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From the Emmys to Epigram, we chat to Damian Lewis page 29
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An idiot’s guide to surviving your year abroad e2
page 3
Issue 252
Issue 263
Monday 20th May 2013 www.epigram.org.uk 25 years of Epigram Bristol University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Success: Hiatt Baker residents to receive fee reduction
Uni technician jailed for using physics lab to prepare cocaine A university lab technician has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after using university equipment to manufacture £10,000 worth of cocaine. Timothy Newbury, 53, who worked in the university’s Physics Department, used one of the labs as a ‘pressing workshop’ using a hydraulic press to prepare the class A drug for sale. continued on page 3
Your guide to this summer’s sport page 30
Bristol students slam UNITE’s ‘inadequate safety ’ after break-in
Some students will be reimbursed up to £700 due to the disruption. Laura Webb News Reporter Hiatt Baker Hall students have finally succeeded in receiving a part-refund on accommodation fees due to the huge disruption caused by the construction of an additional 339 rooms which has taken place throughout the year. Students in the most affected rooms will receive compensation ranging from £140 to a maximum of £700, but Epigram understands that some will receive nothing. While many residents welcome the results, not all students are satisfied. Dom Walker, Hiatt Baker JCR President, told Epigram it is ‘fair that the reductions are staggered but a shame that not all will be compensated because the overall quality of life has been compromised for everyone’. Compensation will be given to rooms facing the site, which Walker explained ‘does not take into account noise pollution that has affected many more who will not get compensation.’
One resident told Epigram, ‘I’m glad some people are getting compensation, but I do feel those of us who are not have been cheated somewhat, as we have paid a considerable amount more than the accommodation has been worth.’ She explained that while students were aware of the construction works when they applied, the extent of disruption was not clear and many Hiatt Baker residents ended up there despite specifically applying to other halls to avoid the building work. Throughout the campaign, UBU Community Officer Alice Peck has been in contact with Neil Sapsworth, Director of Residences, who was drafting the final details regarding the reduced rent as Epigram went to print. ‘I think it is a fortunate and fair result’ said Peck. ‘I am proud of the way in which students at Hiatt Baker organised and campaigned on as issue that really affected them.’ Peck also said she was pleased with the University’s decision because she did not expect them to reduce rents. ‘I think the University are now aware that any future
building works must be clearly communicated to students, with constant updates of likely disruptions.’ Since the motion to gain compensation and improve living conditions passed at the Annual Members Meeting in February, communication between students, the warden, the University and contractors has improved. The University will take steps to prevent students from being seriously affected by building works in the future, particularly with the large amount of reconstruction that will be going on around the University campus over the next few years. Patrick Finch, Bursar and Director of Estates told Epigram ‘We try hard to do as much as we can outside the academic year. We will try and ensure that we issue regular updates and identify issues that may be particularly disruptive to give as much early warning as possible. We will also try and divert students and indeed staff away from areas that are difficult to access we have been doing with the Cantock Steps renovation and the Life Sciences project area.’
A group of international students have criticised the property group UNITE for ‘inadequate safety measures’ after witnessing a break-in to their accommodation. One student was awoken at 4am by the presence of a burglar, who had been trying to climb into her room until he realised that she was awake and fled. The group of students told Epigram that they did not feel that UNITE has ‘taken the incident seriously’. continued on page 3
Exposed: Dogging on the Downs page 9
Epigram
20.05.2013
News
Editor: Jemma Buckley
Deputy Editor: Zaki Dogliani
Deputy Editor: Josephine McConville
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zdogliani@epigram.org.uk
jmcconville@epigram.org.uk
Epigram has been brought to you by: Editor
Style Deputy Editor
Pippa Shawley
Alice Johnston
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Deputy Editors
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e2 Editor
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News Editor
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news@epigram.org.uk
Phil Gwyn
Deputy News Editors
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Zaki Dogliani Josephine McConville deputynews@epigram.org.uk Features Editor Nahema Marchal features@epigram.org.uk
deputyfeatures@epigram.org.uk Comment Editor Joe Kavanagh comment@epigram.org.uk Deputy Comment Editor Nat Meyers deputycomment@epigram.co.uk Letters Editor Lucy De Greeff letters@epigram.org.uk
Deputy Film & TV Editor Kate Samuelson deputyfilmandtv@epigram.org.uk Science Editor Mary Melville science@epigram.org.uk Deputy Science Editor Erik Müürsepp deputyscience@epigram.org Sport Editor David Stone sport@epigram.org.uk Deputy Sport Editor Laura Lambert deputysport@epigram.org.uk
Josephine Franks
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Epigram is the independent student newspaper of the University of Bristol. The views expressed in this publication are not those of the University or the Students’ Union. The design, text and photographs are copyright of Epigram and its individual contributors and may not be reproduced without permission.
Travel Deputy Editor Alex Bradbrook deputytravel@epigram.org.uk Style Editor Lizi Woolgar style@epigram.org.uk
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More election night coverage
page 3
Obama drama : Film and politics in the US election page 27
Palma Violets interviewed
page 25
Issue 253 Monday 22nd October 2012 www.epigram.o
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Deputy Living
Alicia Queiro
Issue 261 rch 2013 18th Ma Monday k ram.org.u www.epig gram Epi of 25 years
Issue 252
Bristol Unive
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Issue 252
Imogen Hope Carter
Mona Tabbara
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page 35
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Harry Engels
Living Editor
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Helena Blackstone
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Marek
Deputy Features Editor
Film & TV Editor
Issue 263 is the final issue of Epigram makers and more. Epigram would this academic year. And what a year like to thank these volunteers for it has been. From national outrage at their hardwork throughout the the Christian Union’s ban on women year. speakers to the reinstatement of If you are interested in the pay-as-youediting Epigram next year, go sports pass either as a section editor or and allegations as a member of the senior of unfair leadership team, check campaigning out the advert on page during the UBU 7. Keep checking back elections, this to Epigram’s Facebook year has not and Twitter accounts U B U d been without its over the summer for s electe rd turnout Griffith eco r in t n controversies. details about how to Preside Epigram has been contribute next year. there to report on We would like to Bristol’s sporting keep our website, www. victories, the epigram.org.uk, going throughout university’s innovative research and the rest of the term, and into the comment on issues close to students’ summer holidays, so if you have an hearts. To focus on current idea for a story, get in touch with affairs alone, though, our editors (see left ignores the other hand column). brilliant stories that Epigram would Epigram has been like to thank you able to publish this all for reading, year, from interviews contributing and with A listers from talking about the the worlds of sport, paper over the year. Gym pass he music and TV back pay as roes: Students win Good luck with you go Sport s pass exams and have a (see our interview with Homeland great summer! star Damien Lewis on page 29). Producing a 56 page newspaper every fortnight is a huge task. Epigram’s www.twitter.com/EpigramPaper paper and website are produced by an www.facebook.com/EpigramPaper editorial team of 40, and each issue www.epigram.org.uk features the work of over 60 writers, illustrators, photographers, puzzle n Foss Christia
Jemma Buckley
Editorial So long, farewell.
A campaign spe University to brinarheaded by the Students’ Uni g back Pay As You Go access on and the Underwater Soc to the sports hall s and swimminiety has forced the the availability g pool of the ‘pay and Editor play’ – peak option for the – or £150 – off-pea coming year at the the pool and sports k – to use facilities would hall. We will Following a campa Geo review the rge Galloway impact of ‘Stand agains ign and petitio this throug spearheaded t the claims n the year hout afforda by the Univer of disinvi in discussion bility sity of studen and Bristol Studen with the put ted after accessibility Can stud ts’ Union (UBU) t sabbaticals forward by and sports club and a represe number of sports the university, rap ntative margin clubs – primar e comments and loca ents s.’ alising casual the University users and Underwater Club’s of Bristol Underw ily threatening Joe Hawksworth the existence co-exist? ls Club – the univer ater welcom The of many of Bristol’s longes ed the decisio University sity has partial n of reverse t standin ly Bristol Interna Zaki Dogliani Deputy News
d its decision ‘This is clearly to abolish fantastic news Pay As You for Go (PAYG) system the all societies affecte d by the change the sports hall for and studen s and swimming ts wishing to pool. on a use facilities Students can casual basis,’ now use facilitie he told Epigram s on a Pay As You . According to Go basis at an online petitio off-peak set times – weekda n up by the ys until 3.30pm Students’ Union any time at weeken and and the Underwater ds. Club - which Simon Hinks, receive d 1497 signatu Director of Sport res before the Lynn Robins and decisio on, Deputy n was revised Registrar, As announced You Go and requiri scrapping Pay they would ‘Reinstate ng students to purchase gym membership for £250
’s g sports tional clubs.’ Society (IAS) has cancellAffairs Hannah Pollak, ed a talk from Respect MP UBU’s Vice President of George Gallow after his controv Sport and ay Health, told Epigram ersial comme about what nts that the U-turn constitutes ‘Demonstrate rape. Gallow s the power of the founde ay defended Wikilea student voice ks r Julian Assang and willingness e in a video the university of uploaded to listen. This to really positiv is a says that the YouTube in which he e start [...] however, at Assang rape allegations levelled continued efforts e have will be made having sex with no basis because elected officers by a to ensure that is sleeping does woman whilst she students have all not constitute equal access to sports rape. ‘Not everyb facilities’, Pollak ody needs added. to asked prior to each insertiobe Read more on n. page 35 Continued on page 3
The Big Deb
ate
Page 11
Should some companies be banned from sponsorships? Page 32
Epigram
20.05.2013
33
UNITE failed to ‘take break-in seriously’ Continued from page 1
Zaki Dogliani
Physics labs used to prepare cocaine Pippa Shawley Editor Continued from page 1
Cocaine prepared on site was worth about
£10,000 Newbury: ‘You too are a bitter disappointment to the court. You had led a positively good and productive life until now and you too have let your friends and family down. You both made a terrible choice when you decided to involve yourselves in the world of controlled drugs.’ The prosecution accepted that Newbury had no other involvement in the process, and he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. The Bristol Post reported that a spokesman for the university said ‘We suspended the individual concerned as soon as we were made aware of the incident. We ceased the individual’s employment following our own investigation.’
The current “safety designs at Chantry Court are extremely unacceptable
”
to tackle this issue as soon as possible.’ In response to the complaint submitted by the students,UNITE said that it would ‘heighten the Security presence around the building’ and ‘install Double
Jack Locks to all windows within the flat’. Huibing, however, told Epigram that double jack locks were only installed in two of the seven rooms in the flat. ‘We still feel we are living in danger. Their attitude toward this incidence also made us very unsatisfied. ‘We are very disappointed about UNITE and demand an apology as well as a satisfactory compensation for this situation,’ Huibing said. UBU VP Welfare Alessandra Berti said ‘I think this incident raises concerns about to what extent UNITE staff are capable of delivering a fully student-friendly service, given that the students feel that not all of their concerns have been addressed. What I would encourage in this case is that if students feel that support is lacking then they should get in touch with the Students’ Union, as these students have done in this case.’ UNITE did not respond when Epigram contacted them for comment.
A bendy future for phones Josephine McConville Deputy News Editor Squeezing your mobile phone like a stress ball may be a sign of too much time spent in the library but that is exactly the sort of thing smartphones of the future could be used for, thanks to technology from Bristol University researchers. Six shape-shifting mobile phone prototypes have been developed by researchers at the University of Bristol that demonstrate the potential of mobile devices to change shape. The prototypes of shapeshifting phones are known as ‘morphees’.
One morphee prototype can curve downwards into the shape of a games consol hand-set giving users better grip, whilst another can fold inwards like an origami flower to conceal the screen from
Phones could
change shape to suit the needs of the user prying eyes. The research - which was developed in conjunction with the German Research Institute
for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) - was outlined at the annual Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) in Paris in April. Speaking at the conference Project Leader Dr Roudaut said ‘In the future, all mobile devices should change shape so that form factor better fits functionality. ‘We should all be able to go into an app store, download an application, and that application should come with its own form factor’ Dr Roudaut said. This includes the ‘stress ball app’ that folds in on itself. Consumers may have to wait a while as the team are currently working out the balance between functionality, University of Bristol
CCTV footage showed Newbury and his accomplice, former soldier Nicholas Avery, entering a lab in the Physics Department, where it is believed the pair prepared £10,000 worth of cocaine to be sold on. The pair was caught after police stopped Newbury’s car and found Avery to be in possession of 252.58g of pressed cocaine. A search of his house uncovered a further 742.09g of the drug along with £4000 in cash. At a hearing at Bristol Crown Court, the prosecution said that the Crown believed the cocaine found in Avery’s home to be worth nearly £200,000. Nicholas Avery’s defence lawyer, Tabitha Macfarlane, told the court that Avery had been a distinguished soldier, who had served in Northern Ireland and the Falklands. He had struggled to raise funds to retrain as a closeprotection security officer, and his desperation to get hold of money to apply for security licences led him to criminal activity. Newbury’s lawyer, Tim Rose, stated that his client had previously had an excellent reputation, but felt that once he had agreed to help Avery, he could not back out. Judge Julian Lambert chastised both men for their role in their intent to supply drugs. He told Avery: ‘You have given great service to
your country and I am greatly disappointed in you. You have let your family down very badly indeed’. Tabitha Macfarlane had previously told the court that a member of the Royal British Legion, who had met Avery, said that he displayed ‘classic signs’ of suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. He was sentenced to five years in prison for possessing cocaine with the intent to supply. Judge Lambert told
The UNITE group, which owns an increasing amount of student housing in the city, has been criticised in the past for the cost of its accommodation and the amount of support that it provides to residents. It is also unpopular for planning to turn the only ice rink in Bristol into student flats. UNITE is set to provide yet more student accommodation following the rise in student numbers and conversion of what was formerly Bristol Ice Rink on Frogmore Street, next to the O2 Academy. Xu Huibing, one of the students who experienced the break-in, said that ‘The current safety design and the measures implemented at Chantry Court [to protect residents] are extremely unacceptable. What is more disappointing is
the ignorant attitude UNITE has taken towards the incident and the victims. ‘The occurrence of this incident clearly indicated a high potential security risk to the residents which can be largely attributed to the inadequacy of safety measures. The UNITE Group has the duty of care
Bristol University Press Office
Zaki Dogliani Deputy News Editor
A ‘morphee’ phone could bend inwards to shield the screen from strangers when typing in your password
durability and safety - such as avoiding electrocuting yourself with a 2,500-volt smartphone. Nevertheless this new technology has the potential to revolutionise the way we interact with our phones. Speaking to Epigram, Dr Roudaut said ‘The reason behind this research is much more than just actuating phones because it’s cool: in our everyday life we are all interacting with objects of various shapes, water bottles, pens, door handle and so on. And all these shapes help us to interact with them.’ ‘This is a notion that psychologists called “affordance”. It means the properties of an object to tell us how he wants to be used. For instance when you see a door handle, without even thinking about it, you will start forming a cylinder with your hand, grasp the handle, and then move your hand down. And all this movement is done because of the capability of our brain to analyze shapes and to act consequently. ‘So when I see my phone with all the million of apps it has but with the same static rectangular shape- a brick!, I feel that we are missing something! I think shapes of device should dynamically change to fit functionalities to help us better interact with our devices.’ ‘So how it can benefit to students? well why not transforming their phones into a stress-ball to relax before exams’
Epigram
20.05.2013
4
Bristol Uni campus is ‘one of the safest’ The University of Bristol has one of the safest university campuses in the UK and has a crisis management team constantly ready to deal with unlikely events such as terrorist threats, chemical leaks, building collapses, fire, major disease outbreaks and even the major release of laboratory animals. An on-site crisis is defined as ‘an event, series of events or outbreak on University property involving lifethreatening injuries or illness, a threat to life or substantial loss of property of service’. The University’s security team work closely with special police agencies to carry out risk assessments on site and to produce a current ‘threat status’ based on incidents that might be brewing locally and nationally. The University of Bristol was one of the first universities in the UK to be accredited by the Association of Chief Police Officers as a Secured Environment, meaning that the University is committed to reducing crime and the fear of crime on campus.
At a meeting with Epigram, David Alder, Director of Communication and Marketing, who is a member of the ‘Gold command team’ in case of crisis, said ‘As a university we obviously take this sort of stuff very seriously. But also I think it is important that students get the message that really, really bad incidents in this country are incredibly rare. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t prepare for them. So in a sense
plan for “theWeworst but the best is happening
”
it is that old adage; you plan for the worse, but most of the time the best is happening. If we had a motto, I guess that is what it would be.” As well as the structures and protocols in place to deal with major incidents, the security to team are also in possession of the necessary equipment to provide first response medical attention if necessary. ‘In relation to resources and equipment, we have that. If you are talking about bomb blast
kits, or defibs, we have that in provision,’ Garry Vine, Security Operations Manager, told Epigram. Bomb blast kids include special bandages and surgical face masks which would help with emergency first aid in the unlikely case of an explosion on campus. University security staff are also highly trained to deal with a wide range of incidents, with live running exercises of scenarios including threats from IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) carried out to ensure staff are prepared for all eventualities. ‘[The security team] receive enhanced training, but many are ex-servicemen or expolicemen so we have had that kind of training and are used to dealing with major incidents. That is something that can often be forgotten, but the calibre of the guys in the team is very, very good,’ said Tony O’Connor, Head of Security Services. There are 44 uniformed members of security staff who work in teams of 11 to ensure the University has round-theclock security, covering over 300 University buildings.
CREDIT
Jemma Buckley News Editor
Many security team members are ex-servicemen or ex-policemen.
Union responds to Ball backlash
Uni stayed open late for Museums at Night initiative Katy Barney News Reporter
Jemma Buckley News Editor At the end of the exam season the Union will host the biggest student ball in its history, with 2711 students having purchased tickets to the circusthemed event. But some have complained that they were ‘misled’by the ball’s advertising and are disappointed that the black-tie event is shaping up to be a ‘festival’. Some have also complained that the popularity of the Union’s Summer Ball has led to the cancellation of other popular end-of-term celebrations such as the Goldney Ball. In an open letter to Paul Charlton, UBU President,
classics student Martin Harper said ‘Regardless of whatever reserved rights the organisers may possess to alter the status of the event from a ‘ball’ (black tie, formal dresses etc.) to a ‘festival’ (muddy field, dubious music), it is a disgrace to take £40 from thousands of students for an event that effectively no longer exists.’ He added that he felt ‘we have been let down immensely by both the organisers of the event and the Union.’ Charlton responded quickly to the letter, publishing a response on his Union blog which said he was surprised to hear that Harper had felt misled, because ‘details of the event released throughout the promotional period are consistent with the final event’.
The Union President also assured students that the dress code remains black tie and that suitable contingencies have been made in case of wet weather. He added ‘It is worth
2711
tickets have been sold for the Ball. remembering that much of the Goldney Ball has in the past taken place outside, in their grounds.’ Charlton agreed that it was ‘a real shame that Goldney Ball will not be staged this year’. He
added that ticket holders will be able to exchange tickets for the Union Summer Ball if they wish. He urged those looking to obtain or pass on a ticket to look on the Summer Ball Facebook page. The ball will be held at Leigh Court in Abbots Leigh, Somerset, and the headline act will be British rock/pop band Everything Everything. After 2000 tickets completely sold out in less than 24 hours the event was extend and more tickets were made available to meet the high demand from students. Other attractions at the ball will include Cirque du Soleil trained circus performers, walkabout entertainers, fire breathers, fireworks and fairground attractions.
This year marks the first time that the University of Bristol has participated in the Museums at Night initiative, which is designed to encourage new visitors to museums and libraries and galleries, through a calendar of special events and late opening hours. The event took place between 16th and 19th May, and the University played a significant role in Bristol’s part of the scheme. Three University areas were opened after hours – the Wills Memorial Geology Collection, the Theatre Collection and the Special Collections at the Arts and Social Sciences library. The Botanic Gardens also held an event on Sunday 19th, becoming a living science lab exploring the world of plants. These different parts of the University have put on special talks and tours to inform visitors about their work. Dr Catherine Hindson, Lecturer in Performance Studies in the Department of Drama gave a talk entitled ‘Depicting Ghosts’, focusing on ghosts in the theatrical world, how they are presented and the necessary
effects created. The Special Collection also opened its doors on Thursday, with members of the public able to see items such as the first edition of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, dating from 1813, and political election materials from the 19th and 20th centuries. The final part of the University’s involvement in the event was the night-time opening of the Wills Memorial Building, with the basements of the University’s geology department open in a rare opportunity to see and handle the collection of rare fossils and crystals. In addition, tours of the tower were run, with attendees wearing head torches to scale the 205 steps in order to experience night views from one of Bristol’s highest points. In 2012 the event drew 121,000 visitors nationwide, and figures from this year’s event promise to be even higher. Other events across the country included a recreation of Edwardian entertainment at the Honeywood Museum, south of London, and some museums keeping their doors open all night for sleepover events.
Epigram
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Izzy Obeng News Reporter
in unused professional kitchen spaces. These meals are then served to those in need in the community. This is not the first time that Bristol students have been involved with the Community Kitchen. Last year FoodCycle worked with the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team to develop a community garden space in the Easton centre. This
Rich Brown / Bristol Pound
Bristol students involved in FoodCycle have collaborated with the Bristol Pound to raise money for the Community Kitchen in Easton. On Monday 29th April over 100 students paid £6 for the chance to eat reclaimed food prepared by award-winning chef Barny Haughton, founder of Bordeaux Quay and the Square Food Foundation. There was a variety of entertainment on offer with spoken word from Harry Baker - World Slam Poetry Champion - and Vanessa Kisuule. There were also DJ’s and art from the Bristol Art Society. Dozens of Bristol students set up an exchange point on Jamaica Street in the Stokes Croft area. The assembled crowd spent the evening promoting the Bristol Pound local currency and the electronic TXT2PAY system with the slogan ‘Keep Bristol Weird!’ The premise of FoodCycle is to mitigate food waste. Volunteers and chefs get together to source, re-process and beautify the excess food unfairly ejected from supermarket shelves and serve it to those at risk of food poverty and social isolation. They empower local communities to set up groups of volunteers to collect surplus produce locally and prepare nutritious meals
Bristol Pound and FoodCycle raise money for Community Kitchen
premise “ofTheFoodCycle
is to mitigate food waste.
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year students have also been involved in various educational and cultural activities for the centre including tent-making and games for kids. On 1st June FareShare South West will host ‘Feeding the 5000 Bristol’, a free event with cooking demos, music and speakers held on College Green. The event promises to be another fantastic opportunity to get free food whilst highlighting the issue of food waste.
Students paid £6 for the chance to eat reclaimed food prepared by Barny Haughton, founder of Bordeaux Quay.
Rosie Paxton
Student volunteers hold annual dance for elderly locals and several volunteers from Jazzhands, a group of students who regularly visit older peoples’ homes to sing. Speaking to Epigram, Rosie Paxton, who chairs the UBU
“hadOuraresidents fantastic time at the dinner dance, they really enjoyed taking to all the students.
”
The event was organised by the UBU Volunteering Executive Committee.
Joseph Quinlan News Reporter The generosity and selflessness of student volunteers from University of Bristol Union (UBU) was on display once
again recently when over 50 of the older people in the community were treated to the annual Spring Dinner Dance. The event, organised by the UBU Volunteering Executive Committee, brought together a number of the city’s older
residents and more than 30 of its students for an evening of dinner and entertainment. Gathering in Cotham Parish Church, the guests arrived from local residential homes and community groups such as Carlton Mansions in
Clifton and Trinity Day Care in Hotwells to be greeted with a three-course meal prepared by the students themselves. The evening’s entertainment was also provided by a brass quintet, Zero East Ceilidh Band, LeRoc dance society
Volunteering Exec Committee, deemed the Spring Dinner Dance ‘a huge success’ and was quick to praise the efforts of all those involved. ‘We are extremely grateful to the societies which came to provide the entertainment, as well as the dedicated group of volunteers who helped to prepare and serve the meal’. Similarly, Alice Peck, UBU Vice-President Community, paid tribute to ‘the UBU Volunteering Exec [who] worked really hard on
organising it. They put a lot of time into the event, especially considering it is a time with a lot of academic pressures! I think it shows the commitment of students at Bristol to make a positive impact on the local community and put on a fun, social event for elderly residents who might not get that much of an opportunity to watch LeRoc dancers, to dance to live brass bands, chat with students and eat tasty homemade food’. The success of the evening can be judged by the fun had by the guests, and Paxton confirms that ‘we have had fantastic feedback from those who attended, making the whole experience extremely rewarding!’ Marilyn Mockridge, the Activities Manager for Carlton Mansions, told the University that ‘our residents had a fantastic time at the dinner dance, they really enjoyed talking to the students and hearing all about their studies’. As the final event of the year for the Volunteering Committee, the success of the Dinner Dance is a fitting way to finish.
Epigram
20.05.2013
Captured: the best of Bristol in summer The season of sun is finally here and whilst exams (and the rain) still persist, Rich Brown’s photo story reminds us of what there is to look forward to
Rich Brown
Are sex strikes women’s best political weapon? page 9
50 years of 007 - James Bond special page 27
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Obama drama: Film and politics in the US election page 27
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Issue 253 Monday 22nd October 2012
Monday 8th October 2012
Timetabling problems next Less thanWant to edit Epigram cause havoc for students half of year? students www.epigram.org.uk
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Bristol University’s Independent Student Newspaper
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Bristol University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Bristol University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Harry Engels
A University of Bristol student has tragically died in ambiguous circumstances that may have resulted in him being crushed inside a bin lorry after a night out with a friend. Garrett Elsey - a 22 year old from Sherwood Park, Canada - had enrolled to start his Masters in International Security in the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies and had been in the UK just one day when the incident happened. Elsey’s body was found by workers at around 10.20am on Thursday 27th September at the New Earth Solutions centre - a recycling plant in Avonmouth. Police cordoned off communal bins in nine areas across Bristol whilst investigations were conducted into how his body could have ended up at the site. It is now believed he was picked continued on page 3
Katharine Barney News Reporter
Students in departments across the University have faced ongoing timetable clashes and changes throughout the first few weeks of term with the School of Modern Languages suffering the most. Many found that units were still missing during the third week of term, leading to much confusion and anger as students were unable to attend all of their lectures. Students in the School of Modern Languages were warned prior to
Week 0 that: ‘Due to technical issues, timetables will be ready to view from Week 0.’ Most students found that this was not the case, and a series of emails followed which explained that these technical issues remained unresolved. Robert Vilain, Head of the School of Modern Languages, said that as he understood it, the issue was not specific to Modern Languages and that other departments had also had technical difficulties. A second year French student told Epigram that she still had units lacking from her timetable and stated that she felt the Modern
Languages department was ‘assuming no responsibility.’ Problems ranged from unresolved clashes within the same module, doubling up of classes and entire units missing from timetables. Robert Vilain also said: ‘I would like to stress again how hard academic and administrative staff worked - from August on - to try to solve the problems that arose, and how frustrating it was for staff as well as students to find that problems identified, addressed and apparently solved then suddenly resurfaced.’ Problems for some students are ongoing and seminars are still
satisfied Epigram is looking for section editors for with 2013-14. If you Gym pass heroes: Students win or a have a nose for news back pay as you go Sports pass Union passion for fashion, we want to hear from Marek Allen
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University of Bristol’s Student Union - which is currently undergoing renovation work - has received one of the lowest satisfaction ratings in the UK. Jemma Buckley News Editor The results from the most recent National Student Survey (NSS) – released just before the start of term - show that only 45% of final year students are satisfied with the University of Bristol Students Union (UBU).
The survey – which has been taken by over 1.5m students since it launched in 2005 – is used to compile statistics relating to student satisfaction in eight areas: teaching, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources, personal development and overall satisfaction. This year the survey
Is feminism dead? page 10
George Galloway disinvited after rape comments
also asked students to rate their satisfaction with their union or guild. 260 universities and further education colleges across the UK took part in the survey and student satisfaction with UBU ranked in the bottom five, with just 45% of students agreeing that they were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘mostly satisfied’
with their union. Oxford University’s Student Union came joint last in the survey with their neighbour Oxford Brookes. ‘We are dedicated to ensuring that the [UBU satisfaction] score improves over the next few years. Unfortunately, students tend to focus on the building when they think of the Students’ Union and it
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Festive events in Bristol
Interview with Mercury Prize winners Alt-J page 25
The best day trips in the South West e2
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– peak – or £150 – off-peak – to use the facilities would ‘Stand against the claims of affordability and accessibility put forward by the university, marginalising casual users and threatening the existence of many of Bristol’s longest standing sports clubs.’ Hannah Pollak, UBU’s Vice President of Sport and Health, told Epigram that the U-turn ‘Demonstrates the power of the student voice and willingness of the university to listen. This is a really positive start [...] however, continued efforts will be made by elected officers to ensure that all students have equal access to sports facilities’, Pollak added. Read more on page 35
The University of Bristol’s International Affairs Society (IAS) has cancelled a talk from Respect MP George Galloway after his controversial comments about what constitutes rape. Galloway defended Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in a video uploaded to YouTube in which he says that the rape allegations levelled at Assange have no basis because having sex with a woman whilst she is sleeping does not constitute rape. ‘Not everybody needs to be asked prior to each insertion.
Can students and locals co-exist?
Travel’s Hidden treasures of Kashmir
The Big Debate Page 11
Should some companies be banned from sponsorships?
Page 32 Do dolphins deserve human rights? Epigram Science investigates
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you.
We are looking for editors, deputy editors and section editors for the following sections: News / Features / Comment / Science & Technology / Letters / Living / Style / Travel / Arts / Music / Film & TV / Sport the availability of the ‘pay and play’ option for the coming year at the pool and sports hall. We will review the impact of this throughout the year in discussion with the student sabbaticals and sports club representatives.’ Underwater Club’s Joe Hawksworth welcomed the decision ‘This is clearly fantastic news for all societies affected by the changes and students wishing to use facilities on a casual basis,’ he told Epigram. According to an online petition set up by the Students’ Union and the Underwater Club - which received 1497 signatures before the decision was revised - scrapping Pay As You Go and requiring students to purchase gym membership for £250
Living’s guide to the opposite sex
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Student numbers increased by 600 A campaign spearheaded by the Students’ Union and the Underwater Society has forced the Whilst many top universities across the country have struggledto bring back Pay As You Go access to the sports halls and swimming pool University to fill places on their courses this
Inside e2
being rescheduled. However, Robert Vilian added that ‘the University is conducting a review of timetabling with a brief to make sure the problems don’t happen again’. Students have received emails from senior members of the University, apologising for the problems. Undergraduates and staff members of the Faculties of Arts, Medical and Veterinary Sciences and Science received an email from Professor David Clarke, Deputy ViceChancellor to further apologise and reassure the student body that measures are being taken to prevent this happening again.
Are boobs news? The Page Three Debate
year, Epigram has learned that the University of Bristol has been successful in increasing student Zaki Dogliani numbers by over 600, bringing the News Editor total number Deputy of places available to undergraduates to 4400. The increaseFollowing follows changes in and petition a campaign regulatory arrangements, permitting spearheaded by the University of universities to increase the number of (UBU) and a Bristol Students’ Union places available for students achieving number of sports clubs – primarily A-level grades the of University AAB or of above. Bristol Underwater According to reported has partially Clubfigures – the university by The Telegraph, seven out of 24 reversed its decision to abolish the institutions in the elite Russell Group Pay As You Go (PAYG) system for continued on page 3 the sports hall and swimming pool. Students can now use facilities on Exclusive a Pay Asinterview You Go basis at off-peak with Chairman times – weekdaysof until 3.30pm and any timeOlympic at weekends. British Simon Hinks, Director of Sport and Association Lynn Robinson, Deputy Registrar, announced they would ‘Reinstate
Issue 254
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Britain’s big issue page 12
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To apply for an editorial role, send your CV, three examples Organ donation campaigner Will Bristol’s Mayor: ‘I am your slave’ Floody hell: Rain and Pope has NYE heart wind disrupts Bristol of your writing, an ideas sheet outlining your vision for transplant the section and a covering letter to editor@epigram.org.uk. Alex Bradbrook
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Bristol for the first time in seven years on the 22nd November and spent a whole day touring the South West. The visit was one of the final public engagements as part of the royal Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The couple travelled in the royal train and arrived in Bristol Temple Meads where they were driven to Ashton Vale for a visit to the Bailey caravan factory. While at the caravan manufacturers the Queen and Prince Philip were driven very briefly in one of the motorhomes produced by the company. One worker, Craig Dudbridge, spoke to the monarch and said, ‘She seemed very interested and asked us all lots of questions’. continued on page 3
Pulling the ‘green wool’ over our eyes: the truth behind ‘environmentally friendly’ companies
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Marek Allen
Strong winds knocked over a tree on a student’s driveway on Elmdale Rd
Alex Bradbrook Senior News Reporter Bristol is recovering after several days of severe weather struck the southwest of the country. At the peak of the adverse weather, gale force winds of over 60mph were recorded in the city centre and over a month’s worth of rain fell in just two days, causing chaos in many areas. At times, some parts of Whiteladies Road were completely submerged by fast-moving torrents of water flowing across the road and pavements, inconveniencing lots of students commuting between Stoke Bishop and Redland and the main university precinct, as well as slowing traffic. Somerset was one of the worst-affected counties nationwide, with many villages in the Mendips reporting floods several feet deep, and local farmers claiming that the weather was ‘the worst [they had] seen in 40 years’.
Extensive flooding on the Downs led to many sports fixtures and training sessions scheduled throughout the week being cancelled. The downpours also caused havoc for students attempting to get home for the weekend, with rail services experiencing heavy delays due to railway tracks being flooded, and other disruption caused by the deluges. Services between Bristol, Swindon and Exeter were particularly badly affected, leading to cancellations, lengthy delays and inconvenience for passengers. Sub-par student houses also suffered during the bad weather, with one student reporting that water was seeping through the walls in her bedroom, whilst many others documented leakages and various other problems with their accommodation due to the wind and rain. On Elmdale Road, a tree was uprooted in the driveway of one student property: third-year geography student and resident James CrosbyGayler remarked, ‘It was strange to wake up
to see the tree’s branches pressed right up against my window, when they’re normally on the other side of the driveway’. Even though the Environment Agency had issued 58 flood warnings for the south-west, none were issued for Bristol itself due to the way in which the Floating Harbour protects the city against flooding. Liz Stephens, an academic from Bristol’s Geography Department who specialises in modelling flooding, told Epigram ‘During the last 8 days we have seen rainfall totals that have exceeded what we might normally expect over the course of the whole month. This rainfall is falling on already saturated ground following a very wet few months, therefore generating large amounts of surface run-off that has caused the flooding that we have seen.’ Long-range weather forecasters predict that early December will be dryer than the past few weeks, allowing the city - and its residents - to get back to normal.
Satsuma thrown at NUS President during rally in London A contingent of 36 students and officials from University of Bristol Union (UBU) joined other universities across the country at the NUS Demonstration in London, which ended abruptly when hecklers stormed the stage at the final rally in Kennington Park and threw eggs and a satsuma at NUS President Liam Burns. According to NUS estimates about 10000 students all across England came to protest government cuts in university funding on the 21st November. Shouting chants such as ‘No ifs! No buts! No Education cuts!’ - protesters battled through bitter rain and blasting winds for two miles, along a route which took them past the Houses of Parliament and onto a final rally in Kennington Park, South London. The rallying, however, was brought to an continued on page 3
Marek Allen
o l c s n o i t a c i Appl
Navigating mud pits and boys: Bristol students take part in the Sodbury Slog
Campaigners from controversial pro-life group Abort67 brought their graphic displays of dead babies and aborted foetuses to the University of Bristol precinct at lunchtime on Friday 9th November. Their demonstration and use of imagery prompted complaints to the University from disgusted students. In retaliation, sabbatical officers from UBU launched a counter-protest, using a sign stating ‘This Union is pro-choice’ in an attempt to cover up the large graphic images that were erected on the pavement opposite Senate House. Student unions in Nottingham, Cambridge and Sussex have used similar tactics to limit the impact of Abort67 demonstrations, following visits to their campuses during the same week. continued on page 4
A Bristol student’s wait for a new heart has finally ended after receiving a transplant on New Year’s Eve. Will Pope, 20, whose story has captured the attention of the nation after featuring in an ITV ‘Tonight’ documentary in November, had been on the urgent transplant list since early September. Until the operation his health had been deteriorating with doctors saying that, without a transplant, he would have just weeks to live. According to Will Pope’s mother, Rosie Pope, he is ‘taking steps in the right direction’. The situation remains positive, despite several setbacks and nervous moments for his family and friends since the operation. Will suffered a cardiac arrest on 5th January. On a blog set up to raise awareness for organ donation, Rosie Pope wrote that ‘Will had to be defibrillated and his heart massaged for half an hour. They pulled him back and put him on bypass.’ Will gradually took steps in the right direction and on 10th January he awoke to find he was the beneficiary of a new heart. His mother wrote that ‘Will has been through much. There is one certainty, which is that the transplant is just the beginning. He has been lucky enough to be given this chance. There will be battles ahead but we intend to hold on. We have the utmost confidence in the doctors, nurses, surgeons and all supporting staff at Harefield [Hospital]. And in Will.’ Will first started experiencing heart problems in 2009, but doctors were not able to identify the cause, though it is thought to have been caused by a virus. He was fitted with a Left Ventricle Assist Device (LVAD) which, combined with drug therapy, enabled his heart to rest and sufficiently recover for the device to be removed later in the year. However, upon returning from a trip to Mongolia this summer - after participating in the Mongol Rally - Will’s health began to worsen and he returned to hospital for crucial heart surgery. From September to December, he had a series of operations to fit devices to support his heart, and he was becoming increasingly weak, lacking the energy to even read a book.
y a M t s 1 3 y a se on Frid
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Pro-Life campaigners parade photos of dead babies on campus
Alex Bradbrook Senior News Reporter
Katie Jones
Jemma Buckley
The Queen visits Bristol as part of Jubilee celebrations
International students protest against new university monitoring
Around 30 students descended on Senate House last week to rally against the University’s monitoring of international students. The demonstration - which was part of a week of protests leading up the NUS National Demonstration this Wednesday - highlighted the concerns of Bristol’s international students who have been made to check in with their faculty on a monthly basis. Organisers of the event said the monitoring of international students was a ‘violation of these students’basichumanrights,aninsulttotheirhuman dignity, and an intrusion on their private lives’. The United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) makes universities such as Bristol - which have been granted the right to sponsor visas for international students - monitor the attendance of their non-EU students to make sure they are actively participating in their studies.
Marek Allen
George Ferguson has secured a surprise victory in the race to become Bristol’s first ever directly elected mayor. An architect with a penchant for red trousers, Ferguson is also a University of Bristol alumnus and trustee of the Students’ Union. He beat 14 other contenders to the position and left Labour candidate and favourite Marvin Rees trailing behind in second place. Bristol demonstrated its independent spirit by rejecting candidates from the main political parties. In his mayoral victory speech Ferguson said that the vote represented ‘A new way of doing things’ and that he did not see it as a vote for himself, but as a ‘Vote for Bristol’. Ferguson is clear that he wants to make Bristol a city that will be recognised across the world. ‘I am fed up with explaining that Bristol is somewhere near Bath,’ he joked, before declaring himself Bristol’s ‘Servant’ and saying that people of all convictions and beliefs are equal in the city and should unite to improve it. There was rapturous applause when Ferguson talked about his desire to knock on the door of No. 10 to ask the Prime Minister for more powers and resources for Bristol. ‘We’ve delivered what they wanted, now they’ve got to deliver what we want,’ he said. Ferguson explained that he will give his formal acceptance speech on Monday at Brunel’s Temple Meads station, taking the same oath as young men of Athens once did – ‘I shall not leave this city any less, but rather greater than I found it’. The result was a bitter disappointment for the Labour Party who had been confident that their candidate Marvin Rees could win the election. If elected, he would have been the first Mayor of Afro-Caribbean descent in Europe. Rees was gracious in defeat, saying of the result ‘This is just democracy. This is just the way it works.’ During his heartfelt and engaging speech he joked that his loosing speech was better than any winning speech could have been. The result was also disappointing for Conservative candidate Geoff Gollop and Lib Dem candidate Jon Rogers who came third and fourth respectively. It appears their votes collapsed as voters who would usually support those parties looked elsewhere. continued on page 3
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Bristol University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Bristol University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Jemma Buckley News Editor
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Bristol University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Will Pope’s wait for a new heart prompted his family to start the WillPower campaign, to raise awareness about the shortage of organ donors in the UK.
Since Will returned to hospital, the Pope family have been keeping well-wishers up to date via Twitter (@PopePower), Facebook and the Will Pope website (www.willpope.co.uk). They have also set up the WillPower campaign to raise awareness about the shortage of organ donors in this country. Will’s university friends have been highly praised by the Pope family for their role in publicising the campaign, with Rosie Pope, Will’s mother, describing them as ‘amazing’. The students have used a variety of initiatives to encourage more students to sign up to the Organ Donor Register, including setting up a Facebook group, which now has over 5000 members, publicising the cause via student media and setting up the WillPower Tree in the ASS Library in December. They have also
managed to get high-profile figures - such as Steven Fry and ITV journalist Alastair Stewart - to tweet information about the campaign to their thousands of followers, in order to publicise the cause nationally. Though it will take a long time for Will to adjust to having a donor heart, he still hopes to be well enough to come back to Bristol this autumn to continue his studies, starting his second year in Classics. The WillPower campaign is continuing to gain momentum and has been very successful in spreading much-needed awareness amongst the student body about organ donation. Currently, one in five people awaiting heart transplants die due to the shortage of organ donors in the UK. To sign up to the Organ Donor Register, and to help people like Will Pope, log onto www.organdonation.nhs.uk.
We have extended the deadline for applications for Epigram’s senior leadership team.
Independent candidate George Ferguson has been voted Bristol’s first directly elected Mayor.
Can one Not everyone Bristolian drag needs snooker into the deodorant 21st century? page 5 page 35
Africa reviewed
Do letting agencies get away with murder?
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The rise of the video game
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Best household gadgets page 31
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Life without Facebook
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‘Come on!’ : Bristol petition calls for Controversy as sports head secretly lobbies ‘elite’ teams Hiatt Baker residents end to overseas student monitoring your vision for Epigram and a covering letter to editor@epigram.org.uk Georgina Winney
Jemma Buckley
A University of Bristol student has tragically died after falling more than 300 feet whilst climbing Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands. An experienced climber and member of the University Officer Training Corps (UOTC), Ben St Joseph was planning to join the Royal Army Medical Corps after completing his Medical degree at Bristol. On Saturday 26th January, the 22-year-old was over half way up Tower Ridge – a popular route for climbers – when he plummeted to his death. It is believed St Joseph was climbing
demand fee reduction to compensate for work
Sports clubs have reacted angrily after the university’s Director of Sport, Exercise and Health (SEH), Simon Hinks, circulated an email requesting captains of Bristol’s elite sports clubs to vote down an attempt to make sports more accessible. The motion at the students’ union’s Annual Members’ Meeting (AMM) aimed at reintroducing the pay as you go option for sports facilities at all times passed with 88% voting in favour. The pay as you go option was scrapped at the beginning of the year but reintroduced following a petition that attracted over 1500 signatures. continued on page 3
We are also looking for a managing director to oversee our advertising, marketing and budgeting team. Is this the end of the high street? page 11
A cagey affair: controversial use editor@epigram.org.uk of mice in medical experiments ‘Meat-Free Mondays’ motion passed at AMM
UBU wins award in Parliament
A motion to ban the sale of meat on campus on Mondays was narrowly passed at the students snion’s AMM (Annual Members’ Meeting). Many were disappointed that the motion was carried, with only 50% of students present voting in favour. The motion was designed to reduce the university’s environmental impact, with the proposer arguing that the world’s cattle consume enough food to sustain 9 billion people. But a student who had grown up in a family of sheep farmers argued against the proposal, claiming that we should instead concentrate on sourcing fresh, local meat.
Representatives of University of Bristol Union (UBU) travelled to the Houses of Parliament to receive an award which recognises its improved services and activities for students. The award forms part of the Student Union Evaluation Initiative (SUEI) - a national programme organised in partnership with NUS. UBU received a bronze award from the initiative, which is designed to encourage students’ unions to focus on finding out what their members want and delivering this within the resources available to them.
Final deadline: Friday 24th May First has announced that it is to undertake a public consultation on bus fares in Bristol. At a press conference attended by Epigram, First added that the consultation will include a third party ‘to ensure that the process is comprehensive’. The decision follows a petition, started by Daniel Farr, that has attracted nearly 3000 signatures and states that ‘First fares are among the most expensive continued on page 3
Petition demands UoB to clarify their agenda remains uncertainty over how stringent the regulations set by the UKBA are and to what extent the current monitoring programme is a self-imposed measure. The university’s Director of Communications and Marketing, David Alder, has told Epigram
that Bristol does not have to pass on its monthly attendance records to the UKBA, and would only need to contact the agency if a student had missed 10 consecutive registration sessions. continued on page 3
In defence of the gap yah page 8
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Students are unhappy with noise levels and the closure of facilities.
Adam Bushnell News Reporter Student Housing Special A motion was passed at this year’s students’ union AMM (Annual Members’ Meeting) to compensate the residents of Hiatt Baker Hall for the misery caused to them by ongoing construction work. The motion demanded a reduction in fees and improvement of living conditions for the hall’s students.
A large contingency of Hiatt Baker residents attended the AMM – in which the motion to compensate them was voted first in the priority ballot – only to leave as soon as it was passed with 85% voting in favour. Construction work for a new transport hub for all Stoke Bishop residents and the creation of an additional 339 bedrooms at Hiatt Baker Hall is well underway and is due for completion for the 2014 intake. But current Hiatt Baker residents are unhappy with their accommodation. In a letter of complaint to the university, Claudia
Summers, who proposed the motion, expressed her dissatisfaction. She described how the building works are ‘literally surrounding ABC blocks with a sea of mud, fences, metal barriers and diggers.’ ‘As you can imagine, this is not only aesthetically displeasing, it is also extremely claustrophobic and is not a place where anyone would want to live.’ She also said that advertised facilities such as the library, hairdressers, common room and bike storage have been closed and access to the hall has been restricted. continued on page 3
See page 3 for a summary of motions.
Ethical fashion fur better or worse? Style, e2
Marek Allen
Marek Allen
Bus fares to be reviewed
Student leaders have welcomed signs that universities’ monitoring of international students’ attendance to a greater degree than that of UK students is to be altered. In a press release, the National Union of Students (NUS) ‘welcomed firm clarification from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) that universities do not need to have more onerous monitoring procedures in place for international students than for domestic students’. The petition against the monitoring (Epigram, 04/02) of international students at Bristol University was raised at Senate continued on page 3
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University to look again at international student monitoring
Fishy ethics: do animals feel pain too?
What can you buy for the price of a pint?
continued on page 3
Marek Allen
An open letter calling on the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eric Thomas, to hold an open meeting about the university’s controversial monitoring of international students has attracted over 150 signatures. Since last autumn, non-EU students have been obliged to report to their department each month to show ‘engagement’ in their studies. The measure, imposed by the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA), is a condition on the right held by universities such as Bristol to sponsor visas for international students. The tightening of regulation came after the UKBA withdrew London Metropolitan University’s right to sponsor students in August 2012. In this instance, the authorities cited a lack of monitoring, insisting that revoking the university’s licence was ‘the right course of action’. Professor Thomas wrote in The Times Higher Education supplement last autumn that ‘We need to ensure that what happened to London Met can never happen again’, criticising UKBA’s decision as sending ‘an extremely damaging message to the world’. Yet some international students feel that the university’s leadership could do more. Cerelia Athanassiou, a Postgraduate Senate Rep and the petition’s founder, told Epigram ‘I don’t buy that “there is no alternative”. The more I keep asking questions, the more I see varied practices on this policy across this university – let alone across the country – and so I would like to find a space where can discuss and compare best practice on this issue, as well as deliberate on how to formally keep challenging this destructive policy at national level.’ We are gathering signatures on this important issue as we recognise that many international students (and staff!) would feel too intimidated to take action on their own. The letter expresses unease that ‘no consultation with the students or their representatives was taken and claims that the monitoring, which is refers to as ‘intimidating, humiliating and unnecessary’, could have ‘serious implications for the university’s ability to recruit prospective international students’. For many, the measure is shrouded in ambiguity; something the sought open meeting will aim to address. For example, there
Bristol student dies in Ben Nevis tragedy
25 years of Epigram
Bristol University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Bristol University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Joseph Quinlan News Reporter
Issue 252
Issue 259
Monday 18th February 2013
Animal Aid protest against Bristol University’s medical testing procedures Josephine McConville Deputy News Editor An investigation carried out by an animal rights group has condemned the University of Bristol for its use of genetically modified (GM) mice in experiments that are ‘both cruel’ and ‘medically useless’. Procedures used by the university on GM mice are designed to understand the mechanics of pain reception and have been described by the Director of Animal Aid, Andrew Tyler, as ‘typically disgusting’. They involve injecting
chilli pepper into mice cheeks or crushing nerves in their back legs, leaving the rodents’ hypersensitive to pain, according to the animal rights organisation. A briefing compiled by Animal Aid claims that research based in the School of Medicine’s Physiology and Pharmacology Department has failed to show any medical benefit despite receiving 15 years of public funding. On Wednesday 27th March - as part of a twoday tour of the city to expose the University’s treatment of GM mice - Animal Aid visited the University precinct in an ambulance with the aim of raising awareness amongst students,
using distressing footage of experiments to represent those conducted at Bristol University. The accusations against the university stem from research originally gathered by Animal Aid for a report entitled ‘Science Corrupted: the nightmare world of GM mice’, and draws on a vast number of sources including medical journals, university minutes and reports from the head researcher of the GM mice experiments. The Animal Aid briefing states that for every GM mouse used, hundreds are ‘judged to be failures’ and killed. The report also claims that these publicly funded experiments – which continued on page 3
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The women who are changing the world page 10
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We’re Moving! Don’t worry though, we’ll still be here for you
Don’t worry we aren’t closing, just moving across the building! We said goodbye to Bar 100 and the Anson Rooms at the end of last term and in the next few weeks the rest of the ‘South’ side of the building will close too. This means we will be joining the Centre for English Language and Foundational Studies and the ,QWHUQDWLRQDO RIÀFH LQ WKH IXOO\ refurbished part of the building on WKH WKLUG ÁRRU By improving our Students’ Union HQ, co-designed by students, ZH FDQ EHWWHU IXOÀO RXU YLVLRQ RI students creating a world class student life. For more information visit ubu.org.uk/build
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Epigram
20.05.2013
Features
Editor: Nahema Marchal Deputy Editor: Helena Blackstone features@epigram.org.uk
deputyfeatures@epigram.org.uk
@epigramfeatures
Every dogger has its day: Is crossing the Bristol Downs at night really that dodgy? George Robb and Patrick Galbraith took a trip to Circular Road to find out the truth behind the Bristol Downs
“ Not much dogging happens around here but other stuff does...
”
drunken stragglers to take the long way round across the Downs. Within the darkest part of our minds, we both struggled with admiration for these mythological, sexual hedonists. We live in a society consumed with sex: the way those third year girls (and guys) seductively mince around the ASS library, the shoes we put on in the morning and the way we hold our cigarettes, it’s
great many shrubs and trees had been removed. Was this a tacit nod to the 2008 incident when Bristol City Council was accused of discriminating against homosexual men by pruning the bushes and removing some of the trees
“ We pictured
Photo: Euronews
When we thought back to the start of the year we could remember three main things: budget nights out on the Triangle, serious posturing in an attempt to snare some friends, and retreating to our rooms when being friendly and charming had taken its toll. Those, and the ominous warnings against being dogged senseless whilst crossing the Downs at night. Every fresher has heard the tales of brutal buggery and secretive sodomy but few, possibly even none, have actually experienced it. Yet still the legends remain, forcing
all meant to ask that timeless question: ‘Wouldn’t you like to mate with me darling?’ Yet for some reason the words seldom leave our lips. So who wouldn’t raise a glass to the cruiser? The gentleman of the night that casts aside the aftershave, says no to grooming and just bloody well gets on with it. Dogging is the activity, dareI-say-it lifestyle choice, of watching couples copulate au naturel. You’re also allowed to provide spectators with your own performance if you’re that way inclined. Gay cruising, which occurs in the same area, is when like-minded homosexuals hook up for a night of no-strings-attached tomfoolery in the woods. There are two main al fresco fornication sites on the Downs. The heterosexual variety tends to be along Ladies Mile, with its homosexual counterpart found along the Circular Road, near the clifftop from which you can see the suspension bridge. Along the Circular Road there is a stretch where cars tend to accumulate and that is where we found ourselves on the first night. We cautiously tapped upon the window of a parked hatchback; the dogger’s and cruiser’s vehicle of choice it seemed. Inside was a balding middle aged man in a black leather jacket. Was this the uniform of the cruiser? And did our trendy, well-cut threads, despite looking really sexy, make it clear enough that we weren’t there for any trousers-down revelry? This gentleman was, of course, a ‘bird watcher’, who often came for ‘bird watching’ when he found the time, even if it was pitch-black. He interestingly lamented that a
ourselves being held down whilst proclaiming our adoration of boobs, beer and all things straight
”
from around the edges of the downs? We never did find out. Our second acquaintance of the night was slightly less friendly and definitely less up for our wannabe-journalist tripe, stating in a somewhat threatening fashion that ‘not much dogging happens here, but other stuff does…’ On the second night we learnt what he meant by this. It is not in fact a dogging site but predominantly a gay cruising site! After five minutes of loitering outside the car a young looking Brazilian man flirtatiously walked by, eyeing us up in the process. After stating that women were the reason we were there, he told us in a crestfallen manner that there were absolutely no females. ‘No’, he said in his rich South American accent, ‘It’s only gays’. Still, we decided to move on into the woods
Ernie Watchorn
George Robb Patrick Galbraith Features Reporters
Every night, tens of ‘doggers’ meet on the Bristol Downs to watch others engage in sexual acts
unperturbed, with Lucas - for that was the Brazilian’s name - as our tour guide to the dark world of gay-cruising. Despite its period of decline, Lucas claimed that the cruising was as good as in Brazil, and was eager to show us the ropes. All we had read about cruising flashed into our minds. The violence that homosexual men suffer at the hands of moronic ‘gay bashers’ was a distant but frightening possibility. We pictured ourselves being held down and whacked around the face whilst proclaiming our adoration of boobs, beer and all things straight. As we stumbled over trees in the dark we could see the anonymous shadows of big men at regular intervals. Despite the seedy circumstances, it was clear that these men were not malicious or rapey.
There appeared to be a form of etiquette which, much like everything else that evening, was tacitly agreed upon. As we came to a clearing, through the trees we could hear the jostling and grunts of a successful pickup. Lucas took the opportunity to grab my crotch, no doubt spurred on by the romance of the situation. After pleasantly declining the invitation we shook hands and made our separate ways, wishing each other a pleasant Bank Holiday. As liberal as us English students may be (or may want to be), it’s hard to think of such activities as anything but depraved. Even Lucas, who unusually made a special effort to see his partner’s face to avoid ‘the ugly older men’, was content with probing an absolute stranger. Similar stuff may happen during and after
Lounge, but at least there’s an attempt, however half-hearted, at courtship and wooing. The physicality of the initiation process was charmless, animalistic and sordid. But ultimately, from a students’ point of view, should we worry about crossing the Downs? Will we find ourselves limping back having been gratuitously buggered by Bristol’s cruising community? As common as such jokes may be, they are only jokes. There’s a designated, isolated place for cruising, and those we met there were surprisingly gentle and respectful. After all, it could have been your dad. So if you’re ever crossing the Downs at night don’t be scared. And you see a small Hispanic chap with a naughty look in his eye tell him George and Patrick were asking after him.
Epigram
20.05.2012
9
Neuro-enhancers: students’ new super drugs?
The irrepressible gonzo journalist Dr Hunter S. Thompson, author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, somewhat infamously proclaimed his hate of advocating the use of drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, whilst mordantly declaring that they had always been intrinsic to his work. And whilst it would seem highly counterintuitive to turn to any of these illegal and illicit stimulants in the name of academia, it seems that performance-enhancing drugs have been sweeping university campuses during this heinous period known as exams. These prescription drugs are conventionally used to treat recognised psychiatric disorders, such as ADHD, narcolepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s. The effects - unnatural lengths of high concentration, hitherto unheard of productivity levels and remarkable memory
undergraduate employment after university. There is mutinous talk of universities carrying out random drug tests in an attempt to stamp out the nootropics, otherwise known as cognitive enhancers. If the current low rate of detection of doping in competitive sport is anything to go by, the students in the deepest, darkest corners of the library, loaded to the eyeballs on cognitive enhancers, have nothing to worry about. Indeed, should we even risk asking ourselves what these nootropics can contribute to the progression of society? A pill which briefly allows the brain to reach its potential seems to satisfy the inherent human desire for self-improvement just as intellectuals have altered their consciousness through the use of stimulants for centuries; I’m thinking of the extensive use of ‘performance’ enhancing drugs among artists and musicians, the dated use of benzedrine among notable authors and intellectuals, even the everyday consumption of the Coffea plant by people the world-over, and of course, Crick’s famous discovery of DNA whilst on LSD. Prof. Barbara Sahakian, has interestingly stated that these drugs could play a far wider role in society. Her most recent research showed that sleepdeprived surgeons performed better on modafinil. Why should society tolerate people drinking Gareth Harper
Archie Philpotts Features Reporter
retention while on the drug - have made them popular with students keen on keeping awake and alert while in the savage grip of the revision period. Professor Barbara Sahakian, a psychiatrist at Cambridge University, declared in the Telegraph last year that as many as 16% of American students and about 10% of UK students admit to having used performance-enhancing drugs to improve academic results. The Academy of Medical Sciences report in 2008 indicated that even a small 10% improvement in a memory score could lead to a higher degree class. Drugs like Ritalin and Adderall, which have been shown to increase memory scores, have therefore become attractive to students hell bent on boosting their academic performance. The difference from an invisible 2:1 to a shining First. This is not surprising considering the real pressure to succeed academically in the cut throat climate of
themselves into useless stupors and smoking themselves into early graves (and costing the NHS dearly), and yet have such reservations about drugs that supposedly make us more intelligent? Are we somehow repressing areas of human improvement? One frightening answer to that question is the possibility of financial services flooded with swathes of hyper-focussed graduates only to find that without their fix they are hugely dangerous to the economy. An interesting parallel comes from Professor David Nutt who, before being handed his marching orders by the government, suggested that the financial crisis was due in part to the chronic cocaine use of big city bankers. Without wanting to wade into the eternal debate on the legislation of substances illegal and illicit, the threat of recreational abuse and addiction is also clear and present. Some cognitive enhancers, such as Ritalin, are classed as controlled drugs and at present, medical issues relating to nootropics have not been substantiated and long term effects are as yet unknown. ADHD children typically taken off Ritalin when they reach adulthood seem to be more prone to cocaine addiction. Like the ‘Peruvian Marching Powder’, Ritalin is a powerful stimulant that increases alertness and
Flickr/seppo
‘Smart drugs’ are becoming increasingly popular among students during the revision period, despite growing concerns about their side effects
productivity, yet because it’s a prescribed drug, it’s perceived to be safe. It is anything but when taken in high doses or by intravenous means. Should this merit a ban from universities around the country? At the moment, not a great deal of activity is happening, according to a spokeswoman
for Universities UK, ‘much of the evidence available on the use of drugs such as Ritalin among students is largely anecdotal’. And so whilst we wait for the administration to get to grips with itself, there will be no quick answer to the question of whether nootropics will be restricted at universities.
Rosslyn Mcnair Features Reporter ‘Pornography is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction. Thus spake Wikipedia’. It’s somewhat ironic that in a society where overt sexuality is rapidly becoming more acceptable that pornography is still a slightly taboo subject, consumed only by unwashed men in brown raincoats and sexually under-fed teenage boys. Sex shops continue to be decorated like Liberace’s basement, caught in an 80s time warp where neon lighting and silk drapes were glamour at its zenith. All this contributes to the idea that pornography is for other people and isn’t being used by your father or brother or best friend. The shame that many a schoolboy feels over his internet history indicates that society just isn’t quite willing to accept quite such blatant sexual indulgence and stop giggling
when a man in a raincoat goes into an Adult shop. But, Lynx users everywhere, have no fear. A sexual revolution is happening. No more is your porn viewing to be restricted to a glimmering light and some suspicious noises seeping out from under a duvet. Now all you have to do is turn on E4 Music or walk down any town’s High Street to be bombarded with highly sexualised images. Women in the chilly paradox of a parka coat and nothing else are plastered on billboards that dominate the landscape. Music videos where gimp masks are the new beanie hat blare from shop windows and gym entertainment systems. These images are essentially soft pornography and yet we walk past them, I think, completely blasé to the fact that in a different context we would never let these sorts of pictures be on mass display. I have genuine justification in my perhaps old fashioned thinking that the over sexualisation of our culture is a bad thing.That justification is the
Flickr/CabbieBlog
Pornocracy of popular culture and other stories
frankly hideous three minutes I had to spend watching Rihanna perform ‘S and M’ at the Brit awards in the company of an 11 year old boy. Shame-induced heat spunked up my spine with every pelvic thrust of that woman as she unconsciously educated the primary age child perched next to me on bondage. Popular culture dribbles sexual innuendo like John Prescott just dribbles and I find it a little
depressing that our identities are being boiled down to such a basic instinct. Would you buy that Burberry parka if there wasn’t a naked woman arched inside of it? What if she was in jeans and a t-shirt with her hair scraped back? The inference of that advert is, if you buy this coat, men will find you attractive because it’s a damn sexy parka and you could aspire to be as
attractive as she is in said damn sexy parka. Using sex to sell you things is objectification at its worse because it infers that society values you wholly by the extent to which it finds you attractive. It presents such an unhealthy attitude to children and teenagers looking to external influences to form their identity. Four leading internet providers have said that they
are going to provide services whereby parents can ban access to porn websites and other unsavoury pages. David Cameron described the internet as a ‘bit of a jungle’ and that the proposal was a move towards protecting children. And yet I can’t help but feel that society is being hypocritical if it is uncomfortable with its young people intentionally becoming sexually aware via Google and yet comfortable with its children stumbling across Jeremiah’s ‘Down On Me’ being played in a coffee shop. I think this accidental sexualisation is so much more damaging than teenagers making a conscious decision to watch porn because of the lack of understanding that accompanies it. And if you think I’m being the sexual equivalent of a lace curtain then I suggest you watch Christina Aguilera’s ‘Not Myself Tonight’ online and tell me that a cat-suit made out of oil is an acceptable item of clothing in any situation. Particularly if your sex is indeed on fire.
Epigram 20.05.2013
10
‘Intellectual property’: To use or to abuse? In a world in which the boundaries of authorship are becoming more and more fluid, where do we draw the line between ‘mine’ and ‘yours’?
The concept of intellectual property dates back to the nineteenth century, where it was devised as a means to protect the rights of inventors and their ability to influence the production and distribution of their own creations. Another key purpose of intellectual property is to prevent the unauthorised reproduction or copy of such creations. The scope of this concept has since increased vastly, now encompassing various other media, such as music, design and literature. Interestingly though, intellectual property rights are only applicable when the assets are not material in nature. Initially created to protect creative rights, intellectual property has become the keystone of several industries, a commercial phenomenon in its own right. For example, the Coca Cola logo, its name and its recipe are all protected under intellectual property law; the latter is a trade secret known only to a select group of people. This prevents other companies from making or distributing the exact same product, therefore protecting its commercial
Flickr/Hacker211
Alejandro Palekar Fernández Features Reporter
appeal. In recent years, however, the significance of intellectual property has been challenged, but also reinforced in some aspects. The problem of the massive increase in piracy and peer-to-peer downloading, via sites such as the now defunct MegaUpload, has its counterpoint in the fact that music sales have actually
increased in recent years due to the wide availability and affordability of legal downloads. The same can be said of films; the internet is both used as an illegal way to access culture, and a legal way to advertise it. However, the increasing popularity of illegal downloads has affected both the music and the film industry. By downloading a song illegally,
a person is effectively appropriating not only the actual song, but the rights to it, which control its distribution. Likewise, artists making unlicensed versions of others’ songs – on YouTube for example – are also breaking these laws. The release of mixtapes featuring unauthorised covers or samples also bypasses intellectual property law,
but ultimately encourages recognition of the artist: piracy is more detrimental to record labels than it is to the artists themselves. Internet has facilitated the spread of selfmade sensations, like M.I.A. or Frank Ocean, who have acquired a large fan-base through their free releases, prior to being affiliated with record labels. This shows that perhaps the industry is evolving, and the diminishing importance of record labels is merely part of this evolution. As a system, though, intellectual property is incoherent and often anomalous: for example, it costs more for an excerpt of a song to be used in a film than it does for an artist to record a cover of a song. Likewise, academic plagiarism is a phenomenon which has been vastly exaggerated and exploited; sometimes it would seem that the focus is more on the specifics of where information was extracted from, than on the content itself. Unknowingly feeding off others’ ideas should not be deemed plagiarism, since it is a natural reaction to having read someone else’s thoughts on a certain matter, and is very different to actually quoting or referencing a specific idea. DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing… is
an example of this, an album where none of the material used was original; yet his vision is unique, as samples are not used to recreate previous songs, but to enrich new ones – like the use of others’ ideas in essays. Intellectual property has progressed from a principle protecting authorship, to a lucrative business, reducing the possibility of similarity within competition. Moreover, it does not actually protect everyone’s ideas; it only protects the ideas of those who can afford to pay a patent fee. Though this does not necessarily limit creativity, it does limit ownership. ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ by The Verve is an example of this, as it is not the band who wrote the song, but rather the Rolling Stones who were sampled, that own 100% royalties of the track. The fact that such cases exist, where the creator is not the person who holds the rights, questions the legitimacy of the entire system, and reinforces its commerciality. Ultimately, though it does put a price on ideas and culture, intellectual property is necessary, since it ensures the recognition of creators, and protects their unique creations.
Spencer Turner Features Reporter Here, at the University of Bristol, the penalties for committing plagiarism are severe. The Examination Regulations set out that ‘Any thesis, dissertation, essay, or other course work must be the student’s own work and must not contain plagiarised material. Any instance of plagiarism in such coursework will be treated as an offence under these regulations.’ Further to this Section 4 of the Examination Regulations lists the penalties that a student can incur if they are found to have plagiarised material, which can range from simply recording the incident on the student’s record to expelling the student from their degree completely. Whilst the punishments are serious, is plagiarism really as bad as all that? In an article in The New York Times, Stanley Fish argues that ‘it’s hard to get from the notion that you shouldn’t appropriate your neighbour’s car to the notion that you should not repeat his words without citing him’’. From birth, we are taught
not to steal; we are not brought up with the innate sense that we must avoid plagiarism. The rules of plagiarism are alien to the majority of people. Rather, it is a close circle of academics, philosophers and scientists who are privy to the principles which govern plagiarism. Artists, writers and musicians, to name but a few professions, will often reprise themes or characters, use the same notes and chords, or revitalise old work in a modern context. Do we, and should we, consider these people plagiarists? Famous examples of plagiarism are dotted throughout history. It is said that Martin Luther King’s doctoral dissertation at Boston University contained large sections from a dissertation which had been written three years earlier at Boston. Moreover, the world famous ‘I have a dream’ speech is said to resemble parts of Archibald Carey Jr.’s address to the 1952 Republican National Convention. In Stendhal’s The Lives of Haydn, Mozart and Metastasio he plagiarised extensively from two other
biographies. Alex Haley, the author of Roots, went on to admit that he had made up large parts of the story and plagiarised three paragraphs of his book from another author Harold Courlander. The answer to my earlier question is a complicated one. Outside of academia the rules of plagiarism appear to be different, and more liberal. Throughout the arts it seems accepted that previous works will we remodelled, reshaped and reused for different audiences. This commonplace philosophy of recycling old works has challenged the notion of originality in the arts. Perhaps plagiarism only truly makes sense as a concept in academic circles. I think that Jim Jarmusch sums this up well when he says ‘Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination’. Regardless of the academic importance of plagiarism, artists, writers, politicians and orators will always rely on other people’s work for inspiration. In this sense, the importance of plagiarism is diminished.
Flickr/AA History App
Do we give plagiarism too serious a punishment?
Martin Luther King changed the world with his inspirational ‘I have a dream’ speech, yet it was peppered with unacknowledged quotations from another compelling speaker, a civil rights activist named Archibald Carey Jr.
Notwithstanding, we are students of an academic institution who regards plagiarism as one of the most heinous offences that can be committed at the university.
Ultimately, academic plagiarism is taking someone’s work and passing it off as our own and though we may not like it, we must adhere to the rules which the University sets out
in order to avoid plagiarism. Whilst, in the context of the wider world, plagiarism may not seem all that important or even understood, within our university its importance is
Epigram
Editor: Joe Kavanagh
Deputy Editor: Nat Meyers
comment@epigram.org.uk
deputycomment@epigram.org.uk
20.05.2013
@epigramcomment
Old news: Is print journalism dead? It is the sad truth that the printed word simply does not hold the same value it once did. While older generations still find some comfort and enjoyment in their daily update from their long-standing favourite newspaper it is hard to deny that younger people show very little interest. And who can blame them? With a plethora of information from anywhere across the world available at the click of a button, why trawl through a 700 word article when you can gain everything you need from a hashtag? If video killed the radio star then Google and social media sites certainly nailed shut the coffin of news reporting. What this argument is really calling into question is the change in attitude of society itself during the technologic boom. Firstly, it has bred a slothful generation. It is not surprising that the data glut we receive online has meant we
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Why trawl through a 700-word article when you can gain everything you need from a hashtag?
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no longer have the energy to filter through, but simply want the facts as soon as possible as easily as possible. This brings up another issue: immediacy. With the development of 24 hour news websites and TV channels, we can now have all the facts we want the moment we want them. The stories within the newspaper probably appear as outdated as the thing itself because the printed word simply rehashes what we discovered on BBC World News’ Twitter page yesterday. With the rise of social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, young people have also begun to recognise that their opinion can be heard to an audience, potentially, of millions without having earned any kind of authority or respect. With this has come an influx of online bloggers who have taken the news into their own hands and become self-appointed news reporters. Their accounts are unedited, biased and often lack any real facts. However, this is the news young people will flock to as they are far more interested in what is being said by their mate
or at least a person of their age, rather than The Guardian’s 67year-old Roy Greenslade. Not only does the newspaper need to adapt to the changing attitudes of modern-day society, but also the changing practicalities. The majority of workers don’t have a chance to read the paper on the way to work. The 2011 census showed that 62% of the working population of England and Wales travel by car, with a further 11% walking, 3% cycling and an increasing proportion having little or no commute as they mainly work from home. Furthermore, with the world of work becoming ever more competitive and time-consuming, especially with the recession creating highly-pressurised city jobs and families where breadwinners are juggling two jobs, the possibility for a ‘lunch hour’ has been virtually wiped out and people will now grab a quick sandwich rather than sit and enjoy an article in The Times. In addition, the recession has meant people now cut out any extravagances they had before. If there is the choice between spending 70p every day on a printed paper or finding the stories they want online for free, people are likely to choose the latter. As the readers begin to jump ship, the advertisers do also. A newspaper’s main source of financial backing will always be advertisements, but these companies cannot ignore the massive decline of circulation in the past few years, with oncepopular papers such as The Independent dropping by 34% in the last year alone. Advertisers have realised that they will gain more from contributing to online pages as this has a greater audience and, as a result, ad revenues in printed papers are now less than half of what they were in 2006. With this, a vicious circle begins: falling ad revenues means staff must be cut, as staff are cut the quality of articles and general output diminishes and circulation plunges, leading to less advertising revenue. Today’s newspaper owners should heed what print magnate Lord Northcliffe said a century ago: ‘News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising’. editors now need to recognize that it is survival of the fittest: they either adapt to the Google generation or they face extinction.
<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/86891742@ N00/33629402/”>3amfromkyoto</a> via <a href=”http://compfight.com”>Compfight</a> <a
Rowena Henley
Write for Comment: Email comment@epigram.org.uk with ideas, questions or just to register your interest. Once you’ve done this, you’ll receive article suggestions each fortnight. Alternatively, just send in an article on a topic of your choosing.
No
Rosslyn McNair
Print journalism is suffering, not even a journalistic purist could deny that. Circulation of newspapers is declining quicker than a noun table on speed. In 10 years, The Independent, The Guardian, The Times and The Telegraph, to name a few, has seen their readership drop to less than half what it was in 2000. The emergence of the internet and 24 hour rolling news has resulted in paper journalism looking sluggish and out of date. When news of Margaret Thatcher’s death broke at around 11 o’clock in the morning, editors must have looked on in despair as online sites got right down to dissecting her reign whilst the hours ticked by until they went to print. By the time I saw Maggie’s face staring up at me on my kitchen table, the virtual world of news had already moved on to complaining about the cost of her funeral. But despite this, I do not think that newspapers will ultimately become a thing of the past, at least until we run out of trees to chop down to make them. New technology always results in a panic that the old fashioned ways will die out but previous examples tell us that this is not the case. The arrival of the Kindle has not lead to the collapse of the book industry as apocalyptically predicted, no doubt because a paper version of Anna Karenina won’t run out of battery or have a cardiac arrest when you spill a margarita on it. The invention of computers did not lead to end of notebooks, or paper, or pens or all the other various bits of writing paraphernalia that people buy when a computer is inconvenient or broken. Paper will never let you down and fulfils its function anywhere. Besides to say that print journalism is dying is to superciliously assume that everyone is connected to the internet across the world, at all times. My Nokia and I are currently in a very happy relationship not being able to access Twitter, Facebook or BBC News, it can barely cope with picture messages let alone WiFi. But I don’t feel isolated or disconnected as a result of it. I believed that reading the news is a fundamentally tangible activity. There is something about the crispness of a morning paper and the smooth, polished front of a periodical that heralds your ascent into a higher realm of
society. Why yes, I do read the paper and subscribe to many monthly journals, because I’m just that worldly, I also have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany. Reading the paper is almost an aspirational activity, associated with hard
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The Kindle has not lead to the collapse of the book industry as apocalyptically predicted, a paper version of Anna Karenina won’t run out of battery or have a cardiac arrest when you spill a margarita on it
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Yes
Newspaper circulation figures are falling every month, and the handful of sites which offer free online content are having a hard time staying afloat. Are newspapers on their way out?
working fathers at the breakfast table, successful entrepreneurs and sun beaten travellers. There is something about the physicality of reading print journalism, the feel of the rough paper inbetween your fingers and the Atlas-esq arm span required to read the ‘FT’, that makes it a hobby, an activity, something which you have to put the rest of your life on hold in order to do. The assimilation of our whole lives into little touchscreen boxes has increased consumer need for convenience and immediacy. Need to know what colour bikini Kim Kardashian was wearing yesterday? Thankfully the Daily Mail app for iPad means that in between your weekly Ocado shop and typing your notes for that presentation you can have a quick look at Kim’s breasts and then resume your life. But reading the paper, or a magazine, or a periodical is a break from the screens that we spend our entire lives staring at. It’s a time out from a virtual reality where the infinite span of the internet results in a lot of extremely poor quality journalism that spreads ignorance rather than intellect. In a society where staring at screens dominates our lives both professionally and personally, I think that activities set in the real world are becoming more important to maintain. Wii tennis will never be the same as Wimbledon, playing COD doesn’t actually prepare you to fight in Afghanistan and The Guardian app will never substitute giggling over a copy of the Daily Mail on an aeroplane.
Epigram
20.05.2013
13 13 13
Gabriel Dorey Everyone must have some degree of respect for the phoenix-like rise of UKIP from the ashes of political obscurity. Not too long ago, to brand them ‘a bunch of fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists’ would not be far from the national view. However, there currently appears to be an amalgamation of many discounted voters, united by disgust of the political class, who look to UKIP as the only party that can claim to speak for the man on the street, and work itself to the grind to implement what it truly believes to be right. This political shift, not just consigned to Tory exiles, is also welcomed by a portion of Labour and Liberal Democrat voters, those who view Clegg and Milliband as inept and without any personal creed. These votes are out of contempt for the state, not love of Nigel Farage’s policies, content to be devalued with nihilistic pleasure. Look at it this way: voting for UKIP is the political equivalent of being part of the cool kids’ group; brandishing a pint and a ciggy in one hand whilst flicking off the nerds of the establishment with the other. Seeing Ken Clarke hysterically denounce UKIP as ‘clowns’ makes the Conservatives come across as panicked and spiteful, only
fuelling Farage’s sure-footed march. Cameron’s pragmatism has been met with nationwide displeasure at fragile economic growth, increases in energy bills, and a faltering stance on immigration – with around 1m eastern Europeans coming in under an EU directive (general unemployment is at a rate of 8.4 per cent, including 1m youths). Commenting on Suarez’s latest antics and gaming on angry birds can’t save him now. The Liberal Democrats have been battering in the opinion polls, shackled by the compromise and betraying of principles that inevitably comes with government. Tuition fees and the Lord Rennard scandal have made Nick Clegg come across as untrustworthy and lacking in control of his party. Ed Milliband meanwhile has not seized on recent right-wing populism, and the credit crunch has not bolstered Labour support in the way he would have liked – the focus of hatred on bankers and unapologetic capitalists is mirrored by a similar loathing of two-faced MPs. He is tentatively skirting around the biggest problems being brazenly addressed by UKIP: immigration, welfare for those who don’t need it (750,000 claimants of benefits for the sick have recently been proved fit for work – three quarters of voters
want to reign in benefits – this includes Labour voters), and the economy, letting us assume he would bugger everything up again with all the catastrophic complacency of New Labour. Thus, the battering ram of the UK Independence Party has burst through, fuelled by anger and furor, taking a stand against anything and everything: high taxes, the economic weight of the EU, the borrowing of money, you name it. More controversially they also back the doubling of prison places, oppose gay marriage and, bizarrely, would impose a 25p levy on foreign visitors for the restoration of Big Ben (among other things – their manifesto is quite a read). Nevertheless, they are true principle politicians; adherence to an ideology is what people want in the person they vote for, right or left. Farage has an endearing ‘Joe Bloggs’ vibe, unleashing unapologetic indictments of the status quo with relish; he is exciting to listen to, whether with a cheer, scowl or smirk. The local election gains are significant: ¼ of voters opted for UKIP in 35 councils in England and Wales; they wiped the floor with the Tories and Lib Dems. The BNP were extinguished. They saw 147 councilors elected – that’s 139 gains. Yes, similar movements
have supposedly ‘rocked the establishment’ fading away as quickly as they surfaced: ‘Cleggmania’ a few years ago, the SDP, the Green party – there appears however to be too much of an irate obstinacy with UKIP. We shouldn’t view ‘left’ and ‘right’ as having any of the meaning they did in 1982. There are policies we all want: lowering tax, cutting red tape, increasing personal liberties, tackling crime, protecting helpless patients being treated carelessly in many NHS hospitals, increasing social mobility, preventing mass, unregulated immigration. These are all policies advocated by UKIP, and largely dealt with sloppily and hesitantly by the current powers that be. A UKIP vote is a vote against the political sphere as we know it, where the cabinet is so Etonorientated, where politicians are two-faced, where we are ruled by a London-dwelling metropolitan elite who are deeply out of touch and don’t know the price of Sainsbury’s Basics vodka. We should be able to vote for what we truly believe want, instead of unfailingly having to compromise our values every time we head for the ballot box. Perhaps a vote for UKIP might actually draw our leaders’ attention.
Back off the arts grads - we’re alright As a history student unfortunate enough to have surrounded herself around medics, vets, science and engineering students, I am constantly bearing the brunt of ‘banter’ about the supposed ease and worthlessness of Arts degrees. The Science versus Arts debate has been fought out throughout scholarly history, but with the current climate of speculation about the usefulness of degrees - given the nail-biting rise of tuition fees in 2012 - the debate has grown more acute than ever. The first point of conflict that has led science snobs to attack the triviality of arts degrees is the argument that arts student fees actually fund science degrees. This would of course, explain why us history students are always battling over the limited books in the library come essay time, whereas the Biology Department is currently enjoying a £50 million investment into a brand new building (much to the disturbance of the arts students who are lucky enough to have our ‘70s monster of a library just opposite the building site).
Although this seems unfair, it does not undermine the difficulty of arts and Social Science degrees. I challenge any Dentist or Vet, slating the cosiness of the arts, to translate and analyse the philosophy of Cicero, coherently explain why the British government should or should not interfere in the Middle East or turn around four 2,000 word essays in as many weeks. Term after term we are expected to independently learn, understand and argue about intellectually challenging concepts, making our ideas not only original, but also relevant to wider academic or social problems. What was that chemists? No, not another multiple choice exam! The next issue of contention: the constant mockery and critique of arts degrees for having minimal contact hours. The eye-roll of my hall-mates as they return back from five hours of lectures at 2pm whilst I have not quite made it out of my dressing gown is reflective of the wider issue: science students deem structure and long hours to be a symbol of hardship. Waking up for a 9am lab session on a Monday is not hardship. Hardship is fostering the selfmotivation to force yourself out
of bed in the morning to go to the library, out of your own will, to read even a fraction of the infinite reading list your tutor has so kindly emailed you. Arts students look back nostalgically at the structure and teaching of school-life, how we crave ‘right’ answers and measurable facts.
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I challenge any dentist or vet, slating the cosiness of the arts, to translate and analyse the philosophy of Cicero, coherently explain why the British government should or should not interfere in the Middle East or turn around four 2,000 word essays in as many weeks
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Lucy Rodrick
In hindsight, I probably would have enjoyed undertaking a more vocational degree – it would give me an answer to the dreaded question ‘what do you want to do after university?’ to which my current default response is ‘not anything to do with history’. But, and let us not forget fellow arts-men, we are
the lucky recipients of those (dare I say it) ‘transferable skills’ meaning the world is our oyster when it comes to employability. Generally this oyster is an office or classroom in somewhere like Basingstoke, but at least we can escape seemingly endless years of research that that sees some science students into their 30s before they can face the Real World. So for now, we should enjoy our lie-ins, our assumed superiority when discussing current affairs (‘I know about the situation in Syria, I study politics don’t you know…’) and the sense of smug satisfaction when we can answer Jeremy Paxman’s grilling questions on the Henrician Reformation of the Church. Just grin and bear the engineer’s jibes or the medic’s patronising nods. And if they are going to continue mocking the flowery nature of arts degrees, then they can get out of our ASS.
Unpaid Internships need to be better defined
Jevon Whitby It’s that time of year again, when the moral dilemma of unpaid summer internships rears its ugly head, and student jobhunter solidarity is stretched to breaking point. Laying all my cards on the table, last summer I did an unpaid internship in London. It was invaluable experience, I learnt a lot and hopefully enriched my CV, but this didn’t ease a sense of guilt that my willingness or ability to work for ‘free’ might grant me unjust advantages over others. Critics, like the pressure group Intern Aware, argue that unpaid internships are fundamentally unfair. We all know these arguments: young people cannot afford to work unpaid for long periods of time, or far from home, and this naturally favours those with wealthier parents or substantial savings (£3000 according to the campaign) to fund their ambitions. Defenders of unpaid internships point to technicalities too often ignored. ‘Interns’ are not ‘employees’ and not supposed to be bound by contractual hours, or other obligations that paid workers must adhere too. Ideally, they are meant to receive less in return for less, although as Intern Aware is all too aware, this is massively open to abuse by an unscrupulous company that wants cheap staffing. As you might expect then, interns’ experiences vary wildly, and the internet harbours horror stories of those at the mercy of highly sought-after companies. Fortunately my own time as an intern was lucky:
travel and food expenses were given, and whilst it might seem meagre compared to wages, a world of difference was made by the highly sympathetic employees around us who even paid for interns’ drinks themselves when socialising outside work. Realists simply cite the dire state of the job market. Few of us can afford to scupper career advancement with a principled, unilateral stand against unpaid internships. This is the danger and the great ‘insult’ of internships to the political Left, that the more of us try to ‘get ahead’ the more we encourage a punitive system which might restrict our shared social mobility. Anything that troubles business is especially unwelcome for the Government at the moment, so it is unlikely that unpaid internships will be restricted outside of publicly pressured areas like the BBC and political parties, as Intern Aware wishes. Paid internships would unquestionably be much fairer, but fewer opportunities aside, this is not a watertight solution. There is nothing to stop the 10,000 young people a year who do internships seeking out equally ill-defined voluntary ‘work experience.’ Nor indeed are there any restrictions on buying skills training, professional career advice, a new suit, or other purchases that give one student ‘an edge’ over another in the job market. Perhaps therefore the simplest first step is to define, in law, precisely what work a company should be allowed to expect of an ‘intern’ as a nonemployee – and not have that line crossed. Basic expenses should be compulsory, as should a strict ‘time limit’. Banning systemic abuses, the achievable, is not nearly progress ‘enough’, but as with interns’ ever increasing guilt at their luck, it could be a start.
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‘Interns’ are not ‘employees’ and are not supposed to be bound by contractual hours, or other obligations that paid workers must adhere too. Ideally, they are meant to receive less in return for less
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UKIP’s not a left/right issue
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Epigram
20.05.2013
Science & Tech
Editor: Mary Melville
Deputy Editor: Erik Müürsepp
scienceandtech@epigram.org.uk deputyscienceandtech@epigram.org.uk
Is a Theory of Everything impossible? Kruti Shrotri Science Reporter
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The theorem has profound implications for the foundations of mathematics
Caro Lines
Could robots ever be conscious creatures? Will humans ever find an ultimate Theory of Everything? These are some of the questions whose answers are impacted by the Incompleteness Theorem, one of the most important mathematical discoveries of the twentieth century. We’ve all heard of the scientific equivalents: Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity and Waston and Crick’s discovery of the DNA structure. So why have so few of us heard of Kurt Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem? Maths has a reputation of being tremendously abstract: just when you understand how to deal with numbers, your maths teachers will suddenly start talking about ‘x’s and ‘y’s instead. Next, they might be telling you about ‘differentiation’, and they may even get round to telling you about those mysterious ‘imaginary’ numbers. The abstract nature of maths means that it can be hard to make sense of, and its implications can be difficult to relate to the real world. But maths and its implications are more accessible than we think. Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem presents a case in point. Though the proof of the theorem teems with
inflicting a limit on the promise of mathematical knowledge. However, its implications reach further afield than this: One of the most frequently debated questions for scientists working on artificial intelligence is whether a computer-driven robot could ever be more advanced than the human mind. Research so far has borne robots with the ability
mathematical complexity, the theorem itself is surprisingly simple: within our theory of arithmetic, there is at least one arithmetical statement that is true but that cannot be proved. For example, take the statement,
‘every odd number greater than five is the sum of two primes’. This statement, known as Goldbach’s conjecture, has been shown to hold for every odd number between five and four trillion trillion. It certainly
seems true - but no one as of yet has proved it, and according to Godel’s theorem, a proof may not even exist. The theorem has profound implications for the foundations of mathematics,
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to reason, learn and socially interact, and progress is rapid. However, in his book Shadows of the Mind, Oxford professor and physicist, Roger Penrose, uses Godel’s theorem to argue against this possibility. He writes, “it is within mathematics that we find the clearest evidence that there must actually be something in our conscious thought processes that eludes computation”. The idea is that, whereas Godel’s theorem applies to computers, imposing a limit on their power, it does not apply to the processes in the human mind. This indicates that we have more power than computers, making our minds impossible
to reproduce computationally. Implications reach further: According to physicists Stephen Hawking and Freeman Dyson, Godel’s theorem may profoundly influence whether the physicist’s hope for an ultimate Theory of Everything - a theory that leaves not a single physical phenomenon unexplained - is even possible. In his 2002 lecture, entitled ‘Godel and the End of Physics’ Hawking draws an analogy between theories of mathematics and theories of physics, to argue that just as there exist truths that our theory of arithmetic cannot prove, there will also exists truths that our theories of physics will not be able to prove. In Dyson’s words, ‘the laws of physics…include the rules for doing mathematics, so Godel’s theorem applies’. If they are right, a Theory of Everything is consigned to failure. Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem and its implications are fascinating, exacting limits on the powers of maths, physics and computation. But perhaps more importantly, they are also accessible, and surprisingly simple to make sense of. There is no doubt that maths commits the charge of being abstract but little do we realise that its gems can still be appreciated by the everyday person.
Have you got nobel prize potential? Sorcha Berry-Varley Science Writer Ever got comments on a piece of coursework that you’ve felt were unfair? Perhaps they were justified but at the time you just had so many things to do - there was helping that friend move, and sleeping, and reading that other book that had nothing to do with your subject. But even with the feedback clenched in your frustrated fist, you let yourself slip into a reverie about how when you’re an acclaimed genius, your tutor who had no faith in you, will read a flowing piece in The Times and weep. If so, Sir John Gurdon should be your role model. Sir John Gurdon, of Cambridge University, is the latest joint winner of the Nobel Prize in medicine. He shares this with Shinya Yamanaka for their revolutionary developments into the re-programming of adult cells. As he comments in his amusingly titled section of
his autobiographical biological review- ‘How Not To Start’, his biology teacher at Eton said in his school report that Gurdon’s ideas of becoming a scientist were ‘quite ridiculous’. His teacher also stated ‘it would be a sheer waste of time, both on his part and of those who would have to teach him’. Gurdon has potentially saved us a lot of time in the field of re-generating damaged tissues in the lab. Part of Gurdon and Yamanaka’s research is repudiating the idea that adult cells have an irreversible commitment to their specialist role- for example as brain cells: these two scientists showed that actually all cells contain the same genes and all the information to make any tissue. Would it be too far to see this as a metaphor for being able to do anything you put your mind to? Gurdon’s teacher in the report also commented that ‘he would have no chance of doing the work of a specialist’. However you could consider him now as a specialised cell that all
along had all the information, and potential, to do it. Let’s simply say this: biologist or otherwise, your 15-year old self is by no means the person that
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an adult’s potential can always be reprogrammed.
” you might become. There is especially very little correlation between school reports and later achievement. However, Gurdon turns this previously offending document into a motivation and grounding object: indeed the report is the only framed thing on his office wall. He likes to look at it when an experiment fails, suggesting that maybe his teacher was right. The ‘quite ridiculous’ statement on Gurdon’s future prospects was not just a matter of opinion. Indeed, in 1947, out of 250 people for biology, Gurdon came ‘bottom of the
bottom form’, quite a feat and what he remarks is, ‘in a way the most remarkable achievement [he] could have been said to make’. Most of my school reports referred to ‘potential’ that I hopefully haven’t realized yet.
Perhaps I am worried it will be like Dylan Moran’s warning to stay away from the locked door of your potential: whilst you may think it is a room of gleaming marble floors with flamingos serving canapés; it in fact more likely features a tiny
grey little cat. Although if you are Sir John Gurdon, who at 79 still hopefully hasn’t reached his academic limits, my advice would be just to look at his own research and development: an adult’s potential can always be reprogrammed.
Epigram
20.05.2013
15
Polar Bears: is any hunting sustainable? Looking to the future Sol Milne examines what impact our actions will have on polar bears as a result of legal hunting.
It has been estimated that approximately 600 bears are killed annually.
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Steven Armstrup, a polar bear scientist who has been studying the species for more than 30 years, believes the uplisting serves as more of a distraction from the greater threat of habitat restrictions as a result of shrinking sea caused by global warming. He argues that these measures of restricting trade in polar bears
Ville Miettinen
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and human access to certain regions of their habitat will only be effective in limiting the decline of the species if measures are put in place to limit greenhouse gas emissions. The mitigation of greenhouse gases as he explains in his paper published in nature, could directly benefit the bears, and bring the population back to sustainable levels more effectively than by banning the trade. Furthermore, if trade is banned internationally, it will likely continue on a domestic scale, and Armstrup fears such an umbrella piece of legislation could alienate people who are needed on side of conservationists in the fight against increasing global warming. For Canadian Aboriginals, polar bear hunting is considered a very important part of their culture. On the other hand, even if banning the trade is narrowing the focus on threats currently faced by polar bears, it would not hurt to uplist the species, would it? Giving the species a higher conservation status would would serve to raise international support for such a charismatic species. Perhaps this notion of a rise in public support is too optimistic, but leaving the species on Appendix II can slow action on behalf of the species when in fact urgent action needs to be taken now if the decline of the population is to be slowed. Trade in wildlife becomes more lucrative as the numbers of individuals in the wild dwindle. African elephant ivory and Rhino horn have become more valuable as they become increasingly rare in the wild; as the supply falls, it becomes profitable to hunt juveniles and females with their smaller tusks, forcing the population to decline much more rapidly. If wildlife is ‘harvested’ within the maximum sustainable yield of the population, the point
George Thomas
At the 16th CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) in Bangkok this March, it was decided not to uplist the Polar Bear from Appendix II or ‘threatened’ to Appendix I or ‘most endangered’. Such a status change would prohibit the sale of polar bear parts over seas and restrict human access to polar bear habitat. In Canada it is currently still legal to hunt polar bears in the wild, as long as they remain within a specific ‘sustainable’ quota of 110 animals per year however an official count has not been carried out on the species in over a decade and it is likely that even if this was the number of individuals being hunted per year it would not be a sustainable amount. It has been estimated that approximately 600 bears are killed annually, far greater than the sustainable quota. Half of these are then exported overseas and sold for their skin, teeth and claws. Current estimates are that between 2025000 polar bears are left in the wild, 15’000 of which are believed to be in Canada.
at which the population can best sustain losses, it can be seen as a renewable resource. Historically this is how the First Nations people of Canada have hunted the polar bear, however, increased pollution, habitat disruption due to oil exploration and a reduction of sea ice that the bears rely on for access to their marine mammal prey are also impacting polar bear populations. As a result, any further drop in their number will hasten their decline and limit the genetic variability
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of the species, making it even harder for the population to recover as the population may become inbred, and more
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Now is the time for decisive action to slow the decline of this species.
susceptible to disease. Whether or not an animal is put on a different appendix often seems to be as much a political decision as much as it is scientific one, however the legal protection from hunting that would have been gained from uplisting the species would perhaps slow the unsustainable rate at which they are currently hunted. This robust, giant predator is perched in a dangerously precarious position on the food chain, and when the top
predators begin to decline its a clear sign that the ecosystem is unhealthy. These animals are directly affected by our consumer choices resulting in increasing greenhouse gases and the fact that our increasing fossil fuel usage has posed a greater threat to the species than hunting is a clear sign that now is the time for decisive action to slow the decline of this species.
not have degrees. Unpaid internships are making this situation worse. In response, Intern Aware, the campaign for fair internships, and the TUC have released a free E-Rights for Interns’ smartphone app, aimed at informing young people about their right to pay while doing internships. The free app quickly calculates the
amount that interns have a legal right to be paid, and then guides them to taking action to recover this money. According to a 2013 survey conducted by Unions 21 and Survation, 77% of young people said they could not afford to do an unpaid internship in London, where the vast majority of internships take place.
” How much are you owed?
Figures released by the University of Warwick in 2012 show that 40% of graduates have not found graduate level jobs more than two years after leaving education. Students from low socioeconomic backgrounds fared even worse with the chances of being in a non-graduate job rising for those whose parents do
Epigram
20.05.2013
Letters
Editor: Lucy de Greeff letters@epigram.org.uk
Students ‘need to look again at the Liberal Democrats’ fees in 1998 and trebled them in 2004, referred to the Browne review of higher education funding in their 2010 manifesto. The Conservatives also pledged to ‘consider carefully the results of Lord Browne’s review into the future of higher education funding”’ The Browne review was a commission set up under Labour in 2009; it proposed a complete removal of the tuition fee cap, allowing Universities to create their own fee structure like they do in America, where 173 universities charge upwards of $50,000 in annual tuition fees, roughly equivalent to Eton’s annual fees. Viewed in this context, the raising of the tuition fee cap isn’t a Liberal Democrat capitulation, but a genuine
consensus point between coalition partners whose positions ranged from abolition to deregulation. UCAS announced that the 2013 cycle saw an increase of 3.5% in applications and ‘application rates from disadvantaged 18 year olds at, or close to, record levels’. Students nationwide need to reassess their view of the Liberal Democrats and recognise their role in keeping education affordable to all and protecting those educated in the state sector from a savage policy of higher education as a province of the elite.
“The Liberals are taking on a disproportionate level of public anger at the policies of the current government”
Harry Roper 2nd year Economics &Politics Chase Carter
In recent years it has become blindingly obvious that Britain is undergoing something of a gastronomic revolution. Switch on the TV and one is confronted with a cooking show on almost every single channel. There is The Great British Bake Off, Come Dine with Me, MasterChef, Saturday Kitchen, Dinner Date, Chefs: Put Your Menu Where Your Mouth Is, Saturday Brunch, The Hairy Bikers, Ready Steady Cook, Nigellissima and Jamie’s 30-minute Meals just to name a select few. Perhaps I am on my own in my irritation at the sheer amount of cooking programmes and the nation’s obsession with food? The last thing I want whilst eating my lunch is to watch someone else stuffing their face. Judging by the level of ‘foodies,’ I am indeed alone in feeling nauseated. I risk offending the majority of people by confessing my frustration as I am well aware that many fellow students have food blogs in which they write recipes or reviews of restaurants. Our appetite for food is catered for visually by such blogs as well as the television shows that are in abundance. As you read this you may think ‘well if you are so sick of it all why not just turn the channel over?’ but that is the problem – we are saturated with an endless world of gastronomy. It is worth remembering that some cooking programmes can occasionally be entertaining, such as Come Dine with Me, as a case in point. Yet the food phenomenon seems to have snowballed with the likes of Gok Wan venturing from fashion to food in hosting his own cookery show and adding ‘celeb chef ’ to his repertoire. Even Simon Cowell is entering the
culinary TV game with a show that aims to find Britain’s favourite homecooked comfort food, nicknamed ‘The Egg-Factor’. With the rise of cookery shows comes the rise of the celebrity chef. From Heston to Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall, Nigella to Jamie Oliver, chefs have recognised the opportunity to flog their brand, advertising everything from their new restaurant to cooking utensils. But with this comes the growth of celebrity chefobsessed snobs who, it is suggested, consider themselves more middleclass by watching these shows. In an article by The Telegraph, the link between food obsession and social class is highlighted with the writer Will Self, who comments that: ‘It is arguably gastronomy that has replaced social democracy as the prevailing credo of our era. But whereas in the case of the National Health Service and state education it was politicians, social activists and campaigners who forged the new consensus, the vanguard of this chomping revolution was constituted by restaurateurs, television producers and celebrity chefs.’ He continues: ‘We really could do with paying a bit less attention to what’s on the end of our forks, and a bit more to what’s at the end of our roads.’ Self raises valuable points about the preoccupation with local produce and exotic cuisine when there is actually a food crisis right under our noses. Many charity food banks are struggling to feed those in need which shows that it is not just ‘foodies’ who think about food all day.
Olivia Ward
Phil Dowsing
When one observes the fortunes of the Liberal Democrats in Bristol, it is little wonder that so many people are pessimistic about their prospects for 2015. In the 2009 Bristol City Council elections, the Liberal Democrats made four gains from Labour, which gave them overall control of the council. On 6th May 2010, two further gains increased their overall majority to six councillors. The Liberal Democrats in Westminster then abandoned their position as the party of protest in British politics when they joined David Cameron’s Conservatives in coalition, to the detriment of their colleagues in Bristol. In 2011, the Liberal Democrats lost overall control of Bristol city council and last week’s election was a disaster for the Liberal Democrats, whose vote share haemorrhaged to 20.85%, the Party’s lowest share since 1995, leaving a rump of 23 Liberal Democrat councillors, a 40% reduction from 2010. Meanwhile, the reduction in the Conservative vote share since coming into government is in the low single figures, 26.02% in 2009 to 23.43% last week. Clearly, in Bristol at least, the Liberals are taking on a disproportionate level of public anger at the policies of the current government. Many students would cite the rise in tuition fees as a reason for diminishing Liberal Democrat support in Bristol and other centres of learning. In Stoke Bishop, which houses thousands of first-year students paying the £9,000 fees, the Liberal Democrat share of the vote fell from 28.37% in 2010 to just 10.95% in 2013. This analysis of voting behaviour has much to recommend it, but blaming the Liberal Democrats for the rise in tuition fees is a narrative that lacks any perspective of the broader political context surrounding tuition fee funding. While the Liberal Democrats pledged to vote against any rise in tuition fees, the Labour party, who incidentally introduced tuition
Tweets of the fortnight @uberfacts Your subconscious mind is 30,000 times more powerful than your conscious mind. uberfacts
@MindBlow Your birth year (last two numbers) + Your age = 112. Mind blowing tweets
@Queen_UK Might have Alan Sugar de-Lorded. #apprentice Elizabeth Windsor Parody
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Puzzles 1 Caravel sailed by John Cabot in 1947 from Bristol to N. America (3, 7) 5 Home to Lakota and The Croft (6, 5) 7 French town Bristol is twinned with (8) 8 Number of miles Bristol is West of London (3, 7, 3, 6) 10 Programme filmed in Bristol (4, 2, 2, 4) 11 Bristol has the 5th oldest one in the world (3) 13 Borders this county to the South (8) 14 Station between Clifton Down and Montpelier (7) 15 Name of one of the theatres (3, 3) 16 Explorer who practiced on Avon Gorge before climbing Everest (3, 7, 7)
Crossword: Bristol knowledge
17 13 Brought to you by Lucy Eyers and Anna Griller
epAnagram
Down
Across
20.05.13
1 Famous for serving exhibition cider (3, 13) 2 3rd tallest building in Bristol (5, 8, 8) 3 Name of the first elected mayor (6, 8) 4 One of the football teams (5) 6 Popular restaurant (6) 9 Club which closed in March 2011 for good (7) 12 Visitor attraction of the year 2011 (1-7)
Last week’s answers: Zapdos, Ponyta, Mewtwo, Exeggutor, Voltorb, Jigglypuff, Clefairy, Rapidash, Magikarp, Squirtle
Can you unscramble the following Olympic events? ABYLLLEVLO LGCCNIY
Name the characters
CIAELSHTT
EETASNLIBNT ODWNTKEOA
MISSCTGAYN
LTBBELKSAA TNHWFIIGGTLIE
GENICNF
Picture puzzles
domainshane.com
mmsydney.blogspot.com
virginmedia.com
Which common phrases do these puzzles represent?
domainshane.com
ginaparris.com
fanpix.net
Richard Cocks
mysterywallpaper.blogspot.com
Can you name these characters from Disney Pixar films?
HYCRREA
Quick quiz: Bristol special 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
What are the names of the 10 university libraries? The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta takes place in which month each year? What is the name of the 2010 film by Banksy? Derren Brown and James Blunt are both alumni of which Stoke Bishop hall of residence? What are the names of the 2 towers at either end of the Clifton Suspension Bridge? How many full-time elected officers does UBU have? Which novel by former Bristol student David Nicholls follows the main character’s attempts to get on University Challenge? Which former prime minister was Chancellor of the university from 1929-1965? Who became Mayor of Bristol in 2012? What is the name of the home ground of Bristol City F.C.?
Last week’s answers: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; An albatross; O.W.L.s; Chicken Licken; Golden goose eggs; Peking Duck; Penguin; That’s So Raven; Black; Birds
Last week’s answers: Popcorn; Service with a smile; Short and sweet
Epigram
20.05.2013
Arts
Editor: Rosemary Wagg
Deputy Editor: Rachel Schraer
arts@epigram.org.uk
deputyarts@epigram.org.uk
@EpigramArts
Adventurous Theatre for Playful People: May Fest 13
Even if you can’t afford to go to any of the shows (and let’s face it, a lot of us can barely afford free range eggs), Mayfest still want to wrap you up in their loving, playful, arms. They will be celebrating their tenth birthday at Bristol Old Vic with a free party involving, among other things, an interpretive dance competition. You could also drop in to their bar The Blind Tiger, in the Old Vic Basement, where you can go to drink, dance, and rub shoulders with the Mayfest artists. Or there is the Mayfest Café, at The Parlour on Park Street, which, if you are wont to study in coffee shops, is definitely both cheaper than Boston Tea Party/ Starbucks, and more filled with creative energy. Even failing all that, there is just no escaping those giant doilies. Like it or not, you are living in a ‘vibrant’ city that likes to ‘experiment and play’. Embrace it. Annie Bell mayfestbristol.co.uk
festival is designed to involve as wide a range of the Bristol public as possible. In fact, we may even be unwittingly involved as one of this year’s pieces hilariously involves knitting giant doilies in public spaces such as Cabot Circus. Pretty hard not to notice. Every time you walk past one you can glow with pride at being part of a city that is willing to ‘experiment’. It’s a beautiful thing. The programme itself is equally fun. Mayfest’s tagline is ‘adventurous theatre for playful people’. Artistic directors Matthew Austin and Kate Yedigaroff have committed themselves to programming theatre which plays with form in some way. What this does not mean is performances which even drama students would struggle to describe as unpretentious, or ‘experimental’ live art in which naked actors draw penises on each other in their own blood while chanting unintelligibly. What it does mean is a delicate combination of feel-good and thought provoking theatre, involving awesome live music, breath taking circus acts, a healthy dose of poetry and a cat. Highlights of this year’s programme include: Total Football, from Ridiculusmus, a hugely respected comedy duo who are literally doctors of comedy (no really, they have PhDs); Herald Award Winning Beowulf, from American company Banana Bag and Bodice, a maverick take on the Beowulf legend, involving a lot of punk rock; and Trash Cuisine, from Belarus Free Theatre, possibly the most inspiring theatre company in the world right now, a number of whom have been exiled from Belarus for making theatre which speaks out against the country’s dictatorial regime. Kevin Spacey is a big fan.
mayfestbristol.co.uk
Mayfest Bristol, says Lyn Gardner of The Guardian ‘demonstrates the city’s vibrancy, and its willingness to experiment and play’. This sentence fills me with a strange sense of pride. I say strange because I have only lived in Bristol for three years, and in that time I have to admit that the majority of my ‘playing’ has taken place in sweaty clubs on the triangle, which, while I’m sure Lyn has no objection to Lounge et al, is probably not what she was thinking about when she mentioned Bristol’s playfulness. Nonetheless, it is nice to feel that, even if only by virtue of living here, I am part of a city which seems to be widely regarded as fun. It is unsurprising really that Gardner chose Mayfest as the prime example of Bristol’s communal ‘fun-ness’. Of course, Bristol plays host to a huge range of festivals - In Between Time, Love Saves The Day and Upfest to name but a few (in fact, a few years ago there was a Twitter campaign for a ‘festival’ called Brisfest: a weekend when Bristol would NOT play host to any festivals), but Mayfest is, perhaps, the one which most fully envelops the entire city. It is a contemporary theatre festival that goes out of its way not to exclude those outside of the theatrical community. The festival takes place in locations in literally every corner of the city, from a gym in Hartcliffe, to the Bristol Old Vic, to The Tobacco Factory, to a garden shed in Redland. Their marketing campaign involves sending individual emails to over 400 organisations in the Bristol area, from schools to sports clubs, alerting them to shows from the year’s programme which may be of particular interest to them. Everything about this
Who’s Who at the Edinburgh Fringe childhood relived as adults’. Using live music, handmade props and recycled staging they aim to create an ‘enchanting theatrical wonderland’, by throwing their collective childhood narrative experiences together ‘into a big melting pot, and smushing it all together to enchanting see what hodge podge magic [they] can stir up’. t h e a t r i c a l Tap Tap Theatre, Bristol’s Vanessa Kisuule’s union wonderland made resident student theatre smash-hit One Last Thing is by throwing stories company are taking three shows making a return to the festival. into a big melting to the Fringe this year: Men, An innovative blend of spoken pot and smushing it Captain Morgan and word poetry, snappy dialogue all together” the Sands of Time, and heart-wrenching soliloquy, and Handmade Tales. the piece is made up of a series The biggest show in their of short, vivid vignettes. Bursting season, Handmade Tales will use with energy, each one manages to make beloved childhood fairy stories, an articulate comment on humanity with all its and the recollections of being idiosyncrasies without ever preaching. told them to create a collaborative devised journey ‘back to Bristol-based improv troupe, Degrees of Error With so many societies humming with talent, it’s no surprise that Bristol is sending a fair crop of shows to the Edinbugh Fringe Festival this year. Below is just a snapshot of what you can expect to see if you’re heading northwards in “ An search of culture this summer.
will be presenting an improvised murder mystery: ‘A body is discovered and a detective arrives. The suspects all seem to have a motive and the plot thickens.’ But there’s a twist... Each night the story, characters, settings and even the ultimate identity of the killer are established live on stage, based on the audience’s suggestions, meaning that you can return each night to witness a different case unfolding. Continuing on the improv theme, Bristol Improv society are hitting the Fringe with not one, but three week-long runs of three completely different shows, after their most prolific year to date. They’ll be dishing up fastpaced improvised sketches from Steals the Show, epic fantasy battles from An Unexpected Tale, and melodramatic monologues from A Night of Noir.
Epigram
Sorcery and Spinning Wheels: Re-awakening Sleeping Beauty
Simon Annand
on her twenty-first birthday in 1911 and thus her hundred years sleep brings her right into the present. Give or take a couple of years. Reviews of this production observe two shibboleths; dreadful and wearying Len Deighton-esque puns, such as leave us relieved that Matthew Bourne was not born with the surname Bond or even Balboa. Secondly, critics are rather ensorcelled by the word Gothic. Like the characterisation of particular decades, the Gothic is an idea that can be all things to all people. For some it is about a type of Medieval architecture, for others it is literary monsters with bolts through the neck. In Bourne’s ballet, the Gothic is markedly in the camp of doing weird things up a hill in Whitby. We open on a dark and stormy night and the fantastical macabre allusions seldom let up. The faeries in the background are more Pan’s Labyrinth than Pan’s People. A further legacy of the 1890s was Bram Stoker’s Dracula. You can scarce enter a cinema or bookshop without confronting the undead, the vampiric legions, Dorian Gray-like, appearing younger as the myth gets older. Television is saturated in fake blood and smouldering glances across the coffin. Now, it seems, you cannot escape them at the ballet either. By the time you’ve walked a vampire across the stage, you’re immediately in the territory of sex and death. Put concisely, the sleeping Aurora is held in somnambulant captivity by the son of a witch who cursed the princess in the first place – doubtless there was a good reason
Lucian Waugh
Simon Annand
It was rather a shame Vita Sackville-West died in 1962. Had she lived but one more year she could have witnessed the invention of sexual intercourse. At least according to Philip Larkin, from the vantage point of 1974. 29 years after he first had sex. Marilyn Monroe also missed Larkin’s Annus Mirabilis by a year but she is not quite such a good example. Monroe was born in the 1920s but her sexuality defined the 1950s. Sackville-West’s private exploits in the Roaring Twenties had bewilderingly complicated inter-personal dynamics, a modern decadence we could easily locate as prototypical of England 40 hence. This batterie of historical factoid intends to illustrate the dense web of memories and associations we spin around the past. The stories, the fictions, we tell about yesterday betray the prejudices of today. For some reason it suits us to think of the 1960s as Swinging and the 1920s as Roaring, even if they weren’t, or only were in some very specific locations for a select group of people. Depending on how long our memories are, we may also recall that the 1890s were Gay. The Gay Nineties, as a term, is almost lost to all but the history books. The apparent Gayness of the 1890s does not connote our more contemporary idea, though the evolution of the word’s meaning does have its own peculiar source in the era. After all, this was the age of Oscar Wilde, his 1895 trial shaping attitudes on same-sex love, masculinity, and dangerous art that still have their insistent echoes today. The 1890s, in retrospect, can be seen as the removal of yet another clinging finger from High Art of the barely-hanging-on clutches of respectable bourgeois values. Dangerous desires and transgressive urges were more celebrated than ever before. It is this climate into which Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty pirouettes. Tchaikovsky completed his score of Sleeping Beauty in 1889 and Marius Petipa choreographed its first performance in 1890. Bourne’s decision to open his restaging in that year transplants the action from its usual vaguely Baroque fairytale milieu into a distinct historical era with its accompanying associations. It also, conveniently, means that Aurora will have her curse enacted
behind the curse, perhaps her parents’ dubious taste in curtains that festoon the stage during Act I. The son, between molesting poor Aurora in her sleep, is a practising vampire and after the modern-day Prince wakes her up, this dark Lord absconds with Aurora and attempts to bite her neck in a thankfully disrupted consummative act in front of his vampire friends. In most retellings of the myth, Aurora’s curse is enacted by the spinning wheel. This time it is a rose. This has rather clever associations with the literature whereby in the Brothers Grimm retelling of Charles Perrault’s original, Aurora is renamed Briar Rose. The Disney film of 1959, rather neatly, hides Aurora in the forest under the assumed name of Rose. Bourne goes one step further and has her succumb to the charms of an electrified rose after the conclusion of - wait for it - Tchaikovsky’s Rose Adagio, during which traditionally the conventional spindle is wheeled out. Where we then go with deeper meanings is anyone’s guess. Roses, of course, symbolise Romantic love, an association that harkens back to Aphrodite. In the context of the ballet, this reinforces the notion that those dark forces ranged against Aurora hold her in some degree of erotic fixation. Although no specific visual prompted me to recall Mena Suvari in a bath full of rose petals, I could not shake American Beauty’s much darker vision of sexual desire, relentlessly underscored by roses. On the surface quaintly romantic (albeit pervy), behind which lays the repeatedly nagging question as to whether the central character’s true sexual obsession is with his own daughter, rather than her best friend. It is rather appealing when a work of art keeps its allusions fleeting. Bourne resists neat metaphor and the confusion lets us see as much or as little as we want – perhaps even something more sophisticated than intended by the production. The past is openly blended, circling in the air but never landing on a precise meaning. A lesson for our own engagement with the past; it is all, ultimately, fantasy. In this instance, so much the better when that fantasy is so well-dressed.
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Epigram
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Reading ‘La petite mort’ male superiors, surely it was also common for women, who spent most of the day shut away with other women, to sleep with women. And not just out of a ‘no-one else is around to fuck’ desire, but also because they fell in love with one another. Lesbianism has often been spared the worst of homophobic legislation or moralising simply because people refused to even believe it existed. And you cannot legislate against something that doesn’t exist. That the publicity for the book does not make any reference to, let alone attempt to sell the book just on this aspect of the narrative, is wonderfully refreshing. It situates lesbianism and bi-sexuality within a mesh of other activities, histories and plot twists – exactly as it should be, instead of being viewed as a something remarkable enough in itself to warrant one hundred percent focus on it. Hitchman’s language is also far prettier and more deliberate than one would find in a book only comprised of stock characters and narrative. The opening lines to the book are particularly lovely and a subtle precursor of the later introduction of Luce – a name meaning light. ‘Light in a light box, light in your beloved’s eyes, is not as light as the morning sun filtering through the leaves. Light in the south moves differently; everything takes its time.’ Petite Mort is a story that could be characterized as many things. It could be a love story. It could be a murder story. It could be historical fiction or it could be a story about escaping a backwater hometown and making it in the city. Hitchman particularly excels at evoking the feelings of this last element of the plot. When Adèle makes it to Paris she repeats ‘Look, look where I had got to’ and Luce puts a voice to the implication that Adèle’s relocation was very much escape when she closes a conversation on the subject with ‘But you got out’. Equally, the book is as good as being escapism as it is on examining the concept. So when the final textbook is closed with a slam and sung across the room, remember what it was like to read for pleasure. Petite Mort, a welcome release. Serpent’s Tail
I consume, at this time of year, academic books, journals, newspapers, literary and theatre magazines and the MHRA handbook. Yesterday I also read a leaflet on how to assemble a Henry hoover. I therefore very rarely read for pleasure and today, even Vogue remains unopened on the kitchen table, despite Kate Moss’s best attempts to lure me in. There is, however, a lot to be said for a book that one can read in the bath and make no academic justification for. I thoroughly enjoyed Petite Mort, the debut novel by Beatrice Hitchman, in exactly the same way that I enjoy Gossip Girl: it is comedic, frivolous, well-dressed and, at times, knowingly ridiculous. T h e r e is much about the book that is closely related to fable. The pre-war hedonism of Paris and the film studios w h e r e d re a m s were made and also shattered or suspended for those who didn’t make it, or who did and then were dropped. The selfe x i l e d patriarch who likes technology and women, but also harbours secrets in his past that would make Don Draper wince. The similarly self-made heroine who uses the exploitive sexual appetites of others to her advantage and cleverly maneuvers herself up the social ladder. Names that appear in the text are also comically un-imaginative, particularly Mme Roux and Mlle Blanc – one small step away from Rouge and Blanc or, both ingredients in French cuisine. This is, however, not a criticism. For as with a Tarantino movie, the stock characters and fairy tale elements are only put in place to then be cleverly smashed. For instance, Jack and Jill (or rather Andre and Luce) are not the true pairing in the book, because along comes Adèle and it is to her and Luce that the love story really belongs. Perhaps this is one of the most historically accurate details of the book. For whilst it was probably common for women to sleep with their
Rosemary Wagg
Pe rc h e d Palaces Anastasia Reynolds
‘Perched’ is the only word you can use to describe Hrad Veveri’s location. This imposing 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th-century pile is a cross between a mediaeval fortress and a French-ish chateau. It is plonked on top of a rocky crag, surrounded by boundless forest impossibly green and bristling with wildlife - on three sides, and overlooking a sheer drop down to the river on the other. Towers and walls and anterooms stick out all over it, dripping down the sides of the cliff, burrowing into the rock and spiking up into the sky. Decked with Baroque statues, the castle’s br leads to the keep’s portcullis, across a deep and rocky chasm. Or maybe it’s the outsized but sadly derelict 18th-century winter garden, a conservatory of wrought iron and statuary poking out into thin air above a mysterious and overgrown spiral staircase. That’s just the outside, of course. Inside it is less complete, in the process of being
“There is a triumphant scene of a huge boar-and Bambi barbecue” refurbished after some bright spark injected the foundations with 10 tonnes of concrete in the 1970s. Still, you can detect the various owners’ personal styles in the mosaic and parquet floors, plaster mouldings on the ceilings, the Persian plaques showing peacocks and orange trees, the crystal chandeliers and tiled ceramic stoves imported from the Netherlands, just like in all the best Russian palaces. The best room – by which I mean biggest, most complete and with the best view – is the small dining room. To us plebs, brought up in terraced Victorian houses adjoining the North Circular, this room alone is palatial; to the Pernstejns and Conrads and Tiefenbachs and Lipas, titled and decorated and moneyed, it’s the epitome of intimate. It only seats 12. But in what surroundings! The castle was actually built as a hunting lodge, a second home if you will, and the décor of the small dining room reflects this. Literally. Large mirrors are hung opposite the windows down the long sides of the room. In between the mirrors and windows is a set of impressive frescoes: two show the castle itself from different angles, whilst the others depict hunting scenes. Wild boar and deer dash madly from panel to panel, foaming at the mouth and trailing blood from spear, arrow, and gun wounds. Manly men with bulging muscles and (surely impractical) velvet cloaks sprint in hot pursuit, followed in turn by their hapless lackeys. At the head of the table there is a triumphant scene of a huge boar-and-Bambi barbecue in a sunny forest clearing. Above the frescoes, the ceiling is plain, with only a discreet pattern picked out in gold; below, the green and gold carpets hardly figure in comparison. As you pick your way towards the door and the umpteenth reception room, it does make you wonder what the first homes looked like.
Anastasia Reynolds
20.05.2013
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Music
As The Gaslight Anthem tear into their headline set at Bristol’s Academy, David Prowse of the Vancouverbased two-piece Japandroids is upstairs winding down after a sweat-drenched, thunderous support show. ‘It was super weird tonight. We haven’t played a support set to anybody in almost three years so to go back to that was a bit of an adjustment. You get used to that immediate response when you walk out but tonight we had to kind of prove it. But I think people started to come around.’ Prowse is being modest; the venue is comfortably two thirds full by the time Japandroids take the stage and the reaction to their set is more befitting of a headliner than a support act. At one point, lead singer Brian King addresses the crowd by saying ‘Hi, we’re Japandroids, I hope some of you have heard of us,’ to which a woman shouts back ‘We’re here for you!’ It has only been a year since Japandroids last played in the UK but their popularity has escalated dramatically in that time. Prowse recalls their last sojourn in Bristol: ‘We were playing this little place called The Cooler (the now defunct venue on Park Street) and the place wasn’t even half full. Our friends White Denim were playing down the road at the O2 and we were in this tiny place. But coming to some cities a second time around, you definitely get a sense of gathering momentum.’ Momentum is certainly the operative word when describing Japandroids. Their debut album, PostNothing, was one of the best
Epigram
Editor: Eliot Brammer
Deputy Editor: Phil Gwyn
music@epigram.org.uk
deputymusic@epigram.org.uk
@epigrammusic
March of the Japandroids Japandroids drummer David Prowse paused for breath on their mammoth tour to speak to Ben Hickey and reflect on their gathering momentum. reviewed records of 2008 and the subsequent follow-up, Celebration Rock, somehow surpassed its predecessor in terms of critical acclaim. Does the band feel the pressure that results from two widely lauded releases? ‘I actually don’t think there’s that much pressure on a third album as there is on a second. With the second you have to prove that you’re not a flash in the pan. There’s a little more freedom with a third album maybe.’ The weight of expectation doesn’t hinder their live performances one iota. They are a formidable live outfit whose mantra is to ‘play as loud and fast as possible for as long as possible.’ Prowse describes their approach to playing live in very workmanlike terms. ‘I still think we’re primarily a live band. Our songs are meant to be experienced live. It’s still very simple, it’s very direct. It’s about creating a feeling with the audience, it’s not necessarily about playing the songs perfectly but it’s more about playing the songs as passionately and as fast as you can.’ This sense of their show being fraught with potential failure is perhaps another partial explanation for its raucous and occasionally euphoric nature. Going back to their warm-up slot tonight, Prowse mentions how ‘it’s good to get a little bit uncomfortable after you’ve been so used to a big crowd
response. The best shows are when you’re completely lost in what you’re doing. Being oblivious is maybe too strong, but not necessarily being conscious that the audience is there. In theory we should play as well in front of five people as we do in front of 5000.’ Theirs is a refreshing approach to playing a support set which is also representative of the band’s refusal to be overwhelmed by success. We are entering an era where music is increasingly being seen as a digitized
commodity and bands such as Japandroids, so intent on crafting a visceral and primal stage show, have perhaps become more important than ever. Their status as a two-piece is also important to consider in charting the rise and rise of Japandroids. Rather than being a restrictive element of the band, Prowse is keen to promote the positive effects of working as a duo. ‘Songwriting is very collaborative for us,’ he says, ‘mainly because we’re still amateurs
20.05.2013
in many ways and because we still don’t really know what we’re doing.’ Collaboration is interwoven into the fabric of the band; their name is a composite of Japanese Scream and Pleasure Droids, two bands cherished by Prowse and King respectively (‘one of many compromises.’) Nevertheless, the band’s experience of touring extensively over the last four years has led to both members carving out more defined roles within the band, says Prowse, ‘especially Brian. Brian will come with ideas for vocals now that he wouldn’t have had before. There used to be such a focus on us being an instrumental band where the lyrics came second. He’s grown into the role of being the vocalist of this band whereas five years ago he would’ve been more reluctant to fill that role.’ The Celebration Rock tour has been colossal, encompassing two separate appearances at SXSW and scheduled to continue for a further five months through the festival season. But the end is in sight. ‘We’re just getting to the point now where we’ve finished booking the last show. It’s a pretty monumental feeling and now we’ve reached the point where we’re beginning to think about what we’re going to do next.’ However, as Japandroids reach an undoubtedly critical juncture in their existence, he is markedly reserved on what
comes next. ‘We don’t like to think too far into the future. We don’t know whether there will be a third Japandroids record. It’ll depend a lot on how we feel when we’ve finished touring this record, what we feel like we still have to prove. When we finished touring Post-Nothing we still felt like we had a lot to prove to a lot of people but this time I don’t know whether we’re going to feel the same way.’ In spite of Japandroids’ momentum, holding the critics and a large audience in the palm of their hand, Prowse’s coyness regarding the future direction of Japandroids ref lects their imperviousness to external demands and a profound sense of artistic integrity. Nonetheless, one senses that this is a band on the cusp of lasting greatness and, judging by the relish with which they rampage through their set tonight, their zeal for bringing loud and fast guitar rock to the people won’t wane any time soon.
Japandroids visit Leeds, Brighton and London in July before appearing at Latitude Festival.
Epigram
20.05.2013
24
Space Invadas For coming on 10 years, Bristol-based Invada Records have been putting out some of the best in leftfield and experimental releases, raising the profile of quality outsider music with a success achieved by few other labels. Under the co-management of Portishead’s Geoff Barrow and Redg Weeks, Invada has brought the malevolent tones of noisy rock, experimental electronica and dark hip-hop into the wider consciousness. Danny Riley speaks to label manager Weeks and gets a sense of the old-school, die-hard commitment to releasing uncompromising music that coexists with a will to adapt to the changing relationships between music producers, distributors and consumers. While Invada has long had Bristol as its base of operation and continued to champion local bands like stoner rock monsters Gonga and Crippled Black Phoenix, Redg insists that this civic affinity is ‘more circumstantial than anything.’ With a new recording studio and offices opening in the Temple Meads area, he is keen to convey that these links with the city are purely incidental; ‘though it’s called Invada studios and the label will be based there, the studio is a continuation of Geoff Barrow’s current studio which is called State of Art. But we’re not at all bothered where the artists come from. We prefer to be known as a quality label that’s recognized the world over.’ There is, however, a close working relationship between the label and its artists, who have creative control over the excellent artwork and packaging of the label’s physical output. There is a dark, heavy aesthetic in much of this, illustrated through the artwork of contributors such as Mark Bessant from Real World studios in Bath, as well as graphic designer
Johnny O’Carroll and Chris Reeder who run spiritual brethren Rocket Recordings. Once again Redg insists that there is ‘nothing subliminal’ at work here; ‘I’ve always leaned to that side of the path, I’ve always liked stuff a bit darker. But there’s not a conscious vision that we’re trying to be dark or heavy. Coming from an underground aesthetic it’s just how it works out.’ Having worked in music for many years, Redg has been able to observe the way today’s information overload has changed people’s attitudes to accessing and appreciating music. Starting out as a promoter, he has been involved in management and film music consultancy before running his own label, which shut down in 2008. He has worked at Invada since 2009 and his own experience has very much informed the way the label does things; ‘Last night I was watching an interview with
What do we want from women in hip-hop? The emergence of the male-dominated ‘new school’ of hip-hop coupled with last week’s confirmation of the prolonged demise of Lauryn Hill appears to highlight the lack of prominent women in hip-hop at present. It’s not as though hip-hop is outwardly misogynistic in a way that prevents women from contributing to its culture in a significant fashion; the likes of Hill, Erykah Badu, Missy Elliot and Jean Grae have made a sizeable impact in the not too distant past, irrespective of the perceived general attitude towards women as suggested by the lyrical content of many rappers. The question of whether it is difficult for women to succeed in hip-hop at present, and what it is that may be causing this, appears to be a genuine one. Questionable lyrical content does not necessarily describe attitudes
Get to know Invada >> - Beak> Kraut-y rhythmic minimalism and austere soundscapes from Geoff Barrow’s extra-curricular project.
Gonga - Gonga Early Invada release that showcased the thundering stoner rock of this little-known Bristol band.
Drive Original Soundtrack Cliff Martinez Slick, 80s-tinged electronica that epitomizes the rebirth of the film soundtrack.
within hip-hop. Despite the turning tide against homophobia within hiphop, you can turn on Reasonable Doubt and hear gay marriage advocate JayZ rap about ‘too many faggot niggas clocking my spending’ on ’22 Two’s’. Or you can hear Tyler, the Creator reacting to anti-homophobic groups picketing a Pitchfork performance on ‘Domo 23’, describing events as ‘a couple of fags throw a little hissfit, came to Pitchfork with a couple Jada Pinkett signs.’ Yet he is an ardent supporter and confidant of the openly bisexual Frank Ocean. Attitudes change and not all lyrics should be taken at face-value. The practically universal admiration towards Hill, Grae, Badu and co. within hip-hop is sufficient to demonstrate that hip-hop is not closed towards women. No one can honestly claim that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill isn’t a certified classic, be serious. The problem is a lack of a natural successor to the likes of Hill, but that’s not to say that there aren’t contenders shaping up to assume supremacy amongst women within hip-hop. Why does it appear to be the case that some don’t see Azealia Banks (or Angel Haze, Iggy Azalea etc.) as a potential successor to Hill’s legacy? The answer to this question decides the matter. The point of contention lies within whether or not her swaggeringly aggressive public stance disqualifies her
Guy Metcalfe, Deej Dhariwal and Charlie Romijn of Invada favourites Thought Forms.
Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails. He was saying what I would echo which is that I long for the days of the relative lack of information. Growing up in suburban Bristol as a teenager we had to make the best of what was going on. People back then were hungrier and I think they were more determined, it creates a sense of desperation to do something that’s going to affect people.’ Weeks insists however that, while maintaining a traditionalist sense of pride in its aesthetic and output, Invada as a whole is committed to working with changing mediums; ‘Since working for Invada I’ve become more open-minded to the internet and to promotional things like Twitter, which I value. As much as I
crave going down to a record shop on a Monday morning and bugging the staff, as much as I wish the kids were like that, the change now is positive and if you don’t embrace it you will get left behind.’ It is this polarity that defines the ethics of Invada, a label run by people who are committed to bucking this trend while at the same time working within its system. For Redg Weeks, there is still nostalgia for the days when bands could follow their creativity and still reach wide acclaim. He invokes ‘underground’ artists like Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Frank Zappa who were ‘Kings in their own right, while at the same time selling millions of records.’ Clearly at his label indie is an attitude and not a business strategy. Weeks is positive about the future of music production
from taking the mantle from the likes of Lauryn Hill. Banks’ Twitter feed is a constant warzone, with battles waged against all from Angel Haze to A$AP Rocky over the slightest of perceived indiscretions. Her stance is seen as uncompromisingly macho to a point where it descends into farce, coupled with the claim that constant warring is not something a real woman would engage in. This view is both unfair and incoherent. On one hand you deride hip-hop for its lack of prominent females, and on the other perpetuate misogynistic constraints upon the role of women in hip-hop and in wider culture. The issue highlighted by this concern is wider, and is of the value placed upon strong masculine figures within hip-hop. The effect upon men in hip-hop is one that is underplayed, perhaps due to a general adherence to the prescribed image of strength, characterised by frequent charades of overt sexuality and aggression. The case of Danny Brown’s Minnesota performance, during which he allegedly received oral sex from a fan in the front row, highlights the dark side for male rappers: the internal conflict which arises in the curious case of a female fan ‘throwing herself’ at him midperformance without prior consent (a situation commonly referred to as
and consumption, believing initiatives like Record Store Day to be helpful in garnering interest and generating respect for the process itself. As he says, ‘Every day I’m thinking about a new format or special release.’ He points to the resurgence in film soundtracks as a new direction for the label, working closely with French producer College and putting out Clint Mansell’s soundtrack to Stoker. ‘I’m as hungry for music now as I’ve ever been,’ he says.‘There’s a real good feeling about the music industry at the moment, everyone’s fed up of the whole doom and gloom thing and they’ve made the decision to do something about it. Independents are flying the flag.’
‘sexual assault’). According to tour support Kitty Pryde, ‘if he had figured out a way to gently push the girl off him immediately without looking like he was smacking her in the face, he’s faced with attacks on his masculinity by every douchebro in the building. And that’s a rapper’s literal nightmare.’ A weak image has no place in hip-hop, even for a progressive rapper. One could argue that the walls of masculinity are breaking down, with the mainstream success and gradual acceptance of the softer-sounding confessional style pioneered by Kanye West’s 808s and Heartbreaks and magnified further by the likes of Drake and Kid Cudi. But this gradual acceptance does not necessarily entail genuine change. If Danny Brown, one of the most pioneering contemporary rappers finds facing up to such dilemmas difficult, then hip-hop has a long way to go. Until this change occurs, the path for women in hip-hop will be obstructed by unfair demands for displays of strength coupled with outdated views on gender roles. It’s not impossible, but the demands and expectations placed upon women by some within hip-hop are certainly unreasonable. Not many will come close to surpassing the genius of Lauryn Hill, but success as a female rapper should certainly not be contingent upon bettering her. Rishi Modha
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Reviews TROUBLE WILL FIND ME The National 4AD 20th May 2013 Coming off the back of their 22 month tour of High Violet, The National found themselves writing songs with an ease they had not felt before. The result is Trouble Will Find Me, a masterful collection of ‘immediate and visceral’ tracks (according to lead singer Matt Berninger) but which are also demonstrative of the band’s unparalleled confidence in their craft. Whereas some of their previous work was intoxicatingly opaque, Trouble Will Find Me allows every musical element space to breathe. The towering ‘Graceless’ aside, there are markedly few moments of crescendo on the record. Songs such as ‘Fireproof’ demonstrate a tantalising, simmering restraint. The interplay between the sparse and the dense is also striking. Earlier incarnations of ‘I Need My Girl’ sounded brittle and spare but here it is transformed into an atmospheric country rumble; Aaron Dessner’s clipped guitar is ensconced in an ambient drone, evoking images of driving down a desert road into an approaching thunderstorm. Trouble Will Find Me plays irresistibly on the imagination, allowing the listener to inhabit it in its more cinematic moments. The visceral nature of the record to which Berninger refers, can be found in his lyrics and vocals. His familiar baritone purr is present
IMPERSONATOR Majical CLoudz Matador 27th May Since providing backing vocals for ‘Nightmusic’ on Grimes’ 2012 breakthrough album Visions, Devon Welsh’s stock has risen steadily, and anticipation for Impersonator surged on the release of outstanding lead single ‘Childhood’s End’. Throughout the album, Welsh’s powerful and brooding vocals cut through the restrained electronics and synth drones provided by Matthew Otto. The duo effortlessly explore themes of desire and longing, and the minimalist accompaniments bring the heartfelt pleas to the fore. ‘Mister’ is comparatively dense, with a driving drumbeat that takes the album briefly into new territory while maintaining the soulful introspection. The title track from last year’s EP, ‘Turns Turns Turns’, wonderfully captures Welsh and Otto’s outstanding control over atmospherics. That EP and previous release II were on Arbutus Records, the Montreal label also home to artists Blue Hawaii and Doldrums, and all of these artists attribute their success to the sense of community and its influence on their creative output. Innovative and continually intriguing, Majical Cloudz are yet another successful export from the thriving Montreal scene. Gareth Davies
FIELD OF REEDS These New Puritans Infectious 10th June on ‘Demons’ but there are also evolutionary moments of deliberately strained fragility such as his quietly pleading ‘we’re all right’ at the end of ‘Heavenfaced’. Berninger’s fascination surrounding the intertwining of the mundane and the surreal continues to be one of the band’s most endearing qualities. Difficult and absurdist images such as condemning himself to live in salt ‘for leaving you behind’ on the album opener highlight how Berninger is obsessed with confronting the ugly underbelly of love. The dialogue between this ugliness of love and the expertly tuned musicianship is contained within album centrepiece ‘Graceless’. As the refracted guitar lines spiral upwards and the lyrics shift from a lament on gracelessness into repeated chants of ‘grace’, the listener begins to understand the transformative power of The National’s music. They are in the business of making the ugly beautiful. Songs such as the slightly superfluous ‘This Is The Last Time’ perhaps prevent it from being a tautly constructed masterpiece, but given its roaming and exploratory nature, I still can’t imagine that another record as simultaneously challenging and rewarding will be released this year. Ben Hickey
COLD SPRING FAULT LESS YOUTH Mount Kimbie Warp 27th May Mount Kimbie’s 2010 album Crooks & Lovers was praised by critics for its unique atmosphere and innovative style. Three years later (a long time in the world of electronic music) and it seems that abandoning their previously adored sound in search of another might be the only logical step forward for the London based duo. Cold Spring Fault Less Youth sees them doing exactly that, their melancholic atmosphere and effective use of space being the only recognisable traits remaining. The immediate presence of the duo’s vocals provides an excellent introduction on the slow, guitar-laced ‘Home Recording’. First single ‘Made to Stray’ is a standout track, placed effectively as the centrepiece of the album. Bubbling synth squiggles surround a kick and clap rhythm before being subdued by spaced out chords and an infectious vocal hook. Singer songwriter Archy Marshall (aka King Krule) makes an appearance on two of the album’s tracks and manages to provide a welcome complexity of emotions that are indicative of an effective collaboration. Album closer ‘Fall Out’ ends with a soothing guitar line that marks the end of a humble yet surprisingly affecting album. James Lindsay
Following up a critically acclaimed album of the year is never going to be an easy feat, but who could be more suited to the challenge than These New Puritans? Undoubtedly one of Britain’s most exciting bands, the group has been drawing praise from critics since the release of their abstract debut Beat Pyramid. Their last album Hidden was an orchestral masterpiece that combined ancient and modern themes into a dark, complex body of art. After a long period of silence, 2013 sees These New Puritans making a triumphant return with the release of their third album Field of Reeds. Lead singer and driving force behind the project, Jack Barnett is seen here to be pushing his self-taught compositional skills even further while stopping at nothing to achieve his desired sound. He has enlisted Portuguese jazz singer Elisa Rodrigues to support his own voice on several tracks and makes imaginative use of a magnetic resonator piano throughout, providing a sound that sits perfectly between organic and electronic. Album opener ‘The Way I Do’ begins with a soft piano melody surrounding an unnamed woman’s rendition of the Burt Bacharach song ‘This Guy’s In Love With You’.
MODERN WORSHIP Hyetal True Panther Sounds 20th May Hyetal is a pioneer of seizing control of the listener’s emotions, having previously created the ecstasy friendly dubstep anthem ‘Pixel Rainbow Sequence’ before making his debut with 2011 album Broadcast. This second offering branches out, containing only subtle hints of previous works in the continued use of synths. Whereas the songs of the last album were instantaneous, these ones take longer to bed in and separate from each other. Only on repeated listening do the tracks take on a more definite shape, but as a result re-listening to the overall album becomes addictive. A spiritual vibe is slowly introduced and dismantled, by building up layers of ethereal singing underlain by the constant rhythm of drumming running throughout - the sort of sounds that would have created social solidarity in a primitive religious community, before being superimposed on Hyetal’s electronic sounds of the future. Modern Worship has not been plagued with the curse of the difficult second album. It is neither better nor worse than the last album he made. Rather, perhaps the only outcome Hyetal could have hoped for; it’s different. Ben Springett
Barnett’s introspective vocals first appear on ‘Fragment Two’ backed by rich piano chords while Rodrigues’s distraught yearnings rise up to entwine with his own on ‘The Light In Your Name’. The sinister use of a children’s choir on the track ‘Spiral’ pulls the song into disconcerting darkness before seguing into a magnificent reprise of Hidden’s central melody. The twists and turns of emotion that Field of Reeds makes throughout its 53 minutes are incredible. The resounding note of a trumpet that precedes ‘Nothing Else’ to the sudden injection of energy and promise on ‘Organ Eternal’ all contribute towards a grandiose soundtrack that culminates with the incredibly moving title track ‘Field of Reeds’. Conveying beautiful imagery of mist laden Thames estuary islands, to listen through Field of Reeds is an absolute joy and a disturbance rolled into one. Barnett said he felt that the gap between him and the music had disappeared on this album and he’s completely right. The disparity and obscurity of earlier works are gone, the music f lawlessly imparting Barnett’s breathtaking cinematic vision. James Lindsay
JUNGLE CATS Fair Ohs Dream Beach 27th May Upbeat, summery music tends to be intrinsically linked to those months where it soundtracked your freedom from the drudgery of exam revision. As such, it is usually assumed to be disposable, only to be returned to to rekindle memories of good times past. This, however, was not the case with Fair Ohs’ 2011 debut Everything Is Dancing, an infectiously catchy album of afro-punk that could very well be the perfect soundtrack to summer, nor with follow up Jungle Cats. The three-piece began life as a hardcore band, playing short and scrappy punk songs, before realising they shared a mutual admiration of Paul Simon and deciding to meld together their chaotic punk intensity with the joyful abandon of African pop. This, their second album is not a huge departure from the winning formula of their debut, with opener ‘Green Apple Milk’ sounding like it could easily be an offcut from their first album sessions, but the band do flirt with math-pop on the excellent lead single ‘Ya Mustafa’ while pushing their hardcore roots right to the forefront on ‘Citric Placid’, which manages to find the previously unexplored middle ground between Talking Heads and Black Flag. Sam Jennings
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Epigram 20.05.2013
Ben Marshall
BBC
The Apprentice: Lord Alan Sugar is back in business
Revolution should not be televised
Hugo Mathers: The Apprentice is still worth watching, if only to make fun of the contestants Here we go again, then. Lord Sugar, trusty side-kicks Karren and Nick, (all above) and 16 ultra-competitive, ludicrously egotistical, but surprisingly incompetent aspiring entrepreneurs star once more in BBC One’s favourite business ‘talent’ competition. Each week, the contestants are split into two teams and faced with a new challenge. One member of the losing team is then ‘fired’ from the show and the last man (or woman) standing wins a £250,000 investment in their business idea from Lord Sugar. And nothing’s really changed. As ever, we’re shown limited evidence of prodigious business talent, but, rather, copious quantities of backstabbing, logic-lacking, ego-clashing chaos. Lord Sugar, as blunt as a baseball bat, puts the contestants in their place right
from the word go: ‘I’ve got a pile of CVs here, full of the usual B.S.’ A truly charming man; prepare yourself for a lot of ‘bloody’s, a lot of finger-pointing, and too many narcissistic yarns of his own brilliance and successes. Meanwhile, every opportunity is taken to show spectacular shots London’s skyline; the Shard gets considerably more screen-time than anyone. The contestants under scrutiny this time: Uzma, Alex, Neil, Francesca, Jason, Zeeshaan Jordan, Natalie, Leah, Tim, Kurt, Luisa, Myles, Rebecca, Jaz and Sophie. And it’s the latter, Miss Lau, with whom we’re most concerned. A 22- year-old Bristolian restaurateur, she formerly attended Bristol Grammar School and was running pan-Asian restaurant Makan on Whiteladies Road by the time she was 19.
But which one of these delights will earn Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment? Will it be CEO Zeeshaan, who takes inspiration from Napoleon? Perhaps he’s looking for someone who is half machine, like company director Jaz. Or will property entrepreneur Jason see his effortless superiority take him to the top? Business perfection personified Myles is bound to be in with a shout, while there is also Luisa, who apparently has energy like a Duracel bunny, sex appeal of Jessica Rabbit, and a brain like Einstein – possibly a winning combination? In any case, The Apprentice is still worth watching. Not because you’ll be impressed or inspired by these young entrepreneurs – you won’t. They make a complete mockery of themselves week after week, frequently failing at
what is essentially their day job. Nor because you may learn a thing or two from one of Britain’s most successful businessmen – his words of wisdom are seldom more than the clichés he claims he so hates. No; The Apprentice is TV gold because of these eccentric and, in many cases, frankly ridiculous individuals who have inexplicably ducked and weaved their way through the application process, have absolutely zero shame, and are seemingly compelled to converse in ridiculous pre-prepared business jargon, saying things like: ‘My intelligence is like a machete in the jungle – one swipe and I’ll cut my way through’. Genius or drivel? Lord Sugar
and empathise with the psychopathic tendencies of killers helps him to off mushrooms for a few weeks). imagine the actions of the The writers of Hannibal are not murderers, which are re-lived particularly concerned with criminal for the viewer with savage or psychological realism intensity. When (the pseudo-psychology Jack Crawford such as ‘pure empathy’ fears Graham is might annoy some getting too close discerning students…) to the cases and but with creating begins to worry characters who thrill about his sanity, with mystery, darkness he enlists Dr and intensity. If you Lector, both can survive the horror to keep an and gore the character eye of Will and development will keep to help with you entranced. p s y c h o l o g i ca l The series begins profiling in the with FBI agent investigations. Will Graham Hugh Dancy investigating a Mads Mikkelsen plays Hannibal. shines as Will Graham, string of murders Picture: .farfarawaysite.com bringing us a brilliant of missing college balance of mad girls. His ability to realise genius and sympathy.
Mikkelsen’s Lector could have been the show’s tripping point. With so much pedigree going before him in Anthony Hopkins’s previous Oscar-winning portrayal it would have been so easy to fail in an original take on the character. Yet Mikkelsen’s Hannibal is as fully realised and unique as Hopkins’s creation. He is reserved and charming, smart and dapper, super intelligent and psychopathic. You cannot help but be absorbed and horrified by his attention to detail in his culinary obsession as he prepares exquisite dishes of human flesh, served with a fine, blood red Chianti. The show is beautifully constructed, mixing mad CGI hallucinations with blood and gore prosthetics. If you can stomach it, Hannibal will prove addictive viewing and perfect exam avoiding procrastination.
Hannibal rises again Matthew Field This could have gone so wrong. The last two Hannibal films since The Silence of the Lambs have received lukewarm reviews in spite of the talent involved. Yet the combination of Brit Hugh Dancy (of note from slightly lighter films such as Confessions of a Shopaholic) and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) proves a winning combination of European talent complemented by the ever reliable Lawrence Fishburne (Morpheus, The Matrix) as the nononsense FBI head of behavioural sciences, Jack Crawford. Hannibal manages to achieve the right balance between crime drama and horror. The terrible violence portrayed throughout the series succeeds in shocking without being gratuitous (but episode two might well put you
The Apprentice BBC One, Wednesdays at 9pm
Hannibal Sky Living, Tuesdays at 10pm
2013 has been a good year for JJ Abrams. He has signed on for the new Star Wars movie, under his tutelage the Star Trek franchise appears unstoppable, and he is more bankable than ever as a director. Yet all is not well. As the creator of Lost and Alias the credentials of Abrams are impeccable. His newest show, Revolution, however is an utter dud. Though based upon the interesting premise of a world without electricity, it quickly falls apart. The concept is stretched too thin immediately and the show succeeds only in making Lost appear pleasantly plausible. Rather unusually, and without explanation, sword fighting is a major focal point of the show.I have completely lost count of the uninteresting combat scenes and pointless deaths. Whilst they are well choreographed and successfully portrayed the impressive lack of substance behind them renders it all pointless. In terms of acting, it’s a mixed bag. Bella’s Dad from Twilight (Billy Burke, above) has popped up. He is actually impressively watchable, and as the lead does his best to hold it all together. Unfortunately he is undermined at every corner by Tracy Spiridakos. Intended as the female action hero she instead unintentionally fulfils the role of painfully annoying American child and subsequently goes on to disrupt any chance of enjoyment. The show is clearly influenced by Firefly. It has all the themes of a western and and so far has essentially been a cowboy and indian ongoing chase. Like Firefly it seems destined to be cancelled after one season. The difference between the two is that people missed Firefly. Good science fiction is hard to come by, and JJ Abrams is one of its few champions. If he misses the shot once in a while I’m prepared to forgive him. Sci-fi is prone to stumbling but as long as it has a loyal audience and talent such as Abrams trying, every once in a while it will create great television. This, unfortunately, isn’t it though. Revolution Sky 1, Fridays at 9pm
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Alex Walker: an independent filmmaker with a future Gareth Downs speaks to Alex Walker, a student filmmaker who has started to make a splash on the independent film festival scene. Watch Spacewalk for free on Vimeo.com. Perfection is an obligation, rather than a choice, for Alex Walker. During our interview it was plain to see that he will not cut corners in his pursuit of a good film. The Auburn Independent Film Festival must have appreciated the effort and talent because Spacewalk placed second out of the 23 films on the shortlist last month. I met with him on the set of his next film, California Eden, to discuss it, Spacewalk, and his inevitably bright future. Spacewalk was born out of an experimental film form project. Walker explained that he was reluctant to experiment too much with the visuals but he envisaged that sound was something that could have interesting effects on the finished film. The story focuses on a young deaf girl, Mia, who is more comfortable in silence than in the harsh world of sound that her hearing aid drags her into. She prefers to dream of a life in space, where everyone is deaf to the world around
them. An exceptionally provocative message, expertly portrayed, did not come without having to tread a few tricky paths. The team behind Spacewalk were eager not to create a film that was incorrect or offensive in its representation of this problem; they wanted those with hearing impairments to appreciate the film as much as anyone with perfect hearing. One of the standout features of Spacewalk is the performance by Kathryn Miller as Mia. I spoke to Walker about how he cast the young girl and was surprised to learn that it was her first acting job. She was found on a casting website and was incredibly cooperative and professional for her age, Walker explained. He described to me his desire to ensure that the acting in his films looks natural. Tony Banham, he explained, is a father himself and so his short turn as Mia’s dad was no different to how he is with his own kids. Alex’s desire to keep everything
Alex Walker talked to Epigram on the set of his latest film. Photo: Gareth Downs
as natural as possible with his actors is compounded by his directing style where, in his own words, he likes to let them ‘breathe’. This is due to his belief that forcing them into the strict shackles of ‘this way or the highway’ direction would only have a negative effect on his film. Speaking to Walker, it was evident that he likes to pay very close attention to detail. It was close up shots of inanimate objects and the actors’ interaction with them to create a depth to his characters, and specific lighting techniques to create shadow that he mentioned as his favoured traits in a film. He confirmed that California Eden will showcase these directing preferences far more than anything he has made before. California Eden is the brainchild of Walker and his writing partner Lotta Weber, although it was Walker and his editor, Nina Lindholm, who
Piracy: it’s not a victimless crime Hugo Mathers We’ve seen it a thousand times: You wouldn’t steal a car. You wouldn’t steal a handbag. You wouldn’t steal a television. You wouldn’t steal a movie… It’s all very threatening and dramatic – in fact, laughably so – but in reality, there is very little to dissuade you from illegally downloading pirated films online. As students, a trip to the cinema is often considered an unaffordable luxury. When you allow for the unnecessary but inevitable purchases of popcorn, beverages, Ben & Jerry’s, pick ‘n’ mix, what have you, plus the ever-rising price of the actual ticket (even more if it’s in 3D – then add the extra expense of 3D glasses on top of that), you’ve spent the best part of 20 pounds. You don’t want to buy the DVD every time because it will be watched once, before taking up valuable storage space in your ‘cosy’ student flat. ITunes is pretty pricey, and subscriptions to Netflix, LOVEFiLM and Blinkbox require commitment and monthly donations from your bank account. Surely the only sensible option, then, if you’re planning on keeping your student loan intact and steering clear
of dipping into overdraft, is to stay at home and simply download the same film free of charge. Besides, these are huge international film companies; they won’t fret over seven or eight quid. Whilst they’re making their millions, you’re squeezing every penny. Don’t make the rich richer and the poor poorer. You’re a modern day Robin Hood, stealing from the Hollywood fat cats, feeding the penurious student. What’s more, no one around you is going to judge you. It’s so normal now, and particularly ingrained in the student lifestyle, that you’re probably more likely to be panned for wasting your money at the flicks than breaking the law. It’s not exactly peer pressure, but if your friends are doing it, shouldn’t you be? You wouldn’t steal a car, or a handbag, or a television, but if you weren’t going to get caught, the victims were none the wiser, and nobody disapproved, maybe you’d give it a second thought. It’s a victimless crime, with no strings attached, and all your mates are doing it; it’s going to take real strength of will not to. However, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Online piracy – or copyright infringement – essentially diminishes people’s ability
to own and to profit from their creative works, which is not only unfair, but destructive to the creative community and significantly damaging the motion picture industry. Hundreds of millions of pounds are at stake annually, and it’s not just the wealthy Hollywood executives or millionaire film stars that lose out. It has the biggest impact on the smaller sized film producers; lowbudget pictures are not being made because they can’t get into theatres. Piracy is eroding the ladder needed to climb to reach Hollywood. These little projects are the rungs required to step in order to work in higher budget films; it gives writers, directors, actors, lighting men, camera men (and so on) the experience and credit to move up in the world. In this day and age, where technological capability apparently supersedes common moral principles, maybe it’s too hopeful to expect people to pay for all they consume. In these economically uncertain times, perhaps it’s too much to expect triplefees students to traipse down to the Odeon or Showcase only to fork up 10 of their precious student loan pounds (minus the aforementioned add-ons), when they could more easily watch the film for free and save the tenner for Sainsbury’s Basics voddie.
pitched the idea to the group having researched the Jonestown massacre. It was a mammoth task for the writers to work out how they could tell the story in twelve minutes in such a manner where the audience are fully involved with the characters who were victims of Jim Jones’ insanity. For those not familiar with the Jonestown massacre, its death toll was 918 – 912 of that number committed suicide on Jones’s command. It’s a story worth reading and the film picks up in the final 24 hours. When they pitched the film to their university year group, it had an incredible reception; the characters are rich and the story is gritty and intense. It hasn’t been plain sailing for California Eden though. Writing aside, Walker and his team encountered some difficulty casting Jim Jones. Rebel Dean had been cast but started to back out days before filming was scheduled to begin, due to fears that he wouldn’t be able
to portray the true mania of Jim Jones. Luckily, Alex quelled his fears and the film recently completed filming, to be screened on May 9th. It seems there really is not limit for Alex Walker and his team; with California Eden’s incredible reception, a penned mention on a popular American podcast and independent film advertisers clamouring for the chance to publicise it. Walker made it explicitly clear how much it means to him to prove to everyone, and to himself, that he can tell a good story. His biggest fear was making a film half-heartedly that wasn’t as good as it could have been but speaking to him post-completion, all those fears have subsided and the confidence is palpable. All of this comes off the back of success at Auburn and there are plans for California Eden to be entered at bigger festivals. Did someone say Sundance…?
line n o s m l Indie Movies is a atch fi
W
Crackle
www.crackle.com
Has a very limited
selection, and catalogue constanly changes, so can be difficult to find anything, but it is free.
Viewster www.viewster.com
offers films
primarily on a rental basis, or ad-supported. Very limited selection.
Lovefilm
www.lovefilm.com
Amazon took them over to extend their dominaion over internet shopping. On laptop, iPad, and Xbox. Costs £4.99/ month (like Netflix, no contract).
Netflix
The original www.netflix.com internet streaming service has a lot going for it. Available on the most devices, but stubborn studios are holding them (and Lovefilm) back. £6/ month (but no contract).
good site for free independent movies, if you’re prepared to gamble on less wellknown productions.
www.indiemovies online.com
Blinkbox
Tesco’s effort www.blinkbox.com to get into the streaming business isn’t cheap, but it does have newer films before its rivals. £3.49 to rent new releases
YouTube
www.youtube.com
If you look
carefully, you’ll find that Youtube has a section entitled Top Free Movies. Also, watch this space, as they have just lauched pay per view channels as well. Prices can be www.itunes.com high on the Apple store, but if you buy into their products it is all seamless. £3.49 to rent a new film; £2.49 for older. Expensive but good selection.
iTunes
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Work hard, play hard. Understand what makes you happy and do it.
simple-movie.com
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moviepilot.de
Rest assured, even someone as successful as Damian Lewis can encounter bumps on the road. ‘The cold sweat you get on stage the moment you know you have absolutely no idea what to say next haunts me in my dreams,’ he observes. Famously, his eyebrow was slashed open by Ralph Fiennes (inset, above right) during a performance of Hamlet. Pretty awkward, but dramatic at least. ‘Worst moment though was when I was at The RSC. and heard my cue over the tannoy system. I was still in my dressing room four floors up and quite literally skidded to a halt at the end of my hysterical dash on to the stage. The other actors were pacing up and down. If looks could kill...’ As a notorious master of accents, perhaps mimicry is effortless. I wondered if there was any accent he had struggled to perfect. ‘I played football with Paul Gascoigne for a week and spent every moment I wasn’t with him trying to be him. I sounded mad. But then so does he. That was Geordie.’ I guess he won’t be adding The Pitmen Painters to his CV any time soon. Don’t be fooled into thinking that to reach the top of your game you
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must be an arrogant prima donna. In order to prepare for a role, Damian Lewis declares that he has ‘no rituals. Just quiet time on my own when I need it.’ Neither does fame seem to have gone to his head. I am confident that he keeps Balotelli-style antics to a minimum, but surely, I joked, there are some inescapable consequences? ‘I haven’t burnt anyone’s house down if that’s what you mean...’ That fame has not created a pyromaniac is certainly reassuring for his neighbours. Indeed, the single role from cinematic history which he would most like to have played is reassuringly respectful to an historic masterpiece of acting: ‘Ben Braddock in The Graduate.’
household name both sides of the Atlantic, Damian Lewis came to international prominence starring in Band of Brothers, furthering his reputation in The Forsyte Saga, Life and numerous stage plays. A consummate actor of theatre, film and television, his recent triumph in Homeland won him a Golden Globe and an Emmy. In a great scoop for Epigram, he granted me an exclusive interview. I tried to uncover a few pearls of wisdom from the most exciting British actor of the moment. For many students staring nervously into the precipice of recession unemployment, Damian Lewis’ characters seem unrealistically cool and successful. Decisive and worldly, these soldiers, cops, business executives and assassins don’t rely on others. I asked him what advice he would offer graduates making their way in the world. But his own life wisdom is refreshingly clear. ‘Work hard, play hard,’ he summarises deftly. ‘Understand what makes you happy and do it.’ Such an approach has clearly served him well: he has dined with the U.S. President and been directed by Steven Spielberg. But his drive is evident. ‘I still think I’m trying to make it. A bit like chasing one’s tail. Not healthy, but part of the condition.’ Modest, certainly, but that attitude betrays the aspirations of a winner. I suspect that he does not consider sitting on his laurels to be a viable option. If he retired from acting today, he said that his dream job would be teaching. Well, an audience is an audience.
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20.05.2013
Damian Lewis: ‘I’m still trying to make it’. Edward Carden speaks to the Homeland star about fame, football and finding his feet in Hollywood
Quick-fire Questions: Beethoven or The Beatles? Depends on my mood. Silver-screen or modern blockbuster? Silver-screen. Pint or champagne? Pint. Shankly or Paisley? Paisley. L.A. or London? London. Lewis as Sergeant Nicholas Brody in Homeland. Photo: Channel 4
Does he tell anyone what happens before Homeland airs? ‘My wife. Leave her alone.’
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Homeland might be Damian Lewis’ biggest success to date, and certainly is in terms of awards. The tense storylines leave many viewers desperate to uncover what happens next. Does he tell anyone what happens before it airs? ‘My wife. Leave her alone.’ You heard him. Despite a significant number of interviews, there is never a great deal of personal information about the avid Liverpool FC. fan in the press. I wondered if he draws on this ability to play his cards close to his chest when portraying the mercurial Sergeant Brody. ‘Brody doesn’t know who he is anymore. He’s become a kind of sociopath, extremely adept at compartmentalising. Every actor needs a bit of this.’
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Brody doesn’t know who he is anymore. He’s become a kind of sociopath, extremely adept at compartmentalising.
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Homeland flags some contemporary political issues, such as nationalism, power relations and the nature of war. Does its leading man think that mass entertainment can convey serious political messages? ‘Yes I do. Especially in long form drama.’ Acting aside, his performances in charity football match Soccer Aid proved solid. When I asked him which celebrity he considers to have been the worst player, he named Alastair Campbell. It just goes to show: follow Damian Lewis’ example, and you too could outplay the most powerful opponent.
Epigram
20.05.2013
30
Your guide to this summer’s sport
As sports fans across the UK look to fill the void left by the London 2012 Olympics, this calendar shows there is plenty of sporting action to fill the summer. Epigram Sport provides in-depth analysis of The Ashes, the Lions tour and the Golf Majors.
Laura Lambert Deputy Sport Editor
George Moxey Sports Reporter GOLF MAJORS: The summer of golf looks set to be a great one. New Nike team
AUGUST 1 August-5 August: CRICKET: 3rd Test, Old Trafford, Manchester 5 August-11 August: GOLF: PGA Championship, Oak Hill Country Club, New York 9 August-13 August: CRICKET: 4th Test, Riverside Ground, Chester le Street 21 August-25 August: CRICKET: 5th Test, Kennington Oval, London 26 August-9 September: TENNIS: US Open, Flushing Meadows, New York Andy Murray ended the long wait for a British Grand Slam Champion last year and will hope to continue his good form at Flushing Meadows
Flickr: 6T-7
THE ASHES: The first of 2013’s two Ashes series begins at 11am on Wednesday 10th July, the moment when cricket fans far and wide begin more than six weeks of fever-pitch excitement, endless discussion and pull more ‘sickies’ than they do at any other point of the year. The nation will be gripped, as they collectively will England to retain the precious urn they won down under with Strauss in 2011. Whilst the Australian squad was announced last month, England cricket fans are waiting to see out the two matches against New Zealand before they can pick apart their squad. Alastair Cook’s team will likely include the 22-year-old rising star Joe Root, who is currently captaining the England Lions against New Zealand and has an impressive scorecard this season for Yorkshire. Also likely to feature is Nick Compton, grandson of cricketing legend Denis Compton, who came to the fore when scoring backto-back centuries in the New Zealand series earlier this year. In addition to the England side’s obvious advantage of knowing the wickets, another is that the management can call on any player mid-Ashes, as they did with Trott before Headingley in 2009. Australia’s 16 man squad combines the experience of Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Shane Watson with talented, albeit relatively unproven, youngsters such as James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc. An interesting omission to the team is dangerous pace-bowler Mitchell Johnson, and it could be said that the Australians may miss his presence this summer. 35-yearold Chris Rogers is an important selection as he recently scored a double century at Lord’s whilst captaining Middlesex. His extensive knowledge of the England pitches, having played for Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Northants in the past, will undoubtedly help the 11 players who have never played a test over here before. There is no doubt that both teams will bring a fight to all five tests, and it may all come down to the wire on 25th August at The Oval.
MAY 21 May-9 June: TENNIS: French Open, Roland Garros, Paris Rafael Nadal hopes to continue his imperious form after returning from injury and claim his eighth title 25 May: BOXING: Carl Froch vs Mikkel Kessler II, 02 Arena, London Arguably the best fight on British shores for a decade. Froch and Kessler will go toe-to-toe once more in this Super Middleweight unification fight 25 May: NETBALL: NSL Grand Final, University of Worcester Arena After England won their Ashes series at the start of the year, the nation’s best go head-to-head for the title JUNE 2 June: FOOTBALL: Brazil vs. England, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro Roy Hodgson’s men travel to Brazil to compete at the one of the world’s most iconic football stadiums 10 June-16 June: TENNIS: AEGON Championships, Queen’s Club, London A strong contingent from the men’s tour begin their grass court campaigns at Queen’s, with a charity doubles match thrown in on final’s day 10 June-16 June: GOLF: U.S. Open, Merion Golf Club, Pennsylvania 18 June-22 June: HORSE RACING: Royal Ascot, Berkshire Without Frankel and Black Caviar gracing the Berkshire racecourse this year, who will emerge as the next stars on the flat? 15 June-21 June: GOLF: The Open Championship, Muirfield, Scotland 22 June: RUGBY: Wallabies v British & Irish Lions, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane 24 June-7 July: TENNIS: Wimbledon Championships, London Can Murray, Nadal or Djokovic wrestle the crown from Federer? And will there be another Rosol-esque upset at the hands of Dimitrov? Serena Williams looks to retain the title, but British fans will be looking for good performances from Laura Robson and Heather Watson. 28 June-30 June: FORMULA ONE: British Grand Prix, Silverstone Lewis Hamilton will be looking to secure his second British Grand Prix with new team Mercedes 29 June: RUGBY: Wallabies v British & Irish Lions, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne 29 June-21 July: CYCLING: Tour de France, France After his support role last year, Team Sky will be hoping Chris Froome can emulate Wiggins’s 2012 success in the French mountains JULY 6 July RUGBY: Wallabies v British & Irish Lions ANZ Stadium, Sydney 10 July-14 July: CRICKET: 1st Test, Trent Bridge, Nottingham 18 July-22 July: CRICKET: 2nd Test, Lords, London
mates Tiger Woods and Rory McIlory look set to go to battle on numerous occasions this season as both look to make up for a disappointing Masters - both play to win. Besides the remaining three majors other events to look out for include the Memorial, the AT&T National, the WGC Bridgestone Invitational and the FedEx Cup Tour Championship. But first up is the U.S Open at Merion GC, at 6996 yards the course is a short one in U.S Open context. This could play into the major-less hands of Luke Donald, who isn’t famed for an intimidating long game. But rumours of a shorter rough will be heavenly news for the longer but more erratic contingent consisting of,
among others, Phil Mickelson. Whatever happens at Merion it will be a state of affairs far removed from events at tight Muirfield, host of The Open Championship. Located on the Scottish east coast, Muirfield is split into two opposing circuits so judgement of the swirling wind will be key. Experience is vital as an adeptness in course management will govern who lifts the coveted Claret Jug on Sunday. Expect high winds, low stingers, relentless downpours and rough that brings the seemingly extra-terrestrial abilities of the world’s finest back to the fathomable realms of the amateur golfer. The Open ranks alongside Augusta for most. And last (and
actually regarded as least) is the PGA Championship at Oak Hill C.C in August. Effectively seen as a normal tour event with the ‘major’ tag pinned precariously nearby. McIlroy treated the field to an unwanted free lesson on his way to an 8 shot victory last year. Exhibition stuff. So as both McIlroy and Woods approach their finest form, media and fans alike are anticipating a long overdue, toe-to-toe battle at least once this summer. Even the Golfing Gods wouldn’t deprive us of that, would they?
Rupert Hill Online Sport Editor LIONS TOUR: Warren Gatland’s Lions team will head to Australia hoping to win the first tour since Martin Johnson captained the side in 1997. This time, Wales’ Sam Warburton will lead this Walesheavy mix of experience and
exciting youth hoping to defeat this talented but unpredictable Australian side. Most notably, Brian O’Driscoll becomes only the third player ever – and the third Irishman- to go on four Lions tours, and his experience could prove a key factor. I caught up with UBRFC 1st XV full-back Charlie Reed to get his views on the coming tour. Reed, naturally forthright in his views, outlined the three main areas of the squad that divides opinion: 1. Jonny Wilkinson. In the last few months, English fans have nostalgically hoped for the selection of Jonny Wilkinson, however it seemed fairly unlikely until he completely outshone Owen Farrell in Toulon’s Heineken Cup semifinal victory over Saracens. Consequently Gatland did ask him, but Wilkinson turned down due to commitments with Toulon. After such magnificent form with his club, it’s difficult not to see Wilkinson’s emission as a loss.
2. Chris Robshaw omitted. England captain hugely disappointed not to be selected, and will take little consolation from the fact flanker is one of the most competitive positions on this tour. Probably the most high profile omission, Robshaw had a very good six nations including two man of the match performances. Indeed he was many people’s Lions captain. For me though, I’m not too fussed – he is a workhorse but he lacks a spark and is not world class performer. 3. I would have liked to see James Hook on the tour. Stuart Barnes describes him as ‘the most naturally gifted Welshman of his generation’. He is very versatile - can play 10, 12 and 15. Most importantly though, he has a spark – he has that ability to make something out of nothing, exploit gaps.’ Undoubtedly the ten-match tour will provide a thrilling series of rugby.
Epigram
20.05.2013
31
Maradonas’ double delight Rupert Hill Online Sport Editor
The Cup Final was no different. At 1-1 with 5 minutes left to play, the tie looked destined for penalties. By full time, we had snatched two quick goals and won the Cup. I was sidelined through injury, but the final 5-minute resurgence did not surprise me at all. After the game a couple of the lads said ‘I just knew we were going to score’.
In the month that Sir Alex retires, it seems fitting that many of the #LNM team will also seek pastures new. Keeping true to the ethos of club hero Diego Maradona, however, the side doesn’t just want one good season, the team will re-form next season and hope to make more history. Follow us at @nuevasmaradonas
Bristol university men’s water polo team have won the gold medal in the BUCS championship for the second year running. Bristol comfortably beat Imperial 18-5 in the first game despite centre forwards Kieran Whittle and Jack Holt facing tough opposition from GB player Adam Scholefield. After a strong start from Bristol in
the second game Bath brought the score back to 4-4 in the second quarter. A great goal from Charlie Harbot set the scene for Bristol to dominate proceedings winning the third quarter 7-0, with the game finishing 13-6. The teams success can be attributed a strong defence, including the excellent Elliot Murphy in goal, and to amongst others, goal scorers Tom Woolf, George Mack, Tom Dean and Andy Crawford.
E. Wibberley
The champions can proudly look back on their Intramural accomplishments this season
Ed Wibberley Sports Reporter
R.Hill
It’s funny how sport is. A year ago intra-mural football team Las Nuevas Maradonas lost a second half lead to miss out on the league title by a point. Somewhat of a yearabroad exodus ensued, and the future of the team looked in doubt. However just a year on Las Nuevas Maradonas were crowned League and Cup winners and speculation that we were, indeed, the best intramural football team in Bristol hardened into fact. It’s quite the road to redemption. We do, I admit, have a talented squad. We have a resilient defence, an intelligent midfield and expansive and ruthless attacking players. But I’d be surprised if it was the most talented squad in the six leagues. What we may lack technically we make up for in belief. Clichéd as it may sound; the team never knows when it is beaten.
The two games that defined our season, the final league game vs. UBAFC 5th and the final of the Cup vs. Jack Leffcott’s Memorial XI, sum up the fighting spirit in the squad. I have never experienced a more unanimous desire to win a game than when I met the team before the game vs. UBAFC 5th XI. It was electric, and we ran out 3-1 winners.
Water Polo retain title
Successful Sports Conference bodes well for next year Sport Exec member Tim Barker provides a run through of yet another positive UBU student Sports Conference ‘I am incredibly happy with how the conference was run with a higher turnout than last year, a higher number of more varied motions and only two out of nine positions being uncontested. The experience and expertise of the exec members who are carrying on for a second year give Bristol sport a head start for next year to get some really positive results. Can SCORE really be better for 2013/2014. Let’s see!’ All of the motions submitted by students were passed. Changes to sport for next year will include a leadership development week prior to the start of term, in order to give incoming club captains more handover from the previous year. Another popular motion was for the provision of catering
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One would think that a black card for Lizard Lounge would me enough to draw interest
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The 2013/14 academic year will become the first time that university sports clubs are mandated to bear an equality mark. The equality mark is part of an initiative to increase awareness about homophobia in
H.Pollak
The new (and some of the old) Sports Exec
at Coombe Dingle for the next academic year, as a lack of it has been seen as a problem by several clubs who use the facilities. However, it remained unclear what the source of funding would be.
sport, encourage participation, and remove discrimination from sports teams. This will be done through workshops and training, provided to sports clubs at the beginning of the year. The new executive includes several members from the past year who re-ran. This pattern of incumbency, led by Hannah Pollak herself, should hopefully bring the benefit of experience to their roles next year. This year, as in previous years, several positions went uncontested. Given the executives’ role, and the position it puts members in to influence sport at the university, it seems odd that more clubs don’t push to get their members to contest for positions. Even if the ability to influence the direction of sport and make Varsity happen aren’t enough to entice people to run: one would have thought that the benefits of free entry to sports night, a black card for Lizard Lounge, and the chance to go behind the scenes at some of the varsity events would be enough to draw more interest. As an interesting side note, some of the positions seem to be passed on within a particular sports club; lacrosse, judo, and squash will all have held the same position for three years running. However, these positions were not necessarily uncontested, and the future benefits of knowing someone who has previously been in that position cannot be
H.Pollak
Representatives from every sport in Bristol, as well as senior staff members of the university, recently gathered to attend the annual University of Bristol student Sports Conference. The Sports Conference is intended to give clubs a chance to mandate the union to investigate or instigate anything they feel is required. It is also when new members of the Sport and Health Executive are elected into their positions for the coming academic year. The executive acts as a link between VP Sport and Health and the sports clubs which they represent, as well as also overseeing Varsity events throughout the academic year. The event was considered a success by Hannah Pollak, the current VP Sport and Health;
underestimated. Regardless of how many people ran for a position, each one was filled by a candidate who represented himself or herself well, and will certainly go on to do great service for sport at this university. The new elected members of the Sport and Health Executive are: Vice Chair - Joanna Miles Social Secretary - Gwenno Brown Publicity Officer - Dave Mosley Coombe Dingle Rep - Rich Elston Indoor Sports Rep - Abbey Freeman Outdoor Sports Rep - Rhi Parslow Health and Fitness Coordinator - Helena Buckles
Varsity Officer Rep - Michael Jones Watersports Rep - Nick Wilkinson Martial Arts Rep – Rebekah Hailes Get in touch with the Sport and Health Executive with any problems or ideas you may have, to see if they can help. Contact details are available at: http://www.ubu.org.uk/ activities/sports/exec/ If you have any general suggestions or ideas about sport at Bristol then you can also send them to ubu-sport@ bristol.ac.uk, Or to keep up to date on the latest you can follow Hannah Pollak on Twitter: @HannahPollak1.
Epigram
20.05.2013
Sport
Editor: David Stone
Deputy Editor: Laura Lambert
sport@epigram.org.uk
deputysport@epigram.org.uk
Canoe club celebrate another strong season with Varsity victory over UWE
@epigramsport
Inside Sport Summer Sport Preview Epigram takes a look at the sport filled summer ahead with a highlight calendar and in depth previews of The Ashes, the Lions tour and the Golf Majors. Page 34
Las Nuevas Maradonas do the double in Intramural football Captain Rupert Hill relives a season in which Maradona’s men were crowned both League and Cup champions Page 35
Plus: Water Polo triumph Sports Conference
AN action palcked game saw Bristol come out on top in one of the last Varsity events of the year
David Stone Sport Editor
always the better team and so our victory was not surprising, even though it did occur so late in the match’ Bristol Ladies’ team also secured a thorough victory over their UWE equivalents. A dazzling performance ensured it was a one-sided affair, with numerous goals going into the UWE net. Recreational matches were also played against local canoe clubs in the surrounding area, with good victories against Avon and Bristol City. Bristol’s Varsity victory concludes what has been a strong season for UoBCC. Led by their captain Katie Wonham, they had put in the hours in the pool and this showed when they won bronze at the
BUCs Championships, which took place over Easter. They were unfortunate to go out in the semi-finals with a narrow loss against Loughborough, a team which contained several international players. The men also performed admirably in the same event by finishing top of the second tier of teams after narrowly missing out on competing in the 1st, after an extra time lose to Southampton. In non-BUCS events, Bristol Men’s secured their position at the top of the South-West region league, and the Ladies just missed on promotion to the upper division. Bristol also hosted a large tournament in February in which several universities from around the
country, including Oxford and Cambridge, enjoyed the new swimming pool facilities in the Student Union. All of the above is even more commendable given how a significant part of both squads had departed at the end of
last year, meaning that many of the players were playing competitively for the first time. Furthermore due to the pool refurbishment works, they were without a place to regularly train for a significant part of the year.
The Ladies with their bronze BUCS medals
A. Marshall
The University of Bristol Canoe Club can look back on a positive end to a successful season after thoroughly defeating UWE in the recent Canoe Polo Varsity. Taking place at Bristol harbourside the event always attracts interest from the local community and this year proved to be no exception, with several entertaining matches taking place. The focal point of the day’s action is the Men’s match, and Bristol didn’t disappoint with a good 4-3 victory over UWE. The first half was a tense affair with both teams looking to keep possession and wait for the
opportunity to strike. Luckily Bristol took the first advantage and after a neatly worked goal, went into the break 1-0 up. UWE clearly realised a change of approach was needed and game storming out after the break. It was end to end stuff and after several quick goals UWE were up 3-2. Bristol were determined not to suffer a defeat and levelled the score. With time running out there was late drama with Captain Dan Taylor grabbing the winner in the last throw of the game, sparking joyous scenes of celebration. Bristol squad member Louis Berridge gave his thoughts to Epigram after the match, ‘It was a far closer game than we anticipated, but we were
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