and depicts love, loyalty and nostalgia extremely tastefully. And although science exists to be explained, demonstrated and understood, it is not always the case for things such as the human mind, love, and art. Interstellar is a piece of art that reaches out to each and every one of us and touches on subjects that affect us all. It cannot always be summarized with words or explained rationally, and sometimes just simply asks to be felt. A deeply thought-provoking, intense and moving blockbuster by the astounding Matthew McConaughey stars in Interstellar - forget about all the dreadful romcoms, guys, he has an Oscar now. overflowing mind that is Christopher Nolan. Flickr/screen relish
Flickr/Ma_o2013
“
a deeply thought-provoking, intense and moving blockbuster
“
Interstellar is a piece of art that touches on subjects affecting us all
Flickr/Ma_o2013
Review by Ella Kemp Film & TV Writer Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple of years, it will have been pretty hard to ignore the huge blockbuster successes that have been Inception, The Prestige or the Batman Trilogy, all signed by Christopher Nolan. Therefore, when he announced his return in 2014 with Interstellar, it’s safe to say the bar was set very high. Nolan tends to stick to classic Freytag-esque narrative structures, but what sets his films apart is that he explores areas of the human mind and our sensorial and material world that have never been covered before in such a way in Hollywood cinema. Interstellar tells the story of a group of explorers who travel through space in search of a new, habitable planet amongst the stars as life on Earth comes to an end. Interstellar is different to Christopher Nolan’s other films. In most of his feature films, the complex, intriguing and rich plot lines demand long analyses and discussions straight after having seen the film. Although this does apply to the narrative of Interstellar, it is one of those rare films that leaves you completely speechless for a long time after having left the cinema. It feels as if an
as an individual. It raises immense questions about the human race, science and the future, and yet it is the profuse emotional bonds, especially between Cooper and his daughter Murphy, that allow us to understand that Interstellar marks the birth of much more than just another sci-fi spectacular. The onscreen relationships are so believable and moving that the viewer can completely relate to the characters, even if they seem to have nothing in common with them. We connect with the characters not necessarily through their narrative arcs and experiences, but as cheesy as it sounds, we connect with them on a deep emotional level.
Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?! Film & TV Writer Nathan Evans sat through it, so you don’t have to. Seriously, don’t see it. It’s not even funny-bad.
Just look at it. You know it’s going to be rubbish. You can see it in Clunes’ eyes.
Whilst the first Nativity had a certain charm, the third entry into the series is happy to coast on a diet of fart jokes and donkey poo. Nativity 3: Dude Where’s My Donkey?! begins with the arrival of another new teacher at St Bernadette’s Primary School. After the departure of previous leads Martin Freeman and David Tennant, veteran sitcom star Martin Clunes takes over the class. Soon after an opening monologue overloads his character with backstory, he is kicked in the head by a donkey, causing him to lose his memory. The film unintentionally makes this clichéd start absolutely terrifying. Whilst he is unable to remember his daughter or his upcoming wedding to fiancée Catherine Tate, he also has no memory of everyday objects, such as trains or escalators. Frankly, you begin to wonder that he might be brain-damaged. From here on, the plot only gets more and more convoluted, involving a flashmob competition, a trip to New York and a love triangle between Clunes, Catherine Tate and a ‘celebrity flashmobber’ (not a real thing). For this plot to make any sense, every single person involved is required to be a complete idiot. Clunes could solve the love triangle simply by telling Tate that he has lost his memory. And yet, he never does this, for reasons that are never explained. Then, there are the kids who leave school for days - if not weeks - though nobody ever notices. Perhaps the film’s worst abuse of logic comes when the class steal other people’s passports in order to fly to New York, completely misunderstanding the very concept of
“
passports. You could argue that the film is aimed at young children, and so should be given some slack in terms of logic. However, at nearly two hours long, Nativity 3 would strain even the most patient kid’s attention span.
the plot only gets more and more convoluted
The film’s child stars are also poorly served. Despite being the Nativity series’ biggest selling point, the kids have next to nothing to do in the film. They seem to just hang around the back of each scene, like props which have been forgotten about. Clunes’ daughter, Lauren, manages to stand out from the crowd, but only because she is used in a disgustingly manipulative way. The film states outright on a number of occasions that Clunes and Tate should stay together to fulfil Lauren’s ‘Christmas wish’ of having a mum again - a very worrying message of ‘staying together for the kids’. Whilst the first Nativity film’s school play charm helped it along, Nativity 3 is crass and cheap. With a convoluted plot, terrible jokes and manipulative writing, I’d rather be kicked in the head by a donkey than watch it again.
Epigram 24.11.2014
45
The Imitation Game – Man or Monster? Film & TV Writer Ella Kemp examines Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Alan Turing. WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS.
relish Flickr/screen Benedict Cumberbatch
him; no footage of Turing was found. From the beginning, it is clear that Turing does not conform to social norms but thinks and interacts differently to other people. It is mentioned that he does not get jokes, answers questions literally, and seems romantically awkward due to his fundamental sexuality that is violently reprimanded by the British government.
“
one of the most interesting and complex film protagonists of this year
Turing is referred to as a ‘monster,’ an intensely complex mastermind and a completely introverted and inhumane being. In the film Turing takes great pride in his
- Hannah (Deputy Film & TV Editor) really, really fancies him.
Flickr/canburak
Most people know Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock, and do not know Alan Turing at all. Upon going to see The Imitation Game, this was the knowledge that I myself had as well. Actor and mathematician merge together in this stunning WWII biopic to create one of the most interesting and deeply complex film protagonists of this year. Alan Turing was one of Britain’s finest mathematicians, cryptanalysts and also the founder of computer science and thus responsible for the birth of the general purpose computer. During the Second World War he was accountable for the decryption of the German ciphers and ultimately for cracking Enigma and helping the Allies win the war. He created an improved version of the polish Bombe machines which used electromechanics to decode the German messages. He is considered a ‘bright light gone out too soon’ as he took his own life after being chemically castrated for being a homosexual in 1954, at the age of 41. What we learn about Alan Turing’s personality from The Imitation Game is based on personal accounts from those that knew
The soldier on the left is concentrating entirely on not looking directly at the camera. work and prioritizes its success over the development, and even the sustainability of his relationships. In the end, Turing becomes a victim of his era. Even after saving thousands of lives by reducing the War by at least two years, he still gets his life torn away and is left as but a mere shell of his former self, all because of the discontentment voiced by the government regarding his sexuality. He is seen as a prodigy and a fascinating mastermind, but above all else, he is an outsider looking in. So complex and impossible to decode - He is Enigma. So who else to interpret the unbreakable code and the astounding mind that is Alan Turing other than Detective Sherlock himself ? Benedict Cumberbatch shines as Turing and gives an Oscar-baiting performance as the underrated mathematician. He brings incredible depth to the character by depicting his every emotion honestly and powerfully, while still managing to keep a contained and tense performance throughout the film. His character breathes through his fast-paced cryptic lines and prickly attitude towards others. The viewer senses Turing’s social and mental isolation from the other characters and it is this uniqueness that makes all eyes stay focused on him at all times. The complexity of the character lies in the unspoken, in the countless threads of thoughts that we can imagine travelling
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at the speed of light through Turing’s brain, and that are manifested by the perpetually intense and fascinating facial expressions given by Cumberbatch. The actor gives the best performance of his career by honouring one of the greatest minds of our country, and
so complex and impossible to decode - he is Enigma
portraying his social marginality and spiral into self-destruction in a melancholic and powerfully beautiful manner. In The Imitation Game, Alan Turing and Benedict Cumberbatch become one to create a deeply sensitive and genius character, endlessly fascinating and intensely moving. Inside the mind of the protagonist of The Imitation Game man and monster come to life when faced with challenges, and the side that triumphs is defined by how Turing rises to the occasion.
Editors’ Picks
Our personal choices of what to watch over the next two weeks
BBC Pictures
Matthew Editor
Hannah Deputy Editor
Manvir Online Editor
What We Do In The Shadows Friday 21 November
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 Thursday 20 November
Paddington 28th November 2014
Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement writes, directs and stars in this ‘documentary’ about flat-sharing vampires, hailed as one of 2014’s best comedies. Between this and Bret’s work with The Muppets, the loss of Conchords is our gain - it’s still Business Time.
The penultimate instalment of The Hunger Games franchise, you just can’t help but love it. Things are definitely about to heat up, and I’m pretty sure that you won’t regret volunteering as tribute to see this film.
Everybody favourite’s childhood bear hits the big screen. Hailing from the jungles of Peru, Paddington travels to Britain and finds himself lost in Paddington Station and is taken in by the Smith Family (Hugh Bonneville and Sally Watkins).
The Walking Dead - Season 5 Monday 9pm on FOX UK
The Fall - Series Two Thursdays 9pm BBC2
It’s the mid-season finale on December 1, so at least we can console ourselves of its absence with advent calendars and tinsel. After that, it’s a long, cold wait until February before we return to whoever hasn’t been killed yet.
Creepy and gripping in equal measure, this programme follows a serial murderer as he stalks and hunts his next targets. Definitely worth a watch, even if you do end up hiding behind a pillow.
Pointless Weekdays at 5pm on BBC 1 Why Pointless? Well, 4.99 million people tuned in to watch Pointless compared to 4.56 million who watched England v Slovenia, a testament to the show’s brilliance. Airing at the perfect student time of 5pm, you can enjoy testing your archaic knowledge whilst tucking into that tasty Sainsbury’s pizza!
Epigram
48
24.11.2014
An Interview With: PHOX Wisconsin’s very lovable trio chat to Caitlin Butler It really is a pleasure when one finds a band who not only make lovely music, but are such a friendly group of people to boot. Such is the case with PHOX, a band solely made up of friends from a small town in Wisconsin. Although difficult to pin down in terms of their genre, the music PHOX make is light-hearted, airy and extremely pleasant to listen to. They describe themselves as ‘somewhere between Feist and Monty Python.’ It’s easy to see these influences in their music, which somehow bridges the gap between folk, pop and indie. It’s easy for a band like PHOX to be thrown in with disdain amongst the likes of Of Monsters and Men or The Lumineers, but PHOX have a charm and soul that is completely their own. Their music is less anthemic than the aforementioned bands, perhaps, but this works in their favour, as their music is thus more subtle and intelligent. Their live performance is definitely full to the brim with charm. In a poky room of the Louisiana, their lead singer Monica Martin makes the iconic space her own with a beautiful solo rendition of ‘Calico Man’. Martin has an easy relationship with her bandmates, which eventually translates to a similar one with the crowd. Although clearly nervous, she manages to pull it off, with her nerves transformed into witty dialogue that is not only funny, but very endearing. This is followed by ‘1986’ and ‘Kingfisher’, which are performed with lovely harmonies and can only be described as sweet. The highlight of the set, however, comes with the enormously catchy ‘Slow Motion’. Martin introduces it with the fact that it is a description of their ‘dull’ hometown of Baraboo, a small farming town. The song is far from
boring, however, and its catchiness is infectious. By the end, the whole crowd is enormously appreciative of not only the song, but of the whole band. The rest of the set is full of fun, and one cannot help but feel like you have just become the best of friends with PHOX. I not only felt this during the gig; I spoke to a couple of the band members in a comfortable corner of the Louisiana before the gig to get an idea of who PHOX really are. And comfortable is very much how I felt. One can definitely sense the easy vibe amongst these friends as they talk to each other and me.
the band’s bass guitarist, describes this as a double-edged sword. ‘The band know each other so well, they can communicate ideas on different levels’, an obvious plus, but it’s hard to ‘tell someone that they’re singing out of tune’. Jason Krunnfusz chips in here, pointing out it’s ‘difficult to draw the line between what is professional and what’s just hanging out with a bunch of buddies’. This line must certainly get blurry? ‘Yes’, says Holden, ‘but otherwise we would never have made music together. There are pros and cons but definitely more pros than cons.’ Interesting. So what of the band’s lead singer – what is it like for her to sing with friends, in a music industry that is dominated by men? Holden points out the huge impact on her confidence performing live has had. ‘Appearing on stage with a stable and compassionate group of people has transformed me from previously being unable to sing in front of me without my back turned, to being able to perform in front of 4,000 people’. Matteo Roberts, the keyboardist, believes Martin, and the band as a whole, have undergone
huge personal growth. ‘We’ve gone through this process as a band, which was always one of our goals, as well as making music – the whole idea was to become better people and challenge ourselves.’ And Monica herself – does she help the band? ‘She keeps us conscientious and thinking of other people,’ says Holden. She also cuts the band’s hair, apparently. According to Roberts, ‘she keeps us looking good!’
“ “ ‘What other job keeps you on call 24/7 for two years’...which leads us onto discussion of surgeons smoking weed and brain batteries.
I begin with the obvious; what is it like working with friends you’ve known your whole life? PHOX went to high school together and shared a house, but Matt Holden,
Getting on stage is not about ego gratification, it’s about being part of a team.
When it comes to touring, the band sit on the fence. Krunnfusz ‘feels tired of the road the minute I’m on the road. I almost instantly want to be at home, but when I’m at home, I want to be back on the road.’ Bit of a paradox there, but Holden believes touring has helped the band. ‘Touring is the best way to build confidence and synergy with each other.’ However, all three definitely feel it is wearying. ‘What other job keeps you on call 24/7 for two years?’ wonders Roberts, which leads us onto discussion of surgeons smoking weed
and brain batteries. Apparently both of these things can improve physical performance drastically. Learn something new every day I guess. After a lengthy debate of the pros and cons of hooking up a 9-volt battery to your brain, I eventually steer the conversation back to the music. Is it easier having six people in a band instead of four? Yes, says Krunnfusz. ‘If I mess up, but everyone else does okay, we’re still a grade higher. We can support each other playing live.’ It’s also not the standard four-person rock band formula, which is nice to see. ‘Getting on stage is not about ego gratification’, says Holden, ‘it’s about being part of a team.’ I finish the interview with an issue that has caused a stir in the media recently. Would PHOX ever pull a Taylor Swift and withdraw their music from Spotify? The answer is irrefutably no. ‘Streaming is the best way to get our music out there’, observes Roberts. ‘What’s more important – forcing someone to buy our album or just letting them share it and pass it on?’ Holden agrees. ‘We’re not going to beat streaming. For a small band, it doesn’t make sense. We don’t want to make a stand against the music industry, we just want to make people feel good and give them a good experience.’ Good ideals then, from PHOX. And after their show, you can’t help but feel you’ve witnessed a very genuine performance. Caitlin Butler, First year, English
flickr: wfuv
Epigram 24.11.2014
4925
Russell’s Parklife
Guy Barlow tells Russell to put a sock in it ... PARKLIFE! Yet some of the stuff he is articulating (needless fancy word) actually makes sense. Ironically though, using big words so that the upper classes listen accomplishes the opposite of what he’s trying to do because it completely alienates those in society who would actually join a revolution because they have no bloody clue what he’s on about! He says: ‘you can’t be polysyllabic or talk about important things unless you went to school in a top hat and tails’. Well, I will have you know, Mr. Brand, that I use the word ‘stupid’ (polysyllabic) and talk about what I’m going to have for dinner (a very important thing) and I didn’t go to Eton so ha! Parklife!
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You have no right to call for a revolution when you have spent the majority of your life embroiled in drugs. And naked. So Mr. Brand, I’ll finish as I started. Shut up. No one needs to hear your anguished cries and calls for revolution because frankly, they don’t make sense. This isn’t coming from a politician or upper class intellectual but a lowly student paper music editor who is fed up of reading words I don’t understand which are meant to be calling me to action. Parklife indeed. Guy Barlow, Second year, Music
Knife Party Abandon Ship Earstorm 24 November 2014
flickr: jessie essex
A certain East London comedian has been vociferously exercising his right to free speech in what is otherwise known as – Parklife! Shut up Russell. Just because you read a dictionary and picked a few long words to go with some Marxist teachings to have a go at ‘The Man’, doesn’t mean anyone has to actually listen to you. Big words don’t mean you’re clever, or that you have a right to call for a revolution when you have spent the majority of your life embroiled in drugs. And naked. Parklife! Ever since that Paxman interview Brand has been spurting out nonsensical phrases like a 14-year-old Sex Pistols fan would do upon being told to go bed: ‘I don’t want pedagogic figures comin’ in and didactically shoutin’ at us!’ Translation please. So, recently some Twitter geniuses started adding ‘Parklife’ on the end of such quotes, referencing, of course, Blur’s 1994 song. Not only is this a perfect dismissal of Brand’s gibberish but it also reflects how most of us feel when listening to all the calls for revolution against the class system, political figures and corporations. The revolution will not be televised, Russell, because there isn’t going to be one. Sigh. Parklife. One wonders who Brand thinks he is; a comedian, actor or revolutionary? Maybe all three for all we know. It’s like he was asleep during the French Revolution, has finally woken up from his Katy Perry –induced coma and, 250 years late, he’s now shouting at the top of his voice, ‘Will anyone join me!? Anyone? Hello?’
‘This attitude of churlish indifference seems like nerdish deference contrasted with the belligerent antipathy of the indigenous farm folk, who regard the hippie-dippie interlopers, the denizens of the shimmering tit temples, as one fey step away from transvestites’ Sorry what Russell?
Damien Rice My Favourite Faded Fantasy Warner Bros 31 October 2014
Pink Floyd The Endless River Parlophone/ Columbia 10 November 2014
Foo Fighters Sonic Highways RCA 10 November 2014
‘We come to you with the soul of a proud knight, and the trash-filled mind of a laser-bathed socialite.’ In outrageous, spectacular, synthladen style, Knife Party’s manifesto for their debut studio album, Abandon Ship, is founded in their epic introductory track ‘Reconnect’. Whilst exploring the many jewelled facets of EDM, they venture into deep house, glitch hop, trap, and dubstep, leaving a lasting impact streaked with fluorescence. Abandon Ship packs a serious, bass-soaked punch. Blending a stunning array of genres together through Knife Party’s signature, colourful medley of unfamiliar sounds, the album’s multitude of gems makes up for the weaker second half. Particular highlights are the ironically titled and self-aware ‘EDM Trend Machine’, the festival crusher ‘Boss Mode’, the robotised ‘404’, and a surprising 80s throwback entitled ‘Superstar’. With subtle transitions into 8-bit compositions, then into heavy 808s, and brutal drops into gritty, staccato sections, most tracks are attention-grabbing and memorable. Abandon Ship is a valiant, knightly effort at breaking the increasing trend of repetition in EDM.
For all of his eight-year absence, not much has changed in Damien Rice’s world: he is still wallowing in self-pity, still desperately in love, still bitter but hopeful. That’s not to say this time has been wasted; where his previous albums were content to express these emotions with little musical flair, My Favourite Faded Fantasy is more willing to dress it up with often impressive arrangements, notably on its title track. While the first two tracks may offer some signs of growth, too quickly he falls back to his old tropes, with songs like ‘The Greatest Bastard’ and ‘I Don’t Want To Change You’ offering little variation on a theme he’s done to death by now. Only one song on the album clocks in at under five minutes, presumably in an attempt to shed Rice’s public image as a bland but commercially appealing singer-songwriter. The results are occasionally worthwhile, but often just meandering. My Favourite Faded Fantasy may be a more engaging listen than his previous efforts, but not far under the surface; it’s the same old foundation we’ve heard before.
Having been a fan of Pink Floyd for many a year, I was intrigued as to the new material the band may produce so late in their career. Hope was held for this album. However, the band is not as close to being as experimental and edgy as they were when making waves back in the sixties. It does indeed retain some quintessential Floyd in the album, with some expansive rock riffs and dreamy basslines. Some of the guitar work is still impressive and dramatic, particularly on the final track Nirvana. However, the album is mildly boring. The songs are unfortunately pretty indistinct from one another and there isn’t much innovation. It’s said to be the final album from the Floyd, but rather than a triumphant return to former glory, it is more a limp rerun of some of their finer moments. Lyrics don’t appear until the eighteenth track, and they’re nothing groundbreaking. For the most part, ‘The Endless River’ is easy to listen to, but nothing exciting. The whole album seems to be a bit of a nostalgia trip for the band. If you’re into lengthy guitar solos, the album is great, but other than that, ‘The Endless River’ seems a bit too endless.
If there’s one thing Dave Grohl knows how to do, it’s create a gimmick – from the electric/acoustic double album In Your Honour to the garagerecorded Wasting Light and now perhaps the boldest move Foo Fighters have made, Sonic Highways. Eight tracks make up the record, each recorded in a different American city boasting rich musical culture, with a TV series accompaniment and a plethora of guest stars. Each track seems formulaic, switching from quiet to loud in classic Foo Fighters manner; even some of the guest performances are drowned out by the group, with the album’s Wikipedia page being the only mark that would inform you of the jazz band guesting on the track ‘In The Clear’. It’s almost unnerving how similar some tracks sound to past Foo Fighters songs, the opening to ‘Something From Nothing’ mirrors 2005 acoustic song ‘Skin and Bones’. This was a chance to break through the musical boundaries Foo Fighters have been restricted to since forming, but they haven’t taken this chance, making a dull and repetitive album that sounds too similar to its forebears to be given any significant praise.
Tristan Davis, First year, History of Art
Sam Heal, Third year, Computer Science
Caitlin Butler, First year, English
Joshua Price, First year, Economics
Epigram
24.11.2014
52
“
Nolan’s film helps blackhole
How Interstellar has advanced our understanding of black holes It’s not very often that films which are scientifically accurate are critically acclaimed, but Interstellar, the latest Chris Nolan spectacular, certainly falls into this category. A category only shared with a handful of films, including 2001: A Space Odyssey. Yet what makes this film so groundbreaking, not just as entertainment, but for science as well, is its depiction of black holes. Papers are in the process of being published for the Scientific Community regarding what this film has discovered, and Interstellar truly is
distance. That is until Chris Nolan, when he became attached to the project, reached out to Kip Thorne.
matter and space is bent and distorted
this, meaning that when light from a star is travelling towards an observer, if it passes through a black hole it will be significantly bent. The light often goes around the black hole several times before reaching the observer. Thus, when the black hole is observed, it is seen as a funnel, where all the surrounding matter and space is bent and distorted around it. Gas swirls around the black hole as it is being drawn in by the gravitational field, becoming hotter and hotter, and producing immense amounts of light, similar to the formation of stars. This process happens in three dimensions, and it shows rings happening above the black hole, as well as below the black hole. This shows that, while most films are
“ “ so strong no matter can escape
push the boundaries of human understanding
scientifically inaccurate, and are made for the purpose of entertainment, some films, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Interstellar, push the boundaries of human understanding even more. If used correctly, the medium of film can still be used to this day to further science.
Flickr: eyesplash- let’s feel the heat
spectacular to behold. Firstly, what is a black hole? A black hole is a region of space with a gravitational field that is so strong, no radiation or matter of any form can escape. This means that nothing, not even light, can escape a black hole’s gravitational field once the distance between the two is at a certain point, known as the Event Horizon. Before Interstellar, no film had accurately portrayed what a black hole might look like to a human from a certain
Kip Thorne is one of the foremost theoretical Physicists of our time, and the executive producer of Interstellar. An expert on Einstein’s general relativity, he was the Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics at Caltech University in the U.S. until 2009. Thorne was approached by Nolan when Nolan wanted to understand the theories behind black holes, and what they would really look like to a human. However, no one, not even Thorne knew at the time. This led to Thorne pushing the envelope of physics once again, as he developed new mathematics and theories in order to explain the appearance of black holes to Interstellar’s graphics team, led by Paul Franklin. Paul Franklin’s team, using Thorne’s equations, theories, and gravitational lensing, managed to construct graphical models of what these rapidly spinning black holes would look like. A gravitational lens is a distribution of matter between a distant source and an observer that is able to bend the light of the source as it travels to the observer. A black hole is able to do
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Alex Lowther Science Writer
Mangroves: why care about them? inflammation, reduce cholesterol, and may even have help prevent cancers. Third, fish! Well, not just fish but
Mangroves are fish nurseries
Flickr: joiseyshowaa
Emma Smith Science Writer Mangroves are a diverse group of unrelated plants. But the word ‘mangrove’ not only refers to the plants, but can describe the habitat itself, in the same way we think about rainforests. These plants inhabit the intertidal zone, a harsh habitat where only plants with a Swiss army knife full of adaptations can survive. The soil is waterlogged, often lacking oxygen and nutrients. They are knocked around by waves and are exposed to the sea winds; not to mention the high amount of salt in the water that should draw all the water out of the plant, therefore killing it. Despite their hardiness, mangrove forests have declined by 30-50 per
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cent over the last 50 years, mainly due to human influences. There is a long list of reasons why they are important; here are just five. First,carbon storage.This is something that affects the whole planet
they capture 55% of the world’s carbon
and is very topical when seen in the light of climate change. As with all plants, mangroves are known to remove CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. But their biomass is not the only way they can store carbon. Scientists have found that mangrove
forests are very effective carbon sinks, storing it in the soil around them. Collectively, mangroves, seagrass beds, and saltmarshes sequester six times more carbon per unit area than the undisturbed Amazon rainforest. Though they represent only 3 per cent of global forest cover, they capture 55 per cent of the world’s carbon. Second, medicine. Treatments for various ailments have been found in the mangroves by mangrove dwellers for many years. Plants have always been a valuable natural drug source, long before it was easier to just go to the local clinic. One of the severe problems in health care systems is infectious disease, and some mangrove species have an incredible potential for fighting bacterial infections. They are also a rich source of steroids, saponins and flavonoids, chemicals that decrease
crabs, shrimps, and molluscs live in mangroves. However, fish species are especially affected by the lack or presence of mangroves. Mangroves are fish nurseries. In some cases fish cannot complete their lifecycle without the aid of the mangrove ecosystem. Few fish use mangroves as their primary home, but many see them as a vital form of protection before they are old enough to move to offshore reefs and breed. Some more iconic and endangered species that live in mangrove forests are the Bengal Tiger, found in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh and the Hawksbill Turtle, which has reduced in number by 80 per cent over the last three generations. Fourth, coastal protection. Coastal vulnerability is an important issue for places like South-East Asia when sea levels rise and tropical storms become more common due to climate change. After the devastation of the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, many scientists starting talking about the reduced loss of life in areas with mangroves on
their shoreline. After 10 years of research, this issue is not as clear as once assumed. When mangroves are along the shoreline there is a significant difference in the damage caused by cyclones, tsunamis, and high winds, but only when used with other risk reduction measures. Their iconic buttress and upwards pointing roots prevent erosion and slow the speed of water and winds. The final reason, which is not
“ refuge for a huge diversity of animals
often considered valid anymore, is biological interest. This reason encompasses all of the other reasons discussed above. They inhabit an area which is not favoured by many plant species. They have implications on climate change and the life cycle of fish. They provide a refuge for a huge diversity of animals. They can be used in modern medicine and be a natural coastal defence. These are all wide aspects of research which are studied around the world; Costa Rica, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and South Africa, to name a few. So the final reason why you should care about mangroves is that as a biologist, they can take you anywhere.
Epigram
24.11.2014
Sport Snowsports shine in chilly Edinburgh
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Results: Overall: 7th Men’s team: 6th Women’s Team: 3rd Individual performances: Ski Slalom: Lettie Hawkins, 28th Ski Slalom: Alex Kershaw, 18th Giant Slalom: Hope Shooter, 6th Syndicate Slopestyle: Issy Ferrario, 3rd Syndicate Slopestyle: Ophelia Spowers, 4th Faction Big Air: Issy Ferrario, 2nd BUCS
Snowboard finalist: Aidan Scannell Snowboard finalist: James
3rd and 4th respectively overall. The women’s Big Air was even more of a success, with both skiers reaching the finals again and Issy Ferrario placing 2nd, a major achievement for UBSC, as this is the highest freestyle podium finish that the club has achieved at BUDS to date. The Snowboard Team surpassed all expectations at this year’s BUDS. Aidan Scannell and James Parkinson qualified for the Syndicate Slopestyle finals and Laura Williams qualified for the Rome Snowboards Big Air finals. Only the top eight qualify, marking a great achievement for these riders. The snowboarding freestyle team has improved immeasurably since the start of the year and all the team gave outstanding performances. Gea Mikic finished 5th in the women’s Individual Slalom narrowly missing out on a podium position. In the men’s Individual Slalom three riders finished in the top 18: Aidan Scannell, Alastair Hales and Shane Orme. These are great results for the team at a national competition. All of the snowboard team performed exceptionally well over the weekend and should be proud of their achievements. This was UBSC’s most successful BUDS to date and hopefully that momentum can continue into the Regional and National Indoor Championships early next year. If you would like to get involved with UBSC send an email to info@ ubsc.co.uk, and to keep up to date with all things snowsports, like our Facebook page.
Parkinson Snowboard finalist: Laura Williams Individual Slalom: Gea Mikic, 5th Individual Slalom: Aidan Scannell, top 18 Individual Slalom: Alastair Hales, top 18 Individual Slalom: Shane Orme, top 18 For more information, e-mail: info@ubsc.co.uk Facebook:University of Bristol Snowsports Club |UBSC
UBSC
It was a chilly November weekend and UBSC (University of Bristol Snowsports Club) headed north (where else?) to compete in the annual BUDS (British Universities Dryslope Championship) event. Ophelia Spowers (Freestyle Captain), Aidan Scannell (Board Captain) and Alex Kershaw (Race Captain) gave Epigram Sport the lowdown on a successful couple of days. With its largest ever squad, 50 competitors, UBSC headed for BUDS full of excitement. The weekend consisted of 35 universities battling it out over two days of competitions in racing and freestyle events for both skiing and snowboarding. The Bristol Team came 7th overall, with the women’s team coming 3rd and the men’s team 6th. The events began with the Ski Slalom on the Friday. The women were up first, with strong performances all round, especially from Lettie Hawkins who qualified for the finals in 28th place. The men followed up their achievements with great performances. Two of the team qualified for the finals: Sam Brown and Alex Kershaw, with Alex finishing in 18th place after the combined times from the two runs. The second day started with the Giant Slalom. Hope Shooter had an incredible run finishing in 6th place making her our highest-finishing racer this year. The dual slalom event was in the afternoon where we had two teams entered. The second team faced a tough first round draw where they were narrowly beaten by Birmingham’s first team, knocking them out of the competition. The first team fared better, coming in the top 16 and beating teams from St Andrews and Stirling. Despite a few injuries; a broken wrist, collar bone and an injured hip, UBSC freestylers were in good spirits at BUDS, with all competitors stepping up to the challenge and throwing some impressive tricks. This is the first year in BUDS history that the freestyle section of the competition has been officially sanctioned by BUCS, thereby allowing competitors to gain BUCS points for their university; a measure both anticipated and appreciated by UBSC freestylers. Both the Syndicate Slopestyle competition on the Friday and the Faction Big Air competition on the Saturday were major successes for UBSC, with record numbers of competitors both competing and qualifying for finals in both male and female, snowboarding and skiing disciplines. The UBSC freestyle men put on a fantastic display of highcalibre freestyle skiing, narrowly missing out on reaching the finals, however particular highlights of lincoln loops, underflips, 720s, flatspins and backflips were thrown. The UBSC freestyle ladies performed particularly well, throwing an array of tricks, including flips, spins and grabs. In the women’s slopestyle skiing, both Issy Ferrario and Ophelia Spowers qualified top eight for the finals, placing
Epigram
24.11.2014
54
‘Our goal is to go the season unbeaten’
Having got their season underway with a resounding 12-5 win at home to a Cardiff side brimming with international players, UBSWPC (University of Bristol Swimming and Water Polo Club) have seemingly started where they’ve left off for the fourth season running. BUCS champions for the last three years, and going unbeaten in that time too, the club are undoubtedly the most successful at the University. John Murray caught up with their captain George Mack and one of their star players Tom Dean for Epigram Sport, to find out what makes UBSWPC tick...
of swimming who play a very highintensity swimming game, as well as the older players who have been playing the game for years, and aren’t as mobile but know a lot of tricks.
training. Alongside that, the director Matt Paine organises speakers to come in and talk to us, such as the Saracens director Nigel Wray and it’s really useful to learn from them.
ES: Which do you prefer: National League or BUCS games? TD: Both are great, although different, BUCS is fantastic because not all of our players play for the University National League team. GM: BUCS is what we play for - it’s what the Uni team aims to win every year so the atmosphere and how much it means to everyone is so much more.
Epigram Sport: First things first, great start to the season. How did it feel to get a good win under your belt first game back? George Mack: Fantastic – obviously we come into BUCS with a target on our backs as the university to beat, so to get that first win under our belts was really nice. I’d been really nervous all week. Tom Dean: It was reassuring; we were somewhat undisciplined setting up in attack, and there are still a few things to be ironed out but they will come with time.
ES: George, you’ve just returned from a year in America playing water polo out there, how did being a student athlete in Wisconsin differ from your experiences in Bristol? GM: Being on a year abroad meant that I was doing research for the first time and I had a lot more time in uni than I was used to, and fitting in training around that was a lot harder. The team I was playing for out there wasn’t quite as good as Bristol – it was great fun but we didn’t have a coach.
ES: Having been so successful over the last three seasons, is it hard to stay motivated? GM: I don’t find it hard to be motivated in this team – we know what’s expected of us when we are training. If you’re not going to get down to the pool, someone else will and they’ll take your place on the team. There’s no option not to be motivated. TD: You can see how motivated we are by the pre-season attendance. All of the returners were here before term started through choice, there was no compulsory pre-season, it happened because we wanted to be there. GM: I guess as well even when you do have a particularly gruelling swim session, being part of a team of great people really does help and even makes it fun!
ES: How was pre-season this year? Did you do anything different to normal? GM: Well we actually managed a pre-season this year, which was a little more than we’ve done in previous years. TD: In the past it’s been about two weeks, which is very short, but this year we had 15 people down four weeks before term started, which was great. GM: We had a lot more pool time than usual as well which was great – we have to do a lot of independent work, a lot of boys play intramural sport to keep fit and we don’t have as many water polo specific sessions as we would like. TD: I personally went on tour with ‘The Vikings’ to Belgium, which was the highlight of my summer, and something that I’ll be looking to do in future again as it was a great kick-
start to pre-season training. ES: Having already faced them do you think Cardiff will be one of your main rivals this year? GM: Cardiff will definitely be one of our biggest challenges in the preliminary stages at least. Looking forward, Durham will definitely pose a strong threat – they’ve been recruiting American students and have got a really strong squad so they’re a team to watch out for. ES: And how has the squad changed this year? Who have you said goodbye to and are there any exciting prospects and names to look out for? GM: Obviously with it being a university team we are quite transient. People do three, or maybe four years in the team if we’re lucky. When I arrived we had a couple of guys who had been around for ages who we’ve now lost, big names like Andy Crawford, Elliot Murphy and Joel Thomas, and as a result this year people have to step up. However every year we have a really good intake of freshers who are all competing for places.
TD: Usually about five or so freshers make the cut after the first month’s intensive training sessions, but this year we’ve got 12 guys who are all fighting for a place in the team. GM: It makes picking the team an absolute nightmare, but it’s a great problem to have. ES: Are there any big names to look out for? TD: Steffan Williams – he represented Wales and the Commonwealth Games just gone, having previously played for GB Juniors, and we’re expecting big things from him. ES: Sounds like a great addition to the squad! Now, many people may not be aware that Bristol also has a university team playing in the third division of the National League – what different challenges do you face when playing in that league compared to university competition? GM: Well the national league teams we tend to play are club teams, and as a result you get a much wider range of ages which means that there are a lot of younger guys just dropping out
ES: That must have been quite a change considering the coach that you have here in Bristol is so good? GM: He is, he’s done so much for the team. For the past 14 years that BUCS has been running we’ve only failed to make the finals once, and we’ve won the last three. A lot of that is down to the hard work that we do in the pool – we have a lot more organised training than the other teams and Mark’s impact really shines through in our performances. ES: Tom, you’re a member of the high-performance squad: how does that help you as an athlete? TD: I’ve been given a mentor – he has a great deal of knowledge about strength and conditioning which has been really helpful to me in my development as an athlete. I also get some extra physio and massage sessions which are really helpful in recovering quickly from games and
ES: Finally, boys, your team motto is ‘One Team, One Dream’ – where did it come from and what is the dream? GM: I don’t know if it was drunken philosophising, but I think it started to appear in my second year. I can’t remember who came up with it, but it’s definitely stuck. TD: I think it’s gradually evolved, from a shared understanding. I couldn’t give you an origin. There are many dreams within the dream but our big goals are to win BUCS again, and also to go the season unbeaten. GM: We’re currently 29 games unbeaten in BUCS competition so obviously to keep that run going for as long as possible is one of the big goals. I’m the only person in this team who has lost a BUCS game for Bristol University and although it’s not a great record to have I’d like to keep it that way!
Bristol footballer’s FA Cup dream
Seb Gemes Sport Features Writer
Alec Fiddes, student at Bristol, UBAFC (University of Bristol Association Football Club) stalwart and attacker for Weston-Super-Mare FC. The club got to the first round of the FA Cup and faced a home tie against Doncaster Rovers, which they unfortunately lost 1-4 after going
3-0 down before half-time. Fiddes, a promising and ambitious young footballer, was the star of the Bristol first team’s successful season last time out as they won the league and cup double. Despite having so much on his plate he found the time to sit down to talk about his FA Cup experience to Seb Gemes and Epigram Sport… Epigram Sport: What does it mean for you as a footballer to play in the FA Cup? Alec Fiddes: It’s what you dream of as a kid, there’s something special about it and there’s no better feeling, especially when you get drawn against the big teams. ES: What were your emotions after the game was called off prior to being rescheduled? Alec Fiddes: I was so
gutted, I walked out an hour before kick off for the warm up and the stadium was full. I couldn’t believe it.
ES: How does playing in the FA Cup compare to winning the Cup with the University team last year? AF: (Laughs) Winning the cup with UBAFC was special, especially with all of last year’s success. I’d say it’s different though – I doubt we’ll win the FA Cup!
ES: What does a Cup run like this do for your league form? Is it a distraction or a boost? AF: If I’m honest, our league form has been pretty poor recently, you could say we’ve been focussing on the cup. But hopefully we’ll be able to take our cup form into the league and move up the table. ES: Do you feel that the FA Cup has ‘lost its magic’ as a few are claiming? AF: Not at all, having been involved in the cup run this year, the atmosphere, the upsets, the fans; you don’t see it in any other competition. ES: How different is it playing University football and playing Conference football? AF: It’s quite different. The Conference is a step up, it’s more
physical. But I really enjoy playing for the Uni, where the standard’s good too. ES: How difficult is it juggling university work, Weston training and UBAFC? AF: If I’m honest it’s pretty hard and I don’t have much free time, but I like the combination of the three.
ES: What is your FA Cup dream, and how far away do you feel you are to achieving it? AF: Obviously my ambition is to get to the highest level. The good thing about football is anything can happen. I wouldn’t mind winning it one day!
Epigram
24.11.2014
55
The world’s most corrupt organisation? James O’Hara Sport Features Writer @JamesOHara14
PAN Photo
FIFA should be ashamed of themselves. And not just because their organisation is a putrid, rotting, cesspit of corruption. That was common knowledge anyway. The most remarkable revelation of Wednesday morning was that they do not even have the decency to cover it up properly. From the start, the report smelled foul. German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert had revealed to the world that the winning hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup Finals had not triumphed through corruption. Eckert was not exactly in an objective position either, as Chairman of the ironically-titled FIFA ethics committee. Who cares that the winners, Russia and Qatar, both have a history of human rights abuse, dubious governments and that numerous reports into their bids by newspapers had revealed bribery on an unimaginable scale? A German judge had said otherwise. Case closed, back to Sepp Blatter’s preparations for his next term as Supreme Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of FIFA. Criticism would be inevitable, of course. The British press have been on Blatter’s case for many a year, and this quite obvious political whitewash of a report would have them fuming. So, to add that bit more chutzpah
to the report, the English FA were one of the only organisations who came in for particular criticism, rebuked for their dealings with Vice-President Jack Warner – who resigned in 2011 amid allegations of corruption in the bidding process. Except, that for all Blatter’s machinations, he had failed to take account of one crucial variable. American attorney Michael Garcia, who had investigated the bidding process for two years, within four hours had appealed against the report into his own investigation. The report, he argued, ‘contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations.’ Evidently an honourable man, perhaps Garcia had come to the realisation that he
had been duped. Either way, the entire process now lay in tatters. Eckert is obviously not the honourable pillar of justice that his title might suggest. His report claimed that Mohammed BinHamman was involved in the Qatar bid to the extent that his influence ‘would not have been significant.’ This, despite the Qatar 2022 bid chairman claiming just before the bid that BinHamman was their ‘biggest asset.’ Eckert was not just inaccurate in his report, however. Quite clearly, his appraisal of Bin-Hamman was utterly biased. Bin-Hamman was banned for life from FIFA after accusations of bribery in his 2011 FIFA President campaign, and in 2014 was exposed by the Sunday Times as having been involved in bribery of
officials prior to Qatar winning the right to host the World Cup. What a coincidence that his involvement in the bid miraculously changed. Eckert’s report of Garcia’s investigation does admit there were some unethical ‘occurrences’ involving the bidders but goes on to claim that ‘the effect of these occurrences on the bidding process as a whole were far from reaching any threshold that would require returning to the bidding process, let alone reopening it.’ In FIFA-speak, then, a ‘threshold’ of corruption is acceptable and can be ignored, a depressing indictment of football as a whole. The bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups was thus undeniably corrupt. Indeed, even FIFA admit they just want it brushed
under the carpet. 9 of the 22 ExCo members who controversially awarded the World Cup to Russia and Qatar have since stood down, many amid allegations of corruption. And still, Blatter reigns supreme, clinging on to the Presidency he seized in 1998. Garcia, however, has not cowed to FIFA. Rather, he has, to stereotype Americans a little, come out all guns blazing. He accused FIFA’s Executive Committee of improper motives, after theyrefusedtopublishhisinvestigation fully in September; now he has attacked their report of his findings. Garcia’s investigation must be published in full. Amid allegations of corruption in the bidding process, and unedifying conduct still evidently occurring in the upper echelons of FIFA, the footballing world has a right to know what actually happened in the run-up to that fateful day in December 2010. If reports from the British media are to be believed, and judging by the startled, hostile reaction to Garcia’s findings by FIFA’s so called ‘ethics committee’, Garcia’s conclusions will not be surprising. Full publication of Garcia’s report is not enough, though. And not only for the reason that he struggled to interview all 22 members of FIFA’s ExCo at the time of bidding. FIFA itself must be disbanded, the organisation a stain on the image of football as a whole. Only by purging corruption at the top can football begin to reform from the bottom, as it absolutely must.
American football strides ahead in BUCS as men’s rugby and football suffer Edward Henderson-Howat Online Sport Editor
As the nights draw in and the piles of work begin to mount, Bristol’s sports clubs continue to perform week in, week out. Here’s a round-up of the first two weeks in November. Women’s badminton 1st team continued their fine form beating the University of Gloucestershire 8-0 on the 5th of November and UWE 5-3 on the 12th. The men couldn’t repeat this success, however, as the 1s were downed 3-5 by Oxford. On the basketball court, Bristol’s men suffered back to back defeats against Bournemouth and Cardiff Met whilst the ladies were also beaten 6675 by Bournemouth on the 12th. The men’s 1st football team had an equally disappointing fortnight after consecutive losses to Hartpury and Swansea. However, the women’s football team performed well to secure their first win of the season with a 3-2 victory over Exeter on the 5th. Meanwhile, in futsal, the men beat Plymouth 6-2. Bristol’s golfers also faced Plymouth but they succumbed to 2.5-3.5 defeat. In hockey, the men’s first team were unlucky to be beaten by Bath and Exeter. In both matches they competed well but fell apart in the latter stages of the game. The ladies 1st hockey team had a better time of it with a 2-0 win over Bath on the 5th and a 1-1 draw against Exeter a week later.
The ladies lacrosse team enjoyed a tense 8-7 win over Exeter. The men’s 1st team went into their fixture against Exeter feeling positive after a 13-10 win over Bath the week before but they were roundly beaten 19-4. Netball 1s continued their unbeaten run this season with a 59-52 win against Bath on the 5th followed by a 2 point victory over Gloucestershire on the 12th. Rugby league have had an exciting season so far and that continued against UWE on the 5th with a tense 32-32 draw followed by a strong 36-10 win victory over Aberystwyth. History was made as five rugby union teams played in BUCS on the
5th but the men’s 1st team continued their difficult year. Hartpury College put six tries past Bristol and a week later, Bath travelled to Coombe Dingle and racked up an impressive 48-22 win over the hosts. However, there was more to cheer for the women’s 1st rugby team who beat Bath 46-7 before their game a week later was cancelled due to a water logged pitch. In squash, Exeter beat the men’s 1st team 4-1 whilst the women suffered a 2-3 defeat to Leeds. The men’s 1st tennis team defeated Swansea on the 5th but suffered a comprehensive defeat to Exeter on the 12th. The women’s volleyball team
came back from earlier defeats in the season to secure strong wins against the University of South Wales and Southampton. The men followed up this good work with a victory over UWE on the 15th. BUCS champions, men’s water polo started their season with a solid 11-5 win over Cardiff, (don’t forget to read
more about the record-breakers on p.54). But perhaps the most dominant displays of all came from Bristol Barracuda, the American Football team. They stormed to a 63-0 win over Falmouth followed by a 50-0 victory against Bath Spa. Long may it continue!
1st team BUCS fixtures WEDNESDAY 26th NOVEMBER HOME Women’s Basketball v Brunel Women’s Fencing v Warwick Men’s Football v Coventry Mixed Golf v Exeter Women’s Netball v Chichester Men’s Volleyball v Uni of South Wales AWAY Men’s Badminton v Southampton Sol. Men’s Basketball v Surrey Men’s Hockey v Oxford Women’s Hockey v Oxford Men’s Lacrosse v Oxford Women’s Lacrosse v Southampton Men’s Rugby Union v Exeter Women’s Rugby Union v Portsmouth Men’s Squash v Bath Men’s Tennis v Kent Women’s Tennis v Cardiff Met. Women’s Volleyball v Surrey All fixtures taken from BUCS website
WEDNESDAY 3rd DECEMBER HOME Men’s Badminton v Imperial Mixed Golf v Exeter Men’s Hockey v Oxford Brookes Women’s Hockey v Oxford Brookes Men’s Lacrosse v Portsmouth Women’s Lacrosse v Oxford Men’s Rugby League v Gloucestershire Women’s Rugby Union v Cardiff Met. Women’s Tennis v Bath Men’s Volleyball v Uni St Mark&StJohn AWAY Women’s Badminton v Bath Men’s Basketball v Exeter Women’s Basketball v Southampton Women’s Fencing v UWE Men’s Football v Bournemouth Women’s Football v Cardiff Met. Women’s Netball v Southampton Men’s Squash v UWE Women’s Squash v Leeds Men’s Tennis v Bournemouth Women’s Volleyball v Bath