Poetry: a dying art? page 8
What’s On double page spread page 28-29
Whistleblowers page 14
The
Issue 264 Monday 30th September 2013 www.epigram.org.uk
Bristol graduate bottled in Kiev Adam Bushnell News Reporter
Inside
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Former Epigram Sports Editor David Stone required hospital treatment after being attacked and bottled outside a bar in Ukraine. He and other fans were drinking with locals on one of the main streets in the Ukrainian capital’s centre a few days before the England football team’s World Cup qualification match with the Euro 2012 hosts on 10th September. Stone told Epigram that he and a large group of England fans were socialising with the locals who were described as being ‘very friendly’. The next thing he recalls happening is waking up in his hospital bed. He suggested that the attackers, who have been widely reported as being either a group of opportunistic troublemakers or organised hooligans, also took the chance to steal the travelling supporters’ prized St George’s Cross flags. The attackers were described as a group of about thirty hooded men who appeared suddenly, throwing gas bombs and smoke grenades into the bar before attacking the England fans, some of whom tried to defend themselves. Stone told Epigram that there was no indication this was going to happen as the locals were being very amicable and interacting with the England fans, even taking photographs of one another. It is believed that the attackers took advantage of the lack of police presence, as the night of the attack was still several days before the match. There were three English fans that required hospital treatment, Stone included, with injuries
Bristol graduate David Stone attacked in Ukrainian capital including Stone’s own bottle wounds and knife slashes on other victims. He was out of hospital within hours after having his wound stitched and returned to his accommodation. The next day Stone reports that he was up and about and
managed to visit Chernobyl. Despite the traumatic experience, Stone and his friends will not be put off travelling to away games. He told Epigram that this is the first time that he has encountered any proper hostility. He has some wise words for other
travelling fans though; these include taking care in countries with a bad history of football violence. Stone warns against openly displaying football shirts, flags or scarves unless near to the stadium or in a large group. None of this should put anyone
off, however, as thousands of football fans travel around Europe each year supporting their respective teams and only a miniscule proportion encounter any difficulties.
Bristol rent 3rd highest in UK New Stoke Bishop outdoor gym Bristol is one of the most expensive places for students to live in the UK, second only to Cambridge and London, research by Haart estate agents has revealed this summer. This year, a student living in Bristol can expect to pay £416 a month per bedroom on average, which is approximately £90 higher than the national average. According to figures compiled by spareroom.co.uk, the average cost of student flats and house shares in Bristol has also risen by 7.7 per cent in the last year. It is not just prices for privately rented accommodation that are soaring; the price of a basic room at a catered student hall in Bristol was between £4,623 and £6,360 per year in 2012/13. continued on page 3
A new outdoor gym in Stoke Bishop heads the list of developments and initiatives launched over the summer by UBU (University of Bristol Students’ Union) Sport and Health. The gym, which is situated between Wills and Durdham Halls, forms part of ‘The Activity Zone’. The new area is available for use by all students and includes a set of outdoor gym equipment, as well as a multi-sports game area for football and basketball. In a further new initiative, the University of Bristol has created its first ever weekly session for disability sport. Sitting volleyball sessions will be completely free of charge and open to anybody in the university, even without a sports pass, which the University hopes will ‘promote inclusivity in all sports’. continued on page 3
Epigram
30.09.2013
News
@epigramnews Editor: Laura Webb
Deputy Editor: Laura Jacklin
Online Editor: Joseph Quinlan
news@epigram.org.uk
ljacklin@epigram.org.uk
newsonline@epigram.org.uk
Inside Epigram Features 8 The place of poetry After the passing of Irish poet Seamus Heaney, we ask if poetry still has a place in today’s society.
Comment 11 #unay #noparents In this edition’s big debate, Comment asks if university really is the best time of our life.
Letters 16 Has football lost its soul?
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As the sport gets ever-increasingly commercialised, one reader criticises football’s obsession with money.
A note from the editor Throughout Epigram’s history, the paper has proudly stood as a publication by students, for students. As well as providing news, entertainment and something to wrap your housemate’s belated birthday present in, Epigram gives students the opportunity to have their voices heard. In the past year alone, it has shone a spotlight on issues from the monitoring of international students to sports passes and the disruptive Hiatt Baker building work – a spotlight which has often been the precursor to positive change. With a 50-strong editorial and business team, hundreds of writers and a readership of 12,500, Epigram plays a unique and significant role in student life. As we move into 2014, the year in which Epigram celebrates its 25th birthday, we will be looking back at the achievements of the paper. From its humble beginnings Some of the team at Freshers’ Fair 2013 in 1989 in the hands of James Landale, it has grown into a real voice of the students, reporting their fortnightly emails from the section editors with suggested problems, campaigning for their beliefs and celebrating their article titles so you can get scribbling. successes. In the celebration of good things past, however, we The editors of each section also meet with potential writers must not forget the future. Epigram continues to go from to discuss article ideas once a fortnight (see below for dates strength to strength, but - as so many final years will soon and venues). As well as giving you the opportunity to put a be sick to death of hearing - the rest of its life is yet to come. face to a name, these meetings are a great chance to bounce Student involvement with Epigram is crucial to its future ideas around and get your creative juices flowing. If you like success – by getting involved with Epigram, whether as a the sound of this but don’t know which sections you’d like to writer, editor, or business team member, you are continuing get involved with, come along to our Meet the Editors drop-in a legacy that we hope will last well into the future. session on Monday 7th October in the Students’ Union – see With the launch of the new website this year, there has page 11 for more details. We’re also looking for some fresh never been a better time to make your mark – whether you’re blood to join the editorial and business teams – if working a budding journalist or bedroom scribbler, there’s nothing behind the scenes is more your thing, head to page 12 to find to stop you from getting involved. We want the voices of as out more about what positions are up for grabs and how to many students as possible to be heard as widely as possible; apply. although Epigram’s journalistic standards are consistently We’re looking forward to a great year ahead, celebrating high, getting your name into print is easier than you might what Epigram has achieved in the past and looking ahead think. To join the mailing lists, email getinvolved@epigram. to future successes - so pick up a copy, get in touch and get org.uk with your name and email, indicating the sections involved. you’d be interested in writing for – you’ll then receive
Writers’ meetings
Every fortnight, our editors hold meetings for anyone who wants to write for Epigram. If you’d like to get involved, or simply want to find out more information, come along to any one of the following meetings or contact the relevant editor via their email address below. It’s never too late to get involved - we look forward to meeting you!
Film & TV 29 Diana: what a disaster
Film & TV blasts the highly anticipated movie documenting the life of Princess Diana.
News
Living
Film & TV
Science & Tech
Features
Travel
Music
Sport
Comment
Style
Arts
Wednesday 2nd Oct at 12.15pm AR6, Students’ Union (1st floor)
Wednesday 2nd Oct at 1.15pm The White Bear
Arts 35 An Afghan encounter Arts reviews the latest offering from Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini
Sport 54 Discover sport at Bristol Sport gives you the go-to guide to sport at Bristol, for beginners and pros alike
Tuesday 1st Oct at 1.15pm The White Bear
Thursday 3rd Oct at 12.15pm The Refectory
Wednesday 2nd Oct at 7pm The White Bear
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Thursday 3rd Oct at 1.15pm The Refectory
Friday 4th Oct at 12.30pm ASS Library Café
Wednesday 2nd Oct at 8pm Highbury Vaults
News Editor NewsWebb Editor Laura Alice Young news@epigram.org.uk
news@epigram.org.uk
Deputy News Editor Deputy News Editors Laura Jacklin Abigail Van-West ljacklin@epigram.org.uk
avanwest@epigram.org.uk News Online Editor Jenny Awford Joseph Quinlan jawford@epigram.org.uk newsonline@epigram.org.uk Features Editor
Features Editor Tristan Martin Hugh Davies features@epigram.org.uk features@epigram.org.uk
Online
Features Online Editor Michael Coombs featuresonline@epigram.org.uk
Travel Editor Olivia Lace-Evans travel@epigram.org.uk
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Music Online Editor Dan Faber musiconline@epigram.org.uk
Comment Editor Science Editor Patrick Baker Deputy Travel Editor Nick Cork Film & TV Editor Comment Editor Andrea Valentino Gareth Downs comment@epigram.org.uk science@epigram.org.uk Rosslyn McNair Letters Editor
Culture Editor CalumEditor Sherwood Style Editor Comment Online Maddy Streets culture@epigram.org.uk Jessica McKay
Sport Editor Film & TV Online Editor Tom Burrows Alejandro Palekar sport@epigram.org.uk
commentonline@epigram.org.uk
Deputy Sport Editor Science & Technology Editor David Stone Molly Hawes deputysport@epigram.org.uk
style@epigram.org.uk
Deputy Culture Editor
Zoe Hutton Arts Editor Letters Editor Claudia Knowles deputyculture@epigram.org.uk Emma Leedham arts@epigram.org.uk letters@epigram.org.uk Music Editor
filmandtvonline@epigram.org.uk
FIlm & TV Editor
facebook.com/epigrampaper twitter.com/epigrampaper issuu.com/epigrampaper
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Emma Corfield
Science & Tech Online Editor Sub Editors Stephanie Harris Harriet Layhe, artsonline@epigram.org.uk scienceonline@epigram.org.uk
Music Editor Izzy Kerr Will Ellis Mike Hegarty filmandtv@epigram.org.uk ikerr@epigram.org.uk music@epigram.org.uk
For the latest news, features and reviews
Puzzles Editor
Nathan Comer Deputy Arts Editor Lily Buckmaster Deputy Science & Tech Editor Living Editor Rose Bonsier Sol Milne Tori Halmanmusic@epigram.org.uk Head Sub Editor deputyculture@epigram.org.uk deputyscience@epigram.org.uk living@epigram.org.uk Deputy Music Editor Pippa Shawley Arts Online Editor Deputy Living Editors Erin Fox deputymusic@epigram.org.uk Sophia Hadjipateras
www.epigram.org.uk
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Deputy Science Editor
Emma Editor Corfield Travel Online Editor Emma Sackville Deputy Film & TV Editor Deputy Comment Emilia Morano-Williams deputyscience@epigram.org Matt Field Rob Stuart letters@epigram.org.uk deputyfilmandtv@epigram.org.uk deputycomment@epigram.org.uk travelonline@epigram.org.uk
shadjipateras@epigram.org.uk
Tuesday 1st Oct at 12.30pm The Refectory
Wednesday 2nd Oct at 1pm Highbury Vaults
Editorial team Editor Josephine Franks Editor Tom Flynn editor@epigram.org.uk editor@epigram.org.uk Deputy Editor Deputy Editors AlexBauckham Bradbrook Jon deputy@epigram.org.uk jon@epigram.org.uk Hannah Stubbs Managing Director hannah@epigram.org.uk Ollie Yorke e2 Editor ollie.yorke@epigram.org.uk Matthew McCrory e2@epigram.org.uk
Monday 30th Sept at 12.30pm The White Bear
Kate Moreton, Rosemary Wagg Sport Acting Editor
Illustrator Hetty Knox Sophie Sladen sport@epigram.org.uk
Deputy Film & TV Editor Deputy Features Editor Living Online Editor Deputy Features Editor Anthony Adeane Deputy Music Editor Web Designer Sport Online Editor Andrew White Morwenna Scott Rob Mackenzie Sophie Padgett Danny Riley George Moxey deputyfilmandtv@epigram.org.uk livingonline@epigram.org.uk deputyfeatures@epigram.org.uk deputyfeatures@epigram.org.uk deputymusic@epigram.org.uk
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.
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Epigram
30.09.2013
33
Bristol one of the most expensive university cities in UK Emma Leedham News Reporter
Flickr: velodenz
Continued from page 1 These figures too sit well above the national average of £3,980 per year. It seems that investors stand to gain the most from Bristol’s thriving property market, based on a new report by estate agents Savills. Bristol ranked third in Savills’ ‘top list’ of investable cities - based on the strength of demand for student accommodation - coming out above London, Edinburgh, Oxford and Cambridge. However, there is increasing concern about what this means for students, with some speculating that a growing shortage of affordable accommodation has led to the increasing exploitation of vulnerable tenants by landlords who offer lower cost rent for subpar accommodation. In response, the UK government has recently announced that it will set aside £3 million to tackle
‘rogue’ landlords who it claims offer ‘poor quality, overcrowded and often dangerous accommodation’. For the majority of students though, the rising cost of living in Bristol, on top of increased tuition fees, will be most problematic financially
£416 per
month average rent
and will add to the growing sum of debt to be paid back after graduation. One student told Epigram: ‘The increasing rent prices in Bristol year after year are worrying. Whilst many students can afford such prices with financial support
from their parents, others have no option but to apply for part-time jobs to pay the rent. Personally, I’ve been forced to ask for extra hours at work and I’m concerned it could affect my studies. I’m also living further away from uni this year, because
the prices in Clifton and Redland are just too high and you don’t get much for your money’. This affects students accross the UK with some forced to commute to university to cut costs.
Bristol students take to the stage Laura Jacklin Deputy News Editor
UBU Sport
UBU Officers show off the new gym outdoor gym equipment
New free outdoor gym in Stoke Bishop Joe Quinlan News Online Editor
Sitting volleyball is free and open to all ‘The sessions will be at a recreational level for this year – but who knows, if we get enough interest and develop the sport well, we could definitely look into setting up a competitive team. ‘It’s fantastic for us to be the first club involved with setting up sessions for a disability sport, but we
really hope we can inspire others to do the same for their sports, to increase the range of sporting activities that both disabled and ablebodied students have access to within the University’. Meanwhile, UBU is this year, launching a national leading
The first club captain’s seated volleyball event
campaign called ‘Take Pride in UBU Sport’. Hannah Pollak - UBU Vice President for Sport and Health - says that the initiative ‘aims to improve the accessibility of UBU sports clubs and to challenge perceptions surrounding homophobia in sport’.
UBU Sport
Continued from page 1 Rob Pennifold is the club captain of University of Bristol Volleyball Club, which is heavily involved in the organisation and running of the new sessions, alongside UBU Active. ‘The University is keen to promote inclusivity in all sports and that obviously should include disabled as well as able-bodied students’, he told Epigram. ‘It was pretty clear at the time that there was nothing of this sort on offer to students in Bristol Uni, so we decided to change that’. Pennifold describes the aim
of these sessions as ‘firstly to introduce people to a whole new sport’, emphasising that ‘just because it is a Paralympic sport, able-bodied people are still allowed to play.’
Groups of Bristol students have once again been taking shows to perform at the biggest arts festival in the world, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with some perfomers being recognised by The Sunday Times National Student Drama Festival awards. Throughout August, students from Pantosoc, Improvsoc, Revunions, Dramsoc (supporting student-led company Tap Tap), and Musical Theatre Bristol (supporting student-led company 1945 Productions) took 11 shows to the festival between them, enjoying positive reviews and picking up several awards in the process. It really does look as though we have future stars in our midst, with both current and past Bristol students recognised by The Sunday Times National Student Drama Festival Awards. Awards went to Miriam Battye for writing; Tash Dummelow for producing; Claudia Jolly, Edward Richards and Letty Thomas for acting; the band from Take It Interns for musical achievement and the cast of Handmade Tales for ensemble work. Edward Richards, an English student at the university and award winner for acting in both Captain Morgan and the Sands of Time and Take It Interns, spoke to Epigram about his experience at the festival. ‘Doing two shows back to back in the evening has been a huge challenge, but I’m so glad I have done it. The shows have been going really well and Captain Morgan and
the Sands of Time was offered a slot in the big BBC tent, which has been a great way to finish off the Fringe for me!’
Edinburgh Fringe award winners: Miriam Battye, Tash Dummelow, Claudia Jolly, Edward Richards, Letty Thomas, the cast of Handmade Tales and band from Take It Interns Performing in Edinburgh seems to be an experience like no other. The Fringe, which began in 1947, sees the Scottish capital transformed into the centre of the arts world for three weeks every August. With acts involving theatre, comedy, dance and opera to name but a few, this year saw 2800 shows performed in 273 venues across the city. Many successful actors and comedians begin their careers at the Edinburgh Fringe, with David Walliams, Matt Lucas and Simon Pegg included in the Bristol alumni that have done just this and gone on to enjoy careers in the spotlight. Known for showcasing new talent, many aspiring performers go to the Fringe and hope to follow in the footsteps of the successes of the generation before them.
Epigram
30.09.2013
4
92% of students feel mental distress, NUS study shows Eleanor Cox News Reporter
of “ Number students
seeking help for depression has more than doubled
”
The NUS wants to highlight the question of mental health for students across the UK. Yet, for these services throughout the UK, there is often very high demand and this can mean that students have to wait for a long period of time before accessing help. Bristol University has its own counselling service, which any student can use. The counselling service also provides group service sessions dealing with the difficulties that many students face and how they can affect their degree. For more information on counselling in Bristol, visit www.bristol.ac.uk/studentcounselling/.
Flickr: TheeErin
A recent survey conducted by the National Union of Students revealed that 92% of students have experienced mental distress. Pressures related to university such as deadlines, financial difficulties and living away from home for the first time lead to students feeling low, unmotivated, homesick or stressed. Rising fees and poor job prospects are making more students feel the pressure to do extremely well at university. A study by the Royal College of Psychiatrists found that the latest generation of students are more at risk of suffering from anxiety and depression than ever before, and in the country’s top institutions the number of students seeking help for depression has more than doubled in the past four years. The research by the NUS showed that just over one in ten of students have had suicidal thoughts, and within just four years the number of suicides has doubled in women and increased by over a third in men. One of the most worrying aspects of the research is the number of people who are not seeking help for
their problems. 64% with mental health difficulties do not use any professional help despite the fact that most universities provide a counselling or pastoral service which can help students to cope with the stresses of university life.
New Pro Vice-Chancellor for University 600 new student representatives of Bristol: Professor Judith Squires Laura Webb News Editor
to its economic worth as university education ‘A university education broadens intellectual horizons, inspires individuals to realise their highest potential, increases knowledge and understanding for their own sake and plays a crucial role in sustaining a democratic, civilised and inclusive society,’ she explained. She encourages students to consider the Bristol PLuS Award scheme to help develop their skills, which recognises the skills you gain through extra-curricular activities and helps develop employment skills. Professor Squires explained how the increase in tuition fees has affected the student funding system. ‘In relation to how we
spend our total income: about £1,000 out of every £9,000 is spent on supporting widening participation activities in order to ensure fair access and a diverse study body. After this, staff costs make up roughly half of our expenditure, with the remainder supporting operating costs (including library services; student services; sport, exercise and health; information services) and capital expenditure.’ However, while the balance of funding has changed, ‘The overall level of income to universities has not changed as much as people imagine’ she pointed out. Professor Squires also said she will ‘focus on effecting change by working collaboratively with students and staff right across the university’.
Professor Judith Squires, Pro Vice-Chancellor
Nicksmithphotography.com
Appointed earlier this year, Professor Judith Squires took up her post on 1st August 2013 as the University of Bristol’s Pro Vice-Chancellor of Education and Students for the next four years. Professor Squires replaces Nick Lieven who has taken on the new role of ‘Pro ViceChancellor International’ and she is responsible to the University’s Senate and Council to deliver the University’s Education Strategy. Professor Squires is involved in a number of projects, including working with the Students’ Union to help implement the new Student Representation System. Squires told Epigram she believes the new system of over 600 course representatives will ‘ensure that students have a clear voice in all decisions affecting their experience at university.’ The introduction of higher tuition fees, combined with the economic downturn and concerns about graduate employment rates have resulted in increased concerns over the value of a university degree. However, Squires
maintained that the University of Bristol must show students that degrees are not only economically valuable but socially and culturally valuable too. She told Epigram: ‘We also need to be ever more attentive to the quality of the student experience, and ensure that students are firmly engaged in the educational governance structures that oversee its delivery. The new student representation system will be important here, ensuring students’ concerns are considered promptly and at the right level.’ Whilst students across the UK have become more sceptical of the value of a university degree, Professor Squires told Epigram, ‘the most recent survey of graduate employment found just 3.7 percent of University of Bristol graduates were unemployed six months after graduation compared to a national average of 9 percent.’ ‘81% of our students who go into work go into graduate-level jobs – a very high figure compared to the sector average,’ she said. However, beyond earning more than 23% more than a non-graduate, Professor Squires highlighted that students should not reduce the value of a degree solely
to be elected Julie Lee News Reporter
Over 600 course representatives for each school across the university will be elected this year, standardising course representation. The University of Bristol Students’ Union is now involved in the co-ordination of course representatives with major changes including mandatory election and training opportunities. The new project aims to increase student involvement and active engagement in education. ‘Elections are about making sure that all students have a say in who represents them, making sure all students have the opportunity to be a rep, and making reps’ lives easier by making them and their role better known,’ said Tom Flynn, VP Education for UBU. In the past, schools across the university have greatly differed in how they handled their reps. Some had a voting and election system, but others accepted any students who wanted to be involved. ‘It should always be the case where the reps are elected because it’s
democratic,’ Phuong Tran, a representative for Politics and Economics last year, told Epigram. With the new system, every representative must be elected through an online ballot system. As with other elected roles, candidates will be required to upload a photo and manifesto. Only students of the same course and year may vote for their course representatives. ‘UBU will be working far more closely with student representatives through our full-time officer team and with dedicated members of representation staff to train, develop and support our student reps,’ stated Flynn. Existing support includes termly newsletters and faculty-based forums. ‘School reps’ will be elected at an induction session for representatives. Students in these higherlevel roles will oversee the other course representatives in their school. ‘The school rep position is about ensuring that students are represented in their faculty and not just in their department, because sometimes that’s where conversations about what students want and need have to happen,’ explained Flynn.
Epigram
30.09.2013
5
Students win second place in Sony’s app competition Adam Bushnell News Reporter A pair of students from the University of Bristol have been awarded second prize at a prestigious international app development competition. Third year Computer Science students Adam Renak and Aiden Thompson were invited to the competition, which was run by Sony, following Thompson’s involvement with developing Sony’s Smartwatch 1 gadget.
The competition, named #SW2Hack, was run in conjunction with the launch of Sony’s new SmartWatch 2 on 7th September. Developers from all over the world were invited to Berlin
Hugo Questroy
The pair created an App that searches for free WiFi
Competitors at Sony’s #SW2Hack app development competition in Berlin.
to take part. Renak told Epigram that he went to the event without any expectations of doing well, and that the pair just wanted to gain some programming experience and never expected to get second place. They realised that they were up against
some stiff competition having seen some of the advanced applications that other teams had developed. Thompson explained to Epigram ‘when the event began we soon realised that we were the only student team there and that all the other attendees had come
directly from the mobile development industry. Therefore, we obviously expected to not do very well at all.’ Renak went on to describe what gave the team their inspiration for their ‘Free WiFi Notifier App’. ‘The first thing we did
The App is now available to download at the Google Play Store
when we arrived in Berlin was to run a search for free WiFi hotspots, mainly to avoid hefty data roaming costs, and I thought that it would be great if I didn’t have to actually do this manually. ‘The App runs in the background of your phone, searching at regular intervals for free, open wireless networks. When you come into the vicinity of one, you are alerted on your Sony SmartWatch and prompted to join,’ he said. Despite the UoB pair’s lack of real expectation going into the competition, Sony were so impressed with the App that it has been released for download in the Google Play Store. Although the pair fared extremely well against such a talented field of competition, Renak has no current ambition of going into app development as a career. When asked about his post-graduation prospects he told Epigram, ‘[I have] no idea. Ask me that in two years’ time - I might have some good answers by then’. Thompson is looking to go into the mobile development industry.
Scholarship sends Student cycles 5200km & raises £5200 for charity student to New York Laura Jacklin Deputy News Editor
enough to take us off the road and look for shelter. This led us to experience for the first time the legendary hospitality we had heard so much about - 20 minutes of defrosting in a cafe with a coffee (on the house, naturally) was rewarded with the offer of an unused house by a local man, we were even provided with food for the evening. It’s hard to overstate how natural this became, people would take us in, buy us breakfast, or simply take an interest in what we were doing the whole way along the route. Not once did we have a bad people-related experience!’ This generosity meant that they only had to spend $10 each over the six and a half weeks. Since completing their challenge, Farnfield and McCarthy have received a message of thanks from children in Uganda who will benefit from the money raised for HYT.
Marcus Farnfield
Marcus Farnfield celebrating as he finishes his cycle challenge in Washington D.C.
Jude A’Bear News Reporter A PhD student from the University of Bristol is one of 30 students in the UK chosen for a scholarship programme funded by the UK-US Fulbright Commission and will attend the University of Columbia for a year. Emily Baughan, who studied history at Bristol first as an undergraduate and afterwards for a Masters degree, has arrived in New York. During her time abroad she will work towards the Fulbright Postgraduate Award, part of which involves her researching her PhD which explores humanitarian movements and their contribution towards European and African children in the duration between the two world wars. Due to the nature of her inquiry, Baughan has become linked with several charities. Her interest in contemporary debates on humanitarian policies and the ways in which history can inform these led her to work closely with Save the Children and compile reports on it’s past. Now in America, Baughan will undertake research into the origins of international child sponsorship movements between 1915 and 1970. She is also looking forward to volunteering with the Harlem Food Bank, having been involved in a number of initiatives tackling food poverty in the UK.
Emily Baughan
Baughan acknowledges the University’s contribution to helping her secure this prestigious scholarship. ‘I am very grateful to members of the History Department at Bristol for their support during the Fulbright application process and to the University for helping me to cover the additional costs associated with taking up the award,’ she said. The University is also taking on Brett Evans as part of the scheme, who graduated in Latin and
University of Bristol Press Office
Bristol student Marcus Farnfield has completed his challenge of cycling 5200km across North America and raised over £5200 for charity along the way. Marcus Farnfield and Nick McCarthy, who studies at the University of Queensland, met each other last September whilst both studying abroad at the University of British Columbia for a year. Both keen cyclists, they set themselves the challenge of cycling from ‘BC to DC’ and raising money for the Haileybury Youth Trust (HYT), a charity that works to improve the lives of young people struck by poverty in Uganda, and who Farnfield has been involved with for a number of years. On 14th May, the pair set off from Vancouver
in British Columbia on the with the aim of reaching Washington DC after covering miles on American roads. Farnfield spoke to Epigram about the experience: ‘We crossed in to America on day one and then headed east over the mountains - the Cascades and the Rockies before joining Route 2 two weeks in. The road is one of the most northern in the US and took us through much of empty America, vast plains that are mostly uninhabited. Major towns came every 100 miles, so days were spent out in the open with little more than each other for company - it was wonderful.’ Covering about 90 to 100 miles each day, Farnfield and McCarthy enjoyed spectacular scenery and experienced incredible hospitality along their both mentally and physically demanding journey, and were supported them with food, accommodation and donations from local people. ‘A snowstorm one day was
Ancient Greek at the College of William and Mary in Virginia and is coming to Bristol to study an MA in Classical Reception. The Fulbright Commission has been in place for over 60 years; founded in 1948, it is now operating in 150 countries. With its aim to promote leadership, learning, and empathy, 28 of its alumni have served as head of state or government while 43 from 11 countries have received the Nobel Prize.
Epigram wants you! We’re looking for budding journalists to join our editorial team this year in a range of varied, fun and interesting positions. It’s a a great thing to put on a CV and perfect for people interested in journalism. Editorial Assistant Online Editor What’s On Editor Deputy News Editor Online News Editor Deputy Style Editor Online Style Editor Chief Proofreader Subeditors Photography Editor Advertising & Sales Assistant Logistics & Distribution Manager Secretary (x2) For more information on what the roles entail and how to apply turn to page 12 or logon to www.epigram.org.uk. Applications close on Monday 7th October.
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Gromits unleashed over Bristol attract thousands Spencer Turner News Reporter
international animation studio Pixar, The Royal Mint, Sir Quentin Blake, Harry Hill, Joanna Lumley, Cath Kidston, Raymond Briggs and The Beano, to name just a few,’ she said. Bristol was chosen as the location for the Gromits in celebration of its reputation for creative talent and creativity. Ardman Animations has been a long-term supporter of the Bristol Children’s Hospital and the Gromits are seen as a celebration of the hard work that the hospital does for many around the country. ‘The Greatest Dog Show on Earth’ attracted thousands of people, with people waiting for up to six hours in queues snaking around Elmdale Road, through Tyndall’s Park Road and along Whiteladies Road. Once they have been auctioned, some new owners of the sculptures may place them in various locations around the city.
‘Gromberry’ - one of the Gromit’s being lifted to the Pumphouse at Bristol’s harbourside
UBU wins NUS funding to launch Green Transformation Project Joe Quinlan Web Editor
of interest in the Green Fund as ‘overwhelming’, adding that, ‘it’s a powerful message, telling us that sustainability is a core priority of our movement, and that students want to lead the way in driving the change to a lowcarbon future’. Anderson also believes that ‘all of these projects are united by their commitment to putting students at the heart of positive change, providing invaluable employability skills and building a legacy which grows beyond the period of NUS funding’. This focus on building a legacy is echoed by Ellie Williams, UBU Vice President for Community, who lists one of the project’s aims as ‘Equipping students in how
NUS
to become better citizens beyond university, and to be better, more participatory neighbours within the wider community during their time here at Bristol’. Speaking to Epigram, Williams said that, ‘we here are all really excited about what the Green Fund will mean for students and our university over the next few years’. Williams also placed on record her gratitude to those who helped make the Green Transformation Project possible. ‘It took a huge amount of effort to secure the bid –largely thanks to Alice Peck, VP Community 2012/13 and Martin Wiles, Head of Sustainability at UoB’, she said. UBU hope that the Green Transformation Project will build upon the success of the ‘Big Give’, which is due to be repeated as part of the project. Taking place over the summer, this collection scheme converted a recordbreaking nine tonnes of students’ unwanted items into £16,000 for charity. Organised in partnership with Bristol University’s Sustainability department, as well as volunteers from UBU Volunteering, the Students’ Union volunteering programme, and Bristol Hub charity network, the Big Give raised money for 12 different charities. The recent rise in sustainability schemes within the University of Bristol and UBU comes at a time when the city is celebrating the announcement of Bristol as the European Green Capital for 2015.
Celebrating 50 years on: Bristol’s own Bus Boycott Stephanie Rihon News Reporter The 28th August 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the Bristol Bus Boycott, the same day as the anniversary of the March on Washington. Celebrating the boycott’s legacy, Paul Stephenson OBE, a key organiser of the boycott in 1963, gave a speech at Bristol’s M Shed Museum and paid tribute to Martin Luther King’s dream.
“ Racism never
dies, it simply slumbers
”
Inspired by the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, Bristol’s own 1963 boycott saw local teacher Stephenson lead the way to prove the existence of the ‘colour bar’, after being refused an interview for a bus conductor position with the Bristol Omnibus Company after revealing his ethnicity. The boycott attracted influential politicians including MP Harold Wilson and countless students from the university. Mirroring the success across the Atlantic, bus company CEO Ian Patey hired a Sikh to be the first non-white bus conductor. Stephenson spoke about the boycott’s legacy to an audience of 100 people at M
Roy Hackett and Paul Stephenson OBE
Mshed
University of Bristol Students’ Union (UBU) has succeeded in its bid for a share of national funding to deliver the Green Transformation Project. UBU was one of 25 students’ unions to be awarded a portion of the £5 million Green Fund, granted to NUS (National Union of Students) by HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England). In doing so, it was chosen ahead of 95 other proposals to receive between £150,000 and £300,000 funding for a two year period. This NUS funding will be used to launch the Green Transformation Project,
a scheme designed to encourage good habits in students by enabling them to participate in sustainability actions within their accommodation. A focus will be placed on reducing electricity consumption by 10%, ensuring an estimated carbon saving of 285 tonnes, as well as increasing recycling across the university’s halls from 38% to 65%. The project will employ three staff members, but teams of student volunteers will also be recruited to form networks of ‘sustainability champions’who will be heavily involved in organising events and marketing campaigns amongst other things. NUS Vice President of Society and Citizenship, Dom Anderson, described the level
Simon Tozer
The Gromit Unleashed project is a trail that saw 80 Gromit sculptures placed around the city. From the 18th to the 22nd September all of the Gromit sculptures were finally reunited in Beacon House (formerly the Habitat store) and put on display for the public to come and view. Nicola Masters, the director of the Wallace and Gromit Grand Appeal told Epigram, ‘the aims of the project are to raise awareness of Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal and to raise funds towards the Appeal’s £3.5 million campaign to support the expansion of Bristol Children’s Hospital, one of the leading multi-disciplinary children’s hospitals in the UK.’ Once the exhibition is finished, the sculptures, which have all been
designed by nationally and internationally renowned artists such as Quentin Blake and Nick Park, will be auctioned off to raise money for the Children’s Hospital. The money will be able to provide support for the recent £31 million NHS investment that the hospital has received and will aim to provide a new MRI scanner, family facilities and child friendly artwork. The Gromits are expected to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds when they go to auction on October 3rd, with TV antiques presenter Tim Wonnacott hosting the auction. Masters told Epigram that she expects them to fetch high prices because they have been uniquely designed by well-known designers. ‘The sculptures were each individually designed by an eclectic and prestigious line-up of well-known and local artists, designers and celebrities. ‘Famous names include Gromit’s creator Nick Park,
Shed, with the message that ‘racism never dies, it simply slumbers’; words supporting the theme that this year is about ‘unfinished business’. Among attendants were Lord Mayor Choudhury, and poets Ros Martin and Rob Mitchell who specially commissioned poems for the anniversary. Most significant was the inclusion of a clip of Martin Luther King’s 1963 ‘Dream’ speech. 3,570 miles away, 250,000 African and white Americans had marched in Washington for equality, the Bristol anniversary showing that these historical moments occurred in tandem. The Bristol boycott’s positive legacy is evident as it ignited hope for future equality for the 1.4 million non-whites living in the UK during the 1960s. It led to the 1965 Race Relations Act; the first time the UK addressed the freedom struggle. The boycott was Bristol’s very own March on Washington, catalysing the beginning of attempts to end racism in the UK. Bristol’s celebration of the boycott’s anniversary showed Stephenson’s courage and willingness to resist injustice.
Epigram
30.09.2013
Features
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Editor: Hugh Davies
Deputy Editor: Sophie Padgett
Online Editor: Michael Coombs
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Heaney passes but poetry is no dying art Seamus Heaney, Nobel Prize winner and Irish poet, has recently passed away. Upon his death he has left the world with a plethora of poetry and is regarded as one of the world’s best. Heaney’s words captured the menial day-to-day tasks of life often in the midst of the Irish sectarian conflict. While his literary genius remains beyond doubt, we are left questioning the very art form to which he devoted himself. There is a common perception that poetry is for dandies and artistic dinosaurs that cling on to this supposedly old fashioned style of expression. Perhaps now more than ever, poetry is considered an exclusive, high art form where the ink runs dry for young people, who remain unable to relate to the wizards of words. Even the most successful of today’s poets are relative nobodies in comparison to the celebrity circus that surrounds other art forms such as film and music. The last time most of you read poetry was probably at school, where you painfully tried to spell the word onomatopoeia (thank you spell check) to make a tenuous link between the poet’s choice of word and the
story. Your interest most likely ended there, with the final full stop of a school exam essay. The institutionalised learning of poetry makes it the algebra of English, ‘why the hell do I need this in the real world?’. If poetry were a food it would be a steak. It takes time to digest. The entertainment we predominately enjoy, for example reading the Showbiz section of the Daily Mail, watching Miley Cyrus ‘twerk’, and popular music, is more like a laxative. You don’t have to bust a gut. Poetry is not instant. It also sounds awfully bad through a sub-woofer.
“ If poetry were a
food it would be a steak. It takes time to digest.
”
On the other side of the poetry coin is spoken word. So far during my time at Bristol I’ve sampled what spoken word there is on offer. I’ve also performed a bit myself. Spoken word is tricky to define. Loosely it is poetry spoken with a sprinkle of flare, rhyme and rhythm. It
Feeling inspired? Why not check out some of the events at the Bristol poetry festival?
tackles contemporary social issues and is a more accessible style of poetry for young people. Around Bristol in attic theatres, The White Bear, and in the backrooms of bars in Stokes Croft, you’ll find open mic nights with poetry performers waxing lyrical. These are small, intimate but well-attended affairs. Recitals range from the heart felt sonnet, to the trivial and comedic and the purely bizarre. I once heard a poem about a sadistic murder of a cat. A bit too far? Despite the fragrant abnormalities of imagination there is something charming about the whole thing, it’s not Wembley Stadium or Top of the Pops, and it never should be. It is a cathartic experience for the audience and the performer. Here at Bristol University we have our very own star of spoken word, Harry Baker, the 2012 World Slam Champion. Harry has performed all over the world, from Germany where he is currently touring, to the USA and Edinburgh, and has said of the Bristol poetry scene that it ‘has the feel of a community with people supporting each other, which I’ve loved getting involved in.’ He told me he felt ‘inspired to write poetry after seeing other performers’ before going on to say ‘the reason I got involved in this was because I went to a couple of nights
where people always make you laugh, cry and get goosebumps all within the same piece, purely with the power of words.’ I asked the world slam champion if he thought poetry was popular. He responded by saying that ‘the nature of the current scene is that it almost thrives on being in the fringes, and whilst I feel it is becoming more popular, there’s something about not being mainstream that makes it easier to keep a certain
rawness.’ When people say poetry is dead, dying or done they are missing the point. Poetry is not for the masses. It will be a sad day if Simon Cowell ever sits on a panel of ‘Poetry Idol’. If poetry or poets ever reached celestial heights of stardom and fame it would become about cash in the hand rather than words from the tongue. Words are enduring and still have the power to seismically
evoke people’s emotions. This can be witnessed in Syria where a new wave of poetry has emerged in the face of oppression and pandemonium. One particular poet called Youssef Bou Yihea, describes these horrors. His work along with others is written on the walls of Facebook and the walls of houses, and is being chanted in the streets. From Syria to Bristol it is poetry that delivers an unadulterated and uncensored disclosure of human existence.
“Stadium it’s not Wembley or Top of the Pops, and it never should be.
”
Poetry may not be very popular or really cool but it has its own kind of co-culture. When a society is choked by injustice poetry provides a breath of oxygen. Even in our own comfortable lives in Bristol poetry can be a medicine. So perhaps next time you’re in a lecture, place your pen between finger and thumb and take aim; write your notes in verse and rhyme or scribble a haiku or two.
Some spoken word from Bristol’s Harry Scaffolding My dad once told me that scaffolding was beautiful because scaffolding in cities is a sign of development. I thought that he was talking about braces.
Y’know those temporary structures
My name is Harry. comes up as happy in predictive text, but in these days of Autocorrect that don’t seem that significant and if I can I try not to detract from that comparison, I’m miserable as much as I am arrogant - it could be worse. Yet I am confident, because in this journey I’ve discovered truths and I hold on to
them, here’s one of them...
My dad once told me that scaffolding was beautiful because scaffolding in cities is a sign of development, and I see the beauty in potential. In the lifelines of lifetimes written in pencil, who were told they weren’t good enough to go and yet they went still, for anyone who’s been told that they’re mental, we all are.
Harry Baker 2012 World Slam Champion of spoken word
Haryy Baker
Chris Giles Features Writer
flickr: Burns Library, Boston College
Upon the death of the legendary Irish poet, Chris Giles investigates whether young people are still taken with wordcraft
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30.09.2013
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The tragedy of Moritz Erhardt’s Merrill Lynching Archie Phillpotts Features Writer It has emerged that the tragic death of Merrill Lynch intern Moritz Erhardt may have been brought about from a spate of all-night work sessions. The 21-year-old was found dead at his student lodgings in London on August 15th. Friends have stated that he worked eight all-nighters in two weeks and that for three days in a row he was in the office until 6am. It is believed Erhardt may have suffered an epileptic fit possibly caused by this exhaustive work load and intense nature of his seven-week summer internship for the investment banking division of the Bank of America. The young German had been a stellar student with an illustrious education, a star exchange student at the University of Michigan; he came tantalisingly close to realising his dreams of competing in the highstakes, cut-throat world of modern finance. It seems that the relentless, and ultimately mortal, pressure and expectancy put on him to perform flat out finally heralded the end of this unfulfilled talent. The student’s death -
he was found in a shower cubicle at his temporary accommodation at Claredale House - has prompted a public outcry. Many feel that the culture among top investment banks forces interns to work to excess. It is reported that working 100hour weeks for the chance to secure a coveted position in one of these bastions of capitalism is the price one has to pay to succeed. Erhardt’s death has raised a number of disturbing questions. Many critics have directed probing inquiries into the ‘work culture’ of highflying city businessmen. Why do banks not have regulations in place to ensure they are not working their employees into early graves? Where do you draw the line between punishing professional duty and the neglect of human rights? Without digression, perhaps the most important question we can ask is whether the German was a victim of his own astronomical ambition or the poisonous, materialistic ethos of City life? This tragedy has shown that the City’s notorious culture of ‘no holds barred’ moneymaking appears to have been extended to the young men and women struggling to find their feet in internships. However these stretching
and torturous hours are not without reward. Reports have suggested that Erhardt was on the verge of closing in on a lucrative £45,000 job salary awarded to the most promising interns. This is a staggering starting wage for a young twenty-year-old with the further prospect of ludicrous bonuses and promotions in the pipeline. The question that really needs to be asked is whether, in the midst of the current economic climate, graduates have no choice but to work this hard in order to secure a top job in the financial sector? With the rest of the country wallowing in its dire economic affliction, competition has heated up for these rare opportunities. While some may argue that it seems only fair for the highflyers to honestly earn their salaries through hard work and dedication, we have to ask just how high a price these individuals can be expected to pay? So can the banks be blamed? In this case, it appears as if Erhardt succumbed to the immortal city creed from the film Wall Street, preached by the reptilian investment banker Gordon Gekko: ‘Greed is Good’. It has been suggested that Erhardt styled himself on Michael Douglas’ archetypal
flickr: Gwenaël Piaser
Following the death of a young banking intern, Archie Phillpotts assesses the pressures facing graduates aiming for the top
city slicker: look no further than the boyish man, pictured in the Daily Mail days after his death, clad in a Ralph Lauren shirt with braces and slicked back hair just like his hero, the quintessential corporate raider. Erhardt, even by his own admission recognised that he had a ‘tendency to be over-ambitious’ and that from an early age, he had a ‘persistent aspiration’ to succeed. There is no doubt that the ruthless streak was present, best summed up by his own words: ‘complacency implies stagnancy’. It should therefore be of little surprise that such an impressionable, driven young man could become indoctrinated with Gekko’s creed once he found
himself in the city. In these financial centres, there exists an organisational pressure that has been compared to a testosteronefuelled fraternity house or a quasi-religious brotherhood where the deity is money and the place of worship the bank. The uninitiated subscribe with fanatical zeal to outdoing each other to show they have what it takes to succeed in an industry which demands such stamina. Was Erhardt deluded into believing that to impress the Masters of the Universe,to borrow an expression from Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities, prove he belonged and so entered into a Faustian pact of long, strenuous hours and nights of insomnia in
exchange for the rewards of wealth? Merrill Lynch, a behemoth of financial institutions – with its $2.2 trillion in client assets making it the largest brokerage in the world – can be seen to symbolise the rampant greed and avarice of the city firms who have become synonymous with the spectacular fall of the banks and the subsequent fiscal Armageddon of 2007-8. To this effect, Erhardt’s death appears to be another worrying symptom of the insatiable gluttony of the high-profile banks. Ultimately it was a tragic end to a promising and bright young man who could not escape the Merrill Lynch mob.
Mind over matter; meditation is on the rise Buddha was a privileged 20-something with time to contemplate the nature of existence, posing a question, ‘In spite of all my comfort and privilege, I am unhappy. Does that ring true to anyone?’ Perhaps people aren’t all that unhappy. But a recent research paper from Harvard claims that on average the western mind is lost in thought almost 47% of the time. This is when we’re fruitlessly daydreaming, subconsciously reminiscing or running through answers to a problem that we’ve long forgotten we were trying to solve. There are also studies that suggest that this sort of mind wandering can be a direct cause of unhappiness. Happiness aside there are arguments that mind wandering impedes productivity and even creativity. It is commonplace for people to hit the gym and and the barbers yet the vast majority of us do almost nothing to take care of our minds. There are those however who are trying to get a practical, scientifically certifiable means of combatting complacency
into the mainstream; most notably Andy Puddicombe and Jon Kabat Zinn. According to the New York Times, Puddicombe is doing for meditation what Jamie Oliver has done for food. He was a monk in the Himalayas for several years but his entrepreneurial side must have kicked in and since leaving the monastery he has founded the hugely successful website www. getsomeheadspace.com which provides guided meditation sessions. Jon Kabat Zinn also runs guided meditation sessions and lessons in mindfulness but
he is most famous for being the architect behind meditation’s rise to prominence in Western medicine at the Centre for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Upon first encounter, the concept of mindfulness and the manner in which these figures talk about it can seem a little too namaste. In a workshop led by Kabat-Zinn for Google employees he argued that mindfulness was ‘perhaps much ado about nothing, or almost
nothing… It is something but it’s more like, as the taoist would call it, non-doing.’ These conceptual nuances perhaps fail to hit the mark with sceptics of meditation but he goes on to use more accessible metaphors: ‘it’s like the San Francisco Philharmonic Orchestra trying to play Beethoven without tuning first. Meditation is in some sense like tuning your instrument.’ The conclusions emerging from the scientific community on the benefits of meditation are largely in agreement. Studies
flickr:Jiuck
Michael Coombs Features Online Editor
show that after just eight weeks of meditating once a day there is a notable reduction in activity in the amygdala (the area of the brain associated with fear) and less cortisol (a steroid hormone released when we are stressed.) But it is not just the way in which the brain functions that changes-. The actual structure of the brain is noticeably different in practised meditators with a smaller amygdala and increased tissue in the pre-frontal cortex. This in turn has restorative benefits for the entire body. The relaxed response (as opposed to the ‘fight or flight’ response of the amygdala) allows blood pressure to drop, digestion to increase and can even lead to an increase in antibody production in seasoned practitioners. But the benefits of meditation extend beyond health; an article published in the journal Psychological Science suggested that practitioners in mindfulness were 40% more effective at discerning relevant from irrelevant information - a skill tested to the extreme during revision period. With promises of calm and clarity for the mind, scientific studies to bolster their claims and tools such as the internet to facilitate the process it is
unsurprising that there has been a surge in interest in mindfulness in recent years. Jon Kabat-Zin has spent hours working with the US Rowing Team and Google whilst Andy Puddicombe has worked with everyone from the LA Lakers to top consultancy firms such as Bow & Arrow. Even the Headmaster at Wellington School, Dr. Seldom, has become the first headmaster to introduce a mindfulness class into the school’s syllabus. If you’re looking to unleash your full potential, chill out or simply piece yourself back together after the 12th night of freshers’ fortnight then perhaps meditation is the thing to try this academic year. There’s a lot of decent introductory literature such as Thich Nhat Hanh’s The Art of Mindfulness which is worth having a look at, but perhaps the most accessible and tangible means of getting a flavour for meditation is to check out Headspace- www. getsomeheadspace.com. It takes just ten minutes a day and can bring you back into the present moment which might sound a little boring, but according to Puddicombe ‘we spend so little time in the present moment that it’s anything but ordinary.’
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30.09.2013
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India seeks solution to ‘rape culture’ problem Spencer Turner Features writer Last month a 22-year-old photojournalist was gang raped in Mumbai, India. This followed the news that in December of last year a 23-year-old woman suffered a similar attack in New Delhi. The culprits of the latter incident have recently been handed down death penalties by the courts in India. Does such a decision provide adequate closure to the family of the victim? More importantly, will the decision in the New Delhi case be replicated for the culprits of the Mumbai gang rape, and is the verdict the correct one in the struggle that India is facing to reduce violent crimes against women? The 22-year-old who was raped in Mumbai last month was working as a photojournalist for an English-speaking magazine based in Mumbai. During a visit to an abandoned textile mill five men attacked her and a male friend and committed gang rape. Mumbai’s reputation as a safe place for women is what has made this latest incident particularly shocking. Unlike New Delhi, where women are encouraged to stay inside after 9PM, Mumbai is generally seen as a safe place
for females. The two incidents have attracted international media coverage of a problem that the Indian government has been struggling with for years. Where previously, many incidents of rape often remained unreported, the reaction of the Indian people on social media in response to both gang rapes has been staggering. Social outcry pertaining to the safety of India’s streets, the speed and fairness of the Indian judicial system and issues of discrimination of Indian women has now been recognised internationally. As a result there is significant pressure coming from outside, and inside, of India to provide reforms to combat what has been termed by some as a ‘rape culture’.
“
low conviction rates and poor investigation need to be eradicated
” In March of this year the country’s Parliament
passed new tough anti-rape laws, largely in response to the gang rape that was committed in Delhi. The Indian government set up the Justice Verma Committee, which received 80,000 recommendations and considered methods used by other countries around the world to deter potential rapists. It is now a crime to stalk or commit voyeurism against a woman. Furthermore, they have introduced compulsory jail time for any official who does not register a complaint of sexual assault and free medical care is to be provided immediately for anyone who has been the victim of such crimes. Perhaps most significantly, the sentences for committing a sexual offence have been increased, and repeat offenders and those who bring death to the victim will be given the death penalty. One could see this as a distraction from the true issue that India is facing. There are no long-term studies that demonstrate successfully that the death penalty provides an effective deterrent for violent crime. Whilst killing the culprits of heinous crimes may provide short term relief, it is no substitute for tackling the root of the problem. These
two gang rape cases in particular have shone light on why India suffers from such a problem. It may be surprising to read that the offenders were not known criminals, nor had they been subject to upbringings that predisposed them to committing sexual crimes. They were semi-skilled workers on a low income and with a poor education who had moved from the countryside to the city in search of work. ‘Bright Lights Syndrome’ has seen India rapidly expand from a country full of rural workers to one that is heavily industrialised, on the verge of becoming one of the world’s two biggest economies. Millions of men in India are in the same position as those who committed the gang rapes in Delhi and Mumbai; marginalised by the country’s rapid expansion and failed by the country’s education system, they lack the necessary cultural and social attitudes needed to make India’s society fair and free of violent crimes. The new amendments to India’s anti-rape laws are an encouraging start for India. Their implementation will hopefully provide some relief to the problem that the country has been struggling with for years. But this is not
flickr: JaskiratSingh SinghBawa Bawa flickr:Jaskirat
Recent high profile gang rape cases highlight the country’s ongoing struggle with violent crime agaisnt women
the solution to the problem. The criminal justice system in India needs to improve and expand; low conviction rates and poor investigation need to be eradicated. An open social debate amongst India’s population must take place and some internal reflection is required to bring an end to the patriarchal society. India needs to become a fairer, more equal country
which enforces women’s rights and doesn’t marginalise young men leaving them stranded in a cycle of poverty. The new legislation will not stop sexual crimes in India, but these cases have brought the problems that India is facing into the national conscience and will hopefully provide the catalyst for future reform.
Gove must combat schools shortage in UK A recent report by the Local Government Association has revealed that within the next decade there will be fewer school places than the total number of children needing educating. The BBC claims there is an urgent need for an extra 255,000 school places by 2014, caused in part by an overstretched education budget and a rising number of children due to increased immigration and high birth rates. The report reflects very badly on the state education system, however it is important to remember that the UK continues to maintain its strong tradition of private education, with around 7% of British children attending public schools, according to the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Nonetheless, it is a worrying statistic that the government may soon not be able to provide a primordial, basic service to all its citizens. We often judge poorer nations on their inability to offer a fully-functioning education system, yet very soon Britain may be in the same
flickr:dcJohn
George Dew Features writer
position. Too overstretched and under the cosh to offer every child the basic right to education, it is the poor who are likely to suffer the most from the potential shortfalls of good governance and service provision. Thankfully, it would appear that Cameron’s coalition is investigating a number of policies to avoid this catastrophic shortcoming and ensuring all have access to a high level of schooling. Education forms an integral part of David Cameron’s aspirations for a Big Society, a paternalistic, Gladstone-esque extension of Thatcher’s widely misquoted claim that ‘there is no such thing as society’. The Big Society is about people becoming more active within the provision of services and participating more
within their communities; free schools are a muchreported segment of Cameron’s dream where parent-governors have more powers to influence the running of schools. Regardless, Labour argue that Cameron is offloading yet another public service to the private sector. The Conservatives rescind this, highlighting the way public services and especially schools can be improved through greater community-led participation. Within free schools, parents have a greater voice in the education of their children, going far beyond the previous PTA meetings and one-sided parents’ evenings. However, whilst free school openings will help to increase the number of schools places, it is estimated that 415 new
schools will have to be opened before the crisis can be solved. This seems a number far too high for a political and social climate where people are still unwilling to take on a role that Labour is bitterly arguing should be a preserve of the State, despite government promises of a further £5 billion for free schools. Simultaneously, there has been a potentially damaging trend towards private tutoring and it seems that in future there will be less of a need for TV programmes on Hong Kong’s Tiger Tutors (Channel 4, 2013) but rather ‘British Tiger Tutors’ with the trend looking set to continue. It seems some parents, rather than turning towards the free school system, are opting for unlicensed and unregulated tutors to give their children a head start and to support them where the government is perceived to be failing. Whilst this will help to lessen the load on the state education system, it will certainly put poorer children, whose parents cannot afford to pay the cost of extra tutoring on top of buying school uniform, school lunches
and compulsory reading material at an obvious disadvantage, meaning fewer will be able to access ever-expensive higher education. Hopefully, this can be counterbalanced through a greater participation of parents in the education system and continued government support to help working class students reach their full potential for the sake of an egalitarian and meritocratic society.
“
The government may soon not be able to provide a primordial, basic service to all its citizens.
” Alongside these wider reforms the Minister for Education, Michael Gove, has outlined serious upheavals in the way pupils are examined at GCSE level. The new specifications have illustrated how Gove has set his sights on equipping Britain’s future leaders with a more rigorous and all-encompassing education system. Maths
and the sciences have been strengthened; languages have been encouraged to help Britain stand its ground in the globalised world. These universalising changes are much needed as the education system had begun to be handicapped by discrepancies between examining bodies as well as the trend towards the Baccalaureate being seen as an alternative to A Levels, which is set to further widen the divide between the public and state education sectors. Nonetheless, it seems Gove is being a pedant by making pupils retake English and Maths until they reach a minimum ‘C’ grade at GCSE; though, it is arguable that this is necessary so that everybody has a basic grasp of the traditional 3 ‘Rs’ (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic) to stand them in good stead for the future. We can only hope that the changes to the education system will ensure that Britain continues to offer a world-class education to all. The coalition believes that the reforms will provide children with a more equal start in life, which is a dream worth aspiring to regardless of party politics.
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Chloe Maughan Features writer Supermarket chain the Cooperative recently decided to remove uncovered lads’ mags from its shelves and only allow those that come in ‘modesty bags’. Was this a welcomed result for feminist activists? No. Unsurprisingly,many do not find this to be a satisfying solution. They deem the store’s introduction of ‘modesty bags’ to be a measure which fails to address the true issues that surround lads’ mags.. Magazines, such as Nuts and Zoo, have now been removed from the Co-operative’s store after publishers failed to meet the retailer’s request to cover up their publications with ‘modesty bags’. It was hoped that these new requirements would help the Co-op address its members’growing concerns about children continually being exposed to overtly sexualised images. Whilst this decision has been applauded by Child Eyes, an organisation committed to removing sexualised images from
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environments where children are permitted, many think that modesty bags miss the point completely. As Sophie Bennett, a spokesperson for the ‘Lose the Lads’ Mags’ campaign, points out, the issue for many campaigners is not about nudity, ‘it’s about sexism’. The Co-op’s decision to continue selling these magazines suggests that the retailer’s concern is purely aesthetic. It forgets that it is not just the images of women in these magazines which objectify and dehumanise women, but the written content of these magazines that is also very offensive. As Bennett explains, modesty bags are a superficial measure which effectively enable the Coop to ‘continue profiting from sexist, harmful lads’ mags – but just a bit more discretely’. A 2011 study into the language used in these publications showed how the written content of lads’ mags also promotes dangerous views towards women. The report, produced by psychologists from the University of Surrey and the University
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A modest proposal: lads’ mags cover up fails
of Middlesex, claims that these magazines could be legitimising aggressive, sexist views. As part of the experiment, men and women aged between 19 and 30 were shown a number of quotes about women sourced from the UK’s top selling lads’ mags, (FHM, Loaded, Nuts and Zoo), alongside a number of direct quotes from convicted rapists. Examples of the quotes used in the study include: • ‘Mascara running down the cheeks means they’ve
sE Feature mma - L etter Hugh s
just been crying, and it was probably your fault . . . but you can cheer up the miserable beauty with a bit of the old in and out.’ (Taken from a lads’ mag) • ‘Filthy talk can be such a turn on for a girl . . . no one wants to be shagged by a mouse . . . A few compliments won’t do any harm either . . . ‘I bet you want it from behind you dirty whore’ . . .’ (Also taken from a lads’ mag) • ‘I think if a law is passed, there should be a dress code . . . When girls dress
l rave ia - T iv l O
in those short skirts and things like that, they’re just asking for it.’ (A quote from a convicted rapist) The participants were asked to rank the quotes on the basis of how derogatory they found them to be, and to then identify which source they believed they’d come from. The results found that often the participants struggled to determine the source of the quotes and that they frequently perceived the quotes from lads’ mags to be the most derogatory. In another part of the study, men aged 18 – 46 were given differing information regarding the sources of the quotes; this study found that generally the participants were more likely to identify with the quotes taken from rapists when they believed them to have come from lads’ mags, showing just how effectively these publications normalise and give legitimacy to what are still entirely sexist attitudes. Faced with findings like these it is easy to see how the introduction of ‘modesty bags’ has been deemed meaningless, they
Claudia - Arts
eth Gar
& lm - Fi
TV
do nothing to address the attitudes perpetuated by lads’ mags. The name of these bags would suggest that they were created to preserve modesty, though quite whose modesty they preserve I am still unsure of. It certainly isn’t the girl’s on the front cover, she will quickly have her metaphorical clothes ripped off the minute the buyers of these magazines get them home. Modesty bags may shield young children’s eyes from inappropriate images but whilst lads’ mags are still stocked in our shops we condemn our children, and ourselves, to live in an environment where nobody is prepared to take a powerful stand against publications which objectify women. These bags are a step in the right direction but they have failed to understand the main issues surrounding these publications. After all, we are not the nation of prudes that we once were; it is not the daily presence of boobs which horrifies us, it is the daily presence of sexism. Two very different things.
Molly ch Science & Te
Hetty - Spor t
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Comment
Epigram
30.09.2013
13
@epigramcomment
Editor: Rosslyn McNair
Deputy Editor: Rob Stuart
Online Editor: Jessica McKay
comment@epigram.org.uk
deputycomment@epigram.org.uk
commentonline@epigram.org.uk
Is university the best time of your life? WIth the promise of freedom, independence and unbridled excess, is the immense expectation to
Rory Wilson
There are opportunities to do things you may not have dreamt of before
“ So firstly, the people. Removed from the confines of school, where you have to at least be civil with people who you may usually hate with a visceral rage, there is a freedom to meet people who are similar to you, have the same interests and passions as you, and you can bond with in a way which may not have been possible at school. Living away from parents gives a freedom to behave however you want, to do what you want and (if they are consenting adults) with whoever you want. If someone really grinds your gears they do not have to feature in your life, there are two thousand other people in your year for you to meet. It is probable that out of such a diverse pool of peers one could find a good group of friends to head down to Bunker on a Monday with or go and play ultimate frisbee with if it takes your fancy. The people that you surround yourself with are probably the people you want to spend time with, rather than because you work for the same company or because your parents are just the best of friends and you ‘just have to invite Phillip to your 18th, or his mother will never forgive me!’ Well here’s the good news: at university there isn’t the need to see people who irritate
at
university
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Freedom to behave however you want, to do what you want
University is a wonderful chance to meet some genuinely amazing people, find something that you are passionate about and excites you, and learn something which could help you get a job or at least a degree, and all while having a wonderful time. Either university is the best time of your life, or you’re doing it wrong.
justified?
Flickr/TempusVolta
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yourself
you, life is suddenly too short. Alongside the melting pot of people that is university, there are opportunities to do things that you may not have dreamt of before, or were too embarrassed to take part in. Be that being in a musical for the first time having been too afraid at school, or deciding that you’d like a crack at university radio before heading off to the City for some dreadfully important finance job, people can reinvent themselves and do all of the activities to match. There are hundreds of budding athletes, musicians, DJ’s, masseuses and dancers at Bristol, and you could be one as well. It just requires getting out of bed. The ability to get a band together with a quick post on Facebook, or the chance to spew your inane chatter onto the airwaves via BURST radio, or for that matter, to write a rant about just how much you really love university and for someone (you reader, hello) to read it, is great. You don’t get this later on. We also get to learn something.I study Theology and while my interest in what Jesus did with his homies is purely academic, I enjoy my course a lot and the people on it are great, which is a plus. Hopefully most of us will leave university with a decent degree before trying to find a job somewhere, or head off on a second gap year because you didn’t quite find yourself the first time, and get on with all that rest of your life shenanigans. And I’m sure that’ll be awesome to. But personally I don’t see how that can compete with the opportunity to study something I love, live with my best friends, all while finding time to learn how to massage someone into a relaxation induced coma.
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I absolutely love university. The beginning of the university year fills me with a nervous excitement akin to the feeling that the start of the holidays filled me with at the start of June, knowing that the gruelling weeks in the library were over, with the end of year party season beckoned. There are three reasons why university is/has been the best time of my life: firstly, the people are generally fantastic. Secondly there are opportunities here that are incredibly difficult to come by later on and finally, you might sometimes learn things in lectures, or from books or something.You know,education.
enjoy
Write for Comment: Email comment@epigram.org.uk with w 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 Imogen Rowley University held an almost mythical status for me when I was at school. Smug elders laughed at my teen angst, telling me I’d ‘miss it when it was gone’, ‘life would never be this good again’, ‘these are the best days of your life!’. University was a chance to be free of this adolescent hell and show the world that I really knew it all. I think it’s still a fantasy for most people, glamourised to such an extent that if it’s anything less than amazing, anything less than a contender for ‘best time of your life’, that if you do anything other than go to university in the first place, then you’re somehow doing it wrong. According to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the number of people dropping out of university exceeded 30,000 for the first time ever in 2012. An intense emphasis on 24/7 socialising, coupled with the uneasiness of being away from home and the need to grab coveted internships in the face of a chaotic graduate jobs market, means that the reality of student life is not the glossy utopia people imagined. How I now long for a home-cooked meal; to remain blissfully unaware that electricity actually costs money; for my biggest concern in life to be whether I’m remaining suitably aloof for the class totty to fancy me. School isn’t looking too bad from where I am. Is there anything more intimidating than being perched at the starting line to the rest of your life with people bellowing in your face that it’s all downhill from here? You are expected to have it all figured out, when really you’re stumbling around in the dark just like everyone else? . I have never been a pensioner. I have never been a financially stable middle-aged wife to a loving husband with two beautiful children. I don’t remember being 3 but I imagine finding genuine and totally un-ironic enjoyment in the Boohbahs to be pretty awesome too. For someone to dictate to me that any arbitrarily assigned period of my life such as university will be better than any other, try telling that kid that £50k debt and the uncertain black hole of a future dangling at the end of it is better than whatever he’s doing right now. Sure, university is fun. I’m free to do pretty much what I like, with very little responsibility. But the overwhelming presumption
that university will be the peak of your social, intellectual and physical existence will inevitably only lead to disappointment. Opportunities for pretentious political discussion, for relishing the unbridled joy of learning for learning’s sake, for joining the Jaffa Cake society and taking part in some pompous student theatre, may be harder to come by once you’ve left the maternal shadow of Will’s Memorial. But who says you’ll never have fun again?
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It’s almost as if university is a waiting room, a means to an end
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Yes
For some it’s almost as if university is a waiting room. A means to an end, something that’s got to be done so we can apply for the ‘right’ jobs at the end of it. For others it’s one big playground, where we feel expected to drink ourselves silly every night because that’s what they do on telly and that’s what uni’s about, right? Once the graduation champagne has gone flat, when not a crumb of mortarboard cupcake remains and you’re left with a washedout photo of yourself grasping a rolled up piece of paper and looking like a hare in the headlights, it’s tough out there. For some, this shelter from the real world might provide comfort, but for me the ‘best time of my life’ means my head should be a bit more screwed on than it is now. No-one has any idea what they’re doing or who they are just yet: this is the journey, not the destination. And frankly, the thought that everything after this is going to get worse is terrifying. I don’t want to postpone the real world, I want to get out there and see it and feel it and taste it and do it all RIGHT NOW. Particularly in these dark days of £9k tuition fees (and forgive me for bringing that tired old argument to the party), uni is an investment more than it’s a free pass to delay adulthood with some hazy memories of beer pong and cheese toasties. Ask me again in 5 years though, and I’ll don my nostalgia cap and tell you how much I long for a custard cream diet and an essay deadline. Because like hell will I have it all figured out then either.
Epigram
30.09.2013
12 14
Whistleblowers should be protected, not prosecuted
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Theprotectiongiven to whistleblowers was seemingly all talk
In recent years, and indeed more so in recent months, the acts of Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning, Edward Snowden and Julian Assange have all been thrown into the public eye, receiving praise and suffering scrutiny alike. When we examine the overall coverage and treatment of their actions and their consequences, we are presented with much bias and hypocrisy. Truly,
much of the American press referred to Snowden as a ‘leaker’, rather than as a political dissident, or a ‘whistleblower’, and more worryingly still, both he and Manning were labelled as unpatriotic meddlers whose acts were nothing more than selfish subterfuge, endangering public safety and national security. In the ensuing chaos that followed Snowden’s whistleblowing on the NSA’s gathering of information on its and other nations’ citizens through closeted surveillance, Obama’s administration back-pedalled hugely on its stance on whistleblowing. In a tacit tail-between-legs manner, the following was removed from change.gov - the website set up during the Obama-Biden campaign to promote transparency in government, to make them work for the people and not the ‘special interests of the White House’: ‘Barack Obama will strengthen whistleblower laws to protect federal workers who expose... abuse of authority in government. Obama will ensure that...whistleblowers have full access to courts and due process.’ This supposed protection to be offered to whistleblowers was seemingly all talk. The only person to whom Edward Snowden could have gone with his concerns over the NSA surveillance
flickr:(cup)cake_eater
When given the brief for this article, I was immediately hit by the urge to write rather leftist, vitriolic spiel against those who have doggedly pursued various individuals who have sacrificed their own positions, lives and personal freedoms in order to expose the gross inadequacies and hypocrisy of an assortment of bodies, governmental and otherwise. So I waited until such urges had subsided and came up with this: In a post-1984 world, any extreme measure to suppress the legitimate voice of dissidence has been compared to the now infamous Orwellian dystopia. For many, such a comparison to this Big Brother state is outrageous hyperbole and over-weening in its efforts to force recognition of the totalitarian-like measures governments take against those who speak out, for others it is not. As Dwight Eisenhower remarked, it is of vast importance that ‘we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion’. Although speaking against the terrors of Stalinism and
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Oliver Carter-Esdale
the lowering of the iron curtain during the height of the Red Scare, what Eisenhower’s words suggest today is that it is the right of any person to disagree - and vocally so - with their government’s policy and not be subjected to a witch hunt; as the legacy of McCarthyism has shown, it is patently obvious that such castigating punishment of dissidence is wholly wrong
program was the head of the NSA, who was already aware of it and had in fact misled members of congress about its existence. Moreover, it is hard to believe such blatant hypocrisy in the case of Private Manning, whose own exposé was treated with no such ‘due process’, with the UN labelling her treatment as ‘cruel and inhuman’. Manning’s 35 year sentence is a tough message from a government which once claimed to champion such patriotic activities intended to serve the national interest. Without writing a thesis, I am unable to delve into the complexities
surrounding various arguments surrounding motives of potential selfaggrandisement which critics of whistleblowers have been keen to trumpet as loudly as possible. Though, it is perfectly true that the motives and personalities of these individuals can be flawed; most notably in the case of Wikileaks’ founder, Julian Assange, who refuses to face rape charges in Sweden, as he seems to believe it to be a US-led conspiracy against him, and whose record of late seems to be stuck playing solely the adagio of his own personal suffering.
Regardless of Assange’s own personal traits, what must be established outright is the original intention of Wikileaks and those who have chosen to blow the whistle on unacceptable behaviour and action within government and other agencies. Dissidence and objection to misleading, questionably criminal activity brought to national attention should not see those individuals lambasted, shot down nor prosecuted with such a heavy hand. Rather, we should - as Obama once claimed to uphold their rights, examine their revelations, and welcome such transparency.
Why social media fandoms should be taken seriously
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One Direction have hit the big time and with it their seemingly unstoppable fanbase have also caught the limelight
For any fan the idea of Twitter is a remarkable tool. I joined twitter solely to follow David Mitchell which is sadly telling about my former fifteen-year-old self. I joined
because the concept of being able to feast on the current musings of the celebrity you adore is exciting, and I can totally empathise with the thousands of Directioners on Twitter who avidly read the 140 characters of mindless chatter and fan encouragement just as I did with David Mitchell. Twitter can, on the other hand, have a dangerous and frankly frighteningly side to it. This was seen recently when some Justin Biebers’ fans cut themselves in an attempt to get their beloved star to quit smoking marijuana. I remember it began as them demonstrating support but soon their confused justification fell flat in the face of Twitter’s grown ups criticising vulnerable teenage girls with razors in their hands. In any other situation adult men mocking, swearing and verbally abusing teenage girls would be criminal harassment, but on Twitter it’s accepted. That is not to say that the Beliebers cutting themselves was an appropriate course of action; simply that the situation was a serious signal that those few girls needed psychological help, not abuse on the internet from unsympathetic and provocative adults. It seems we criticise and mock these girls but then scoff when they group together to
fight off these comments. Without Twitter, though, would the wider public be so aware of fandoms such the Directioners? TV shows like The X Factor utilise social media to fully immerse their viewers in the life and progression of the acts on the programme. This adds another dimension for fans and, understandably, some teenagers , who are typically those with a large amount of time to spare on the internet, and the skills to use it , become attached to the star’s journey through the minefield of becoming a minor, or major celebrity. I can understand how entertaining The X Factor could be to some people with its scandals, music, men who sing about how beautiful you are; with the use of Twitter this drama can continue beyond the television screen. Recently, the role of technology as a whole has also influenced the growth of reality TV show celebrities with Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube all playing into the idea of actually befriending the celebrity themselves. Maybe one of the most important reasons the Twitter fans are so protective of their favourite stars is because they genuinely feel like they are close friends with the star. This is an easy conclusion to draw on if you spend day
after day surrounded by social media detailing their every move; you become friends with their friends, go out to meals, shop together, go practically everywhere together. Reacting to spiteful comments about people they legitimately care about doesn’t seem appalling from that context. However, that doesn’t negate my major problem with
typical ‘fangirl’ behaviour; a lack of questioning and an infallible faith in people who are little more than teenagers themselves. It seems the danger lies where the girls aren’t thinking autonomously, but truly obsessively which is concerning once we realise the age of Twitter has only just begun.
flickr: donkeyjacket45
One Direction have hit the big time and with it their seemingly unstoppable fanbase have also caught the limelight. The five-piece boy band has flourished in popularity over the past three years now and I haven’t gone a week without someone either attempting to convert me to the cult-like fan base of ‘Directioners’ or ranting about how appalling they, and their obsessive teenage fans, are. However, should an obsession with a boy band specifically engineered to the desires of many teenage girls be a cause to criticise this demographic further? Teenage girls are frequently scorned for their choice in music, clothing, make up and literature without much being said positively about their impact on the world. In contrast male football fans, from my perspective, don’t appear to obsess overtly differently to Directioners and yet are not as routinely mocked for their interest. Has this form of idol worshipping been exaggerated, or brought further to our attention
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Margot Tudor
through the advent of Twitter and social networking as a whole? And has it developed our understanding of how dangerous being an unquestioning follower can be? Furthermore, has technology as a whole increased the level of obsession surrounding One Direction? With Facebook and Skype connecting millions of teenagers with similar likes and dislikes all over the globe, it seems being a fan in the 21st Century could not be more personally invasive if it tried.
Epigram
30.09.2013
13 13 15
It could be worse for al-Assad, he could be Hezbollah
Andrea Valentino
against an American or Israeli attack on Syria also implies that Hezbollah is on a sturdy footing. In truth though, the current violence threatens the very existence of Hezbollah and the Shi’a in Lebanon, just as it does in Syria. Already, scuffles have broken out between Hezbollah fighters and Sunni rebels in the Lebanese coastal town of Tripoli. The latter have moved across the border in large numbers to escape President Assad’s roaming helicopter gunships. Even the Hezbollah fortress of South Beirut is not impervious to religious killing. Last month, a powerful bomb in the district injured dozens. The probable culprits were Sunni extremists. Hezbollah are apostates worthy of annihilation at the best of times, and especially now with their persistent support of government forces in Syria. All of this leads to the basic point as far as Hezbollah is concerned: a rebel (Sunni) victory in Syria would be a calamity. The collapse of Assad’s regime would clap Hezbollah between hostile palms, the Israelis being
no more tolerant of the group’s existence than any conceivable Sunni rulers in Damascus. Certainly, Iran would still be there, but between Tehran and Beirut there spans 2,000 kilometres and two unstable countries (Syria and Iraq). In broader terms, moreover, the bloodshed in Syria risks
slicing up the delicate carpet that has covered Lebanon’s religious stains for the past two decades. Even if Bashar al-Assad somehow crawls his way to victory, the sectarian wounds prised open within Islam would not heal overnight. The number of Sunni Palestinians in Lebanon sympathetic to the
Syrian rebels makes that impossible. If Assad loses, the killing of Shi’as on Syria’s western flank screams out the risks to their coreligionists in Lebanon. Just like its financiers in Damascus, Hezbollah is facing an existential battle, and its not going to. get jabbed into the Mediterranean without a fight.
flickr: Omar Chatriwala
Life must be terribly lonely for Bashar al-Assad. His regime is despised in the West, and several of his neighbours are actively supporting those trying to depose him. Even Russia and Iran, the two countries he can really call for help, seem impotent to stop the slow unfolding of American military power in the region. But for all his enemies, at least the Syrian president has the basic rights that come with being the head of a sovereign nation state, and a decent flow of munitions courtesy of Moscow and Tehran. In summary: the Syrian government’s position could be more wretched that it is. It could be Hezbollah. For unlike its sponsors in Damascus, this Lebanese Shi’a militia group
has never had international legitimacy. Its avowed and frenetic anti-Semitism makes Hezbollah’s widespread acceptance impossible. Arbitrary rocket attacks into Israel hardly helps matters. For its part, the United States considers Hezbollah a terrorist organisation. More immediately, Hezbollah’s security is threatened by the fighting across the border. Its stock of weapons would be in serious danger were their fellow Shi’as and patrons to lose the civil war in Syria. That is not to say that Hezbollah is lacking in arms, quite the contrary. Since 1990, when Lebanon’s own round of sectarian butchery finally ended, the group has worked hard to reinforce its position, both politically and militarily. In South Beirut, Hezbollah largely run the show at the expense of the official Lebanese government, funding various social security schemes. The organisation was galvanised by a decent performance during the 2006 war against Israel, which it cast as a triumph. Spirited claims that it will retaliate strongly
Sochi Olympics: the LGBT question that needs answering
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Gestures, as history reminds us, can be powerful
So to whom does the job of displaying righteous indignation at the Olympics fall to? The politicians, who seem only to pay lip service, or the athletes themselves? Gestures, as history reminds us, can be powerful. The black armbands worn in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe by cricketers Henry Olonga and Andy Flowers in the 2003 World Cup riled the Zimbabwean government to the extent that both men selfexiled. Moreover the Black Power salutes of Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Summer Olympics saw them booed from the arena, but looked upon favourably
by history. What these actions have in common is that they demand no revolution in and of themselves: they are a mark of solidarity and empathy with the marginalised groups concerned. They say quite simply that we are thinking of them. This is not about sport. In this instance, politics is the game, and sporting events are the ball with which it is being played. This is why a call for boycott is merely symbolic: it creates an awareness which athletes like Williams can reiterate publicly. Athletes have been banned from bringing in rainbow paraphernalia, with Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko saying they will be ‘held accountable’ for any propagandizing, consequently a physical gesture is the only feasible alternative. Fry suggests a universal symbol to mark solidarity with LGBT Russians such as the crossing of one’s arms across the chest. So, in the absence of real action by politicians and organisers, it falls to the rest of the world, fronted by its sportspeople, to display disapproval and solidarity in the face of institutionalised discrimination. With a move and a boycott both out of the question, the only viable action to be undertaken is a PR-savvy awareness scheme reinforced by athletes. Doing nothing, as Fry says, would make us complicit in LGBT Russians’ mistreatment. As Demond Tutu once said, ‘if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor’.
Flickr/Zefrog
It seems no modern Olympic games goes by without some political snag and given Russia’s increasingly explicit homophobic legislation, the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics are shaping up to be no exception. Passed in Russia in June, a federal law imposes a ban on the distributing and publicising of information pertaining to ‘non-traditional’ (i.e. nonheterosexual) sexualities. It is being marketed under the guise of a pernicious ‘think of the children!’ mentality that intends to stall the sexualisation of the nation’s youth. It has prevented open dialogue about sexual identities (a freedom of speech issue if nothing else) in a move harking back to the days of clandestine gay bars and frequent police raids which culminated in the 1969 Stonewall Riots. It is worth noting that the same mindset behind Putin’s legislation was seen in this country not twenty-five years ago, in the Section 28 Amendment to the Local Government Act 1988. This new regressive legislation contributes, claims actor, broadcaster and nation’s sweetheart Stephen Fry,
to represent their country. Amongst those in opposition to both a move and a boycott is Amy Williams, British skeleton champion, who proposes that the rest of the world ‘highlight the issue in other ways, through political leaders’. She is in good company: both David Cameron and chairman of the British Olympic Association Lord Coe agree that, while Russia’s actions are deplorable, it is better to ‘challenge prejudice as we attend, rather than boycotting the Winter Olympics’.
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Holly Jones
to the ‘scapegoating’ of LGBT individuals in Russia - individuals who are, by all accounts, killing themselves with alarming regularity to escape a society which forces assimilation into a statesanctioned mode of normativity. Russian LGBT organisations report that right-wing vigilantes are imposing a reign of terror through organised beatings and humiliations, including the ‘corrective’ rape of gay women. In an eloquent and compelling letter published on his website, Fry draws comparisons between the present situation and the treatment of Jews at the beginning of the rise of the Third Reich, and implores Prime Minister David Cameron and International Olympics Committee officials to move the games in a mark of protest: ‘At all costs, Putin cannot be seen to have the approval of the civilised world’. Whatever your opinion on the place of a sporting event to police the politics of a sovereign state, it is undeniable that sport can make as much of a statement as any international summit. Though Fry and his supporters have conceded a total move unrealistic, a boycott is not so far-fetched. At the height of the Cold War, the USA and sixty four others boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics in response to Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan, prompting Warsaw Pact countries to respond similarly in 1984. This, however, would not sit well with the athletes who have trained so intensively
Epigram
30.09.2013
Letters
Editor: Emma Leedham letters@epigram.org.uk
Football’s overspending obsession inequality is rife; on the same week still potentially hold the most Bale moved to Madrid, Kettering power in the sport. After all, football Town FC were issued with a winding at the top level could not function up order as they could not pay off without the money generated from a £58,000 debt. Football appears to ticket sales, shirt sales and Sky have lost its moral compass; money Sports subscriptions. Yet at a time and success are deemed more when spending threatens to spiral important than out of control community and within the game, tradition. reigns “Could you imagine apathy Symptomatic largely supreme of football’s the government or amongst fans. The obsession with majority of Cardiff money is the banks receiving such City fans still belief that top attend matches clubs have no criticism for spending with many even option but to wearing red shirts. ‘ o v e r s p e n d ’ within their means?” Arsenal fans were (in the words recently pictured of Sky Sports holding banners pundit Gary Neville) if they want that essentially endorsed Neville’s to compete at the top level. Gary overspending comments, Neville is an analyst who I have a lot whilst they themselves fork out of respect for, but on this occasion extortionate amounts of money on I found his criticism of Arsenal match day tickets. At the top level manager Arsene Wenger’s transfer football is increasingly run by club policy astonishing. Criticism was owners with interests that prioritise directed at Wenger after he stated profit over fan welfare. Although he was not willing to spend more some owners are exceptions to this than he thought a player was rule, recent trends are worrying. worth. Could you imagine the If football does not curb such government or banks receiving overspending in the near future, such criticism for spending within we could see many more instances their means? Spending at the of Kettering Town FC’s plight, this top level in football has become time on a much larger scale. reckless, with little sign of change any time soon. Kieran O’Brien It could be argued that the fans 4th year Geography
standing in front of a mirror appears. The lowest of the low – the selfie. But alas, room has been made for new depths – the iPad selfie. As if taking a photo of yourself and someone else doesn’t demonstrate your own fundamental incapacity to have even the remotest semblance of a good time, you then sabotage your own idiocy by taking up two thirds of the photo with your ridiculous choice of photographic device. These are all situations in which I have found myself during the last few months. They show the breadth of ways in which the iPad can be misused, however the end result is always the same – the user looks like a fool. Coupled with my own personal frustration comes the knowledge that vast swathes of the iPad community do not seem to realise their own ridiculousness. Concerts are for the music – if you don’t want to listen then don’t buy a ticket. Tourism shouldn’t be about trying to make yourself as obvious as possible – if you don’t want to look like a numpty then buy a camera. Yet most importantly, you should be able to amuse yourself in your spare time. If ever it seems a sensible idea to take a photo of yourself and a friend in a mirror, perhaps you should think about downloading Angry Birds or taking up baking. I have nothing against iPads – they are a brilliant invention. Yet they should not be used as cameras. Therefore I implore you Bristol, next time you see someone taking a photo with one, remind them of their own foolishness. Perhaps one iPad at a time, we can restore sanity into the world. Alex Longley 4th year French and Politics
Flickr: daveynin
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The iPad. A glowing technological miracle that would have been science fiction a decade ago. The thought child of one of the geniuses of a generation. The bastion of a middle class existence. However, their growing misuse is rendering them a blight on society. The clue is in the name. They are ‘iPads’, not ‘iCameras’. You are at a concert. Beck – the genre hopping, mid-90s American hipster stalwart – is playing to an audience of less than 1,000 people at Islington’s Union Chapel. You have a perfect view. This is until you realise that you are sat behind the heartless soul who has brought their iPad. They show an abhorrent disregard for the music and care only that the entire concert is on as many social media sites as possible before the sun rises the following day. You soon find yourself in the bewildering situation where the 563 Facebook friends of the iPad-wielding lunatic in front have a better view of the gig than you, the chump who forked out £40 to be there and witness it. You are at the Louvre. Paris’s famous glass pyramids are glistening from the sun’s rays in front of you. Suddenly you find yourself ambushed by a tour group. From within this rabble, iPads begin bobbing up and down like some kind of 21st century whack-a-mole. In this it becomes clear that the 30 people who have just engulfed you are too good to buy a camera. Why bring a pocket-sized device that captures better photos on holiday with you, when you could take a larger and more impractical piece of aluminium that makes you a walking theft target? You are browsing Facebook. Flicking through the blackest holes of the internet in the dead of night. From nowhere a picture of two friends
Flickr: Jon Candy
The football team I supported growing up was Cardiff City. As somebody who was born in Cardiff and grew up in the city, I devotedly followed the club both home and away with a great degree of pride. Varying success on the field did not matter; paramount was the fact that the team represented the city I was from. However, in June 2012 I took the decision to cease attending matches, after the club’s Malaysian owners ‘rebranded’ the club. Instead of playing in their traditional blue strip with a bluebird on the badge, the team would now play in red with a red dragon, the most predominant symbol on the club’s crest. The history and tradition of the club was deemed less important than a rebrand bizarrely designed to sell the club to an emerging far east market. For me, this prioritisation of shirt sales and market opportunism over the demands of a loyal fan base was too much to stomach, hence my boycotting of all Cardiff matches. The rebrand served as an eye opener to the way that football as an institution has become overly obsessed with, and controlled by, money. Whilst I have always been aware of issues of overspending and economic disparity within the sport, I have been so immersed in it that I have always considered such issues to be of secondary importance to the football itself. However, when this vested interest in football is removed, the obscene economic activity conducted becomes strikingly apparent. First let us consider the money spent by the top clubs. Undoubtedly the most documented transfer story of this summer has been Gareth Bale’s world record £85.6m move from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid. Whilst it could be argued that such transfers can be justified by the amount of revenue clubs such as Madrid can generate from shirt sales, sponsorship and TV revenue, when the spending is placed in a wider economic context its barbaric nature is revealed. Madrid have spent €100m on a footballer at a time when Spain is crippled by debt; Bale now earns a reported £300,000 a week when over half of Spain’s youth is unemployed. Within the sport too
Epigram
30.09.13
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Puzzles
Brought to you by Emma Leedham
Crossword:
How much do you know about Bristol?
Richard Cocks
epAnagram Can you unscramble the following places in Bristol? D
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Picture quiz: all-star alumni Can you work out who these famous ex-Bristol students are?
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Flickr: Spliter
1. Historic passenger steamship docked in Bristol (2, 5, 7) 2. Bristol’s largest railway station (6, 5) 3. Some famous steps in Bristol are named after this annual holiday (8) 4. District of Bristol which holds an annual Caribbean carnival (2, 5) 5. Nickname of Clifton pub that serves exhibition cider (4, 3) 6. Animated dog, 83 of which were trailed around Bristol this summer (6) 8. First ever elected Mayor of Bristol (6, 7) 9. Bristol’s waterside independent cinema (9) 12. Surname of the 19th century engineer who designed the Clifton Suspension Bridge (6) 13. Name of the detective who’s next TV series is filmed in Bristol (8) 17. One of Bristol’s two football clubs, whose ground is the Memorial Stadium (6)
5. Bristol-based lady who co-hosted Countdown (5, 9) 7. The largest restaurant in the UK,, serving world cuisine (2, 2, 6) 10. Harbourside arts centre and gallery (9) 11. Bristol’s city centre theatre (10) 14. A popular alcoholic drink in the West Country (5) 15. Channel 4’s British teen drama based in Bristol (5) 16. Ex-Bristol student and famous illusionist (6, 5) 18. Reptile-related nightclub, popular amongst students (6, 6) 19. Landmark building which stands 215 feet-tall at the heart of the University (5) 20. Bristol-based animation studios and creators of Wallace and Gromit (7)
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Flickr:Beacon Radio
Flickr: lwpkommunikacio
Flickr: Amplified2010
Want to write puzzles for Epigram this year? Email: letters@epigram.org.uk
Sudoku
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CULTURE
Odysseus Stone
Epigram
30.09.2013
Arts
Editor: Claudia Knowles
Deputy Editor: Rose Bonsier
Online Editor: Erin Fox
arts@epigram.org.uk
deputyarts@epigram.org.uk
artsonline@epigram.org.uk
@EpigramArts
Richard Long: walking into life ”
Bristol I found my feet
Iona Singleton, Alicante, Spain
Where’ve You Been? Flickr - Dr Case
SPACEINBETWEEN
SPACEINBETWEEN
What does it take to create a masterpiece of modern art? Walking a path that no-one
says, ‘the provincialism of the local Bristol art school gave me my biggest break’. He says, ‘being thrown out of Bristol I found my feet’. Finally, I asked Long if he had a message for aspiring students and after jokingly replying ‘no!’ he advised, ‘be honest to what you are truly interested in... Follow your own path, as I did’. Erin Fox
Claudia Knowles, Amsterdam, Holland
thrown out of
over one hundred miles, have lead him to the most remote places of not only Britain but also South Africa, Japan and India amongst others. It is on his walks that he manipulates the landscape to form his art. In an impromptu and rare interview from the reportedly elusive artist, I asked Richard Long about the city where he made his first footsteps and how its landscape influenced the line of his work later in life. He told me how he was ‘always fascinated by the tide’ and how this fascination began with the River Avon,‘Its muddy creeks were my playground’. Other influences were the ‘limestone caves and the smooth slopes of the cliffs of the Avon Gorge’. Largely undiscovered by students, these were the landscapes of Long’s childhood. And they were not forgotten; in an exhibition for the M Shed in 2011 Long created a piece using the mud of the river Avon to create a perfect circle metres tall composed of finger-made patterns, the muddy playground evidently continuing to influence him over fifty years later. While these visions of Bristol’s landscape are still able to be enjoyed, Long tells Epigram about his memories of a changed city. He reminisces about the ‘long grass on the downs before the football pitches were made’ and the docks when they were in use for commercial shipping. He remembers how the ships would be just ‘stacking up’. So retrace Long’s steps and visit Bristol’s original features, for as the artist’s work often reminds us, the landscape is impermanent and changeable. Long’s story also reminds us that while the path you take may not have been the one you intended, it often works out for the best. While studying at the West of England College of Art he was thrown out. But Long
Odysseus Stone, Pushkar, India
“Being
has walked before. That is what Richard Long CBE, a world-renowned land artist from Bristol, did in 1967 with his piece ‘Line Made by Walking’. A line of flattened grass, created by Long’s footsteps tracing back and forth in a field then photographed. All at once art is stationary and it is in motion, it is visual and it is physical. Go and see for yourself – ‘Delabole Slate Circle’ is in the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. Walking and movement are central to Long’s art. His walks, sometimes spanning
FLASH ART FAN... WHO
Salvadore Dali (1904-1989) The pioneer of Surrealism. An extrovert with a subversive personality that often eclipsed his artistic production. Dali was an instigator of celebrity PR, understanding the power of publicity and performing extremist antics in order to create hype. anhysteria.
WHEN
WHAT
Dali lived all over the world throughout his prolific career but originated from southern Spain. He moved to Madrid in 1922 to study fine art at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. He heard about the Surrealist movement in Paris and met Andre Breton and from that moment his life was permeated by surrealist thoughts. Later in his life he moved to New York and Hollywood and became intoxicated by self-promotion and the limelight.
Most known for his strange and bizarre visions, exploring Freud’s theories on the subconscious awakening sexual desire and the idea of the uncanny. His work ranged from oil paintings to plastic installations, such as the lip bench in Berlin’s Potsdammer Platz.
K e y themes include death, sex and the nature of time. Motifs are repeatedly used as explicit references to his own paranoia, with phallic symbols alluding to his tumultuous sex life.
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Afghanistan re-awakened And the Mountains Echoed begins with a story within a story, one in which Khaled Hosseini’s central theme of family is immediately introduced. The novel explores the juxtapositions that exist within family – the tension between a parent’s need to keep their children close and their desire to give them the best in life, and between a child’s instinct to protect a younger sibling and their unwillingness to sacrifice their own happiness. Hosseini has a skill for introducing a character who doesn’t seem to be central to the story only to switch the focus on to them in another chapter; their life unfolds and is explored in as much depth as those of the central characters. It is through this detailed character development that the world Hosseini creates comes to life. His writing is undeniably skilful, Hosseini slips metaphors and descriptive language into his writing in such a way that it does not obstruct the reader from the core of the story. Every once in a while a sentence or phrase stands out and stays with you. Nabi, one of Hosseini’s characters, says ‘I suspect the truth is that we are waiting, all of us, against insurmountable odds, for something extraordinary to happen to us’. It sounds like a strange thing to say, but over-filling a novel with creative flourishes makes it difficult for the reader to connect with the raw human emotion and the core
story the writer is trying to tell. When it feels like the writer has had to make an effort it has an impact on the reader - suddenly enjoying the story also
“Hosseini
creates a
knot of entangled lives
”
and personalities
becomes an effort. As in The Kite Runner (2003) and A Thousand Splendid Suns (2007) Hosseini ties in Afghan culture and attitudes, particularly towards women and other themes such as sexuality. This provides yet another dimension, many of the characters suffer because they are so restricted by religion and prejudices. It takes someone who has lived and breathed Afghan culture to be able to write so convincingly about the alternate happiness and suffering his characters experience and endure. Hosseini creates a knot of entangled lives and personalities, and populates his world with an array of threedimensional characters. It begins
In its 19th year and with 225 films from 40 different countries, Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival showcases the work of newcomers and veterans alike, and it’s all rather brilliant. From the magical stop motion Quadropus to psychedelic Aliens to Alan Rickman, this festival has
and ends with the story of Abdullah and Pari, siblings who are separated by their father and whose lives take on two separate and unequal paths. Hosseini explores the lives of not only the siblings but all the characters who surround them, from their stepmother and her disabled sister to their step uncle and his helpless employer, to the aid workers who eventually move to Kabul and the suffering patients they take care of. It is the theme of family which ties the separate threads together. Hosseini explores the emotions which are most prominent in a family: love, loyalty, betrayal, separation and loss. It is his deep understanding of these and his ability to portray them that make the novel worth reading. I would say that And the Mountains Echoed is not as tragic and touching as Hosseini’s other novels, however the characters are engaging, the story is emotionally gripping, and the book is definitely worth reading. Gjeta Gjyshinca
And the Mountains Echoed (Bloomsbury, 2013) is out now in paperback and hardback.
a bit of something for everyone. Running from the 17th to the 22nd of September this smorgasbord of talent from around the world offers the very best of dazzling animation and thought provoking short films that have been whittled down from a list of around 2500 titles,
WHY Dali worked with Elsa Shiapperelli designing a white lobster dress, and went on to create his iconic red lip sofa and sculpture and lobster telephone. He also worked in film, liasing with Hitchcock on his dream sequences in Spellbound. Surprisingly he also worked with Walt Disney on a collaboration, making preparatory sketches for a film Destino, not completed until 2003.
Many critics believe his work is so alien because of his troubled upbringing in Catalonia, where he had a violent father and suffered intense anxiety. Dali’s work is subversive, confusing and intoxicating, allowing access to these surreal dreamscapes.
boasting some well known actors as well as directors. For more information about the festival, check out www.encounters-festival.org.uk Marcus Hills
WHERE His diverse technique and distortion of scale combine to produce disturbing and irrational worlds.
Housed in all the major institutions such as New York’s MOMA, London’s Tate Moderm and Madrid’s Rena.
Maisie Waters
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The Story of My Life This year we’ll be asking some of the most talented writers and artists to tell us about a book that is especially significant to them. Be it a favourite novel, one that changed their perspective, or a story that was particularly relevant during a period in their life, they’ll be telling us why their chosen book is so important.
‘A number of books have come into my life at what turned out to be meaningful moments: Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle; Mark Helprin’s Winter’s Tale; Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicineall candidates for ‘The Story of my Life’ for different reasons. But the book I have to choose is Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. Rebecca was the first book I checked out from the library’s adult section, having relentlessly pleaded to leave behind the lower level, where the children’s books
Chris Hardy
Tracy Guzeman’s debut novel The Gravity of Birds (Simon & Schuster) is quickly becoming an indie hit after its release in August. Perceptive and lyrical, it explores love, sisterhood, and the conflict between the two. You can read our full interview with Tracy on the Epigram website (www.epigram.org. uk)
Psychadelia on the Spui
What? De Boeken Markt
Where? Spui, Amsterdam
When?
In the brief separation that summer brings between us and the creative hub of Bristol’s street corners, I decided to search elsewhere for a more continental kick. [Pictured: Posters for English bands Soft Machine and UFO, for the 1967 series of concerts with psychedelic-rock group The Crazy World of Arthur Brown]
Every Friday
Why? Stall owners sit slouched in picnic chairs down the centre of the cobbled path, carved out of the square by two long troves of literary treasure. There’s an unspoken code that strictly forbids the hassling bargaining techniques infamous to most markets, allowing the owners’ card games to unfold undisturbed and leaving browsers to peruse in peace.
Amsterdam book market, although small, is vast in its offerings. A morning here is not nearly enough to examine even half of what is displayed. Hidden in endless mounds of books are delights from a first edition Winnie the Pooh to an 1860 copy of Oorsprong van Soorten (Dutch for The Origin of Species). Alongside the books, of which I bought a century-old soft leatherbound Keats collection, are piles of magazines, posters, stamps and lithographs. It took me at least two hours to whittle down the heap of ‘30s satirical magazines, art nouveau soap labels and miniature bird stamps. I eventually settled on two late sixties psychedelic rock posters by the aptly named art/music collective, Hapshash and the Coloured Coat.
Author Tracy Guzeman on Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca
were housed. Rebecca was in the stacks on the mysterious second floor, previously forbidden to me. I remember racing home, throwing myself on my bed and reading for the rest of the day.
“Rebecca gave me characters who were flawed and dark, jealous...” So dark! So atmospheric! Rebecca gave me an unnamed heroine with little knowledge of her own worth. It gave me the magnificent Manderley then set it ablaze. But most of all, after years spent reading stories in which the motivation of villains received scant explanation, Rebecca gave me characters who were flawed and dark, jealous and wretched; du Maurier, writing with compassion for each, helped me understand why, and in doing so showed me that these characters could be the most interesting of all.’ Rose Bonsier The old-school style is one we are now accustomed to, as replicas and recreations splatter the brick walls of graffitied streets such as Stokes Croft. It’s hard to transport your imagination back to a time when trippy coloured gypsy women hadn’t yet been reprinted to the point of exacerbation. Leafing through the original posters left me sentimental for a decade of discovery that I wasn’t a part of. The artworks and music combined epitomise the hypnotic, seductive appeal of the drastic rejection of societal norms some fifty, sixty years ago. Rediscovering them now allows us to indulge in that nostalgia, tapping back into the spirit of that free-loving age.
A few words we owe to Mr Shakespeare... - Swagger A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Arouse King Henry VI - Dwindle King Henry IV -Drugged Macbeth -Hobnob Twelfth Night
Throughout history art has always acted as a catalyst for change. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, with the revolutionary assistance of radio-waves, music jumped aboard the bandwagon to draw the masses together in campaigns against US military involvement in East Asia. The posters and illustrations that accompanied them worked as the physical embodiment of the message they were projecting. Music made the noise whilst art silently infiltrated the minds of even the most stubborn. Through stylisation and colour, an image has the ability to be stamped onto the memory of its observer. The Hapshash posters symbolise the creativity of p e a ce movements that had b e e n cultivated by the late 1960s. Even if their original impact i s lost on our now overcrowded eye-lines, the memory they evoke is one of such mysticism that they force us to yearn a bygone era, whether we’re entitled to or not. Claudia Knowles
-Scuffle Antony and Cleopatra -Undress The Taming of the Shrew -Puking As You Like It -Skim Milk Henry IV -Zany Love’s Labours Lost
Film & TV
Epigram
30.09.2013
@epigramfilm Editor: Gareth Downs
Deputy Editor: Matthew Field
Online Editor: Alejandro Palekar
filmandtv@epigram.org.uk
deputyfilmandtv@epigram.org.uk
filmandtvonline@epigram.org.uk
hollywood reporter.com
Diana: a tasteless chick flick
‘‘
Diana must be turning in her grave
Nelson Mandela is next in line to be cinematically martyred. Let’s hope that his screen debut lives up to the hype because Diana must be turning in her grave.
42 isn’t quite a home run
Diana is in cinemas now Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel, 113 mins
EPIGRAM COMPETITION
http://42movie.warnerbros.com/
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the life of a very famous person must, at some point, be transferred onto the big screen. It happened to the Queen, it happened to Bob Dylan and now, who’d have guessed, it has happened to Diana. Congratulations are, perhaps, in order to the producers for waiting this long – they’ve probably been sitting on this script for the past sixteen years. And now, apparently, is the right time for Diana’s life to be cut up into a series of “cinematic” gobbets, scrutinised, “humanised”, and above all, sickeningly martyred. Her sons must be so proud. Diana is a car crash of a film, and I use this phrase quite literally (as well as enjoying the metaphorical pun). It begins with the car crash, it ends with the car crash (I don’t think this constitutes a spoiler – an unfortunate feature of the film is that we all know how it ends) and the rest of the film is chick-flick filler, following Diana’s love affair with Hasnat Khan, in anticipation of said car crash.
The film opens with an epic movie soundtrack worthy of Lord of the Rings as the camera tracks ominously behind Naomi Watts whilst she makes her way to her death cab. It was, perhaps, a logistical rather than artistic decision to have the camera follow Naomi Watts from behind in a desperate attempt to disguise the fact that she looks nothing like Diana for as long as possible. If only a similar attempt had been made to mask Watts’ acting ability.
’’
In fairness, Watts makes a good attempt. She must have watched a lot of footage of the woman – her “There were three of us in this marriage” monologue is accompanied with a practised, but spot on, doe-eyed expression along with coy smile and bowed head. Sadly, this is where her talent as an impressionist ends. Watts looks perpetually terrified throughout at the prospect of having to play the People’s Princess and never comfortably settles into the role, although she doesn’t have much to work with anyway. The dialogue is fodder for Daily Mail readers – they might find it endearing that Diana mistakes the word omniscient for omnibus and does not understand that burgers can be made by normal human beings, but the more intelligent viewer will seriously question how accurate Watts’ portrayal is of Diana as a victimised blonde. Snap Stills/Rex USA
Emily Fitzgerald
In conjunction with Entertainment One UK and How I Live Now, Epigram has some great prizes to give away! These include include headphones, sunglasses (as worn by Daisy in the film) and a lined notebook. How I Live Now is out in cinemas on the 4th October and stars Saoirse Ronan.
Gareth Downs Jackie Robinson’s story is heroic, albeit of little resonance with most people our side of the pond. He was the first black American to compete in major league baseball, which had been exclusively white leagues. up until 1947. Robinson was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and 42, so called because of his famed shirt number, does a satisfactory job of telling his story. The film doesn’t shy away from the racial animosity that Robinson faced and Chadwick Boseman, who bears more than a passing resemblance to Robinson, does a stellar job of bringing the right amount of selfconfidence and tenacity to a role that must bring a degree of pressure in the States. Harrison Ford also gives a good performance as the Dodgers’ general manager, Branch Rickey, without being overtly show stopping.
The film itself delivers a heroic climax every fifteen minutes, which gets a little wearing. Ford and Boseman getting more than their fair share of inspiring, poignancy thanks to the script. However, it bears a lot of similarities to Disney’s Remember The Titans and the forcefulness in which it delivers its uplifting message is overlooked thanks to great direction in the safe hands of Brian Helgeland. The baseball scenes are handled excellently and, thankfully, they offer some relief from the stirring monologues. 42 has told a hero’s story and done so, tastefully. It is not a remarkable film but it has somewhat done justice to a story that deserved to be told.
42 is in cinemas now Dir. Brian Helgeland, 128 mins
Epigram 30.09.2013
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‘Rush’ is a podium finish for Howard
rushmovie.com
rsvlts.com
rushmovie.com
‘‘ The premise of Rush is simple. In the world of 1970’s racing, two contrasting personalities climb the ranks to ignite one of the bitterest rivalries Formula One has ever seen. Hunt, played by Hemsworth, is the English playboy whose fearless badboy nature makes him irresistible to women. Lauda, meanwhile, is Hunt’s pragmatist; a social outcast whose ‘rat like’ features are a constant source of mockery from Hunt. Lauda posses a calm, methodical and assiduous persona, providing an impeccable
Rush has the wit, glamour, sex, humour and spirit to be a huge triumph for Ron Howard
’’
The edge of your seat viewing that Rush creates is epitomised perfectly by Lauda’s opening lines ‘Twenty five people start Formula One and each year, two die’. Aside from the incredible acting from the two leading men, the racing scenes provide the perfect accompaniment to the off track rivalry. Rush supposedly incorporated up to 36 cameras for race scenes, some of which were mounted in the cars themselves. What Howard has been able to produce is the most realistic, exhilarating and dramatic racing scenes I have ever witnessed in a film. The ultra fast cut scenes and close ups of the cars bring the audience closer to the thrill of
Formula One racing than any film ever has managed to achieve before. Praise aside, the film does fall down slightly in one department. Olivia Wilde and Alexandra Maria Lara are cast as Suzy Hunt and Marlene Lauda, the wives of the two protagonists. Both actresses are largely maligned in the film and there is little to see in respect to their acting capabilities. Perhaps this is to be expected in a film that is so focused on the men whose egocentricity is the driving force behind the plot. From the outset one can see that Rush has the wit, glamour, sex, humour and spirit to be a huge triumph for Ron Howard. The casting is perfect; Hemsworth and Brühl embody the characters so brilliantly that the focus of the film shifts from racing to the existential meaning at its heart. To those of you who have never seen a Formula One race in your life, I urge you to go out and watch this film. Rush is everything a racing film should be.
Rush is in cinemas now Dir. Ron Howard, 123 mins
Review: The Kings of Summer Gareth Downs During The Kings of Summer, you could almost be forgiven for experiencing déjà vu. Jonathan Vogt-Roberts’ inaugural feature film feels a lot like Stand By Me, arguably the best of the ‘coming of age’ genre. This is far from negative and The Kings of Summer is a wonderfully well-intentioned film with a strong comedic script. The film follows the efforts of two teenage boys, Joe (Nick Robinson) and Patrick (Gabriel Basso), who are desperate to escape their overbearing parents. Together with Biaggio (Moises Arias), they descend onto a wooded plain and construct a house so well crafted that you wonder whether the lads are qualified architects. Nevertheless, the film’s implausibility is forgiven as part of its endearing whimsy. The acting performances from the three boys are fantastic: their comic timing is excellent, and they perfected the ‘Superbad dynamic’ of two nerdy friends and one complete nutcase. The exceptionally strange and offbeat performance of Arias as Biaggio, the boy whose background we know little about, is hopefully a sign of great things to come. However, it is the spectacularly brusque Nick Offerman (of Parks and Recreation fame) who is gifted the vast majority of the best lines and no one can begrudge him that as he delivers them flawlessly, no thanks to his years of practice as Ron Swanson.
As the film progresses and cracks begin to form in their utopia, the boys’ emancipation becomes less and less attractive. The comedy dries up a little in this final third and it begins to take itself quite seriously but it is so funny in the earlier parts of the film that it should be allowed a little self-indulgence. The Kings of Summer is a well-made film with a great heart, and the tranquility that transcends the film is no doubt down to Vogt-Roberts wonderful direction. He uses some lovely wildlife montages to portray the utopia that the boys have found themselves in, and a great amount of slow-motion to keep the pace of the film to a meander. The soundtrack also does the film a lot of favours with a summer vibe that lends itself perfectly to the story. Vogt-Roberts’ film is a testament to all indie comedy and to ‘coming of age’ films, of which it is one of the best since Stand By Me. This is a film to treasure for this generation.
Kings of Summer out on DVD from September 30th Dir. Jonathan Vogt-Roberts, 93
themovieblog.com
One could be forgiven for approaching Rush sceptically as, on the face of it, it seems like one for the purists. The film details the events that took place in the build up to, and during, the 1976 Formula One World Championship, which was centred on the fierce rivalry between James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl). But, don’t let the fact that the film is about Formula One deter you. Ron Howard and Peter Morgan have created a film which not only satisfies with its breath-taking racing scenes, but also with the depth and complexity of emotional intensity that it reaches.
foil to Hunt’s outlandish disposition. So, it seems that Hunt is our hero and Lauda our villain. No, there’s more to it than that. It’s worth remembering that this film is an independent film, far flung from the Hollywood blockbusters that are commonplace in our cinemas, and is not as black and white as it may seem at first. Throughout Rush we come to love and loathe both Lauda and Hunt. The scriptwriting by Peter Morgan is eloquent and elegant in equal measure; Lauda’s dry sense of humour drew a few laughs from the audience and his diligence when it comes to winning races ensures that we come to appreciate him. On the other hand, Hunt’s suave playboy image is depicted so well by Hemsworth that it wouldn’t be difficult seeing him star as James Bond indeed he introduces himself as ‘Hunt, James Hunt’ at one point in the film.
rushmovie.com
Spencer Turner
Epigram
30.09.2013
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Lovelace: Sex, fame and the terror behind the cameras Olivia Webb explores how porn is portrayed in Lovelace and the legacy of Deep Throat today
The darker side of glamour Euan Scott Lovelace is the biopic of the porn actress turned domestic-violence activist Linda Lovelace. The film starts with her as a naïve, somewhat prudish young girl, and charts her development into a self-sacrificing wife, starring in porn to make ends meet, through to her abuse on the set of Deep Throat at the hands of both the industry that made her famous and her husband Chuck Traynor (Peter Sarsgaard). Amanda Seyfried is excellent as the titular Lovelace, convincingly portraying both the shy, or else abused, young girl and later the liberated woman. Sharon Stone is her cold Catholic mother, with Robert Patrick as her father. Indeed, apart from a throwaway cameo by James Franco the cast is really very good, and the use of mise-en-scene effective, with the music in particular being very well chosen. The movie is, if anything, overly ambitious in its execution, showing many of the same scenes from two perspectives, an attempt to show the sudden change of heart that Lovelace had about pornography after her
divorce. In the first act, we see the principal photography of Deep Throat. It is here that the movie struggles to find its tone, juxtaposing scenes of violence with gags about premature ejaculation, destroying any sense of atmosphere.
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The movie struggles to find its tone, juxtaposing scenes of violence with gags about premature ejacultation
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It is only during the second half that the film really starts to come into its own, although perhaps too late. Now we revisit the set of Deep Throat, but instead of wrap parties we see the brutality of a marriage to Chuck Traynor, the parties now merely a cover for him pimping out Linda at gunpoint. This half certainly makes for darker, more difficult viewing, but the individual scenes are very short and each abuse occurs only in isolation, resulting in a disjointed act that lacks any real impact. In one notable pair of scenes, we see first the happily married couple come
into their motel room and collapse on the bed in marital bliss. Half an hour later, we see perhaps how Linda remembers the same event, with Chuck kicking the door open, forcing her onto the bed and raping her, a hand around her throat. However, with this gulf between the two scenes, visions of horrific abuse are just not as powerful as they deserve to be, instead seeming too confused and brief to have any real meaning for the characters. The original Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a meticulously crafted film and is beautiful to watch, its only problem being that it has no take-home message and no real plot. Lovelace is in a way the antithesis. Watching this, you will find that the film has some very important things to say about domestic violence and how our society responds to it. However, some very uneven editing in the first half hour and ineffective, sloppy direction throughout prevent this movie from being great; rather, it is just quite good.
Lovelace is in cinemas now Dir. Rob Epstein and Jeffery Freidman, 93 mins
I know what you watched this summer... Toby Jungius Summer is rarely a golden time for quality British television. Since most people are out of the country, on holiday or just outside enjoying the sunshine, summer’s generally considered the annual slump for TV scheduling, especially with the brighter evenings that reduce the darker hours of the day where prospective audiences might come inside to watch TV. While this may have been true for the first half of 2013’s summer, the latter half of the holidays was a welcome change from the norm. At a time where people are looking for light-hearted entertainment during their respite from work, a series of well-constructed shows came out that focused on bleak settings and depressing scenarios. I particularly enjoyed the four-part miniseries Southcliffe, which, despite some flaws that developed in the last two episodes, presented a brilliantly
paced story that captured the appeal of a narrative with no clear answers, but also successfully conveyed that something was accomplished by the series’ conclusion. In addition, while it is still on-going and playing in a time where summer has come to a close, I’m still going to talk about What Remains, partly because it started during August, but mainly because it’s becoming one of my favourite shows to come out this year. Its fantastic atmosphere achieved through well-executed camera work and eerie music makes for an unnervingly depressing environment that somehow keeps roping me back in, with each episode making me even more excited for the next, despite its melancholy tone. One TV show that I wasn’t such a big fan of however, despite the insane amount of praising reviews that it gathered, was Top of the Lake. The first two episodes felt dreary and dull, despite a cast who were obviously
meant to seem engagingly weird and quirky. In my case, the characters felt inhuman in their actions and emotional expressions. I will admit that I stopped watching after that, so maybe it all paid off and turned into something brilliant, but I felt no investment in what was going on, so I bailed out. Yet I still admire Top of the Lake because like much of the television this Summer it was a bold show with conviction in its own style and I can only hope this trend continues.
Dead Man Down themselves. Released 3rd May Perhaps, even in the contemporary 2013 porn industry, in order to get these women to take their clothes off, and to attain the desired result, these men need to wine, dine and compliment these women into a sense of security. So instead of the film wrongly picturing these men as ‘nice guys’ just making a living, I see it as showing the devious nature of those involved in this industry - and how scarily well these techniques work. But who am I to say? – I have never met a pornographer, however I am aware of the fact that there are a lot of ‘nice guys’ out there who will wine and dine in order to achieve one thing - ultimately what’s the difference? I think the nature of the story surrounding this insight into the industry highlights the distasteful intent of these men. Linda Lovelace puts on a brave face for the public, and even to her friends in order to pacify her husband. Why wouldn’t these pornographers be doing the same thing? Pretentiously donning a charming exterior in order to rake in the big bucks. Lovelace really makes you question human integrity, and your own ability to read people’s true motives. Although Deep Throat may seem fairly tame to our hardened eyes, we have to remember that since the release of Boreman’s final biography Ordeal, it has been revealed that these scenes were depicting her explicitly being raped. Although David Cameron has begun the fight against making discernible scenes of rape disappear from our homes, Lovelace causes us to question whether other porn films (those which remain legal in the UK), have been made ethically. How do we know whether the women involved in the porn movies that many of us continue to discreetly view have consented to the acts that they are committing? Surely the question we should be asking is not ‘Does Lovelace glamourise the porn industry?’, but ‘how ethical is the production of the remaining legal porn films?’. Lovelace may be a biopic on the life of a woman working almost forty years ago, however the issues that she faced, are still current and should make us ask ourselves how many other women are suffering the same fate, and how can this be dealt with?
zummer.blogspot.com
Amanda Seyfried as Linda Lovelace and Peter Sarsgaard as her abusive husband Chuck Traynor. Photo: derekwinnert.com
The recently released biopic on the life and ordeals of world famous 1970’s porn star Linda Boreman has unearthed a number of controversies surrounding the porn industry amongst critics and viewers alike. This film of two halves begins in a light hearted, almost jovial manner, showing Linda’s rise to fame after starring in the infamous pornographic blockbuster Deep Throat, released in 1974 before revealing the darker and more ominous underbelly of her life and career. Although the film clearly depicts a culture dominated by men in which women remained submissive, critics complained that there was not enough focus on the negativity of the porn industry itself and those associated with it, thus in effect almost normalising the industry and showing it as fast-track to fame. These issues are particularly controversial when portraying a woman whom later became recognised as a feminist figure of the anti-porn movement, markedly in the wake of David Cameron’s decision to ban the possession of online pornography depicting rape. Cameron’s decision states that on top of this new illegality, most households within the UK will now be able to remove porn entirely from their screens through their Internet provider, in order to prevent young minds from being tarnished. However, although these new legislations, after much campaigning have been fully supported by many women’s groups there are many who think that the new laws will not work. This ironically includes Amanda Seyfried (who stars as Linda Boreman in the film) who spoke out against UK citizen’s new restricted access to porn online. Seyfried directly compares the use of porn to alcohol abuse, in the sense that once something becomes forbidden fruit, that object or experience becomes all the more irresistible. Although I can comprehend the comparison which she is trying to draw and fully respect the way in which human nature heightens our intrigue and sense of rebelliousness once something has been prohibited, I also see this statement, made by the films principle actress to be a little bizarre bearing in mind the role which she has been recently emerged in and the awareness of rape and domestic abuse central to the films ethos. One of the main issues that erupted amongst critics was that the pornographers depicted in the making of Deep Throat were ‘nice guys’. According to the film it is one of the men that produced Deep Throat that eventually saves Boreman from her abusive marriage. Overall however, I disagree with the accusation. In the rose tinted perspective of the film’s first half, yes, some of the pornographers are somewhat idealised. However I would interpret this overpowering ‘niceness’ as a means of these men attaining the ‘product’ they desire, not the portrayal of a genuine compassionate personality. The film describes these men as grim, sleazy and obsessed with money. This is clear from the way that they refer to the women involved in the industry as a commodity in
Music
Epigram
30.09.2013
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Precision and feeling: These New Puritans These New Puritans have the most ambitious album of their career in Field of Reeds. Danny Riley spoke to George Barnett about their sources of inspiration and creative process. It’s rare that a band expands its musical horizons in the way that These New Puritans have. The process of experimentation and refinement is often tainted by internal and external factors that beset musicians sorely in need of new material and a new artistic angle. This has never been so with These New Puritans, however, whose new album Field of Reeds is masterfully contained document of idea and execution, of internal inspiration resulting in singly original music. From the knotty post-punk of their debut to the creative great leap forward that was 2010’s Hidden there was never anything contrived about These New Puritans’ experimentalism. However, by their own admission Field of Reeds, with its unrestrained emotion, its sense of intimacy and musical sensitivity seems to be the record that has portrayed their vision most accurately. As rhythmic powerhouse George Barnett stated when Epigram caught up with him via telephone: ‘With this it’s us trying to open up. I think this is the most direct record we’ve made. Even if it is more melancholy, maybe that’s just the way Jack (Barnett, front man) was feeling at the time. It’s closer to us, it’s more directly what we are.’ Taking a break in Spain from the rigorous process of recording and rehearsal, drummer George seemed confident and satisfied with how the record turned out, though it seemed to have taken its toll slightly: ‘I need some time off. When we’re not playing we’re rehearsing, it’s sort of endless.’ Endlessness was a theme of sorts in the conception of the record. Whilst many have been quick to attribute t h e
album’s name to a reading of the internal memories of the band members, who grew up in the estuarine areas of Essex, in actuality Field of Reeds comes from a somewhat more esoteric source. When asked if the title emanated from the geography of marshy southern England, George was quick to dispel this: ‘Not in that way, but I can see why you’d think that. I mean Kevin Costner already had Field of Dreams. Field of Reeds is an Egyptian book of the dead. It’s a place where life is exactly the same, but it just goes on forever, it’s infinite.’ Certainly there is a scope to the music that reflects this sort of encompassing idea. With its rich harmonic complexities and long, meandering melodic work the writing creates emotive peaks and troughs that make for substantial listening, at times both nihilistically heavy and uplifting. However in the eyes of its creators, any attempt to graft the title overtly to a musical concept is fairly reductive, as George explained: ‘The title doesn’t mean what the record means or what the music means, at the end of the day it’s a good name. If you explain everything it becomes less interesting. Also I kind of like how other people’s interpretations are almost as important as the music itself.’ There are, however, more concrete and traditional themes that the band aimed to put across on the record. Field of Reeds is a long way from the cryptic numerological references and the fraught, spiky sense of attack ev i d e n t
on previous records: ‘This record is more about love, despair, hope. They’re the main things. It’s like seeing a photo of yourself from three years ago; that’s how the old album sounds for me.’ Divorcing the idea of musical progressiveness from obscurantist complexity seems to be a main aim for the group, and whilst moments on Field of Reeds almost stray into the realms of 70’s art school music, Barnett seemed unfazed by any dubious prog connotations: ‘I hate it when people say that it’s a sort of classical vibe. I suppose it’s a journalist’s job to say that this is an ‘orchestral, whatever’ record, but at the same time it’s not like we’re some sort of classical band or anything. It’s all still simply quite traditionally songwriter-y sort of stuff but maybe with slightly different instrumentation.’ Ones gets the sense that with These New Puritans, inspiration comes almost entirely from within, the band devoted solely to producing faithfully the music they want to make, as George stated: ‘We certainly set the bar quite high, and if it’s not as good as Neil Young then it’s not good enough, as Jack says…. We don’t listen to music when we’re writing and making the album. I think they (listening and recording) are two such different things that aren’t really that connected. It’s clear that the band want people to know that Field of Reeds is their attempt to relate their art with as little obstruction as possible: ‘Everything these days needs to be so ironic and eclectic, we just want everything to be from the heart.’
Having such a clear vision in mind inevitably entailed a long and meticulous process, one helped it seems in no small part by the involvement of Graham Sutton, who worked with the band on previous albums. ‘Graham’s like a facilitator, it wasn’t a collaboration.’ Barnett maintained: ‘He’s like our…. how do I put Graham? He can get everything out of you, he’s a really positive, pulling force that sort of drags it all out of you.’ Graham’s hand in the process seems to have added much to the power of the record, with it’s expertly recorded orchestral work bringing unprecedented depth to the production, George noting that Sutton ‘is good at getting silences between notes… he’s a great producer. Also very good at really intricate, detailed sound. He knows how to record things.’ Other contributors included Portuguese jazz vocalist Elisa Rodrigues, whose presence on the record provides stark contrast with Jack Barnett’s dour baritone. This however was not collaboration for it’s own sake, but once again the band stepping up to the requirements of the sound they wanted to make, as George said: “When Jack was writing it I think there was a sort of female perspective on the album and we needed someone to voice that. So Jack did loads of research online and came across her. We just asked her and she came to England. It was a bit of a leap of faith for her and us. She’s got so much emotion and expression in her voice so that even if she’s singing quite a flat thing it sounds so expressive.” What followed the recording sessions was a rigorous process of selection and refinement that amounted to a grueling editing process, as George remembered: ‘There was so much editing. There’s nothing cut up or anything but it was choosing the correct tape to put together and stuff. There was something like three, four months of editing.’ With an approach rooted so firmly in the particularities of the recording process, one might be tempted to cast the band as
musical pedants. Despite this George maintained that feeling was just as important as thought in the making of the record: ‘Some of it isn’t that precise. Like the trumpeter, we had some solos and little flourishes from him. Even in drumming we’re still relatively loose, that’s why there was so many takes; we were just trying to get a good performance. It isn’t necessarily about getting it really precise, just getting a lot of feeling.’ There was tentative talk of an EP in the future, but for the moment the band are occupied with reproducing the material for upcoming live dates: ‘Live it’s really interesting, we’re sort of at a septet stage. We have a little brass section. And then we have piano, and another sampler slash piano. Basically we’re a really kind of agile little group. We can turn it on its head really quickly; we can do exactly what we want. There’s no playing to a backing track or anything like that, it’s all real music, live. I’m enjoying playing live more than I ever have.’ In its particularity and singularity, Field of Reeds is a great document of a band working to fulfill the demands of their own creativity. It does, however, deserve to be heard in the uncertainty and spontaneity of the live setting; something that Bristolians will get to experience when the band play Colston Hall as part of Simple Things festival in October. Their upcoming live dates should prove testament to how far the band have come as a creative unit, a progress that George Barnett mused on: ‘We’ve gone past that whole thing of being able to play three chords on a guitar and that’s basically what your album is going to sound like. Once you open your mind up a bit more and you’re aware of what’s possible and what you can write, you can write anything you want and it becomes a bit more real.’
Field of Reeds is out now on Infectious Music. These New Puritans play Simple Things Festival on Saturday 14th October at Colston Hall
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30.09.2013
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No performance anxiety for Outfit Mike Hegarty spoke to urbane Outfit-er Andrew Hunt about burgers, best buds, and balancing optimism and paranoia We often imagine even slightly introspective artists to come across as glum introverts in interviews, so when I rang Outfit’s frontman Andrew Hunt a few weeks ago, somehow I hadn’t expected a friendly, gregarious bloke sitting in his back garden with his bandmate pals drinking beer, but wrong I was: ‘We’re having a BBQ…it’s the last of the sunny days, so we thought we’d go out with a kind of a fizz, if not a bang’. I can hear chuckles in the background, he introduces his drummer as ‘Dave who’s just handed me a burger’, and the vibe is good. In the most complementary way, Andrew reminds me of an everso-slightly tipsy funny uncle at a family reunion who knows a bit more about life than I do. Having lived and worked as a band for a few frustrating and hard-up years in London, the band seemed to be enjoying their success, their hard-earned sense of companionship, and the finer points of life in general. ‘It was nice to move back…a bit like looking in the mirror and realizing what had changed about you and what hadn’t changed, and realising what was important.’ On Performance, Outfit’s debut album, Andrew felt that the band was “letting the light in through the cracks” far more than on their earlier releases. Against a musical backing that recalls Radiohead and Metronomy whilst gently nodding towards modern UK electronica, Andrew’s lyrics about the strangeness of trying to find oneself as a twentysomething are instrospective and wistful but ultimately rather
celebratory: ‘with regards to [opening track] Nothing Matters you could look at it as downcast, but it’s actually about nothing mattering, and letting go of your ego, and just enjoying your friends and what’s around you.’ He speaks in gallops of the optimism, as well as the sense of uneasiness that comes with being young and in a band, ‘we talk about emotions that I think are pretty common to people like us – people in our situation – people in their twenties, where you’re confused about life, and its slightly uncertain, but there’s confidence and optimism when you’re in a band and you’re trying to do something and you’re young... but this balanced against the kind of paranoia you can get when you’re setting yourself up for a fall.’
“Why would you not live together? Why would you not produce your own stuff?” I get a sense that he has said much of this to interviewers before – many of the questions I ask him will lead him back to talking about this same feeling. This youthful wrestle with identity in the city must be a main concern of theirs – the lyrics, the jarring urban cubism of Performance’s cover art, to the (slightly awkward) inclusion of angular house-influenced
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drum beats within the band’s doleful songwriting, all speak of the balance of ‘confidence and paranoia’ that Andrew talks about. On their debt to urban and electronic music, he is quite specific. ‘We have a lot more in common with electronic producers in some ways – we’re obsessed with sonics, we deal in precision. But I don’t mean that the four-on-the-floor beats we have on some songs are to do with having dance music beats. It’s more of a mindset – the idea of crafting a very perfect sound and treating the songwriting and recording process in this kind of sculptural way’ It irks
them to be described as a guitar band: ‘It makes me cringe a bit. There are associations with that, aren’t there? Guitar bands. UK guitar bands! And we’re really not like that, and we don’t sound like that.’ I can’t help but feel a little uneasy about this myself – this is clearly a band with a very clear idea of who they are and what they are aiming for, and whilst their album is good, it’s not the profound lyrics statement on youth and growth nor the sonic work of art that they want it to be. But Andrew’s casual, affable nature, and the sense of pleasure he seems to take from being with his bandmates
October gig picks
having a BBQ, after rehearsing all day for an upcoming run of headline shows in support of the new album, seems to suggest that being in a good small- to mid-sized band isn’t just the dire, strenuous affair it’s often made out to be in modern independent music. Especially if you’re with friends, doing something you love: “It was very tense at times – we were living together all the time, didn’t have much money, it was winter, so it was dark and depressing, like it is in the north most of the time…it was TENSE! But why would you not live together? Why would you not produce your own stuff?
We’ve always approached it as a communal thing. It’s more fun that way.’ Performance is out now on Double Denim records
14th October - Simple Things festival Running 2pm -6am, with acts like Nicholas Jaar, These New Puritans, No Age and Darkstar over a variety of stages, this is going to be huge.
A few particular highlights from around the city this month: 8th October - Willis Earl Beal @ The Louisiana Dark, wild soul from the Chicago southside native, playing in support of new album, Nobody Knows.
15th October - DJ Premier @ Trinity Centre Classic hip-hop from one half of east coast legends Gang Starr - one of the all-time greatest producers to have graced the decks.
11th October - DJ Shadow @ Motion 17 years since Endtroducing re-defined instrumental hip-hop, DJ Shadow hits our very own In:Motion.
19th October - Jim Jones Revue @ Thekla Blistering garage rock well suited to the dank and dirty depths of the good ship Thekla.
- Getting guestlist to great gigs around the city - Hearing new music to review weeks before anybody else
Flickr: Bringsverd
Come to our first section meeting at the Highbury Vaults on Wednesday 2nd October at 8pm Or email music@epigram.com to join the writers’ team and get involved.
Flickr: Neil101
- Or just writing about tunes and that!
Epigram
30.09.2013
25 44
Reviews FACTORY FLOOR Factory Floor DFA 10th September 2013
THE BONES OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE Chvrches Virgin 23rd September 2013 In an interview with Epigram in March, Glaswegian band Chvrches described themselves as ‘pretty much just an indie band, but we’ve replaced all the guitars with keyboards.’ This may not seem like it would make a great difference, but the lack of guitars in their music allows the keyboards and percussion to shine so much that it seems incredible so many bands persevere with the instrument. Chvrches’ debut album injects a real energy and excitement into the barren and stagnating landscape of indie music, expertly weaving together honeyed waves of synth with sharp drum patterns and the high octane vocals of lead singer Lauren Mayberry. The band blends the new wave of industrial electronic music with the more traditional and listenable structure of a pop song. At times, this can sound a little like Fuck Buttons or Factory Floor made accessible to a mainstream audience, but this is actually no bad thing. Each of its twelve tracks are produced and tweaked with immense care into a tight pop song with no excess time devoted to the warbling or tired riffs so prevalent in much modern indie music. Mayberry’s slightly futuristic vocals work well within the music but stand out sharply enough on their own to give each track a clear hook that can’t fail to grab
the attention of a listener with its urgency and intensity. And at its core this album is nothing if not intense. The drums are kept so high in the mix that the tracks when Mayberry’s vocals and the churning synths manage to match the percussive vigour make for clear standout tracks such as album opener The Mother We Share and Recover. The band’s only mistake in the making of this album was the decision to have a few tracks sung by the male members of the band, Martin Doherty and Iain Cook. While their synth work and flawless keyboarding create a fantastic backdrop for the vocals, their deeper timbres lack the cut-glass urgency of Mayberry’s, and so rather than blend in with the new-age musical style they often stand awkwardly in opposition to it. Halfway point Under The Tide is the worst offender, but this is also a problem on album closer You Caught The Light, and it’s a shame the album ends so limply without a reminder of its principle sound. In spite of these slightly deflating tracks, this album is a vibrant splash of exuberance and verve that can’t fail to pass you by when listening to it. It’s almost enough to make you believe the word ‘indie’ means something again.
Through a formidable live show, steadily released singles, and a general air of dark, brooding anonymity, Factory Floor have become one of the most persistently critically hyped bands of the 2010s. They make electronic music that stands refreshingly separately from the majority of material that characterises the genre in the present day – this album owes little debt to modern house or the bass culture that permeates their native east London, but far more to acid house, early techno and industrial music. On this release, Factory Floor are still unmistakable - the songs jerk along at a restless 120 BPM, with searing analog synth ostinatos layered on top of unsympathetic programmed drums and claps and crashes that feel like they leap out and smack you on the inside of the skull. It’s relentless, but repeated listens show that this band really knows when to drive and when to ease off; when the groove finally solidifies around the 1:30 mark of Fall Back, after a clanging, mechanistic build it’s quite a moment. Singer Nik Void’s vocals, whilst shallow and tuneless in the best possible way, add a refreshing femininity to these songs that remind us that at its heart, this is a disco record. Their move to James Murphy’s DFA label, and the curtailment of the more industrial,
Mike Hegarty
Flickr: smokeghost
Dan Faber
drone-y aspects of their earlier singles is actually a look that very much suits them. Since its release, however, there has been a sense from critics that the album did not match the urgency of the singles. To an extent, this is an unavoidable consequence of releasing an albumlength record of the type of aggressive dance music that Factory Floor so single-mindedly excel at. The sense of relentless propulsion that makes an 8 minute release like Two Different Ways so thrilling is also what can make this hour-long LP feel, in the simplest terms, somewhat samey. Furthermore, whilst Factory Floor’s music is incredibly visceral and refreshing, it has such faithfulness to vintage synths and drum machines that it would be a push to especially merit it for its sonic originality. But it’s not so much the sounds themselves as the way they’re combined and layered into a pulsing, danceable cacophony that make Factory Floor such an interesting and unusual modern band. They are perhaps one better suited, like much dance music, to the single and EP formats than to full-length albums. However this album proves they have lost none of their bite, nor their ability to make you move.
Emily Quinn
Four years have passed since Editors’ last album In This Light and On This Evening, and with this break comes a new, more optimistic sound. Somewhat known for frontman Tom Smith’s downbeat and at times bleak lyrics, Editors turn this reputation around with their new release; a collection of songs which only occasionally muses over death and despair. Despite this change in sound, the band maintain their characteristic post-punk style (which often attracts comparisons to Joy Division), in many of the tracks. The biggest surprise of the album is the transformation of the live favourite Nothing, which was previously an intense, guitar-fueled number. What remains is a subdued, and less enticing version of its former incarnation, which is arguably the most disappointing moment of the album. Songs such as Sugar and A Ton of Love are its saviours, with their powerful and upbeat guitar rhythms and catchy lyrics. The Weight Of Your Love is certainly not one to ignore, but it barely matches up to the band’s chart topping 2007 album An End Has A Start. The memorable riffs of songs like Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors and Munich are missing. Experimentation is great at times, but in this instance the Editors have left behind the sound which made them so alluring.
Isabella Ley
Franz Ferdinand may never have repeated the brilliance of their 2004 debut but have always remained relevant. The bombast which characterised their two preceding albums seemed to indicate that the Scottish four-piece were refusing to rewrite the debut which made them so successful. Considering this, Right Thoughts is a confusing and disappointing effort. The songs are not so much bad as simply uninspired, from the plodding Brief Encounters to the chintzy feel of Fresh Strawberries. Franz Ferdinand’s chemistry lies in their ability to combine a sense of unhurried cool with fretful urgency; however the material here swings towards the former to such an extent that it comes across as sheer laziness. Most disconcertingly, Alex Kapranos’s crooning now carries little of its former swagger. Not all of the songs miss the mark; Stand On The Horizon may actually be one of the best things they’ve written in their career. With New Order-esque bass and a killer closing refrain, it represents a natural progression from 2009’s ‘Tonight’ but crucially begs the question as to why nothing else on this album comes close to touching it. Ultimately, the suicide note allusions in closer Goodbye Lovers and Friends are sad only in that, if this is to be their last album, very few people will feel that they were cut short in their prime.
Ben Hickey
SINGLE - REFLEKTOR Arcade Fire Merge Records 9th September 2013
Arcade Fire have never felt the need to be restrained by any particular genre and their new single Reflektor is no exception. To suggest (as some have) that this track is simply ‘Arcade Fire doing a Daft Punk’ does them and the track a huge discredit; this single is really a culmination of years of work. Remnants of the twirl-inducing ‘Sprawl II’ peak through the bold, ‘Wake Up’-esque drum beats, resulting in an anthem which brings together the triumphs of previous tracks. However, I can’t help but miss the now-absent string section so prevalent in previous albums. They seem to be moving away from the symphonic melodies of ‘Funeral’, but are keeping their musical identity original and exciting. Another strength of the track is the unconventional structure, which constantly builds and falls, keeping the most observant listener on their toes. This is a trait pretty atypical of Arcade Fire and perhaps more characteristic of the single’s producer, DFA label boss and exLCD Soundsystem front man James Murphy. The shortfalls come ironically in the form of the comically unnecessary David Bowie solos, which to me shriek ‘GRAMMY WINNERS UNITE’. Perhaps it’s in Arcade Fire to be show offs, but with tracks like this, who can blame them?
Colin Thomas Flickr: Johanna Bocher
Debut album If You Wait from UK indie pop newcomers London Grammar, demonstrates that they truly are worth the hype. They have a remarkable sound, somewhere between Florence and the Machine, Bat for Lashes, and The XX, but exceeding simplistic comparisons to all three. Sure, lyrics such as “You know it’s frightening/ You know it’s like lightening” (from opening track Hey Now) aren’t exactly masterful or even particularly deep. However, Hannah Reid’s skill as a singer makes up for any lack in the songwriting. Her voice is so beautiful and powerful she could lend authority to the Alphabet Song. As a result, the songs have a certain longing, with a soulfulness which is far more mature than expected from a debut album, let alone from a band so young. In every song she explores a huge range in her vocals, constantly mixing it up and smashing the expectations of the listener. Unsurprisingly Reid’s vocals are the main focus within songs; the music soft and gentle to give the frontwoman enough space to display her talent. Not that the other musical aspects are to be dismissed- the gentleness gives the album a subtle and refined edge. If You Wait is a fantastic debut offering that promises London Grammar the mainstream attention they whole heartedly deserve.
RIGHT THOUGHTS, RIGHT WORDS, RIGHT ACTION Franz Ferdinand Domino 26th August 2013
THE WEIGHT OF YOUR LOVE Editors PIAS 28th June 2013
Flickr: alterna2
IF YOU WAIT London Grammar Columbia 9th September 2013
Epigram
30.09.2013
45
Flickr: LavidDichtermann
Live Review: Junip @ The Fleece 17/9/13
Jose Gonzalez may have made his name as a solo artist with his soft vocal melodies and intricate acoustic guitar parts, but as the frontman in Junip he is merely one cog in a wheel, making a much more expansive sound. And it seems that the Gothenburgborn singer-songwriter likes it that way. Having formed way back in 1998, the success of Gonzalez’s solo projects delayed the release of Junip’s debut until 2010, and since then Gonzalez has been enjoying being one of
the gang on tour rather than a lone ranger. This really came across in the quiet cheerfulness conveyed by their sound in what was an engrossing gig. Supporting Junip was fellow Swede Mariam the Believer, who has created quite a stir recently. She took to the stage at the dingy yet intimate venue with great presence. As part of a three piece the singer stole the show with the sheer power of her voice and confident strut. The combination
of her intense heart-felt delivery and the punchy groove made the band an interesting proposition. As well as some pretty catchy hooks and shimmering guitars, they really pushed the boundaries with rather peculiar vocal solos and experimental flourishes, but at the time kept it soulful and genuine. Frontwoman Mariam Wallentin is really quite a talent and wasn’t afraid to show it. Her vocals ranged from smoky and bluesy to high pitched yelps,
which should make their debut album, out on 7th October, an intriguing listen. Junip may not have had the strut or swagger of their support, but the quality of the song writing shone through nonetheless. Gonzalez’s subtle, unassuming vocals were always the base with everything from synths and layers to pitched percussion blossoming around them. At times his vocals were even somewhat drowned out in what was quite a dense sound, and although the songs boasted subtle variations, they failed to really get out of first gear early on. When more space was introduced however, Gonzalez was allowed to show his class, as his beautiful melodies were given room to breathe. As the set went on, further imagination and variety was employed which confirmed that Junip aren’t simply a dreamy indie-folk band, a confirmation much like Bon Iver’s self-titled second album, which has lots of similarities to the make-up of Junip’s sound. The band released their own second album earlier this
year which contains great stylistic diversity with various flavours and influences but their sound is reminiscent of Broken Bells and Ben Howard. Gonzalez is probably most famous for his cover of The Knife’s Heartbeats, to the extent where many think his version is the original, but as a songwriter his talent is undoubted. The phrasing of his vocals make him a mesmerising front man, whose calm and controlled exterior lets his melodies do the talking. New song Walking Lightly was the epitome of his class, with a brilliant repeated vocal melody around which the instrumentation slowly evolved. Another highlight was the final song Line of Fire, which has a chorus that could even be described as euphoric, contrasting to the majority of the set. The way the intensity was upped at the end of a pretty chilled set showed the ability of this band, and was the perfect way to bring things to a close. The crowd appreciated this shift and gave a rapturous reception, pleading for a few more songs, and Gonzalez
duly obliged with three more songs including epic build ups and drops, which brought more of a feel good factor. The overall vibe created by the band is probably best described as subtly cheerful, and the understated, unassuming manor in which they conducted themselves and went about their business made them a very likeable outfit. In what was a pretty civilised affair at The Fleece, one of Bristol’s independent hotspots, Junip showed why they have a devoted following, but also why they haven’t made a major breakthrough, which is not due to lack of talent or imagination, but rather due to their modesty and mellow nature. It seems like lots of effort has been put into the construction of what is a rather complex sound, but they were at their best when more stripped down, because the space created really enhanced the influence of Gonzalez, who is simply the bands most powerful weapon. Matty Edwards
UBU NEWS
News and opinion from the University of Bristol Students' Union www.ubu.org.uk
FRESHERS 2013
COURSE REPS 2013
WHAT'S ON
Our Biggest Freshers Ever
Nominations are now open
UBU events this fortnight
A RUNDOWN OF FRESHERS’ WEEK 2013
Sept 2013
Your elected officers, on the road
W
hat a week! We hope you had a great
Ameen and the Bristol Islamic Society (Brisoc) in
Freshers’ Fair
time getting to know your city, meeting
the Anson Rooms and was a great success. Over
The UBU Freshers’ Fair was held on the Bristol
new people and finding all of the
70 students attended the free event that included
Harbourside for the first time ever and what a day
dance lessons, tropical mocktails and cultural dance
it was. Thousands of you turned out to explore the
music. The night launched a month of talks, tours
wealth of student activities on offer and claim your
We don’t know about you, but the whole UBU
and other events celebrating Black History. Find
freebies. As usual the great British weather was
team is exhausted! From parties to comedy, quizzes
out more about Black History Month events at
on hand to make sure we all got a little wet but it
to cookery classes, we think this year was the best
ubu.org.uk/blackhistorymonth.
didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirit! The action
exciting things that you can do at University.
Freshers’ week ever! Attendance at the welcome
packed day perfectly showcased the enormity of
events was phenomenally high and demand
The Prohibition Party
exceeded even our expectations. The board games
Billed as the biggest event of Freshers’ week, it
and pizza night in particular drew hundreds of
certainly didn’t disappoint. Everyone embraced the
There were so many great events throughout
you and reached capacity! Here’s our top three
twenties fancy dress theme and convened inside a
Freshers week, what were your highlights? Tell us
highlights from the week:
derelict warehouse with its mysterious speakeasy.
on Twitter: @UBUBristol
Huge chandeliers and sets from Jameela Jamil, Ladies Drum Night
A Skillz and Krafty Kuts and Sneakbo created an
A ladies-only Drum Night organised by UBU
atmosphere that didn’t dissipate even after coaches
Black and Minority Ethnic Students' Officer, Hafsa
returned every moll and doll to the Triangle.
student activity in Bristol.
Welcome Week Photography
Sept 2013
Clockwise from the top: Prohibition DJ Crowds at Prohibition Cooking classes UBU Freshers' Fair
MEET YOUR FULL-TIME ELECTED OFFICERS
T
hrough UBU, students are represented in all
Tom Flynn
Ellie Williams
Vice President Activities
Vice President Education
Vice President Community
ubu-activities@bristol.ac.uk
ubu-education@bristol.ac.uk
ubu-community@bristol.ac.uk
help you or direct you to specific support for a
Rob Griffiths
Alessandra Berti
Hannah Pollak
wide range of issues. Don’t hesitate to get in touch
President
Vice President Welfare and Equality
Vice President Sport and Health
with them.
ubu-president@bristol.ac.uk
ubu-welfare@bristol.ac.uk
ubu-sport@bristol.ac.uk
aspects of the University experience. Every
March, you elect six students to lead the Union in
Left to right
Imogen Palmer
a full-time capacity for one year. Your officers can
2013 COURSE REP ELECTIONS
W
Sept 2013
elcome to a new academic year and
the UBU website, is one of many steps toward
Why stand?
welcome to a new year of student
maintaining the delivery of this mission. Following
In a nutshell… to represent your fellow students
on from this step is a training programme to
and shape your time and at University.
representation at the University of Bristol.
support Course Reps in their roles. As soon as the This year the University of Bristol Students’ Union
elections are concluded UBU will know who the
Why vote?
(UBU) will host all undergraduate and taught
reps are and be able to train them all to the same
Your Course Rep will be your voice in University
postgraduate Course Rep elections. In a joint
high standard.
committees for the whole year. Get involved and
initiative with the University (see page4 – Judith
vote, for the right candidate.
Squires’ article) we’ve done some major work this
So what do Course Reps do? Course Reps are
year to establish a comprehensive process that will
students who represent the interests and opinions
The 2013 election positions
work across each school and faculty.
of their fellow course-mates. A Course Rep is the
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Course
first point of contact for students to voice opinions
Reps.
The goal has been to standardise the election
and raise concerns or questions to the University.
Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research
process and student representation. Previously
Course Reps have a chance to directly improve
Senate Reps
Course Reps were elected, or appointed, at various
the quality of teaching and student experience for
Postgraduate Part-Time Officer
times and with varying levels of student body
everyone here at the University of Bristol.
involvement. The new process is a centralised
The dates
approach to ensure each school, faculty and year
There’s a lot more information at www.ubu.org.
Nominations opened Monday 23 September
of study is represented and appointed through
uk/representation about the time, commitment,
Nominations close at 4pm on Thursday 10
the same set of minimum standards, process and
support and many benefits of being a Course Rep.
October
criteria.
There’s also a nifty video that brings the subject to life. Polls open at 4pm on Friday 11 October
A key mission of UBU is to support students in
First though, interested students need to stand
improving their educational and wider university
for election, then students need to vote for their
experience. Standardising the Course Rep elections
respective representative (by school and year).
and moving to an online system, run through
Polls close at 4pm on Friday 18 October www.ubu.org.uk/elections
WHAT'S ON SEPTEMBER MONDAY 30 RAG Intro Night Arts Complex LT1, 7pm – 8pm
OCTOBER TUESDAY 1 LGBT+ Officer Open Meeting UBU, 2pm- 4pm UBU Volunteering Fair Anson Rooms 5:30 – 8pm Rock Against Rape Mr Wolf’s 9pm – 3am
SATURDAY 5 UBU Active Dodgeball Kingsdown Sports Centre UBU Active Touch RugbyThe Downs UBU Active Volleyball Indoor Sports Centre MONDAY 7 UBU Active Badminton Indoor Sports Centre THURS 10 RAG Kilimanjaro Intro Night AR2, 6pm – 7pm
WEDNESDAY 2 SAT 12 RAG CasinoThe Richmond Pub, 7:30 – 9:30pm THURSDAY 3 Welcome Back Day Careers Service, 10am – 3pm BARMY Bar Crawl Brass Pig, 7pm til late FRIDAY 4
UBU Active Dodgeball Kingsdown Sports Centre UBU Active Touch Rugby The Downs UBU Active Volleyball Indoor Sports Centre MON 14 UBU Active Badminton Indoor Sports Centre
4th Oct LGBT+ Officer Drop-in UBU. 6pm - 8pm JOHNNY FLYNN Anson Rooms, Mon 14 7pm – 11pm Contact UBU University of Bristol Students’ Union Richmond Building 105 Queens Road Bristol BS8 1LN www.ubu.org.uk/
/BristolSU @UBUBristol
Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit are an English folk-rock band signed to Transgressive Records. They are fronted by Johnny Flynn, an actor and songwriter who cites W.B.Yeats and Shakespeare among his influences. Tickets: www.ansonrooms.co.uk
Epigram
30.09.2013
Science & Tech
Editor: Molly Hawes scienceandtech@epigram.org.uk
Deputy Editor: Sol Milne deputyscienceandtech@epigram.org.uk
Online Editor: Stephanie Harris
The biology behind nerve gas attacks
Carol Nelson Science Writer
flickr: Ali Photography
Nerve gases, or nerve agents, have had heavy coverage in the news recently due to their use in Syria this August. Nerve agents are a class of organophosphates which adversely affect the transmission of signals between nerves. There are two main classes of nerve agents, the G and the V series. Most of these variants are classified as weapons of mass destruction in a UN regulation,
and are all carefully regulated chemical weapons. G series nerve agents were discovered by German scientists between 1936 and 1949, and include Sarin, the agent used in the Syrian attack. The G series agents were first discovered when searching for insecticides. The first found was Tabun, which was very effective against insects. When some spilt on their bench they discovered its potent effects on humans, with a recovery period of several weeks. Most of these agents are
completely colourless and odourless, as are the V series. The V series were discovered when scientist Ranajit Ghosh was looking into organophosphates as pesticides. However, as it was so toxic it was withdrawn and sent to the Portdown Chemical Weapons Research Facility in Wiltshire where in 1952 VX, one of the most toxic nerve agents, was discovered. There are other members of the V series but VX is the most studied and most famous. It even starred in the 1996 film “The Rock” as the toxic agent used by terrorists! Because of their density and viscosity the V series are both more persistent and more dangerous than the G series nerve agents. V agents are not gases as is commonly assumed but thick liquids with low volatility. This means that they can be used to coat an area for
long periods of time and have a much slower evaporation rate than water. In cold conditions VX can take several months to evaporate but the vaporised form is much more potent. Both classes of agent work in the same way, by inhibiting an enzyme called AChE (acetylcholinesterase). If at a neuromuscular junction, the connecting muscle is constantly stimulated. This leads to paralysis of that muscle. As acetylcholine is a vital neurotransmitter, especially in musculature control, the inhibitor causes paralysis of the lungs: the ultimate cause of death. The symptoms caused by inhalation or contamination by a nerve agent derive from the paralysis and isolation of muscles. Low dose exposure causes contraction of the pupilmiosis- leading to headaches and impaired focussing, increased saliva production, a runny nose and a tight chest. These symptoms may be accompanied by slurred speech and
hallucinations, as acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter in the brain as well, and can take weeks to disappear. Survivors often have permanent neurological damage.
“
The inhibitor causes paralysis of the lungs: the ultimate cause of death
”
Higher doses cause these symptoms but very soon escalate to complete loss of bodily function control, and so the victim defecates, cries, urinate and vomit uncontrollably before dying from over contraction of the diaphragm leading to asphyxiation. Nerve agents act extremely rapidly and death can occur in under a minute unless appropriate medical treatment is given without delay. Sarin is said to be 26 times more deadly than cyanide, and VX is even more toxic.
Treatments for nerve agent poisoning are usually injected, and the US army gives each soldier an autoinjector, which means that anyone can inject themselves or someone else easily. This injection contains 500mg of HI-6 and 2mg of Atropine, which is in itself a toxin. HI-6 reactivates the inhibitor of AChE. It is an oxime, and so has poor penetration into the brain and works mainly in the peripheral nervous system. Atropine binds to receptors and prevents the transmission of the nervous signal, and relieves symptoms of nerve agents without treating the cause. The combination of the two greatly reduces damage done by nerve agents, but with varying effectiveness. More atropine is given if there isn’t a positive change within 10 minutes. It can take two weeks or more for the body’s level of AChE to return to normal. Nerve agents are rarely used in combat as they are so toxic, and outlawed by the Geneva Protocol. They kill quickly and horribly, and treatment is risky at best.
Ig Nobel : celebrating unusual science Thinking outside the box is an absolute necessity in science. Making observations based on reality rather than preconceptions of plausibility is the beauty of the scientific process. This allows the boundaries of knowledge to be pushed further. The creative and observational nature of science can result in in surprising and humorous conclusions. The Ig Nobel awards, held by the Annals of Improbable Research celebrate this; science that makes you laugh, and then think. This year the Psychology prize went to a team doing a study on the ‘beer goggles’ effect, which showed that people find not only others more attractive when drunk but also themselves which results in changed behaviour towards others; usually in the form of a greater confidence. The Probability Prize went to a team studying the behaviour of cows, concluding with two discoveries; the longer a cow has been lying down, the sooner it will get up, and that
once a cow has stood it is not easily predictable when it will sit down again. The Peace Prize went this year to Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus for making it illegal to applaud in public places and the State Police of Belarus, for arresting a one armed man for the offence. The Public Health Prize was awarded to a team from Thailand for the successful medical techniques of penile reattachment after an ‘epidemic’ of amputations by jealous wives in the country, except for a case when the disembodied member was eaten by a duck. A Joint Prize in Biology and Astronomy was given to an incredible study that showed that dung beetles can navigate their way if they get lost at night by looking at the Milky Way. The Physics Prize was given to a study that showed that people actually are capable of running across the surface of a pond- if the people and pond were on the moon. There are 23 years of awards, all of which are definitely worth a read as they showcase
incredible ingenuity and imagination as well as many in the spirit of satire. Here is a small selection documenting the cream of the crop. One of the University’s own, Professor Gareth Jones was awarded an Ig Nobel prize in 2010 for his study showing that in by performing fellatio, fruit bats prolong their copulation time. The 2010 medicine prize was given to a study showing that symptoms of asthma can be treated with a roller-coaster ride. The 2010 Peace Prize was given to Stephen Richards for his confirmation that swearing relieves pain. The 2010 award for Mathematics was given to a mathematical demonstration that organisations would become more efficient if they promoted people at random. Max Fricker of the University of Oxford was awarded the 2010 award for Transportation Planning, by using slime moulds to determine the optimal routes for railway tracks. This study is particularly interesting as it has many other studies using
slime moulds to find the most efficient route. Max Fricker’s seminal study has led to a breakthrough in the planning of transportation routes and a greatly increased efficiency. To exemplify the beautiful efficiency of the natural process, slime moulds were inoculated onto a specially treated map of Tokyo, using oat flakes to represent various cities throughout the region. The brainless organism created a network of nutrient transporting tubes between the flakes in a pattern bearing striking similarity to the current network designed through hours of work by engineers and planners. Andrew Adamatzky at the University of Western England
recently let slime mould ‘conquer’ a globe constructed of agar and the brainless organism created a path mimetic of the Ancient silk trade routes. My favourite is the 2011 Peace Prize, awarded to Arturas Zuokas, the
Mayor of Vilnius, Lithuania, for demonstrating that the problem of illegally parked luxury cars can be solved by running it over with a heavily armoured tank.
flickr:Furryscaly
Sol Milne Science Writer
Epigram
30.09.2013
52
“
Visual
hallucinations of cobwebs in his shoes, kittens and mice
” ”
however this abnormality paled into insignificance when compared to the neurological afflictions of psychosis and depersonalisation. By the last day, Peter believed himself to be an imposter, pretending to be Peter Tripp. The last 66 hours of Tripp’s record were spent under the influence of drugs administered by the doctors and scientists in attendance, and by the end of the record Peter was quoted to have said, unsurprisingly, that he would like to sleep. He then did so. For 13 hours and 13 minutes… Whilst Tripp was convinced that he had “slept it off”, he no longer recognised his wifewhom he later divorced-, he lost his job due to a scandal he blamed on sleep deprivation
and his friends said he was never the same again. Very little is known about sleep and its role in the sustenance of life and sanity, but much of what we do know has been gleaned by means of EEG (Electroencephalography) recordings. For example, it was noted in the aforementioned experiment that Tripp’s hallucinations coincided with the 90 minute REM cycle of ‘dream sleep’ (observed as a rapid, low-voltage EEG trace), suggesting that such hallucinations might be induced by the same mechanism as dreams. It was also observed that, during the final hours of the ‘wakeathon’, Tripp’s EEG trace was indicative of sleep despite the fact that he was seemingly awake and interacting with others. Such periods are now known as ‘microsleeps’ and occur regardless of the subject’s intentions and without their knowledge. It is for this reason
that one cannot truly deprive oneself of sleep for extended periods; and yet the effects of losing sleep are deleterious nonetheless. So the next time you’re debating whether or not to “man-up and go out” after a succession of late nights, just consider the fact that no animal has evolved to survive without sleep; a period of altered consciousness in which we are largely unresponsive to external stimuli and are unable to do anything else conducive to our survival. Sleep is a highly advantageous mechanism maintained through millennia of Darwinian selection. The following morning, as your friends are downing Berocca like Tequila, describing their hectic night at the cost of a splitting headache, you can beam with smug satisfaction as you describe the phantasmagorical dreams of unicorns and fairies you had the night before.
Get paid to participate in scientific studies
Sharing with ancient giants Steven Zhang Science Writer
Flickr: blmiers2
The human race’s deepseated obsession with fantastic monsters is apparent in everything from from the goblins of Greek mythology to the Godzillas of the silver screen. Yet we think little about the worlds of real monsters which preceded us. The last 100,000 years of Earth history, a mere blink of an eye over eons of
geological time, saw the rise and rise of our species. We have gone from a few tiny communities, struggling for existence in the African wilderness, to a population capable of dominating the living environment. Over this
Another summer has gone by and you can hardly fail to have noticed yet another iPhone launch has occurred, with Apple revealing both the 5s and 5c models. The 5s is an update to the previous iPhone 5 model whereas the 5c, billed as ‘The Most Colorful iPhone Yet’, was purported by many in the media as a ‘budget’ version of the handset. After its release however it turned out not to be so budget after all with a price tag of £469 in the UK. Most reviewers were underwhelmed and Apple’s shares fell by 5% after the announcement. The technology story you may have missed over the
summer was the launch of a Firefox OS phone. Its media coverage was everything that the iPhone’s was not; small, but this makes it no less of an important advance. The phone, called “The Open” and manufactured by the Chinese company ZTE, sold out in the UK and USA three days after becoming available on the firm’s eBay site. Mozilla- Firefox’s parent company- has a philosophy of intellectual freedom and so it is open source, completely web-based and priced at only £59.99. Time will tell if it can truly take on the might of major phone producers Apple, Microsoft and Android. Its unique nature certainly makes it one to watch.
period our planet has also lost well over half of the largest land animal species. Is this a coincidence? On a sympathetic note our ancestors had things the tough way, scrambling out an livelihood under the reign of behemoths beyond the imagination of Hollywood screenwriters: in Australia we coexisted with a rhinocerossized wombat. Ducks twice as large as modern ostriches were prey for 15ft monitor lizards housing a venomous bite; roars of rutting Irish elk and hunting cave l i o n s certainly added to a European autumn sunset beside the aerobatics of migrating birds The parklands of Beverley Hills would have been browsed
by 10-ton mammoths, ground sloths as tall as giraffe and VW-sized armadillos, too
“
Ducks twice as
large as ostriches
”
formidable even for sabretoothed cats more muscly and ferocious than any lion or tiger alive today. The abrupt disappearance of these large animals towards the end of the Last Ice Age and the dawn of historical times poses a mystery to science. Mainstream academia blame dramatic climate change during this period but a few enigmas remain unanswered: why should a woolly mammoth and a woolly rhino inhabiting the cold, arid tundra of Europe become extinct along with a
The Department of Experimental Psychology are recruiting for a study investigating emotion recognition training in individuals showing signs of low mood. Participants should be between 18 and 40 and have fluent English. Attendance is required at five consecutive
sessions and two follow-up sessions; 2-weeks and 6-weeks. Participants will be reimbursed £60 to cover your time and expenses.If you are interested, please read the information sheet and complete the screening questionnaire, contact meg.fluharty@bristol. ac.uk
half-ton giant orangutan and a hippopotamus-sized giant tapir of Southeast Asia preferring the humid tropics? The late geoscientist Paul Martin was an avid advocate of the main alternative: overhunting by early humans, yet there is still very little evidence that sufficient hunting occurred. We may never know. However, the plight of the behemoths has not ended by any means. The last woolly mammoths roamed the wasteland of Wrangel Island as the Great Pyramids were erected; Qinshihuang built his magnificent
Terracotta Army as the howls of gorilla-sized giant lemurs throbbed through the Madagascan forests; as Shakespeare began another masterpiece the Māoris butchered away the last of the moas- 9ft flightless birds. As we grow in strength, eloquence and intelligence the giants die one by one. Have we become the monsters?
Flickr: ecstaticist
Innumerable freshers across the country - as well as those old enough to know betterwill this week experience Fresher’s Syndrome or ‘Sleep Deprivation’. Distinct from the renowned ‘Freshers’ Flu’, this malady affects many of us budding academics, and does so with equal brutality. So, as you wallow in selfpity, tending to your Loungeinduced trauma, consider the physiological impact of partying into the early hours… We are all aware of the effects of mild sleep deprivation: irritability, bags under the eyes (periorbital puffiness is the medical term), cognitive impairment etc. but few have sustained their abstinence from sleep for long enough to reveal some of the more interesting effects of severe sleep deprivation. One such effect is that of impaired moral judgement; maybe you shouldn’t have nicked that traffic cone after all? Or perhaps more intriguingly, hallucinations, such as those experienced by the aptly-named Peter Tripp, a radio DJ who successfully broke the world record for time spent without sleep. Tripp managed an admirable 201 hours and 10 minutes, but after just 3 days he showed signs of mild psychosis; he was irritable and terribly rude to everyone he encountered (he made his barber of twenty years run off in tears). By the fourth day he was experiencing visual hallucinations of cobwebs in
his shoes, kittens and mice where none were to be found, and the irrational belief that a technician was due to bury him at any moment. As the hours passed, Tripp’s body temperature decreased progressively, prompting him to don layer after layer of clothing;
Stephanie Harris Science Writer
Flickr: blmiers2
Duncan Ware Science Writer
The new generation of smartphones arrives
Wikipedia
Revealed: the consequences of your freshers’ week insomnia
Epigram
Sport
30.09.2013
53
Addison edges towards England seniors
Frank Uijlenbroek: England Hockey
George Moxey Online Sport Editor To say it’s been a rollercoaster summer of emotion for University of Bristol student Stephanie May Addison would be a compliment to rollercoasters around the world. Had it not been for the ever-villainous penalty shootout, a World Cup fairytale - in Germany of all
places - could well have become a reality. One of two Bristol hockey players at the tournament (see Joie Leigh’s version of events below), Addison was enjoying a lean spell in an under-21 team that byand-large weren’t expected to qualify from their group, let alone achieve 4th place. It could however have been all so different for the 20-year-old if it weren’t for a clutch decision three
World Cup medal heartbreak for Bristol hockey star Third year geographer Joie Leigh recounts her Junior World Cup hockey campaign as she bids a final farewell to the England Under-21 squad Germany. Going into the tournament I was hoping for the team to qualify out of our group so as to finish in at least in the top eight. After an epic underperformance and a loss of 5-0 in our first, and very important group game against Spain, our hopes of that top eight were looking seriously in doubt. The ice bath after this game was a very miserable place to be as the emotions of the defeat hit a low. Nevertheless, we picked ourselves up the next day and performed much better to beat Belgium 8-1. In the final group game against the hosts the stakes were high as it was a mustwin game for us in terms of qualifying
from the group due to our loss against Spain. We were arguably the underdogs going into the game but embracing the atmosphere of an evening game against the home team we put together a performance that saw us win 2-1. Due to the context of the game, this win was a real tournament highlight for me, needless to say the ice bath was a much happier place.
pitches being used for the tournament, with them being the host’s they always played on the one with the greater capacity. There was a big crowd and their players were on the ground crying afterwards.’ What’s German for heartbreaking?
A 1-0 quarterfinal win against Australia was revenge for a defeat at the Youth Olympics in January but it preceded a devastating penalties loss to India. ‘It looked like it was going in, we all started cheering!’ - but the English would have no such shootout luck, as the ball found a staunch cross bar that stopped the hope of a medal in full flight. But as one dream ended another was unknowingly beginning. Addison’s performances have earned her a trial for the senior team and the ‘Midfielder/forward’ is clearly delighted and rightfully proud to have been invited to attend. She will hope to
follow in the footsteps of Joie Leigh, who will be making the step up to the seniors after a hugely impressive junior career, and recent Bristol graduate Georgie Twigg who, as well as playing for Addison’s hometown team Surbiton, plays for the England seniors. It’s hard to judge whether Addison, who like Leigh plays for NPL club Clifton Ladies during term time, is genuinely tentative over her future or just exudes the humble nature all aspiring professionals could perhaps emulate; after 30 minutes in her company I decide it’s the latter. ‘The senior squad is so stable at the moment, I don’t see it changing much in the next three to four years,’ she says. The comment partially answers my next question as to whether she sees herself at the Rio Olympics in 2016. ‘I’ll just be trying to make an impact at this trial and then who knows. I’m just taking it bit by bit, I’m definitely looking at 2020, though I’ll be 27 by then!’ ‘That’s not old,’ I cut in. ‘Maybe I’ll start doing yoga,’ she laughs. Clearly taking nothing for granted, not even this veil of humour can shroud what will surely be a future Olympian.
I’m still gutted by missing that medal but thinking rationally, we surpassed my own and others’ expectations by finishing fourth, and actually being fourth in the world isn’t too bad when put in perspective!
A great last night partying and disturbing the peace of Monchengladbach with the Germans, Argentininians, Spanish and Dutch (who won the tournament) topped off a good tournament and one which I will look back on
with great pride and great memories. I am now looking forward to training full time with the senior GB squad, while maintaining studies at Bristol and playing club hockey at Clifton Ladies Hockey Club.
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There was a big crowd and their players were on the ground crying afterwards
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The ice bath after this game was a very miserable place to be
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We secured our place in the quarter finals where we played Australia in 42 degree heat and battled through as 1-0 winners. Unfortunately we subsequently lost to a strong Argentinean side, who were amongst the favourites, in the semis. Hoping to make history by being the first England team to medal at the World Cup we met a skilful India in the bronze medal match. We came within a post’s width of scoring the winner but unfortunately lost out in the penalty shootout.
Frank Uijlenbroek: England Hockey
The Junior World Cup is the biggest international tournament you can play in at junior level and only comes around every four years so this competition had been on my radar for a while. After numerous training days and training matches against teams such as Germany, Belgium, Holland and England Seniors, I was selected as part of the England U21 Junior World Cup Squad. The team included many of the girls I had grown up playing with and so were also good friends as well as teammates, which made the experience more fun and special. The competition was hosted at the Warsteiner Hockey Park in Monchengladbach,
years ago. ‘Before I joined secondary school my first sport was football’ she puts modestly. She goes on to say that she eventually played for Fulham Ladies at U16 level, and that it was only because of her secondary school, Kingston Grammar, that she ever picked up a hockey stick. With obvious talent she joined the famous Surbiton Hockey Club, a National Premier League (NPL) outfit,
where coaches Adele Brown and John Royce ear-marked her obvious potential. She puts her success down to them. It hasn’t always gone to plan though: ‘At 16 I had a trial for England U16s and didn’t get in - I just wanted to go back to playing football after that!’ Indeed she did, albeit whilst simultaneously playing for Surbiton. Balancing the two with school was no mean feat; many struggle with just one, or even no major sporting commitments, especially when aiming to meet Bristol grade requirements. ‘When I was 17 I basically had to make a decision between the two. The club friendly environment of the hockey club was what swayed it for me I think. I didn’t know any of the Fulham girls outside of the club and I went to school with some of the hockey team’. At just 18 the England U21 squad came calling and the rest is history: Fulham’s loss has been England’s gain. After scoring in the 8-1 thrashing of Belgium in the second game, Addison went on to score the winner in the next against hosts Germany. She ended the tournament as England’s top goalscorer. ‘It was an incredible experience. There were two
Epigram
30.09.2013
54
University sport: what does Bristol With over 50 sports on offer, Bristol club captains have to offer? tell you why now’s the right time to get involved American Football Communication Secretary Max Meuth talks us through the Bristol Barracuda’s ambitions for the coming season.
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The players have shown an immense hunger to work hard and right those wrongs
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The Cuda are well equipped to bounce back with formidable facilities and equipment at their disposal; the team trains
at Portway Rugby Centre on an all-weather 3G pitch with pro-standard hit and blocking sleds. The season kicks off on Sunday 3rd November with an away trip to Swansea. The first home game sees the club welcome Falmouth to their home ground at Beggars Bush on 24th November. The 13/14 season already boasts a number of big events including the return of the Varsity Series with a home tie on February 9th. The Cuda will be looking to end their hoodoo against crosstown rivals the UWE Bullets and finally claim the varsity crown. In addition to this, the hugely popular NFL Sundays at Riley’s Bristol returns with American football being shown on the big screens, culminating in the epic Super Bowl party at the end of the season. If you want to know more join our Facebook group, check out our website or contact the team at team@ bristolbarracuda.co.uk.
Max Meuth
Triathlon Club Captain Harry Phelps tells us why it’s as good a time as any to join the increasingly popular sport The Triathlon Club is in its third year of running and has gone from strength to strength since day one. We can now offer you five days a week of structured training including sessions in tri-
specific spinning, swimming and running - all coached by ex-GB and 220triathlon magazine’s 2011 coach of the year Andy Bullock - not to mention the beautiful south west countryside on training rides. And if this isn’t enough, this year we are proud to introduce our exclusive partnership with the magnificent Bristol Open Water facility. This massive fresh-water lake comes complete with purpose-built transition area, surrounding running track and wide surrounding roads to
practice every aspect of your triathlon before the big day. Our competitive membership comes with social membership to this triathlete’s paradise included. All our members will have the opportunity to compete in the BUCS sprint triathlon for free and we aim to subsidise our members’ entrance into other BUCS events as much as possible. So if you fancy trying the exciting world of multisport then join our Facebook group and come along to a session!
James Smith
The start of the American Football season is fast approaching and the Bristol Barracuda are getting in the swing of pre-season training with daily gym and fitness sessions on the Clifton Downs. The committee and coaches have been working hard behind the scenes all summer to try and ensure this upcoming season, their second in the BUCS league, is one to remember. The greatest change in the offseason sees Great Britain Lions and Bristol Aztecs player Jimmy Anderson
appointed as new head coach. This is Anderson’s first job leading a team and he will be looking to bring back the Cuda’s bite following a disappointing 2-5 season. Club captain and defensive lineman Sam Farley is also hungry to put the team back on the right path: ‘The manner of our losses last season was tough to take, it hurt our pride and the players have shown an immense hunger to work hard and right those wrongs this season.’
Men’s Football Club Captain George StarkeyMidah gives an in depth guide to one of the university’s biggest clubs The University’s Men’s Football Club, UBAFC, is one of the biggest sports clubs at Bristol with over 75 members playing across five teams. We boast three UEFA ‘B’ qualified coaches in our set-up who provide excellent training sessions aimed at both achieving results and developing the talent in our club. We’re also one of the most social clubs, holding weekly Wednesday night socials at local pub the White Harte before moving on to Bunker nightclub, a name you will very quickly become familiar with - if you’re not already! Particularly for first years whose workload isn’t too taxing, getting involved with a sports club at university is a great chance to meet people, stay in shape and perhaps play in a more professional environment than you have experienced at school. Training is on Monday and Friday nights, with matches on a Wednesday afternoon, and attendance to all three is of course compulsory. Events such as team meals and socials are also a must. UBAFC players are of course expected to make a full commitment to their involvement with the club!
Performance on the pitch this year is especially important after a few mediocre seasons. With three promotions available to us we hope to get the better of universities such as Bath, Cardiff and Southampton to help us earn the allimportant BUCS points that will allow us to achieve our aim of climbing into the top 10 of BUCS League, ahead of our academic rivals Oxford and Cambridge.
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The 1st XI harbour genuine promotion ambitions in what is shaping up to be an exciting year
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This season is one full of high hopes for the 1st XI. Having spent much of last season’s league campaign gelling as a squad – only two players had been 1st XI regulars in 2011/12 - the team capped off the year in stunning style with a 41 mauling of UWE in their Varsity match and will be hoping to use that victory as a springboard for success in the new season. This year, with only two players lost to graduation, there is a greater feeling of continuity among the players going into the new campaign. Losing Varsity hat-trick hero Tim Downes for the season to a horrific knee injury is certainly a big blow but one which will hopefully be offset by the return of skilful forward Jack Day from his year abroad in Los Angeles. Supported by the likes of key men Jocelino Rodrigues, Pete Bray and
captain Ben Cole, the 1st XI harbour genuine promotion ambitions in what is shaping up to be an exciting year. In recent seasons the 2nd XI has struggled, finishing below the 3rd XI, who play in the same division, for the last two seasons running. However, like the 1st XI, the team will have plenty of experienced faces involved this year which will be important for the team in a crucial year where promotion is certainly an achievable aim for coach Robbie Fox and his men. While a great league campaign last year ended with the 3rd XI finishing as runners-up in their BUCS division, the focus for the squad this year is more geared towards player development. New coach Mark Read hopes to hone the skills of players who have ambitions to move on to higher teams in future seasons, as well as giving new players the chance to familiarise themselves with university football.
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For the 5th team the aim is clear: win the Intramural League
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The previous couple of seasons have seen the 4th XI establishing themselves in their division after promotion in 2011. If a few good freshers can add to an already solid squad the side could be in for a title challenge this year. For the club’s 5th team the aim is clear: win the Intramural League.
Epigram
30.09.2013
55 Swimming and Water Polo
Sailing Ex-club captain Nicholas Wilkinson runs through another of Bristol’s high performers
Club president Alice Beckett details a Bristol success story The University of Bristol Swimming and Water Polo Club is a hugely successful and sociable club, catering for beginner up to competitive standard swimmers and water polo players. We have four main teams: Men’s and Women’s Water Polo and Men’s and Women’s Swimming, who regularly compete in BUCS, local league and varsity competitions. Recent successes have included winning BUCS Men’s Water Polo Championship for two years in a row (a huge achievement!), Women’s Water Polo Championship
Nigel Vick
The Bristol University Sailing Club is one of the liveliest clubs in the city. Having received recognition as Sports Club of the Year last year we are most certainly one you should try. We can teach you everything you need to know so no experience is necessary. We have fantastic facilities within the centre of Bristol where you can learn to sail in toppers, picos and fevas and we also have a fleet of firefly dinghies at Chew Valley lake where our teams race on weekends. Currently the UK National University team racing champions, we also have some of the UK top fleet and match racers representing Bristol and the UK across Europe and the world. And whether you’re keen to sail or not we have arguably the best socials in town, so get in touch!
Varsity clean sweep on club captain Lucy McDermott’s agenda the addition of a new coach and lots of fundraising and social events and you’d be a fool to bet against another fruitful year on and off the court. Last season was a triumphant one. The 3s were unbeaten and had effectively won their league
by Christmas, the 2s were promoted to the same league as the 1s, and the new 5th team had a brilliant first season in BUCS. These impressive accomplishments have led to the creation of a sixth team which will play in the Avon Netball League; the first appearance of a UBNC
outfit in the local system. In the more familiar BUCS our rivalry between UWE and Bath will undoubtedly be as fierce as ever. Our three highly qualified coaches will allow us, and you, to keep on improving in all aspects of the game. Crucial advances which allow us to compete with such teams mean the end of year varsity series with UWE is a particular highlight - last year we won four out of the five matches, it’s up to the 1s to make it a clean sweep come Varsity in the spring! Be sure to look out for all the club’s latest news and come along to Coombe Dingle or Tyndall Avenue on a Wednesday afternoon.
Club president Sarah Bolter introduces the riding club
Flickr:Naparazzi
The University’s Riding Club offers riding lessons to everyone and anyone; the club boasted 130 members last year. Our teams are trained by the winner of the 2010 Badminton Horse Trials, Paul Tapner, and are highly successful; the B team have been national champions in the BUCS league for the past two years and the A team won the championship league two years ago.
Sarah Bolter
Riding
UBSWPC Facebook
Netball
The University of Bristol Netball Club (UBNC) is looking forward to an exciting new year. After a successful season in BUCS last time round the 1s and 2s will have the added rivalry of being in the same league bringing a new, competitive edge to training. Add that to
Runners-Up in 2011 and BUCS Teams Swimming Trophy Finalists in 2012. Both water polo teams train three times a week and there are five coached swimming sessions available, although some of these are reserved for our squad swimmers. All our training programs and club information can be found online. The best place to start is the Union website; look for ‘Swim and Water Polo’ under Sports Clubs. From there you can follow links to our club website (ubswpc.co.uk) and Facebook page. For those looking to try something new, if you’ve played team sports such as basketball and netball before, and can swim to a reasonable level, there’s a good chance you’ll pick up water polo pretty quickly. It’s a fun, fast and tactical sport, so why not give us a try?
Competitions are held at riding schools with horses provided by the hosts; each rider is given time to warm up and become accustomed to the new horse before each phase. Not everyone is lucky enough to have their own horse or be able to bring their horse to university so we try to provide as many opportunities as possible - one of our aims is to run a clear round jumping competition at one of our schools in the second term. The club runs trips to shows such as Badminton Horse Trials, and to lecture demonstrations at Hartpury College. Last year a trip was run to the Edge of Glory tour where legendary show jumper Geoff Billington and
international event rider Oliver Townend educated crowds with demonstrations and talks. As well as lessons, teams and hacking we do of course run regular socials.
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The riding club is a fantastic way to get involved with horses and meet like-minded people
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Whether you’re interested in starting horse riding or are already a regular rider, the riding club is a fantastic way to get involved with horses and a great way to meet like-minded people!
Epigram
30.09.2013
Sport
Editor: Hetty Knox
Online Editor: George Moxey
sport@epigram.org.uk
sportonline@epigram.org.uk
@epigramsport
World Champs bronze for Morris
Paul Wright
Louis Morris Sports Reporter University of Bristol student Louis Morris scored a Raceboard Windsurfing World Championship bronze in the Czech Republic this September. The chemistry student made the long drive to Nove Mlyny Lake near Brno in what was ultimately
a hugely successful week for the twenty-year-old, who added to his BUCS silver and multiple UK tour wins. It was an accomplishment all the more sweet as the 110 competitors from around the world made it one of the biggest World Championship fields in recent memory. Gusty conditions made for a tough first day’s racing as the wind blew violently off the nearby hill. Morris, one
of the lightest in the fleet at 66kg, opted to use his smaller sail, a decision which paid off handsomely as he sailed his way to 4th and 3rd places in the opening two races. With a slowly diminishing post-lunch wind, Morris was able to use his large sail to consolidate his morning results with afternoon finishes of 3rd and 2nd; it meant he finished the day in 4th
place and narrowly behind windsurfing golden boys Petr Kucera, Makzymilian Wocik and Patrik Pollak. Following two frustratingly windless days thereafter racing was resumed on the penultimate day in tricky light winds and hot sunshine. The conditions demanded a high work rate and tactical nous to generate maximum speed. Morris kept his cool in the Czech
heat to make light work of the tough conditions, a 2nd place in each of the three races meant he climbed to 3rd overall and now held a slender one point lead over Petr Kucera, who was now down in fourth. With similar conditions on the final day overnight leader Patrik Pollak didn’t have it all his own way, he found himself battling back through the fleet whilst Max Wojcik from Poland won all three races to defend his world title in style. Spain’s Curro Manchon was never far behind with 2nd placed finishes in each race but it wasn’t enough for him to make the podium after a less impressive performance on the first day. Morris recovered from a disappointing 7th in the first race to finish 3rd in the final two contests, leaving Petr Kucera in his wake to claim 3rd place in his first senior international championship. Huge thanks must go to Morris’ sponsors (Tushingham Sails, Starboard Boards, and Overboard Bags) who have offered so much support with race winning equipment, and to the University of Bristol’s Elite Representation fund, which contributed towards the entry and travel costs.
Inside Sport Get to know some of the sports clubs available to you, from American Football to Sailing, from Riding to Netball, Men’s Football, Swimming, Water Polo and Triathlon. page 54-55
Bristol hockey stars Joie Leigh and Stephanie May-Addison on delivering a 4th placed finish at the Junior World Cup page 53
Bristol is lucky to have a busy windsurfing club which caters for all abilities. If you’d like to get involved visit the club’s Facebook page or the club’s website: www.ubwc.co.uk
Fancy getting involved with Epigram? Whether you’re interested in writing, editing or joining the business team, we want to hear from you - email getinvolved@epigram.org.uk
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